s lady of the Castle Perilous, and there
she told him how she caused her brother to take away his dwarf, [*2]for
this cause, to know the certainty what was your name, and of what kin ye
were come.

[*2] Printed by Caxton as part of chap. xxii.

CHAPTER XXII. How at night came an armed knight, and fought with Sir
Gareth, and he, sore hurt in the thigh, smote off the knight's head.

AND then she let fetch to-fore him Linet, the damosel that had ridden
with him many wildsome ways. Then was Sir Gareth more gladder than he
was to-fore. And then they troth-plight each other to love, and never
to fail whiles their life lasteth. And so they burnt both in love,
that they were accorded to abate their lusts secretly. And there Dame
Lionesse counselled Sir Gareth to sleep in none other place but in
the hall. And there she promised him to come to his bed a little afore
midnight.

This counsel was not so privily kept but it was understood; for they
were but young both, and tender of age, and had not used none such
crafts to-fore. Wherefore the damosel Linet was a little displeased, and
she thought her sister Dame Lionesse was a little over-hasty, that she
might not abide the time of her marriage; and for saving their worship,
she thought to abate their hot lusts. And so she let ordain by her
subtle crafts that they had not their intents neither with other, as in
their delights, until they were married. And so it passed on. At-after
supper was made clean avoidance, that every lord and lady should go unto
his rest. But Sir Gareth said plainly he would go no farther than the
hall, for in such places, he said, was convenient for an errant-knight
to take his rest in; and so there were ordained great couches, and
thereon feather beds, and there laid him down to sleep; and within a
while came Dame Lionesse, wrapped in a mantle furred with ermine, and
laid her down beside Sir Gareth. And therewithal he began to kiss her.
And then he looked afore him, and there he apperceived and saw come an
armed knight, with many lights about him; and this knight had a long
gisarm in his hand, and made grim countenance to smite him. When Sir
Gareth saw him come in that wise, he leapt out of his bed, and gat in
his hand his sword, and leapt straight toward that knight. And when the
knight saw Sir Gareth come so fiercely upon him, he smote him with a
foin through the thick of the thigh that the wound was a shaftmon broad
and had cut a-two many vei