f man. But when Sir Tristram
had come somewhat nearer, he perceived the windows of the castle shining
against the sky, and he saw the gateway thereof, and the roofs and the
chimneys thereof, so that he knew that it was a castle of great size and
strength and no wall of rock as he had at first supposed it to be; and he
wist that this must be the castle of that wicked and malignant knight, Sir
Nabon, whom he sought.

Now as Sir Tristram wended his way toward that castle by a crooked path
meditating how he should come at Sir Nabon for to challenge him to battle,
he was by and by aware of a fellow clad in pied black and white, who walked
along the way in the direction that he himself was taking. At the first
that fellow was not aware of Sir Tristram; then presently he was aware of
him and turned him about, and beheld that a strange knight was riding
rapidly down toward him upon a horse.

Then at first that fellow stood like one struck with amazement; but in a
moment he cried out aloud as with a great fear, and instantly turned again
and ran away, yelling like one who had gone mad.

But Sir Tristram thundered after him at speed, and, in a little, came up
with him, and catched him by the collar of his jerkin and held him fast.
And Sir Tristram said: "Fellow, who are you?"

"Lord," quoth the fellow, "I am an attendant upon the knight of yonder
castle, which same is hight Sir Nabon surnamed le Noir."

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram talks with a knave of the earth] Then Sir Tristram
said: "Sirrah, why did you run from me when you first beheld me?" And the
fellow replied: "Messire, you are the first stranger who hath dared to come
hither to this country; wherefore, seeing you, and seeing that you rode
upon horseback, and not knowing how you came to this land, I wist not
whether you were a man of flesh and blood, or whether you were a spirit
come hither for to punish us for our sins; so I ran away from you."

"Well," said Sir Tristram, "as you see, I am no spirit, but a man of flesh
and blood. Yet I have great hope that I have indeed been sent hither for to
punish those who have done evil, for I come hither seeking the knight of
yonder castle for to do battle with him in behalf of that lady whose lord
he slew so treacherously as I have heard tell. And I hope to take away from
him this island and return it to the Lady Loise, to whom it belongeth."

"Alas, Messire," quoth the fellow, "this is for you a very sorry quest upon
which you