o me nor claim
my assistance because of the shame of his appearance! Meseems it is not
fitting for me to send for him to come to me in the guise which he now
wears, for it would be discourteous a thing for me to do, to make him so
declare himself. So first I shall see to it that he is clothed in such a
manner as shall be fitting to his high estate, and then haply he will be
willing to make himself manifest to me. After that, perhaps his love will
return to me again, and remain with me as it was at first."

So Sir Tristram called to him several of the people of that castle, and he
bade them do certain things according to his command, and straightway they
departed to do as he ordained.

Now turn we to Sir Lamorack: whilst he sat keeping watch over his swine
there came to him four men from the castle. These say to him, "You must
come straightway with us." Sir Lamorack said, "Whither would you take me?"
They say: "That we are not permitted to tell you, only that you are to go
with us as we bid you."

So Sir Lamorack arose and went with those four, much wondering what it was
that was to befall him, and whether that which was to happen was good or
evil.

[Sidenote: Sir Lamorack is brought to the castle] The four men brought him
to the castle and they entered in thereat, and they escorted Sir Lamorack,
still greatly wondering, up the stairway of the castle, and so into a noble
and stately apartment, hung with tapestries and embroidered hangings. And
there Sir Lamorack beheld a great bath of tepid water, hung within and
without with linen. There were at this place several attendants; these took
Sir Lamorack and unclothed him and brought him to the bath, and bathed him
and dried him with soft linen and with fine towels. Then there came the
barber and he shaved Sir Lamorack and clipped his hair, and when he was
thus bathed and trimmed, his nobility shone forth again as the sun shines
forth from a thick cloud that hides its effulgence for a while, only to
withdraw so that the glorious day-star may shine forth again with redoubled
splendor.

[Sidenote: Sir Lamorack is armed in armor] Then there came divers other
attendants and clothed Sir Lamorack in rich and handsome garments such as
were altogether fitting for a knight-royal to wear. And after that there
came several esquires and brought a very splendid suit of armor; and they
clad Sir Lamorack in that armor; and the armor gleamed as bright as
daylight, being polished to a w