en Sir Percival beheld
all the people in the streets, coming and going upon their businesses; and
when he beheld all the gay colors and apparels of fine fabrics that the
people wore; and when he beheld the many booths filled with rich wares of
divers sorts, he wist not what to think for the wonder that possessed him;
wherefore he cried out aloud, as with great passion: "What marvel do I
behold! I knew not that a city could be so great as this."

And again Sir Lamorack smiled very kindly upon him and said: "Sayst thou
so? Now I tell thee that when one compares this place with Camelot (which
is the King's city) it is as a star compared to the full moon in her
glory." And at that Sir Percival knew not what to think for wonder.

So they went up the street of the town until they came to the castle of
Cardennan and there requested admission. And when the name and the estate
of Sir Lamorack were declared, the porter opened the gate with great joy
and they entered. Then, by and by, the lord and the lady of the castle came
down from a carved wooden gallery and bade them welcome by word of mouth.
And after that sundry attendants immediately appeared and assisted Sir
Percival and Sir Lamorack to dismount and took their horses to the stable,
and sundry other attendants conducted them to certain apartments where they
were eased of their armor and bathed in baths of tepid water and given soft
raiment for to wear. After that the lord and the lady entertained them with
a great feast, where harpers and singers made music, and where certain
actors acted a mystery before them.

[Sidenote: How the two knights were welcomed by the lord and lady of the
castle] So these two knights and the lord and the lady of the castle ate
together and discoursed very pleasantly for a while; but, when the evening
was pretty well gone, Sir Lamorack bade good-night, and he and Sir Percival
were conducted to a certain very noble apartment where beds of down, spread
with flame-colored cloth, had been prepared for their repose.

Thus ended that day which was the first day of the knighthood of Sir
Percival of Gales.

Now though Sir Percival had travelled very contentedly with Sir Lamorack
for all that while, yet he had determined in his own mind that, as soon as
possible, he would leave Sir Lamorack and depart upon his own quest. For he
said to himself: "Lo! I am a very green knight as yet, and haply my brother
may grow weary of my company and cease to love me