he. "Wherefore?" said she.
"Because thou art not of honour sufficient to befit thee to speak to my
Lord." Then the maiden turned her horse's head towards the knight, upon
which the dwarf struck her with the whip that was in his hand across the
face and the eyes, until the blood flowed forth. And the maiden, through
the hurt she received from the blow, returned to Gwenhwyvar, complaining
of the pain. "Very rudely has the dwarf treated thee," said Geraint. "I
will go myself to know who the knight is." "Go," said Gwenhwyvar. And
Geraint went up to the dwarf. "Who is yonder knight?" said Geraint. "I
will not tell thee," said the dwarf. "Then will I ask him himself," said
he. "That wilt thou not, by my faith," said the dwarf; "thou art not
honourable enough to speak with my Lord." Said Geraint, "I have spoken
with men of equal rank with him." And he turned his horse's head towards
the knight, but the dwarf overtook him and struck him as he had done the
maiden, so that the blood coloured the scarf that Geraint wore. Then
Geraint put his hand upon the hilt of his sword, but he took counsel with
himself, and considered that it would be no vengeance for him to slay the
dwarf, and to be attacked unarmed by the armed knight, so he returned to
where Gwenhwyvar was.

"Thou hast acted wisely and discreetly," said she. "Lady," said he, "I
will follow him yet, with thy permission; and at last he will come to
some inhabited place, where I may have arms either as a loan or for a
pledge, so that I may encounter the knight." "Go," said she, "and do not
attack him until thou hast good arms, and I shall be very anxious
concerning thee, until I hear tidings of thee." "If I am alive," said
he, "thou shall hear tidings of me by to-morrow afternoon;" and with that
he departed.

And the road they took was below the palace of Caerlleon, and across the
ford of the Usk; and they went along a fair, and even, and lofty ridge of
ground, until they came to a town, and at the extremity of the town they
saw a Fortress and a Castle. And they came to the extremity of the town.
And as the knight passed through it, all the people arose, and saluted
him, and bade him welcome. And when Geraint came into the town, he
looked at every house, to see if he knew any of those whom he saw. But
he knew none, and none knew him to do him the kindness to let him have
arms either as a loan or for a pledge. And every house he saw was full
of men, and a