orse with his spurs and findeth the bridge wide and large as soon
as he goeth forward, for by this passing were proven most of the
knights that were fain to enter therein. Much marvelled he that he
found the bridge so wide that had seemed him so narrow. And when he
had passed beyond, the bridge, that was a drawbridge, lifted itself by
engine behind him, for the water below ran too swiftly for other bridge
to be made. The knight draweth himself back beyond the great bridge
and Messire Gawain cometh nigh to pass it, and this seemed him as long
as the other. And he seeth the water below, that was not less swift
nor less deep, and, so far as he could judge, the bridge was of ice,
feeble and thin, and of a great height above the water, and he looked
at it with much marvelling, yet natheless not for that would he any the
more hold back from passing on toward the entrance. He goeth forward
and commendeth himself to God, and cometh in the midst thereof and
seeth that the bridge was the fairest and richest and strongest he had
ever beheld, and the abutments thereof were all full of images. When
he was beyond the bridge, it lifted itself up behind him as the other
had done, and he looketh before him and seeth not the knight, and is
come to the third bridge and nought was he adread for anything he might
see. And it was not less rich than the other, and had columns of
marble all round about, and upon each a knop so rich that it seemed to
be of gold. After that, he beholdeth the gate over against him, and
seeth Our Lord there figured even as He was set upon the rood, and His
Mother of the one side and S. John of the other, whereof the images
were all of gold, with rich precious stones that flashed like fire. And
on the right hand he seeth an angel, passing fair, that pointed with
his finger to the chapel where was the Holy Graal, and on his breast
had he a precious stone, and letters written above his head that told
how the lord of the castle was the like pure and clean of all
evil-seeming as was this stone.

XVI.

Thereafter at the entrance of the gate he seeth a lion right great and
horrible, and he was upright upon his feet. So soon as he seeth
Messire Gawain, he croucheth to the ground, and Messire Gawain passeth
the entrance without gainsay and cometh to the castle, and alighteth
afoot, and setteth his shield and his spear against the wall of the
hall, and mounteth up a flight of marble steps and cometh into a hall