above the sea upon a high rock, and it was called the Castle of
Tallages. He seeth a knight issue from the castle and asketh whose
hold it is, and he telleth him that it belonged to the Queen of the
Maidens. He entereth into the first baby of the castle, and alighteth
at the mounting-stage and setteth down his shield and his spear, and
looketh toward the steps whereby one goeth up to the higher hall, and
seeth upon them row upon row of knights and damsels. He cometh
thitherward, but never a knight nor dame was there that gave him
greeting of any kind. So he saluted them at large. He went his way
right amidst them toward the door of the great hall, which he findeth
shut, and rattled the ring so loud that it made the whole hall resound
thereof. A knight cometh to open it and he entereth in.

"Sir Knight, welcome may you be!"

"Good adventure may you have!" saith Perceval.

He lowereth his ventail and taketh off his helm. The knight leadeth
him to the Queen's chamber, and she riseth to meet him, and maketh
great joy of him, and maketh him sit beside her all armed.

II.

With that, cometh a damsel and kneeleth before the Queen and saith:
"Lady, behold here the knight that was first at the Graal. I saw him in
the court of the Queen of the Tents, there where he was appeached of
treason and murder."

"Now haste," saith the Queen to the knight, "Let sound the ivory horn
upon the castle."

The knights and damsels that were sitting on the steps leapt up, and
make right great joy, and the other knights likewise. They say that
now they know well that they have done their penance. Thereupon they
enter into the hall, and the Lady issueth from her chamber and taketh
Perceval by the hand and goeth to meet them.

"Behold here," saith she, "the knight through whom you have had the
pain and travail, and by whom you are now released therefrom!"

"Ha!" say the knights and dames, "welcome may he be!"

"By my head," saith the Queen, "so is he, for he is the knight of the
world that I had most desire to see."

She maketh disarm him, and bring the rich robe of cloth of silk to
apparel him. "Sir," saith the Queen, "Four knights and three damsels
have been under the steps at the entrance of the hall ever since such
time as you were at the hostel of King Fisherman, there where you
forgot to ask whereof the Graal might serve, nor never since have they
had none other house nor hold wherein to eat nor to drink nor to lie,
nor