that it would be great joy and
she were willing to turn to God, and they that are within there, for
well he knoweth that so she should hold to the New Law, all they of the
land would be of the same mind. When Perceval had lain the night at
the castle, the Lady on the morrow sent for all the more powerful of
her land, and came forth of her chamber into the hall where Perceval
was, seeing as clear as ever she had seen aforetime.

"Lords," saith she, "Hearken ye all, for now will I tell you the truth
like as it hath befallen me. I was lying in my bed last night, and
well know ye that I saw not a whit, and made my orisons to our gods
that they would restore me my sight. It seemed me they made answer
that they had no power so to do, but that I should make be slain the
knight that was arrived here, and that and I did not, sore wroth would
they be with me. And when I had heard their voices say that nought
might they avail me as for that I had prayed of them, I remembered me
of the Lord in whom they that hold the New Law believe. And I prayed
Him right sweetly that, and so it were that He had such virtue and such
puissance as many said, He would make me see clear, so as that I might
believe in Him. At that hour I fell on sleep, and meseemed that I saw
one of the fairest Ladies in the world, and she was delivered of a
Child therewithin, and He had about Him a great brightness of light
like it were the sun shone at right noonday."

XXVI.

"When the Child was born, so passing fair was He and so passing gentle
and of so sweet semblant that the looks of Him pleased me well; and
meseemed that at His deliverance there was a company of folk the
fairest that were seen ever, and they were like as it had been birds
and made full great joy. And methought that an ancient man that was
with Her, told me that My Lady had lost no whit of her maidenhood for
the Child. Well pleased was I the while this thing lasted me. It
seemed me that I saw it like as I do you. Thereafter, methought I saw
a Man bound to a stake, in whom was great sweetness and humility, and
an evil folk beat Him with scourges and rods right cruelly, so that the
blood ran down thereof. They would have no mercy on Him. Of this
might I not hold myself but that I wept for pity of Him. Therewithal I
awoke and marvelled much whence it should come and what it might be.
But in anyway it pleased me much that I had seen it. It seemed me
after this, that I saw the same