before them, and Erec sees
them, and perceives that his lodging is arranged for him. "Ah! Gawain,"
he says, "your shrewdness has outwitted me. By your great cunning you
have kept me here. Since it has turned out thus, I shall tell you my
name at once. Further concealment would be useless. I am Erec, who was
formerly your companion and friend." Gawain hears him and straightway
embraces him. He raised up his helmet and unlaced his mouthpiece.
Joyfully he clasps him in his embrace, while Erec embraces him in
turn. Then Gawain leaves him, saying, "Sire, this news will give great
pleasure to my lord; he and my lady will both be glad, and I must go
before to tell them of it. But first I must embrace and welcome and
speak comfortably to my lady Enide, your wife. My lady the Queen has a
great desire to see her. I heard her speak of her only yesterday." Then
he steps up to Enide and asks her how she is, if she is well and in good
case. She makes answer courteously: "Sire, I should have no cause for
grief, were I not in great distress for my lord; but as it is, I am in
dismay, for he has hardly a limb without a wound." Gawain replies: "This
grieves me much. It is perfectly evident from his face, which is all
pale and colourless. I could have wept myself when I saw him so pale
and wan, but my joy effaced my grief, for at sight of him I felt so glad
that I forgot all other pain. Now start and ride along slowly. I shall
ride ahead at top-speed to tell the Queen and the King that you are
following after me. I am sure that they will both be delighted when they
hear it." Then he goes, and comes to the King's tent. "Sire," he cries,
"now you and my lady must be glad, for here come Erec and his wife." The
King leaps to his feet with joy. "Upon my word!" he says, "right glad
I am. I could hear no news which could give me so much happiness." The
Queen and all the rest rejoice, and come out from the tents as fast as
they may. Even the King comes forth from his pavilion, and they met Erec
near at band. When Erec sees the King coming, he quickly dismounts,
and Enide too. The King embraces and meets them, and the Queen likewise
tenderly kisses and embraces them: there is no one that does not show
his joy. Right there, upon the spot, they took off Erec's armour; and
when they saw his wounds, their joy turned to sadness. The King draws a
deep sigh at the sight of them, and has a plaster brought which Morgan,
his sister, had made. This piaster, wh