his heart and mind to go and seek out the lady, and
to have the body honourably interred, if it should turn out to be he.
He assembled a thousand men-at-arms and knights to take the town. If the
Count would not surrender of his own accord the body and the lady, he
would put all to fire and flame. In the moonlight shining clear he led
his men on toward Limors, with helmets laced, in hauberks clad, and from
their necks the shields were hung. Thus, under arms, they all advanced
until nearly midnight, when Erec espied them. Now he expects to be
ensnared or killed or captured inevitably. He makes Enide dismount
beside a thicket-hedge. No wonder if he is dismayed. "Lady, do you stay
here," he says, "beside this thicket-hedge a while, until these people
shall have passed. I do not wish them to catch sight of you, for I do
not know what manner of people they are, nor of what they go in search.
I trust we may not attract their attention. But I see nowhere any place
where we could take refuge, should they wish to injure us. I know not
if any harm may come to me, but not from fear shall I fail to sally out
against them. And if any one assails me, I shall not fail to joust with
him. Yet, I am so sore and weary that it is no wonder if I grieve. Now
to meet them I must go, and do you stay quiet here. Take care that no
one see you, until they shall have left you far behind." Behold now
Guivret, with lance outstretched, who espied him from afar. They did not
recognise each other, for the moon had gone behind the shadow of a
dark cloud. Erec was weak and exhausted, and his antagonist was quite
recovered from his wounds and blows. Now Erec will be far from wise if
he does not promptly make himself known. He steps out from the hedge.
And Guivret spurs toward him without speaking to him at all, nor does
Erec utter a word to him: he thought he could do more than he could.
Whoever tries to run farther than he is able must perforce give up or
take a rest. They clash against each other; but the fight was unequal,
for one was weak and the other strong. Guivret strikes him with such
force that he carries him down to earth from his horse's back. Enide,
who was in hiding, when she sees her lord on the ground, expects to be
killed and badly used. Springing forth from the hedge, she runs to help
her lord. If she grieved before, now her anguish is greater. Coming up
to Guivret, she seized his horse's rein, and then said: "Cursed be thou,
knight! For th