of him
far and near; and I agree with the opinion of the Bretons that his name
will live on for evermore. And in connection with him we call to mind
those goodly chosen knights who spent themselves for honour's sake. But
upon this day of which I speak, great was their astonishment at seeing
the King quit their presence; and there were some who felt chagrined,
and who did not mince their words, never before having seen the King, on
the occasion of such a feast, enter his own chamber either to sleep or
to seek repose. But this day it came about that the Queen detained him,
and he remained so long at her side that he forgot himself and fell
asleep. Outside the chamber door were Dodinel, Sagremor, and Kay, my
lord Gawain, my lord Yvain, and with them Calogrenant, a very comely
knight, who had begun to tell them a tale, though it was not to his
credit, but rather to his shame. The Queen could hear him as he told his
tale, and rising from beside the King, she came upon them so stealthily
that before any caught sight of her, she had fallen, as it were, right
in their midst. Calogrenant alone jumped up quickly when he saw her
come. Then Kay, who was very quarrelsome, mean, sarcastic, and abusive,
said to him: "By the Lord, Calogrenant, I see you are very bold and
forward now, and certainly it pleases me to see you the most courteous
of us all. And I know that you are quite persuaded of your own
excellence, for that is in keeping with your little sense. And of course
it is natural that my lady should suppose that you surpass us all in
courtesy and bravery. We failed to rise through sloth, forsooth, or
because we did not care! Upon my word, it is not so, my lord; but we
did not see my lady until you had risen first." "Really, Kay," the Queen
then says, "I think you would burst if you could not pour out the poison
of which you are so full. You are troublesome and mean thus to annoy
your companions." "Lady," says Kay, "if we are not better for your
company, at least let us not lose by it. I am not aware that I said
anything for which I ought to be accused, and so I pray you say no more.
It is impolite and foolish to keep up a vain dispute. This argument
should go no further, nor should any one try to make more of it. But
since there must be no more high words, command him to continue the tale
he had begun." Thereupon Calogrenant prepares to reply in this fashion:
"My lord, little do I care about the quarrel, which matters little and