uaintance grows with
my lord Gawain, he values her highly and gives her his love as to his
sweetheart, because she had saved from death his companion and friend;
he places himself freely at her service. On her part she describes and
relates to him with what difficulty she persuaded her mistress to take
my lord Yvain as her husband, and how she protected him from the hands
of those who were seeking him; how he was in their midst but they did
not see him. My lord Gawain laughed aloud at this story of hers, and
then he said: "Mademoiselle, when you need me and when you don't, such
as I am, I place myself at your disposal. Never throw me off for some
one else when you think you can improve your lot. I am yours, and do
you be from now on my demoiselle!" "I thank you kindly, sire," she said.
While the acquaintance of these two was ripening thus, the others, too,
were engaged in flirting. For there were perhaps ninety ladies there,
each of whom was fair and charming, noble and polite, virtuous and
prudent, and a lady of exalted birth, so the men could agreeably employ
themselves in caressing and kissing them, and in talking to them and
in gazing at them while they were seated by their side; that much
satisfaction they had at least. My lord Yvain is in high feather because
the King is lodged with him. And the lady bestows such attention upon
them all, as individuals and collectively, that some foolish person
might suppose that the charming attentions which she showed them were
dictated by love. But such persons may properly be rated as fools for
thinking that a lady is in love with them just because she is courteous
and speaks to some unfortunate fellow, and makes him happy and caresses
him. A fool is made happy by fair words, and is very easily taken in.
That entire week they spent in gaiety; forest and stream offered plenty
of sport for any one who desired it. And whoever wished to see the land
which had come into the hands of my lord Yvain with the lady whom he
had married, could go to enjoy himself at one of the castles which stood
within a radius of two, three, or four leagues. When the King had stayed
as long as he chose, he made ready to depart. But during the week they
had all begged urgently, and with all the insistence at their command,
that they might take away my lord Yvain with them. "What? Will you
be one of those." said my lord Gawain to him, "who degenerate after
marriage? [317] Cursed be he by Saint Mary who marr