m coming, and my lord Gawain himself awaits
you there. My lady, let us hasten thither, for here we have too long
delayed." Then the Queen bestirred herself, and coming to the windows
she took her stand by my lord Gawain, and straightway recognised the
knight. "Ha! my lords," she cries, "it is he. He has been through great
danger. He has been in a battle. I do not know whether Erec has avenged
his grief, or whether this knight has defeated Erec. But there is many a
dent upon his shield, and his hauberk is covered with blood, so that it
is rather red than white." "In sooth, my lady," quoth my lord Gawain,
"I am very sure that you are quite right. His hauberk is covered with
blood, and pounded and beaten, showing plainly that he has been in a
fight. We can easily see that the battle has been hot. Now we shall soon
hear from him news that will give us joy or gloom: whether Erec sends
him to you here as a prisoner at your discretion, or whether he comes
in pride of heart to boast before us arrogantly that he has defeated or
killed Erec. No other news can he bring, I think." The Queen says: "I am
of the same opinion." And all the others say: "It may well be so."

(Vv. 1171-1243.) Meanwhile Yder enters the castle gate, bringing them
news. They all came down from the bower, and went to meet him. Yder came
up to the royal terrace and there dismounted from his horse. And Gawain
took the damsel and helped her down from her palfrey; the dwarf, for his
part, dismounted too. There were more than one hundred knights standing
there, and when the three newcomers had all dismounted they were led
into the King's presence. As soon as Yder saw the Queen, he bowed low
and first saluted her, then the King and his knights, and said: "Lady,
I am sent here as your prisoner by a gentleman, a valiant and noble
knight, whose face yesterday my dwarf made smart with his knotted
scourge. He has overcome me at arms and defeated me. Lady, the dwarf I
bring you here: he has come to surrender to you at discretion. I bring
you myself, my damsel, and my dwarf to do with us as you please." The
Queen keeps her peace no longer, but asks him for news of Erec: "Tell
me," she says, "if you please, do you know when Erec will arrive?"
"To-morrow, lady, and with him a damsel he will bring, the fairest of
all I ever knew." When he had delivered his message, the Queen, who was
kind and sensible, said to him courteously: "Friend, since thou hast
thrown thyself upon my m