r any reason whatsoever, any gentleman who comes here from
a distance. The responsibility now is thine alone; no one will stand in
thy way. If thou wishest, thou mayst go up now; but my advice is to turn
back again." "Lady," he says, "doubtless it would be to my honour and
advantage to follow your advice; but I do not know where I should find
a lodging-place to-night." "Upon my word," says she, "I'll say no more,
for the concern is none of mine. Go wherever you please. Nevertheless,
I should be very glad to see you return from inside without too great
shame; but that could hardly be." "Lady," he says, "may God reward you
for the wish. However, my wayward heart leads me on inside, and I
shall do what my heart desires." Thereupon, he approaches the gate,
accompanied by his lion and his damsel. Then the porter calls to him,
and says: "Come quickly, come. You are on your way to a place where you
will be securely detained, and may your visit be accursed."

(Vv. 5185-5346.) The porter, after addressing him with this very
ungracious welcome, hurried upstairs. But my lord Yvain, without making
reply, passed straight on, and found a new and lofty hall; in front
of it there was a yard enclosed with large, round, pointed stakes,
and seated inside the stakes he saw as many as three hundred maidens,
working at different kinds of embroidery. Each one was sewing with
golden thread and silk, as best she could. But such was their poverty,
that many of them wore no girdle, and looked slovenly, because so poor;
and their garments were torn about their breasts and at the elbows, and
their shifts were soiled about their necks. Their necks were thin, and
their faces pale with hunger and privation. They see him, as he looks at
them, and they weep, and are unable for some time to do anything or to
raise their eyes from the ground, so bowed down they are with woe. When
he had contemplated them for a while, my lord Yvain turned about and
moved toward the door; but the porter barred the way, and cried: "It
is no use, fair master; you shall not get out now. You would like to be
outside: but, by my head, it is of no use. Before you escape you will
have suffered such great shame that you could not easily suffer more;
so you were not wise to enter here, for there is no question of escaping
now." "Nor do I wish to do so, fair brother," said he; "but tell me,
by thy father's soul, whence came the damsels whom I saw in the yard,
weaving cloths of silk an