bstinate, foolish, or proud. If this man
has entered thy land alone, thou shouldst bear him company, for one
gentleman ought not to avoid another, but rather attract him and honour
him with courtesy. One receives honour by himself showing it; be sure
that the honour will be thine, if thou doest honour and service to him
who is plainly the best knight in the world." And he replies: "May God
confound me, if there is not as good a knight, or even a better one
than he!" It was too bad that he did not mention himself, of whom he
entertains no mean opinion. And he adds: "I suppose you wish me to clasp
my hands and kneel before him as his liegeman, and to hold my lands from
him? So help me God, I would rather become his man than surrender to
him the Queen! God forbid that in such a fashion I should deliver her
to him! She shall never be given up by me, but rather contested and
defended against all who are so foolish as to dare to come in quest
of her." Then again the king says to him: "Son, thou wouldst act very
courteously to renounce this pretension. I advise thee and beg thee to
keep the peace. Thou knowest well that the honour will belong to the
knight, if he wins the Queen from thee in battle. He would doubtless
rather win her in battle than as a gift, for it will thus enhance
his fame. It is my opinion that he is seeking her, not to receive her
peaceably, but because he wishes to win her by force of arms. So it
would be wise on thy part to deprive him of the satisfaction of fighting
thee. I am sorry to see thee so foolish; but if thou dost not heed my
advice, evil will come of it, and the ensuing misfortune will be worse
for thee. For the knight need fear no hostility from any one here save
thee. On behalf of myself and all my men, I will grant him a truce and
security. I have never yet done a disloyal deed or practised treason and
felony, and I shall not begin to do so now on thy account any more than
I would for any stranger. I do not wish to flatter thee, for I promise
that the knight shall not lack any arms, or horse or anything else he
needs, in view of the boldness he has displayed in coming thus far.
He shall be securely guarded and well defended against all men here
excepting thee. I wish him clearly to understand that, if he can
maintain himself against thee, he need have no fear of any one else." "I
have listened to you in silence long enough," says Meleagant, "and you
may say what you please. But little do I car