es has rushed to the combat, and goes seeking joust
and encounter. He encounters no knight whom he does not take or
lay low. On both sides he wins the highest distinction; for where
he rides to joust, he brings the whole tourney to a standstill.
Yet he who gallops up to joust with him is not without great
prowess; but he wins more renown for standing his ground against
Cliges than for taking prisoner another knight; and if Cliges
leads him away captive, yet he enjoys great distinction for
merely daring to withstand him in the joust. Cliges has the
praise and distinction of the whole tournament. And even secretly
he has returned to his lodging so that none of them might accost
him about one thing or another. And in case any one should have
search made for the lodging marked by the black arms, he locks
them up in a room so that they may neither be found nor seen; and
he has the green arms openly displayed at the door, fronting the
road so that the passers by shall see them. And if any asks for
him and seeks him, he will not know where his lodging will be,
since he will see no sign of the black shield that he seeks. Thus
Cliges is in the town and hides himself by such a device. And
those who were his prisoners went from end to end of the town
asking for the black knight; but none could tell them where he
was. And even King Arthur sends up and down to seek him; but all
say: "We did not see him after we left the tourney and know not
what became of him." More than twenty youths whom the king has
sent seek him; but Cliges has so utterly blotted out his tracks
that they find no sign of him. King Arthur crosses himself when
it was recounted and told him, that neither great nor small is
found who can point out his dwelling any more than if he were at
Qesarea, or at Toledo, or in Candia. "Faith!" quoth he, "I know
not what to say in the matter, but I marvel greatly thereat. It
was perhaps a ghost that has moved among us. Many a knight has he
overthrown today; and he bears away the parole of the noblest men
who will not this year see home or land or country; and each of
whom will have broken his oath." Thus the king spake his pleasure
though he might very well have kept silence in the matter.

Much have all the barons spoken that night of the black knight,
for they spoke of nought else. On the morrow they returned to
arms, all without summons and without entreaty. Lancelot of the
Lake has dashed forth to make the first joust; for