; "for if you have
the worse of the battle no lodging will you gain in these quarters,
except it be in the wild wood."

"Be it so, if it must," said Dinadan. "In flat English, I will not go to
the castle."

"Are you a man?" demanded Tristram, scornfully. "Come, Dinadan, I know
you are no coward. On your knighthood, come."

Growling in his throat, Dinadan followed his comrade, sorely against his
will, and together they rode into the castle court. Here they found, as
they had been told, two armed knights ready to meet them.

To make a long story short, Tristram and Dinadan smote them both down,
and afterwards entered the castle, where the best of good cheer was
served them. But when they had disarmed, and were having a merry time at
the well-filled table, word was brought them that two other knights,
Palamides and Gaheris, had entered the gates, and demanded a joust
according to the castle custom.

"The foul fiend take them!" cried Dinadan. "Fight I will not; I am here
for rest."

"We are now the lords of the castle, and must defend its custom," said
Tristram. "Make ready, therefore, for fight you must."

"Why, in the devil's name, came I here in your company?" cried Dinadan.
"You will wear all the flesh off my bones."

But there was nothing to do but arm themselves and meet the two knights
in the court-yard. Of these Gaheris encountered Tristram, and got a fall
for his pains; but Palamides hurled Dinadan from his horse. So far,
then, it was fall for fall, and the contest could be decided only by a
fight on foot. But Dinadan was bruised from his fall and refused to
fight. Tristram unlaced his helmet to give him air, and prayed him for
his aid.

"Fight them yourself, if you will; two such knights are but a morsel to
you," said Dinadan. "As for me, I am sore wounded from our little
skirmish with the thirty knights, and have no valor left in me. Sir
Tristram, you are a madman yet, and I curse the time that ever I saw
you. In all the world there are no two such mad freaks as Lancelot and
you. Once I fell into fellowship with Lancelot as I have now with you,
and what followed? Why, he set me a task that kept me a quarter of a
year in bed. Defend me from such head-splitters, and save me from your
fellowship."

"Then if you will not fight I must face them both," said Tristram. "Come
forth, both of you, I am ready for you."

At this challenge Palamides and Gaheris advanced and struck at the two
knights. But after a