, you have certes saved my life." And he
said: "I pray you tell me what great and worshipful knight you are who
doeth such wonderful battle as I beheld. Never would I have supposed it
possible that any single knight could have overthrown six armed men with
such ease as I have beheld you do this day."

[Sidenote: _Lynette mocketh Sir Gareth._]

Now Lynette was standing by at that time and her eyes were wonderfully
bright and shining and she looked very strangely upon Sir Gareth. Then
hearing what that knight said whom Sir Gareth had rescued she burst out
laughing very shrilly and piercingly and she cried out, "Sir Knight, wit
you who this is who hath saved your life?" The knight said, "Nay,
damsel, I know not." She said: "Wit you then that this is a kitchen
knave of King Arthur's court hight Beaumains, so hight because of the
whiteness of his hands. He hath followed me hither against my will, and
I cannot drive him from me."

Then that knight was very much astonished and he said: "Fair damsel,
certes you jest with me, for indeed this is some very noble and
well-approved knight of great worship. For no one but such a knight as
that could have done such deeds of arms as I beheld this day."

[Sidenote: _Sir Gareth rebuketh the knight._]

Now at that time Sir Gareth was very weary with the battles he had
fought during the day, and his body was sore with several wounds that he
had suffered, and his spirit was very greatly vexed with the scorn with
which Lynette had ever treated him for all this while, wherefore he had
but little patience to deal to any man. So straightway he turned him
toward that knight and he spake very sternly to him, saying: "Messire,
do you intend to gainsay that which this lady sayeth to you concerning
me? Wit you that I will not suffer her word to be put in question in any
wise. Wherefore, if she is pleased to say that I am a scullion lad, so
for her sake you must believe it to be."

At this that knight was more astonished than before, and he wist not
what to think. So anon he said: "Messire, certes I meant no offence to
you, for how should I mean offence to one who hath done me such service
as you have rendered to me this day?"

"Well," quoth Sir Gareth, "in this I am greatly offended that you should
gainsay that which this lady is pleased to say. Wit you that for this
while I am this lady's champion, and so I will suffer no one to gainsay
her." So said Sir Gareth, and when he had ended that sa