his dead horse
and the saddle and the bridle and the trappings thereof. For there was
neither sight nor sign of him anywhere to be seen.

At that they were all amazed beyond measure to find their prisoner gone,
for they wist not how he could have escaped from that place. So they
raised a great tumult and some cried out to hurry hither and others to
hurry thither, and in the tumult and confusion Sir Ewaine passed out
from their midst and none of them were aware of his going.

[Sidenote: _Sir Ewaine escapeth from the gateway._]

After that Sir Ewaine went away from that place and into the town within
the walls. And he came to the castle of the town and no one saw him in
his going. And he entered the castle and the people of the castle saw
him not.

[Sidenote: _How Sir Ewaine entereth the garden of the castle._]

So, invisible to all, Sir Ewaine went to the privy garden of the castle,
and he perceived that that was a very pleasant place, with many shady
trees and with plats of flowers and with fountains and long straight
walks where the lady of the castle might take her pleasure when she
chose to be out of doors. And Sir Ewaine entered that garden and he
perceived that there were several damsels therein and that all they were
very sorrowful and downcast because that the knight-champion of that
place had been slain, and several of them wept. But amongst these
damsels was the damsel Elose, and she alone of all who were there was
cheerful and bore a smiling countenance.

Then Sir Ewaine went to her and laid his hand upon her shoulder as she
had bidden him to do, and thereupon she knew that he was there though
she could not see him. So straightway she arose and went forth from out
of the garden and Sir Ewaine followed her.

After that the damsel led Sir Ewaine to a certain part of the castle and
up a long flight of steps and so brought him to an apartment that was
immediately beneath the eaves of a certain part of the tower of the
castle.

And Sir Ewaine beheld that here was a large and noble apartment hung
with woven hangings representing pictures of battle and of court, and he
beheld that the floor was spread with finely woven fabrics of divers
sorts. And he saw that there were several large windows that overlooked
the streets of the town and a fair prospect beyond. And the breeze blew
into those windows very softly and pleasantly, and great flocks of
pigeons flew about in the air with noisy and clapping flight, and