vel much of what
blood he is come, for he is a noble knight." But Sir Launcelot had no
marvel, for he knew whence he came, yet because of his promise he would
not discover Fair-hands until he permitted it or else it were known
openly by some other.

Dame Liones soon learned through her brother Sir Gringamore that the
knight who had wrought her deliverance was a king's son, Sir Gareth of
Orkney, and nephew of King Arthur himself. And she made him passing
good cheer, and he her again, and they had goodly language and lovely
countenance together. And she promised the noble knight Sir Gareth
certainly to love him and none other the days of her life. Then there
was not a gladder man than he, for ever since he saw her at the window
of Castle Perilous he had so burned in love for her that he was nigh
past himself in his reason.

CHAPTER XVI

HOW SIR GARETH RETURNED TO THE COURT OF KING ARTHUR

Now leave we Sir Gareth there with Sir Gringamore and his sisters,
Liones and Linet, and turn we unto King Arthur that held the next feast
of Pentecost at Carlion. And there came the Green Knight with his
fifty knights, and they yielded themselves all unto King Arthur. And
so there came the Red Knight, his brother, and yielded himself and
three-score knights with him. Also there came the Blue Knight, brother
to them, and his hundred knights, and yielded themselves. These three
brethren told King Arthur how they were overcome by a knight that a
damsel had with her, and called him Fair-hands. Also they told how the
fourth brother, the Black Knight, was slain in an encounter with Sir
Fair-hands, and of the adventure with the two brethren that kept the
passage of the water; and ever more King Arthur marvelled who the
knight might be that was in his kitchen a twelvemonth and that Sir Kay
in scorn named Fair-hands.

Right as the King stood so talking with these three brethren there came
Sir Launcelot of the Lake and told him that there was come a goodly
lord with six hundred knights. The King went out, and there came to
him and saluted him in a goodly manner the Red Knight of the Red Lawns,
and he said, "I am sent to you by a knight that is called Fair-hands,
for he won me in plain battle, hand for hand. No knight has ever had
the better of me before. I and my knights yield ourselves to your
will, as he commanded, to do you such service as may be in our power."

King Arthur received him courteously, as he had before re