hath taken many of
them prisoners to his castle and hath held them in the dungeon thereof for
ransom; and sometimes he hath held them for a long while. Now I am fain
that thou undertake that adventure for my sake."

"Well," said Sir Launcelot, "I believe it would be a good thing for any
knight to do to rid the world of such an evil-disposed knight as that, so
if I have the good fortune to overcome this Sir Turquine, I give my
knightly word that I will undertake this adventure for thy sake, if so be
thou wilt go with me for to show me the way to his castle."

"That I will do with all gladness," said the damsel, "for it is great pride
for any lady to ride with you upon such an adventure."

Thus they talked, and all was arranged betwixt them. And thus they rode
very pleasantly through that valley for the distance of two leagues or a
little more, until they came to that place where the road crossed the
smooth stream of water afore told of; and there was the castle of Sir
Turquine as afore told of; and there was the thorn-bush and the basin
hanging upon the thorn-bush as afore told of. Then the maiden said: "Sir
Launcelot, beat upon that basin and so thou shalt summon Sir Turquine to
battle with thee."

[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot smites upon the basin] So Sir Launcelot rode to
that basin where it hung and he smote upon it very violently with the butt
of his spear. And he smote upon that basin again and again until he smote
the bottom from out it; but at that time immediately no one came.

Then, after a while, he was ware of one who came riding toward him, and he
beheld that he who came riding was a knight very huge of frame, and long
and strong of limb. And he beheld that the knight was clad entirely in
black, and that the horse upon which he rode and all the furniture of the
horse was black. And he beheld that this knight drave before him another
horse, and that across the saddle of that other horse there lay an armed
knight, bound hand and foot; and Sir Launcelot wist that the sable knight
who came riding was that Sir Turquine whom he sought.

[Sidenote: The sable knight bringeth Sir Gaheris captive] So Sir Turquine
came very rapidly along the highway toward where Sir Launcelot sat, driving
that other horse and the captive knight before him all the while. And as
they came nearer and nearer Sir Launcelot thought that he should know who
the wounded knight was and when they came right close, so that he could see
the marki