stram could not
pull it out again. Then Sir Marhaus, half a-swoon, fell down upon his
knees, and therewith a part of the edge of the blade brake off from Sir
Tristram's sword, and remained in the wound that he had given to Sir
Marhaus.

[Sidenote: Sir Marhaus leaves the field] Then Sir Marhaus was aware that
he had got his death-wound, wherefore a certain strength came to him so
that he rose to his feet staggering like a drunken man. And at first he
began going about in a circle and crying most dolorously. Then as he wist
all that had happed he threw away his sword and his shield, and made away
from that place, staggering and stumbling like one who had gone blind; for
he was all bewildered with that mortal wound, and wist not very well what
he was doing or whither he was going. Then Sir Tristram would have made
after him to stop him, but he could not do so because he himself was so
sorely wounded and so weak from the loss of blood. Yet he called after Sir
Marhaus: "Stay, stay, Sir Knight! Let us finish this battle now we are
about it!" But to this Sir Marhaus made no answer, but went on down to his
ships, staggering and stumbling like a blind man as aforesaid, for the sore
wound which he had received still lent him a false strength of body so that
he was able to go his way. Then those who were aboard the ships, beholding
him thus coming staggering toward them, came down and met him and lifted
him up and bore him away to his own ship. Thereafter, as soon as might be
they hoisted sail and lifted anchor and took their way from that place.

Then by and by came Gouvernail and several others of Sir Tristram's party
to where Sir Tristram was; and there they found him leaning upon his sword
and groaning very sorely because of the great wound in his side. So
presently they perceived that he could not walk, wherefore they lifted him
up upon his own shield and bore him thence to that ship that had brought
him thither.

And when they had come to the ship they laid him down upon a couch and
stripped him of his armor to search his wounds. Then they beheld what a
great wound it was that Sir Marhaus had given him in the side, and they
lifted up their voices in sorrow, for they all believed that he would die.

[Sidenote: Sir Tristam returns to Cornwall] So they set sail, and in two
days brought him back to King Mark, where he sat at Tintagel in Cornwall.
And when King Mark saw how pale and wan and weak Sir Tristram was, he wept
and g