ir, God help me," saith she, "I know not, for I have not seen him now
of a long space, and no earthly man may know his intent nor his desire,
nor whitherward he may turn."

Messire Gawain is right sorrowful for that he knoweth not where to seek
him albeit he hath so late tidings of him. He lay at the castle and
was greatly honoured, and on the morrow he heard mass and took leave of
the Queen, and rideth all armed beside the seashore, for that the
hermit had told him, and the Queen herself, that he goeth oftener by
sea than by land. He entereth into a forest that was nigh the sea, and
seeth a knight coming a great gallop as if one were chasing him to slay
him.

"Sir knight," saith Messire Gawain, "Whither away so fast?"

"Sir, I am fleeing from the knight that hath slain all the others."

"And who is the knight?" saith Messire Gawain.

"I know not who he is," saith the knight, "But and you go forward you
are sure to find him."

"Meseemeth," saith Messire Gawain, "that I have seen you aforetime."

"Sir," saith he, "So have you! I am the Knight Coward that you met in
the forest there where you conquered the knight of the shield party
black and white, and I am man of the Damsel of the Car. Wherefore I
pray you for God's sake that you do me no hurt, for the knight that I
found down yonder hath a look so fierce that I thought I was dead when
I saw it."

"Need you fear nought of me," saith Messire Gawain, "For I love your
damsel well."

"Sir," saith the knight, "I would that all the other knights would say
as much in respect of me, for no fear have I save for myself alone."

II.

Messire Gawain departeth from the knight, and goeth his way amidst the
forest that overshadowed the land as far as the seashore, and looketh
forth from the top of a sand-hill, and seeth a knight armed on a tall
destrier, and he had a shield of gold with a green cross.

"Ha, God," saith Messire Gawain, "Grant that this knight may be able to
tell me tidings of him I seek!"

Thitherward goeth he a great gallop, and saluteth him worshipfully and
he him again.

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Can you tell me tidings of a knight that
beareth a shield banded of argent and azure with a red cross?"

"Yea, Sir," saith the knight, "That can I well. At the assembly of the
knights may you find him within forty days."

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Where will the assembly be?"

"In the Red Launde, where will be many a good knight. There s