ried a
dead body of a young man between them, and I said, 'What is it? who is
he?' Then the old man, whose head was heavy for grief, said: 'Oh, sir!
this is my son; for as we went yesterday with our merchandize some twenty
miles from this fair town, we passed by a certain hold, and therefrom
came a knight and men at arms, who when my son would have fought with
them, overthrew him and bound him, and me and all our men they said they
would slay if we did ought; so then they cut out my son's eyes, and cut
off his hands, and then said, "The Knight of High Gard takes these for
tribute." Therewithal they departed, taking with them my son's eyes and
his hands on a platter; and when they were gone I would have followed
them, and slain some of them at least, but my own people would not suffer
me, and for grief and pain my son's heart burst, and he died, and behold
I am here.'

Then I thought I could win glory, and I was much rejoiced thereat, and
said to the old man,

'Would you love to be revenged?'

But he set his teeth, and pulled at the skirt of his surcoat, as hardly
for his passion he said, 'Yes.'

'Then,' I said, 'I will go and try to slay this knight, if you will show
me the way to La Haute Garde.'

And he, taking my hand, said, 'O glorious knight, let us go now!' And he
did not ask who I was, or whether I was a good knight, but began to go
down the stairs at once, so I put on my armour and followed him.

And we two set forth alone to La Haute Garde, for no man else dared
follow us, and I rejoiced in thinking that while Guy was sitting at the
King's table feasting, I was riding out to slay the King's enemies, for
it never once seemed possible to me that I should be worsted.

It was getting light again by then we came in sight of High Gard; we
wound up the hill on foot, for it was very steep; I blew at the gates a
great blast which was even as though the stag should blow his own mort,
or like the blast that Balen heard.

For in a very short while the gates opened and a great band of armed men,
more than thirty I think, and a knight on horseback among them, who was
armed in red, stood before us, and on one side of him was a serving man
with a silver dish, on the other, one with a butcher's cleaver, a knife,
and pincers.

So when the knight saw us he said, 'What, are you come to pay tribute in
person, old man, and is this another fair son? Good sir, how is your
lady?'

So I said grimly, being in a rage, 'I