art should have knights yield to thee who should have slain thee.'

Beaumains answered nothing more, but his heart was very heavy at the
thought that, do what he might, he could not win this lady to speak
fairly of him.

Towards noon, as they rode, they saw the white towers of a fair city,
and before its gates was a field newly mown, with many tents therein of
divers rich colours.

'Lo, there is the town of the man that shall cut thy comb, thou proud
varlet!' said the lady. 'A brave and proved knight is he, by name Sir
Persaunt of Mynnid. And he hath a following of five hundred knights and
men-at-arms.'

'A goodly lord, indeed,' replied Beaumains, 'and one I fain would see.'

The lady laughed mockingly.

'Thou shalt see him too soon to please thee, I doubt not,' she replied,
'for he is the lordliest knight that ever whipped a knave.'

'That may well be,' said Beaumains, 'and the more desire I have to see
him.'

'Thou fool!' cried the lady angrily. 'Thou hadst better turn and flee
while there is time.'

'Not a step will I,' replied he with a laugh. 'For, look you, if he be
so lordly a knight as you say, he will not set his five hundred knights
on me at once. But if he will send but one against me at a time, I will
do my best till my strength goes from me. No man, be he knave or
knight, can do more.'

At his quiet brave words the lady's heart smote her. She repented of
her evil tongue, when she thought how valiant and true this unknown man
had been on her behalf.

'Sir,' she said in a gentler voice, 'ye make me marvel. Thou hast
spoken boldly, and, by my faith, thou hast done boldly, and that makes
me wonder of what kin thou art. But as ye are so brave, and have done,
you and your horse, great travail these three days, I misdoubt that ye
will get hurt if ye go further. Therefore I bid you turn, or ever it be
too late.'

'Nay, I will not,' said Beaumains. 'It would be a great shame that now,
when we are but a few miles from your lady sister's oppressor, I should
turn back.'

'But, sir, I counsel ye to do so,' said the lady. 'For the strength of
Sir Persaunt, even if ye conquer him, is but little compared with the
great strength of the Red Knight who doth oppress my sister. And I am
sure you have little hope of overcoming him.'

'Nevertheless, lady, I will essay to conquer him,' said Beaumains, 'for
it is but my duty and my desire to rescue your lady sister as I have
resolved.'

'I marvel what manner of