d with the
Queen that he would set forth to seek the holy chapel of St.
Augustine, which is in the White Forest, and may only be found by
adventure. Much he wished to undertake the quest alone, but this the
Queen would not suffer, and to do her pleasure he consented that a
youth, tall and strong of limb, should ride with him as his squire.
Chaus was the youth's name, and he was son to Gwain li Aoutres. 'Lie
within to-night,' commanded the King, 'and take heed that my horse be
saddled at break of day, and my arms ready.' 'At your pleasure, Sir,'
answered the youth, whose heart rejoiced because he was going alone
with the King.

As night came on, all the Knights quitted the hall, but Chaus the
squire stayed where he was, and would not take off his clothes or his
shoes, lest sleep should fall on him and he might not be ready when
the King called him. So he sat himself down by the great fire, but in
spite of his will sleep fell heavily on him, and he dreamed a strange
dream.

In his dream it seemed that the King had ridden away to the quest, and
had left his squire behind him, which filled the young man with fear.
And in his dream he set the saddle and bridle on his horse, and
fastened his spurs, and girt on his sword, and galloped out of the
castle after the King. He rode on a long space, till he entered a
thick forest, and there before him lay traces of the King's horse, and
he followed till the marks of the hoofs ceased suddenly at some open
ground and he thought that the King had alighted there. On the right
stood a chapel, and about it was a graveyard, and in the graveyard
many coffins, and in his dream it seemed as if the King had entered
the chapel, so the young man entered also. But no man did he behold
save a Knight that lay dead upon a bier in the midst of the chapel,
covered with a pall of rich silk, and four tapers in golden
candlesticks were burning round him. The squire marvelled to see the
body lying there so lonely, with no one near it, and likewise that the
King was nowhere to be seen. Then he took out one of the tall tapers,
and hid the candlestick under his cloak, and rode away until he should
find the King.

On his journey through the forest he was stopped by a man black and
ill-favoured, holding a large knife in his hand.

'Ho! you that stand there, have you seen King Arthur?' asked the
squire.

'No, but I have met you, and I am glad thereof, for you have under
your cloak one of the candlesticks