Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VIII CHAPTER XIV

CHAPTER XIV

How Sir Tristram lay with the lady, and how her husband
fought with Sir Tristram.

AND there she welcomed him fair, and either halsed other in arms,
and so she let put up his horse in the best wise, and then she
unarmed him.  And so they supped lightly, and went to bed with
great joy and pleasaunce; and so in his raging he took no keep of
his green wound that King Mark had given him.  And so Sir
Tristram be-bled both the over sheet and the nether, and pillows,
and head sheet.  And within a while there came one afore, that
warned her that her lord was near-hand within a bow-draught.  So
she made Sir Tristram to arise, and so he armed him, and took his
horse, and so departed.  By then was come Segwarides, her lord,
and when he found her bed troubled and broken, and went near and
beheld it by candle light, then he saw that there had lain a
wounded knight.  Ah, false traitress, then he said, why hast thou
betrayed me?  And therewithal he swang out a sword, and said: 
But if thou tell me who hath been here, here thou shalt die.  Ah,
my lord, mercy, said the lady, and held up her hands, saying: 
Slay me not, and I shall tell you all who hath <302>been here. 
Tell anon, said Segwarides, to me all the truth.  Anon for dread
she said:  Here was Sir Tristram with me, and by the way as he
came to me ward, he was sore wounded.  Ah, false traitress, said
Segwarides, where is he become?  Sir, she said, he is armed, and
departed on horseback, not yet hence half a mile.  Ye say well,
said Segwarides.

Then he armed him lightly, and gat his horse, and rode after Sir
Tristram that rode straightway unto Tintagil.  And within a while
he overtook Sir Tristram, and then he bade him, Turn, false
traitor knight.  And Sir Tristram anon turned him against him. 
And therewithal Segwarides smote Sir Tristram with a spear that
it all to-brast; and then he swang out his sword and smote fast
at Sir Tristram.  Sir knight, said Sir Tristram, I counsel you
that ye smite no more, howbeit for the wrongs that I have done
you I will forbear you as long as I may.  Nay, said Segwarides,
that shall not be, for either thou shalt die or I.

Then Sir Tristram drew out his sword, and hurtled his horse unto
him fiercely, and through the waist of the body he smote Sir
Segwarides that he fell to the earth in a swoon.  And so Sir
Tristram departed and left him there.  And so he rode unto
Tintagil and took his lodging secretly, for he would not be known
that he was hurt.  Also Sir Segwarides' men rode after their
master, whom they found lying in the field sore wounded, and
brought him home on his shield, and there he lay long or that he
were whole, but at the last he recovered.  Also King Mark would
not be aknown of that Sir Tristram and he had met that night. 
And as for Sir Tristram, he knew not that King Mark had met with
him.  And so the king askance came to Sir Tristram, to comfort
him as he lay sick in his bed.  But as long as King Mark lived he
loved never Sir Tristram after that; though there was fair
speech, love was there none.  And thus it passed many weeks and
days, and all was forgiven and forgotten; for Sir Segwarides
durst not have ado with Sir Tristram, because of his noble
prowess, and also because he was <303>nephew unto King Mark;
therefore he let it overslip: for he that hath a privy hurt is
loath to have a shame outward.