Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XIV CHAPTER IX

CHAPTER IX

How Sir Percivale promised her help, and how he required
her of love, and how he was saved from the fiend.

THEN Sir Percivale promised her all the help that he
might; and then she thanked him.  And at that time the
weather was hot.  Then she called unto her a gentlewoman
and bade her bring forth a pavilion; and so she
did, and pight it upon the gravel.  Sir, said she, now may
ye rest you in this heat of the day.  Then he thanked
her, and she put off his helm and his shield, and there he
slept a great while.  And then he awoke and asked her if
she had any meat, and she said:  Yea, also ye shall have
enough.  And so there was set enough upon the table,
and thereon so much that he had marvel, for there was all
manner of meats that he could think on.  Also he drank
there the strongest wine that ever he drank, him thought,
and therewith he was a little chafed more than he ought
to be; with that he beheld the gentlewoman, and him
thought she was the fairest creature that ever he saw.
And then Sir Percivale proffered her love, and prayed her
that she would be his.  Then she refused him, in a
manner, when he required her, for the cause he should be
the more ardent on her, and ever he ceased not to pray
her of love.  And when she saw him well enchafed, then
she said:  Sir Percivale, wit you well I shall not fulfil your
will but if ye swear from henceforth ye shall be my true
servant, and to do nothing but that I shall command you.
Will ye ensure me this as ye be a true knight?  Yea, said
he, fair lady, by the faith of my body.  Well, said she,
now shall ye do with me whatso it please you; and now
wit ye well ye are the knight in the world that I have
most desire to.

And then two squires were commanded to make a bed
in midst of the pavilion.  And anon she was unclothed
and laid therein.  And then Sir Percivale laid him down
by her naked; and by adventure and grace he saw his
sword lie on the ground naked, in whose pommel was a
red cross and the sign of the crucifix therein, and bethought
him on his knighthood and his promise made to-forehand
unto the good man; then he made a sign of the cross in
his forehead, and therewith the pavilion turned up-so-
down, and then it changed unto a smoke, and a black
cloud, and then he was adread and cried aloud: