These words did but make her wrath more strong. “Know, sir,” she cried, “that I disdain all this talk of kindness and courtesy, and defy you to the death.”
“I hold it no shame,” answered Sir Calidore, “to take defiance from a lady; but were there one here who would abide the trial with his sword, gladly would I prove my words upon him.”
Then the lady in great haste called to her a dwarf who served her, and taking from her hand a ring of gold, gave it to him, saying: “Take this with all speed to Sir Crudor; and tell him that there is a knight here who has slain my steward and done much damage to my people;” for it had been agreed between them, that when urgent need should arise she should send this ring. So the dwarf departed with the ring, and travelled all that night. Meanwhile Sir Calidore abode in the castle, the lady being now scornful, now angry, and he enduring her moods with all patience and courtesy.
The next day, before the sun rose, came the dwarf, bringing a message from Sir Crudor that he would come to her help before he had broken his fast, and would deliver to her the enemy alive or dead; and he sent his helmet as a true token. Greatly did the Lady Briana rejoice to have such news, and behaved herself more scornfully than ever to Sir Calidore. He took no heed of her ways, rather rejoicing that he should have someone with whom to settle this quarrel. So he donned his arms, and waited for the coming of Sir Crudor. Nor did he wait long. Right soon did he espy a knight riding across the plain. “This,” said he to himself, “is the Lady Briana’s champion,” and without staying to ask of anyone who this new-comer might be, he rode forth to meet him. The two came together in the middle of the plain with so strong a shock that both were rolled upon the ground, each rider with his horse. Sir Calidore rose lightly from the ground, while his adversary still lay without sense or speech, but he disdained to do him any damage; it would ill become a courteous knight to strike a sleeping foe. But Briana, where she stood upon the castle walls, thought that her champion was dead, and loudly bemoaned him, and made as if she would throw herself from the walls to the earth.
After a while Sir Crudor raised himself from the ground, but in listless fashion, like to one who can scarcely rouse himself from sleep. But when he saw his adversary, his spirit returned to him as before, and he renewed the fight, hoping that he would fare better on foot than he had fared on horseback. Long did they fight, dealing each to other fearful blows. Not once, so fierce were they, did they pause to take rest. At the last, when, as if by common consent, both lifted their swords high in the air to deal what might be a final blow, and so finish the fight, either for this champion or for that, Sir Calidore, being more nimble and quicker of sight than his adversary, was beforehand with him, and struck him with so sharp a blow upon his helmet that he brought him to his knee. Nor did he fail to follow up his advantage, but redoubling the fierceness of his strokes, brought him altogether to the ground. As he lay there he would have unlaced his helmet, and given him his death-blow, but the vanquished man begged for mercy. Then Sir Calidore, mastering his anger, such was his courtesy, said: “Mercy I grant with all goodwill. Do you learn not to treat strangers with such rudeness. This ill befits a knight, for his first duty is to conquer himself. And now I give you your life on these conditions, that you help to the best of your power all wandering knights, and also give aid as you can to all ladies in need.”
These things the knight, being thus delivered beyond all hope from the fear of death, promised to do, and swore fealty to Sir Calidore as being his liege lord for all his life. All this time the Lady Briana was looking in great dismay and trouble of mind; and now Sir Calidore, bidding her to approach, told all that had been agreed between him and Sir Crudor. She was overcome by so great a courtesy, and thanked him with all her heart, for indeed it was in her inmost heart that she was moved. She threw herself at his feet, and declared herself to be wholly bound to him. After this they all betook themselves to the castle, where the lady entertained them in most joyous fashion.
The banquet ended, she said: “Sir Calidore, I do bestow this castle upon you freely and without price, by way of token of how great is my debt to you.”
Then answered Sir Calidore: “Lady, I thank you for this gift; but I am not minded to take any hire or reward for any good deed that it may be given me to do.” So he gave the castle to the squire, that he and the damsel might dwell there. And when he had tarried there certain days, and was now made whole of his wounds, he went forth again on his quest.
CHAPTER XXXVI
OF THE VALOUR OF TRISTRAM
As Sir Calidore went on his way he saw a young man of great stature fighting on foot with a knight on horseback. Not far from these two stood a lady, clad in very poor array. Sir Calidore would have inquired of her the cause of the strife, having it in his mind to part the two combatants, if this might be done. But before he could come at the place, the youth had slain the knight, a thing at which he wondered not a little. This same youth was very goodly to look at, slender in shape, and of but seventeen years or so, as it seemed, but tall and fair of face. He was clad in a woodman’s jacket of Lincoln green, embroidered with silver, with a huntsman’s horn hanging by his side. He had a dart in his right hand, and in his left a boar-spear.