“Speak, good my lord; and God confound me if I lose a word!”
“Rise, then, and hie thee to King Arthur's court. Tell to that king the son of Dovon sends thee, and presents this lance which he hath won, the fairest weapon eye hath e'er beheld. Recount to him beside thy lord's ill-deeds, how that so many worthy knights he'd hung, and how in his turn like meed was given unto him.”
“My lord,” exclaimed the dwarf, “all this I promise you.”
And Jaufry made reply, “Well then, begone!”
It was one Monday eye that this fell out, just at the setting sun. The night came shortly on serene and fair, and the full moon shone out as bright as day. Jaufry pursued his road,—for naught could change his purpose,—and the dwarf prepared to execute his trust. At peep of morn he started for Carlisle, where, after certain time, he safely came. The king was breaking up his court, which for two weeks he there had held, and knights and barons all were going their way content and glad, bearing rich guerdons from their noble lord, when curiosity their steps detained at sight of a strange dwarf, who in his hand a handsome lance did hold. This dwarf pushed forward to the palace-hall, where each with eager eye observed his shape; for never till that day had they beheld such wondrous man; but he, passing the gaping crowd without remark, straight to the monarch's throne his steps pursued; and there he said:
“May God, most noble sire, grant you weal! Albeit my form is strange, yet, please you, hear, for I do come a messenger from far.”
“Dwarf,” said the king, “God save thee too! for thou methinks art honest. Speak without fear, and do thy message featly.”
The dwarf preluded with a sigh, and thus began:
“Sire, from Dovon's son I bear to you this lance, which has been cause of mourning dire and great. Proud of his valour and his strength, a knight had hung it to a tree upon a hill, where I have watched it, burnished it beside twice every day, for fourteen weary years. If a knight touched it, I by my cry aroused my lord, who then, all armed, would rush upon the stranger; being vanquished, he was quickly seized and by the neck incontinently hung. 'Twas thus that three-and-thirty met their fate; when that the knight, whose messenger I am, conquered this lord and won the lance, hanging in turn its owner for his deeds. This is the lance that now he sends to you; and here am I, your vassal and your slave.”
“'Tis well,” the king replied; “but, dwarf, now give me, on thy faith, some news of brave Sir Jaufry: without a lie, say when thou saw'st him last.”