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Bowed down, and scarce himself, did Jaufry move his limbs. Bowed down and bruised and tottering, dragged he some steps, then fell. The maid, the slave, and mother with her child, who had sought refuge 'neath a huge rock's vault, found him at length outstretched upon the turf, his strength exhausted and quite motionless.
“Say, then, good knight,” the damsel smiling spoke, “how fares it with you now?”
“I have no bruise that's perilous, nor mortal wound,” replied the knight; “but such this latter strife, I find, indeed, I sadly lack repose.”
The damsel then embraced him with her arms, and pressed her lips upon his eyes and mouth. When Jaufry saw the mother,—
“Woman,” he said, “hast thou regained thy child?”
“I have, my lord; thanks, be it told, to you.”
“An it be so, proceed then to Carlisle, with this fair damsel, babes, and leper,—all. There I must beg you go, King Arthur thank, from Jaufry, Dovon's son, and tell him of this fight.”
Thus speaking, he uprose; drew to his fancy his good horse's girths; and having consigned his friends to Heaven's care, resumed his quest of Taulat: albeit 'twas now with measured steps and slow; for this dread battle had worn out his strength.