“It matters not,” said Tristram, “for I have pardoned him, and I should be sorry to lose his fellowship, for I love his company.”
After that they had much pleasant converse together, and not until night did King Arthur and Sir Lancelot take their leave. On the following day, in the tournament, Sir Tristram and Palomides at first went together against King Arthur’s knights, as before, and did passing well. Sir Lancelot came in on King Arthur’s side, and great deeds he wrought; but he and his fellows were too few against the other party. When Tristram saw how nobly Arthur’s knights bore them, he called Palomides, Gareth, and Dinadan to him, and proposed that they should turn to King Arthur’s side. Gareth and Dinadan assented, but Sir Palo-mides said he would not depart from the side on which he came in.
“That is for my sake,” quoth Tristram; and so Sir Palomides left them. And Tristram and the other two went to King Arthur’s side, and then they smote down all they met, so that none could withstand them; and King Arthur himself gave Sir Palomides a fall. So the kings who held against King Arthur’s were fain to withdraw their knights.
“Alas!” cried Palomides, “now have I lost all the worship I had won;” and he rode to a well, and there put off his armour, and wept and wailed like a woman.
So the tournament was ended, and Sir Tristram would have given the chief prize to Sir Lancelot, and Sir Lancelot to Sir Tristram; but by the award of King Arthur it was divided between them.
Sir Tristram returned with his companions to his pavilions; but as Sir Palomides sat by the well, the kings of Scotland and Northgalis came by, and they got him to put on his armour again, and to ride with them. It chanced that they passed by Sir Tristram’s tents, and Sir Palomides rode to the entrance, and cried out, “Sir Tristram de Lyons, where art thou?”
“What, Sir Palomides!” answered Tristram; “will you not come in among us?”
“Fie on thee, traitor!” said Palomides. “If it were daylight, now would I slay thee with mine own hands; and if ever I meet thee, thou shalt die for this day’s deed.”
“Sir Palomides,” replied Tristram, “you blame me wrongly. Had you done as I did, you would have had worship: but since you give me warning, henceforth will I beware of you.”
“Fie on thee, traitor,” again said Palomides, and then he departed. So he went with the two kings, and Sir Tristram took his way with La Beale Isoude to Joyous Gard.