“Ah!” said Gaheris, “that was a mighty stroke for a young knight.”
So Gawaine and his brother left the knight, whose name was Allardin of the Isles, lying there dead on the sward, and followed after the white hart; and presently they saw it take refuge in the court of a castle, of which the gate stood wide open. They rode in after the hart, and Gaheris let slip at it three couples of greyhounds that they had brought with them, and these dogs pulled down the hart, and slew it. Straightway there came a knight out of a chamber, with a sword in his hand, and he killed two of the hounds in sight of Sir Gawaine, and chased the others out of the castle. Then he took up the hart, and lamented over it, for his lady had given it to him, and he swore that he would avenge its death. So he went in and armed himself, and came forth fiercely to Gawaine.
“Why have you slain my hounds?” said Gawaine. “They only did after their kind. I had rather you had wreaked your wrath on me than on the dumb beasts.”
“Well,” answered the knight, “I have avenged me on your hounds, and so I will on you ere long.”
Down sprang Sir Gawaine from his horse, nothing loath, and they fought together with their swords a great while, and both had many wounds. But at last Gawaine struck down the other knight, whose name was Sir Ablemore of the Morass, and then he yielded, and cried for mercy, and begged Sir Gawaine, as he was a knight and a gentleman, to save his life. But Gawaine answered him, “Thou shalt die for slaying my hounds.”
The knight again entreated him, offering to make ample amends. Sir Gawaine would not listen, and unlaced Ablemore’s helmet, with intent to strike off his head. Suddenly Sir Ablemore’s lady came out of her chamber, and threw herself over her lord to shield him, and Gawaine, who had not seen her, struck off her head by misadventure instead of the knight’s.
“Alas!” said Gaheris, “that was foully and shamefully done. The shame of that blow will not soon quit you. Moreover, you should give mercy to those who ask it; for a knight without mercy is without worship.”
Sir Gawaine was so bewildered at his unhappy deed that he could not for the moment either speak or move; but then he said to Ablemore, “Arise; I will give thee mercy.”
“I care not for mercy now,” answered the conquered knight, “for thou hast slain her whom I loved more than all else on earth.”
“I repent it,” said Gawaine; “but I struck not at her but at thee.”