“What is the adventure?” asked Sir Marhaus.
“That you will know when you come to the place,” answered the other.
“Whatever it may be, do thou show us the place,” said the knight; “for my lady and I and my horse are all weary, and rest we must have.”
Then the man took them a little way farther to a fair castle, and he called the porter, and bid him tell his lord that a knight-errant and a fair damsel were waiting without, and would lodge with him. “Let them come in,” answered the lord, “but it may happen that they will repent it.” So then Sir Marhaus and his damsel were shown into a great hall, where the lord of the castle was, with many young men about him. The lord asked Sir Marhaus who he was and whence he came.
“Sir,” said Marhaus, “I am a knight of King Arthur’s, and I was born in Ireland.”
“That will be the worse for thee,” answered the other grimly, “for I love not thy lord nor the company of the Round Table. Make what cheer thou canst to-night, for to-morrow thou wilt have to meet me and my six sons.”
“Is there no other choice but that I must have to do with you and your six sons all at once?” asked Sir Marhaus.
“No,” answered the lord; “and for this reason, that Sir Gawaine once slew seven of my sons in an encounter, and I vowed to have my revenge on any knight of King Arthur’s that might come into my power.”
Then Sir Marhaus asked him his name, and he said he was called the Duke of the South Marches. “Ah,” said Sir Marhaus, “I have heard of you ere this as a great foe to King Arthur and all his knights.”
“That shall you feel to-morrow,” said the duke.