“Thou coward knight,” returned Sir Gareth, “bring him with thee and do battle with me, and win him if you can.”
“So will I do if I choose,” answered Gringamor; “but for all thy angry words, thou wilt not get him.”
“Ah, brother,” said Dame Lyons, “I would he had his dwarf again, for I do not wish that he should be wroth. Know you that I love him before all others; and now I wish you would bring him here within that I may speak with him, but do not let him know who I am.”
So Gringamor went down to Sir Gareth, and said, “Sir, I cry you mercy, and all that I have misdone against you I will amend at your pleasure. Therefore, I beg you to alight and take such cheer as I can give you in this castle.”
“But shall I have my dwarf again?” said Sir Gareth.
“Yea, sir,” answered Gringamor; “for as soon as your dwarf told me who you were, and what noble deeds you had done in these marches, I repented of what I had done.”
Then Sir Gareth alighted, and Gringamor led him into the castle. And in the hall Dame Lyons met him, arrayed like a princess, and gave him a hearty welcome. When Sir Gareth beheld her he was greatly struck with her beauty, and said to himself, “Would that the lady of the Castle Dangerous were as fair as she.” So ever his love grew hotter, and he could not keep his eyes from her. This Sir Gringamor noted, and he took his sister aside, and asked her whether she willed to marry Sir Gareth, for his love for her was plain. And she answered that she loved him better than any other man in the world, and deemed no better than to have him for a husband. This told Gringamor to Sir Gareth, who was right glad; and thereafter he went to Dame Lyons, and either made great joy of the other. Then she told him she was the lady for whom he had done battle, and also how she had caused her brother to take away his dwarf that she might certainly know who he was. And she brought to him the damsel Lynette. At this Sir Gareth was more glad than before, and they were agreed to be married as soon as might be.
In the meanwhile, the Feast of Pentecost came round, and King Arthur held his court at Camelot. Then came the green knight with thirty knights, and they yielded to the king; and also the red knight with fifty knights; and Sir Persaunt the blue knight with a hundred knights. They all told King Arthur how they had been overcome by Sir Beaumains, and had come to court at his bidding. There also came the Red Knight of the Red Lands, that was named Sir Ironside, with five hundred knights. And all of them could never say enough in praise of the might and gentleness of Sir Beaumains. So the king and all his court went in to their meat, and presently there entered the Queen of Orkney with a great number of knights and ladies. She said to her brother King Arthur, “What have you done with my young son Sir Gareth? He was here with you a twelvemonth, and you made of him a kitchen-knave, which is a great shame to you all. Alas! what hath become of my dear son, who was my joy and bliss?”
“Oh, dear mother,” said Gawaine, “I knew him not.”
“Nor I,” said the king, “which I sorely repent. But, God be thanked, he has proved himself a worshipful knight as any now living of his years, and I shall not be glad till I find him.”