"If you be the good knight Sir Tristram, I am sorry to have held you in durance, and thank you for your proffer of service. But you must stay with me still till you are well and strong."
To this Tristram agreed, and staid many more days with the old knight, growing well rapidly under the healing influence of hope and liberty.
CHAPTER V.
THE KNIGHT WITH THE COVERED SHIELD.
When Tristram's strength had all come back again he took his leave of Sir Darras, and rode away with Palamides and Dinadan. Soon they came to a cross-way, and here Tristram said,—
"Good sirs, let us here take each his own road, and many fair adventures may come to us all."
To this they agreed, and Tristram rode on along the main highway, chance bringing him that night to a castle in which was Queen Morgan le Fay. Here he was given lodging and good cheer, but when he was ready to depart the next day the queen said to him,—
"Sir knight, it is one thing to enter this castle and another to leave it. You will not depart so easily as you came. Know that you are a prisoner."