JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA.
But the chief wonder of the day was now to appear. For the old man said to his young companion,—
"Sir, follow me." He led him around the table till they came to the seat perilous, beside which sat Lancelot. Here the old man lifted up the silken cloth, and lo! the letters which had been covered were gone, and new letters of gold were visible, which read,—
"This is the seat of Galahad, the high prince."
"Sir," said the old man, "this seat is yours. Long has it waited your coming."
And he seated him therein, while all the circle of knights looked on in wonder. Now for the first time the young knight spoke.
"Dear sir," he said, "you may now depart, for you have done well what you were commanded to do. Recommend me to my grandsire, King Pellam, and say to him that I will come and see him as soon as I may."
With this the old man departed. Outside there waited twenty noble squires, who mounted when he came, and rode away with him. The Knights of the Round Table marvelled greatly at all this, and the more so on seeing that he who occupied that chair of peril was one so tender of age, and a youth whom no one knew, nor whence he came; but to one another they privately said,—
"This is he by whom the Sangreal shall be achieved; for none ever sat there before but Percivale, and he was not long deemed worthy to occupy that seat."