"I am ready to stand by my creed," retorted Dinadan. "As for you, sirrah, you shall tell me your name, or do battle with me."
"You will not get my name by a threat, I promise you that," said Tristram. "I shall not fight till I am in the mood; and when I do, you may get more than you bargain for."
"I fear you not, coward," said Dinadan.
"If you are so full of valor, here is your man," said Tristram, pointing to a knight who rode along the forest aisle towards them. "He looks ready for a joust."
"On my life, it is the same dull-plate knave I saw lying by the well, neither sleeping nor waking," said Dinadan.
"This is not the first time I have seen that covered shield of azure," said Tristram. "This knight is Sir Epinegris, the son of the king of Northumberland, than whom the land holds no more ardent lover, for his heart is gone utterly out to the fair daughter of the king of Wales. Now, if you care to find whether a lover or a non-lover is the better knight, here is your opportunity."
"I shall teach him to grin to more purpose," said Dinadan. "Stand by and you shall see."
Then, as the lover approached, he cried,—
"Halt, sir knight, and make ready to joust, as is the custom with errant knights."
"Let it be so, if you will," answered Epinegris. "Since it is the custom of you knight-errant to make a man joust whether he will or no, I am your man."