"Then will I ask him himself," said he.
"That wilt thou not, by my faith!" said the dwarf. "Thou art not honorable enough to speak with my lord."
Said Geraint, "I have spoken with men of equal rank with him." And he turned his horse's head towards the knight; but the dwarf overtook him, and struck him as he had done the maiden, so that the blood colored the scarf that Geraint wore. Then Geraint put his hand upon the hilt of his sword; but he took counsel with himself, and considered that it would be no vengeance for him to slay the dwarf, and to be attacked unarmed by the armed knight: so he returned to where Gwenhwyvar was.
"Thou hast acted wisely and discreetly," said she.
"Lady," said he, "I will follow him yet, with thy permission; and at last he will come to some inhabited place, where I may have arms either as a loan or for a pledge, so that I may encounter the knight."
"Go," said she, "and do not attack him until thou hast good arms; and I shall be very anxious concerning thee until I hear tidings of thee."
"If I am alive," said he, "thou shalt hear tidings of me by to-morrow afternoon." And with that he departed.
And the road they took was below the palace of Caerlleon, and across the ford of the Usk. And they went along a fair and even and lofty ridge of ground until they came to a town, and at the extremity of the town they saw a fortress and a castle. And they came to the extremity of the town. And as the knight passed through it, all the people arose and saluted him, and bade him welcome. And when Geraint came into the town, he looked at every house to see if he knew any of those whom he saw. But he knew none, and none knew him to do him the kindness to let him have arms either as a loan or for a pledge. And every house he saw was full of men and arms and horses. And they were polishing shields, and burnishing swords, and washing armor, and shoeing horses. And the knight and the lady and the dwarf rode up to the castle that was in the town, and every one was glad in the castle. And from the battlements and the gates they risked their necks through their eagerness to greet them, and to show their joy.
Geraint stood there to see whether the knight would remain in the castle. And when he was certain that he would do so, he looked around him; and at a little distance from the town he saw an old palace in ruins, wherein was a hall that was falling to decay. And as he knew not any one in the town, he went towards the old palace; and when he came near to the palace he saw but one chamber, and a bridge of marble-stone leading to it. And upon the bridge he saw sitting a hoary-headed man, upon whom were tattered garments. And Geraint gazed steadfastly upon him for a long time. Then the hoary-headed man spoke to him. "Young man," he said, "wherefore art thou thoughtful?"
"I am thoughtful," said he, "because I know not where to go to-night."