"Yea, damsel," saith he.
"So help me God," saith she, "Now am I sorrier for you than tofore, for you have the name of the worst King in the world, and I would that he were here in such sort as you are now. But never again will he move from Cardoil, do what he may, such dread hath the Queen lest any should take him from her, according as I have heard witness, for never saw I neither the one nor the other. I was moved to go to his court, but I have met full a score knights one after other, of whom I asked concerning him, and one told me the same tale as another, for each told me that the court of King Arthur is the vilest in the world, and that all the knights of the Table Round have renounced it for the badness thereof."
"Damsel," saith the King, "Hereof may he well be sorry, but at the beginning I have heard say he did right well."
"And who careth," saith the damsel, "for his good beginning when the end is bad? And much it misliketh me that so seemly knight and so worshipful man as are you should have the name of so evil a king."
"Damsel," saith the King, "A man is not good by his name, but by his heart."
"You say true," saith the damsel, "But for the King's name have I despite of yours. And whitherward are you going?"
"I shall go to Cardoil, where I shall find King Arthur when I shall come thither."
"Go to, then, and bestir!" saith she.
"One bad man with another! No better hope have I of you, sith that you go thither!"
"Damsel, you may say your pleasure, for thither I go! God be with you!"