Would one liken his woe unto Gawain's, and be e'en such a lover true,
Of his love-wounds let him be healèd, and then smitten by darts anew, 80
And methinks he shall find that the sorrow and torment shall vex him more
Than all the sum of the sorrow he hath borne for love's sake before!
Nor love's torments alone vexed Gawain—Ever clearer it grew, the light,
Till dark seemed the lofty tapers that erstwhile had shone so bright.
Then up sprang from his couch the hero, and as blood, and as iron, red 85
With wounds, and with rust, was his linen, yet beside him he saw outspread
Hosen and shirt of woollen, and the change pleased our hero well,
And robes lined with fur of the marten, and a garment that o'er them fell,
(In Arras its stuff was woven, and from Arras 'twas hither sent,)
And boots had they lain beside it, none too narrow for his content. 90
In these garments anew he clothed him, and forth from the chamber went
Gawain, and hither and thither his steps thro' the palace bent,
Till he found the hall of his venture, no riches he e'er had known
To liken unto the glories within this fair castle shown.
And there at one side of the palace a narrow dome he found, 95
And it rose high above the building, and a staircase within it wound,
And above stood a shining pillar; nor of wood was it shapen fair,
But so large and so strong that the coffin of Kamilla it well might bear.
And Klingsor, the wise, he brought it from the kingdom of Feirefis,
And his cunning and skill had fashioned both the hall and the stair I wis! 100
No tent might so round be fashioned; did the Master Geometras will
To raise such a work he had failèd, for unknown to his hand the skill.
'Twas magic alone that wrought it—The venture it bids us know
Of diamond, amethyst, topaz, carbuncle with red-fire glow,
Of chrysolite, emerald, ruby, and sardius, the windows tall, 105
That each one like to the other encircled this wondrous hall.
And rich as the window columns, and carven, the roof o'erhead,
And herein was a greater marvel than all marvels ye yet have read;
For, the vault below, no pillar was like to that column fair
That stood in the midst of the circle, and wondrous the power it bare, 110
For so the venture telleth—Gawain fain would gaze around,
And alone did he climb the watch-tower, and precious the jewels he found.
And he saw there a greater wonder, and the sight never vexed his eye,
For he thought him upon the column all the lands of the earth did lie.
And he saw the countries circle, and the mighty mountains' crest 115
Meet, e'en as two hosts in battle, as one vision the other pressed.
And folk did he see in the pillar, and on horse or afoot they went,
They ran, and they stood: in a window he sat him on seeing bent.
Came the agèd Queen Arnivé, with Sangivé her child, and there
Were two maidens, the gentle daughters that Sangivé erewhile did bear. 120
And the four queens they came unto Gawain, and he saw them and sprang upright;
And thus quoth the Queen Arnivé, 'Methinks thou shouldst sleep, Sir Knight,
For though rest may no longer please thee, thou art wounded too sore, I trow,
That thou further toil and labour shouldst yet for a season know!'
Quoth the knight, 'Lady mine and my mistress, since thy wisdom hath brought to me 125
My wit, and my strength, all my lifetime thy servant I fain would be!'
Quoth the queen, 'If I so may read them, the words thou didst speak but now,
And thou ownest me as thy mistress, then Sir Knight, to my bidding bow,
And kiss at my will these ladies, as thou mayest, without thought of shame,
Since nor mother nor maid before thee but a kingly birth may claim!' 130
Then glad was Gawain at her bidding, and he kissed those ladies three,
And Sangivé was first, then Itonjé, and the third was the fair Kondrie.
And the five sat them down together, and Gawain saw those maidens twain,
Their face and their form so gracious, and he looked, and he looked again;
Yet one woman so worked upon him, for yet in his heart she lay, 135
That their beauty by Orgelusé's he deemed but a cloudy day.
For he held with the Lady of Logrois none other might well compare,
And his heart and his thoughts were captive to this lady so sweet and fair.
Now 'twas done, and Gawain had been greeted with a kiss by those ladies three,
And so fair were they all that I wot well their beauty would fatal be 140
To a heart that was yet unwounded—Then he spake to the elder queen,
And he prayed her to tell of the pillar, and the marvels he there had seen.
Quoth Arnivé, 'By day and by night-time that pillar, I ween, doth throw
Its light for six miles around it, so long as its power I know.
And all that within that circuit doth chance on its face we see, 145
In water, or on the meadow, and true shall the vision be.
The bird and the beast we see here, the guest and the woodman true,
He who to this land is a stranger, or its ways of aforetime knew.
Yea, all may we find within it, and it shineth for six miles round;
And so fast and so firm it standeth none moveth it from the ground, 150
And no hammer shall ever harm it, and no smith hath, I ween, the skill.
'Twas stolen from Queen Sekundillé, I think me, against her will!'
Now Gawain he saw at this moment on the column a goodly pair,
A knight with a lady riding, and he thought him the maid was fair,
And clearly and well he saw them—and armed were both steed and knight, 155
And his helmet was plumed and jewelled, and it gleamed in the morning light.
And they rode at a hasty gallop thro' the defile out on the plain:
Tho' I wot well he little knew it, yet they rode but to seek Gawain!