CHAPTER XI. THE COURT OF CARLISLE.
Lord Melyan {153}and his troop were still encamped upon the borders ofthe magic pond. Judge their surprise, their shouts, their whirl of joy,when, 'mid a numerous train, Sir Jaufry rose!
As for fair Brunissende, so great the emotion which such changeproduced, it found no vent in words, but in a swoon she fell into hisarms. Jaufry related how the fairy's art had to her country led himthrough the deep and darksome waters; how he had vanquished her greatgiant foe, and gained the wondrous hawk for the good king. Then, therecital o'er, they gaily took their way, and at the peep of the nextfollowing morn they saw fair Carlisle's towers. Leaving their train alittle way behind, Jaufry and Melyan, clad in armour bright, prancedon the glacis with eight chosen knights. {154}Such a brarado at KingArthur's court could not unnoticed pass. Quex, the high seneschal, sooncrossed the bridge, and meeting Jaufry, cried:
"Good sooth, sir knight, thou shalt repent thy coming."
"'Tis thou shalt feel repentance more than I," responded Jaufry, whodivined the man, and meeting him full speed, did with such strength andart assail Sir Quex, he hurled him to the ground.
As he essayed to struggle to his feet, he reeled a pace, then fell,while Jaufry cried:
"Why how now, jolly Quex? what say'st, art drunk?"
Gawain had now appeared upon the field, spurring his horse to join inthe affray. Sir Jaufry went to meet the worthy lord, and as he yieldedup Sir Quex's horse:
"To you alone, good knight," he said, "I yield."
Gawain then knew the voice of Dovon's son, and pressed him in his arms;which, when his squire had learnt, he flew to take the tidings to theking. Good Arthur overjoyed then left his halls, and with a gallanthost of knights and lords came forth to honour Taulat's vanquisher. FairBrunissende he courteously did greet with all her train; then, smiling,said to Jaufry:
"Hath, then, our seneschal on you his horse thus gen'rously bestowed?"
"My lord," the son of Dovon made reply, "perchance you may remember, onthe day I begged you arms to follow Taulat's track, Sir Quex exclaimed,I'd fight him better drunk. 'Twas then my wish to teach him, good mylord, how I can strike when fasting."
"He is well struck, methinks," the king replied; "and may the lessonstead him!"
Saying the words, he led Sir Jaufry in to good Queen Guenever, who,as she tended him her rosy cheek, thanked him with warmth for having'venged her cause on Taulat. King Arthur on his side did give him thanksfor all the precious gifts he there had sent,--the fair white ashenlance, the yeoman's dwarf and e'en the leper's too, Estout de Verfeiland the captive knights, Melyan, and Taulat's numerous prisoners, withEclon d'Albaru; then was the convent-church most richly decked, to whichthe king in pomp conducted him with the fair Brunissende.
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More than a score of thousand gallant knights the fair betrothedaccompanied. The good archbishop, who had {156}chanted mass, before thealtar joined the happy pair; then to the palace back again they came,and the great feast began. At trumpet sound, Lucas the royal steward,with twenty thousand pages clad in vests of scarlet silk, bearing finesnowy cloths, vases of silver and rich cups of gold, flocked to the hallto furnish forth the boards. Already harps had tinkled, minstrels triedto charm their hearers with the gay romance, when straight into the halla squire rushed, crying aloud:
"To arms! good lords, to arms; defend your lives!"
"What hast thou seen, good Mend?" King Arthur said.
"O sire, I've seen a bird, a wond'rous bird, which never man of motherborn described. He hath a beak at least ten palms in length, and a hugehead large as a fisher's boat; his eyes like carbuncles or diamondsshine; and then his feet, good sooth, without a lie they are as big--asbig as yonder door. I know not how I did escape his maw; but ne'ermethinks was I so near my death."
"Bring me my arms," exclaimed the gallant king, "that I may learnwhether this squire hath lied."
Gawain, {157}Sir Jaufry, and Lord Melyan, fain would follow him tohelp; but he forbade, and thus alone did quit the castle. Scarce hadhe crossed the bridge, when he beheld this marvellous great bird. Hequietly drew nigh, his shield on arm, his sword within his hand. But,spreading its grand wings, the bird escaped a blow full promptly aimed;and by both arms embracing tight the king, rose with its prey fullswiftly in the air. Ladies and knights despairingly rushed out, and o'erthe country spread with rending cries. The bird still rose; and whenin bulk it seemed no bigger than a crane, it then the king let go. Thecrowd, all breathless, hastened to the spot, where they expected thattheir king would fall crushed from that dizzy height. Not so! ere thathe reached the ground the bird had deftly seized on him again, and tothe summit of a lofty tower borne him in ease away. Reposing there aspace, with rapid wing it flew towards the wood, wheeled with a gracefulflight, then to the palace brought the king again; itself returning toa human shape, that of the fair enchanter, whom Arthur pardoned, as he'ddone at Pentecost, the fright his trick had caused. And thus did closethe joyous nuptial feast of brave Sir Jaufry and fair Brunissende.{158}The morrow-morn they left the merry court; and all the train, whichcalled Sir Melyan lord, escorted back in triumph to Montbrun that happypair, meeting upon their way the lady of the pond (she was in fact thefairy of Gibel), who there had come to bless their life and love.
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THE END.
Jaufry the Knight and the Fair Brunissende: A Tale of the Times of King Arthur Page 13
