she. ‘You will meet with one who will make you such a welcome that you would give all the broth you ever cooked never to have seen his face.’ ‘I shall do my best to fight him,’ said Beaumains, and held his peace.
Soon they entered the wood, and there came a man flying towards them, galloping with all his might. ‘Oh, help! help! lord,’ cried he, ‘for my master lies in a thicket, bound by six thieves, and I greatly fear they will slay him.’ ‘Show me the way,’ said Sir Beaumains, and they rode together till they reached the place where the Knight lay bound. Then Sir Beaumains charged the six thieves, and struck one dead, and another, and another still, and the other three fled, not liking the battle. Sir Beaumains pursued them till they turned at bay, and fought hard for their lives; but in the end Sir Beaumains slew them, and returned to the Knight and unbound him. The Knight thanked Beaumains heartily for his deliverance, and prayed him to come to his castle, where he would reward him. ‘Sir,’ said Beaumains, ‘I was this day made Knight by noble Sir Lancelot, and that is reward enough for anything I may do. Besides, I must follow this damsel.’ But when he came near her she reviled him as before, and bade him ride far from her. ‘Do you think I set store by what you have done? You will soon see a sight that will make you tell a very different tale.’ At this the Knight whom Beaumains had rescued rode up to the damsel, and begged that she would rest in his castle that night, as the sun was now setting. The damsel agreed, and the Knight ordered a great supper, and gave Sir Beaumains a seat above the seat of the damsel, who rose up in anger. ‘Fie! fie! Sir Knight,’ cried she, ‘you are uncourteous to set a mere kitchen page before me; he is not fit to be in the company of high-born people.’ Her words struck shame into the Knight, and he took Beaumains and set him at a side table, and seated himself before him.
In the early morning Sir Beaumains and the damsel bade farewell to the Knight, and rode through the forest till they came to a great river, where stood two Knights on the further side, guarding the passage. ‘Well, what do you say now?’ asked the damsel. ‘Will you fight them or turn back?’ ‘I would not turn if there were six more of them,’ answered Sir Beaumains, and he rushed into the water and so did one of the Knights. They came together in the middle of the stream, and their spears broke in two with the force of the charge, and they drew their swords, hitting hard at each other. At length Sir Beaumains dealt the other Knight such a blow that he fell from his horse, and was drowned in the river. Then Beaumains put his horse at the bank, where the second Knight was waiting for him, and they fought long together, till Sir Beaumains clave his helmet in two. So he left him dead, and rode after the damsel. ‘Alas!’ she cried, ‘that even a kitchen page should have power to destroy two such Knights! You think you have done mighty things, but you are wrong! As to the first Knight, his horse stumbled, and he was drowned before you ever touched him. And the other you took from behind, and struck him when he was defenceless.’ ‘Damsel!’ answered Beaumains, ‘you may say what you will, I care not what it is, so I may deliver this lady.’ ‘Fie, foul kitchen knave, you shall see Knights that will make you lower your crest.’ ‘I pray you be more civil in your language,’ answered Beaumains, ‘for it matters not to me what Knights they be, I will do battle with them.’ ‘I am trying to turn you back for your own good,’ answered she, ‘for if you follow me you are certainly a dead man, as well I know all you have won before has been by luck.’ ‘Say what you will, damsel,’ said he, ‘but where you go I will follow you,’ and they rode together till eventide, and all the way she chid him and gave him no rest.
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