When the morning came there was great indecision as to the further way, for no new information had come of Sir Tristram. Sir Gawaine now spoke1 for going north to Scotland. So too, was Sir Pellimore minded and Sir Gilbert as well. But Sir Percival spoke for Wales and so did Sir Neil.
"As for me," said Sir Dagonet, "I pick Wales, since Kinkenadon is the nearer to Ireland. My fool's head still fancies that we shall have need to turn there ere we shall find this errant knight2."
Neither the King nor Sir Launcelot up to this time had expressed a choice. But now the King vouchsafed3 a plan.
"It seems to us good plan for our party to divide. Some of us to go north, some west. You Launcelot could well go with one party and we with the other. What say you friends?"
That plan suited them all. So then the King went with Sir Gawaine, Sir Pellimore, and Sir Gilbert, while Sir Launcelot accompanied Sir Percival, Sir Neil, Sir Dagonet and Allan. With each party, too, went three men-at-arms.
Our way shall be with Sir Percival.
At the end of the first half day they found themselves near the crossroads of Nantwich.
"We must soon find place for food," remarked Sir Percival and lustily they all agreed.
"See you castle beyond yonder crossroads?" questioned Sir Neil, "Sir Manstor lives there with his three brothers. Right skillful knights4 are these but woe5 the lone6 stranger who passes by. For these are villainous four."
"Right bitterly do you speak of them, Neil," remarked Sir Launcelot. "And why?"
"I pray fortune to permit me to meet with this Manstor. I stopped there for food one day. Then did this knight, his brothers by his side, demand the bag of gold I carried with me. Nor would single one among them battle with me. It would have fared ill with me but for two knights who passing by, came to my aid."
"Our vow," said Sir Launcelot thoughtfully, "is to find Sir Tristram. Yet can I see no harm in straying from our way an hour or two, can you, Percival?"
"Not if there is promise of such entertainment as this," was the reply.
"These knights," interrupted Sir Neil, "have stomach for neither joust7 nor other encounter when the odds8 are not with them. Nor will they venture to impede9 our way unless we number less than they."
"If greater or equal number withholds10 them," said Sir Dagonet. "I would favor them and withdraw. Then would there be one less doughty11 sword."
"Aye, Dagonet, we know your unselfish spirit," said Sir Neil and laughed.
"The knight does not live who has bested me, nevertheless," replied the jester, with pretended heat.
"The knight does not live who has had the chance," said Sir Percival. "Yet we love you none the less, brother."
Said now Sir Launcelot: "One of us could ride ahead. And, perchance, these scheming knights will think that easy prey12 comes and so strive to impede the way. Then when they bear down upon him we can appear and give them such entertainment as they have not had in many a day."
Now one of the men-at-arms came forward.
"And if you will, masters, yonder cruel knight is cruel master as well. And he holds my own brother within his prison walls for small cause. So I pray you, masters, succor13 him."
"Of a surety, Wonkin," said Sir Percival, "we shall make every effort to set your brother free. Neil and I shall go forward and so find ourselves seemingly enmeshed by them. Then will you, at proper time, Launcelot, come forward. And if Dagonet so wishes, he can protect our rear."
The two knights then hurried on. They had not far to go to the turn of the road and there the four knights within the castle grounds, seeing them, stood watching for a moment or so. Then each mounted his horse and in armor, rode forth14 from within the walls.
"We are knights on way to Wales," said Sir Percival in mild tone. "We seek food for our midday meal."
"Food we will give you right gladly," replied the oldest of the four. "But ask in payment such gold as you may have."
"That would be poor bargain," replied Sir Percival, still mild spoken. "We had liefer go our way to place which seeks not such high pay."
"That may you well do, strangers, yet must you still leave your gold behind. For we have great need of it."
"Yet no greater need for it than have we. Come, comrade, we must be on our way." So spoke Sir Percival to Sir Neil. And now the robber knights were certain that these were but timid men. So out came their swords as they rode at the two. But they found them ready and watchful15. And though the odds were two to one, it was not hard matter to hold the robbers off until Sir Launcelot came charging into the melee16.
As the four robbers turned to the newcomer and beheld17 his shield and armor, they knew that it was Launcelot. And knew too that this was trap set for them. Thereupon did Sir Manstor withdraw for the moment from the struggle and blow horn he carried--two long and one short note.
One of the brothers had already been unhorsed and most grievously wounded. Sir Manstor now came back to the aid of his brothers and of them all he was most skillful. So Sir Launcelot turned to him and him, the robber knight found more than a match.
But from within the walls came forty and more men at arms, some with bow and arrow and others with club and mace18. And with them, two other knights.
When Sir Launcelot saw these, he called to his comrades. "Hard at them, hard."
For he had in mind to down these three before the others came.
Then did the three, that is, Launcelot, Percival and Neil with wondrous19 strength of arm, each by mighty20 blow, bring rider to the ground. And Sir Manstor was dead because of the fearful blow of Sir Launcelot. The other two were asprawl on the ground and but barely moving.
"I call this right skillfully done," said Sir Dagonet who now came toward them. He had watched but had not joined in the struggle.
Now, Wonkin and the two men at arms were there and so was Allan.
"Will you, good men, try out your bows on these hinds21 who are coming thitherward?" said Sir Percival.
Straightway then there flew three well aimed arrows. Then others flew and now answering arrows from the oncomers. But these did not harm for Wonkin and the other two stood under cover of trees and so were not easy targets.
Twice more they let their arrows fly and five men of the forty had been stopped.
Now as the others came at them with clubs and mace, Sir Launcelot commanded Wonkin and the other two to withdraw a hundred pace and from there continue to let their arrows fly. And this was great wisdom for else the three could not have long withstood the large number.
So now the knights with their great lances fought off the villains22 and the two knights who were with them. Very few who came within the reach of the long weapons escaped. And from their place the three men at arms shot arrow after arrow into the attackers.
Three of the knaves23 had hold of Sir Percival's horse and thereupon others swarmed24 upon him and what with the blows of their maces and clubs, he was in sorry plight25. Nor could Sir Launcelot turn to help him for he was in great conflict with the two knights and a large number of them on foot and Sir Neil equally so. As for Allan he had already ridden down two of the attackers and had brought his weapon which was cross between sword and dagger26 down upon their skulls27. Now as he turned he saw the plight of his lord. So did Sir Dagonet, who though timid had up to then made some ado to help. Whereupon both sped hard to Sir Percival's aid. And so skillful was the boy that he hewed28 down several of the knaves and Sir Dagonet too, soon found that others of Sir Percival's attackers were turning their attention to him. All of which gave needed time for Sir Percival to escape from his difficulty, draw sword and begin anew.
Now Sir Launcelot brought down the two knights and the others like wolves stood off snarling29 at him, yet out of reach. Sir Neil too was freer.
There were but ten of the attackers now. The others were either strewn about the ground or were making their escape. And of these ten, two even then were brought down by the arrows of Wonkin and his two comrades.
Whereupon the last of the attackers turned and made haste to fly, the three archers30 in close pursuit.
"These hinds would fair have overswarmed me had not the boy and Dagonet come to my aid," remarked Sir Percival as he lifted his helmet from his head.
"How then, Allan, did you like the affray?" inquired Sir Launcelot.
"Greatly," replied the lad. "But I had wish I carried a lance instead of this, which is neither dagger nor sword."
"Right soon, shall these be yours as well, lad. Yet now we have earned such food as we may find within the castle. And I wot not," added Sir Percival, "many prisoners, too, who will be glad of freedom."
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1
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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2
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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3
vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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4
knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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5
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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joust
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| v.马上长枪比武，竞争 | |
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8
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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impede
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| v.妨碍，阻碍，阻止 | |
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10
withholds
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| v.扣留( withhold的第三人称单数 )；拒绝给予；抑制（某事物）；制止 | |
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11
doughty
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| adj.勇猛的，坚强的 | |
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12
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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13
succor
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| n.援助，帮助；v.给予帮助 | |
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14
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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16
melee
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| n.混战；混战的人群 | |
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17
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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18
mace
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| n.狼牙棒，豆蔻干皮 | |
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wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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hinds
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| n.（常指动物腿）后面的( hind的名词复数 )；在后的；（通常与can或could连用）唠叨不停；滔滔不绝 | |
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22
villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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knaves
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| n.恶棍，无赖( knave的名词复数 )；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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24
swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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25
plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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26
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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27
skulls
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| 颅骨( skull的名词复数 )； 脑袋； 脑子； 脑瓜 | |
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28
hewed
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| v.（用斧、刀等）砍、劈( hew的过去式和过去分词 )；砍成；劈出；开辟 | |
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29
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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30
archers
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| n.弓箭手，射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 ) | |
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