" Guivret, in his
delight, dismounts and goes to fall at Erec's feet, where he was
lying on the ground. "My lord," he says, "I was going to seek
for you, and was on my way to Limors, where I expected to find
you dead. It was told and recounted to me as true that Count
Oringle had carried off to Limors a knight who was mortally
wounded, and that he wickedly intended to marry a lady whom he
had found in his company; but that she would have nothing to do
with him. And I was coming urgently to aid and deliver her. If
he refused to hand over to me both the lady and you without
resistance, I should esteem myself of little worth if I left him
a foot of earth to stand upon. Be sure that had I not loved you
dearly I should never have taken this upon myself. I am Guivret,
your friend; but if I have done you any hurt through my failure
to recognise you, you surely ought to pardon me." At this Erec
sat up, for he could do no more, and said: "Rise up, my friend.
Be absolved of the harm you have done me, since you did not
recognise me." Guivret gets up, and Erec tells him how he has
killed the Count while he sat at meat, and how he had gained
possession again of his steed in front of the stable, and how the
sergeants and the squires had fled across the yard, crying:
"Flee, flee, the corpse is chasing us;" then, how he came near
being caught, and how he escaped through the town and down the
hill, carrying his wife on his horse's neck: all this adventure
of his he told him.
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