The
King honours him to the extent of his power, as do all the others
ungrudgingly. There is no one who does not gladly offer to do
his service. Three whole days the Joy lasted, before Erec could
get away. On the fourth he would no longer tarry for any reason
they could urge. There was a great crowd to accompany him and a
very great press when it came to taking leave. If he had wished
to reply to each one, he would not have been able in half a day
to return the salutations individually. The nobles he salutes
and embraces; the others he commends to God in a word, and
salutes them. Enide, for her part, is not silent when she takes
leave of the nobles. She salutes them all by name, and they in
turn do the like. Before she goes, she kisses her cousin very
tenderly and embraces her. Then they go and the Joy is over.
(Vv. 6411-6509.) They go off and the others return. Erec and
Guivret do not tarry, but keep joyfully on their way, until they
came in nine days to Robais, where they were told the King was.
The day before he had been bled privately in his apartments; with
him he had only five hundred nobles of his household. Never
before at any time was the King found so alone, and he was much
distressed that he had no more numerous suite at his court.
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