But he presses hard upon their heels, and all his companions
follow him, for by his side they feel as safe as if they were
enclosed in a high and thick stone wall. The pursuit continues
until those who flee become exhausted, and the pursuers slash at
them and disembowel their steeds. The living roll over upon the
dead as they wound and kill each other. They work dreadful
destruction upon each other; and meanwhile the Count flees with
my lord Yvain after him, until he comes up with him at the foot
of a steep ascent, near the entrance of a strong place which
belonged to the Count. There the Count was stopped, with no one
near to lend him aid; and without any excessive parley my lord
Yvain received his surrender. For as soon as he held him in his
hands, and they were left just man to man, there was no further
possibility of escape, or of yielding, or of self-defence; so the
Count pledged his word to go to surrender to the lady of Noroison
as her prisoner, and to make such peace as she might dictate.
And when he had accepted his word he made him disarm his head and
remove the shield from about his neck, and the Count surrendered
to him his sword. Thus he won the honour of leading off the
Count as his prisoner, and of giving him over to his enemies, who
make no secret of their joy.
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