But, if I conquer
thee again, know that thou shalt surely die." And he replies: "I
desire nothing better than that, and ask for no further favour."
"And I will give thee this advantage," he adds: "I will fight
thee as I stand, without changing my present position." Then the
other knight makes ready, and they begin the fight again eagerly.
But this time the knight triumphed more quickly than he had done
at first. And the damsel at once cries out: "Do not spare him,
knight, for anything he may say to thee. Surely he would not
have spared thee, had he once defeated thee. If thou heedest
what he says, be sure that he will again beguile thee. Fair
knight, cut off the head of the most faithless man in the empire
and kingdom, and give it to me! Thou shouldst present it to me,
in view of the guerdon I intend for thee. For another day may
well come when, if he can, he will beguile thee again with his
words." He, thinking his end is near, cries aloud to him for
mercy; but his cry is of no avail, nor anything that he can say.
The other drags him by the helmet, tearing all the fastening, and
he strikes from his head the ventail and the gleaming coif. Then
he cries out more loudly still: "Mercy, for God's sake! Mercy,
sir!" But the other answers: "So help me, I shall never again
show thee pity, after having once let thee off.
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