For just as people are
accustomed to go to church to hear the organ on the annual feast-
days of Pentecost or Christmas, so they had all assembled now.
All the foreign maidens from King Arthur's realm had fasted three
days and gone barefoot in their shifts, in order that God might
endow with strength and courage the knight who was to fight his
adversary on behalf of the captives. Very early, before prime
had yet been sounded, both of the knights fully armed were led to
the place, mounted upon two horses equally protected. Meleagant
was very graceful, alert, and shapely; the hauberk with its fine
meshes, the helmet, and the shield hanging from his neck--all
these became him well. All the spectators. however, favoured the
other knight, even those who wished him ill, and they say that
Meleagant is worth nothing compared with him. As soon as they
were both on the ground, the king comes and detains them as long
as possible in an effort to make peace between them, but he is
unable to persuade his son. Then he says to them: "Hold in your
horses until I reach the top of the tower. It will be only a
slight favour, if you will wait so long for me." Then in
sorrowful mood he leaves them and goes directly to the place
where he knew he would find the Queen.
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