He mounts and
leaves, armed with handsome, new arms, and proceeds until he
comes to Noauz. He espoused this side in the tournament, and
took his lodging outside the town. Never did such a noble man
choose such a small and lowly lodging-place; but he did not wish
to lodge where he might be recognised. There were many good and
excellent knights gathered within the town. But there were many
more outside, for so many had come on account of the presence of
the Queen that the fifth part could not be accommodated inside.
For every one who would have been there under ordinary
circumstances, there were seven who would not have come excepting
on the Queen's account. The barons were quartered in tents,
lodges, and pavilions for five leagues around. Moreover, it was
wonderful how many gentle ladies and damsels were there.
Lancelot placed his shield outside the door of his lodging-place,
and then, to make himself more comfortable, he took off his arms
and lay down upon a bed which he held in slight esteem; for it
was narrow and had a thin mattress, and was covered with a coarse
hempen cloth. Lancelot had thrown himself upon the bed all
disarmed, and as he lay there in such poor estate, behold! a
fellow came in in his shirt-sleeves; he was a herald-at-arms, and
had left his coat and shoes in the tavern as a pledge; so he came
running barefoot and exposed to the wind.
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