Then rode Sir Dinadan unto Sir Mordred and unto Sir Agravaine.Sir knight,said they all,well have ye done,and well have ye revenged us,wherefore we pray you tell us your name.Fair sirs,ye ought to know my name,the which is called Sir Dinadan.When they understood that it was Dinadan they were more wroth than they were before,for they hated him out of measure because of Sir Lamorak.
For Dinadan had such a custom that he loved all good knights that were valiant,and he hated all those that were destroyers of good knights.And there were none that hated Dinadan but those that ever were called murderers.
Then spake the hurt knight that Breuse Saunce Pit had chased,his name was Dalan,and said:If thou be Dinadan thou slewest my father.It may well be so,said Dinadan,but then it was in my defence and at his request.By my head,said Dalan,thou shalt die therefore,and therewith he dressed his spear and his shield.And to make the shorter tale,Sir Dinadan smote him down off his horse,that his neck was nigh broken.And in the same wise he smote Sir Mordred and Sir Agravaine.And after,in the quest of the Sangreal,cowardly and feloniously they slew Dinadan,the which was great damage,for he was a great bourder and a passing good knight.
And so Sir Dinadan rode to a castle that hight Beale-Valet.And there he found Sir Palomides that was not yet whole of the wound that Sir Lamorak gave him.And there Dinadan told Palomides all the tidings that he heard and saw of Sir Tristram,and how he was gone with King Mark,and with him he hath all his will and desire.
Therewith Sir Palomides waxed wroth,for he loved La Beale Isoud.And then he wist well that Sir Tristram enjoyed her.
CHAPTER XXVI
How King Arthur,the Queen,and Launcelot received letters out of Cornwall,and of the answer again.
NOW leave we Sir Palomides and Sir Dinadan in the Castle of Beale-Valet,and turn we again unto King Arthur.
There came a knight out of Cornwall,his name was Fergus,a fellow of the Round Table.And there he told the king and Sir Launcelot good tidings of Sir Tristram,and there were brought goodly letters,and how he left him in the castle of Tintagil.Then came the damosel that brought goodly letters unto King Arthur and unto Sir Launcelot,and there she had passing good cheer of the king,and of the Queen Guenever,and of Sir Launcelot.Then they wrote goodly letters again.But Sir Launcelot bade ever Sir Tristram beware of King Mark,for ever he called him in his letters King Fox,as who saith,he fareth all with wiles and treason.Whereof Sir Tristram in his heart thanked Sir Launcelot.Then the damosel went unto La Beale Isoud,and bare her letters from the king and from Sir Launcelot,whereof she was in passing great joy.Fair damosel,said La Beale Isoud,how fareth my Lord Arthur,and the Queen Guenever,and the noble knight,Sir Launcelot?She answered,and to make short tale:Much the better that ye and Sir Tristram be in joy.God reward them,said La Beale Isoud,for Sir Tristram suffereth great pain for me,and I for him.
So the damosel departed,and brought letters to King Mark.And when he had read them,and understood them,he was wroth with Sir Tristram,for he deemed that he had sent the damosel unto King Arthur.For Arthur and Launcelot in a manner threated King Mark.And as King Mark read these letters he deemed treason by Sir Tristram.Damosel,said King Mark,will ye ride again and bear letters from me unto King Arthur?Sir,she said,I will be at your commandment to ride when ye will.
Ye say well,said the king;come again,said the king,to-morn,and fetch your letters.Then she departed and told them how she should ride again with letters unto Arthur.
Then we pray you,said La Beale Isoud and Sir Tristram,that when ye have received your letters,that ye would come by us that we may see the privity of your letters.
All that I may do,madam,ye wot well I must do for Sir Tristram,for I have been long his own maiden.
So on the morn the damosel went to King Mark to have had his letters and to depart.I am not avised,said King Mark,as at this time to send my letters.Then privily and secretly he sent letters unto King Arthur,and unto Queen Guenever,and unto Sir Launcelot.So the varlet departed,and found the king and the queen in Wales,at Carlion.And as the king and the queen were at mass the varlet came with the letters.And when mass was done the king and the queen opened the letters privily by themself.And the beginning of the king's letters spake wonderly short unto King Arthur,and bade him entermete with himself and with his wife,and of his knights;for he was able enough to rule and keep his wife.
CHAPTER XXVII
How Sir Launcelot was wroth with the letter that he received from King Mark,and of Dinadan which made a lay of King Mark.
WHEN King Arthur understood the letter,he mused of many things,and thought on his sister's words,Queen Morgan le Fay,that she had said betwixt Queen Guenever and Sir Launcelot.And in this thought he studied a great while.Then he bethought him again how his sister was his own enemy,and that she hated the queen and Sir Launcelot,and so he put all that out of his thought.
Then King Arthur read the letter again,and the latter clause said that King Mark took Sir Tristram for his mortal enemy;wherefore he put Arthur out of doubt he would be revenged of Sir Tristram.Then was King Arthur wroth with King Mark.And when Queen Guenever read her letter and understood it,she was wroth out of measure,for the letter spake shame by her and by Sir Launcelot.And so privily she sent the letter unto Sir Launcelot.And when he wist the intent of the letter he was so wroth that he laid him down on his bed to sleep,whereof Sir Dinadan was ware,for it was his manner to be privy with all good knights.And as Sir Launcelot slept he stole the letter out of his hand,and read it word by word.
And then he made great sorrow for anger.And so Sir Launcelot awaked,and went to a window,and read the letter again,the which made him angry.