CHAPTER LXXVIII
 
 How King Arthur and Sir Launcelot came unto their pavilions
 as they sat at supper, and of Sir Palomides.
 
 
 AND therewithal two knights armed came unto the pavilion,
 and there they alighted both, and came in armed at all
 pieces.  Fair knights, said Sir Tristram, ye are to blame to
 come thus armed at all pieces upon me while we are at
 our meat; if ye would anything when we were in the field
 there might ye have eased your hearts.  Not so, said the
 one of those knights, we come not for that intent, but wit
 ye well Sir Tristram, we be come hither as your friends.
 And I am come here, said the one, for to see you, and this
 knight is come for to see La Beale Isoud.  Then said Sir
 Tristram:  I require you do off your helms that I may see
 you.  That will we do at your desire, said the knights.
 And when their helms were off, Sir Tristram thought that
 he should know them.
 
 Then said Sir Dinadan privily unto Sir Tristram:  Sir,
 that is Sir Launcelot du Lake that spake unto you first,
 and the other is my lord King Arthur.  Then, said Sir
 Tristram unto La Beale Isoud, Madam arise, for here is my
 lord, King Arthur.  Then the king and the queen kissed,
 and Sir Launcelot and Sir Tristram braced either other in
 arms, and then there was joy without measure; and at the
 request of La Beale Isoud, King Arthur and Launcelot
 were unarmed, and then there was merry talking.  Madam,
 said Sir Arthur, it is many a day sithen that I have desired
 to see you, for ye have been praised so far; and now I dare
 say ye are the fairest that ever I saw, and Sir Tristram is
 as fair and as good a knight as any that I know; therefore
 me beseemeth ye are well beset together.  Sir, God thank
 you, said the noble knight, Sir Tristram, and Isoud; of
 your great goodness and largess ye are peerless.  Thus
 they talked of many things and of all the whole jousts.  But
 for what cause, said King Arthur, were ye, Sir Tristram,
 against us?  Ye are a knight of the Table Round; of right
 ye should have been with us.  Sir, said Sir Tristram, here
 is Dinadan, and Sir Gareth your own nephew, caused me to
 be against you.  My lord Arthur, said Gareth, I may well
 bear the blame, but it were Sir Tristram's own deeds.
 That may I repent, said Dinadan, for this unhappy Sir
 Tristram brought us to this tournament, and many great
 buffets he caused us to have.  Then the king and Launcelot
 laughed that they might not sit.
 
 What knight was that, said Arthur, that held you so
 short, this with the shield of silver?  Sir, said Sir
 Tristram, here he sitteth at this board.  What, said Arthur,
 was it Sir Palomides?  Wit ye well it was he, said La
 Beale Isoud.  So God me help, said Arthur, that was
 unknightly done of you of so good a knight, for I have
 heard many people call you a courteous knight.  Sir, said
 Palomides, I knew not Sir Tristram, for he was so disguised.
 So God me help, said Launcelot, it may well be, for I knew
 not Sir Tristram; but I marvel why ye turned on our
 party.  That was done for the same cause, said Launcelot.
 As for that, said Sir Tristram, I have pardoned him, and
 I would be right loath to leave his fellowship, for I love
 right well his company: so they left off and talked of
 other things.
 
 And in the evening King Arthur and Sir Launcelot
 departed unto their lodging; but wit ye well Sir Palomides
 had envy heartily, for all that night he had never rest in
 his bed, but wailed and wept out of measure.  So on the
 morn Sir Tristram, Gareth, and Dinadan arose early, and
 then they went unto Sir Palomides' chamber, and there
 they found him fast asleep, for he had all night watched,
 and it was seen upon his cheeks that he had wept full sore.
 Say nothing, said Sir Tristram, for I am sure he hath taken
 anger and sorrow for the rebuke that I gave to him, and
 La Beale Isoud.