"
"Sir," said Sir Tristram, "I am very willing to tell you my name and my
station; I am Sir Tristram, the son of King Meliadus of Lyonesse."
"Ha," quoth Sir Ector, "I would God I had known that before I had ado with
you, for your fame hath already reached to these parts, and there hath been
such report of your prowess and several songs have been made about you by
minstrels and poets. I who speak to you am Sir Ector, surnamed de Maris,
and this, my companion, is Sir Morganor of Lisle."
"Alas!" cried out Sir Tristram, "I would that I had known who you were ere
I did battle with you. For I have greater love for the knights of the Round
Table than all others in the world, and most of all, Sir Ector, do I have
reverence for your noble brother Sir Launcelot of the Lake. So I take great
shame to myself that any mishap should have befallen you this day through
me."
Upon this Sir Ector laughed. "Well," quoth he, "let not that trouble lie
with you, for it was we who gave you challenge without inquiry who you
were, and you did but defend yourself. We were upon our way to Camelot
yonder, when we fell into this mishap, for King Arthur is at this time
holding court at that place.
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