[Sidenote: King Arthur comes to Joyous Gard] Then one day there came King
Arthur to Joyous Gard, and he was received with such joy and celebration as
that place had never before beheld. A great feast was set in his honor, and
after the feast King Arthur and Sir Tristram and Belle Isoult withdrew to
one side and sat together in converse.
Then after a while King Arthur said, "Lady, may I ask you a question?" And
at that Lady Belle Isoult lifted up her eyes and looked very strangely upon
the King, and after a while she said, "Ask thy question, Lord King, and I
will answer it if I can." "Lady," said King Arthur, "answer me this
question: is it better to dwell in honor with sadness or in dishonor with
joy?"
Then Belle Isoult began to pant with great agitation, and by and by she
said, "Lord, why ask you me that?" King Arthur said: "Because, lady, I
think your heart hath sometimes asked you the selfsame question." Then the
Lady Belle Isoult clasped her hands together and cried out: "Yea, yea, my
heart hath often asked me that question, but I would not answer it." King
Arthur said: "Neither shalt thou answer me, for I am but a weak and erring
man as thou art a woman.
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