" So she said to him, "Sirrah, what dost thou here?" He said,
"Lady, is this a church?" Upon that she was angered thinking that he had
intended to make a jest and she said: "Begone, fool, for if my father, who
is King Pecheur, cometh and findeth thee here, he will punish thee for this
jest." But Percival replied, "Nay; I think he will not, lady."
Then the damosel looked at Percival more narrowly and she beheld how noble
and beautiful was his countenance and she said to herself: "This is no fool
nor a jester, but who he is or what he is I know not."
[Sidenote: Percival breaks bread in the golden pavilion] So she said to
Percival, "Whence comest thou?" and he said, "From the mountains and the
wilderness." Then he said: "Lady, when I left my mother she told me that
whenever I saw good food and drink and was an-hungered, I was to take what
I needed. Now I will do so in this case." Whereupon he sat him down to that
table and fell to with great appetite.
Then when that damosel beheld what he did she laughed in great measure and
clapped her hands together in sport. And she said: "If my father and
brothers should return and find thee at this, they would assuredly punish
thee very sorely, and thou couldst not make thyself right with them.
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