" And
Percival said, "What is a fool?"
Upon this the page fell alaughing as though he would never stint his mirth
so that Percival began to wax angry for he said to himself: "These people
laugh too much and their mirth maketh me weary." So, without more ado, he
descended from his horse with intent to enter the Queen's pavilion and to
make inquiry there for Sir Lamorack.
Now when that page saw what Percival had a mind to do, he thrust in to
prevent him, saying, "Thou shalt not go in!" Upon that Percival said, "Ha!
shall I not so?" And thereupon he smote the page such a buffet that the
youth fell down without any motion, as though he had gone dead.
Then Percival straightway entered the Queen's pavilion.
[Sidenote: Percival beholdeth Queen Guinevere] And the first thing he saw
was a very beautiful lady surrounded by a court of ladies. And the Queen
was eating a mid-day repast whilst a page waited upon her for to serve her,
bearing for her refreshment pure wine in a cup of entire gold. And he saw
that a noble lord (and the lord was Sir Kay the Seneschal), stood in the
midst of that beautiful rosy pavilion directing the Queen's repast; for Sir
Kay of all the court had been left in charge of the Queen and her ladies.
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