'Who is it that I can hear out there?' a girl's voice asked.
'Who are you?' Yvain answered back.
'A prisoner,' the voice replied, 'the most miserable person alive.'
'No,' said Yvain, 'that cannot be. I am the most miserable person alive. Your sorrow is joy compared to mine. Next to my sufferings, yours are blessings. When someone has been used to happiness he feels it all the worse when his happiness is taken away.'
'That is true,' she said, 'but I still don't see how you can be sure your
misfortune is greater than mine. You can go where you please while I am a prisoner.
And
tomorrow I will be taken from this place and put to death.'
'For what crime?'
'For treason.'
'Well, I still think my pain is worse than yours. Someone can save you at the last minute, while my sorrow can never be changed.'
'There will not be many willing to fight against three knights to defend me. I have three accusers. One is the castle Steward, who was always jealous of me because my mistress trusted me better than him. They say I am a traitor because I persuaded my mistress to marry lord Yvain, who did not keep his word. I did not think but said at once that I would find a champion to fight all three of them and prove my innocence. My lord Gawain would do it, I know, but I went to King Arthur's court and he was not there. Some knight has stolen the Queen away and Gawain is away in search of her.'
Where is Gawain?
Do you want to follow Gawain's adventures?
or
Do you want to find out what happens to Yvain?
