But when Sir Nabon perceived that a stranger knight had dared to come thus into his country, he was filled with amazement at the boldness of that knight that he wist not what to think.  Then, presently a great rage got hold upon him, and he ground his teeth together, and the cords on his neck stood out like knots on the trunk of a tree.  For a while he stood as though bereft of speech; then anon he roared out in a voice like that of a bull, crying to those who were near him:  “Go!  Haste ye!  Fetch me straightway my horse and armor and I will go immediately forth and so deal with yonder champion of ladies that he shall never take trouble upon their account again.”

Then those who were in attendance upon Sir Nabon were terrified at his words and ran with all speed to do his bidding, and presently fetched his armor and clad him in it; and they fetched his horse into the courtyard of the castle and helped him to mount upon it.  And lo! the armor of Sir Nabon was as black as ink; and the great horse upon which he sat was black; and all the trappings and furniture of the armor and of the horse were black, so that from top to toe he was altogether as black and as forbidding as Death himself.

[Sidenote:  Sir Nabon rides forth to meet Sir Tristram] So when Sir Nabon was thus in all wise prepared for battle, the portcullis of the castle was lifted up, and he rode forth to meet Sir Tristram; and his young son rode with him as his esquire.  Then all the people of the castle gathered together upon the walls to see that battle that was to be, and not one of those several score of folk thought otherwise than that Sir Tristram would certainly be overcome in that encounter.

Sir Nabon rode straight up to Sir Tristram and he said very fiercely, “Sirrah, what is it brings you hither to this land?”

“As to that,” said Sir Tristram, “the messenger whom I have sent to you hath, I believe, told you what I come for, and that it is to redeem this island from your possession, and to restore it to the Lady Loise, to whom it belongeth.  Likewise that I come to punish you for all the evil you have done.”

“And what business is all this of yours?” quoth Sir Nabon, speaking with great fury of voice.

“Messire,” quoth Sir Tristram, “know ye not that it is the business of every true knight to rid the world of all such evil monsters as you be?”

“Ha!” quoth Sir Nabon, “that was very well said, for whatever mercy I should have been willing before this to show you hath now been forfeited unto you.  For now I shall have no mercy upon you but shall slay you.”

“Well,” quoth Sir Tristram, “as for that, meseems it will be time enough to offer me mercy after you have overcome me in battle.”