And Sir Percival said:  “That is good news to me, for I wist not that I had so soon won so much credit.  But, touching the matter of returning unto King Arthur’s court with you; unto that I crave leave to give my excuses.  For, since you tell me that I now have so much credit of knighthood, it behooves me to go immediately unto my lady and to offer my services unto her.  For when I parted from her I promised her that I would come to her as soon as I had won me sufficient credit of knighthood.  As for this knight whom I have struck, I cannot be sorry for that buffet, even if it was given with my fist and not with my sword as I should have given it.  For I have promised Sir Kay by several mouths that I would sometime repay him with just such a buffet as that which he struck the damosel Yelande.  So now I have fulfilled my promise and have given him that buffet.”

Then Sir Gawaine and Sir Geraint laughed, and Sir Gawaine said:  “Well, Sir Percival, thou hast indeed fulfilled thy promise in very good measure.  For I make my vow that no one could have been better served with his dessert than was Sir Kay.”

Now by this time Sir Kay had recovered from that blow, so that he rose up very ruefully, looking about as though he wist not yet just where he was.

[Sidenote:  Sir Percival will not return to court] Then Sir Gawaine said to Sir Percival:  “As to thy coming unto the court of the King, thou dost right to fulfil thy promise unto thy lady before undertaking any other obligation.  For, even though the King himself bid thee come, yet is thy obligation to thy lady superior to the command of the King.  So now I bid thee go in quest of thy lady in God’s name; only see to it that thou comest to the King’s court as soon as thou art able.”

So it was that Sir Percival fulfilled the promise of that buffet unto Sir Kay.

And now you shall hear how he found the Lady Yvette the Fair.

* * * * *

[Sidenote:  Sir Percival cometh to the castle of Sir Percydes] Now after Sir Percival had parted from Sir Gawaine, and Sir Geraint and Sir Kay, he went his way in that direction he wist, and by and by, toward eventide, he came again to the castle of Sir Percydes.  And Sir Percydes was at home and he welcomed Sir Percival with great joy and congratulations.  For the fame of Sir Percival was now abroad in all the world, so that Sir Percydes welcomed him with great acclaim.

So Sir Percival sat down with Sir Percydes and they ate and drank together, and, for the time, Sir Percival said nothing of that which was upon his heart—­for he was of a very continent nature and was in no wise hasty in his speech.

But after they had satisfied themselves with food and drink, then Sir Percival spake to Sir Percydes of that which was upon his mind, saying:  “Dear friend, thou didst tell me that when I was ready for to come to thee with a certain intent thou wouldst tell me who is the lady whose ring I wear and where I shall find her.  Now, I believe that I am a great deal more worthy for to be her knight than I was when I first saw thee; wherefore I am now come to beseech thee to redeem thy promise to me.  Now tell me, I beg of thee, who is that lady and where does she dwell?”