of day.  All men marvelled at his malice, for sweet and serviceable was the beast, and to that hour had shown hatred of none.  With one consent the household deemed that this deed was done with full reason, and that the Wolf had suffered at the knight’s hand some bitter wrong.  Right wary of his foe was the knight until the feast had ended, and all the barons had taken farewell of their lord, and departed, each to his own house.  With these, amongst the very first, went that lord whom Bisclavaret so fiercely had assailed.  Small was the wonder that he was glad to go.

No long while after this adventure it came to pass that the courteous King would hunt in that forest where Bisclavaret was found.  With the prince came his wolf, and a fair company.  Now at nightfall the King abode within a certain lodge of that country, and this was known of that dame who before was the wife of Bisclavaret.  In the morning the lady clothed her in her most dainty apparel, and hastened to the lodge, since she desired to speak with the King, and to offer him a rich present.  When the lady entered in the chamber, neither man nor leash might restrain the fury of the Wolf.  He became as a mad dog in his hatred and malice.  Breaking from his bonds he sprang at the lady’s face, and bit the nose from her visage.  From every side men ran to the succour of the dame.  They beat off the wolf from his prey, and for a little would have cut him in pieces with their swords.  But a certain wise counsellor said to the King,

“Sire, hearken now to me.  This beast is always with you, and there is not one of us all who has not known him for long.  He goes in and out amongst us, nor has molested any man, neither done wrong or felony to any, save only to this dame, one only time as we have seen.  He has done evil to this lady, and to that knight, who is now the husband of the dame.  Sire, she was once the wife of that lord who was so close and private to your heart, but who went, and none might find where he had gone.  Now, therefore, put the dame in a sure place, and question her straitly, so that she may tell—­if perchance she knows thereof—­for what reason this Beast holds her in such mortal hate.  For many a strange deed has chanced, as well we know, in this marvellous land of Brittany.”

The King listened to these words, and deemed the counsel good.  He laid hands upon the knight, and put the dame in surety in another place.  He caused them to be questioned right straitly, so that their torment was very grievous.  At the end, partly because of her distress, and partly by reason of her exceeding fear, the lady’s lips were loosed, and she told her tale.  She showed them of the betrayal of her lord, and how his raiment was stolen from the hollow stone.  Since then she knew not where he went, nor what had befallen him, for he had never come again to his own land.  Only, in her heart, well she deemed and was persuaded, that Bisclavaret was he.

Straightway the King demanded the vesture of his baron, whether this were to the wish of the lady, or whether it were against her wish.  When the raiment was brought him, he caused it to be spread before Bisclavaret, but the Wolf made as though he had not seen.  Then that cunning and crafty counsellor took the King apart, that he might give him a fresh rede.