Chapter XV.
OF THE GIFTS THAT WERE GIVEN TO YWAIN AND OF A DREAM THAT HE DREAMED.

AND it was now long past noon, but the crowd continued still in the market-place, and when they saw Ywain come out upon the steps they shouted again: for above all things they loved to see fighting and to hear tell of it. Also they were glad when they saw the Eagle go before the Tower: for men will reverence their betters and yet take pleasure to see them discomfited; moreover they of the Tower ruled continually over them and were thereby the heavier to bear, but they of the Eagle came only to make sport for them.

Ywain therefore perceived that the commons held him in honour of their own good will: but the great ones he deemed to be his friends in fear rather than in love, honouring him for the sake of the custom and because he had the good will of others. Nevertheless they spoke not so but continued in their courtesy: for they set him in the midmost of their train and brought him through the city to a house that was made ready for him, and the house and all that was in it they gave him freely to have and to hold. Furthermore they gave him certain customary gifts in such case provided: and first, a hogshead of wine, very sweet and very drowsy, and this was the gift of the Eagles; and second, a silver collar, that all men might salute him whensoever they saw it, and this was the gift of them of the Tower, for they themselves loved such greeting beyond measure. And the third gift was a full bushel of gold, and this was the gift of the whole city and the greatest of the three, for in Paladore they have a saying that gold is the noblest of the metals, and nobleness they honour above all virtues. Then when they had given Ywain these gifts, they took their leave of him, as for that time: and Ywain thanked him as best he might, and made fast the door of his house. And for a short space he was content to look about him at one thing and another, as a child will play with his toys when they are new: and then he thought to taste of the wine that had been given him, and when he had drawn a little of it into a cup, he drank it. And for a moment he had some joy thereof, for it was sweet upon the tongue and ran bravely through his blood: but afterwards the drowsiness in it was yet stronger than the sweetness and the bravery, so that he desired no more to live but only to dream, and instantly he had his desire.

Now in his dream it seemed to him that he awoke out of sleep and saw that the sun was set and the moon rising. And in the moonlight he saw beside him a boy weeping, and it was the boy whom he had followed and found not. Then Ywain had great pain at the heart, and he asked him the reason of his weeping: and the boy gave him no word, either of reason or unreason, but continued weeping pitifully. So for comfort Ywain took him by the hand: and instantly the boy left weeping, and made to go forth, and he led Ywain from the house as formerly he had led him from the house of Sulney.

Then they two went through the streets together and came quickly to the gate of the city, that was the same by which Ywain had come in: and the gate was shut and locked, and the porter gone within the gatehouse. But the boy laid his hand against the wicket and opened it lightly, and he drew Ywain after him, and they went out towards the place of the fighting. And the boy stayed not there, but went forward to the edge of the steep bank and looked towards the wood: and Ywain also looked with him, and he saw the river and the stepping-stones and the meadow-ground beyond them. And by the woodside was a poplar tree new fallen, and thereon he saw under the moon that lady sitting, and suddenly in his dream he repented him that he had so left her, and he well knew wherefore the boy had wept. And they two ran down to her together and Ywain cast himself before her: and he laid his hands between her hands and sware by his faith to serve her truly. And in his dream she looked kindly upon him, and he saw her eyes, and they were grey like the dawn, and filled with coming brightness. So he turned him about to bring in the boy, that he also might be comforted: but the place was all clear moonlight, and boy there was none, neither to right nor to left.

Then the lady rose up and went towards the city of Paladore: and Ywain went with her, and she brought him to the gate and it was shut. But with her hand she touched the wicket and so opened it, and they entered in thereat. And in short space they came to Ywain’s house and passed it by, and when they had gone some deal farther they came before a house that Ywain knew not, where was a great shield of arms beside the doorway. And there the lady stayed, and she looked at Ywain, and he at her, and when he thought that she would have said somewhat she turned her away: and she went from him into the house without word spoken. Then Ywain also went his way: and as he went in his dream the moon set, and the sun rose on Paladore.