"and do not attack him until thou hast good arms, and I shall be very
anxious concerning thee, until I hear tidings of thee." "If I am
alive," said he, "thou shalt hear tidings of me by to-morrow
afternoon;" and with that he departed.

And the road they took was below the palace of Caerlleon, and across
the ford of the Usk; and they went along a fair, and even, and lofty
ridge of ground, until they came to a town, and at the extremity of
the town they saw a Fortress and a Castle. And they came to the
extremity of the town. And as the knight passed through it, all the
people arose, and saluted him, and bade him welcome. And when
Geraint came into the town, he looked at every house, to see if he
knew any of those whom he saw. But he knew none, and none knew him
to do him the kindness to let him have arms either as a loan or for a
pledge. And every house he saw was full of men, and arms, and
horses. And they were polishing shields, and burnishing swords, and
washing armour, and shoeing horses. And the knight, and the lady,
and the dwarf rode up to the Castle that was in the town, and every
one was glad in the Castle. And from the battlements and the gates
they risked their necks, through their eagerness to greet them, and
to show their joy.

Geraint stood there to see whether the knight would remain in the
Castle; and when he was certain that he would do so, he looked around
him; and at a little distance from the town he saw an old palace in
ruins, wherein was a hall that was falling to decay. And as he knew
not any one in the town, he went towards the old palace; and when he
came near to the palace, he saw but one chamber, and a bridge of
marble-stone leading to it. And upon the bridge he saw sitting a
hoary-headed man, upon whom were tattered garments. And Geraint