advice as to what to do.

He, whom he sought, was none other than our old friend Gouvernail,
who, of course, was not far from Sir Tristram, his master.

Though he had long since severed fealty to King Mark, Sir Tristram had
returned near unto the court because of the love he bore one of the
damsels who was in it. It was Walker who had carried the messages
Gouvernail had brought from his master to this same lady.

Walker soon came to the hiding place of his friend.

"What ho?" asked Gouvernail. "What brings you here at this unseemly
hour?"

"I need your advice," replied Walker. "My poor head carries too great
a muddle."

"You come to one who can offer but poor solace there," replied
Gouvernail. "If it were trusty arm, good club or something belike, you
could well come to me. But speak, what troubles you?"

So Walker told him. Except that at first he made no mention of names.

"Keep you from it," advised Gouvernail. "It is the business of your
betters and not of your meddling."

"Yet had Sir Percival done this thing for my father, and if he would,
he could have thought the same,--that it was not his affair but an
affair of hind or yeoman."