understood their speech, to see how Sir Agloval and Morien embraced and
kissed each other. Any heart would have been the gladder who had
seen and heard their gestures and their words, and in what love and
friendship they betook themselves within, where they were right well
received. Sir Agloval forthwith made known to his uncle and to Sir
Perceval the true tale of his doings, and how that his son had come
hither.

When Sir Perceval heard this, never did knight receive so glad a welcome
as that which he gave unto his nephew; so likewise did the hermit. 'Twas
bliss and fair speech there betwixt those knights, and in their honour
did they bring forth such food and drink as was there within, and
did all they might for their comfort. That even was there naught but
gladness; each made great joy of the other, and erst as the knights were
weary did they get them to sleep, as men are wont to do, till the day
brake, and the sun shone forth.

The knights lay longer abed than did the hermit, who had said and sung
his orisons and his Mass ere day had dawned, or that the knights had
arisen and done on their garments. Then spake Morien to his father, even
as ye shall hear, and said he would ride thence, and was fain to know,
without contention, if he would come with him to his mother, and do that
which he promised when he departed from her, for the sake of God and of
his own honour, and for their profit. He told how they had been deprived
of their rightful heritage which had fallen to his mother from her
father. "'Twas altogether denied her by the law of the land; yet 'twas
the shame rather than the loss that grieved her, in that men called her
son fatherless, and she might bring no proof of her word, nor shew them
to their face the man who had begotten me!"