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THE ARTHURIAN POEMS
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. . . . "Then went Geraint to the place where his horse was, and it was equipped with foreign armour, heavy and shining. And he desired Enid to mount her horse, and to ride forward, and to keep a long way before him. 'And whatever thou mayest see, and whatever thou mayest hear concerning me,' said he, 'do thou not turn back. And unless I speak unto thee, say not thou one word either.' And they set forward. And he did not choose the pleasantest and most frequented road, but that which was the wildest and most beset by thieves, and robbers, and venomous animals. And they came to a high road, which they followed till they saw a vast forest, and they went towards it, and they saw four armed horsemen come forth from the forest. When they had beheld them, one of them said to the other, 'Behold, here is a good occasion for us to capture two horses and armour, and a lady likewise; for this we shall have no difficulty in doing against yonder single knight, who hangs his head so pensively and heavily.' And Enid heard this discourse, and she knew not what she should do through fear of Geraint, who had told her to be silent. 'The vengeance of Heaven be upon me,' she said, 'if I would not rather receive my