{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_60405/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_60405","id":"gutenberg_60405","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60405","summary":null,"tags":["Arthur, King -- Legends","Arthurian romances -- Adaptations","Category: Adventure","Category: British Literature","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Category: Novels","Folklore -- England","Grail -- Legends","Knights and knighthood -- Folklore"],"text":"BOOKS WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY\n\n                              HOWARD PYLE\n\n                 PUBLISHED BY CHARLES SCRIBNER\u2019S SONS\n\n\n           THE STORY OF KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS.\n\n           THE STORY OF THE CHAMPIONS OF THE ROUND TABLE.\n\n           THE STORY OF SIR LAUNCELOT AND HIS COMPANIONS.\n\n           THE STORY OF THE GRAIL AND THE PASSING OF ARTHUR.\n\n\n           THE MERRY ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, OF GREAT RENOWN IN\n           NOTTINGHAMSHIRE.\n\n           THE GARDEN BEHIND THE MOON. A REAL STORY OF THE MOON ANGEL.\n\n           OTTO OF THE SILVER HAND.\n\n[Illustration: Sir Galahad of the Grail.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration:              The Story _of_\n                               the Grail\n                               _and the\n                              Passing of_\n                                Arthur.\n\n                                 _by_\n                             HOWARD PYLE.\n\n                               NEW YORK:\n                       _CHARLES SCRIBNER\u2019S SONS_\n                                 1910]\n\n\n                           _Copyright, 1910\n                      By CHARLES SCRIBNER\u2019S SONS_\n\n                       Published September, 1910\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Foreword.\n\n\n_In this volume there follows the fourth and last series of those\nhistories relating to the life and to the kingship of Arthur, King of\nEngland. In this it shall first be told how it befell with Sir Geraint;\nthen it shall be told how the Holy Grail was achieved by Sir Galahad,\nthe son of Sir Launcelot; and then it shall be told how King Arthur\npassed from this life, and how, after doing battle right royally for his\ncrown and having overcome his enemies, he was slain by one of them whom\nhe had wounded to death.\n\nMuch in this is sad, but much is not sad; for all endings are sad, and\nthe passing of any hero is a sad thing to tell of; but the events and\nthe adventures and the achievements of such a man are not sad. Thus it\nis here said that much of this is sad, but much is not sad.\n\nNow I have for seven years been writing these four books, and in them I\nhave put the best that I have to say concerning such things. Wherefore I\nnow hope that you may like that which I have thus written, for if you do\nnot like it, then I have written in vain; but if you do like these\nnarratives, and the several various incidents in them recounted, then\nyou put the seal of your approval upon my work, and my reward is full._\n\n_Know you that it is a very glorious thing for any man to achieve the\napproval of others; for all men write for approval, and all would win\napproval of their fellows if they were able to do so; wherefore, it is\nmy strong hope that you may set the seal of your approval upon these\nbooks.\n\nBe it said that some things in these histories are not recounted in\nother histories of this momentous reign, but that most of the things\nthat I have written are recounted in such histories, and all those\nthings so recounted I have told to you as they have been aforetime\nwritten by other men. In this I have shaped them and adapted them from\nthe ancient style in which they were first written so as to fit them to\nthe taste of those who read them to-day.\n\nAnd I thank God that He has spared my life to finish this work, and also\nI hope that He may spare me that life still further, to achieve other\nworks which I desire to undertake. But nevertheless it would have been a\ngreat regret to me to leave these books unfinished. For I have made a\nstudy of this history and have read much concerning it; wherefore, it\nwas my earnest wish to finish that which I had begun if God would spare\nme my life to do so. This He has done.\n\nSo now I take leave of you upon the threshold of this book, and bid you\ngodspeed in reading it. And the first of these adventures that you shall\nread shall be \u201cThe Story of Sir Geraint,\u201d which was the first time\nwritten in the ancient Welsh, but which is here re-written for your\ndelectation in the manner which I here set it forth._\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: Contents]\n\n\nPART I\n\nTHE STORY OF SIR GERAINT\n\n\nChapter First\n\n_How Sir Geraint followed the knight and the lady to whom the dwarf\nbelongeth. How he lodged in a ruined castle, and how he found armor to\nwear._                                                                _9_\n\n\nChapter Second\n\n_How Sir Geraint fought with the knight of the Sparrow-Hawk; how he set\nright the wrongs of the earldom and how he returned to the Court of the\nKing._                                                               _17_\n\nChapter Third\n\n_How Sir Geraint lived with the Lady Enid at Camelot. How he suspected\nher truth; how his suspicions were confirmed, and how he departed with\nher in search of adventure. Also how they met with three unusual\nadventures in the forest._                                           _27_\n\n\nChapter Fourth\n\n_How Sir Geraint and Enid came forth out of the forest into the land of\nan earl. How they abided at an inn, and of what befell them thereafter._\n                                                                     _39_\n\n\nChapter Fifth\n\n_Sir Geraint is wounded in his encounter with another knight. He is\ndiscovered by the Court of King Arthur and is healed of his wounds._\n                                                                     _49_\n\n\nChapter Sixth\n\n_How Sir Geraint destroyed three giants of the highway. How he was hurt,\nand how he and the Lady Enid were carried off by a knight of that\ncountry. Also how Sir Geraint slew the knight._                      _59_\n\n\nPART II\n\nTHE STORY OF SIR GALAHAD\n\n\nChapter First\n\n_How Sir Galahad was made a knight; how he came to the Court of King\nArthur, and of the several miracles that happened at that time._     _67_\n\n\nChapter Second\n\n_How Sir Galahad was led by a strange lady to a monastery of White\nFriars. How he met there two other Knights of the Round Table. How King\nBagdemagus wore the shield, and how it was taken from him and given unto\nSir Galahad. Also the story of the shield._                          _79_\n\n\nChapter Third\n\n_How Sir Galahad met with Sir Melyas. How Sir Melyas was overthrown, and\nhow Sir Galahad overthrew his enemies. Also how Sir Galahad did at the\nCastle of Maidens._                                                  _91_\n\n\nChapter Fourth\n\n_How Sir Launcelot and Sir Percival met Sir Galahad, and what befell\nthem. Also how Sir Launcelot beheld the Grail in a dream._          _101_\n\n\nChapter Fifth\n\n_How Sir Percival findeth a horse that nearly bringeth him to\ndestruction. Also he meeteth a fair damsel and feasts with her. Finally\nhe enters a boat and there finds rest and comfort._                 _111_\n\n\nChapter Sixth\n\n_How Sir Bors confessed himself to the Hermit of the Forest. How he\noverthrew a knight, and how he came to the seashore and of what befell\nhim there._                                                         _119_\n\n\nChapter Seventh\n\n_How Sir Galahad smote down Sir Gawaine, and how he accompanied a fair\nlady to the seashore. And of what happened thereafter._             _133_\n\n\nPART III\n\nTHE PASSING OF ARTHUR\n\n\nChapter First\n\n_How Queen Guinevere visited Sir Launcelot in the forest; how Sir\nLauncelot returned to Court as aforetime, and how he fled once more from\nthe Court._                                                         _147_\n\n\nChapter Second\n\n_How Queen Guinevere held a feast, and how Sir Patrice of Ireland was\npoisoned at that feast._                                            _155_\n\n\nChapter Third\n\n_How Sir Bors was relieved of the defence of the Queen, and of how Sir\nMador de la Porte was overthrown._                                  _163_\n\n\nChapter Fourth\n\n_How there came quarrels at the Court, and how Sir Launcelot of the\nLake was assaulted by the brothers of Sir Gawaine._                 _173_\n\n\nChapter Fifth\n\n_How King Arthur attacked Sir Launcelot at Joyous Gard; how Sir Lionel\nwas slain and how Sir Bors was wounded._                            _185_\n\n\nChapter Sixth\n\n_Sir Launcelot brings the Queen to King Arthur at Camelot. He quitteth\nEngland, and King Arthur and Sir Gawaine pursue him._               _199_\n\n\nChapter Seventh\n\n_Of the battle betwixt Sir Launcelot and Sir Gawaine. Also how King\nArthur returned to Little Britain._                                 _211_\n\n\nChapter Eighth\n\n_How King Arthur returned to England. How he fought his last battle with\nSir Mordred._                                                       _223_\n\n\nChapter Ninth\n\n_How King Arthur slew Sir Mordred, and how he himself was wounded so\nthat he was upon the edge of death. How his sword Excalibur was cast\naway, and how three queens came from Avalon and took him away with\nthem._                                                              _237_\n\n\nChapter Tenth\n\n_How Sir Launcelot came to Queen Guinevere, and how Queen Guinevere\nremained a nun. How Sir Launcelot went into the forest and became a\nhermit, and how seven of his fellows joined him there. Also of the death\nof Sir Launcelot of the Lake._                                      _249_\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS\n\n\n_Sir Galahad of the Grail_                                 _Frontispiece_\n\n                                                                    PAGE\n\n_Head Piece--Foreword_                                              _vii_\n\n_Tail Piece--Foreword_                                             _viii_\n\n_Head Piece--Table of Contents_                                      _ix_\n\n_Tail Piece--Table of Contents_                                     _xiv_\n\n_Head Piece--List of Illustrations_                                  _xv_\n\n_Tail Piece--List of Illustrations_                               _xviii_\n\n_Sir Geraint, Son of Erbin_                                           _2_\n\n_Head Piece--Prologue_                                                _3_\n\n_Tail Piece--Prologue_                                                _6_\n\n_Enid and Geraint in the Garden_                                      _8_\n\n_Head Piece--Part I_                                                  _9_\n\n_Sir Geraint and the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk_                     _16_\n\n_Sir Geraint lies asleep_                                            _26_\n\n_Enid talks with the Earl_                                           _38_\n\n_Enid and Geraint ride past the Town bridge_                         _48_\n\n_The King\u2019s physicians attend Sir Geraint_                           _58_\n\n_Tail Piece--Part I_                                                 _64_\n\n_Sir Galahad cometh with the Hermit of the Forest_                   _66_\n\n_Head Piece--Part II_                                                _67_\n\n_The Lady of the Lake and Sir Galahad_                               _78_\n\n_Sir Galahad meets Sir Melyas_                                       _90_\n\n_The Grail is manifested, and Sir Launcelot Sleepeth_               _100_\n\n_Sir Percival rideth the black horse_                               _110_\n\n_Sir Bors rides with the white knight_                              _118_\n\n_Sir Galahad rides with the Lady_                                   _132_\n\n_Tail Piece--Part II_                                               _144_\n\n_The Queen\u2019s pages clothe Sir Launcelot_                            _146_\n\n_Head Piece--Part III_                                              _147_\n\n_Sir Mador de la Porte_                                             _154_\n\n_Sir Mador begs for his Life_                                       _162_\n\n_Sir Launcelot defends the door_                                    _172_\n\n_The Bishop of Rochester and the King_                              _184_\n\n_Sir Gawaine challenges Sir Launcelot_                              _198_\n\n_The Passing of Sir Gawaine_                                        _210_\n\n_Sir Mordred the traitor_                                           _222_\n\n_The Passing of Arthur_                                             _236_\n\n_The Passing of Guinevere_                                          _248_\n\n_Tail Piece--Part III_                                              _258_\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Sir Geraint, Son of Erbin]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Prologue\n\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur proclaims a hunting._]\n\nUpon a certain time, at Michaelmas tide, King Arthur held a high hunting\nnear to his court at Carleon-upon-Usk. Upon the morning of the day\nappointed for this hunting, all the attendants of the King were gathered\nin the courtyard of the castle ready to depart. The King cast his eyes\nabout him, but he did not see the Queen near at hand. Quoth he, \u201cWhere\nis the Queen this morning, that I do not see her here?\u201d One replied to\nhim, \u201cLord, she is yet abed and asleep; shall we go wake her?\u201d The King\nsaid, \u201cNo, if she would rather sleep than hunt, let her lie abed.\u201d\n\nThen another said, \u201cLord, Sir Geraint is not here either. Shall we call\nhim?\u201d King Arthur laughed. \u201cNay,\u201d quoth he, \u201clet him also lie abed if he\nbe drowsy.\u201d Therewith they took horse and rode away into the dewy\nsweetness of the early morning; the birds chaunting their roundelays and\nthe sun bathing the entire earth as in a great bath of golden radiance.\n\nAnon and after they had thus all departed, Queen Guinevere bestirred\nherself and awoke, and she said to her attendants, \u201cWhere is the King?\u201d\nThey say to her, \u201cLady, he hath ridden into the forest with his court.\u201d\nAt that the Queen was vexed, and she said, \u201cWhy was I not awakened?\u201d\nThey say to her, \u201cLady, the King forbade that you should be disturbed.\u201d\n\u201cWell,\u201d said she, \u201clet that be as it may, but I shall yet go to view the\nhunting.\u201d So she arose and clad herself in a robe of sea-green taffeta,\nand she belted herself with a belt of gold, and she had her lady to\nenmesh her hair in a net of gold. And after she had broken her fast,\nshe and her court took horse, and rode forth to the woodlands to find\nthe King and his court.\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Guinevere and her attendants ride into the forest._]\n\n[Sidenote: They meet Sir Geraint.]\n\nNow as the Queen and her ladies and their attendants wended onward in a\nsedate and quiet fashion, they were presently aware of one who came\nriding after them at a hand gallop. Then the Queen drew rein, and said\nto her attendant ladies, \u201cWho is yonder gentleman who follows us at a\nhand gallop?\u201d One of her attendants said, \u201cMethinks, Lady, yonder is Sir\nGeraint.\u201d The Queen said, \u201cYea, it is indeed Sir Geraint,\u201d so they all\ndrew rein and waited until Sir Geraint overtook them. Then the Queen\nsaid to him, \u201cSir Geraint, I am glad that thou too art a sluggard, for\nnow, as a penance, we shall hold thee in attendance upon us.\u201d \u201cLady,\u201d\nquoth Sir Geraint, \u201cthat is no penance but a pleasure, for what pleasure\ncould be greater than to wait upon you and your court upon so fair and\nsweet a morning as this?\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said the Queen, \u201cthat is very well said. Now I bid you to ride\nbeside me, and so together we will seek the King.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Geraint rode with the Lady Guinevere in that wise, and as they\nrode they discoursed together concerning many things of interest.\n\nNow as they ambled thus through the forest they presently perceived a\nsmall company of riders who came the other way through the checkered\nlights of the woodland.\n\nThe first of these riders was a very strong, powerful and lordly knight\nin armor. Beside him rode a fair lady clad all in scarlet, and following\nafter these two there came a deformed and crooked dwarf clad in green.\nAnd the dwarf sat perched upon a great tall horse like a toad upon a\nmountain.\n\nThen the Lady Guinevere said, \u201cWhat company is yonder?\u201d But no one could\nanswer her question. Then the Queen said to one of her damsels, \u201cGo,\nmaiden, and ask the dwarf who is the knight whom he follows.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The maiden bespeaks the dwarf._]\n\nSo the maiden to whom the Queen spake made forward to meet that party,\nand she accosted the dwarf, saying, \u201cSirrah, I pray you tell me, who is\nthe lordly knight whom you follow?\u201d The dwarf said, \u201cI will not tell\nyou, for it is not needful that you should know.\u201d The maiden said,\n\u201cThen, since you are so ungentle to me, I will e\u2019en go and ask the\nknight his own name. For I do not think he will be so discourteous as\nnot to tell me his name and his degree.\u201d The dwarf said, \u201cI forbid you\nto do that, and I will not permit you to ride forward, for my lord is of\nsuch quality that the likes of you are not fit to speak with him.\u201d And\nwhen he saw that the Queen\u2019s maiden was of a mind to follow the knight,\nhe catched the horse by the bridle rein and forced it backward so that\nthe maiden was in danger of falling.\n\nThen the maiden said, \u201cLet go thy hold upon my horse!\u201d and when the\ndwarf had released her she drew rein and returned to the Queen\ncomplaining of the discourtesy of the dwarf, and saying, \u201cLady, yonder\nis a most rude and uncivil atomy, for he forbade me to speak to his\nmaster, and when I would have done so in spite of him he catched my\nhorse by the bridle rein and forced him backward so that I well-nigh had\na fall.\u201d\n\nThe Queen frowned and was very much displeased, and she said, \u201cSir\nGeraint, go you and find for me who is yonder knight.\u201d And Sir Geraint\nsaid, \u201cI will do so.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint bespeaks the dwarf._]\n\nSo Sir Geraint rode down to where the others were, and he followed after\nthe three until he had overtaken them. Then he rode up to the dwarf and\nhe said, \u201cSirrah, tell me the name of yonder knight.\u201d The dwarf said, \u201cI\nwill not do so, for it is not befitting that I should speak his name to\nyou.\u201d\n\nSir Geraint said, \u201cThen I will ask for myself.\u201d Therewith he set spurs\nto his horse and drove forward toward the knight. But the dwarf, seeing\nhis intent, spurred his horse across the way, so that Sir Geraint could\nnot pass. And he cried out, \u201cSir Knight, forbear, for you know not what\nyou do.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The dwarf strikes Sir Geraint._]\n\nSir Geraint said, \u201cSirrah, bear back!\u201d and therewith would have\nover-ridden the dwarf. Then the dwarf, in a rage, rose in his stirrups\nand smote Sir Geraint in the face with a whip which he held in his hand.\nAnd the whip struck Sir Geraint across the cheek and the eyelid, so that\na great red line immediately started out across his face.\n\nThen when Sir Geraint felt the smart of that blow he was filled with\nrage and he turned upon the dwarf, clapping hand upon his sword. But he\nstraightway withdrew his hand, saying, \u201cSirrah, this shall be a sad day\nfor your knight!\u201d Therewith he turned his horse and rode back to where\nQueen Guinevere was waiting for him. Then he said to her, \u201cLady, I could\nnot learn the knight his name, but if I have your leave I will follow\nafter him, and when I come to some inhabited place I will purvey me\narmor, and then I will compel him to return to you and to tell you his\nname, and to ask pardon for the insult which his dwarf offered your\nmaiden.\u201d\n\nThen the Lady Guinevere beheld Sir Geraint\u2019s face, and the weal where\nthe dwarf had struck him, and she cried out, \u201cSir Geraint, what ails\nyour face?\u201d Sir Geraint said, \u201cThe dwarf smote me with a whip.\u201d The\nQueen said, \u201cWhat did you do to him for that blow?\u201d Sir Geraint replied,\n\u201cI did nothing to him, for I will deal with the knight who is his\nmaster, and not with him.\u201d \u201cSir,\u201d said the Lady Guinevere, \u201cyou did\nright in that matter. So I pray you to follow after those people and to\ndo as you are able with the knight who is the master of the dwarf.\u201d\n\nSir Geraint said very proudly, \u201cI need no revenge for the blow of such a\nmannikin, but I would fain compel this knight to come to you, to\ndisclose to you his name, and to ask pardon of this maiden for the\ndiscourtesy of his attendant.\u201d The Queen said, \u201cGo; follow him.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint departs after the knight._]\n\nSo Sir Geraint departed after the knight, and the lady, and the dwarf,\nas the Queen bade him to do.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSo begins the Adventure of Sir Geraint, concerning which you will learn\nmuch more if you will read this narrative to its conclusion.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nPART I\n\nThe Story of Sir Geraint\n\n\n_Here beginneth the story of Sir Geraint, which same hath been noted in\nmany ancient histories of the reign of King Arthur, and which is here\ninserted because it belongeth to the story of King Arthur at this place,\nas follows:--_\n\n[Illustration: Enid and Geraint in the garden:]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter First\n\n_How Sir Geraint followed the knight and the lady to whom the dwarf\nbelongeth. How he lodged in a ruined castle, and how he found armor to\nwear._\n\n\nSo Sir Geraint followed after that knight and the lady and the dwarf,\nand they led him at first toward Camelot. Then they turned aside and led\nhim in another direction. For, by and by, they came to a cross-road and\nthey turned into it, and later they came to a high ridge of land that\noverlooked a valley. And the valley was spread out beneath them, meadow\nand dale, woodland and fallow, as though it had been carved very\nminutely in ivory or in some sort of wood, very hard and fine, and so\nexquisitely and wonderfully modelled that it was as though a man might\nhave covered it with the palm of his hand.\n\nThen, after awhile, they quitted this open ridge of land and entered a\nwoodland. Here they beheld no other thing than trees and green leaves,\nfor all else was shut from sight. And no other sound disturbed the ear\nsaving only the sweet song of the woodland birds, chaunting their pretty\nroundelay. Anon they descended from these places, and so at last came to\na high-road that led beside a wide and brightly shining river, where\nslow-moving barges and quick wherries drew silvery threads across the\nsmoothly mirroring surface.\n\nThus, by highland and lowland, by farm and woodland and waterway, the\nknight, the lady and the dwarf travelled for all that day; and for all\nthat day Sir Geraint followed patiently after them.\n\nSo toward eventide they came to a town set on a hill. And overlooking\nthe town was a high grey castle, and there was a wall drawn all about\nthe castle and the town. And over against the town and the castle and\nset up on a hill opposite to them was another castle, very ruinous and\nneglected.\n\n[Sidenote: _The knight enters the town._]\n\nThe knight, the lady, and the dwarf entered the town, and Sir Geraint\nfollowed after them. And he followed them through the streets, and\neverywhere he beheld great crowds of people, and his ears were confused\nby the constant and continuous sound of laughing and chatting and\ncalling of voice to voice. For all these people cheered and applauded\nthe knight with his lady and the dwarf, when they entered the\ntown--crowding after them and about them, seeking to touch the knight or\nhis horse. And everywhere the lights of forge fires were burning, and\nthe bellows were blowing, and the anvils were ringing with the continual\nbeating of hammers upon armor. For all the town was in a bustle and\nuproar, as though preparing an army for battle.\n\nMeantime the knight, the lady and the dwarf made their way through the\nthrong and the turmoil, which every moment became greater and greater\nabout them. For the street was presently full of people, and other\npeople appeared at the windows and looked out and down upon them as they\nwent forward upon their way. And some waved scarves and others cheered,\nand everywhere there was an uproar around about that place.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint inquires concerning the knight._]\n\nThen Sir Geraint said to one who was near to him, \u201cI prithee, friend,\nwhat is all this bustle and noise and what does it all portend?\u201d Quoth\nhe to whom Sir Geraint spoke, \u201cThe Sparrow-Hawk! The Sparrow-Hawk!\u201d and\nhurried away.\n\nThen Sir Geraint queried of another, \u201cWhat is all this to do?\u201d Quoth he,\n\u201cThe Sparrow-Hawk, good friend, the Sparrow-Hawk!\u201d and he also hurried\naway.\n\nThen there came by a stout red-faced man, and of him Sir Geraint asked,\n\u201cWhat is all this noise and bustle? I prithee tell me.\u201d Quoth the fat\nman, \u201cThe Sparrow-Hawk, good sir, the Sparrow-Hawk.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Geraint was angry, and he reached down from his horse and\ncaught the fat man by his collar, and held him fast. And he said,\n\u201cSirrah, I will not let you go until you tell me what is the meaning of\nall this tumult. Who is yonder knight, and whither goeth he?\u201d\n\n\u201cHah! Sir! Do you not know?\u201d said the fat man. \u201cYonder knight is the\nKnight of the Sparrow-Hawk, and he goeth to the castle where he shall\nlodge until the battle of to-morrow.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint inquires concerning lodging._]\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cthat is something to know. Now I bid you tell\nme where I may find lodgings in this town and where I may find arms\nwherewith a knight may arm himself.\u201d\n\nQuoth the fat man, \u201cThere is no lodging to be had in this town at such a\ntime as this, nor are there any arms to be found at any place. But if,\nfair sir, you will cross the valley, to yonder ruined castle, you will\ndoubtless find lodgings for the night, and maybe you may find arms, and\nto-morrow you may behold the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk overthrow in the\nlists all who come against him.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Geraint, seeing that the three whom he followed were now at the\nending of their day\u2019s journey, let go the man, who immediately ran away\ninto the crowd that still followed after the knight, the lady, and the\ndwarf.\n\nSo Sir Geraint drew rein and he turned his horse and he quitted that\ntown and crossed over the valley to the ruined castle upon the other\nside as he had been advised to do.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint approaches the ruined castle._]\n\n[Sidenote: _He bespeaks the old man._]\n\nAs Sir Geraint drew near to the castle, he was aware of an old man who\nwalked along upon the parapet of the wall. When this old and reverend\nman beheld Sir Geraint, that he approached, he descended from the wall\nand he came down to the gate and there met Sir Geraint. And Sir Geraint\nbeheld that the old man was tall and lordly in his appearance and that\nhe had a noble and stately countenance. But Sir Geraint beheld that he\nwas clad in poor and simple garments, grey in color, and patched in\nplaces, and worn and threadbare at the seams. Sir Geraint said to him,\n\u201cSir, I pray you tell me--shall I find lodgings at this castle for\nto-night? And I pray you also tell me if you know where I may procure a\nsuit of armor fit for me to wear?\u201d\n\nQuoth the old man, \u201cFair Sir Knight, it hath been long since any of your\nquality hath been to this place. For this is a poor and ruined house of\na poor and ruined man. Ne\u2019ertheless, such as it is, you are welcome\nhither. I pray you come in. As for armor, I have every belief that I\nshall be able to supply you with the same, provided you will accept that\nwhich is old and out of date.\u201d\n\nThus saying, the old man took the horse of Sir Geraint by the bridle\nand he led it into the courtyard of the castle, and when he was come\nthere he set his fingers to his lips and whistled very loud and shrilly.\nAnon a side door of the castle opened and there came forth a maiden both\nyoung and graceful, very tall and slender. And she was clad in a plain\nblue garment, straight and slim, and girdled with a girdle of blue\nleather. Her hair was plaited and twisted, and was without any net or\nornament of any sort. But Sir Geraint looked at her very searchingly,\nbecause it appeared to him that this was the most beautiful young maiden\nwhom he had ever beheld in all of the world.\n\nWhen the maiden had come to them the old man bade her to take the horse\nof Sir Geraint to the stable and to see that it was fittingly groomed\nand cared for.\n\nThen Sir Geraint would have protested at this service, but the old man\nsaid, \u201cSir, I pray you to let be, for we have no servants in this house,\nand we deem it a shame for a guest to do himself his own service.\nWherefore my daughter shall find it a pleasure for to serve our guest.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The maiden stables the horse of Sir Geraint._]\n\nSo Sir Geraint dismounted from his horse and the maiden led it away to\nthe stable. Then the old lord took Sir Geraint into the castle and he\nconducted him to an upper room wherein he was to lodge. And he prepared\na tepid bath for Sir Geraint, and he brought him a loose garment, faded\nin color but trimmed with fur that had once been handsome and of rich\ntexture, and the garment was very soft and comfortable.\n\nThen the old man called to his wife and he gave some money into her\nhand, and he said to her, \u201cGo down into the town and procure the best\nthat you are able with this money, for it hath been many days since we\nhave had a guest of so much worth and nobility as this gentleman appears\nto possess.\u201d\n\nSo the old gentlewoman went down into the town, and after a little she\nreturned again with a porter bearing a great hamper of food.\n\nMeanwhile, whilst this food was preparing for supper, Sir Geraint and\nthe old lord of the castle walked in the garden talking together.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint inquires concerning the knight of the\nSparrow-Hawk._]\n\nQuoth Sir Geraint, \u201cSir, I pray you tell me several matters. First, I\npray you tell me of this Sparrow-Hawk concerning whom yonder place\nappears to have gone mad?\u201d\n\n\u201cMessire,\u201d said the old lord, \u201cI will tell you. Some years ago I was the\nearl and overlord of yonder town. But my younger brother undermined me\nwith the inhabitants, and lately he hath gathered all of my power into\nhis hands. Wherefore he is there, lodged in all splendor, and I am here,\nas thou seest.\n\n\u201cNow you are to know that my brother hath a mind to assemble a court of\nvery worthy knights about him. Wherefore he hath had made a sparrow-hawk\nof pure silver which same is mounted at the top of a silver staff. For\nthis sparrow-hawk many knights have come jousting; for what knight\nsoever gaineth it and keepeth it for three years in succession, that\nknight shall be known as the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk. Wherefore many\nhave contested for it.\n\n\u201cFor two years now a knight, hight Sir Gaudeamus of the Moors, hath\novercome all who have come against him, and if he overcometh all the\nknights contestant again for this year, he shall be acknowledged as the\ntrue Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint asks for armor._]\n\nThus spake the old lord of the ruined castle, and when he had done Sir\nGeraint said, \u201cSir, with that armor which you say you have, I think that\nI myself will contend with that knight to-morrow day. So I pray you to\nlet that armor be sent to my room, where I may have it to hand when I\nwant it.\u201d\n\nQuoth the old lord, \u201cMessire, I have, as I told you, such a suit of\narmor, but it is of a sort that I know not whether you will wear it or\nnot, for it is old and beaten; but if so be you are not ashamed to wear\nsuch ancient armor, I shall be glad to purvey it for you.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cI give you high thanks. And now come I to\nanother matter. A short while ago I saw a maiden whom I thought was the\nmost beautiful that ever mine eyes beheld. Now if that damsel hath no\nknight to serve her, I pray you tell me if I may fight for her sake\nto-morrow in the field of the Sparrow-Hawk?\u201d\n\nSaid the old man, \u201cSir, that maiden is my daughter and my only child.\nHer name is Enid. If so be she shall accept you for her knight, then\nshall I be more than glad for her to do so. But I will send her to you,\nand you may break that matter to her yourself.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint bespeaks Enid the Fair._]\n\nWith this, the old lord took his departure; anon came Enid the Fair into\nthe garden where Sir Geraint awaited her, and when he beheld her coming,\nhis heart was very glad. So she came to him, and he took her very gently\nby the hand, and he said to her, \u201cLady, here am I, a knight of King\nArthur\u2019s Round Table and of his Court. I am of good repute and I believe\nam not altogether unworthy of my belt and my spurs. You, I think, are\nnot more than twenty years of age, and I have nearly twice those years,\nyet I find that I have great pleasure in gazing upon you. Now I pray\nyou, tell me if your heart may incline unto me sufficiently to suffer me\nto be your knight in the tournament to-morrow day. For I purpose then to\nendeavor for this Sparrow-Hawk, and I have no lady whom I might\nconsider as the lady of my heart upon such an occasion.\u201d\n\nAt this address Enid was very much astonished and abashed. She uplifted\nher eyes and looked at Sir Geraint very steadily for a little. And she\nbeheld that he was tall and powerful of frame and that he possessed a\nstrong and very noble face. Wherefore her heart went out to him and she\nsaid, \u201cNoble Lord, it will give me great pleasure to accept you for my\nknight champion, if it so be that one of your high nobility and splendid\ndistinction shall regard my poor estate. For my father hath not money to\nbuy him clothes for us all, nor hath he any honor or estate saving only\nthis ruined castle wherein we dwell. Wherefore it is not meet for me to\nlift mine eyes to one of your high estate and exalted quality.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Geraint regarded her very earnestly, and he found her to be\nstill more beautiful than he had at first thought her to be; and he\nsaid, \u201cEnid, it may be that thy present estate and quality is not very\ngreat, yet thy face is more beautiful than that of any woman whom I ever\nyet beheld, wherefore I would fain have thee to consign thyself for my\ntrue and only lady. If thou wilt do this, it may be that I shall be able\nto be of great help and assistance both to thee and to thy father.\u201d\n\nShe said to him, \u201cLord, I will accept thee for my true and faithful\nknight.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Enid gives Sir Geraint her belt._]\n\nThen Sir Geraint said, \u201cNow I have no favor of thine to wear. I pray\nthee give me that belt thou wearest about thy waist, for I myself will\nwear it twisted about mine arm to-morrow.\u201d So Enid gave him her belt of\nleather and he buckled it about his arm.\n\nThen he gave her his hand and she gave her hand to him. So, hand in\nhand, they departed from that place and entered the castle.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Sir Geraint and the Knight of the Sparrow-hawk]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Second\n\n_How Sir Geraint fought with the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk; how he set\nright the wrongs of the earldom and how he returned to the Court of the\nKing._\n\n\nNow tell we of that notable battle betwixt Sir Geraint and the Knight of\nthe Sparrow-Hawk.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the place of battle._]\n\nIn the level field below the town there was a fine field of green grass,\nsuch as was well fitted for knights to tilt upon. Here there was a high\nseat arranged for the earl of that town, and for his court, and that\nseat was hung and draped with crimson cloth embroidered with silver\ngryphons (which same was the emblazonment of the earl). Below the place\nof tilting and hard by that place was the silver sparrow-hawk under\nguard of six esquires clad all in crimson embroidered with silver\ngryphons. The sparrow-hawk was of pure silver, shining very brightly in\nthe glorious sunlight. And it was set upon a cross-bar of pure silver,\nand the cross-bar of silver was supported by a rod of silver thrust into\nthe earth.\n\nAlready the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk had fought with several opponents\nthat morning and had overthrown them all, the one after the other. So\nnow, as none came against him, he waited in his pavilion till noon,\nagainst which time the silver sparrow-hawk should be assigned to him;\nand as to the people who were gathered to view the sport, they were\ngrown restless and moved about and conversed together, for it seemed to\nthem that no one would come to contest again with Sir Gaudeamus.\n\n[Sidenote: _How Sir Geraint and his companions arrive at the place of\nbattle._]\n\nBut of a sudden, a little group of four figures suddenly appeared coming\nacross the meadowland beyond. The first of these was the old Earl of\nthat town. Beside him rode a knight, tall and strong of figure, and\nbehind these two came the lady of the Earl and his daughter. These\npresented a very dull and motley appearance, for the Earl was clad in\nfrayed and weather-worn black, and Sir Geraint was clad in the ancient\nand battered armor of the Earl that had been given to him. In this he\npresented a very singular appearance, as though he had stepped from an\nolden painting.\n\nWhen those who were there perceived how poor and ancient was the armor\nthat Sir Geraint wore, there began a ripple of laughter that spread and\ngrew in magnitude until it was like a torrent of high sounding mirth.\nBut ever the Earl of the town did not join in this mirth, otherwise he\nsat with great dignity in his seat, and neither laughed nor smiled,\nalthough all of his court made great mirth and applauded at Sir Geraint\nas though he were some jester clad in armor for their sport.\n\nBut Sir Geraint paid no heed to all this merriment; otherwise he rode\nforward through the field. And after he had found place for the old Lord\nwho was with him, and for the lady of that Earl and for Enid, he rode up\nto the high seat of the Earl and bespoke him thus:\n\n\u201cLord, here stand I, a knight of the Court of King Arthur, and of his\nRound Table, to do battle upon behalf of the Lady Enid of this place for\nyonder silver sparrow-hawk. Now I pray thee tell me, have I thy\npermission to engage in that battle?\u201d\n\nBut now no longer was there any sound of laughter or of jeering from the\nlords and the ladies of that court; otherwise, all stood up to look upon\nhim, although they could see naught of his face by reason that the visor\nof his helmet was lowered.\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d said the Earl, \u201cthis contest is open to all, wherefore it\nis also free to thee.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint challenges the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk._]\n\nThen Sir Geraint saluted the Earl and his court, and riding across the\nmeadow of battle to the pavilion of Gaudeamus, the Knight of the\nSparrow-Hawk, he smote with his spear upon the shield of that knight\nwith all his might and main so that it rang again like a bell. Then the\nKnight of the Sparrow-Hawk appeared at the door of his pavilion, and he\nsaid, \u201cWho art thou in that ancient, outland armor who smites my shield\nwith thy lance? Art thou a jester? If so, I think thy jest will cost\nthee very dear.\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Geraint, \u201cI am not a jester, but am one who hath come to do\nbattle with thee. Therefore, prepare thyself to meet me, for I have\ngreat reason to be offended with thee. If fortune betide me, this day\nshalt thou do penance to a great lady for thy dwarf and for his\ndiscourtesy to her.\u201d\n\n\u201cHah!\u201d quoth the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk, \u201cthis is a very strange\nthing, that thou shouldst have taken up such a quarrel as this against a\nstrange and misshapen dwarf. As for thy challenge, it shall be answered\nimmediately.\u201d Therewith he of the Sparrow-Hawk went back into his\npavilion again to put on his helmet and to make him ready for combat.\n\nMeantime Sir Geraint rode to his stand, which he assumed in due order,\npreparing himself in all wise for this encounter that was about to\nbefall.\n\nAnon came the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk, armed cap-a-pie in shining and\nvery splendid armor. Upon his shield he had emblazoned a silver\nsparrow-hawk, and the crest upon his helmet was also a silver\nsparrow-hawk wreathed with a thin silver scarf. And all who beheld those\ntwo figures could not but applaud the splendor of his appearance, as\nthey could not but laugh at the quaint appearance of Sir Geraint.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint engages the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk._]\n\nSo when these two knights were in all wise ready, each in his place, the\ntrumpets of the marshals of the list sounded the assault, and they\nrushed together like thunder and so that the earth trembled and shook\nbeneath the trampling of their horses\u2019 hoofs.\n\nSo they crashed together in the midst of the course with a roar and a\ncrackle of splintered lance.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint overthrows the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk._]\n\nFor in that assault the lance of the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk was\nbroken into as many as twenty pieces, but the lance of Sir Geraint held,\nso that it pierced through the shield of the other knight, lifting him\ncompletely out of the saddle and casting him with great violence to the\nearth so that he rolled three times over ere he ceased to fall.\n\nBut when the people of the town beheld their champion thus cast to the\nearth by that strange knight in ancient armor they were very greatly\ndispleased and murmured together saying, the one to the other, \u201cWhat\nknight is this? Who is this clad in outland armor who overthroweth our\nchampion? Is he a hero? Is he Sir Launcelot of the Lake; or who is he?\u201d\n\nBut even whilst they thus spoke the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk recovered\nfrom the terrible violence of his fall. His wits returned to him like a\nflock of scattered birds, and with them a knowledge of the shame of his\noverthrow. Then he leaped to his feet and drew his sword, crying out,\n\u201cSir Knight! Come down and do me battle afoot! For though thou hast\noverthrown me with thy lance, yet thou hast not yet conquered me.\u201d\n\nAnd with that, others of those who were there assembled began to cry\nout, \u201cCome down, Sir Knight! Come down, and fight him afoot!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint does battle with the Knight of the\nSparrow-Hawk._]\n\nSo Sir Geraint leaped down from his horse and drew his sword. And he set\nhis shield before him and so approached his enemy, and meantime Sir\nGaudeamus had made ready for that assault. Then suddenly they sprang\ntogether like two wild bulls in battle; lashing and lashing again and\nagain. The dust arose up around them and for a time no onlooker could\ntell which had the better of that fight. But at last Sir Geraint waxed\nvery angry at being so withstood, wherefore he rained blow upon blow\nlike the continual crashing of thunder. Then the Knight of the\nSparrow-Hawk grew weak in his assault. He bore back and held his shield\nfull low. Upon that Sir Geraint uplifted his strength and smote his\nenemy with so furious a might that Sir Gaudeamus let fall his shield\nfrom his defence. Then again Sir Geraint smote him with all his might\nupon the crown of his undefended helmet, so woful a blow that the blade\nbit through the iron of the headpiece and deep into the bone of the\nbrain pan.\n\n[Sidenote: _He overcomes that knight._]\n\nWith that blow the brains of the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk swam like\nwater; the strength left his limbs; his thighs trembled and he fell down\nupon his knees and sought to catch hold of the thighs of Sir Geraint.\nBut Sir Geraint avoided him, and reaching forward, he catched him by the\nhelmet and snatched it from off his head. Then he catched the Knight of\nthe Sparrow-Hawk by the hair of the head and he drew his neck forward as\nthough to smite off his head upon the ground. But the Knight of the\nSparrow-Hawk, beholding death hovering above him, cried out in a muffled\nvoice, \u201cSpare me, Sir Knight, spare my life!\u201d\n\nThen Sir Geraint cried out, \u201cI will not spare thy life, Sir Knight,\nunless thou wilt thus, upon thy knees, tell me thy name.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The knight proclaims his name._]\n\n\u201cMy name,\u201d said the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk, \u201cis Sir Gaudeamus of the\nMoors.\u201d\n\n\u201cStill will I not spare thee,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cunless thou wilt bind\nthyself with a pledge to go to the Court of King Arthur and there tell\nto Queen Guinevere thy name and thy degree of arms.\u201d\n\n\u201cAll this,\u201d said the other, \u201cI promise in full.\u201d\n\n\u201cStill I will not spare thee,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cunless thou wilt\nengage that thy dwarf shall go with thee to earn forgiveness for his\ndiscourtesy to the damsel of the queen whom he hath offended.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis also,\u201d said the knight, \u201cI will engage for him to do.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint spares the knight his life._]\n\nThen Sir Geraint said, \u201cArise, Sir Gaudeamus, for I spare thee.\u201d And\ntherewith Sir Gaudeamus arose and stood upon his feet, still trembling\nwith the weakness of his battle, and the blood running in torrents from\nthe great wound upon his head. Then came several esquires and Sir\nGeraint said to them, \u201cTake him away and look to his hurts,\u201d and they\ndid so.\n\nNow, after this, there came an herald upon the field of battle, and he\napproached Sir Geraint and said to him, \u201cSir Knight, the earl of this\ntown hath sent me to beseech you to come to him.\u201d Sir Geraint said,\n\u201cTake me to him.\u201d\n\nSo the herald led the way and Sir Geraint followed after him until he\nstood face to face with the Earl. The Earl said to him, \u201cSir Knight, I\nmake my vow thou art a strong and terrible knight. I pray thee, tell me\nthy name that I may know to whom I am to give the prize of battle.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cI am called Geraint, and am the son of the\nKing of Erbin, and I am a Knight of King Arthur\u2019s Court and of his Round\nTable.\u201d \u201cHah!\u201d said the Earl, \u201cthen it is small wonder that thou didst\nwin thy battle so easily, for thy deeds are famous in all the courts of\nchivalry. Now I pray thee, Sir, that thou wilt come to my castle and\nwill feast with me to-night, so that I may do honor to so famous a\nknight, for all the world knoweth of thee and of thy deeds.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Geraint looked at him very sternly and he said, \u201cMessire, I\nwill not sit down with thee at table unless I know by what right thou\nassumest thy state as earl, and by what right thou hast dispossessed the\nformer earl of his state and his property.\u201d\n\nAt this the Earl\u2019s face fell, but he presently said, \u201cWell, I will tell\nall these and several other things to thee if thou wilt come with me to\nmy castle. And my brother the old Earl and his wife and his daughter\nshall also come. And when we sit at feast, I will lay all things before\nthee and thou shalt judge betwixt the old Earl and me, and I will abide\nby what thou decidest as to the rights of this case.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cwe will come to thy castle with thee.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint feasts with the young Earl._]\n\nSo that night there was a great feast prepared in honor of Sir Geraint,\nand Sir Geraint and the old Earl and his countess and their daughter\nEnid sat with the Earl and his court at the castle of the Earl. Sir\nGeraint sat upon the right hand of the Earl, and upon his left hand sat\nthe old Earl.\n\nSo after they had eaten and whilst they sat with their wine before them,\nquoth Sir Geraint, \u201cI pray thee now, my Lord Earl, for to tell me what\nthou promised to do; to wit, how it stands with thee and the old Earl of\nthis city.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d said the young Earl, \u201cI will do so. Thus it was: When our\nfather died he left this town to my brother, whilst to me he left that\nruined castle yonderway across the valley.\n\n\u201cNow my brother was a very passive man and would do little to benefit\nthis place either by regulating its laws or by punishing its criminals;\nor by establishing in it a court of chivalry.\n\n[Sidenote: _The young Earl tells his story._]\n\n\u201cAll the affairs of state were left to my command, whilst my brother\ncontented himself with his domestic life and did very little to regulate\nthe affairs of the state. Hence it befell that the people of this town\nlooked to me to help them and to advise with them. Thus, at last, I\nbecame the real ruler of all our affairs. This continued for several\nyears; then at last the people said, \u2018Why should we support our Earl who\ndoes nothing for us, whilst this lord whom we do not support giveth us\nall that he hath in him to give?\u2019 So the people arose one night, and\ndrove their earl and his wife and his daughter out of the castle and out\nof the town, and since that time he hath been dwelling in that old\nruined castle that one time belonged to me, where thou didst find him;\nand I have been dwelling here. This, Sir Geraint, is the true story of\nour affairs.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Geraint turned to the old Earl and he said, \u201cSir, I pray you\ntell me, is this true?\u201d The old Earl said, \u201cMethinks it is true.\u201d\n\u201cThen,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cthis is the doom that I pronounce: That the\npresent Earl shall rule this town as he hath ruled it heretofore, but\nthat he shall give to the old Earl the one-half of all the money\nreceipts of the town, so that he may support the style of living\nbefitting his rank. And I furthermore ordain that this Earl who rules\nthis city shall transmit the rule thereof to whatsoever heirs or assigns\nhe may elect to succeed him.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint proclaims the doom of the two Earls._]\n\nSo Sir Geraint decided his doom, and that which he said was satisfactory\nto all. And he abided several days at that place, and during that time\nhe saw much of Enid and the more he saw of her the more he loved her.\n\nSo one day, they two walking in the garden of the old castle alone\ntogether, he said to her, \u201cLady, I have seen many fair dames in my day,\nbut never did I behold one who was so dear to my heart as thou art. Now\nI pray thee tell me, have I found favor in thy sight?\u201d She said, \u201cYea,\nLord, thou hast found great favor.\u201d Said Sir Geraint, \u201cHave I found such\nfavor that thou wilt depart hence with me as my wife?\u201d Enid said, \u201cLord,\nif it is thy desire to have me do so I will gladly become thy wife, and\nwill depart with thee whithersoever thou dost command; for, in truth, I\nhave now no other thought in all the world but of thee.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Geraint kissed her and thus was their troth plighted.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint is betrothed to Enid._]\n\nSo they were wedded, and before they were wedded the young Earl said,\n\u201cSir Geraint, suffer that I purvey thy lady with a robe of cloth of gold\nmeet for such an one to wear upon the occasion of her marriage.\u201d But Sir\nGeraint said to him, \u201cNot so, Messire, for I won her whilst she was clad\nin this robe of plain blue cloth. Thus will I take her to the Court of\nKing Arthur and thus will I present her to Queen Guinevere, and I will\nhave it that Queen Guinevere will provide her with fresh raiment meet\nfor her to wear.\u201d\n\nThen the young Earl bowed his head and said, \u201cAs thou sayst, so let it\nbe.\u201d\n\nThus it befell that Sir Geraint was married, and the morning after his\nmarriage he and his lady departed from that town. And he seated his lady\nbefore him upon the saddle and turned his horse\u2019s head toward the Court\nof King Arthur and so rode away.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nNow return we to Queen Guinevere and to the Court of the King.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gaudeamus arrives at the court of Queen Guinevere._]\n\nThree days after the departure of Sir Geraint the Queen was riding\nabroad, and several of her court attendants were with her, and amongst\nthem was the young damsel who had inquired of the dwarf concerning the\nname of the knight whom he followed. As they rode talking and laughing\ntogether--chattering in clear voices, like a bevy of bright and\ngloriously tinted birds--they perceived coming toward them a procession.\nFirst they beheld a litter borne by several bearers and on the litter\nwas a wounded knight. Behind the litter came the horse of the knight,\nand the horse was laden with his bright and shining armor, and led by an\nesquire. Behind the horse there came a fair young lady clad in scarlet\nriding upon a white palfrey, and behind her a small misshapen dwarf.\n\nNow when this party had come a little nigher, Queen Guinevere perceived\nthe face of the dwarf more clearly and she knew him for that dwarf who\nhad rebuffed her damsel as aforetold. And she said to that one of her\nattendants who had aforetime met the dwarf, \u201cIs not that the dwarf who\nrebuffed thee a few days ago?\u201d The damsel said, \u201cYea, Lady.\u201d \u201cThen,\u201d\nsaid the Queen, \u201cmeseems the knight his master hath met Sir Geraint and\nhath suffered in his encounter and is coming here to bespeak me. Let us\ngo forward to meet them.\u201d\n\nSo the Queen and her court hurried forward until they had come beside\nthe litter. Then the Queen said, \u201cSir Knight, I pray you tell me, what\nis it that ails you?\u201d \u201cLady,\u201d said he, \u201cI am a knight who hath suffered\nin battle. Now I pray you tell me, where may I find Queen Guinevere?\u201d\n\nThe Queen said, \u201cMessire, I am she.\u201d Quoth the knight, \u201cLady, is it\ntruth you are telling me or are you making sport of me?\u201d The Queen said,\n\u201cSir, it is the truth.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gaudeamus raised himself upon his elbow in the litter, and he\nsaid, \u201cLady, I come to thee upon command of Sir Geraint, who hath\noverthrown me in battle; and upon his command I am to tell thee that my\nname is Sir Gaudeamus of the Moors, and upon his command I am to seek\nfor the damsel to whom my dwarf was rude.\u201d\n\nSaid Queen Guinevere, \u201cThis is she.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gaudeamus said to the maiden, \u201cFair damsel, of thee I am to ask\npardon for the rudeness of my dwarf, and to crave of thee that thou from\nthy grace and kindness wilt forgive his offence.\u201d\n\nThen the heart of Queen Guinevere was moved with pity for the knight,\nand she said to him, \u201cMessire Sir Gaudeamus of the Moors, thou and thy\ndwarf are fully forgiven by her and by me. Now I pray you to come\nstraightway to the castle where your hurts may be examined and cured.\u201d\n\nSo the Queen led the way to the castle of the King, and all they went\nthitherward. And after they had come to the castle she had the wounded\nknight laid upon a couch in a bright and cheerful room, and she had the\nking\u2019s physician to come and to look at his hurts and to dress them. And\nso Sir Gaudeamus was made in all ways as comfortable as might be.\n\nSo passed three or four days.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint and Enid arrive at the castle of King Arthur._]\n\nOne morning the Queen looked out from her bower window and she beheld a\nknight riding toward the castle. And there sat before him upon his\nsaddle a fair lady with golden hair, and the lady was clad in blue. The\nQueen called to her bower women and said, \u201cWho is that knight coming\nyonder?\u201d Said one of the women, \u201cThat, methinks, is Sir Geraint.\u201d The\nQueen said, \u201cYea, that is true. Methought it was he; let us hasten to\nmeet him.\u201d\n\nSo she and her ladies made haste and they met Sir Geraint and Enid at\nthe gateway of the castle. The Queen said, \u201cSir Geraint, who is it that\nthou hast with thee?\u201d He said, \u201cLady, this is my wife, to whom I am but\nnewly married. I have brought her here clad in blue cloth as I first\nbeheld her. And I have hope that thou wilt clothe her as beseemeth her\nestate as the daughter of an earl, the lady of a knight-royal, and as my\nwife.\u201d\n\nThen the Queen said, \u201cWelcome! welcome, Lady! I give thee welcome!\u201d And\nafter that she assisted Enid to dismount from the horse. Thereafter she\ntook her to her bower, and there she clad her in the richest robes that\ncould be furnished for her. And the face of Enid shone from out of that\nraiment of silver and gold as the face of the moon upon a summer night\nshines from the thin and golden clouds that surround but do not obscure\nit.\n\nThus was the Fair Enid brought to the Court of King Arthur.\n\n[Illustration: Sir Geraint lies asleep]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Third\n\n_How Sir Geraint lived with the Lady Enid at Camelot. How he suspected\nher truth; how his suspicions were confirmed, and how he departed with\nher in search of adventure. Also how they met with three unusual\nadventures in the forest._\n\n\nIt is not always well for a man to be married to a woman of half his\nage; for that which he thinks and loves she may neither think nor love,\nand that which she thinks and loves, he maybe does not think and does\nnot love.\n\nNow Sir Geraint was serious, as became his years, and Enid was gay and\ndebonaire as became her youth, so that there were many sports and\npastimes that she engaged in that he looked upon remotely and from afar,\nand not always without displeasure.\n\nAmongst the lords of the Court of King Arthur was a young knight and\nlord, hight Sir Peregrans, who was son to King Ludd of Cornwall. This\nnoble young knight-royal was very full of joy and gladness. He was\nruddy-cheeked and gay, with broad black eyebrows and curly black hair,\nand he was ever ready for any sport or pastime that fell his way.\n\nIt befell that he and Enid were much together in company and sports of\nseveral kinds, and though Sir Geraint was too proud to appear to observe\nthis, yet he did observe it and was much affected by it. For he would\nsometimes say to himself, \u201cWhat pity it is that this dear lady of mine\nshould be bound to my age and sobriety instead of to one like this Sir\nPeregrans who is in all ways suited to her!\u201d Yet Sir Geraint would say\nnothing to Enid concerning his thoughts, but only kept those thoughts\nlocked in his own heart, and so withdrew himself from her afar off.\n\nThis and several other things the Lady Enid observed, and it sometimes\nseemed to her either that her lord was in trouble or that he was\noffended, yet she wist not what offence she could have given to him in\nany way. For it did not seem to her that it could be any offence for her\nto play in the same sports with Sir Peregrans, but only that it was\nnatural and seemly upon her part to do so.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint sits in thought._]\n\nNow one day Sir Geraint sat meditating concerning these things, and as\nhe sat he gazed out of the window at the King\u2019s Castle. What time his\neyes beheld a wide and fruitful stretch of meadow-land and fields, of\nglebe and of a river that wound through all this fair level fruitful\ncampagne like to a ribbon of pure and shining silver. The sun at that\nhour shot his slanting rays across the earth, so that all this fair\nprospect appeared, as it were, to be bathed in a pure golden brightness.\nFrom the level stretch of horizon, great clouds climbed up into the blue\nand radiant sky, peeping, as it were, over one another\u2019s shoulders down\nupon the peaceful earth.\n\nAll this the eyes of Sir Geraint beheld, yet he saw nothing of it. For\nthe sight of his soul was turned away from such things, and was directed\ninward upon himself, and there he beheld naught but gloom and darkness.\n\nTo that place where he sat came the Lady Enid, and she beheld him where\nhe was, but he did not turn his eyes upon her, nor seem to know that she\nwas there.\n\n[Sidenote: _Enid comes to Sir Geraint._]\n\nThen she came to him and seated herself upon his knee. She put her thin\nfair arms about his neck, and interwove her fingers into one another.\nThen she said, \u201cDear my Lord, I pray thee tell me in what way I have\noffended thee. Thou art no longer toward me as thou wert when first I\ncame hitherward to this court.\u201d\n\nHe said to her, speaking very gently, \u201cEnid, thou hast in no wise\noffended me.\u201d\n\nThen she said, \u201cWhat is it that troubles thee, my husband?\u201d\n\nHe said, \u201cI have no trouble.\u201d Then, as in a second thought, he said,\n\u201cEnid, I will tell thee somewhat.\u201d Therewith he unlocked her two hands\nand sat, holding one of them in his. \u201cSometimes,\u201d quoth he, \u201ca man\nloveth the home that is his very own. So love I the home of my childhood\nand of my youth. There my father dwelleth in honor, and my mother also.\nIt hath been many years since I have seen it and I long to see it now.\u201d\n\nShe said, \u201cDear Lord! Let us go thither.\u201d\n\nHe said, \u201cWouldst thou like to go, Enid? Well, then, we shall do so, and\nthat as soon as my Lord the King shall grant us leave to depart.\u201d\n\nSo that very day Sir Geraint asked leave of King Arthur to leave the\ncourt for awhile, and King Arthur gave him permission to withdraw.\n\n[Sidenote: _They two depart for the castle of Sir Geraint._]\n\nSo the day after that day Sir Geraint and Enid departed from the Court\nof King Arthur, and travelling with a small party of noble attendants\nbetook their way to Amadora (which was the name of the castle of Sir\nGeraint\u2019s father), which place they reached within three days of easy\njourneying.\n\nThere they abided for several months, in which time there was hunting\nand hawking and jousting, so that the days were as full of joy and\npleasure as it was possible to be.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint takes sport at his castle._]\n\nBut in all that while Sir Geraint did nothing of knightly daring or\nadventure, so that by and by the people of Amadora began to talk to one\nanother concerning the matter, saying, \u201cHow is this? Our Prince, the\nLord Geraint, is surely besotted concerning his wife, for he is with her\nall the while. The time was when he took his joys, but when the time of\nthose joys was past then he performed many works of knightly daring, so\nthat all we of this place were very proud of him. When now doth he enter\ninto any such undertaking? Never. He is always the first in the chase or\nwith the hawk or in the joust, yet his youthful glory is now departed\nfrom him, so that he lieth forever, as it were, with his head upon the\nknees of his wife.\u201d\n\nThus the people talked amongst themselves, and at last such words, or\nwords like these, came to the ears of the Lady Enid and troubled her\nvery sorely.\n\n[Sidenote: _Enid regards Sir Geraint whilst he sleeps._]\n\nOne day in the summer weather she awoke very early in the morning and\nthe Lord Geraint lay upon his bed beside her. He had thrown aside the\ncoverlets and he now lay with his great breast and his arms and\nshoulders bare to the softness of the air. These she beheld, how huge\nand mighty they were and how comely in their strength and power. Then\nshe looked at her own arm, how slender and white it was, how lacking of\nstrength, how feeble and childish in its weakness, and she thought to\nherself, \u201cIs it then true what they say--that my white and tender limbs\nmay hold my husband away from those great adventures to which he\nbelongs? Is it then true that mine arms confine him in a little and\nnarrow circumference? Alas! Is it true that the love of a woman can sap\na man of all purpose and ambition in his life of activity? Nay; it is\nnot true, for many knights who are wedded to other ladies are still\nnoble knights in the field of adventure. Alas and alas! The weakness of\nmy lord must indeed reside in me.\u201d Here she sighed very deeply and with\nthe deepness of that sigh Sir Geraint awoke from his slumbers and lay\nwith his eyes still closed. Then she said, whispering as though to\nherself, \u201cI am at fault and am no true, right wife for this noble hero.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint hears her words._]\n\nNow Sir Geraint, lying with his eyes closed, overheard these last words\nthat she thus whispered to herself. He heard her say that she was no\ntrue, right wife to him, and it seemed to him that she thus confessed\nthat she was unfaithful to him. This thought was, as it were, a dagger\nthrust into his life, sudden, shining and very deep. And though he still\nlay with his eyes closed, he said to his heart, \u201cIs she then false, and\nwas I too late in bringing her away from the Court of King Arthur? Woe\nis me!\u201d\n\nThereupon he opened his eyes, and looked her full in the face, and she,\nseeing that he was awake, smiled into his eyes. But he did not smile\nupon her in return, otherwise he said, \u201cLady, art thou there?\u201d Then the\nsmile slowly faded from her eyes, for she saw that he was in an angry\nmood. And so they regarded one another.\n\nThen suddenly he arose and began dressing himself, and he said to her,\n\u201cArise, Lady, and clothe yourself.\u201d And she did as he commanded. He upon\nhis own part accoutred himself in his full armor, that hung erstwhile\nshining against the stone wall of the room.\n\nWhen they were thus apparelled he said to her, \u201cFollow me.\u201d She said,\n\u201cWhither, Lord?\u201d but he made no reply to her. So they went forth\ntogether out of that apartment. And she followed him down the stairway\nto the courtyard, and she followed him from the courtyard to the stable,\nand still in all that while he spoke no further word to her.\n\nNow this time was still very early in the morning, for the sun had only\njust arisen, round and red and full of the glory of daylight. The birds\nwere chaunting with might and main, but all of the castle folk were yet\nasleep. All was cool and balmy and exceedingly pleasant, and the silence\nof the early daytime was full of the remote sound of the river below the\ncastle, where it rushed down, roaring, through its deep and mossy gorges\nof green and slimy rocks and stones.\n\nSir Geraint entered the stables and Enid awaited him what he would do;\nand that while she stood not far off from the stable. After awhile he\ncame forth from the stable again and by one hand he led the horse of\nEnid by the bridle, and by the other hand he led his own horse by the\nbridle.\n\nHe said to Enid, \u201cMount thy horse, Lady,\u201d and giving her his hand he\nlifted her very lightly to her saddle. Then he in his turn mounted his\nown horse.\n\n[Sidenote: _They depart from the castle._]\n\nThen when he was seated in his saddle, he said to the Lady Enid his\nwife, \u201cLady, for this day and haply for several days I will endeavor to\nprove to thee that strength and life have not yet left me, but that I am\nstill a strong and able knight and as well worth the love of any woman\nas I was in the full heyday of my youth. Ride you forth and lead the\nway, and I will follow after you. But make yourself well acquainted with\nthis: that under no circumstances are you to speak a word to me unless I\ngive you leave to speak to me. Only ride straight forward, anywhither\nyou may be inclined.\u201d\n\nShe said to him, \u201cLord, I will fulfil your commands.\u201d\n\nSo they rode away from the castle without any one knowing that they were\ngone, for there stood no guard at the gateway at that hour and the\nporter drowsed in his lodge.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSo, according to the command of Sir Geraint, the Lady Enid rode ahead of\nhim and he himself followed after her some considerable distance behind.\n\nThus they went forward for several leagues, and meantime the sun rose\nvery full and round and shone down hotly upon the earth. So by and by\nthey approached the purlieus of a thick dark forest, and as they drew\nnear to it the Lady Enid was aware of the sudden shining of armor\nthrough the leaves, wherefore she wist that some threatening of danger\nmust lie before them. As they drew still nearer to that place, she\nperceived that there were three armed men hidden in the thickets, and\nanon she heard them speaking the one to the other. And she heard the\nvoice of him who was the chief of the three say to the other two,\n\u201cHitherward cometh good fortune to us this morning. For here is one man,\nwell appointed in all ways, but sunk very deep in brooding thought, and\nwith him is a fair lady. Now if we engage him as three against one, it\nis not likely that he can withstand our assault, and so he and his horse\nand his armor and his lady shall be ours by right of battle.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Enid overhears the words of the robber chief._]\n\nThese words, or words like these, the Lady Enid overheard the chief of\nthe robbers speak to the other two who were with him; and she said to\nherself, \u201cHere is great danger threatening my dear Lord. Well, if I warn\nhim he may be very angry with me and may even chastise me for disobeying\nhis command. But even if this is so, what will it matter?\u201d So therewith\nshe turned her horse and rode back toward Sir Geraint.\n\n[Sidenote: _She tells Sir Geraint of the ambush._]\n\nHe, when he beheld her coming, appeared to be very angry, and he said,\n\u201cLady, what is it disturbs you?\u201d She said, \u201cDear Lord, have I your\npermission to speak?\u201d Quoth he, \u201cIt seems that you have taken that\npermission yourself. Well, say on.\u201d She said, \u201cLord, at the edge of\nyonder wood I perceived three men of ill intent hidden in the thicket. I\noverheard them to say that they purposed presently to assail you.\nWherefore I deemed it expedient that I should warn you of their\npresence.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Geraint frowned so that his eyes shone with a bright green\nlight. \u201cLady,\u201d said he, \u201cit may perhaps be that you would not be\ndispleased to see me fall before the attack of those three men.\nNevertheless, I have hopes that I shall not fail in this encounter.\nMeantime, continue here and consider you of your disobedience in\nbreaking my command laid upon you not to speak to me without my\npermission.\u201d Having thus spoken Sir Geraint closed and latched the visor\nof his helmet, and then with spear in hand he rode forward toward the\nedge of the woods.\n\nNow when Sir Geraint had come pretty close to the woodland, all three of\nthose armed men suddenly burst forth from their covert and bore down\nupon him in full charge, whilst he, upon his part, drave spurs into his\nwar-horse and charged against them. So they met in the midst of the\ncourse with such violence that a clap of thunder could not have been so\ngreat. All three of their spears struck Sir Geraint upon the shield, but\nhe turned them so that all three were broken into a very great many\npieces. But the spear of Sir Geraint held against him toward whom it was\ndirected, so that it penetrated his shield and it penetrated his armor\nand it penetrated his body, so that he was lifted out of his saddle and\ncast dead the length of a spear and an arm\u2019s length behind his horse.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint slays the robbers._]\n\nThen Sir Geraint threw aside his spear and drew his bright shining\nsword. And he whirled his horse and with his sword in hand he bare down\nupon those other two villains. Then he arose in his saddle, crying out,\n\u201cHah, villain!\u201d and therewith he smote down one. Then whirling about, he\ncried out again, \u201cHah, villain!\u201d and so crying he smote down the other.\nEach man fell with a single blow of his sword. Thus in a little space of\ntime, he slew all three of those villains who had for a long time\ninfested those parts.\n\nWhen Sir Geraint had thus ended this work, he wiped his sword and\nreturned it to its scabbard. Then he removed the armor from each of the\nfallen men, and he lashed the armor to the saddle-bow of the horse to\nwhich it belonged. Then he tied all three bridle reins together and\nreturned to where Enid sat watching him with terror and admiration\ncommingled. And Sir Geraint said to her, \u201cLady, take thou the bridle\nreins of these three horses. Then ride forward as before, and this time\nbear well in mind that thou turn not to speak to me under any condition\nwhatsoever. Once I have forgiven thee; twice I may not do so.\u201d\n\nTo this speech Enid made no reply, but taking the bridle reins of the\nthree horses into her fair white hand, she rode forward into the forest,\nleading those three horses, Sir Geraint following after her as\naforetime.\n\nThus they proceeded onward for a very considerable length of time and\nuntil high noontide, beholding nothing but the forest before them or\nbehind them or on either side of them.\n\n[Sidenote: _Enid overhears the words of the four men._]\n\nThus they came almost to the centre of that wood where was a sudden turn\nin the high-road, which here entered into a defile between two high and\nvery precipitous banks. At this place Enid perceived, not far away,\nfour armed and mounted men of a very evil appearance, and she overheard\nthese men talking among themselves. The one who was chief of them was\nsaying to his companions, \u201cLook! yonder cometh a good prize for us to\ntake. For there is a very beautiful damsel and three sets of fine armor\nand three horses. And all this is guarded only by one armed man. Let us\nslay him and all these will be ours to do with as we choose.\u201d\n\nThen Enid said to herself, \u201cWell, I can die but once, and even though my\nlord shall slay me for breaking his command, yet it would be by his\nbeloved hands that I should die. So I will turn back and tell him of\nthis.\u201d\n\nTherewith she turned her horse about and rode backward to Sir Geraint,\nand he, when he saw her coming, frowned very darkly. But she said,\nspeaking very steadily, \u201cLord, have I your leave to speak?\u201d\n\nHe said with great bitterness, \u201cLady, it appears that it does not need\nmy leave for you to speak whensoever you choose to speak. Say on.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _She tells Sir Geraint._]\n\nShe said, \u201cLord, I have to tell you that there are four very powerful\nand fully armed men yonder. And I overheard the chief of them to say to\nhis fellows that their intent is to slay you so that they may have your\nhorse and your armor and me and these three horses and this armor to\ndispose of as they see fit.\u201d\n\n\u201cIs that all,\u201d quoth he, \u201cthat thou hast to tell me? It seems that thy\ndelight in talking is so great that thou canst not be checked. Bide thou\nhere and I will go forward and deal with these men, and so will clear\nthy path for thee.\u201d\n\nThereupon he closed the visor of his helmet and latched it. Then he set\nspurs to his horse, and being thus in all ways prepared, he drave\nforward to meet his enemies.\n\nSuddenly they appeared bearing down upon him and riding two together\n(because of the narrowness of the way that prevented them from riding\nall four abreast).\n\nThen Sir Geraint drave his war-horse to the charge and so they came\ntogether with a great crash and uproar, their spears striking him in the\ncentre of the shield.\n\nBut in that encounter both their spears brake into several pieces, but\nSir Geraint\u2019s spear did not break. Otherwise it held and burst through\nthe shield against which it was directed, and it burst through the armor\nand pierced through the body of the man within the armor so that he was\ncast dead upon the ground.\n\nThen Sir Geraint threw aside his spear and drew his sword, and rising in\nhis stirrups he smote the other man so fierce and direful a blow that\nhe split asunder his shield and his helmet and pierced through the\nbrain-pan of the head and into the brains themselves, so that he who was\nthus smitten cried out most dolorously, \u201cI die! I die!\u201d and thereupon\nfell grovelling to the earth.\n\nThen Sir Geraint whirled his horse and setting spurs to its flanks he\nthundered down upon the other two, who sat beholding aghast how easily\nand quickly he had overthrown their comrades. Nor hardly had they\nrecovered themselves than he was upon them, smiting to the right hand\nand to the left. Then observing an opening in the defence of one of\nthem, he whirled upon him and smote with might and main, and the blade\nof the sword clave that man through from the shoulder to the midriff.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint slays the four men._]\n\nThen the fourth villain, seeing his companions fall thus terribly into\ndeath, would have escaped away, but death was upon him. For he beheld\nSir Geraint rise in his stirrups with sword lifted. Then the sword\ndescended like a thunderbolt, and he too fell with his brain dissolving\ninto death.\n\nThen Sir Geraint dismounted from his steed and wiped his terrible blade,\nand thrust it back into its scabbard. And he stripped the armor off the\ndead bodies, and tied each suit of armor upon the horse to whom it\nappertained. After that he tied the reins of the four horses the one\nwith the other, and gave them all to Enid, and he said to her, \u201cI call\nupon thee to observe that I yet possess my knightly manhood, and that I\nam not yet altogether devoid of strength and even of youth. Take thou\nnow these four horses together with the three horses which thou hast and\nride on before me as heretofore, leading all seven horses. And see to it\nthat this time thou dost not turn to me to say a word of any sort. For I\nfind that the anger of battle is upon me, and in my rage I may smite\nthee with my sword in haste and ere I am able to control myself.\u201d\n\nShe said, \u201cLord, I will do as thou dost command.\u201d\n\nSo she rode on before Sir Geraint, and though she rode in silence yet\nher heart sank within her, for she said to herself, \u201cDid ever any lady\nbefore me possess such a high-exalted and noble lord as this lord of\nmine?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Enid overhears the words of the five outlaws._]\n\nNow as Enid rode forward thus exulting she heard of a sudden the sound\nof voices talking together in the thickets near at hand. The one voice\nsaid to the other voices, \u201cLook! hither cometh a beautiful damsel,\nleading seven good horses laden each with a noble suit of armor, and\nhere is only one man in guard of all this train. Let us five make here\nan ambushment, and let us fall upon him from behind and from before. So\nwe shall easily overcome him and obtain all those things for\nourselves.\u201d\n\nThen Enid said to herself, \u201cIt may be that my lord will do as he said,\nand will strike me with his sword in his haste if I disobey him for the\nthird time by speaking to him. But what matters that? Rather would I die\nby his hands than suffer his anger without his love.\u201d\n\nSo she turned her horse and rode back to him and when she had come to\nhim she said, \u201cLord, suffer me to speak to thee?\u201d\n\nHe said, \u201cDid I not tell thee to speak to me no more?\u201d\n\nShe said, \u201cLord, this time I must speak to thee, for I cannot do\notherwise.\u201d\n\nHe said, \u201cSo it appeareth. Well, then, say on!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _She tells Sir Geraint what they say._]\n\nShe said, \u201cLord, this is what I have to say, that ahead of thee are five\nmen lying in ambushment against thee with intent to destroy thee.\u201d\n\nSir Geraint said, \u201cIs this all that thou hast to say?\u201d To which she\nreplied, \u201cYea, Lord.\u201d He said, \u201cAbide here with thy horses for a little\nand suffer me to go forward alone, to clear thy path for thee.\u201d\n\nSo Enid abided at that place, and Sir Geraint rode forward into the\nambushment that was prepared for him.\n\nSo he reached that ambushment, and of a sudden there leaped all those\nfive men out against him and about him.\n\nThen there followed a great and bitter fight betwixt Sir Geraint and\nthose who thus assailed him. And sometimes he might be seen and at other\ntimes he might not be seen for the press that gathered about him. His\nsword flashed like lightning and at every blow he uttered a great and\nterrible cry of war, for the fury of battle was now fully upon him. At\nfirst there were five against him and then there were but four, then\nthree, then two and at last only one who cried out in terror, \u201cSpare me,\nLord! For I yield myself to thee.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint slays the five men._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Enid leads the twelve horses._]\n\nSir Geraint said, \u201cI will not spare thee,\u201d and therewith he struck him\nso dreadfully that he clave his head asunder and he fell down dead upon\nthe ground. After he had thus overthrown all five of his enemies, he\nwiped his sword, panting, and put it away into its sheath. Then he\nstripped the armor from off the dead bodies of the five, and bound a\nsuit of armor upon each horse. Then tying all five bridle reins\ntogether, he attached them to the bridle reins of the other horses and\ngave all twelve into Enid\u2019s hands, saying to her, \u201cLead them forward and\nspeak to me no more, I charge thee.\u201d\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSo they travelled upon their way through the wood, and anon the day\nbegan to draw to a close, and the grey of twilight to descend. And Enid\nled the twelve horses with difficulty. This Sir Geraint observed, and\nwas sorry for her, but still they rode onward. Then the darkness fell\nand the moon arose, very bright and clear and round, silvering the tops\nof the trees and laying patches of silver upon the earth between the\nshadows of the leaves.\n\nThen Sir Geraint called to Enid and he said to her, \u201cLady, I do not\nthink we shall get out of this woods to-night. Let us rest here until\nto-morrow.\u201d\n\nShe said to him, \u201cLord, may I speak?\u201d He said, \u201cSay on.\u201d She said, \u201cWhat\nwill we do to eat?\u201d Quoth he, \u201cLady, it oftentimes happens when a knight\ntravelleth errant, as I have travelled to-day, that he goeth without\nfood to eat for the entire day--and sometimes for even longer than that.\nLet that suffice.\u201d\n\nTherewith she fell silent and sighed, for she was very hungry.\n\nMeantime Sir Geraint gathered the leaves together into a sort of bed and\nhe spread a cloak upon them. Then seeing that Enid was very weary and in\npity of her weariness, he said, \u201cLie thou here, Lady, and I will keep\nwatch for the night.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _They abide that night in the forest._]\n\nSo Enid laid herself down upon the bed of leaves and she was very sick\nfor weariness. And for awhile she watched her lord, Sir Geraint, as he\nstood a little distance away, and she beheld how the moonlight flashed\nand sparkled upon his polished armor whensoever the soft night wind of\nsummer stirred the leaves; and she heard the rustling and the stamp of\nthe horses as they moved at their stations; and she heard a distant\nnightingale, singing from afar, now and then heard in the darkness, and\nthe murmurous silence, and now and then silent again. Then all these\nthings blended together, the darkness disappeared and she slept.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThis was the first day of that journeying. Now if you would read of the\nsecond day thereof, I pray you to peruse that which hereinafter\nfolloweth, and which I have writ for your pleasure.\n\n[Illustration: Enid talks with the Earl]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Fourth\n\n_How Sir Geraint and Enid came forth out of the forest into the land of\nan earl. How they abided at an inn, and of what befell them thereafter._\n\n\nWhen the next morning had come Sir Geraint, very early, awoke Enid from\nher slumbers. The pangs of hunger were great upon her but she made no\ncomplaint thereof. Otherwise, she mounted her horse and took the reins\nof the twelve horses into her hands and rode away, followed by Sir\nGeraint as upon the former day.\n\n[Sidenote: _Geraint and Enid come into the open country again._]\n\nAnon and after awhile the trees of the woodland grew thinner and the\nsunlight came more freely through their branches. Anon again and the\ntrees of the forest ceased altogether, and so Enid and Geraint came\nforth out of the woodland and into the open plains once more.\n\nHere were hedgerows upon either side of the way, and there were fields\nand open country beyond the hedgerows; and there were meadow-lands, and\nthe mowers were mowing in the meadows.\n\n[Sidenote: _They cross the river._]\n\nBefore them lay a river and toward that they took their way. And there\nwas a ford to the river and they entered the river, and all the horses\nbowed their heads and drank of the water. Afterward they crossed the\nford and ascended a steep high bank upon the other side of the river.\n\nAt the top of this bank there stood a slender youth with yellow hair.\nAnd the youth had a satchel of leather slung over his shoulder, and in\nhis hands he carried an earthenware crock of milk.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint bespeaks the youth._]\n\nSir Geraint spoke to the youth, saying to him, \u201cWhence cometh thou, fair\nyouth?\u201d Quoth the youth, \u201cI come from the town which you cannot behold\nfrom here, but which you may behold from the crest of yonder hill when\nyou have reached it. And now, Lord, if it be not too venturesome for me\nto ask, I pray you to tell me whence you have come?\u201d\n\nSaid Sir Geraint, \u201cFair youth, we came from the forest yonder. All day\nyesterday we travelled through the forest and all night we slept there\nbeneath the trees.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said the youth, \u201cI daresay you had but small entertainment at\nthat place, and I daresay also you are very hungry to-day.\u201d\n\n\u201cI would,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cfind food for this lady if it be possible\nto do so.\u201d Said the youth, \u201cwe are then well met, for in this satchel I\nhave bread and cheese, which I am taking to the mowers for their\nbreakfast; and in this crock I have milk, which also I am taking to them\nfor their breakfast. If you will partake of these things, I will gladly\ngive you to eat and to drink.\u201d \u201cI give thee thanks, fair friend,\u201d said\nSir Geraint, \u201cand gladly will I accept the offer of thy hospitality.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The youth gives them to eat._]\n\nSo the youth assisted the Lady Enid to dismount from her saddle, and she\nand Sir Geraint took their station at the roadside beneath the shade of\na crab-apple tree. And the youth gave them to eat of the white bread and\ncheese from his satchel and he gave them to drink of the milk from the\ncrock, and they were both greatly refreshed.\n\nAfter the two had thus satisfied their hunger the youth said, \u201cNow, Sir\nKnight, by thy leave I will depart for more food for the mowers.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint gives the youth a horse and the armor thereof._]\n\nSir Geraint said, \u201cFair youth, I pray you to return to the town whence\nyou came and to procure for us the best lodgings that are to be found at\nthat place. And I also pray you that you will, in return for these\ncourtesies of yours, choose whichsoever horse and suit of armor that\nbest pleases you out of all those that the lady is conducting, and I\npray you that you will keep that horse and armor for yourself.\u201d \u201cLord,\u201d\nsaid the youth, \u201cwhat have I done for such a great reward? That is too\nmuch to accept for so small a service.\u201d \u201cNevertheless,\u201d said Sir\nGeraint, \u201cI pray you to do as I bid you.\u201d\n\nSo the youth joyfully chose a horse and a suit of armor that pleased him\nthe best, and leading these he departed for the town to fulfil Sir\nGeraint\u2019s behest as to securing him lodgings.\n\nNow as the youth entered the town a servant of the Earl of that town met\nhim and the servant of the Earl said to the youth, \u201cWhere got ye that\nhorse and that armor?\u201d The youth said, \u201cA noble and knightly lord, who\nhath eleven other such horses and armor, gave this one to me.\u201d\n\nThe servant said, \u201cThis is a strange saying. Come with me to the Earl\nand tell him concerning these things.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The youth tells the Earl of Sir Geraint._]\n\nSo the servant of the Earl took the youth to that lord, and the youth\ntold his story to the Earl of how he had met the lordly knight and the\nlady, and of how the lady had led twelve horses loaded with armor, and\nof how the lord had given him one of those horses and the suit of armor\nthat best pleased him. To all this the Earl hearkened, and then he said\nto the youth, \u201cGo you and fetch that lord hitherward, for I would fain\nsee him and his lady and entertain them at my castle. He shall lodge\nhere with me.\u201d\n\nSo the youth hastened back to Sir Geraint where he sat with Enid resting\nbeneath the crab-apple tree, and he said to him, \u201cLord, the Earl of\nyonder town hath sent me here to bid you come and lodge with him.\u201d\n\nThen Geraint was displeased and he said to the youth, \u201cHow is this? I\nbade thee secure us lodgings, not with an earl but at some good inn. I\nwill not lodge with the Earl, but will go to such an inn.\u201d\n\nThen the youth was abashed, and he said, \u201cI will take you to an inn.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The youth conducts them to an inn._]\n\nSo the youth conducted Geraint and Enid into the town, and he conducted\nhim to the best inn in the town. Here the landlord came forth to meet\nhim and Geraint said, \u201cShow us to the best room of this place,\u201d and the\nlandlord did so. Geraint said to Enid, \u201cKeep thou yonder to that side of\nthe chamber, and I will keep to this side, for I am weary and fain would\nsleep.\u201d And Enid said, \u201cI will do so.\u201d And Geraint said to the youth,\n\u201cWhen I awake, be thou here to serve me.\u201d\n\nThe youth said, \u201cI will be here; but meantime I would fain go and see\nthe Earl and tell him where you are lodged.\u201d Sir Geraint said, \u201cGo, but\nreturn again.\u201d\n\nSo whilst Sir Geraint slept, the youth hastened to the castle of the\nEarl, and he said to the Earl, \u201cSir, certes this man is a prince or a\nknight-royal, for he commandeth all things as he wills.\u201d Then the Earl\nsaid, \u201cWhere is he lodged?\u201d And the youth told him, and the youth said,\n\u201cI go presently to serve him when he awakes, for now he sleepeth.\u201d\n\u201cCommend me to him when he awakeneth,\u201d said the Earl, and the youth\nreplied, \u201cI will do so.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint bids the landlord to summon his friends to a\nfeast._]\n\nThat afternoon when Geraint awoke, it was time for them to take their\nfood. So Sir Geraint summoned the landlord and bade him prepare him a\nfeast, and the landlord said he would do so. Then Sir Geraint inquired\nof the landlord whether he had not some companions whom he would like to\nentertain, and the landlord said, yea, that there were several. Upon\nthis Sir Geraint commanded the landlord to summon those companions and\nto prepare for them the best that there was in the town both to eat and\nto drink. \u201cFor,\u201d quoth he, \u201cthough I be unhappy myself, yet do I love to\nbehold those about me as happy and as gay as may be.\u201d So the landlord\nwent forth and bade many to come and feast with him, all these feasted\nat Sir Geraint\u2019s expense, so that the entire inn was full of light and\nlaughter and noise and merrymaking.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Earl visits Sir Geraint._]\n\nThat evening the Earl came to visit Sir Geraint, and with him he brought\ntwelve of the worthiest knights of his court. Then Sir Geraint arose and\nwelcomed him, and the Earl greeted Sir Geraint and sat down and\nconversed with him. And he asked Geraint the object of his journey, to\nwhich Geraint replied, \u201cI have no object, saving to seek adventure such\nas may become the life of a knight-errant.\u201d\n\nThen the Earl cast his eyes upon Enid, and he looked at her very\nsteadily, and he thought that he had never beheld a lady so fair and so\nbeautiful as she. And as he gazed upon her his heart went out to her and\nhe found that he loved her very extremely. Then he said to Geraint,\n\u201cHave I thy permission to converse with yonder lady? For I see that she\nis not with thee.\u201d \u201cThou hast it gladly,\u201d said Geraint.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Earl bespeaks Enid the Fair._]\n\nSo the Earl went to where Enid sat, and he said to her, \u201cLady, thy hands\nare soft and white and thy body is fragile and delicate; it cannot be\npleasant for thee to travel through the rough and cruel world with this\nman.\u201d She said, \u201cIt is not unpleasant for me to journey with him\nwhithersoever he goeth.\u201d\n\nThe Earl said, \u201cLady, thou shouldst have youths and maidens to wait upon\nthee and to attend thee and to serve thee.\u201d She said, \u201cIt is pleasanter\nto me to travel alone with yonder man than to live in state with youths\nand maidens to wait upon me.\u201d\n\n\u201cListen,\u201d said the Earl, \u201cI will give thee good advice. Give up that man\nand come with me. All my earldom will be at thy disposal if thou wilt do\nso, and thou shalt be the mistress of it and of me and of my life.\u201d\n\nThen Enid was very angry, and she said, \u201cLord, I will not go with thee!\nKnow thou that yonder man is dearer to me than all the earth and its\nkingdoms and principalities, its dukedoms and its earldoms. He was the\nfirst man to whom I plighted my faith, and never hath it been withdrawn\nfrom his keeping. Shall I then leave him now for the sake of this little\npatch of ground, to live with thee in dishonor and suffer him to go\nforth into the world alone?\u201d\n\nThen the Earl said, \u201cLady, thou art in the wrong in this, for if I slay\nthat man, then can I take thee by force. And if I take thee by force,\nthen, when I tire of thee, I shall cast thee off into the world. But if\nthou comest to me willingly, then I will never cast thee off, but will\nkeep thee as my most precious treasure so long as I am permitted to\nbreathe the breath of life. Come thou with me, and yonder man may be\nsuffered to depart in peace, hale and strong in limb and body, but come\nthou not with me and he shall die.\u201d\n\nThen Enid was greatly troubled at that which the Earl had said to her,\nfor she saw that he had the strength and the will and the power to do\nwith Sir Geraint whatsoever he chose. So at last she said to him,\n\u201cListen, O great Lord and Earl. All this that I have said to thee I have\nsaid for the sake of mine honor. But if thou art of the mind that thou\nsayst, I would rather abide with thee. Come hither to-morrow morning\nwith twelve armed knights and bear me away as though by force. For thus\nit shall appear that I have not yielded up to thee, except by force.\u201d \u201cI\nwill do so,\u201d said the Earl. \u201cThis and all things shall be as thou\nsayst.\u201d After that, in a little while he arose and departed from that\nplace.\n\nBut of all that had passed Enid said nothing to Geraint, lest he should\nbe blinded by his rage against the Earl. Otherwise, she kept it secretly\nin her heart for that time.\n\n[Sidenote: _Enid prepares the armor of Sir Geraint._]\n\nThat night they both lay in the same chamber. In a little while Sir\nGeraint fell asleep, but Enid did not sleep. When she heard his deep\nbreathing she arose very softly and she gathered his armor together\npiece by piece. And she piled all the armor where he could easily lay\nhand upon it. Then she lay down and slept.\n\n[Sidenote: _Enid telleth Sir Geraint of the Earl._]\n\nBefore the day broke she arose and went softly to where Sir Geraint\nslept, and touched her finger upon his breast and with that he awoke and\nstarted up. \u201cLord,\u201d said she, \u201cknowest thou what the Earl of this town\nsaid to me last night?\u201d Geraint said, \u201cTell me.\u201d So Enid told him all\nthat the Earl had proposed to her. Then Geraint was very angry, and he\nsaid, \u201cThy beauty bringeth evil whithersoever thou bringest it. Now I\nwill slay this Earl ere I leave this place, for he hath proposed\ndishonor to me.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot so,\u201d said Enid, \u201clet be the Earl, for there are many scores against\nthee, and thou art only one. Rather put thou on thy armor and let us go\nhence with all the speed that we may, for there is yet time to escape,\nand thus only may we escape in peace.\u201d\n\nThen Geraint perceived that what she said was very true, and that he was\nat that place in a parlous state. So he arose and put on his armor and\nhe summoned the landlord and the landlord came to him.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint gives all the horses and all of the armor to the\nlandlord._]\n\nQuoth Sir Geraint, \u201cWhat do I owe thee, good fellow, for the\nentertainment that I have had at this house?\u201d Said the landlord, \u201cNot a\ngreat deal, Messire.\u201d \u201cWell,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201ctake thou all those\neleven horses and the armor appertaining to them for thy reckoning. Will\nthat pay our score?\u201d \u201cHeaven bless thee, Messire,\u201d cried the landlord,\n\u201cbut that is far more than thou owest me; for thou hast not consumed in\nthis house the value of a single horse.\u201d \u201cWell,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cin\nthat case thou wilt be all the richer. But put on thy cloak and thy hat\nand conduct me out of this place by some way that is another way than\nthat by which we entered here, for I must hasten upon my quest.\u201d Quoth\nthe landlord, \u201cI will do so, Lord.\u201d\n\nWith that he hurried away. Anon he returned again, clad as for a\njourney. Then Sir Geraint mounted his horse and Enid mounted her horse,\nand they departed from that place after the landlord.\n\n[Sidenote: _The landlord leads them from the town._]\n\nSo the landlord led them by another highway from the town, and when the\nsun arose Sir Geraint dismissed him from their service.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Earl follows Sir Geraint and Enid the Fair._]\n\nNow when the landlord returned to the inn he beheld that several men\nsurrounded that place. Those men were the Earl of that town, and the\ntwelve chief knights of his state, and all were clad in full armor. The\nEarl was very wroth and when he beheld the landlord he cried out to him,\n\u201cFellow, where is the knight and where is that lady who were with thee\nlast night?\u201d \u201cLord,\u201d quoth the landlord, \u201cthey have departed and by now\nare many miles from this. For I myself conducted them far upon the way,\nand am only now returned from guiding them.\u201d Quoth the Earl, \u201cWhat way\nwent they?\u201d and the landlord told him. Then the Earl and his court of\nknights departed thence. And they rode at a swift gallop upon the way\nthat the landlord directed them. Anon they beheld the marks of horses\u2019\nhoofs fresh upon the earth, wherefore they wist that they were upon the\nright way.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nNow as Enid and Sir Geraint rode onward upon their course, Enid looked\nbehind her many times. At last she beheld a cloud of dust that came\nrapidly nearer, and she was aware that in that cloud of dust were the\nEarl and his court of knights. Then she cried out to Sir Geraint, \u201cSir\nKnight, prepare for battle, for yonder come thine enemies.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Geraint, who had been sunk in thought, became aware of the\ncoming of those others. Thereupon he closed the visor of his helmet and\nprepared himself in all ways for the encounter. Thereafter he turned his\nhorse in the middle of the highway and stood waiting for his enemies.\n\nAnon they reached him and drew rein a little distance away. Then the\nEarl came forward and spake to Sir Geraint, saying, \u201cSir Knight, we mean\nno harm to thee, but only ask thee that thou wilt give up that lady whom\nthou hast with thee. For thou holdest her against her desire; her only\ndesire being to go with us.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Geraint turned to Enid and said, \u201cLady, is this true? If thou\ndesirest to go with yonder Lord thou hast my leave to do so.\u201d \u201cNay,\u201d\nsaid she, \u201cI do not desire to go with him. Rather would I go with thee\nto death than to go with him to joy.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Geraint said to the Earl, \u201cMessire, the lady says thou art\nmistaken and she does not desire to go with thee.\u201d\n\nThe Earl said to Enid, \u201cLady, what didst thou tell me yesterday?\u201d And\nEnid said, \u201cMessire, I told thee many things to mislead thee, for the\noccasion called upon me to do so.\u201d\n\nThen the Earl talked aside for a little while with his followers. Anon\nhe called to Sir Geraint, \u201cSir Knight, I will not let thee go until thou\nhast tried a fall or two with these knights of mine for the sake of thy\nlady, her bright eyes and her slender body.\u201d \u201cWell,\u201d said Sir Geraint,\n\u201cI am willing to do battle with thy knights now or at any time.\u201d \u201cAnd\nthis shall be the result of this battle,\u201d said the Earl. \u201cIf thou\nwinnest this battle, thou mayst go free, but if we win then thy lady\nmust return with us.\u201d Quoth Sir Geraint, \u201cThat is certes a hard saying.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint does battle with the followers of the Earl._]\n\nSo the strongest and most powerful of all those knights made him ready\nfor the assault, and when he was in all ways prepared, he and Geraint\nmade a violent charge, the one against the other. Three times they\ncharged and at the third assault Sir Geraint overthrew him so violently\nthat he lay like one dead in the middle of the high-road. Then one after\nthe other all the others of those twelve knights assaulted Sir Geraint,\nand each in turn was overthrown very violently upon the earth.\n\nThen the Earl said to Sir Geraint, \u201cSir Knight, thou hast fought well\nand very valiantly for thy lady, and truly hast thou won her. Depart in\npeace.\u201d \u201cNot so,\u201d cried Sir Geraint in great passion, \u201cfor I have one\nmore to deal with, and that one is thou thyself. For I have yet to do\nwith thee ere I depart from this place.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said the Earl, \u201cbe it as thou sayst. For I will fight with thee\ntill either thee or I have overcome the other. And to that one who\noverthroweth the other thy lady shalt belong.\u201d \u201cSo be it,\u201d said Sir\nGeraint.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint overthrows the Earl._]\n\nSo each made him ready for the encounter, and when they were in all ways\nprepared they set spur to flank and drave the one against the other with\nsuch violence that they met with a crash as of thunder in the middle of\nthe course. In that encounter Sir Geraint was upborn by his passion so\nthat he smote true and fairly against his enemy\u2019s shield. But the spear\nof the Earl was shattered into a great many pieces. The spear of Sir\nGeraint held, so that it pierced the shield of the Earl, and Sir Geraint\nlifted the Earl out of his saddle and hurled him several ells behind\nthe crupper of his horse, where he lay like one dead upon the earth.\n\nThen Sir Geraint ran to where the Earl was. And he rushed off his helmet\nand he drew his sword and catching the Earl by the long hair of his head\nhe drew forward his neck so as to sever his head from his body.\nThereupon the Earl awoke from his swoon and perceiving that death loomed\nvery near to him, he clutched Sir Geraint about the thighs, clinging to\nthem and crying out, \u201cSir Knight, spare my life!\u201d \u201cWhy should I spare\nthee?\u201d cried out Sir Geraint very violently. \u201cHast thou not attempted my\nlife and hast thou not attempted mine honor and the honor of my lady,\nand were we not guests in thy town? I will not spare thy life!\u201d And he\nwhirled his sword as though to strike.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint spares the life of the Earl._]\n\nThen Enid came to where Sir Geraint was and clutched him by the arm and\nshe said, \u201cWorthy knight, Sir Geraint! I pray thee spare this man his\nlife. For what canst thou gain by slaying him?\u201d \u201cWell,\u201d said Sir\nGeraint, \u201csince this lady asks thy life at my hands I give it to her to\ndispose of as she pleases.\u201d Enid said, \u201cI thank thee, Lord!\u201d Then she\nsaid to the Earl, \u201cArise, and go thou hence in peace!\u201d\n\nSo after that Sir Geraint remounted his horse and he and Enid departed\nfrom that place, riding as aforetime. That is, Enid rode a long distance\nahead and Geraint rode behind, following after her.\n\nBut of the knights whom he overthrew in that encounter it is to be\nwritten that several were so sorely hurt that it was many weeks ere they\nwere sufficiently recovered to be abroad again.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nAnd now followeth the further adventures of Sir Geraint and of Enid at\nthis time; so I pray you to read that which hereinafter appeareth.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Enid and Geraint ride past the Town bridge]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Fifth\n\n_Sir Geraint is wounded in his encounter with another knight. He is\ndiscovered by the Court of King Arthur and is healed of his wounds._\n\n\nSo Sir Geraint and Enid travelled in that wise until at last they came\nthrough a thin, small woods and so out into another open place.\n\nHere they beheld before them a valley of singular beauty, for through\nthe centre of the valley there ran a wide, smoothly flowing river, and\nupon either side of the river there were meadow-lands and fields, and\nnot far away from where they were there was a town, very large and\nconsiderable. All around the town was a wall of stone, very high and\nstrong. And about the town was a fortress castle, tall and forbidding,\nthat looked down upon the town and upon the high-road. The high-road\nupon which they travelled crossed a bridge over the river, and so\nentered the town, but ere it reached the bridge it branched and one\nbranch ran down along one side of the river upon which they were. Upon\neither side of the bridge head were two tall towers that overlooked the\nbridge and guarded it.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint questions the horseman concerning the town._]\n\nSo Sir Geraint and Enid sat for awhile looking down upon that fair\nprospect, and the more they looked upon it the more they delighted in\nit. As they so sat, anon they beheld a horseman come from the town and\ncross the bridge, and when he had crossed the bridge he turned him in\ntheir direction. By and by he had approached closely enough for Sir\nGeraint to speak to him, and thereupon Sir Geraint rode forth and met\nhim and they two saluted one another. Then Sir Geraint said to him,\n\u201cSir, I pray you tell me; what town is that yonder, and who is the lord\nof this fair and beautiful valley and of yonder town?\u201d \u201cMessire,\u201d said\nthe other, \u201cI will gladly tell thee that and anything else that I am\nable. The town itself is called the Town of Redlands. The lord of all\nthis country is a very brave, renowned and valiant Earl called the\nLittle King. He is so called because he rules this place away from all\nother lords as though he were king of it in his own right.\u201d\n\nSir Geraint said, \u201cMay I pass by yonder bridge head where are the two\ntowers without crossing over the bridge and into the town?\u201d The other\nreplied, \u201cMessire, I will tell thee truly. The Little King hath ordained\nit that no one shall pass into his land without his permission,\nwherefore he will not allow that any knight shall pass by yonder bridge\nand into the lands beyond it.\u201d \u201cNevertheless,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cI am\nof a mind to pass by that bridge and into the country beyond it maugre\nhis will that wise or otherwise.\u201d \u201cIf thou dost do so,\u201d said the other,\n\u201cthou wilt in all likelihood meet with shame and disgrace.\u201d \u201cNo matter\nfor that,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cI shall assume even such a risk as that.\u201d\nAt that the other laughed, and so they saluted each one the other again\nand then the knight departed upon his way.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint and Enid pass by the bridge head._]\n\nSo Sir Geraint followed the Lady Enid and she preceded and he followed\nafter her. Thus together they went down to the river. Coming there, he\nbade her not to cross the bridge, so in obedience to that command they\nwent past the bridge and past the two towers at the bridge head, and so\nrode along beside the river. Thus with Enid riding before him and he\nriding behind her, he had gone a considerable distance when he became\nsuddenly aware that some one was galloping behind them. Then Sir Geraint\nturned him about and beheld that an armed knight was following after\nthem at a swift gallop.\n\nSo Sir Geraint drew rein and waited for the other to come up with them,\nand when the other knight had come pretty close to where he stood, he\nalso drew rein. The Strange Knight said, \u201cSir Knight, is it through\nignorance or through presumption that you travel thus without leave\nthrough my dominions?\u201d Him Sir Geraint answered very proudly, saying,\n\u201cMessire, how should I know that this road was forbid to those who would\npass to travel along it?\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said the other fiercely, \u201cthou didst know that it is forbidden to\nany one to pass into my land without my permission and so thou hast\ninfringed the rules of my earldom. Hence thou shalt come now with me to\nmy court and do me satisfaction.\u201d \u201cI will not come with thee to thy\ncastle,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cand I will not do thee any satisfaction. For\nthis is an high-road and it is free for any one to travel upon it who\nchooses to do so.\u201d \u201cWell,\u201d said the other, \u201clet that be as it may; but I\ntell thee that thou shalt this day do satisfaction to me or else I will\nsuffer defeat at thy hands.\u201d \u201cThat,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cshall be as\nHeaven shall foreordain.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint does battle with the knight._]\n\nSo upon that each knight made him ready for the combat, and Enid stood\nto one side to observe what happened. Anon they were in all ways\nprepared, and each took post for a tilt. When all this was prepared,\neach knight shouted to his horse, and each drave spurs into the flanks\nof his steed and each launched the one against the other with wonderful\nspeed and vehemence. So they met in the midst of the course with a crash\nlike to thunder, and in that encounter the lance of each knight held so\nthat the horse of each sank back upon his haunches quivering from the\nshock of that assault.\n\nThen each knight threw aside his lance and sprang from his saddle, and\neach drew his sword and each rushed the one against the other like two\nfierce bulls raging for battle. Each lashed at the other many terrible\nand severe strokes, and for a time neither had any advantage over the\nother. Several times Geraint was wounded and several times more he\nwounded his adversary. Thus they fought for a long while, and Geraint\nsuffered many wounds, until at last, because of the smart of those\nwounds, his anger flamed up like fire and added strength to his\nstrength. Then he rained blows fast and furious upon his assailant,\nstriking him with terrible violence again and again and yet again, so\nrapidly and so fiercely, violently and furiously that the Little King\nbore back before him, holding his shield full low because of his\nweariness and wounds. Then Geraint beheld the opening that the other\ngave him, and with that he rushed in upon him, and he smote him with\nmight and main upon the crown of the helmet.\n\nSo terribly fierce was that blow that it split apart the helmet and the\niron cap beneath and cut deep into the bone beneath the cap.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint overthrows the knight._]\n\nThen the wits of the Little King flew away from him like a flock of\nflies, his strength deserted him, his thighs trembled and he sank down\nupon his knees. Thereupon Geraint rushed upon him and plucked the helmet\noff of his head. Then he catched him by the hair of the head and drew\nhis head forward, whirling his sword aloft as though to strike the head\noff from the body.\n\nAt that the senses returned to the Little King, and he beheld that death\nwas very near to him. So he clutched Sir Geraint about the knees, and\ncried out aloud, \u201cLord, spare me my life.\u201d \u201cI will spare thee,\u201d said Sir\nGeraint, \u201cupon one condition, and that is that thou wilt swear to be\ntrue fellow to me henceforth and shall be faithful to me as I shall be\nto thee. For certes thou art the noblest, worthiest knight that ever I\nhave yet encountered.\u201d Then the other arose from his knees. \u201cSir\nKnight,\u201d said he, \u201cI know not who thou art.\u201d \u201cI am Sir Geraint,\u201d said\nSir Geraint, \u201cthe son of King Erbin.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell do I know of thee,\u201d said the Little King. \u201cOften have I heard of\nthee, and had I known who thou wert, I would not have assaulted thee.\u201d\nThen the Little King said to Sir Geraint, \u201cSir Knight, Sir Geraint, I\nperceive that thou art hurt in several places, and I am very sorry for\nthat. For lo, the leg-pieces of thine armor are all red with blood, and\nblood is flowing from thy body armor from several wounds. Thou art not\nfit to travel in the hot sun, so I pray thee that thou and thy lady will\nreturn with me to my castle. There thou mayst refresh and recover\nthyself from thy hurts, and rest and reinvigorate thyself for thy\ncontinued journeyings.\u201d\n\nBut Sir Geraint refused him. \u201cNay,\u201d said he, \u201cI will not go with thee to\nthy castle, but instead of that I will go forward upon my way.\u201d\n\nThen the Little King looked at Enid, and when he beheld how fragile and\nhow beautiful she was, and when he beheld how grieved she was that\nGeraint had suffered so many and such grievous wounds, he felt great\npity for her. \u201cMessire,\u201d he said to Sir Geraint, \u201cthou dost wrong not to\nrest thyself and have thy wounds looked to and dressed, for if thou\nfallest in with another adventure such as this, it is not likely that\nthou wilt be able to defend thyself from assault. Who then would have\ncare of thy lady if harm should befall thee?\u201d\n\nThen Sir Geraint cried out very fiercely, \u201cSir, already have I answered\nthee that I will continue on my way, therefore do not try to dissuade me\nany further, for both I and my lady are going forward upon our way!\u201d So\nsaying he went to his horse and he mounted upon his saddle and he took\nhis spear in hand and rode away from that place, and he bade the Lady\nEnid to ride on before him as aforetime she had ridden and so they\nquitted that place.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint suffers because of his wounds._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint stands beneath a tree._]\n\nNow the day was very hot so that the blood within the armor of Sir\nGeraint when he ceased to bleed, it dried upon him by reason of the heat\nof the sun. Then the wounds that Sir Geraint had suffered were glued\nwith blood to the armor, so that he suffered three times more pain from\nthose wounds now than he suffered when he had received them. But of this\nhe said naught, only he rode along very grimly. But at last he could\nendure his pain no more, wherefore he called upon the Lady Enid to halt\nfor a little while at a certain place where the oak trees of a woodland\ncame down to the road and shaded the high-road. Then the Lady Enid would\nhave helped him to dismount, but he would not suffer her to do so but\nforbade her, saying to her, \u201cGo and stand aside under yonder tree, for\nmy wounds ache me and I would be alone for a little while.\u201d So Enid went\nto the other tree and stood there weeping, and Sir Geraint dismounted\nfrom his horse and stood under his tree, suffering very bitter pain from\nhis wounds.\n\nAs they thus stood, there came the sound of a sudden tumult of horses\nand of voices, and the cause of that tumult was that King Arthur and\nhis court were come hunting into the neighboring woodland. So whilst Sir\nGeraint was considering which way he should go to escape from them, he\nwas espied by a foot-page who was attendant upon Sir Kay the Seneschal.\n\nThis page went to Sir Kay, and he said to him, \u201cSir, yonder under that\ntree is a man in broken and defaced armor who appeareth to be wounded.\u201d\nSir Kay said, \u201cWhere is he?\u201d and then he too beheld Sir Geraint.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Kay bespeaks Sir Geraint._]\n\nSo Sir Kay came to where Sir Geraint was, and at his coming the Lady\nEnid slipped behind her tree, for she was ashamed for Sir Kay to behold\nher weeping in that place. So Sir Kay did not know Sir Geraint, but Sir\nGeraint knew Sir Kay. Sir Kay said to Sir Geraint, \u201cSir, how is this? I\nperceive you are wounded! What art thou doing here?\u201d Sir Geraint\nreplied, \u201cI am standing under the shade of this tree so as to avoid the\nheat. For in the sun my armor clings to my wounds so that they ache me.\u201d\nSaid Sir Kay, \u201cWhither dost thou journey, and who art thou?\u201d Quoth Sir\nGeraint, \u201cIt matters not who I am. As for my journeying, wist thou that\nI am in search of adventure.\u201d Said Sir Kay, \u201cI wit thou hast had\nadventures enough for one day. Come with me and I will take thee to King\nArthur, who is near by.\u201d \u201cI will not go with thee,\u201d said Sir Geraint,\n\u201cfor I am not fit to stand before the King.\u201d Said Sir Kay, \u201cThou must\nneeds come with me.\u201d And so saying, he advanced and laid hold of the arm\nof Sir Geraint.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint strikes Sir Kay._]\n\nNow in all this time, as hath been said, Sir Geraint knew Sir Kay who he\nwas, but Sir Kay knew not Sir Geraint because his shield was so defaced\nwith battle and his armor so stained with blood. But when Sir Kay laid\nhold of Sir Geraint, the anger broke hot within the wounded man,\nwherefore he lifted his spear, and he smote Sir Kay upon the head with\nthe butt of the spear (for he scorned to strike him with the point\nthereof), and with the force of that blow Sir Kay fell down upon the\nground, like an ox when the butcher smites it with a mallet.\n\nAfter a little while Sir Kay stirred and then he sat up. Then he awoke\nand arose and went away, leaving Sir Geraint standing where he was.\n\nNow it happened that the pavilion of Sir Percival was not far away.\nThither went Sir Kay, and Sir Percival was in his pavilion. Sir Kay said\nto Sir Percival, \u201cMy page tells me that over yonder under that tree\nthere stands a wounded man in armor. Hadst thou not better go and see\nwho it is and bring him to King Arthur?\u201d Sir Percival said, \u201cWhere is\nhe?\u201d Sir Kay said, \u201cOver yonder. But beyond doubt he is hasty of temper,\nso be wary of thy approach to him.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Percival bespeaks Sir Geraint._]\n\nThen Sir Percival went thither to that tree and he beheld where Sir\nGeraint was standing, and he knew him not because his armor was so\ndefaced and wounded and stained. But Sir Geraint knew Sir Percival who\nhe was. Sir Percival said to Sir Geraint, \u201cSir Knight, wilt thou not\ncome to the tent of King Arthur and have thy wounds searched and\ndressed?\u201d \u201cNo,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cI will not do so.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Percival knoweth Enid the Fair._]\n\nNow the Lady Enid heard the voice of Sir Percival and knew it, so she\nappeared from behind the tree and her face was all wet with weeping. And\nshe cried out to Sir Percival, \u201cSir Percival, I beseech thee to compel\nhim to go to King Arthur.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Percival knew the Lady Enid and he wist that the wounded man\nmust be Sir Geraint. So he cried out, \u201cSir Geraint, is it thou?\u201d Sir\nGeraint said, \u201cNay, I am not Sir Geraint.\u201d\n\nBut Sir Percival put these words aside and he said, \u201cWhat condition is\nthis that thou and thy lady are in, and whither wouldst thou go? If thou\ngoest forward, thou wilt die, and if thou stayest here thou wilt die.\u201d\n\nSir Geraint said, \u201cI will go forward,\u201d and at those words Enid fell to\nweeping again.\n\nNow there was a page standing a little aside and Sir Percival beckoned\nto him and the page came to Sir Percival. Sir Percival whispered to the\npage, saying, \u201cGo, find King Arthur and tell him that Sir Geraint is\nstanding here wounded,\u201d and the page made haste and ran away.\n\nThen Sir Percival spoke aside to the Lady Enid and he said to her, \u201cHow\nis it that thou and thy lord are in this outland place?\u201d Enid replied,\n\u201cI know not how it is, but my lord commanded me to ride errant with him\nand I have done so.\u201d Sir Percival said, \u201cCertes, I think he is mad.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur comes to Sir Geraint and Enid the Fair._]\n\nAnon King Arthur and several of his court and Queen Guinevere and\nseveral of her court came to that place. Sir Percival said to King\nArthur, \u201cLord, this is Sir Geraint whom thou seest here in such a sad\nmelancholy condition.\u201d And Geraint said nothing, only he groaned very\ndolorously. King Arthur said to the Lady Enid, \u201cEnid, how came ye to\nthis pass?\u201d \u201cLord,\u201d said Enid, \u201cI know not how it is, only that\nwhithersoever my lord goeth, thither also I am bound to go.\u201d Then King\nArthur said to Queen Guinevere, \u201cLady, I pray thee take the Lady Enid\nand care for her. As for Sir Geraint, him shall I put beneath the care\nof my physicians.\u201d\n\n\u201cLord,\u201d cried out Sir Geraint, \u201cI beseech thee to let me go upon my way\nthither I was going.\u201d \u201cI will not do so,\u201d said King Arthur. \u201cThou art\nmad, for that would let thee go to thy death. Thou canst not live with\nsuch wounds as those that cover thee, fresh and undressed as they are.\u201d\nThen Sir Geraint said, \u201cThey are not so bad,\u201d but King Arthur would not\nlisten to this.\n\n[Sidenote: _The physicians search the wounds of Sir Geraint._]\n\nSo King Arthur had a tent pitched at that place, and he had a soft couch\nlaid within the tent, and he had Sir Geraint laid upon the couch. And\nthe King had his own physicians come to search the wounds of Sir Geraint\nand to anoint them and to bind them up, and so Sir Geraint was put in\ngreat comfort from their attention.\n\nMeanwhile the Queen brought the Lady Enid to her pavilion and she had\nher change her riding robes for clothes of another sort. And she asked\nEnid many things and Enid told her many things of her adventures, and\nall marvelled at what the Lady Enid had to relate.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSo Geraint and Enid remained at that woodland court of King Arthur for\nnearly a month, and Enid was very well entertained by the court of the\nKing. And whilst it was so that she was not permitted to see Sir Geraint\nnor to speak to him, yet she heard very intimately from him from day to\nday, and wist that ever he was becoming healed of his wounds. For, after\nthat month was passed, Sir Geraint\u2019s wounds were knit together and were\nscarred over with fair white flesh. And even at that time Sir Geraint\ngrew restless, for as he grew stronger of body he remembered more and\nmore strongly the words that he had overheard the Lady Enid speak that\nmorning when he awakened, and again he doubted her.\n\nSo one day he said to King Arthur, \u201cLord, I pray thee let me depart from\nthis place, for I must be upon my journeying again.\u201d King Arthur said,\n\u201cMessire, whither wouldst thou go?\u201d Geraint said, \u201cI know not, saving\nonly that I would go errant in search of adventure.\u201d\n\nKing Arthur said, \u201cThen let thy Lady abide at this place.\u201d Quoth Sir\nGeraint, \u201cShe cannot abide here, but she must travel abroad with me.\u201d\nKing Arthur said, \u201cSir, this is not folly but madness, for thy lady\u2019s\nbody is too soft and delicate for her to endure such hardships as thou\nwilt have to endure.\u201d \u201cNo matter,\u201d said Sir Geraint, \u201cshe must travel\nwith me whithersoever I go.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur considered a little and after a little he said, \u201cSir, I\nwill not let you go until my physicians declare you to be healed.\u201d Quoth\nSir Geraint, \u201cCall the physicians.\u201d\n\nSo King Arthur summoned the physicians and he asked them if Sir Geraint\nwas healed of his wounds and the physicians declared that he was\nhealed.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint and Enid depart from the Court of the King._]\n\nSo King Arthur gave leave to Sir Geraint to depart and that day Sir\nGeraint took leave of King Arthur and his court and he and the Lady Enid\ndeparted as aforetime. That is to say, the Lady Enid rode some distance\nahead of Sir Geraint, and Sir Geraint rode some distance behind the Lady\nEnid as it was before.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nHere followeth the further adventures of these two which you may read if\nyou will peruse that which is herein written.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: The King\u2019s physicians attend Sir Geraint.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Sixth\n\n_How Sir Geraint destroyed three giants of the highway. How he was hurt,\nand how he and the Lady Enid were carried off by a knight of that\ncountry. Also how Geraint slew the knight._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint finds a lady in grief._]\n\nNow after they had travelled in that wise for some time they came to a\nwood, and the wood was very thick and dark and dismal, and some way in\nthe wood they heard the sound of a voice lifted in lamentation.\nThitherward they directed their steps and anon they came to an open\nglade of the forest. Here they beheld a lady and two horses and the\nfigure of a knight who lay dead, all covered with blood, upon the\nground. Sir Geraint said to that lady, \u201cLady what ails thee?\u201d \u201cAlas!\u201d\nshe said, \u201cI have journeyed thitherward, but three gigantic oafs broke\nout of the woodland upon us. Him they slew as thou beholdest and so I\nsit mourning for him here.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat way went these giants of whom thou speakest?\u201d said Sir Geraint.\n\u201cThey went yonder way by that path,\u201d said she.\n\nGeraint said to Enid, \u201cBide thou here for a little while with this lady,\nand I will ride forward and punish those three giants.\u201d Enid said,\n\u201cLord, remember thou art only now fresh from thy bed of pain.\u201d\n\nBut Sir Geraint paid no heed to what Enid said, otherwise he rode\nforward upon the path that the lady had pointed out. After awhile he\nbeheld before him the three gigantic men, walking side by side along the\nway.\n\nEach wore about his body a huge body-piece of armor, and each carried\nover his shoulder a huge club shod with iron.\n\n[Sidenote: _The giant strikes Sir Geraint._]\n\nUpon them Sir Geraint charged, and the first of the three he ran through\nhis body with the lance. Then he withdrew the lance very quickly, and\ncharged the second of the three, and him also he transfixed with his\nspear. But ere he could withdraw his lance again the third of the three\nsmote him a terrible buffet with his club so that his shield was split\nand his helmet was split and the armor was beaten off from his shoulder.\nUnder that blow Sir Geraint fell upon his knees, and all his wounds\nburst out bleeding as though they were freshly given. But quickly he\nrecovered himself. He drew his sword, and rushing at the giant he smote\nhim with the sword so that his head and his neck and his shoulders were\nsplit asunder even to the pap of the breast, and that giant also fell\ndead to the ground.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint swoons a death-swoon._]\n\nThen leaving those three where they lay, Geraint mounted his horse again\nand returned to where he had left Enid and the widowed lady. And when he\ncame to her he tried to speak but he could not speak. He began by saying\n\u201cLady--\u201d but then he stopped, and swaying from side to side, he fell\nlifeless from his horse to the ground.\n\nThen Enid ran to him and lifted his head and laid it in her lap. And\nEnid thought that he was dead, for his face was the color of wax for\nwhiteness. Then believing him to be dead she lifted up her voice and\nwept very loud and shrill.\n\nNow it chanced that an earl known as the Earl of Limours was in that\npart of the forest, and several of his attendant knights were with him.\nThese heard the loud piercing sound of Enid\u2019s grief, and the Earl of\nLimours said, \u201cHark! What is that sound?\u201d And one of his attendant\nknights said, \u201cIt is the sound of somebody in grief.\u201d Quoth the Earl,\n\u201cLet us go thitherward.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Earl of Limours comes to that place._]\n\nSo the Earl of Limours and his attendants galloped toward that place,\nand anon they came out into the forest glade. There they beheld the four\nhorses, and the two ladies and the two knights.\n\nThe Earl of Limours said to Enid, \u201cLady, what is the cause of thy\ngrief?\u201d \u201cAlas, Sir,\u201d she cried, \u201cthe only man that I ever loved or ever\nshall love is slain.\u201d Then the Earl of Limours said to the other lady,\n\u201cWhat is the cause of thy grief?\u201d Quoth she, \u201cThey have slain my husband\nalso.\u201d \u201cWho was it slew them?\u201d said the Earl of Limours. \u201cMy husband,\u201d\nsaid the Lady, \u201cwas slain by three giants. This other knight pursued the\nthree giants, and when he returned he was as thou seest.\u201d \u201cWhither went\nthose giants?\u201d said the Earl. She replied, \u201cThey went yonder ways.\u201d \u201cI\nwill go and see what has befallen them,\u201d said the Earl of Limours.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Earl finds the dead outlaws._]\n\nSo that Earl took several of his knights and he went in that direction,\nand in a little while he found all three giants lying dead upon the\nground. \u201cPardee,\u201d quoth he, \u201cyonder was a parlous strong knight to slay\nall three of those giants.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Earl carries Sir Geraint to his castle._]\n\nAfter that he returned to the forest glade and he made examination of\nthe knights that lay there. The one knight he found was dead, but it\ndid not seem to him that Sir Geraint was altogether dead. So the one\nknight he buried, but Sir Geraint he laid in the hollow of a shield with\nhis sword behind him. And he laid him upon a bier and so he bore him\naway toward his castle, the two ladies accompanying them.\n\nBy and by, after a very long journeying, they came to the castle of the\nEarl of Limours. And the castle was very large and comely and strong.\n\nThe Earl and those who were with him entered the castle and he had the\nshield with Sir Geraint stretched upon it borne into the hall of the\ncastle. And he had his physician to come and examine Geraint and the\nleech came and made examination of him. Then after due examination the\nleech said that he was not yet dead, but that he was exceedingly near to\ndeath.\n\nThen the Earl bade the two ladies to go and change their clothes and to\nassume garments that were more fitting to grace that hall, and the other\nlady went as he bade, but Enid would not go.\n\nThe Earl of Limours said to her, \u201cLady, thou art not wise in this, for I\nmean well by thee. Thou pleasest me very greatly by thy appearance. When\nthy lord is dead, then will I marry thee and will bestow upon thee\nmyself and this castle and all these lands through which we passed\nto-day, and all other things thou shalt have that are mine.\u201d But Enid\nonly wept, and she said, \u201cAlas! I know not what to do, for I am very\nlonely. If my lord dieth, nevermore shall I have any more joy or\nhappiness as long as I shall live.\u201d\n\nThe Earl of Limours said, \u201cTake heart, my pretty one.\u201d But she said, \u201cI\ncannot take any heart.\u201d Then the Earl gave orders that a feast should be\nmade ready, and it was done according to his command. And when that\nfeast was ready, he said to Enid, \u201cCome and sit here beside me and eat.\u201d\nShe said, \u201cI will not eat and I will not sit at table unless my lord\nsits here also.\u201d Then the Earl laughed, and he said, \u201cLady, thou art\nvery foolish in this, for thy knight will never sit at table again, for\nhe is dead, or else he is dying.\u201d Then Enid wept again, very bitterly.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Earl of Limours strikes Enid the Fair._]\n\nThe Earl said, \u201cCome sit beside me, and I will have thy knight at table\nalso.\u201d So he had them bring the bier whereon Sir Geraint lay to the side\nof the table. Then he took Enid by the hand and led her to the table and\ncompelled her to sit beside him. But still she would not eat. Then the\nEarl offered her a goblet of wine and he said, \u201cDrink this wine, for it\nwill help thee to forget thy sorrows.\u201d \u201cI will not drink,\u201d she said,\n\u201cuntil my husband shall arise and drink with me.\u201d Then the Earl of\nLimours became angry. \u201cA plague upon thee and thy knight!\u201d he cried,\nand so crying he lifted his hand and delivered to her a box upon the\near.\n\nThen Enid felt her loneliness as never before. For she knew that had\nGeraint been with her the Earl of Limours would not have dared to serve\nher thus. So when she felt that blow upon her face she lifted up her\nvoice and shrieked aloud.\n\nNow Geraint had been recovering from his swoon, but still he lay with\nhis eyes closed listening to what was said and done about him. And he\nheard Enid how that she refused to eat or to drink, and he heard the\nblow that the Earl of that place delivered upon her face, and he heard\nher shriek with the pain thereof. At that the eyes of his soul were\nopened, and he beheld how mad and how blind he had been, and he knew how\nfaithful to him Enid had been, maugre any words she might have uttered.\nThen rage and shame flamed up like fire within him, the last vapors of\nhis swoon passed away, and he felt within him the strength of ten.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint slays the Earl of Limours._]\n\nThereupon he grasped the sword that lay beside him in the hollow of the\nshield and he arose from the shield all white and wan and smeared with\nblood, and those who beheld him saw him arise as though from the dead.\nThen they shrieked and screamed and fell aside before him. But Geraint\nleaped from the hollow of the shield and he ran to where the Earl of\nLimours sat, and crying out, \u201cWouldst thou dare to smite my wife?\u201d he\nsmote him with all his might upon the head. So terrible was that blow\nthat it smote asunder the head and the neck and the breast of the Earl,\nand was only stopped by the oaken board of the table against which the\nsword blade smote in its descent.\n\nThen all those who thus beheld the dead man arise from his death and\nstrike that blow, shrieked and roared aloud, and they fled away from\nthat place in terror and amazement, and no one was left but Geraint and\nEnid, and the dead man sitting dreadfully in his seat.\n\nThen Enid said, \u201cO my lord! Art thou dead or art thou alive?\u201d And\nGeraint said, \u201cBeloved, I am alive and well.\u201d And Enid said, \u201cI thank\nGod for that.\u201d But Geraint said, \u201cLet us hasten to escape from this\nplace whilst we may, for presently these people will return again.\u201d And\nhe said to her, \u201cWhere are our horses?\u201d She said, \u201cI know not where is\nmy horse, but thy horse is in the house yonder, for I saw them put him\nthere.\u201d\n\nSo Geraint and Enid went to the house that was near at hand and there\nGeraint found his horse. And Geraint took his horse out of the stable\nand he mounted upon his horse and he reached his hand to Enid and lifted\nher up from the ground and placed her upon the horse behind him; and\nshe clasped her arms around his body and felt his body with her arms\nwith great joy and delight.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Geraint and Enid depart from that place._]\n\nSo they rode away from that place and no one dared to stop them, for all\nbelieved that it was the living riding with the dead.\n\nThen, when they were come out into the sunlight again, Sir Geraint\nturned his head and looked his lady, Enid, in the face, and he perceived\nhow she had lost her color and was grown thin and fragile because of the\nhardships to which his anger and his injustice had subjected her. Then\nhe turned his own face away and bowed his head.\n\nBy and by he lifted his head and said to her, \u201cLady, canst thou forgive\nme?\u201d To that she smiled a little, but very faintly. \u201cI do forgive thee,\u201d\nsaid she, \u201cbut never shall I forget.\u201d Therewith the tears ran from her\neyes and fell like diamonds down her cheeks, and Sir Geraint turned away\nhis face again and again bowed down his head.\n\nSo they rode in silence, each occupied with his or her own thoughts,\nuntil at last they came to a place where there were high hedges upon\neither side of the way. At this place they heard the sound of many\nhorses coming toward them, and in a little while they perceived the\npoints of a number of spears between them and the sky over the top of\nthe hedge. So Geraint put Enid upon the other side of the hedge and made\nhim ready to face those who were coming.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Little King finds Sir Geraint and Enid._]\n\nAnon there came a small host of horsemen in armor into that road, and\nthe first of all those who came was the Little King. Then Geraint cried\nout with joy, \u201cIs that thou, the Little King?\u201d And the other said, \u201cYea,\nit is I, but who art thou?\u201d For he did not know Sir Geraint because of\nthe blood that was upon him and because of his changed appearance. Then\nGeraint said, \u201cIt is I, Geraint the son of Erbin.\u201d\n\nThen the Little King came forward, and embraced him. And Enid came forth\nfrom her hiding, and the Little King paid his respects to her. Quoth the\nLittle King, \u201cI was in search of thee, Sir Geraint, for I heard thou\nwert in trouble. So I am here.\u201d And Sir Geraint said, \u201cThat is according\nto the conditions of our bond.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Geraint and Enid and the Little King returned along the way\ntoward the castle of the Little King, and when they reached the castle\nthe wounds of Sir Geraint were searched and dressed and he was made in\nall wise as comfortable as he could be.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Conclusion\n\n\nThus have I told you the story of Sir Geraint and of Lady Enid at this,\nits fitting time.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the story, how it hath been sung of old._]\n\nThis story has been very often sung and told and so you have no doubt\nheard of it or read it before this. For it hath been told by a great\npoet, and it hath been told by the ancient bards of Wales, and both that\ngreat poet and I have obtained it from those ancient chronicles of the\nWelsh Mabinogi.\n\nBut as this story concerns the story of King Arthur and his court, so it\nmust be written when it cometh in its due place and so I have written\nit.\n\nSo I pray you read it and consider it as a very famous story of one of\nthe chiefest knights of the Round Table of King Arthur.\n\nAnd now I shall have to tell you of the coming of Sir Galahad and of the\nQuest of the Grail by certain of the Knights of King Arthur and his\nRound Table, and of how certain other knights failed in that quest. So\nif you will read that which followeth you shall be informed of all those\nvery wonderful things which many people for many years believed to be\nsooth and real.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nPART II\n\nThe Story of Sir Galahad\n\n_Here beginneth the Story of Sir Galahad, which same includes the\nhistory of the recovery of the Grail and its deposit in the Minster of\nSarras, also its exaltation into Paradise, as follows:--_\n\n[Illustration: Sir Galahad cometh with the Hermit of the Forest]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter First\n\n_How Sir Galahad was made a knight; how he came to the Court of King\nArthur, and of the several miracles that happened at that time._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _A damsel comes to the Court of the King._]\n\nOne day Sir Launcelot sat at court with many lords and ladies of high\ndegree who were gathered there at that time. Suddenly there entered that\nplace a maiden clad in a long, straight robe of white, girdled about the\nmiddle of the body with a crimson girdle of leather. And the girdle was\nembroidered with threads of gold. This maiden stood at the door of the\nhall and called out in a high and very clear voice, \u201cSir Launcelot of\nthe Lake--which knight is he?\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Launcelot made reply, \u201cI am he; what seekest thou of me?\u201d\nThe maiden said, \u201cSir Launcelot, I bid thee arise and follow me.\u201d Quoth\nhe, \u201cTo what purpose?\u201d She said, \u201cThou shalt see.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Launcelot arose and, clad as he was and without armor of any\nsort, he followed her.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot rides with her._]\n\nOutside of the hall were two horses standing; one of them was a white\npalfrey, the other was a black stallion. Sir Launcelot assisted the\nmaiden to mount upon the white palfrey and he himself mounted upon the\nblack stallion, and so together they rode away from Camelot.\n\nThey travelled for some while until they came to the skirts of the\nforest. Then they rode into the forest, and all day they traversed the\nwoodlands. Toward eventide of that same day they came to an open place\namidst the surrounding trees, where was a quiet and very fruitful\nvalley, stretched out wide to the length and breadth of a league. In\nthat valley Sir Launcelot beheld orchards and fields of wheat and\nbarley, and meadow-lands where cattle were browsing in numbers. For it\nwas a very beautiful and fertile spot.\n\nIn the midst of this valley there stood a nunnery, with white walls and\ngreen trees all about it. Above the nunnery was the clear and radiant\nsky, very blue and all full of floating clouds. A soft wind blew up the\nlength of the valley, and upon the breeze there came the remote sound of\na crowing cock and the voice of the ploughboy as he drave the plough\nhorses along the smoking, upturned furrows, the ploughman following\nlaboring behind them.\n\nQuoth the maiden, \u201cThither is where I am taking thee.\u201d Said Sir\nLauncelot, \u201cTo what end?\u201d \u201cThat thou shalt presently see,\u201d said the\nmaiden.\n\n[Sidenote: _They come to the nunnery._]\n\nSo the maiden rode down into the valley and Sir Launcelot rode after\nher. Thus, anon, they came to that pleasant and secluded convent. Here\nthe gate was opened to them by a fair and youthful esquire, and they\nentered the portals of the place. Then several came and assisted them to\ndismount, and took the horses of Sir Launcelot and the maiden.\n\nAfter that the maiden led Sir Launcelot across the quadrangle of the\nconvent and so to the chapel, and they entered the chapel. Here Sir\nLauncelot beheld four ladies kneeling upon four cushions before the\naltar; and he beheld that beside these ladies there were two knights\nkneeling, each upon a cushion. Of the four ladies, one was the Lady\nAbbess of that convent; and of the two knights, one was Sir Bors de\nGanis and the other was Sir Lionel.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot finds two whom he knows._]\n\nAnon they who kneeled there ceased their orisons and arose, and Sir\nLauncelot beheld the faces of Sir Bors and Sir Lionel and knew them, and\nthey knew him. Then Sir Launcelot said to them, \u201cMessires, what is it\nbrings you hitherward?\u201d To this Sir Bors replied, \u201cSir, we were in\ndistant places and to each of us came a fair maiden who was the\nmessenger who brought each of us to this place. Since our coming we have\nbeen waiting for thee, and now thou art here.\u201d Sir Launcelot said, \u201cFor\nwhat purpose have I been brought hither?\u201d Sir Lionel said, \u201cThou shalt\nsee.\u201d Then Sir Lionel said to the Abbess, \u201cBring him forth that Sir\nLauncelot may behold him.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot finds his son._]\n\nUpon this the Lady Abbess turned to one of the nuns who stood beside\nher and she spake aside to her, and with that the nun left them and went\naway. For a little while she was gone, and then in a little while she\nreturned, bringing with her a youth of eighteen years of age, very tall\nand fair, and clad from top to toe in clothes of white silk. Said Sir\nLauncelot to the Abbess, \u201cLady, what youth is this?\u201d The Abbess replied\nto him, \u201cSir, this is thine own son, hight Galahad, and his mother was\nthe Lady Elaine the Fair.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot cried out in a loud voice, \u201cHow is this? I knew not\nthat I had a son. I beheld the Lady Elaine the Fair upon a certain black\nand terrible day, lying dead in a boat at Camelot, and I stood upon the\nquay and the boat floated beneath my feet. All this I beheld, and never\nshall I forget it; but I knew not that she left a son behind her.\u201d Said\nthe Abbess, \u201cNe\u2019ertheless she did so, and this is that son. Here hath he\nlived with us since the time of his birth when Sir Bors fetched him\nhither, and no one knew that he dwelt with us saving only Sir Bors de\nGanis. But now hath the time come that he must quit us, for the period\nis imminent when the search for the Holy Grail shall be begun, and this\nis he who shall achieve the Grail. He is now to be knighted, and for\nthat purpose thou hast been sent for that thou mightest make him a\nknight. This is the reason for thy being brought hither.\u201d Quoth Sir\nLauncelot, \u201cLet me then make him a knight. For I know of no joy that\nwould be greater than that, that I should make him a knight.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot makes Galahad a knight._]\n\nSo that night Galahad watched his armor in the chapel, and Sir Bors and\nSir Lionel sat near to him to support him in his watch. And when the\nmorning was come, they two took him thence and bathed him, and Sir Bors\nmarked the sign of the cross upon his right shoulder and Sir Lionel\nmarked the sign of the cross upon his left shoulder, each with the water\nof the bath. Thereafter that, they clad him in a robe of white, pure and\nspotless, and they brought him to where Sir Launcelot was, and Sir\nLauncelot made a knight of him, according to the accepted custom.\n\nSo was Sir Galahad made a knight by the hand of his own father, Sir\nLauncelot of the Lake.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot returns to the court._]\n\nNow, after this ceremony was completed, Sir Launcelot besought Sir\nGalahad that he would accompany them to the Court of King Arthur, so\nthat the King might behold him (for Sir Launcelot desired that Sir\nGalahad should be manifested to the entire world of chivalry). But to\nthis Sir Galahad replied, \u201cSir, I cannot yet go to the Court of the\nKing, for all is not yet accomplished to prepare me for that going.\nAnon, however, I shall come thither; meantime, do thou wait for me at\nKing Arthur\u2019s Court.\u201d So, shortly after this, Sir Launcelot and Sir\nLionel and Sir Bors de Ganis departed from that convent, and that same\nday they reached the Court of the King at Camelot.\n\nBut they said nothing to that court concerning the knighting of Galahad,\nfor at that present it was not to be made known to the world that there\nwas such an one as Galahad, and that he was Sir Launcelot\u2019s son and a\nknight of Sir Launcelot\u2019s making.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSo it befell Pentecost Day, what time the Feast of the Round Table was\nheld. Upon this day those miracles happened that are here written of,\nand that were afterward so much talked of and concerning which so much\nwas written.\n\n[Sidenote: _Concerning the miracle of the sword._]\n\nFor it happened upon that day, early in the morning when the\nwater-carriers went down to the river to draw water, they there beheld\nat that place a very strange, and wonderful sight. For beside the river\nthey beheld where there stood a great block of red marble--cubical in\nshape, and polished until it was smooth as glass. And into that cube of\nstone there was thrust a sword, half way down its blade into the marble.\nAnd the hilt of the sword and the haft, thereof, was studded all over\nwith precious stones of divers sizes and colors, very rich and glorious\nto behold. And the blade of that sword (so much thereof as could be\nseen) shone like to lightning for brightness.\n\nThen they who beheld the wonder that appeared before them made all haste\nto the castle of the King, and straightway told the news of what they\nhad seen. Anon this reached the ears of the King and of several of those\nlords who were in attendance upon him. Then the King spoke to those\nlords, saying, \u201cWhat is this I hear tell of? Let us straightway go and\nsee.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The King and his lords view the sword._]\n\nSo the King, and those lords of the court who were in his company, went\ndown to the river to look upon that wonder, and amongst those lords were\nSir Launcelot of the Lake and Sir Percival of Gales and Sir Bors de\nGanis and Sir Lionel and Sir Ector and Sir Gawaine, and several other\nhigh lords of chivalry.\n\nWhen they had come to that place where the sword was they beheld that\nthere were words written around about the blade thereof. So King Arthur\ncommanded Sir Launcelot that he should read those words, and Sir\nLauncelot read as follows:\n\n     \u201c=This sword is for the greatest knight in the world and for him who\n     shall win the Holy Grail.=\u201d\n\nThen he read:\n\n     \u201c=Whoso draweth forth this sword from the stone, to him shall that\n     sword belong; but upon him who shall endeavor to draw it forth and\n     shall not be able to do so, shall fall a wound from the blade\n     thereof.=\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur said to Sir Launcelot of the Lake, \u201cMessire, thou art\nthe greatest knight in the world, and perhaps thou shalt win the Holy\nGrail. Let me see thee draw forth that blade.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot will not attempt the sword._]\n\nQuoth Sir Launcelot, \u201cLord, I know not that I am the greatest knight in\nthe world, and I fear me that I shall not be able to win the Grail, for\nI am a sinful man. Look you; it saith here that he who shall endeavor to\ndraw it forth from the marble and shall fail to do so, he shall be\nwounded by the blade thereof. So I would fain not endeavor to draw forth\nthis sword.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur turned him to Sir Gawaine, and he said, \u201cSir, let me\nsee thee attempt that sword, for mayhap thou mayst be able to draw it\nforth out of the marble.\u201d Sir Gawaine said, \u201cLord, if Sir Launcelot dare\nnot attempt that sword, so, also, do I not dare to do so.\u201d King Arthur\nsaid to him, \u201cGawaine, I command thee upon thy fealty to attempt that\nsword.\u201d Quoth Sir Gawaine, \u201cDear my Lord, if thou dost command me upon\nmy fealty, then I must attempt to obey thy command.\u201d King Arthur said,\n\u201cI do command thee thus.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine attempts the sword._]\n\nSo Sir Gawaine came forth and he laid hand to the hilt of the sword and\ndrew strongly upon it, but the sword did not move a hair\u2019s breadth in\nthe marble stone in which it stood emplanted.\n\nThen Sir Launcelot spoke and said, \u201cAlas, Sir Gawaine, that thou\nshouldst have made that attempt and failed therein. For if thou art\nwounded by that bright-shining blade it may be of more injury to thee\nthan it would be if thou shouldst lose three several castles.\u201d Quoth Sir\nGawaine, \u201cThat may well be, Sir Launcelot, but yet it was incumbent upon\nme to do that which the King\u2019s command called upon me to do.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Percival attempts the sword._]\n\nThen up spake Sir Percival, \u201cLord,\u201d said he, \u201clet me also attempt that\nsword, for if it should be turned against Sir Gawaine I would have it\nthat it should be turned equally against me. Else I would endeavor to\ndraw it forth from the stone for mine own.\u201d The King said, \u201cTry thou for\nthe sword.\u201d So Sir Percival laid his hand to the sword and drew upon it\nvery strongly, but neither could he move it so much as the breadth of a\nsingle hair.\n\nAfter that no other lord of all those present chose to attempt the\nsword, but all avoided it from a distance, no one coming nigh enough to\nit to touch it.\n\nSo, thereafter, they all withdrew from that place and went away,\nmarvelling at the miracle. And all that day many came to where was that\nsword and the block of marble, and these stood to look upon that sight\nand to marvel at it.\n\nSuch is the story of the sword so far as this, and so have I told it to\nyou as I have read of it in an ancient book of olden days, wherein these\nadventures and several other adventures are spoken of.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThus that day of marvels began, and by and by came the time of the Feast\nof the Round Table.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad is brought to the Feast of the Round Table._]\n\nNow all they of the Round Table were gathered about that board and every\nman sat in his place, and behind every knight stood a young knight to\nserve him with meat and drink. Thus, as they all sat there, there came,\nof a sudden, a commotion at the doorway, and after that commotion there\nappeared at the doorway an old man clad all in white. That old man was\nthe Hermit of the Forest, and with him he brought a tall, fair young\nknight and that knight was Sir Galahad. At that time Sir Galahad was\nclad in flame-colored armor from top to toe, but he bare no shield for\nhis defence upon his shoulder, nor was there any sword within the sheath\nthat hung empty and hollow at his side. From his shoulders there hung a\nlong mantle of flame-colored cloth, and the mantle was lined with sable\nand trimmed and bordered with sable.\n\nThe old man lifted up his voice and spake aloud to all who were there,\nsaying, \u201cLords, here by the grace of God come I amongst you with him who\nis to be the greatest knight that ever the world beheld. Also, he is to\nbe the one who shall achieve the Holy Grail. So I have brought him\nhither to this place.\u201d\n\nHim answered King Arthur, saying, \u201cHoly Sir, if thou sayest sooth, then\nthis is a very great and marvellous thing. But soon shall we put it to\nthe test; yonder is the Seat Perilous wherein no one hath dared to seat\nhimself for all this while of the Round Table. Let this youth take there\nhis seat, for that seat is for him who is without sin of the flesh--then\nwill we believe that which thou tellest us. Also, down beside the river\nthere is a strange and marvellous sword in a cube of marble. Let him\ndraw that sword and then shall we certes believe in him.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad assumes the Seat Perilous._]\n\nThe old hermit said, \u201cSir King, it shall be done as thou desirest. Let\nhim take that seat.\u201d So the old man took him by one hand and King Arthur\narose and took him by the other, and so together they led Sir Galahad to\nthe Seat Perilous. Here he took his seat, and lo! no harm of any sort\nbefell him. Then, anon, Sir Launcelot reached forward and drew aside the\nsilken coverlet that hung at the back of the seat upon which Sir Galahad\nsat, and, behold! there was a word estamped upon the back of the seat in\nletters of gold; and that word was:\n\n     =SIR GALAHAD=\n\nThen a great shout went up from all the Knights of the Round Table, for\nthus was the Seat Perilous achieved, and so was the Round Table\ncompleted.\n\nThen King Arthur said, \u201cLo! this youth is he for whom we have been\nwaiting for all this time. For so the miracle of the Round Table is\nfulfilled. Let us now take him to the sword thrust into the marble\nstone, for certes he shall draw forth that sword, and it shall be his.\nFor, wit ye, that this is he who shall indeed achieve the Holy Grail.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad draweth the sword._]\n\nSo all they arose from their seats and went forth, and they conducted\nSir Galahad down to the river. There he beheld the stone of marble and\nthe sword thrust into the stone, and he said to those who stood about\nthat place, \u201cThis sword is assuredly mine, for I have no sword, and for\nthat sword I have come hitherward.\u201d So Sir Galahad went to where was the\nsword and he set hand to the sword and drew it forth from the stone very\nsmoothly and easily, and where the sword came forth it left no mark upon\nthe stone, for, lo! it was solid and whole and without any blemish\nwhatsoever. Then Sir Galahad thrust the bright-shining blade into the\nscabbard that hung beside him, and it fitted to the scabbard, and so he\nwas armed.\n\nThereafter King Arthur took him by the hand and kissed him upon either\ncheek, and the King said, \u201cHail, Sir Galahad! All hail to thee! For thou\nart to be the crowning glory of my entire reign. For many mysteries and\nmiracles have befallen in that reign, but thy coming is the greatest\nmiracle of all.\u201d And he said, \u201cCome, let us go up to the castle that I\nmay present thee to the Queen.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad will not stay at Camelot._]\n\nThen Sir Galahad said, \u201cNot so, O Lord! I cannot go with thee now. For\none cometh and is nigh to here at this present, and with her I must go.\nFor I go first to seek for the shield of Balan, who slew his brother\nBalin unwittingly at the time of Uther Pendragon. Through him the Holy\nGrail was lost to the earth, so that I must recover first his shield and\nthen the Holy Grail. After I have thus armed me with that shield, then\nmust I go to search for the Holy Grail, for that same is my mission here\nin life. Likewise I have this news to tell thee, that two of those\nknights here present shall win the Grail along with me; but who those\ntwo shall be, I may not relate to you at this time.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _A maiden cometh for Galahad._]\n\nThus said Sir Galahad, and even as he ceased speaking there appeared in\nthe distance a damsel clad all in white raiment, and the maiden came\nthitherward, riding upon a white palfrey, and by her hand she led by its\nbridle-rein a coal-black charger of great size and girth. So as she drew\nnear, Sir Galahad went forward to meet her, and to him the maiden said,\nspeaking very high and clear, \u201cArt thou ready, Sir Galahad?\u201d Whereunto\nhe said, \u201cYea, I am ready.\u201d And she said, \u201cCome!\u201d So Sir Galahad mounted\nupon the black charger, and he saluted King Arthur and he saluted Sir\nLauncelot and he saluted Sir Bors and Sir Lionel, and after that he rode\naway from that place, leaving them all in great wonder and amazement,\nboth at his coming and at his going, and at all that had befallen.\n\nSo, when he had gone, King Arthur turned to his court of lords, and he\nsaid, \u201cThis is certes a very wonderful visitation, for this youth came\nto us like an angel from heaven, and, like an angel, he hath gone. Let\nus now go and hear the mass ere we return to the Hall of the Round\nTable.\u201d\n\nSo all they who were there went to the mass, and as they were going Sir\nGawaine said to Sir Launcelot, \u201cMessire, this is a sad day for thee, for\nnow there is a greater knight than thou art in the world.\u201d Him answered\nSir Launcelot, \u201cNot so, Messire, there is no sadness in this for me,\nfor, wit you, that this is mine own and well-beloved son. Wherefore I,\nbeing his father, may well surrender unto him that glory which I cannot\ncarry with me into paradise, but which I would not be willing to yield\nto any other man.\u201d\n\nSo said Sir Launcelot, and thus all the world became acquainted with\nthat fact that no one but Sir Bors and Sir Lionel knew until then; to\nwit, that Sir Galahad was the true son of Sir Launcelot of the Lake.\n\n[Sidenote: _The knights vow to attempt the Grail._]\n\nNow, after the mass in the minster was over, all they of the Knights of\nthe Round Table retired to the Hall of the Round Table, and there they\ntook their seats in due order. Then, when all were seated, King Arthur\nup and said, \u201cMessires and Lords of the Round Table, all ye have heard\nwhat Sir Galahad hath said but a little while since; to wit, that two of\nyou who are here should achieve the Grail with him. Now it doth seem to\nme that several of you who are the chief of all the knights should go\nforth in search of that Holy Chalice, so as to be able to join him. For,\nby not going, those two may miss the chance of achieving that great\nglory.\u201d\n\nSo said King Arthur, and, in answer, all those who were there arose,\neach man in his place. And each man drew his sword and each held up the\nhandle of his sword before his eyes as a crucifix. And each man swore\nupon that crucifix that he would presently depart from the Court of the\nKing, and that he would search for the Holy Grail either until he\ndiscovered it or until he should perish, or until the Grail should have\nbeen achieved.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur takes sorrow._]\n\nThen King Arthur was filled with sorrow, for he would not that all of\nhis knights should go in that wise, for many of them he would have kept\nwith him at his court. And most of all he was grieved that Sir Gawaine\nshould go, for he loved Sir Gawaine above all the knights of his court,\nbecause Sir Gawaine was the son of the well-beloved sister of the King.\nSo he said to Sir Gawaine, \u201cAlas, Gawaine, you have slain the joy of my\nlife! For with this oath that ye all have uttered there departeth from\nthis court all that was of joy therein. Until now there hath been great\njoy and good content at this Court of Camelot, but now that joy hath\ntaken wing and hath flown away. For, though many of you shall return to\nthis place, yet I foresee that many shall die; and I foresee that from\nthis time there shall follow great bitterness and rancor, and anon that\ndeath and devastation shall overtake us all. For this is the time\nforetold by Merlin, of which ye all have heard tell. For, according to\nthat prophecy, this day the Round Table hath been filled to its\ncompletion, so that hereafter it shall soon fall apart into warring and\ncontention until it be altogether destroyed.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot comforts King Arthur._]\n\nThen Sir Launcelot said to the King, \u201cComfort you, my lord, for though\nthe Round Table may indeed perish thus, yet, ere it be dissolved, there\nshall come great honor and a great glory unto you and unto us all. For\nwhat greater glory can there be to you than that the knights of your\nRound Table should achieve the Holy Grail? And what greater honor can\nthere be than that we should endanger our lives in that quest? For we\nall seek death hither and thither, and if it so befall that death cometh\nto us in this cause, how much better is it to die in that wise than to\nhave death come to us in some vain quarrel or adventure.\u201d\n\nQuoth King Arthur, \u201cThat which thou sayest, Launcelot, is very true, yet\ndo I greatly grieve for this happening. For though we may look forward\nto a glorious sorrow, yet when that sorrow cometh to us it appeareth to\nbe so much greater than the glory that it hides that glory from our\neyes. So, Launcelot, is it with me; for though I may take glory that my\nknights shall achieve the Holy Grail, yet is the sorrow very great to me\nthat this Round Table should be dissolved. Alas, and alas, that it\nshould be so!\u201d\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThus the Knights of the Round Table went forth in quest of the\nGrail--fifty of them in all. All of those who thus went had adventures,\nand many of them lost their lives and did never return again. But of\nthose of whom this history telleth there is only Sir Launcelot, Sir\nGawaine, Sir Percival, Sir Bors, and Sir Galahad, and one or two others.\nOf them and of their adventures it remains now to be told; wherefore,\nfolloweth the history of those things hereinafter written.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: The Lady of the Lake and Sir Galahad]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Second\n\n_How Sir Galahad was led by a strange lady to a monastery of White\nFriars. How he met there two other Knights of the Round Table. How King\nBagdemagus wore the shield, and how it was taken from him and given unto\nSir Galahad. Also the story of the shield._\n\n\nSir Galahad rode away from Camelot, where was the Court of King Arthur,\nfollowing after the maiden clad all in white. Thus they wended onward\nuntil they reached the skirts of the forest. At this place the maiden\nsaid, \u201cSir Galahad, I must here leave you. But go you farther upon\nyonder path, and by and by you will be met and entertained.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad comes to a strange country._]\n\nSo Sir Galahad rode forward upon that path as the maiden directed. And\nhe rode a great distance into the forest until at last he reached the\nForest of Arroy, otherwise called the Forest of Adventure. Here, after\nhe had ridden for a considerable time, he came at last to a very strange\nplace. For he found the trees grew thin and thinner about him. Then, at\nlast, the trees ceased around him, and he found himself upon the edge of\na wide and open plain. And he beheld that all about him in this plain\nthere were great quantities of lilies, and there were also daffodils,\nand all those flowers moved this way and that, very slowly in the gentle\nair, as though they saluted him in coming. And Sir Galahad beheld that\nthis was a very wonderful place indeed, for the light that illumined it\nwas not the light of the sun nor of the moon, but it was a radiant and\ngolden glory that was not due to the light of either of those\nluminaries.\n\nAnd in the midst of that flowery plain Sir Galahad beheld that there was\na wide and very placid lake that was in no wise troubled by the soft\nbreeze that blew across it, but that was otherwise like a smooth mirror\nof clear water.\n\nSo as Sir Galahad beheld all these things and marvelled at them, he was\naware that this was not the land of common earth, but that it was fay.\n\nThen anon he was aware that voices were calling aloud, saying, \u201cWelcome,\nwelcome, Sir Galahad!\u201d as it were with great rejoicing. So he looked,\nand lo! he beheld to one side a fair and shining pavilion of green silk.\nAnd there were many people gathered in the field near the pavilion, and\nsome of them were ladies and some were lords and others were pages, and\nall were clad in very gay and rainbow colors, so that it appeared as\nthough it were a flock of gaudy birds of various plumage that was\ngathered in that place.\n\nSo Sir Galahad turned him toward that gay and jocund company, and as he\ndrew near to them he beheld that they were weaving garlands and wreaths\nof fair flowers.\n\n(For these, you are to know, were the attendants of the Lady of the\nLake, and that was the lake in which was her habitation, and he had been\nled to that place for a certain purpose that they and others might see\nand know him.)\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad abides there for four days._]\n\nSo this place pleased Sir Galahad very greatly, and he remained for\nthree days, taking great joy in that jocund company. For somewhiles they\nfeasted and somewhiles they sang; somewhiles they danced and somewhiles\nthey related pleasant tales and contes of several kinds. So it was that\nthese three days passed very pleasantly and very quickly with Sir\nGalahad.\n\n[Sidenote: _There cometh the Lady of the Lake._]\n\nThen, upon the morning of the fourth day, there appeared a lady in their\nmidst to whom all who were there paid great deference and high respect;\nand this lady was of a very wonderful appearance. For she was clad in\ngreen samite from head to foot, and her hair was long and\nextraordinarily black, and very soft and glossy. And her face was pale,\nlike to ivory, and her eyes were bright, like to jewels set in ivory.\nAnd upon her neck and around her arms were chains and bracelets of gold\ninset with emerald stones. Wherefore, from these things, and from the\nappearance of all about him, Sir Galahad was aware that that lady was\nnot mortal, but that she was fay.\n\n(For this was indeed the Lady of the Lake, although he knew it not then\nnor afterward.)\n\nSo Sir Galahad kneeled in the grass before the lady and he set his palms\ntogether. But she smiled upon him and she said to him, \u201cArise, Galahad,\nand kneel not to me, who am not of the spirit, but of the earth.\u201d And\nshe said to him, \u201cWhere is thy shield?\u201d He said to her, \u201cLady, I have no\nshield.\u201d She said to him, \u201cLet us go and find thee a shield.\u201d\n\nSo straightway there came several attendants, and some of these brought\nSir Galahad his black charger, and others brought for the lady a\nbeautiful janet as white as milk. And upon the back of the janet was a\nsaddle of scarlet Spanish leather, embossed with gold and jewels, so\nthat it shone and glistered with great splendor.\n\nThen Sir Galahad mounted his horse and the lady mounted herself upon the\njanet, and so together they rode away from that place.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady of the Lake leadeth Sir Galahad to a shield._]\n\nThus they rode for all that day, and against the sloping of the\nafternoon they had come to the edge of the forest opposite to that part\nof the forest where was the town of Camelot. At this place there was a\nmonastery of White Friars, and to this the lady pointed and said to Sir\nGalahad, \u201cThither thou wilt find a shield.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Galahad would have thanked her for bringing him thither, but\nlo! she was gone from his sight and he was alone. Then the monastery\nbell began ringing, and Sir Galahad rode down to that holy house.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad enters the monastery._]\n\nSo he came to the monastery and smote with the butt of his lance upon\nthe gate. Then the porters came and opened the gate to him, and when\nthey beheld him they gave him welcome to that place. So he entered the\ncourtyard of the monastery, and several came and gathered about him.\nSome of these took his horse and led it away to the stable; others\nconducted him into the house and afterward brought him to the chamber\nwherein he was to be lodged. Here they removed his armor and brought him\nto a bath of tepid water. After that they clad him in raiment that was\nsoft and warm so that he had great ease and comfort.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad findeth Sir Bagdemagus and Sir Ewaine._]\n\nThen, when he was thus clad, they conducted him to the hall of that\nmonastery, and there he beheld that there were two other knights then\npresent. The one of these was Sir Ewaine, and the other was Sir\nBagdemagus, erstwhile called King Bagdemagus. These were both Knights of\nthe Round Table, wherefore they greeted him and gave him great welcome.\n\nSir Ewaine said to him, \u201cI pray you, sir, tell us how you came hither.\u201d\nSir Galahad said, \u201cI will tell you.\u201d So he told them how he had abided\nin the midst of the forest near to that magic lake for the space of\nthree days. And he told them how that lady, who was fay, had conducted\nhim to that place, and had told him that there was here a shield with\nwhich he might provide himself. To all this Sir Ewaine and King\nBagdemagus listened, and then Sir Ewaine said to Sir Galahad, \u201cMessire,\nno doubt that lady who accompanied thee hitherward was the Lady of the\nLake, for so hath she appeared to several of King Arthur\u2019s Court as she\nhath appeared to thee.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Abbot tells of the shield._]\n\nJust then came the Abbot of that place, and King Bagdemagus said to him,\n\u201cSir, I pray you tell us, is there at this place a shield of such and\nsuch a sort?\u201d The Abbot replied to him, \u201cAye, sir, there is here a\nstrange and miraculous shield, and it hangeth behind the altar, and it\nhath hung there for God knoweth how long.\u201d King Bagdemagus said, \u201cI\nwould fain see that shield.\u201d The Abbot replied, \u201cI will show it to you\nto-morrow morning, but not to-night. For I am come to conduct you to\nsupper, and not to show you a shield.\u201d\n\nSo, when they were seated at supper, Sir Galahad said to the two\nknights, \u201cI pray you tell me how you came hitherward to this place.\u201d\n\u201cThat I will do,\u201d quoth Sir Ewaine. And he said, \u201cSir Bagdemagus and I\nset forth from Camelot in search of the Grail. After we had journeyed\nfor a long distance, we came to that part of the forest that is called\nthe Forest of Arroy, or otherwise the Forest of Adventure. Here we\nwandered for some while without being freed from it, for the Forest of\nAdventure is not very difficult to find, but is often very difficult to\nescape from. After a while, however, we found a way to escape from that\nforest, and so came out upon the further side of it. There we beheld,\nbelow us, this place and so we came to it. Such, sir, is the way in\nwhich we came hither.\u201d\n\nThus these three knights and the high officers of that monastery ate and\ndrank together, discoursing very pleasantly the while. And when they had\nceased eating and drinking and talking together, they were weary, and\neach withdrew to his couch and to sleep.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Abbot takes the three knights to the shield._]\n\nNow, when the next morning had come and when they had broken their fast,\nKing Bagdemagus said to the Abbot, \u201cI pray you now to show us that\nshield concerning which we spoke last night.\u201d The Abbot said, \u201cI will do\nso. Come with me.\u201d So he led them to the chapel and he led them behind\nthe altar, and there they beheld the shield where it hung. And the\nshield was exceedingly white and shining, as it were of brightly\npolished silver. And upon the shield was marked a red cross, very strong\nand bold in its marking.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Bagdemagus covets the shield._]\n\nBut when King Bagdemagus beheld the shield, he coveted it exceedingly,\nand he said, \u201cThat is a very beautiful shield. I pray you let me have\nthat shield for mine own, and I will give my shield to Sir Galahad.\u201d To\nhim the Abbot replied, \u201cMessire, I would gladly give you that shield,\nbut there is said of it that whoever taketh it except the one man for\nwhom it is destined, harm shall come to him, and great suffering.\u201d King\nBagdemagus said, \u201cThat may be so, but, haply, I am he for whom it is\ndestined. At any rate, I am a tried and well-approved knight, wherefore\nif I take it I will essay to keep it, as a knight of standing may hope\nto keep his shield.\u201d The Abbot said to him, \u201cThen take it, sir, in God\u2019s\nname.\u201d\n\nSo King Bagdemagus took the shield and hung it about his neck. And he\nsaid to those other two knights, \u201cMessires, I know not whether there is\nany malaventure appertaining to this shield, but, at any rate, I shall\nessay to keep and to hold it. Nevertheless, I pray you to await me here\nfor this day. And if anything happeneth to me, I will return and give\nyou report as to that happening.\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Galahad and Sir Ewaine replied that they would remain at\nthat place until the following morning.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bagdemagus rides errant into the forest._]\n\nAfter that Sir Bagdemagus mounted horse and rode away. And he directed\nhis horse into the forest, and rode there a considerable distance away\nfrom the monastery. So, by and by, he came to a place where two highways\nparted, and where there was a cross of stone, and at that place he\nbeheld a knight in white armor, seated upon a white horse. This White\nKnight stood across the way upon which Sir Bagdemagus was travelling,\nand he appeared to be very threatening and austere. So, when Sir\nBagdemagus came pretty close to that White Knight, the White Knight said\nto him, \u201cMessire, I prithee tell me, where got you that shield that I\nbehold hanging upon your neck?\u201d Sir Bagdemagus said to him, \u201cI got this\nshield at a monastery of White Friars, at some distance from this.\u201d The\nWhite Knight said to him, \u201cI bid you take back that shield, and return\nit whence you got it, for it belongeth not to you.\u201d Quoth Sir\nBagdemagus, \u201cThat will I not do until I am compelled. For now that I\nhave this shield I propose to keep it for mine own, unless it is taken\naway from me in battle.\u201d To this the White Knight replied, \u201cVery well,\nthen, thou shalt do battle for it, and that anon. Now prepare thyself\nstraightway for battle with me.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bagdemagus is overthrown by the White Knight._]\n\nUpon this each knight made himself ready, and when they were in all ways\nprepared, they dashed together with great violence. In that encounter\nthe spear of Sir Bagdemagus passed very smoothly from the shield of the\nWhite Knight, but the spear of the White Knight pierced the shoulder of\nSir Bagdemagus, over above the shield which protected not that part of\nhis body. And the point of the spear of the White Knight passed through\nthe shoulder of Sir Bagdemagus, so that he was flung with great violence\nto the earth.\n\nThen anon the White Knight came to where Sir Bagdemagus lay, and he said\nto him, \u201cSir, how fares it with you?\u201d Quoth Sir Bagdemagus, \u201cAlas,\nMessire, I am very grievously hurt, for thou hast pierced through my\nshoulder with thy lance, and I suffer very greatly.\u201d\n\nTherewith the White Knight dismounted from his horse and he lifted and\nraised Sir Bagdemagus. And after that he had beheld the wound, he laid\nSir Bagdemagus upon his horse. Then he took the bridle-rein of Sir\nBagdemagus\u2019 horse, and he led the horse and the wounded man back to the\nmonastery whence he had that morning come.\n\n[Sidenote: _The White Knight bringeth Sir Bagdemagus to the monastery._]\n\nSo, by and by, they two arrived there, and several came and took the\nhorse of Sir Bagdemagus. And they lifted him from his horse and carried\nhim into the house, and laid him upon a bed, and searched his wound. But\nwhen they came to look for the White Knight, he was gone, nor wist they\nwhither he went. And the wound of Sir Bagdemagus was very deep, so that\nfor a long while he hung, as it were, balanced betwixt life and death.\n\nBut Sir Bagdemagus did not die; otherwise, the next day, he summoned Sir\nGalahad to him. And when Sir Galahad had come to him, Sir Bagdemagus\nsaid to him, \u201cMessire, I had no right to that shield and I suffered for\ntaking it. I believe that it belongeth, indeed, to you; wherefore I pray\nyou for to take it and to wear it, henceforth, for your own. But who\nthat White Knight was who met me, or whence he came, or how he knew that\nI had that shield, I know not, nor perhaps ever shall know.\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Galahad answered, \u201cSir, I will assume that shield and all\nthe dangers that appertain to it, trusting that it belongs to me, and\ndoing battle to retain it if need be.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad takes the shield._]\n\nSo Sir Galahad took the shield and hung it about his neck. Then he\ncalled for his horse, and mounting upon it he rode away from that place.\n\nBut King Bagdemagus lay there at the monastery for many days and for\nseveral weeks ere he was fit to travel again.\n\nAfter that Sir Galahad travelled for all that day, and anon, toward the\nsloping of the afternoon, he was an hungered, and he wist not where he\nshould come at refreshment for to eat. At that time he passed through a\nlittle woodland, and when he had traversed it he came out of it upon a\nsmall, open place upon the other side of it, where there was a fair\nmeadow of short green grass.\n\nHere he beheld a pavilion of particolored silks, and he beheld that\nbefore the pavilion there stood a tall and noble-appearing knight, clad\nin white armor. This knight, beholding Sir Galahad, said to him, \u201cSir,\nwhence come you?\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Galahad made answer, \u201cSir, I came from a monastery over\nyonderways, where I got me this shield.\u201d Quoth the White Knight, \u201cArt\nthou Sir Galahad?\u201d and Sir Galahad replied, \u201cYea, I am he.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad meets the White Knight._]\n\nThen the White Knight said to him, \u201cI pray you, sir, to dismount from\nyour horse and to come in and refresh yourself, for I have been awaiting\nyou this long while.\u201d And Sir Galahad replied, \u201cSir, I give you\ngrammercy for your kindness.\u201d\n\nSo the White Knight assisted Sir Galahad to dismount from his horse. And\nhe brought him into the pavilion, and Sir Galahad beheld that there was\nthere set a feast spread ready for his coming. So they seated themselves\nat table, and three esquires clad in green samite waited upon them, and\nthey both ate and drank of the food and drink that was set before them,\nand which was very excellent.\n\nThen the White Knight said, \u201cSir, to-morrow we shall ride together for a\nlittle way, meanwhile let us rest here to-night.\u201d And Sir Galahad said,\n\u201cSo let it be.\u201d\n\nSo, by and by, there came two other esquires who took Sir Galahad and\nbrought him to where was a soft and luxurious couch of down, and there\nhe rested and slept for the night.\n\nAnd when the morrow had come, Sir Galahad arose and the White Knight\narose and the esquires came and armed them. Then they each mounted his\nhorse, and so they rode away together.\n\n[Sidenote: _The White Knight tells Sir Galahad of the shield._]\n\nNow when these two, to wit, Sir Galahad and the White Knight, were thus\nupon their way, the White Knight said to Sir Galahad, \u201cSir, wit you what\nis the story of the Grail, and what is the history of that shield that\nyou wear at your neck?\u201d Sir Galahad said, \u201cNay, but I pray you to tell\nme that story.\u201d Quoth the White Knight, \u201cI will do so. It is as follows:\n\n\u201cIn the old days of Uther Pendragon there were two knights who were twin\nbrothers. One of these knights was hight Balan and the other was hight\nBalin.\n\n\u201cNow at that time there was in the enchanted city of Sarras two very\ngreat marvels; one of these was the spear with which the blessed side\nwas wounded at the time of the crucifixion, and the other was the\nchalice into which the blood was drained from that deep and pitiful\nwound. But how they came to the city of Sarras is too long a story to\ntell.\n\n[Sidenote: _How Sir Balan came to Sarras._]\n\n\u201cNow Sir Balan was in the city of Sarras, and he was entertained at the\ncastle of the king of that country, whose name was King Pischer. This\nKing was at enmity with Sir Balan, whom he very greatly hated. So that\nnight when Sir Balan lay upon his bed, King Pischer, at the head of\nseveral men, attacked Sir Balan where he lay unarmed. He, starting up\nfrom his sleep, beheld them coming, and so he fled away from those who\nwould assail him, and so he escaped into the chapel of the castle, where\nthose two holy relics--to wit, the spear and the chalice--were kept.\nHither his enemies followed him and would have slain him, even upon the\nsteps of the altar, only that, beholding the spear, Sir Balan seized\nupon it and ran with it against them. In that assault he smote King\nPischer with the spear, a very great and bitter stroke. For the point of\nthe spear penetrated the corselet of King Pischer, and inflicted a deep\nwound in the shoulder. And after that Sir Balan attacked the others who\nwere with King Pischer, and drave them all before him. So Sir Balan used\nthat holy spear for his own preservation.\n\n\u201cBut as Sir Balan stood holding the spear and beholding his enemies\nretreat from that place, there came to him a voice as from heaven,\nsaying to him, \u2018Balan! Balan! what hast thou done?\u2019\n\n[Sidenote: _How there came an earthquake._]\n\n\u201cAnd as the voice ceased its words there came, as from beneath, a deep\nand hollow rumbling. And the rumbling grew louder and louder, until it\nbecame a great earthquake, so that the earth rocked beneath the feet.\nThen the chapel and the castle and all that place reeled, and the castle\nfell, one stone upon another, so that all who were within it were buried\nbeneath the ruins. At the same time the spear and the chalice\ndisappeared from that place, and neither have they ever been seen from\nthat time--saving only that in visions they have been seen. For Sir\nPercival beheld both the spear and the chalice, and others have beheld\nthem from time to time.\n\n[Sidenote: _How Sir Balan escapes._]\n\n\u201cSir Balan was not killed by the fall of that castle, nor was King\nPischer killed, but all others in the castle perished in its fall. But\nrather had King Pischer been killed, for that wound in his shoulder\nremained unhealed, and King Pischer could not die for a long while,\nthough he suffered very greatly from that wound every day that he lived.\nSuch, O Galahad! is the story of the Grail.\n\n\u201cNow touching this shield; wit you it is the shield of Sir Balan, and\nthe way in which it came to the monastery of the White Friars is as\nfolloweth:\n\n[Sidenote: _How Sir Balan fought with the Knight of the Ford._]\n\n\u201cOne day Sir Balan came to a certain part of the country where was a\nmonastery of White Friars, and where he had news of a knight who guarded\nthe ford of a river at that place. So Sir Balan went to that river and\nhe beheld there the knight guarding the ford. Then Sir Balan attempted\nto pass the ford, but the knight would not allow him to do so, wherefore\nthey came to battle with one another. They fought for an entire morning,\nand for longer than that, and each gave the other many grievous wounds,\nand what with loss of blood and with continuous fighting they grew ever\nweaker and weaker, so that neither of them could stand without great\nado. But at last Sir Balan gave to his enemy a deadly blow that brought\nhim to the earth. Then he rushed off his helmet to make an end of him,\nbut when the face beneath was free from its helmet he beheld it, and saw\nthat it was the face of his twin brother, Sir Balin, whom he was about\nto slay.\n\n\u201cThen he cried out in horror, \u2018Alas, and woe is me! Is it thou, Balin,\nwhom I am about to slay? Lo! I am thy brother Balan!\u2019\n\n[Sidenote: _How Sir Balan slew his brother Balin._]\n\n\u201cThen Balin, feeling that he was near to death, wept a great deal. And\nhe forgave his brother Balan, and he bade Balan, when he was dead, to\nbury him at that place beneath a thorn tree that grew there and that was\ncovered all over with spikes, as it were a chevaux de frise. Then he\ndied, and Balan performed that task--to wit, to bury him there.\n\n\u201cAnon came several White Friars from a monastery that was near by, and\nthese took Balan to the monastery and there he died, for he was very\nsorely wounded, and his heart was broken.\n\n[Sidenote: _How Sir Balan marked the shield._]\n\n\u201cBut ere he died he took his shield to him and he drew upon it a great\ncross in his own blood. And he told the friars of that place to keep\nthat shield until he should come who was to achieve the Holy Grail and\nto return it unto Sarras again. And Sir Balan predicted of that shield\nthat it should always remain bright as silver until that time, and that\nthe cross of blood should ever remain as red as it was that day; and he\npredicted of it that no one should be able to wear that shield saving\nonly that one for whom it was intended; and he predicted of that shield\nthat it should never be pierced by the point of any weapon forged by the\nhand of man. So it was and such is that shield which thou carriest, Sir\nGalahad.\u201d\n\nAll this Sir Galahad listened to and heard, and when the White Knight\nhad ended his words, he said, \u201cSir, I would that I knew who thou art. I\npray thee to tell me that.\u201d But to this the White Knight only smiled and\nmade reply, \u201cI may not tell thee who I am, only this I may say, that I\nam he who hath had that shield under continual surveillance until now,\nand now I find that it hath fallen into hands that are even better able\nto care for it and to cherish it than were the hands of Sir Balan of\nold.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad parts from the White Knight._]\n\nThus these two knights travelled forward together until night to the\nsetting of the sun. Then at last they came to a place where the roadway\ndivided, and at that place the White Knight said to Sir Galahad,\n\u201cMessire, here I must leave thee. Continue upon that way and anon thou\nwilt come to a chapel where thou mayst be refreshed, and where thou\nmayst lodge for the night.\u201d So saying, the White Knight saluted Sir\nGalahad, and he saluted the White Knight again. Then the White Knight\nrode down one path into the woods, and Sir Galahad entered upon the\nother path as he had been directed to do. But Sir Galahad turned his\nhead to look after the White Knight ere he should reach the forest, but\nlo! he was not there, nor was anything to be seen, saving only the trees\nof the woodland and the red light of the sunset that lay upon the\nground, falling through the leaves of the trees like to liquid gold\nspread there upon the earth in small, round, and brightly shining discs.\n\nAfter that Sir Galahad continued upon his way until, anon, he heard the\nringing of a bell, and with that he wist where he was, and that he was\nnot far distant from the chapel of the Hermit of the Forest. So Sir\nGalahad spurred forward and in a little while he beheld the chapel, and\nhe beheld the Hermit of the Forest, ringing the bell for vespers.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad lodges with the Hermit of the Forest._]\n\nSo he came to that place that was very quiet and innocent, for he beheld\nthat many birds sat perched upon the branches of the trees coadjacent to\nthat place, and that several of the wild creatures of the woods,\ntogether with a wild doe and its fawn, were also there. For these things\nloved the Hermit of the Forest, and followed him whithersoever he went\nabout that place.\n\nThen the Hermit of the Forest beheld Sir Galahad and gave him welcome,\nand he brought him to eat and drink and prepared a lodging for him for\nthe night.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThus, then, was Sir Galahad armed with his shield, and therewith was he\narmed completely, for he needed no other thing to arm him for his\ndefence.\n\nSo I have told you the history of these doings that you might know of\nthem how they were. Now, having thus armed him entirely, so shall we\nturn to the further history of the adventures relating to these things.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Sir Galahad meets Sir Melyas]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Third\n\n_How Sir Galahad met with Sir Melyas. How Sir Melyas was overthrown, and\nhow Sir Galahad overthrew his enemies. Also how Sir Galahad did at the\nCastle of Maidens._\n\n\nNow Sir Galahad departed next morning betimes, after he had broken his\nfast. And he wended his way through the forest, he knew not whitherward.\nAfter a considerable while he came to where two roads crossed one\nanother, and where there was a cross of stone. Here was a clear, limpid\nfountain of cold water, and at the fountain Sir Galahad beheld that\nthere sat a young knight.\n\nThis young knight had been refreshing himself with draughts of the\nwater, and now sat with his helmet beside him, whilst the soft and\ngentle wind blew upon his forehead and his hair.\n\n[Sidenote: Sir _Galahad meets Sir Melyas._]\n\nAnon, when Sir Galahad had come nigh to him he said to the youthful\nknight, \u201cSir, I pray you tell me who you are.\u201d \u201cI will do so,\u201d replied\nthe young knight. \u201cBut you must also tell me your name and degree.\u201d\n\u201cThat I will do,\u201d said Sir Galahad. \u201cWit you that I am called Galahad,\nand that I am lately made a knight of King Arthur\u2019s Round Table.\u201d \u201cAnd\nI,\u201d said the other, \u201cam hight Melyas, and I am the son of the King of\nDenmark.\u201d Quoth Sir Galahad, \u201cI give you grammercy for your\ninformation.\u201d And he said, \u201cI pray you tell me, what do you here in the\nforest alone?\u201d\n\n\u201cLast night,\u201d said Sir Melyas, \u201cI came hitherward, and since then I have\nbeen travelling through the forest. I slept in the woodland then and I\nhave not broken my fast since the prime of yesterday.\u201d \u201cHah!\u201d said Sir\nGalahad. \u201cNow I will give you advice. Journey whence I came and by this\nroad, and you will, by and by, come to the chapel of the Hermit of the\nForest, which is not very far distant. He will give you to eat and to\ndrink.\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Melyas, \u201cI give you thanks, Messire.\u201d Thereupon he arose, and\nassuming his helmet he mounted his horse; and, having saluted Sir\nGalahad and Sir Galahad having saluted him, they parted company, each\ngoing upon his way.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Melyas meets two strange knights._]\n\nNow Sir Melyas had not gone half a mile from that place when he met two\nknights, and as Sir Melyas approached them, one of the knights set his\nhorse athwart the way and he said, \u201cSir, I pray you tell me who you are\nand whither you go.\u201d Him answered Sir Melyas very mildly, \u201cMessire, my\nname is Melyas, and I travel toward the chapel of the Hermit of the\nForest.\u201d\n\nQuoth the knight, \u201cWell, sir, since you come hitherward, I will have it\nthat you try a pass with me. So prepare yourself to encounter me\nforthwith.\u201d\n\nHim answered Sir Melyas, \u201cMessire, I have naught against you, but if it\nis your will that I do battle with you, then I must do so.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The strange knight overthrows Sir Melyas._]\n\nSo Sir Melyas prepared himself in all ways for that encounter, and the\nother knight likewise prepared himself, and when both were in all ways\nready they launched themselves the one against the other with the utmost\nviolence. So they met in the midst of the course and the spear of Sir\nMelyas was broken into a great many pieces in that encounter, but the\nspear of the other knight held, so that it pierced through the shield of\nSir Melyas, wounding him in the side, and casting him with such violence\nto the earth that he lay there without motion, like one who is dead.\nThen the other knight leaped from his horse and he ran to Sir Melyas and\nrushed the helmet from his head and he set his misericordia to his\nthroat, saying, \u201cYield thee, Sir Knight, or I shall presently slay\nthee.\u201d And Sir Melyas reviving from his swoon said, \u201cSir, slay me not,\nfor I am sorely hurt.\u201d\n\nNow turn we to Sir Galahad:\n\nAs he rode onward upon his way, a voice suddenly spoke within him, as it\nwere in his very ears. And the voice said, \u201cReturn, Sir Galahad, for Sir\nMelyas is in peril of his life.\u201d And again it said, \u201cReturn in haste,\nfor Sir Melyas is in peril of his life.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad rides to rescue Sir Melyas._]\n\nThereupon Sir Galahad turned his horse about and set it to the gallop,\nfor he thought that were he mistaken in the voice, then was there no\ngreat harm done in returning. So he rode back whence he had come. And\nanon he reached that place where Sir Melyas had fallen, and he beheld\nthe knight kneeling upon Sir Melyas with the misericordia at his throat,\nand he heard the words that the knight uttered and that Sir Melyas\nuttered. Then Sir Galahad cried out in a loud voice, \u201cSir Knight,\nwithhold thy hand. Turn thou to me, for I am here to defend that\nknight.\u201d\n\nThen the knight withheld his hand, and he cried out, \u201cWho art thou, Sir\nKnight, who cometh hither?\u201d Sir Galahad replied, \u201cIt matters not who I\nam, saving only that I am here to defend that fallen knight.\u201d \u201cWell,\u201d\nquoth the other, \u201clet it be that way if such is your will. Make you\nready.\u201d So the knight arose and ran to his horse and mounted thereon;\nand he took his spear in hand, and when he was in all ways prepared,\neach knight took stand for the assault.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad overthrows the strange knight._]\n\nThen they rushed together like a thunderbolt and each knight smote the\nother in the midst of the shield. But the spear of the knight could not\npenetrate the shield of Sir Galahad; otherwise, it slid away from it as\nthough it had been made of adamant, and in sliding away the spear was\nbroken into several pieces. But the spear of Sir Galahad held, so that\nwith it he pierced through the shield of the other, and pierced through\nhis body until the spear\u2019s point stood a hand\u2019s breadth out behind his\nback. With that the knight was flung to the earth with such violence\nthat his neck was broken and he lay dead.\n\nWhen the other knight beheld him fall, he cried out, \u201cHah, Messire, what\nhave you done? You have slain my brother.\u201d Therewith he drew his sword\nand rushed at Sir Galahad, and Sir Galahad threw aside his spear and\ndrew his sword in defence. Then the knight launched a blow at Sir\nGalahad, which he turned with his sword and his shield. Then rising in\nhis stirrups he launched a blow at the knight that was like a stroke of\nlightning for speed and force.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad overcometh the other knight._]\n\nThe other knight tried to turn that blow, and he did turn it from his\nhead, but the blow fell upon his left shoulder with great and terrible\nforce, so that the edge of the sword cut through the epulier of the\nshoulder and it cut through the flesh and the bone of the arm so that\nthe arm was severed from the trunk.\n\nThen the knight emitted a great loud and bitter cry, and casting aside\nhis sword he set spurs to his horse and sped away through the forest,\ncrying aloud as he spurred, \u201cOh, God! Alas, and woe is me!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad bringeth Sir Melyas to the Hermit of the\nForest._]\n\nThen Sir Galahad wiped his sword and thrust it back into its scabbard.\nAnd he turned to Sir Melyas, and he said, \u201cSir, how fares it with you?\u201d\nQuoth Sir Melyas, \u201cMessire, I am sorely wounded, but you have saved me;\nfor never did I behold so fierce and terrible a blow as that which you\nstruck just now, nor did I think it possible that anyone could strike\nwith such dreadful force as that.\u201d Quoth Sir Galahad, \u201cNor could I have\nstruck such a blow were it not that meseemed that those two knights\nrepresented two great sins; the one of the sin of pride, the other the\nsin of cruelty. So that thought gave me, as it were, the strength of\nten, wherefore when I struck I struck with the strength as of ten.\u201d\nAfter that he turned to the knight lying upon the ground and found him\ndead. And he raised Sir Melyas and set him upon his horse. And he upheld\nhim in that wise and returned with him to the chapel of the Hermit of\nthe Forest. There the Hermit received Sir Melyas, and laid him upon a\ncouch. And he searched his wound and dressed it, and Sir Melyas was put\nto all possible ease with him.\n\nThis was Sir Galahad\u2019s first adventure, and so I have told it to you as\nit happened, for so have I read it in the ancient history of these\nthings.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad heareth of the Castle of the Maidens._]\n\nNow, after Sir Galahad had quitted that forest he came out the next day\nupon a fair and fertile plain. Anon he met an old man and a young lad.\nThese he saluted, and he said to the old man, \u201cReverend Sir, I pray you\ntell me, is there any adventure hereabouts that a young knight such as I\nam might undertake to his honor?\u201d Quoth the old man, \u201cAye, I know of\nsuch an adventure.\u201d And he said, \u201cKnow you that there is not far from\nthis a castle called the Castle of Maidens. At that castle there are ten\nknights dwelling, who exact tribute from every passer-by. Moreover,\nthese knights are very cruel and unruly, for they now govern all this\nland as with a rod of iron, exacting taxes from the people thereof where\nno taxes are due, so that all in this country groan beneath the burden\nlaid upon them. Pass you by that castle, fair sir, and you will have\nadventure enough and to spare from those ten knights.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Galahad inquired, \u201cWhither is that castle whereof thou\nspeakest?\u201d And the old man pointed in a certain direction with his hand,\nsaying, \u201cYonderway you will find it.\u201d So Sir Galahad gave the old man\ngrammercy for that which he had told him, and he rode away whitherward\nthe other pointed.\n\nAnon he came to the crest of a high, steep hill of no very great extent,\nand from that hilltop he beheld beneath him a large and noble castle.\nAnd the castle had tall, red roofs of tile, and great quantities of\nrooks and daws flew about those roofs like bees about a beehive. And a\nriver ran down past the castle and beyond it, and where it ran past the\ncastle the pollard willows were pressed close against the castle walls,\nbecause of the narrowness of the space between the castle wall and the\nwaters of the river. Beside the walls of the castle there was a town,\nand the town was very populous, for Sir Galahad, from the hilltop where\nhe sat, could behold many people coming and going along the stony\nstreets thereof. Then Sir Galahad surmised that this must be the Castle\nof Maidens (though why it was so called he did not know then nor till\nafterward).\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad cometh to that castle._]\n\nSo Sir Galahad gathered up his reins and he rode down that hill and\ntoward the castle, and he was not aware that anyone knew of his coming.\nBut as he rode past the castle beneath the walls thereof, he was of a\nsudden called to from above. And when he looked up he beheld there a\nsmall turret, and he beheld that upon that turret there stood ten fair\nmaidens, and these were they who called to him. Beholding these ten fair\nyoung ladies at that place, he bespoke them, saying, \u201cLadies, heaven\nkeep and defend you. Now, I pray you tell me, what is the name of this\ncastle, and what is it you do here?\u201d They say to him, \u201cFair Sir, this\ncastle is called the Castle of Maidens. We are prisoners here, and are\nkept in this duress by ten wicked and discourteous knights, from whom\nheaven keep you. For if you travel on the road upon which you are\njourneying, you will pass by the bridge-head of this castle, and they\nwill maybe come down to assail you.\u201d To them Sir Galahad said, \u201cLadies,\nI know not whether I could do battle with success as one against\nten--yet if I considered these knights as being the ten deadly sins,\nmethinks I would have strength given to me to do combat with them. Now I\npray you tell me, how may I assure myself to meet these knights?\u201d\n\nQuoth one of the ladies upon the turret, \u201cSir, assuredly thou hast a\ngreat heart within thee. Now if thou wilt pursue the way thou art going,\nthou wilt by and by come by the bridge-head. Thereby thou wilt find an\niron horn hanging from a stone pillar. If those knights do not appear,\nset thou that horn to thy lips and blow upon it, and anon thou wilt\nbehold those ten warriors of whom we have been speaking.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad bloweth the castle horn._]\n\nSo Sir Galahad saluted them and rode away, and anon he came to where the\nbridge crossed the stream, and there he beheld the post of stone and\nfrom it, hanging by a chain, he beheld the horn of iron. This horn he\nset to his lips and blew very loud and shrilly upon it, so that the\nwalls of the castle echoed back the bleat of that horn.\n\nSoon after that the gates of the castle were opened and the portcullis\nlet fall, and there came thundering forth from that place ten knights,\narmed cap-a-pie in shining armor.\n\nThe foremost of those knights rode up to Sir Galahad and said to him,\n\u201cSir, art thou shriven?\u201d \u201cWhy ask you that?\u201d said Sir Galahad.\n\u201cBecause,\u201d said that knight, \u201cthou art presently to die, therefore thou\nshouldst be shriven.\u201d \u201cSo far as that is concerned,\u201d said Sir Galahad,\n\u201cI am not unready to die.\u201d \u201cThen,\u201d said the other, \u201cthou shalt presently\nawaken in paradise, since thou art ready for it.\u201d\n\nSo each knight assumed such stand as appeared to him to be fitting, and\neach set his spear in rest, and then each dashed at the other with might\nand main. So they met in the middle of the course with such violence and\nuproar as was wonderful to see and to hear.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad overcometh the first knight._]\n\nIn that encounter the spear of the knight of the castle slipped from the\nshield of Sir Galahad, and was broken into many pieces, but the spear of\nSir Galahad held, wherefore he overthrew that knight with such terrible\nviolence that his neck was broken in his fall, and he lay dead upon the\nearth.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad doeth battle with nine._]\n\nThen when the other knights beheld the fall of that knight, they cried\nout, \u201cHah! A rescue! a rescue!\u201d Therewith they all nine made at Sir\nGalahad to overwhelm him with numbers. All nine of them struck him upon\nthe shield at one time, but their spears glanced from the shield of Sir\nGalahad and could not penetrate it, nor was he overthrown by their\nassault, nor did he lose even a foot from his stirrup.\n\nThen Sir Galahad cast aside his spear and drew his bright, shining\nsword, and he rode at those nine knights and he rode in amongst them,\nstriking with his blade to the right hand and to the left. Nor could\ntheir blows harm him, for in that short time he struck down to the\nground three of those knights, so that there were but six of them left.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad overcometh the knights._]\n\nThen the hearts of those six knights began to fail them, and they bore\nback across the bridge with intent to enter the castle once more. But\nmeantime the people of the castle, seeing how affairs went with them,\nhad raised the bridge and had closed the castle gates against them. Nor\nwould they lower the bridge nor open the gates again, wherefore those\nknights wist not what to do in their hour of need. Then Sir Galahad was\nupon them and smote down two more of them and with that the four who\nwere left fled with great speed and he pursued them back across the\nbridge. And Sir Galahad still pursued them, and he struck once and\nagain, now to the right and now to the left, so that ere they could\nescape from him and in those two blows Sir Galahad had struck down two\nmore of them. Then the two who were left made their escape and they fled\nfrom that place with might and main. And Sir Galahad pursued them also\nwith might and main, but their horses were fresher than his, and so they\nescaped away from him.\n\nSo Sir Galahad rode back again slowly to the castle, and at his coming\nthe gates were opened with great sound of rejoicing. For the streets\nwere full of people of all sorts and conditions, and these lifted up\ntheir voices with loud and prolonged applause. And of those eight whom\nhe had overthrown, all of them were dead. For those who had not died by\ntheir fall, the people had put to death upon their own account.\n\nThen Sir Galahad said to the chief magistrate of that town, \u201cWhere are\nthose ten maidens who bespoke me ere I came to this place?\u201d And the\nchief magistrate answered him, \u201cSir, we will bring them to you.\u201d So anon\ncame those ladies, and when they had come to Sir Galahad they kneeled\nbefore him and kissed his hand and gave him great praise and loud\nacclaim. Sir Galahad said to them, \u201cWhy do you kneel to me, and why do\nyou kiss my hand?\u201d They say to him, \u201cBecause of your strength and your\nprowess.\u201d He said, \u201cNay, that strength and that prowess I gave not to\nmyself; therefore, if I have shown strength and prowess, give praise\ntherefor unto the God who gave them to me, and not to me who am their\ncontinent.\u201d And he said, \u201cWhere is the chief lord of this town?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad liberates the captive lord._]\n\nThe ten maidens said, \u201cSir, he is our father, and he is a prisoner now\nin the dungeon of this place. For those ten knights overthrew him and\nmade him prisoner, wherefore he now lieth in duress.\u201d Sir Galahad said,\n\u201cBring him forth that I may behold him.\u201d So several ran to where he was,\nand anon they returned with him, and the chains that bound him were\nstill upon his hands and feet. Sir Galahad said, \u201cLet these chains be\nremoved.\u201d And when they were taken off of that knight, he said to him,\n\u201cTake back that which is thine own and oppress not thy people. For so\nhave they been oppressed of late by their ten masters, who were the ten\nknights whom I have overthrown. But now thine enemies are either slain\nor put to flight, so that thou art free. Nor shall you ever be put to\nsuch pain again.\u201d\n\nThen, again, was there great applause.\n\nThen the eldest of those ten maidens said to him, \u201cSir, will you not\nrest here awhile with us?\u201d Sir Galahad said, \u201cI may not rest with you,\nfor my time is short and there is much to do in that time; wherefore I\nmust be again upon my way.\u201d\n\nSo he bade them farewell, and after that he departed from that place,\ntaking with him the thanks and the blessings of all the people dwelling\ntherein. Yet for many long years afterward, the memory of Sir Galahad\nwas held at that place, and parents told to their children, and those\nchildren to their children for several generations, how that Sir Galahad\nof the Grail had come thither and had done those great and redoubtable\nactions at arms that are herein told of and recounted. For it was not\nuntil afterward that he became known as the greatest knight that the\nworld had ever beheld until that time.\n\nSuch is the story of Sir Galahad and of the Castle of the Maidens; so\nhe, one knight, overcame the ten knights of that castle, and thus he\ndeparted thereafter.\n\nNow turn we from Sir Galahad and take we up the adventures of Sir\nLauncelot at this time. Wherefore I pray you to read that which\nfolloweth.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: The Grail is manifested, and Sir Launcelot sleepeth:]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Fourth\n\n_How Sir Launcelot and Sir Percival met Sir Galahad, and what befell\nthem. Also how Sir Launcelot beheld the Grail in a dream._\n\n\nAfter Sir Launcelot left the Court of the King of Camelot, he wended his\nway from place to place, meeting no adventure anywhere. So, upon a\ncertain day, he came to a farmhouse, close to the borders of the forest,\nand there sought shelter for the night.\n\nShe who met him was the farmer\u2019s wife, and she was both brown and buxom.\nBeside her stood two children, holding by the skirts of her garments.\nShe gave Sir Launcelot welcome, and said to him, \u201cHere, to-day, hath\ncome another knight who hath sought shelter as you now beseech it.\u201d Sir\nLauncelot said, \u201cWho is he?\u201d She said, \u201cI know not, only that he is\ngentle and kind.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot meets Sir Percival at the farmhouse._]\n\nSo Sir Launcelot entered the house, and he whom he beheld there was Sir\nPercival, and at that he was very glad. And Sir Percival was also very\nglad to behold Sir Launcelot. So the next morning early, and after they\nhad broken their fast, they took horse and rode away very lovingly\ntogether.\n\nSo they journeyed for the great part of that morning, and about high\nnoontide they had come to a very pleasant part of the country where were\nhills covered with green fields rising up against the sky; where were\nmany pleasant streams and watercourses; and where were flocks and herds\nbrowsing in the long, damp grass of the pasture lands.\n\nHere in a dale where there was a small wooden bridge crossing a glassy\nand smooth-flowing river, they beheld a knight coming from the other\ndirection, and Sir Launcelot and Sir Percival were upon one side of the\nbridge, and that knight was upon the other side. And that other knight\nwas Sir Galahad, though neither of those two knew who he was.\n\nThen Sir Launcelot held up his hand, and he cried out, \u201cMessire, I pray\nyou for to wait until we have crossed the bridge, for three of us cannot\ncross it at the same time.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, sir,\u201d quoth Sir Galahad, \u201cmy business does not allow me to wait,\nso I pray you to let me pass.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot challenges Sir Galahad at the bridge._]\n\n\u201cNot so,\u201d quoth Sir Launcelot, \u201cI cannot let you pass until you have\nproven your right to pass. You must run a tilt with me, and if I\noverthrow you, then will you wait to let us pass; but if you overthrow\nme, then will we wait to let you pass.\u201d So said Sir Launcelot, for it\ndid not seem to him to be possible that the strange knight could\noverthrow him.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot is overthrown._]\n\nSo each knight set his spear in rest, and anon each charged with great\nviolence at each other. Thus they swept together like a hurricane, and\nso met in the centre of the bridge. In that encounter the spear of Sir\nLauncelot struck the shield of Sir Galahad, directly in the centre\nthereof; but the blow that he gave glanced aside as if the shield had\nbeen a polished mirror. But the spear of Sir Galahad struck Sir\nLauncelot in the middle of the shield and it held, and so violent was\nthe blow of Sir Galahad that both Sir Launcelot and his steed were\noverthrown upon the planking of the bridge.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Percival is wounded._]\n\nSir Percival looked with great amazement at the overthrow of Sir\nLauncelot. Then, crying out in a great voice, \u201cSir, what have you done?\nDefend yourself from me!\u201d he drew his sword and rushed forward upon the\nbridge. And Sir Galahad, when he beheld Sir Percival approach in that\nmanner, cast aside his spear and drew his sword likewise. So, when they\nmet in the middle of the bridge, Sir Percival smote Sir Galahad a great\nbuffet with his sword, which stroke Sir Galahad turned with his shield.\nThen Sir Galahad rose up in his stirrups and he launched a blow like a\nthunderbolt against Sir Percival. Sir Percival endeavored to turn that\nblow with his shield, but he could not turn it, for it smote through his\nshield and it smote through his helmet and it smote through the iron cap\nbeneath the helmet, and, had the blade not turned in the hand of Sir\nGalahad, it would have slain Sir Percival. As it was, Sir Percival\u2019s\nhead swam beneath that blow and he swooned away, swaying from side to\nside in his saddle until he fell from his saddle and lay upon the bridge\nwithout life or motion, like one who was dead.\n\nBut Sir Galahad did not stop to inquire who were those two knights whom\nhe had overthrown, nor did he pause to inquire how badly he had hurt\nthem; but regaining his spear and setting spurs to his horse he rode\naway from that place, leaving them lying upon the bridge.\n\nAnon Sir Launcelot aroused himself, and he beheld Sir Percival where he\nlay. Then Sir Launcelot arose and went to Sir Percival, and removed his\nhelmet. And he cast water into the face of Sir Percival so that, in a\nlittle while, Sir Percival was aroused from his swoon. Then Sir\nLauncelot said, \u201cI would God I knew who that knight was, for never have\nI felt such a blow as I just now received, nor have I ever been so\nshamed as I was shamed this day.\u201d Said Sir Percival, \u201cWit ye not who\nthat knight was?\u201d and he said, \u201cMeseems it was none other than your son,\nSir Galahad.\u201d Quoth Sir Launcelot, \u201cAt that I would take comfort were he\nmy son, but not at anything else.\u201d\n\nThen each knight mounted his horse, and so together they presently rode\naway from that place. But Sir Launcelot\u2019s head hung down upon his\nbreast, for the memory of that blow which had overthrown him, and for\nthe shame thereof; for never had he been overthrown from his horse\nbefore this day in all of his life. And, somewhiles, he thought that he\nwho had overthrown him was, maybe, Sir Galahad, and at that he took\ncomfort, because Sir Galahad was his son. But otherwhiles he thought\nthat it was not Sir Galahad, and then he was filled with shame because\nof his overthrow.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot and Sir Percival part company._]\n\nSo riding in that wise they, by and by, came to where the road divided\ninto two ways, and here Sir Launcelot said, \u201cSir, let us part company,\nfor you shall take one road and I will take the other.\u201d Quoth Sir\nPercival, \u201cAre you then weary of riding with me?\u201d \u201cNay,\u201d said Sir\nLauncelot, \u201cbut I have been overthrown and I am ashamed.\u201d Said Sir\nPercival, \u201cWhat shame do you take in that, seeing it was your own son\nthat overthrew you?\u201d But to this Sir Launcelot made no reply.\n\nThen, seeing that Sir Launcelot was determined to quit him, Sir Percival\ntook the left-hand road, and Sir Launcelot took the right-hand road, and\nso they parted.\n\nNow follow we Sir Launcelot after they had thus separated.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot findeth a deserted chapel._]\n\nSir Launcelot rode for the rest of that day without meeting further\nadventure, until about evening time, when he came to a bare and naked\nknoll covered with furze bushes. Here, in the midst of that wild, he\nbeheld an ancient ruined chapel, and he said to himself, \u201cHere will I\nrest me for the night.\u201d So he rode around that chapel, seeking for the\ndoor thereof, but he could find no door upon any side of the chapel, but\nonly windows, very high raised from the ground. And he could not enter\nthat chapel by any of its windows, because they were built in the wall\nso far beyond his reach that he could not attain to them. Then Sir\nLauncelot said, \u201cThis is a very strange chapel that it should have no\ndoors, but only windows so high that I cannot enter by them. Now I will\nrest here and see what is the meaning of this place.\u201d\n\nSo saying, he dismounted from his horse, and lay down beneath a\nthornbush that was not far distant from the chapel.\n\nNow, as Sir Launcelot lay there, a drowsiness began to descend upon him,\nand though he could not sleep yet it was as though he did sleep, for he\ncould move nor hand nor foot. Yet was he conscious of all that passed\nabout him as though he had been wide awake. For he was conscious of the\ndark and silent vaults of sky, sprinkled all over with an incredible\nnumber of stars, and he was conscious of his horse cropping the herbage\nbeside him in the darkness, and he was conscious of the wind that blew\nacross his face, and that moved the corner of his cloak in the silence\nof the night time. Of all these things was he conscious, and yet he\ncould not move of his own will so much as a single hair.\n\n[Sidenote: _There cometh a wounded knight._]\n\nAnon, whilst he lay in that wise he was presently aware that some people\nwere approaching the chapel in the darkness, for he heard the sound of\nvoices and of the feet of horses moving upon the road. So, in a little\nwhile, there came to that place a knight and an esquire. And the knight\nwas very sorely wounded, for his armor was broken and shattered by\nbattle, and the esquire sustained him in the saddle so that, except for\nthe upholding of the esquire\u2019s arm and hand, he would have fallen\nprostrate down upon the ground.\n\nThen Sir Launcelot, as he lay in that waking sleep, heard the knight say\nto the esquire, \u201cFloradaine, is the chapel near at hand, for mine eyes\nare failing and I cannot see.\u201d And the esquire wept and he said, \u201cYea,\nLord, it is here. Sustain yourself but for a little and you will be\nthere.\u201d\n\nTo this the knight made answer, \u201cFloradaine, I cannot sustain myself for\nlong.\u201d And the esquire said, \u201cIt is here.\u201d The knight said, \u201cGive thanks\nto God for that, for had it been a little farther I would have fallen\nfrom my horse. Now, Floradaine, lift me to earth.\u201d\n\nTherewith the esquire drew rein and he dismounted from his horse and he\nlifted the knight down from his charger, and the knight groaned very\ndolorously as the esquire lifted him down. Then, breathing very heavily\nand with great labor, the knight said, \u201cFloradaine, is there a light?\u201d\nAnd the esquire said, \u201cNot yet, Messire.\u201d Again, after a little, the\nknight said, \u201cIs there yet a light?\u201d And again the esquire answered,\n\u201cNot yet, Messire.\u201d And again, after awhile, the knight said for the\nthird time, \u201cFloradaine, is there yet a light?\u201d And this time the knight\nbreathed the words as in a whisper of death. Then of a sudden the\nesquire called out in a loud and joyful voice, \u201cYea, Lord, now I behold\na light!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _There cometh a light._]\n\nAll this Sir Launcelot beheld in that waking dream, and though it was in\nthe darkness of night, yet he beheld it very clearly, as though it were\nby the sun of noonday. For he beheld the face of the knight that it was\nwhite as of pure wax, and that the sweat of death stood in beads upon\nhis forehead. And he beheld that the esquire was young and fair, and\nthat he had long ringlets of yellow hair that curled down upon his\nshoulder. Then when the esquire said that he beheld a light, Sir\nLauncelot beheld the windows of the chapel that they were illuminated\nfrom within with a pale blue lustre, as though the dawn were shining in\nthat chapel. And he heard the sound of chaunting voices, at first very\nfaint and far away, but anon ever growing stronger and stronger as the\nlight from the chapel grew stronger. And those voices chaunted a melody\nthat was so sweet and ravishing that it caused the heart to melt as with\nan agony.\n\nThen the walls of that chapel opened like a door and a light shone forth\nwith a remarkable lustre so that it illuminated the face of that dying\nknight, and of the page who upheld him. And at the same time the song\nburst forth in great volume, as it were a thunder of chaunting.\n\nThen forthwith there came out of the chapel a bright shining spear, and\ntwo fair hands held the spear by the butt, yet Sir Launcelot could not\nbehold the body to whom those two hands belonged. And after the spear\nthere came forth a chalice, and two fair, white hands held that chalice,\nbut neither could Sir Launcelot behold any body to which those hands\nbelonged. And the chalice seemed to send forth a light of such dazzling\nradiance that it was as though one looked at the bright and shining sun\nin his glory.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot beholdeth the Grail in a dream._]\n\nThen Sir Launcelot was aware that this was the Holy Grail of which he\nwas in search, and he strove with all his might to arouse himself, but\nhe could not do so. Then the tears burst out from his eyes and traced\ndown his cheeks in streams, but still he could not arouse himself, but\nlay chained in that waking sleep.\n\nSo the chalice advanced toward that knight, but the knight had not\nstrength to reach forth and touch it. Then the esquire took the arm of\nthe knight and raised it, and he raised the hand of the knight so that\nthe hand touched the chalice.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Grail healeth the wounded knight._]\n\nThen it was as though Sir Launcelot beheld the virtue of the Grail go\nforth from it, and that it passed through the hand of the wounded\nknight, and that it passed through his arm and penetrated into his body.\nFor he beheld that the blood ceased to flow from that wounded knight,\nand that the color flooded back into his cheeks and that the light came\nback into his eyes and that the strength returned to his body.\n\nThen the knight arose and he kneeled down before the Grail, and he set\nhis palms together and he prayed before the Grail.\n\nThen, slowly, the light that had been so bright from the Grail began to\nwane. First the spear disappeared, and then the hands that held it\ndisappeared. Then, for awhile, the Grail glowed with a faint, pallid\nlight, and then it, too, vanished, and all was dark as it had been\nbefore.\n\nSo Sir Launcelot beheld the vision of the Grail, but as in the vision of\na dream as I have told it here to you. And still the tears rained from\nhis eyes, for he could not rouse himself to behold it with his waking\neyes.\n\nAfter this the knight and the esquire approached to the place where Sir\nLauncelot lay asleep, and the esquire said to the knight, \u201cMessire, who\nis this man, and why sleepeth he here whilst all these wonders pass him\nby?\u201d And the knight said, \u201cThis knight is a very sinful man, and his\nname is Sir Launcelot of the Lake.\u201d Quoth the esquire, \u201cHow hath he\nsinned?\u201d To which the knight replied, \u201cHe hath sinned in this way. He\nhad a beautiful and gentle lady, and he deserted that wife for the sake\nof Queen Guinevere. So his lady went away and left him, and anon she\ngave birth to Galahad, and in that birth she also gave her life. So Sir\nLauncelot betrayed his wife, and because of that betrayal he now lieth\nsleeping, and he cannot waken until after we are gone away from this\nplace.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The knight taketh Sir Launcelot\u2019s horse._]\n\nThen the esquire said to the knight, \u201cMessire, behold; here this knight\nhath a good, strong horse. Take thou this horse and leave thine own in\nits stead. For this horse is fresh and full of life, and thine is spent\nand weary with battle.\u201d And the knight said, \u201cI will take that horse.\u201d\n\nSo the knight took the horse of Sir Launcelot instead of his own. And he\nleft his own horse behind him. Then he mounted the horse of Sir\nLauncelot and the esquire mounted his horse, and after that the knight\nand the esquire rode away from that place.\n\nThen, after they had gone, Sir Launcelot bestirred himself and awoke.\nAnd he would have thought that all that he had beheld was a dream, but\nhe beheld the worn and weary horse of the knight was there, and that his\nhorse was gone. Then he cried aloud in great agony of soul, \u201cLord, my\nsin hath found me out!\u201d And therewith he rushed about like a madman,\nseeking to find a way into that chapel, and finding no way.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot is absolved by the Hermit of the Forest._]\n\nSo when the day broke he mounted the worn and weary horse that the\nknight had left, and he rode away from that place and back into the\nforest; and his head hung low upon his breast. When he had come into the\nforest and to the cell of the hermit thereof, he laid aside his armor\nand he kneeled down before the Hermit of the Forest, and confessed all\nhis sins to him. And the Hermit of the Forest gave him absolution for\nthese sins, and he said, \u201cTake peace, my son. For although thou shalt\nnot behold the Grail in thy flesh, yet shall God forgive thee these sins\nof thine that lie so heavily upon thy soul.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot arose chastened from his confession. And he left his\narmor where it lay and assumed the garb of an anchorite. And he went\naway from that place, into the remoter recesses of the forest. There he\ndwelt in the caves and in the wilds, living upon berries and the fruits\nof the forest. And he dwelt there a long time until he felt assured that\nGod had forgiven him. Then he returned to his kind again; but never\nafter that day was he seen to smile.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSo hath this been told to you that you may see how it is that the sins\nthat one hath committed follow one through one\u2019s life and in the end\nbring the soul such distress and failure as that which Sir Launcelot\nhere suffered and endured. For it hath already been told in another\nvolume than this book (which same is called \u201cThe Story of Sir Launcelot\nand His Companions\u201d) how that Sir Launcelot of the Lake remained at the\nCourt of King Arthur whilst his Lady, Elaine the Fair, quitted the\ncourt, and how that he remained at that court, being held there by the\nwiles and the charms of Queen Guinevere. Then it was told how that the\nLady Elaine died for loneliness and grief in giving birth to Galahad,\nand it was told how that Sir Launcelot repented him for that death with\ndeep and bitter remorse.\n\nSo it was because of that sin that he was not now permitted to behold\nthe Grail with his waking eyes nor to touch it with his living hands.\nFor a sin doth not quit a man because he hath remorse for it nor is it\nwiped from his soul because he repents him of it, but always it\nremaineth by him and by and by the time cometh when he must pay to the\nfull the account of that sin which he hath one time committed.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nFor so it is with all of those who commit a sin, be it great or be it\nless. For they cannot correct that sin by remorse or by repentance, but\nonly by so living a life of righteousness that that sin shall be removed\naway from them, so that it becometh as though it were not.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSo it was with Launcelot, for he was to pay in full for that sin which\nhe had committed. For never did he behold the Grail other than it was at\nthat time and never did he touch it with his hand; nay; never did he\ntouch it even with so much as a single finger; but otherwise he\nremained as a recluse in a cell coadjacent to the cell of the Hermit of\nthe Forest, as aforesaid.\n\nThere leave we him to follow the other parts of this story, for here\nfolloweth the story of Sir Percival, which you are now to read if you\nwould enter further into the history of these things herein told of.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Sir Percival rideth the black horse]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Fifth\n\n_Sir Percival findeth a horse that nearly bringeth him to destruction.\nAlso he meeteth a fair damsel and feasts with her. Finally he enters a\nboat and there finds rest and comfort._\n\n\nNow, after Sir Percival had left Sir Launcelot as aforetold of, he rode\nupon his way alone. And his way led him, by and by, through a waste of\nland where was nothing growing, but where there were great quantities of\nstones scattered all over the earth. Here he rode for some time, looking\nforward before him for something that grew.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Percival\u2019s horse falleth lame._]\n\nSo while the mind of Sir Percival was elsewhere, the horse which he rode\nslipped his foot upon a round, loose stone, and the stone turned under\nthe horse\u2019s foot so that it strained its shoulder. At first Sir Percival\nknew naught of this mishap, but presently, anon, the horse began to limp\nas it walked. And every minute the horse of Sir Percival limped worse\nthan it had limped the minute before. So Sir Percival wist not what to\ndo, for here was he with a horse that could not fare farther with him,\nand there was no house within sight, and there was no person within\nsight upon all that barren waste.\n\nSo Sir Percival dismounted from his horse, and he took the bridle of the\nhorse over his arm, and so he walked with the bridle over his arm and\nthe horse limped behind him.\n\nThus he travelled for a great way, and anon he left that stony waste\nbehind him, and came to a country where green things grew. And anon\nafter that he came to a place that was spread all over with fertile\nfields of grass interspersed with plantations of trees, both oak trees\nand elm trees.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Percival meeteth a damsel in red._]\n\nHere, passing by a small fountain of water, he beheld a fair damsel\nsitting beside the margin of that fountain, and the damsel was clad all\nin red, from top to toe. This damsel had with her a palfrey and a great\nblack horse beside that palfrey, and the black horse was very remarkable\nfor breadth and sinew, for his shoulders were deep and his legs were\ncorded with muscles, and his fetlocks were adorned with long and curling\nhairs, and his eyes were very bright and shining as with fire beneath\nthem, and his ears were sharp and pointed, as though they had been cut\nwith a fine knife, and his mane and tail were thick and black, like the\nclouds of night, and there was not a white hair upon him, from the tip\nof his nose to the end of his tail.\n\n[Sidenote: _The damsel giveth a horse to Sir Percival._]\n\nQuoth Sir Percival, \u201cHah, maiden, that is a fine horse that thou hast\nthere.\u201d Said she, \u201cYea, Messire; he is a very fine horse.\u201d Said Sir\nPercival, \u201cI would that thou wouldst sell me that horse; for mine own,\nas thou seest, is gone lame.\u201d The maiden said, \u201cSir, are you not Sir\nPercival of Gales?\u201d Then Sir Percival was greatly astonished that the\ndamsel should know him, and he said, \u201cYea, damsel, that is my name.\u201d\n\u201cThen,\u201d quoth she, \u201cI cannot accept money from you for this horse. But\nif you will take him for your own, then you may have him. So leave you\nyour lame horse here, and take this horse instead of it. For wit you I\nhave been sent with this horse that you might have it to ride upon.\u201d\n\nThen was Sir Percival still more astonished at what the damsel said, and\nhe knew not what to think that the damsel should be there at that place\nwith a fresh, sound horse for his use when his own horse had fallen\nlame. So he thanked the damsel in great measure, and he handed her the\nreins of his horse, and took the reins of the black horse. Then he put\nhis foot in the stirrup and mounted the black horse at one leap.\n\n[Sidenote: _The horse rideth away with Sir Percival._]\n\nSo the horse stood quite still until Sir Percival had his seat and his\nfeet in the stirrups. After that it bowed its head and took the bit in\nits teeth. Then immediately it rushed away to the southward with great\nspeed like the wind, and its mane and tail stood out straight behind it\nbecause of its speed. Nor could Sir Percival control or guide it, for\nthe horse held the bit between its teeth and it was as though blinded,\nrushing forward like the wind. And ever it ran toward the southward,\nwithout let or stay. And Sir Percival said to himself, \u201cWhat sort of a\nbeast is this upon which I am sitting, is it a horse or is it a lion or\nis it a d\u00e6mon?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The horse bringeth him to the sea._]\n\nSo the horse rushing onward began, by and by, to draw nigh to the sea,\nfor now and then Sir Percival could catch glimpses of the sea across the\nuplands like a thread of bright silver against the distant horizon; for\nby this time night had fallen. And anon he could hear the roaring of the\nsea beating upon a place where there were a great many rocks, and where\nthe water spouted and churned amongst the rocks as white as milk. Then,\nreaching this spot, the horse stopped all of a sudden, panting and\ntrembling and all a lather with sweating foam.\n\nThen Sir Percival dismounted from the horse, and as soon as his foot\ntouched the earth the black horse vanished and Sir Percival stood there\nalone. And he wist not what to do, but stood there doubting and\nwondering.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Percival meeteth a beautiful lady._]\n\nAnon as he so stood he beheld something coming a great way off, and ever\nit came nearer and nearer, and by and by he perceived that it was a\nboat, and that it was approaching very rapidly the place where he stood,\nand that without either sails or oars to urge it upon its course. So Sir\nPercival stood there and watched the boat as it drew rapidly nearer to\nhim, and by and by he perceived that there was someone in the boat, and\nthen he perceived that it was a beautiful lady, and that there were\nseven beautiful damsels attendant upon her. And he beheld that this lady\nwas clad all in red, and that her hair was red, the color of gold, and\nthat it was emmeshed in a net of gold. And around her dress and her neck\nhe beheld that there were chains and ornaments of gold, so that the lady\nsparkled and gleamed as though she had been an image of jewels and of\ngold. And the attendants of the lady were also clad in red and also wore\nornaments of gold about their necks, wherefore the whole boat gleamed\nand shone as with a shine of golden light.\n\nThus that boat came to the beach where Sir Percival stood, and the lady\nstepped from the boat upon the sand, and Sir Percival came forward and\nassisted her to disembark. And the lady said, \u201cHail, Sir Percival, and\ngive thee peace.\u201d And all the attendants of that lady also said, \u201cGive\nthee peace.\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Percival, \u201cWho are ye who know me and I know not you?\u201d To the\nwhich the lady made reply, \u201cWe are fay and not of this earth, therefore\nwe know many things that you wit not of.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Percival sits at feast with the lady._]\n\nThen that lady bade her attendants to set up a pavilion and they did so,\nand the pavilion was of red samite, and above it was a great banner of\nwhite samite embroidered with the figure of a leopard in threads of\ngold. And in the pavilion they set a table of gold, and they covered the\ntable with a napkin of finest linen, and the lady of the boat took Sir\nPercival by the hand and led him into the pavilion.\n\nThen Sir Percival and the lady seated themselves at the table, and the\ndamsels attendant upon the lady served them with food. And certain of\nthese attendant maidens took harps into their hands, and they played\nupon the harps, and sang in unison to those two, and so sweet was the\nmusic they made that it melted the heart to listen to them.\n\nAnd those who waited upon Sir Percival and the lady brought to them all\nmanner of dishes, dressed with spices and condiments of all sorts, and\nSir Percival and the damsel ate together. Then others brought wines of\nall sorts, both white wines and red, and this wine was very powerful and\nsweet, and Sir Percival and the lady drank together. And the wine flowed\nvery strongly through the veins of Sir Percival so that his head swam\nwith the strength of that wine and with the potency thereof.\n\nThen, by and by, the lady grew very fond toward Sir Percival, and she\nput her arms about his shoulders and held him very close to her. With\nthis the wine swam still more powerfully in Sir Percival\u2019s head, and he\nknew not very well what he said or did. And he said, \u201cLady, tell\nme--what is this, and why am I here?\u201d To this she answered, \u201cPercival,\nthou glorious knight! this is the pavilion of Love, and I am the spirit\nof Venus who inhabits it. So yield thou to that spirit and take thou the\njoy of thy life whiles thou mayst.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Percival kisses the lady._]\n\nTherewith she reached her arms again to Sir Percival and he reached his\narms toward her and he took her into his arms. And Sir Percival kissed\nher upon the lips and the fire from her lips passed into his heart and\nset his soul aflame.\n\nThen, in that moment, he knew not why, he suddenly bethought him of that\nfair lady whom he had met in the tent when first he went forth as a\nknight, clad in his armor of wicker-work. And he thought of how he had\nkissed her that time; and he thought of how he had beheld her in that\ncold and windy room of the castle, lying dead and white before him; and\nhe thought of how he had beheld the Spear and the Grail that time in the\ncastle. Then it was as though a wind of ice struck across the flame of\nhis passion, and he cried out thrice in a loud voice, \u201cGod! God! God!\nWhat is this I would do, and why should I sin in this wise?\u201d And\ntherewith he drew upon his forehead the sign of the cross.\n\n[Sidenote: _The lady disappears._]\n\nThen in an instant the lady who sat beside him shrieked very loud and\nshrill, and all about him was confusion and turbulence. And Sir Percival\nlooked, and behold! it was not a strange and beautiful lady who sat\nbeside him like a wonderful goddess, but it was the Enchantress Vivien,\nclad in red and bedecked with her jewels. For it was she who had thus\nplanned the undoing of Sir Percival by causing him to sin.\n\nThen Sir Percival cried, \u201cHah! Is it thou who wouldst betray me?\u201d And\ntherewith he reached for his sword which he had laid aside. Then, seeing\nwhat he intended, the Enchantress Vivien shrieked again, and she smote\nher hands together, and in that instant she disappeared, and all her\nattendants disappeared, and the pavilion and the table and all of the\nfeast and wine disappeared, and the boat in which she had come\ndisappeared, and Sir Percival found himself sitting alone upon the\nseaside.\n\nThen Sir Percival kneeled down and he set his hands together and he\nprayed. And he said, \u201cO God! how hast thou saved thy servant by means of\na floating thought? For the thought of that which was sacred and holy\nhath purged my sin that was very close to me.\u201d And he said, \u201cHow shall I\nthank thee for this; for lo! I trod upon a crust so thin that, had I\nborne even a part of my weight upon it, I would have fallen through that\ncrust as into a lake of fire.\u201d\n\nSo he prayed for a long time and by and by he was comforted. Then he\narose and stood up, and he girded his sword tight about him. And he cast\nhis eyes all around and he beheld that he was alone and in a very\ndesolate place. And, at that time, the full moon was shining very\nbrightly.\n\nAnon he beheld in the gloom of the distance an object that approached\nvery rapidly. And this object also was a boat, but there was no one in\nit.\n\nAnd when the boat approached nigh enough he beheld that there was a\ncouch within it, and that the couch was covered with white linen. But no\nother thing was in the boat but that.\n\nThen Sir Percival said, \u201cWhat is this? Is there a sin also in this, or\nis it without sin?\u201d And he said, \u201cIf this be sin, then let it declare\nitself,\u201d and therewith he marked the sign of the cross upon his\nforehead.\n\nBut there followed not any malignant sign after that, but the boat\nremained there where it was.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Percival entereth a boat._]\n\nThen Sir Percival perceived that it was intended for him to enter that\nboat, and he did enter it. And at that time the moon had arisen very\nfull and round. And the moon shone down upon the earth with a wonderful\nradiance. So that what with the light in the sky from the moonlight, it\nwas as though a strange and magical radiance embalmed the entire earth.\n\n[Sidenote: _The boat sails away with him._]\n\nThen the boat moved away from the shore very rapidly and smoothly. And\nit ran past the sharp and treacherous rocks, and it went past all\nobstructions and so out into the broad and heaving surface of the sea\nbeyond.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nHere all was stillness and peace, for all about was the hush and silence\nof night time, and there was no sound whatsoever to mar that stillness,\nbut only the moon and the stars shining above in the sky.\n\nSo Sir Percival laid him down upon the couch and anon he slept a very\ndeep and dreamless sleep.\n\nNow leave we Sir Percival lying in that boat, and turn we to the story\nof Sir Bors de Ganis and how it befell with him at this time.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Sir Bors rides with the white knight]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Sixth\n\n     _How Sir Bors confessed himself to the Hermit of the Forest. How he\n     overthrew a knight, and how he came to the seashore and of what\n     befell him there._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors confesses to the Hermit of the Forest._]\n\nUpon a certain day Sir Bors rode into the forest, and by and by he came\nto the chapel of the Hermit of the Forest. And the Hermit welcomed Sir\nBors, saying, \u201cGod save thee,\u201d and Sir Bors greeted the Hermit, saying,\n\u201cGod save thee and keep thee, Sir Hermit.\u201d So Sir Bors abided that night\nwith the Hermit of the Forest, and when the next morning had come he\nbesought the Hermit to confess him. And the Hermit of the Forest shrived\nSir Bors, and he beheld that the soul of Sir Bors was very white and\nclean and that he was extraordinarily free from sin. And the Hermit said\nto him, \u201cSir, if valor and if purity of life may so recommend a man that\nhe may win the Grail, then will you certainly behold it with the eyes of\nyour body and touch it with the hand of your flesh. For you are both\nvery brave and very pure of life.\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Bors said, \u201cSir, that which you tell me is exceedingly\ncomforting to me, for so would I rather achieve a sight of the Grail and\ntouch that sacred vessel than anything else in all the world. Now, I\npray you, tell me if there is anything else that I may do that may\nbetter fit me to find that holy chalice.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors vows a fast._]\n\nQuoth the Hermit, \u201cThere is but one thing, and that thing is that you\nfinally purify yourself by refraining from eating any manner of meat,\nand that you fast upon bread and water until you have beheld and have\ntouched the Grail.\u201d Said Sir Bors, \u201cHoly Father, so will I fast from\nmeat and wine.\u201d And the Hermit said, \u201cAnd this also shall you do. You\nshall lay aside your armor and shall ride forth in leathern doublet and\nhose and shall wrap yourself in your red cloak against the inclemencies\nof the weather.\u201d Said Sir Bors, \u201cThat also will I do.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Bors laid aside his armor of defence, and he wrapped himself in\nhis red cloak, and thus he rode forth into the world.\n\nAfter that Sir Bors travelled for an entire day, and whensoever he came\nto a roadside cross, he kneeled down before it and recited a prayer. So\nagainst early eventide he came to a part of the country that was\naltogether strange and new to him, for here were bogs and marshes, and\nmany pools and ponds of water where were heron and other water-fowl. So\nSir Bors wist not where he should lodge that night. But anon he beheld\nin the distance before him a single tower standing upright upon that\nflat expanse, and the tower was like a finger of stone pointing up into\nthe sky. So Sir Bors made his way toward the castle, and by and by he\ncame to where the castle was.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors cometh to a castle_.]\n\nComing to that place Sir Bors smote upon the doorway of the castle, and\nhe smote again and again. By and by one came and opened the door, and\nthat one was a very aged porter clad all in buckram, and the buckram was\nstained and blotched, as with the stain of many years.\n\nThe porter said to Sir Bors, \u201cSir, who are you, and whence come you?\u201d\nAnd to this Sir Bors made reply, \u201cI am one seeking lodging and shelter\nfor the night.\u201d The porter said, \u201cSir, I pray you enter, for you are\nexceedingly welcome, and the lady of this castle, though just now in\nvery great sorrow, is about to sit at supper.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Bors entered the courtyard, and he tied his horse to an iron ring\nthat was in the side wall of the castle in the courtyard. Then the aged\nporter led Sir Bors to his room and there left him to wash and to\nrefresh himself, whilst he returned to the horse to put it into the\nstable and to feed it.\n\nAfter Sir Bors had washed and refreshed himself he descended from his\nroom again, and there he found the aged porter awaiting him. The porter\nsaid, \u201cSir, come with me,\u201d and Sir Bors followed him. And the porter led\nthe way from that place into a hall, where there was a table set out for\nrefreshment.\n\nHere Sir Bors beheld a young and very beautiful lady, and she was the\nchatelaine of the castle. The face of this lady was very white and\nexceedingly sorrowful, and her eyelids were red as with continual\nweeping. And she was clad in a long, straight black robe, without\nornament or adornment of any sort. She received Sir Bors with great\ncivility, albeit she did not smile at all; and anon they sat down at\ntable together.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors sups with a beautiful lady._]\n\nSo the supper was brought in and set before them, and it was the old\nporter who served them with their meal. But Sir Bors ate no meat,\nneither did he drink any wine; otherwise, he ate of the bread and drank\nof the water that was set before them. Anon the chatelaine of the castle\nsaid to him, \u201cSir, you do not eat of the food of the castle that is set\nbefore you. How doth that happen?\u201d Quoth he, \u201cLady, I do not eat the\nfood because I have assumed a vow to eat no meat of any sort until I\nhave accomplished a certain purpose, and I drink the water because I\nhave made the same vow concerning wine.\u201d And the lady said, \u201cTo what\npurpose is that, Messire?\u201d Quoth he, \u201cI am in quest of the Grail, and to\nthat end I travel, fasting and mortifying myself.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The lady tells her story._]\n\nThen, after a little while, he said to her, \u201cLady, you are sad, will you\nnot tell me the cause of your sorrow?\u201d To the which she said, \u201cSir, that\nwill I gladly do. It is thus: my father was the king of all this land as\nfar as you can see to the westward of this. For this castle standeth\nupon the marches of my father\u2019s country, and is very near to the lands\nof another king who is neighbor to this place. My mother died, and my\nfather married another lady who was both wicked and cruel. So when my\nfather died this lady seized upon my inheritance, and cast me out into\nthe world upon mine own dependence. After that she drove me from castle\nto castle until this is my last refuge and defence. For now I dwell\nherein with only this ancient porter and his wife in attendance upon me.\nNor is she satisfied to leave even this poor house in my possession, for\nto-morrow she cometh with several knights to drive me forth from this my\nlast refuge.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors offereth himself for her defence._]\n\nSo said the Lady Chatelaine of that place, and when she had ceased\nspeaking she wept with a passion of tears. Then the heart of Sir Bors\nwas greatly moved with sympathy, and he said to her, \u201cLady, I am greatly\ngrieved at thy sorrow and at its cause.\u201d And he said, \u201cWhat is thy\nname?\u201d She said, \u201cIt is Leisette.\u201d Then said Sir Bors, \u201cLady Leisette,\nlet me tell thee that had I but a suit of armor to wear, I would stand\nas thy defender upon this occasion, and that to-morrow I would stand\nbetween thy father\u2019s wife and thee, even though the knights that follow\nher be several and I be but one.\u201d \u201cSir,\u201d said the lady, \u201cIt may hardly\nbe that one knight could withstand the assault of several; but I may\ntell you that in this castle there is a suit of armor (though of a\nbygone date), that might serve your purpose. But to what end would you\nuse it? For the knights attendant upon this lady are all well-tried\nknights of battle, and you are maybe not accustomed to wearing armor,\nseeing that you travel through the world without armor of any sort upon\nyour body.\u201d Then Sir Bors smiled, and he said, \u201cLet that be as it may;\nnevertheless, I have worn armor more than once in my life; so I pray you\nto send that suit of armor to my room to-night, that I may look at it,\nand perhaps try it on.\u201d And the lady said, \u201cIt shall be done as you\nask.\u201d\n\nSo that night the old porter brought the armor to the room of Sir Bors,\nand he assisted Sir Bors to clothe himself in the armor, and Sir Bors\nfound that the armor fitted him very exactly, and he was glad.\n\nNow when the next day was come Sir Bors walked with the Lady Leisette in\nthe gardens of the castle. And Sir Bors beheld that she was exceedingly\nbeautiful and his heart went out to her, and he said to her, \u201cLady,\nmeseems your trouble lyeth in this, that you have no knight for your\nhusband who may defend your rights and claims. Were you wedded to such a\nknight, then, you would not suffer these wrongs.\u201d Quoth she, \u201cWhat\nknight would take me for his wife, who am a dowerless lady, with only\none castle left of all her inheritance?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors talketh at length with the lady._]\n\nHe said to her, \u201cI say naught concerning myself and mine own strength\nand valor. But this I will say, that if I have such fortune as may lead\nme to overcome your enemies to-day, I would offer myself to you as your\nhusband.\u201d She said, \u201cSir, thou doest me great courtesy. Were I owner of\nthose three considerable towns that were once my father\u2019s then I would\ntake thee for my suitor. But as I am now the puppet of so sad a fate,\nwhat shall I say to thee?\u201d Quoth he, \u201cSay aye.\u201d And she said, \u201cWho art\nthou, sir?\u201d Quoth he, \u201cI am called Sir Bors de Ganis.\u201d Then she said,\n\u201cAye,\u201d speaking with downcast eyes, and so low a voice that he could\nhardly hear her. For the name of Sir Bors was very well known throughout\nthe entire world, both because of his strength and his valor. Wherefore\nshe was very much pleased to have him with her.\n\nJust then there came to them the old porter of the castle and he said to\nthem, \u201cPrepare yourselves, for hither cometh the Queen of this country,\ntogether with a court of lords and ladies, and with several knights\nchampion for her escort.\u201d Then Sir Bors said, \u201cNow I will go and arm\nmyself for battle.\u201d And she said, \u201cGo!\u201d\n\nSo Sir Bors withdrew to his room and the porter of the castle went with\nhim, and the porter put upon him the pieces of armor and buckled them\nvery tightly together so that they joined and fitted. And they buckled a\ngreat sword upon one side of him and a misericordia upon the other. Then\nwhen he was in all wise prepared, he took a mighty lance into his hand\nand went down into the courtyard and mounted upon his horse. Then came\nthe Lady Leisette to him and saluted him and he said to her, \u201cGive me, I\npray you, some favor for to wear.\u201d And she said, \u201cI will do so,\u201d and\ntherewith gave him the scarf from about her throat. And she tied the\nscarf about his arm. Then the porter of the castle opened the gate, and\nSir Bors rode forth from the castle and took his stand in the high-road\nin front of the castle, and awaited the coming of those others who were\nnow drawing near to that place.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors offereth himself as champion._]\n\nAnon the Queen of that country perceived Sir Bors where he stood and she\ncried out to him, \u201cSir, who are you who stand there, and why do you\nconfront us so?\u201d To the which Sir Bors made reply, \u201cLady, I am the\nchampion of the lady of this castle, and as her knight I stand here to\nawait your coming.\u201d\n\nShe said to him, \u201cKnow you to whom you speak?\u201d and he said, \u201cYea, I know\nvery well; therefore I am here.\u201d\n\nThen the Queen was very angry, and she cried out to one of her knights,\nof whom there were seven in all, \u201cRemove this man from our path so that\nwe may enter the castle and turn out of it that lady who now holdest\nit.\u201d\n\nThereupon, with that saying, the knight to whom she spoke rode forth\nfrom the others, and he said to Sir Bors, \u201cSir, will you do battle with\nme?\u201d Quoth Sir Bors, \u201cVery gladly, and for that purpose am I here.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors overthroweth the knight._]\n\nSo each knight prepared himself in all wise for battle, and when each\nhad assumed his proper place, the word of command was given and they\nrushed together, thundering and with great violence. So they met in the\nmidst of the course, and in that encounter the spear of the knight who\nassaulted Sir Bors was broken into as many as twenty or thirty pieces,\nbut the spear of Sir Bors held, so that the knight was hurled out of his\nsaddle and down to the earth with such violence that his neck was\nbroken, and he died.\n\nThen the Queen was astonished that her chiefest knight should be so\noverthrown, and therewith she cried out to her other six knights, \u201cHey,\nMessires! Assault him all at once so that he may be overthrown, and so\nthat we may enter this castle!\u201d So, upon that word of command, all six\nof those knights drew their swords and rushed upon Sir Bors. He,\nbeholding them coming thus, threw aside his spear and drew his brightly\nshining sword, and so they all met together, Sir Bors in the midst of\nthem.\n\nIn that battle he well proved his right to be a knight of the Round\nTable, for he wheeled his horse to this side and to that, and ever as he\nwheeled it about he smote from right to left and from left to right. Two\nknights fell before those strokes, and then another fell, so that there\nwere but three left standing against him.\n\nThese, seeing how he dealt with them, presently bore back before his\nfierce assaults, and so he sat for awhile, panting for breath, and with\nthe crimson flowing from several wounds he had received.\n\nThen the Queen chided the three knights, crying out upon them, \u201cHow now!\nHow now! Are you, three knights, afraid of that one knight who is\nalready wounded in several places? Go ye against him and overthrow him!\u201d\n\nBut ere these three could bring themselves to assail him again, he, not\nwaiting for their assault, rushed upon them shouting and in that sudden\nassault he smote down another of them with his sword. Then the two who\nwere left, beholding their comrade fall, were filled with terror and\ndismay. Their hearts melted like wax within them, and they drew rein and\nturned and immediately fled from that place.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors chases the fleeing knights._]\n\nSo Sir Bors pursued them thence shouting, and the two fled straight\nthrough the midst of the court of the Queen, and the court dissolved\naway to right and left from before them, shrieking with terror. Just\nbeyond the purlieus of that court Sir Bors overtook the first of those\ntwo who fled, and he smote him so that he fell like a sack from his\nhorse, and rolled over and over upon the ground. Then anon he reached\nthe last of those knights, and coming to him he rose up in his stirrups\nand smote him with all his might and main. And the blade of that sword\nshore through the helmet of that knight and it shore through the iron\ncap beneath the helmet, and it shore through his skull to the throat.\nThen that knight emitted a dreadful groan, and fell dead to the earth,\nand his horse galloped on without him.\n\nThen Sir Bors rode back again to that court, and he rode up to the Queen\nwith a threatening countenance, and at his coming she was struck as\nwhite as an ash of wood. And Sir Bors said to her, \u201cLady, what do you\nhere at this place?\u201d Then the Queen trembled before him, and anon she\nsaid, \u201cSir, I come hither seeking my rights.\u201d He said, \u201cThose rights you\nseek are not yours, they are another\u2019s. Come with me.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors takes the Queen into the castle._]\n\nSo saying, he suddenly catched her horse by the bridle and drew her\nthence, and no one of all that court dared to prevent him. And Sir Bors\nled the horse of the Queen toward that solitary tower of stone, and when\nhe reached the gate he cried out aloud, \u201cOpen to me!\u201d Then the porter of\nthat castle opened the gate thereof, and Sir Bors led the Queen into the\ncastle. Then the porter shut the gate of the castle again, and the Queen\nwas within the walls of the castle and her court of lords and ladies was\nwithout the walls thereof.\n\nAll this the lady of the castle had beheld from the battlements, and\nher heart was filled with joy and triumph thereat. So anon when Sir Bors\nappeared upon the roof of the turret where she was, she ran to him and\ncatched him and embraced him with great passion, wounded as he was.\n\nBut Sir Bors put her aside, and he went to the edge of the wall, and he\nspake to the court of the Queen, saying, \u201cWhy wait ye there? Your Queen\nis here with us, and here she shall remain our prisoner until justice is\ndone to the lady of this castle. So return ye to your towns and tell\nthem this word of mine to you: that justice must be done to this lady,\nor else she who called herself Queen cannot go free.\u201d\n\nAfter that he withdrew himself from their sight, and he went to his room\nwhere he might bathe himself and dress his hurts. Meantime the court of\nthe Queen went away from that place, and they were left alone.\n\nThat same day in the afternoon there came three knights thitherward, and\nwith them came three esquires, and each esquire led a horse, and upon\neach horse was a chest.\n\nOf these three knights, one each was from one of the towns of that\nkingdom.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the three knights of the towns, their mission._]\n\nThen the knight from the chiefest of those three towns blew upon a\nbugle-horn, and anon Sir Bors appeared upon the battlement of the tower\nwhere there was a small turret. Then the knight from without greeted\nhim, saying, \u201cSir, hail to you. We three come hither to tell you that we\nrepent us that we have done wrong to the lady of this tower, wherefore\nwe will accept her for our queen. Only this: that she shall marry some\ngood, worthy knight such as yourself, and that he shall be our King as\nshe is our Queen. For that which we need at this place is not a woman to\nrule us, but a man.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Bors laughed and he said, \u201cSir, I will take you at your word,\nand in a little while this lady shall marry some gentleman who shall\nrule over you.\u201d For Sir Bors thought to himself, \u201cHaply I shall be that\nman.\u201d\n\nSo the gates of that castle were opened, and the three knights entered\nthe courtyard thereof. Then they opened the three chests that their\nesquires had brought into the castle courtyard, and in those chests were\nall manner of raiment of silks and velvets, together with jewels, and\ngolden ornaments of divers sorts and designs such as were fit for a\nqueen to adorn herself withal.\n\nThese were conveyed to the rooms of the lady of the castle, and she\narrayed herself in them, and when she was thus arrayed she shone with a\nwonderful beauty and splendor, even as the sun shines when the mists of\nheaven dissolve before his face.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors and the lady ride away from the castle._]\n\nAfter that the lady of the castle and Sir Bors and the three knights and\ntheir esquires all mounted upon their horses and rode away from that\ncastle, leaving behind them the lady who had been the Queen of that\nland. For there she should abide for awhile under guard of the old\nporter of that place.\n\nSo, at last, they reached the chief city of that kingdom where were\ngreat concourses of people assembled to welcome them. These shouted\naloud with a tumult of applause as their new Queen rode up the stony\nstreet amongst them. And everywhere were banners and streamers of many\ncolored silks, fluttering in the sunlight from the pinnacles of the\nhouses. So that all the sunlight was gay with radiant tints of red and\nblue and yellow and green, and divers gaudy colors, and all the air was\nmerry with the shouting of multitudinous voices.\n\nThus they reached the castle, and so the rightful queen became queen\nagain.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors hath a dream._]\n\nNow one night Sir Bors had a dream. He saw before him a tall and\nsplendid knight, clad all in pure and shining white, and the knight said\nto him, \u201cSir Bors! Sir Bors! What is it you do?\u201d And Sir Bors dreamed\nthat he said to him in reply, \u201cI would abide here and rule this kingdom\njustly.\u201d The knight said, \u201cHast thou so soon forgot the quest of the\nGrail that in such a short time thou shouldst think only of this and not\nof that?\u201d\n\nThen it seemed to Sir Bors that he was stricken to the heart with\nremorse and he cried out aloud, \u201cI will not forget! I will not forget!\u201d\nAnd with that cry he awoke from his dream and found that it was a dream\nand that he was trembling as with an ague.\n\nAnd all that day the thought of the dream haunted him, so that in the\nafternoon, whilst he and the Queen were walking in the garden of the\ncastle, he spoke to her of it. And after he had told her what he had\ndreamed, he said to her, \u201cLady, ere I wed thee and settle in this place,\nthere is a duty I must yet perform. For wit you I am in quest of the\nGrail and the Grail hath not yet been found. So bid me now to go forth\nand to continue my search of it, and when I have found it, then I shall\nreturn to thee and wed thee.\u201d To this the Queen made reply, \u201cSir Bors,\nyou have only been with me now for four days, and your wooing is not yet\ngrown warm. Would you then leave me before that wooing groweth warm so\nthat it may cool the quicker?\u201d Quoth Sir Bors, \u201cMy wooing shall not grow\ncold, for I will hold it close to my heart in thy remembrance, and there\nI will keep it warm, so that when I return again it will be sprung into\nlife.\u201d The lady said, \u201cDo not leave me, Sir Bors, for now that my rights\nare won, thou must remain near to me to help me to protect those rights.\nElse it may be that my enemies shall rise against me once more and\noverthrow me. It is well for thee to search for the Grail, but what\npeculiar virtue will there be in it, or in thee when thou hast found\nit?\u201d\n\nSir Bors said, \u201cLady, I do not think that thine enemies can arise\nagainst thee. For thine enemy is thy father\u2019s wife, and she is yet\nconfined in that solitary castle in which I found thee. But come what\nmay, I must now quit this place and go forth again upon my quest. For\nwhen a knight hath vowed to undertake a certain thing, that thing he\nmust continue to pursue until he hath completed it--even though that\nthing may appear to be small unto others. Yet the recovery of this Grail\nis not a small thing; otherwise it is a very great and a very\nconsiderable thing for any knight to undertake.\u201d\n\nThen the Queen of that town began weeping, and she said, \u201cSir Bors, if\nthou quittest me now, I know that it must be that thou quittest me for\naye. For in the recovery of the Grail thou wilt forget me, and wilt\nnever again return to this place. What, then, shall I do without thee?\u201d\nThen Sir Bors bowed his face full low and he said, \u201cLady, that is a hard\nsaying that thou utterest. Yet even were it so, still should I be\ncompelled to search for the Grail. For that is the crowning work of the\nRound Table, and if so be I shall be instrumental in its recovery, then\nshall I, indeed, have done a great work in the world and shall not have\nlived in it in vain.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors quitteth the lady._]\n\nAfter that Sir Bors withdrew from that place. And he went to his rooms\nand summoned three esquires. These assisted him to his armor, and when\nhe was armed he descended to the stables and there he gave orders that\nhis horse should be brought forth to him. And he mounted upon his horse,\nand so he rode forth upon his way once more. And he did not again speak\nto that Lady Queen; for he said to himself, \u201cOf what avail can it be to\nbid her adieu? It will but cause pain to her and pain to me. So I will\ngo without bidding her adieu.\u201d\n\nFor thus it was whenever a knight of old made a vow, then that knight\nset behind him all that was of pleasure or of profit, and drave straight\nforward to fulfil that vow which he had made. Hence it was that those\ngreat knights of King Arthur\u2019s Round Table achieved all their vows that\nit was possible for them to achieve. For thus is it better to do one\u2019s\nduty at all hazards and no matter what may befall one in the doing\nthereof. For duty lyeth before all the pleasures and all the glories of\nthe world, wherefore he who doeth his duty under all circumstances, that\nman cannot go astray in his performances.\n\nSo Sir Bors rode forward for all that day and for part of the next day,\nand toward evening of the second day he found himself in a strange, wild\nplace. For he knew not where he was or what place it was to which he had\ncome. For there was a wide stretch of dark and dismal land upon all\nsides of him. And very little grass grew upon that land, but many thorn\nbushes, most of them without leaves or foliage of any kind. And anon a\ncarrion crow would spring from the earth and fly heavily away against\nthe grey and dismal sky, but beyond such things there was no eye of any\nsort at that place, but only darkness without any soul alive within it.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors meets a White Knight._]\n\nHere he came to a cross-road and as he approached that cross-road he was\naware of a solitary knight who was there and waiting. And this knight\nwas clad all in white armor, and he sat upon a white horse, and he was\nthe knight whom Sir Bors had seen in his dream; and when Sir Bors drew\nnigh he saluted him, saying, \u201cGreeting, Sir Bors, whither goest thou?\u201d\n\nThen Sir Bors said, \u201cMessire, who art thou who knowest me and I know not\nthee? For I beheld thee last night, but in a dream.\u201d The White Knight\nsaid, \u201cIt matters not who I am, but wit you this, that I know you very\nwell, and I know that you seek the Holy Grail. Sir Galahad shall achieve\nthat Grail, and you and Sir Percival, who am the next purest knight to\nhim, shall find it with him. Here have I been waiting for you for some\nwhile, and at last you have come. So come now with me.\u201d And Sir Bors\nsaid, \u201cI will do so.\u201d\n\nSo after that they two rode together side by side. And anon the sun sank\nand the moon arose, very still and bright, and ever they two rode on in\nthat way side by side together.\n\nAnd Sir Bors spoke no word to the White Knight and the White Knight\nspoke no word to Sir Bors, but ever they rode in silence all bathed by\nthe white moonlight; their shadows, black and obscure, following them.\n\nSo at last they came to where there was a wide and stony waste without a\nblade of grass or a tree growing upon it, but only a great stretch of\nround hard stones of various sizes spread thick all over the earth\nbefore them. Then the White Knight said to Sir Bors, \u201cYonder is our\nroad; let us go thither.\u201d\n\nSo they two rode straight forward as that knight had directed they\nshould do, and all about them lay the white and silent moonlight, like\nto a bath of pure and limpid silver. So anon and after a considerable\nwhile Sir Bors heard a great roaring, though far away from where they\nwere. Then the White Knight drew rein and said, \u201cHearken, Sir Bors, hear\nye that sound, and wit ye what it is?\u201d Sir Bors said, \u201cWhat is that\nsound?\u201d The White Knight said, \u201cThat is the sea breaking upon the\nbeach. Thither it is we go.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _They come to the sea._]\n\nSo by and by they came to where there was a little cove of the sea, and\nbeyond the cove the great waves burst upon the beach. So the White\nKnight rode down to the shores of that cove, and Sir Bors followed, and\nat that place there was a hard and level beach of pure white sand, and\nsome rocks were beyond that sand.\n\nHere Sir Bors beheld that there was a boat beside the rocks, and the\nboat rested against the shore, and it was hung within with pure white\nlinen. And within the middle of the boat was a couch, and on the couch\nthere was a knight lying asleep. And Sir Bors perceived that that knight\nwas Sir Percival.\n\nThen the White Knight said to Sir Bors, \u201cSir Bors, enter yonder boat,\nfor so only shalt thou find the Grail.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors enters the boat._]\n\nSo Sir Bors dismounted from his horse and he entered the boat, and with\nthat Sir Percival awoke and sat up. And when Sir Percival perceived Sir\nBors there in the boat he gave him greeting, and Sir Bors greeted Sir\nPercival.\n\nThen the White Knight gave the boat a thrust from the shore, and the\nboat immediately sped away very swiftly into the night-time. And as Sir\nBors and Sir Percival gazed back behind them they could yet see the\nfigure of the White Knight seated upon his horse as still and motionless\nas though he were carved in marble stone. And though neither of them\nknew it, yet that knight was the spirit of Sir Balan who had returned to\nlead those knights champion to find the Grail.\n\nThen anon that white figure faded into the dimness of the moonlight and\nwas gone, and all about them lay the sea, very strange and mysterious\nand yet full of motion. And the bright whiteness of the moonlight lay\nmoving upon the crests of the waves, and ever it wavered this way and\nthat as though it were liquid silver poured upon the waves.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSuch were the adventures of Sir Bors at this time.\n\nNor shall you think ill of him because he left that beautiful lady who\nwas his betrothed wife to seek the Grail. For wit you that the Grail was\nthought by all the world to be the greatest and the most important thing\nin that world; and its recovery was adjudged to be the most splendid and\nthe noblest deed that any knight could undertake. Wherefore it was that\nSir Bors would surrender all his hope of love and of riches and of\nworldly honor to seek for that Grail.\n\nThis he did not for his own glory but for the glory of heaven, and not\nfor his own honor, but for the honor of Paradise, where that Grail\nreally belonged.\n\nWherefore he would turn aside from all that the world had to offer him\nand would direct his face and all his endeavor to the recovery of that\nsacred chalice, content, if he should recover it or aid in its recovery,\nto sacrifice all the world for the sake of that recovery.\n\nFor be it said at this place that the Lady Leisette did not wait the\nreturn of Sir Bors, but, finding him gone, she took for her husband a\ncertain noble knight of that kingdom, and he ruled that land in her\nbehalf with great benignity of judgment and with high honor of knightly\nwisdom.\n\nNow pass we from the story of Sir Bors and turn we to the further\nadventures of Sir Galahad at that time, as followeth.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Sir Galahad rides with the Lady]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Seventh\n\n_How Sir Galahad smote down Sir Gawaine, and how he accompanied a Fair\nLady to the seashore. And of what happened thereafter._\n\n\nNow, after Sir Galahad had smitten down Sir Launcelot, as aforetold of,\nhe rode for a long while in a wild forest and had many adventures of\ndivers sorts, of which no account hath been given, though mention is\nmade of them in the ancient histories of those things which I have read.\nThat while he dwelt in the forest and slept in the forest, and was fed,\nwhen he was an hungered, by the people of the forest.\n\nSo it befell that one morning he rode out from the forest and found\nhimself in an open country that sloped down very deep to a valley, as\nthough it were a deep bowl of the earth.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad beholds several knights in the valley._]\n\nAnd Sir Galahad sat upon his horse on the edge of that bowl and gazed\ndown into it. And he beheld a great way off a castle; and he beheld that\nthere was a concourse of many knights gathered about that castle. For\nthe early sunlight shone down upon the armor of those knights, so that\nthe armor caught the light and flung it back again as it were in\nbrilliant points of pure and blazing flame.\n\nThen Sir Galahad said to himself, \u201cWhat is that concourse of knights,\nand why gather they around about that castle in such a wise?\u201d And he\nsaid to himself, \u201cI will ride down thither into the valley, and will see\nfor myself what is the meaning of that assembly.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad bespeaketh those knights._]\n\nSo therewith he drew rein and descended down into the valley as he\nproposed to himself to do. And so he approached ever nearer to that\ndistant castle. So by and by he was near enough to them to bespeak them,\nand when he had come still a little nearer he said to them, \u201cMessires,\nwhat is this that you do at this place?\u201d They say to him, \u201cSir, at this\nplace there was not long since held a tournament of eight knights. In\nthat tournament a certain young knight was slain. We be his relatives\nand his friends who have come hither to avenge him. So we wait here\noutside the castle, and those seven knights hide them away from us\nwithin the walls of the castle.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor shame!\u201d said Sir Galahad. \u201cFor shame, that ye who are several\nshould thus besiege seven men who cannot stand against ye. Get you gone\nand let them come forth.\u201d\n\nThey say to him, \u201cWe will not get us gone from this place until we have\ntaken those seven men with us. Because it is for that purpose we have\ncome hither and for that purpose shall we stay until it be achieved.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, then,\u201d said Sir Galahad, \u201cI will assail ye upon this side, and\nthen they will come forth and assail ye upon the other side, and so will\nwe raise this siege.\u201d\n\nAt this they all laughed, saying, \u201cIs it possible that one knight can\nlift the siege of so many against seven? Well, then, let us see if he\ncan do so.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad doeth battle with those knights._]\n\nSo they began to prepare themselves for battle, and Sir Galahad began to\nprepare himself also for battle. So, when he had cast aside his lance\nand had drawn his sword he lifted up his shield on high, and, shouting,\nhe drave against them. And he drave into the midst of the press, lashing\nupon this side and upon that. And so terrible were the strokes which he\ngave that many fell down before them, and all bare away from him, so\nthat anon he had carved a small open space about him.\n\nNow in that party who were thus besieging the castle were Sir Gawaine\nand Sir Ewaine his cousin. But Sir Galahad knew not these two knights,\nand they knew not him. For his armor was much defaced in battle and in\nthe adventures through which he had passed, and at that time he wore a\nleather covering to his shield. So they knew him not.\n\nSo they stood about and looked upon Sir Galahad and he looked upon them,\nand meantime the knights of the castle made them ready to come forth.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad overcometh Sir Gawaine._]\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cFor shame that we should thus be driven back by\none man! Now I will have to do with him myself.\u201d So he came forward\nagainst Sir Galahad, and Sir Galahad awaited him. Then when Sir Gawaine\nhad come close enough, Sir Galahad arose in his stirrups, and he\nlaunched a blow at Sir Gawaine that nor leather nor iron could stay. For\nthat blow clove asunder the shield of Sir Gawaine, and it clove asunder\nhis helmet, and it clove asunder the iron coif beneath the helmet, and\nit bit deep into the bone of the brain-pan itself.\n\nThen the brains of Sir Gawaine swam like shallow water, and he reeled\nthis way and that in his saddle, and would have fallen had it not been\nfor Sir Ewaine, who catched him ere he fell beneath the feet of his\nhorse, and so held him up in the saddle.\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cAh, Ewaine! That was none other than Galahad who\nsmote me that blow. For none other than he could give such a stroke as\nthat. So have I suffered for attempting to draw forth that sword out of\nthe marble stone. Ah! woe is me.\u201d So saying, his dissolving wits left\nhim, and he swooned away as though he were dying.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad bringeth Sir Gawaine into the castle._]\n\nMeantime the knights within the castle had given command that the gates\nshould be opened. So they were flung open according to that command, and\nthe seven knights within the castle issued out to conduct the assault\nfrom that side. But Sir Ewaine cried out, \u201cMessires, give over, and we\nwill withdraw from this place. For here is most sorely wounded a very\nexcellent knight, who is the nephew of King Arthur.\u201d \u201cAlas!\u201d cried Sir\nGalahad. \u201cWoe is me! For so have I carried out the provisions of that\nprophecy relating to the sword. For it was predicted of this sword that\nit should bite deep into the life of Sir Gawaine, and lo! it hath done\nso.\u201d And he said to Sir Ewaine, \u201cConvey him into this castle, for here\nshall his wound be searched, and he shall be cared for.\u201d And he said to\nthose of the castle, \u201cSee to it that all care is given to this\ngentleman.\u201d And they say to him, \u201cWe will do so.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Gawaine was conveyed within the castle, and was laid upon a\ncouch. And his wound was searched, and balm was laid upon it. Thus was\nhe put at ease at that place, and so was the prophecy concerning that\nsword fulfilled.\n\nThen they all beseeched Sir Galahad that he would stay at that castle\nfor a little while, but he would not stay at that place. Otherwise he\nsaid, \u201cI must go upon my way, I know not whither. For I have a mission\nto fulfil, and in fulfilling it I know not whither I go.\u201d So he drew\nrein and rode away, leaving them behind him.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nNow wit ye how the knights of those days fared when they rode errant? I\nwill tell you.\n\nAbout the middle of that day Sir Galahad came to the house of a farm\nyeoman, and the wife of the yeoman and the daughter of the yeoman stood\nin the doorway of the house. The woman who was the wife was large and\nbuxom, but the daughter was very slender and brown.\n\n[Sidenote: _How Sir Galahad refreshes himself._]\n\nOf these Sir Galahad besought food to eat, and they brought to him a\nloaf of bread, a piece of cheese, and a crock of cider, and Sir Galahad\nate and drank, sitting under the shade of a wide-spreading tree.\nMeanwhile, those people watched him from afar with great interest and\ncuriosity, for never had they beheld a knight so tall and so noble as\nSir Galahad.\n\nThus did these bright-armed knights who wandered errant through the\nworld in those days refresh themselves, and so were they received and\nentertained by the people whom they met. Thus have I told you of that so\nthat you might know thereof.\n\nThat evening, after the sun had set, and the soft and starry night had\ndescended upon the earth like a sparkling coverlet of darkness, very\ndamp and warm, Sir Galahad found himself in a wide moorland, and he wist\nnot where he should sleep.\n\nSo at last the moon arose, shining very brightly and tranquilly, and by\nthe light thereof Sir Galahad perceived before him a small chapel. And\nhe said to himself, \u201cHere will I lodge me for the night.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad lodges at a chapel._]\n\nSo Sir Galahad rode up to the door of the chapel and he smote very\nloudly upon the boards of the door with the handle of his misericordia.\nAnon there came the recluse to whom that chapel belonged, and when he\nbeheld Sir Galahad standing there he bade him to enter. So Sir Galahad\nentered the chapel, and after the recluse had put the horse of Sir\nGalahad into the stable nigh to the chapel, he came to where the knight\nwas, and set before him some broth and some pulse, together with some\nfreshly gathered fruit, and Sir Galahad ate thereof with great\nheartiness.\n\n[Sidenote: _There cometh a lady to the chapel._]\n\nNow, whilst Sir Galahad sat there eating, there came another knock upon\nthe door, and when the recluse went to open it, he beheld standing there\na very beautiful lady clad all in white, and with her dark hair bound\naround with a ribbon of silver. And the lady was mounted upon a\ncream-white jennet, and the saddle of the jennet was of crimson Spanish\nleather, embossed and studded with plates and buttons of silver.\n\nWhen the door was opened, the lady said to the recluse, \u201cSir, I pray you\ntell me, is there here within a knight hight Galahad?\u201d\n\nThis heard Sir Galahad, and hearing it he arose and came forward, and he\nsaid, \u201cLady, I am Galahad. What would you have of me?\u201d\n\nShe said, \u201cSir, I pray you to come and ride with me and I will lead you\nto such an adventure as you have never had in all of your life before.\u201d\nQuoth he, \u201cWhere is that adventure?\u201d She said to him, \u201cIt is not very\nfar distant from here. But I cannot tell you more than that.\u201d Sir\nGalahad said, \u201cWhither would you lead me?\u201d She said, \u201cCome and I will\nshow you.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Galahad went back into the chapel and armed himself, and the\nrecluse brought forth his horse out of the stable. And anon Sir Galahad,\nbeing in all ways armed, came forth out of the hermitage and mounted his\nhorse.\n\nImmediately he was mounted the lady drew rein and turned, and rode away\nfrom that place, and Sir Galahad followed her.\n\n[Sidenote: _The lady and Sir Galahad ride together._]\n\nSo they rode away across the moorland together. All around them was the\nstillness of the night-time, and overhead and about them lay the silent\nwhiteness of the effulgent moon. And the shadows of each and the shadows\nof the horse of each followed them across the moorland, very black and\nmysterious.\n\nSo they travelled a considerable while in silence, for the lady did not\nspeak to Sir Galahad, nor did Sir Galahad speak to her. But each rode in\nsilence, and each was occupied with his or her own thoughts.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad beholds the sea._]\n\nThus, by and by, they reached a high part of the moorland, and of a\nsudden Sir Galahad beheld the sea, over above the downs. And the moon\nshone down upon the sea so that it looked like a shining stretch of pure\nand radiant silver against the night sky that lay behind it. Then Sir\nGalahad said, \u201cLady, yonder is the sea.\u201d \u201cAye,\u201d quoth the other, \u201cand it\nis thither that I am bringing thee.\u201d\n\nSo after awhile they came to where the sea lay below them, and they\nbeheld the waves illuminated by the light of the moonshine lapping\nagainst the shore. Then they rode down to the sea, and there was at that\nplace a rocky promontory that stretched out into the water. And they\nrode across that promontory, and there Sir Galahad beheld a boat lying\nin the moonlight moored, as it were, to the shore, although no rope\nattached it to the shore. And as they two approached the boat, Sir\nGalahad perceived that the boat was all draped and hanged with white\nlinen, and he perceived that there were two men within the boat.\n\n[Sidenote: _He perceives Sir Percival and Sir Bors in a boat._]\n\nThe faces of these two were cut out very clear and sharp and white from\nthe darkness behind because of the moonlight that shone upon them, and\nSir Galahad perceived that the one of those faces was the face of Sir\nPercival, and that the other face was the face of Sir Bors de Ganis.\nThese two, beholding Sir Galahad there upon the shore, gave him loud and\njoyous greeting, crying out, \u201cGreeting, Sir Galahad! And welcome to\nthee!\u201d\n\nThen Sir Galahad sprang down from off his horse, and he ran down to the\nshore, leaping from rock to rock. And he sprang into the boat and kissed\neach of those two upon the cheek, and they kissed him upon the cheek in\nreturn. And Sir Galahad said to them, \u201cWhat do ye here?\u201d To the which\nthey replied, \u201cWe wait for thee.\u201d And they say, \u201cWhat lady is that with\nwhom thou hast come hither?\u201d He replied, \u201cI know her not, but she hath\nbrought me to this place.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Percival beholdeth his sister._]\n\nAnd then they beheld that the lady had also dismounted from her horse\nand was approaching to them. And she came to them down the rocks and she\nstood close to the boat, and when she did so Sir Percival saw her more\nclearly and he knew her. Then he cried out, \u201cI know thee! Thou art my\nsister!\u201d She said, \u201cYea, that is true.\u201d He said to her, \u201cSister, what\ndoest thou here?\u201d She replied, \u201cI come to give you information, and it\nis this: You shall sail away from this place, and by and by you shall\nfind another boat of a very magnificent sort. For that boat is the _Ship\nof Solomon_, and it is waiting for you. In it you will find the Grail\nestablished, and the ship itself will take you whither the Grail\nbelongeth. So enter the _Ship of Solomon_ freely, for no harm shall\nbefall you in it, and it shall convey you to the city of Sarras where\nthe Grail belongeth.\u201d Then turned she to Sir Galahad, and she said, \u201cAnd\nto thee, Galahad, am I permitted to say this thing: That it is given to\nthee that when thou willest thy soul shall depart from thy body. And it\nshall leave thy body behind, and shall ascend with the glory of angels\ninto Paradise at thy command. All this I have to tell you, and now fare\nyou well.\u201d\n\nThereafter the lady turned away from them and mounted her horse and rode\naway. And as she departed she wept, for she was aware that she would\nnever behold Sir Percival again.\n\nThen that boat in which they were moved away from the shore, and anon it\nmoved very swiftly. And it sailed past the headland and out into the\nsea, and, in a little while, the land disappeared from sight, melting,\nas it were, into the soft glory of the moonlight that illuminated all\nthe darkness of the earth. And so they sailed swiftly across the sea and\nthe great waves of the sea, and ever the moonlight lay all about them,\nand they were cradled in the arms of the sea.\n\nSo they sailed for all that night, and anon the day dawned, and then\nthey perceived before them another and a larger ship than the boat in\nwhich they sailed. And the boat in which they were moved very swiftly\ntoward the ship and at last came close beside it.\n\n[Sidenote: _They come to the \u201cShip of Solomon.\u201d_]\n\nThen they beheld that that ship was of a very wonderful sort, for it was\nbuilt all of santal wood, and was tinted with vermilion and ultramarine,\nand was glorified with gold. And the sails of that ship were of\nvariegated silk, very wonderful to behold. And the decks were spread\nwith rich carpets, and there was no human being of any sort to be\nperceived about that ship.\n\nThen Sir Percival said, \u201cThis wonderful ship must be the _Ship of\nSolomon_, and into it we are destined to enter and to discover the\nGrail. So let us enter it forthwith and without loss of time.\u201d\n\nSo they departed from their own boat and entered the _Ship of Solomon_,\nand as soon as they had done so the boat in which they had sailed\ndisappeared and was gone, and they saw it no more. And at that time they\nwere hushed as with a great awe.\n\n[Sidenote: _They find the Grail._]\n\nThen Sir Percival said, \u201cCome, let us behold the Grail, which is here.\u201d\nSo with that saying they all descended below the deck of that boat, and\ncoming there they beheld a table of carved silver, and against the table\nthere leaned the spear and upon the table was a purple velvet cloth,\nspread over something that stood upon the table, and the cloth was\nembroidered very richly with gold and ornamented with many precious\nstones of divers colors. And from beneath it there shone a clear and\nbrilliant light, and that light was emitted by the Grail.\n\nSir Galahad went to the table and took the cloth by the corners and\nlifted it up; and lo! beneath it was the Holy Chalice itself. And it\nblazed with a light that was like that of the sun--very splendid and\neffulgent--so that they could scarcely look upon the splendor thereof.\n\nThen they all three kneeled down before the Grail, and set their palms\ntogether, and gave all honor and glory to its splendors. And Sir\nPercival said, \u201cI have seen this before, but never so near at hand as\nthis.\u201d And again they all gave praise to it.\n\nSo the _Ship of Solomon_ sailed very swiftly away with those three\nknights in it, and it sailed for all that day, and near eventide it\napproached a great city that stood upon a high and rocky hill.\n\n[Sidenote: _They come to the city of Sarras._]\n\nAnd that city was the city of Sarras, and it appeared to the eyes of the\nthree knights to be very great and beautiful. For they beheld that there\nwere very many high pinnacles and towers to that city, and they saw that\nthese were illuminated by the setting sun, so that they appeared as\nthough they were built of pure and shining gold.\n\nSo the boat in which they sat sailed very swiftly toward the city, and\nanon it ceased its voyage beside a wharf that was there.\n\nThen Sir Galahad said, \u201cLet us convey this Holy Chalice to the minster,\nfor, certes, this is where it belongeth.\u201d And Sir Bors and Sir Percival\nsaid, \u201cLet us do so.\u201d\n\nSo they three took up the silver table by three of its corners, and they\nbare it toward the gate of the town.\n\n[Sidenote: _How the cripple was healed._]\n\nNow the history of these things telleth that at the town gate there sat\na cripple begging, and the cripple had not walked for thirty years.\nThey say to him, \u201cCome, help us bear the fourth corner of this table.\u201d\nHe said, \u201cHow can I help bear the table? Lo, I have been a cripple for\nthirty years, and in that time I have not walked a step without my\ncrutches.\u201d Sir Galahad said, \u201cNevertheless, arise and come hither.\u201d Then\nthe man arose, supported by his crutches, and they brought the table of\nthe Grail to him, and he laid hands upon the silver table.\n\nThen, no sooner had he touched that table, than the strength flowed into\nhim; his joints became strongly knit and supple, and he was, as it were,\nno longer a cripple. Then he cried out, \u201cLo! I am healed!\u201d And with that\nhe skipped and leaped in his strength.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSo the Grail was achieved, and now followeth the account of how those\nthree worthy knights brought it in return to the city of Sarras where it\nbelonged, and of what befell them there; so I pray you to read the\nconclusion of this passage hereinafter written.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Conclusion\n\n\nNow the news of the healing of this cripple became known; it went all\nthrough the town, so that when they entered the town, great crowds\npresently gathered and followed them, and the noise of the tumult of\nthat following was like to the noise of the roaring of many waters. For\never the crowd gathered more and more to it, until all that part of the\ntown was filled full of a slow-moving concourse of people.\n\n[Sidenote: _They bring the Grail to the minster._]\n\nThus they came to the minster, what time the Bishop of that minster was\nthere, and seeing them enter with the silver table he said, \u201cWhat have\nyou there?\u201d Sir Galahad replied, \u201cSir, this is the Holy Grail upon this\ntable, and we who have achieved the quest of it have brought it hither\nwhere it belongeth.\u201d The Bishop said, \u201cLet me see that Grail.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Galahad took the velvet covering of the Grail by the corners and\nlifted it, and lo! the glory of the Grail blazed forth before the eyes\nof all. And so great was that glory that it illuminated the entire\ninterior of the minster, so that it was like the illumination of\nsunlight that was burst into that place. And all they who beheld the\nGrail and that sudden illumination bowed down before it and uttered\ntheir prayers of thanksgiving that it was returned to where it belonged.\n\nSo the Grail and the spear were placed before the high altar, and there\nthey remained unveiled; and the glory of them illuminated all the\ncoadjacent spaces with brightness.\n\nSo the Grail remained exposed in that city for three days, and at the\nend of that time it was elevated from earth to heaven, as shall now be\ntold of.\n\nThe three knights were there in the great minster, kneeling and praying\nbefore the high altar where stood the Grail, when of a sudden they heard\na voice from on high, saying, \u201cHail, ye heroes, and all praise to ye!\nFor ye have recovered that Grail which here and now is to be translated\nfrom earth to heaven.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _How the Grail ascends to heaven._]\n\nWith that voice there came two hands, very white and shining, and they\ntook the Grail, and there was no body to be seen with those hands, but\nonly the hands themselves. And there came two other hands and took the\nspear, and neither was there any body to those hands. So those four\nhands lifted the Grail and they lifted the spear, and they bore those\ntwo holy relics aloft and away from that place. And they ascended, as it\nwere, through the roof of the minster and were gone in a burst of glory\nthat lingered for some little while and then faded away into darkness.\n\nSo it happened with the Grail that it was elevated into heaven, and that\nthis was so was avouched for by many who were in the minster at that\ntime; and several of these beheld those four hands, and saw the Grail\nelevated from earth to heaven. So this is to be believed in as here\nnarrated.\n\nThen there sounded from on high to the ears that were unstopped to hear\nthat sound, a great anthem as of thanksgiving, as it were the tones of a\nmighty organ, or as it were the tones of a wonderful and melodious\nthunder, and they three heard that melody of music, but no other who was\nthere heard it. And they were aware that it was the rejoicing of heaven\nover the return of those sacred relics to that place, wherefore they\nwere filled with an ecstasy that was not of this world, but of heaven,\nand that was of great joy, yet was of awfulness and of a sort of terror.\n\nThen was the spirit of Galahad exalted, and he lifted up his voice and\ncried aloud, \u201cThere is nothing remaining for me to live for. So now let\nme depart in peace.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the passing of Galahad._]\n\nThereat with those words the soul was drawn out of his body and the eyes\nof those two knights who kneeled beside him were opened and they beheld\nhis spirit ascend into glory, and they beheld that the illumination of\nheaven shone round about it, and at the same time they heard, with a\nlouder and more momentous tone, the thunder peal of heavenly triumph as\nthe spirit of Galahad was received into its glory, together with the\nGrail which he had achieved.\n\nThen the brightness closed from their eyes and they beheld themselves to\nbe kneeling in the dark and empty minster. And they looked at the body\nof Sir Galahad, and behold! it was dead.\n\nSo passed Sir Galahad, and at that time he was yet not twenty years of\nage.\n\nSir Bors went to the Bishop of that minster, and he said to him, \u201cSir,\nthis man was altogether a good, virtuous, and perfect knight. It is our\ndesire that his dead body should lie here in this minster at that spot\nwhence the Grail ascended into heaven but now. Wherefore, we beseech\nyou to suffer it to lie at that place.\u201d To these the Bishop said, \u201cLet,\nthen, that be fulfilled as you ask. For I believe that that knight was\nindeed a very good, excellent, holy man withal.\u201d\n\nSo they buried the body of Sir Galahad there in the minster, beside the\nspot whence the Holy Grail ascended into heaven, and there the tomb of\nSir Galahad remained to be seen for many years after his body was so\nburied.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Percival taketh holy orders._]\n\nAfter this was over and done, it being then the fourth day after they\nhad come thither, Sir Bors said to Sir Percival, \u201cSir, whither now shall\nwe go?\u201d And Sir Percival said to him, \u201cI shall not go anywhere; for here\nshall I remain, and here I shall take upon myself holy orders and shall\nlive and die as a monk in those orders. But return you, Sir Bors, to the\nCourt of King Arthur, and tell them of the court concerning all those\nthings that have befallen; to wit, tell them how the Grail was achieved\nby us three, and how that it was taken up into heaven before our eyes,\nand how we beheld it enter the gates of heaven. So go you to Camelot,\nand tell them concerning all these things.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors returneth to the Court of the King._]\n\nThus said Sir Percival, and Sir Bors said, \u201cI will do as you bid me.\u201d So\nthe next day Sir Bors kissed Sir Percival upon the cheeks and either\nwept salt tears over the other. Then they parted company and Sir\nPercival remained at that place and became a monk, and Sir Bors departed\nthence, returning back again to Camelot.\n\nThere he arrived at the ending of a year and a day, and all they who\nwere there made great joy over his return. For all those knights who had\ngone forth in search of the Grail and had not died in that quest had now\nreturned, saving only Sir Launcelot of the Lake. For it had become known\nthroughout the world that the Grail had been found, and that it had been\nelevated into heaven, so that all those who were seeking for it were\nreturned back home again.\n\nThen Sir Bors told them all the circumstances of the finding of the\nGrail, and how it had been elevated in the minster at Sarras, and of how\nSir Galahad had died, and of how he had beheld the soul of Sir Galahad\nexalted to heaven.\n\nAnd King Arthur had that history written down in three great books, and\none of those books was established at Salisbury, and another at Camelot\n(which same is Winchester), and the third at Carleon upon the Usk; and\nfrom these three volumes the story of the Grail has descended to us of\nthe present day, and so I have written a part of that for your\ndelectation.\n\nIt remaineth now only to be said that Sir Bors, after all these events,\nreturned to that lady whom he had quitted to search for the Grail. But\nthe happiness of earth was not to be his, for he found that she had\nwearied of waiting for his return, and had married elsewhere. So Sir\nBors returned to Camelot, and there he abided until the time of that\nquarrel that preceded the ending of the reign of King Arthur.\n\nFor wit ye that he who aims high will often miss the small joys of this\nlife, and so it was with Sir Bors de Ganis. For though he was one of\nthose who achieved the Grail, yet he missed the lesser joys of wedded\nlife, and of that kingdom which belonged to them.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThus hath been told to you the famous history of the recovery of the\nGrail and of its translation into Paradise. And this was the crowning\nglory of the reign of King Arthur. For after these circumstances had\nhappened, as herein told of, there came dissensions and battles amongst\nthose knights--knight against knight--until the famous Round Table of\nKing Arthur was severed and shattered, never to be reunited again.\n\nBut of that more anon, for it is hereinafter to be told of. So now I\npray you for to read that which followeth if you would learn the ending\nof all these things.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nPART III\n\nThe Passing of Arthur\n\n\n_Here beginneth the history of the passing of Arthur, of his Round\nTable, and of many of the splendid and glorious knights thereof. With it\ncomes the conclusion of this history, for no more shall then remain to\nbe written thereof._\n\n[Illustration: The Queen\u2019s pages clothe Sir Launcelot]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter First\n\n_How Queen Guinevere visited Sir Launcelot in the forest; how Sir\nLauncelot returned to Court as aforetime, and how he fled once more from\nthe Court._\n\n\nNow it hath been told how that after the quest of the Grail all those\nknights who had not died in that quest, or who were able to return did\nreturn to the Court of King Arthur.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot dwelleth in the forest._]\n\nBut Sir Launcelot of the Lake did not return with the other knights, for\nhe abided in the forest not very far distant from the habitation of the\nHermit of the Forest. There he lived a recluse in pious meditation,\nconsidering of his sins and repenting of them.\n\nSeveral knights had seen him at that place where he was dwelling and\nthey knew him, and they brought away from that place news of him and of\nthe life he led. That news became known at the Court of King Arthur, and\nthere was much talked of, and King Arthur said, \u201cWhat a pity it is that\nso great and so noble a knight as Sir Launcelot should thus deny himself\nto the world. For in the world he is the greatest knight of the world,\nbut out of the world he is as any other man.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Guinevere sendeth for Sir Launcelot._]\n\nAll these things Queen Guinevere heard and she meditated upon them as\nshe sat thoughtfully in her bower. So one day she called to her a page,\nand she said to him that he should ride to such and such a part of the\nforest, and that there he would find Sir Launcelot. And the Queen said\nto the page that he was then to tell Sir Launcelot to return to the\nCourt of the King. And she said to the page to tell Sir Launcelot that\nall the court spake of him continually, and that all desired that he\nshould return to them.\n\nSo the page went to that part of the forest as the Queen had commanded,\nand there he found Sir Launcelot in his cell; and the cheeks of Sir\nLauncelot were hollow and his limbs and body were thin and shrunken from\ncontinual fasting and meditation. Then the page kneeled down before him\nand said, \u201cSir, the Queen bids you for to return to the Court of King\nArthur; for all the ladies and the lords of the court desire you to\nreturn there and be the ornament of that court as you were aforetime.\u201d\n\nSir Launcelot said to the page, \u201cReturn thou to the Queen and say to her\nthat I will not return back into the world as she desires me to do. For\nhere I dwell in peace and quietness and I repent me of all my manifold\nsins as it becometh me to do. For those same sins have stood as a shadow\nbetwixt me and the Grail, so that when the Grail was present I slept,\nand when it was gone I awoke and found that it was gone. Wherefore I\nrepent me of those sins. And so I will abide here and meditate upon them\nfor all the rest of my life.\u201d\n\nSo the page returned to Queen Guinevere and delivered these words of Sir\nLauncelot to her, and the Queen said, \u201cHow is this? He will not come?\nThen will I go myself and bring him.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Guinevere goeth to Sir Launcelot._]\n\nSo she procured a great white horse, and she procured rich and gaudy\nraiment, such as a knight at court might wear, and with these things and\nwith a court of knights and ladies and several pages she betook her way\ninto the forest.\n\nThen all that part of the forest into which she penetrated became gay\nand jocund with her coming. For it was as though the sunlight had\nsuddenly burst through the leaves of the forest. All the silent woodland\nwas made noisy with the clear sounds of talk and laughter, and of\nmusical and merry chattering.\n\nSo the Queen came to that part of the forest where Sir Launcelot was,\nand Sir Launcelot came forth from his hut to meet her. And he stood afar\noff from her and said, \u201cLady, what wouldst thou here?\u201d She said,\n\u201cLauncelot, I come to thee to bring thee away from this lonely place,\nfor the Court of the king is the fittest place for thee to be in. For\nthou art the greatest knight in Christendom, wherefore it ill becometh\nthee to hide thyself away in this desolate place.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot lifted up his voice and cried aloud, \u201cGet you gone,\nLady, and trouble me no more, for I know you not. Yet it was because of\nyou that I cast aside my wife so that she died because of my neglect.\nBecause of that sin and because of other sins that thou wottest of I\nslept while the Grail passed before me, and could not awake until after\nit was gone. So lie I here thinking of that and of other misfortunes\nthat have visited me because of my many sins. Thus it is that here in\nthe woodlands I endeavor to purify my soul of those sins.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Queen speaketh to Sir Launcelot._]\n\nThen the Queen drew nearer to him and she said to him, \u201cLauncelot,\nthinkest thou that thus thy sins may be remitted unto thee? Wit thou\nthat thy sins are like an enemy, and that the only way in which thou\ncanst conquer those sins is to battle manfully with them and not to fly\nfrom them. Arise! shake off this sluggishness and come forth into the\nworld again, for it awaits thee. There and there only may thy sins be\nremitted unto thee.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot groaned and he hid his face in his arms and anon he\nsaid, \u201cLady, tempt me not.\u201d Then after another while he said, \u201cI cannot\ngo with thee, for I have no horse to ride.\u201d\n\nThen Queen Guinevere smiled and she said, \u201cLauncelot, I have purveyed\nthee with a horse, and it is here.\u201d Then Sir Launcelot cried out again\nas in a sort of despair, \u201cStill I cannot go with thee for I have no\nclothes fit to wear at court.\u201d\n\nAnd again Queen Guinevere smiled and she said, \u201cAlso I have provided\nthee with clothes; they, too, are here.\u201d Then she commanded two of her\npages to convey the chest of clothes into Sir Launcelot\u2019s cell and they\ndid so. Then they opened the chest and Sir Launcelot gazed into it, and\nbeheld all that noble apparel of silks and velvets, of gold and jewels,\nof silver and of lace.\n\nSo Sir Launcelot suffered those two pages to clothe him in that raiment,\nand presently he came forth from the cell, shining as with great glory.\nAnd he mounted upon the great white horse which the Queen had brought\nhim, and so they rode away together from that place.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot returneth to the court._]\n\nNow there were at court several who were unfriends to Sir Launcelot;\nsome of these were unfriends because they were malicious, others because\nthey were jealous of his fame; others for this reason, and others for\nthat reason. Two of these were Sir Mordred and Sir Agravaine, who were\nbrothers to Sir Gawaine. Then there was Sir Kay the Seneschal and Sir\nFlorence and Sir Lovel, who were sons to Sir Gawaine, and who were\njealous of Sir Launcelot upon Sir Gawaine\u2019s account.\n\nThese and several others were unfriends to Sir Launcelot, and they\ntalked much amongst themselves concerning the return of Sir Launcelot,\nsaying, \u201cLo! this knight hath come forth out of the forest and hath\nassumed his knighthood again over us all, yet at first he would not\ncome, but when the Queen went thither then he beheld her and followed\nher forth.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot heareth unfriendly talk._]\n\nThese words and words like them came to the ears of Sir Launcelot, and\nbecause of them he withdrew himself from the presence of the Queen, and\nconsorted with other lords and ladies of the court. This the Queen\nobserved, and was grieved at it, for she wished for Sir Launcelot to be\nwith her, and she desired to have him near to her. So one day she sent\nfor Sir Launcelot to come to her and she gazed at him for some time\nwithout speaking. Anon she said to him, \u201cLauncelot, why dost thou keep\nthyself afar off from me?\u201d He replied, \u201cLady, I avoid thee for thine own\nsake and not for my sake.\u201d To the which she said, \u201cHow is that?\u201d\n\nHe said, \u201cI will tell thee. There is much talk about this court\nconcerning thee and concerning me, and that talk links our names\ntogether. I fear not this talk upon mine own account. For it cannot hurt\nme, but it may do great injury to thee; therefore do I hold myself away\nfrom thee.\u201d\n\nThen Queen Guinevere began weeping, and she said, \u201cAh, Launcelot,\nLauncelot! Thou art not to me as thou one time wert. For one time thou\nwert ever ready to come to me, but now thou keepest thyself afar off\nfrom me. That which thou sayst is thy excuse for not being with me, and\nis not the cause of that absence.\u201d Then she said of a sudden to him,\n\u201cGo! Get thee away from this court, for thou bringest nothing but\ndisturbance to my soul.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot said very bitterly, \u201cLady, it would have been well\nfor both of us if thou hadst permitted me to remain where I was in the\nforest, and not have tempted me to quit my sanctuary.\u201d\n\nThen the Queen cried out upon him, \u201cHow now! What is this thou sayst? I\nwent to thee to save thee and not to tempt thee. If thou longest for thy\nhusks again, return to them. At any rate, get thee gone from me, and\nnever come near to me again. For thou bringest naught but sorrow and\ngreat tribulation to me.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot departeth again from the court._]\n\nSo Sir Launcelot bowed and withdrew from where he was, and his heart was\nfilled with a great despair. So he came to where Sir Bors and Sir Lionel\nwere and he told them all that had passed. And he cried out to them,\n\u201cWhat now shall I do who have sacrificed my sanctuary and have got\nnaught by that sacrifice?\u201d\n\nThen quoth Sir Bors, \u201cIt would have been well for thee, if thou hadst\nnever quitted that safe sanctuary within the forest. But as thou now\nhast quitted it, so mayst thou not return to it again. For so wouldst\nthou strive to walk backward into that which hath passed. No man may do\nthat in the life which he leads.\n\n\u201cAs for the anger of the Queen, soon will she forget that anger, and as\nsoon as she forgets it, then will she desire to see thee again. For so\nhath she done several times before, and so will she do again.\u201d\n\nSaid Sir Launcelot, \u201cI will go to my castle of Joyous Gard and there\nwill I abide until her anger against me hath grown cold again.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _He departeth to the castle of Sir Brasius._]\n\n\u201cNot so,\u201d said Sir Bors, \u201cthe Queen spake truly in this; that thy place\nis in the field, and neither in the hermit\u2019s cell, nor enclosed in the\nwalls of that castle. But get thee to the castle of Sir Brasius the Good\nKnight, and there abide for a little while, seeking such adventures as\nmay be found around about. For when the Queen\u2019s mind changes toward\nthee, then wilt thou easily be found at that place, and either I or Sir\nEctor will come to seek thee.\u201d\n\n\u201cThou sayst well,\u201d said Sir Launcelot. \u201cThither will I go and there will\nI stay until thou or Sir Lionel sendest for me.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Launcelot took horse and rode away to the castle of Sir Brasius,\nand there took up his inn.\n\nBut never, at any time, did anyone ever behold him to smile. For though\nin the earlier days of his knighthood he had a happy and jocund spirit\nand frequently smiled, yet now that happiness had departed from him and\nhe never smiled. For many sad things had happened to him in his life,\nand those things had destroyed that happiness as a hailstorm destroys\nthose flowers that to-day are and to-morrow are not, but are withered\nand dead like the grass in the fields.\n\nThus I have told you all those circumstances that led to Sir Launcelot\u2019s\nreturning to Court, and as to his withdrawing himself thence again. For\nso it is that though a man may think to return again into that life from\nwhich he has passed, yet he cannot do so. For the life that is lived in\nonce and which hath been laid aside for another life, that first life is\ndead and cannot be revivified again by the man\u2019s entering into it again,\nbut remaineth dead for aye.\n\nSo it was with Sir Launcelot, for, when he had committed the sin of\nleaving the Lady Elaine the Fair, he had committed it, and all that\nbefell him thereafter became colored by that evil happening. For,\nbecause of that sin he failed to behold the Holy Grail with the eyes of\nhis body, and now, because of that sin, and of what was said concerning\nhim and his doings, he was compelled to exile himself again from that\ncourt in which, by grace of his chivalry and force of arms, he truly\nbelonged.\n\nSo let us take warning by this example and let us not try to return to\nthe life which we may have left, but let us endeavor to live that other\nlife that now presents itself to us after such a happening, whether of\ngood or of evil.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nNow followeth that which treats of the poisoning of Sir Patrice of\nIreland at the feast given by Queen Guinevere; so if you would hear how\nSir Launcelot saved the life of the Queen at that time, I pray you to\nread what followeth.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Sir Mador de la Porte]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Second\n\n_How Queen Guinevere held a feast, and how Sir Patrice of Ireland was\npoisoned at that feast._\n\n\nNow after Sir Launcelot had quitted the Court of King Arthur as\naforetold of, the Queen pretended to great joyousness of heart, although\nthere was no joyousness within her. \u201cI was hasty,\u201d she said to herself,\n\u201cand Sir Launcelot was hasty and hath left me again. But this was my\nfault and I must show no repining, but must appear to be cheerful to\nall. So I will give a feast, that my seeming joyousness may be made\nmanifest to the world, and no one shall have cause to say that I repine\nat the loss of Sir Launcelot.\u201d So said the Queen to herself upon that\noccasion.\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Guinevere proclaimeth a feast._]\n\nSo she proclaimed a feast, and she had at that feast the following\nknights of the Round Table: there were Sir Gawaine and his brothers, to\nwit, Sir Agravaine, Sir Geharis, Sir Gareth, and Sir Mordred. Also there\nwere Sir Bors de Ganis, and Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, and Sir Blamor de\nGanis, and there were Sir Galahad and Sir Galyhadin and Sir Ector and\nSir Lionel and Sir Palamydes and Sir Safyr; and there were Sir Persavant\nand Sir Ironside and Sir Brandiles; and there were Sir Kay the Seneschal\nand Sir Mador de la Porte and Sir Patrice of Ireland, and Sir Alyduke\nand Sir Artamore.\n\nNow at that time Sir Lamorack of Gales had been slain, and report placed\nhis death at the hands of Sir Gawaine (although this report was not\ntrue), and of two of Sir Gawaine\u2019s brothers, to wit, Sir Agravaine and\nSir Geharis.\n\nThere was at the Court of King Arthur a certain knight hight Sir Pinal\nthe Savage, who was cousin to Sir Lamorack, and Sir Pinal was very\nbitter against Sir Gawaine, and was anxious to be revenged upon him, yet\nhe wit not how to take that revenge.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pinal, surnamed the Savage, poisoneth an apple._]\n\nNow Sir Gawaine had a custom of eating an apple immediately after he had\ndined, and this Sir Pinal was aware of. So Sir Pinal took the fairest\napple he could find, and he introduced into it a very subtle and very\nmalignant poison, and this apple he placed in the centre of the table,\nand in the midst of all the fruit. For he said to himself, \u201cThere will\nSir Gawaine find this apple, and he will take it and eat it and will\ndie.\u201d And he said, \u201cQueen Guinevere will be blamed for that death, for\nall the world knoweth that she and Sir Gawaine are unfriends.\u201d So said\nSir Pinal, for he thought thus to be revenged for the death of Sir\nLamorack upon Sir Gawaine, and he knew not how else to achieve that\nvengeance. For next to Sir Launcelot, Sir Gawaine was the strongest\nknight of the court, and he was besides nephew to King Arthur and of\ngreat importance in the King\u2019s household. Wherefore it was that Sir\nPinal sought to slay Sir Gawaine by that poisoned apple.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Patrice of Ireland eateth the apple, and dieth._]\n\nBut at the end of that feast Sir Gawaine did not take the apple, but\ninstead of Sir Gawaine, Sir Patrice of Ireland took it. And Sir Patrice\nbit a great bite into that apple, and he ate that piece. Then anon he\ncried out in a very loud and piercing voice, \u201cHah! What is this that\nails me?\u201d And then he cried out in a very terrible voice, \u201cAlas! I am\npoisoned and I die from eating this apple!\u201d And he cried out again,\n\u201cFriends, see that my death is avenged!\u201d\n\nTherewith he fell down to the ground in great agony, lashing with his\nhands and feet and frothing at the mouth, and so in a little while he\ndied.\n\nThen Sir Gawaine rose up, and he turned his face toward the Queen, and\nhis face was very white, and he said, \u201cLady, how is this? This apple was\npoisoned! For whom was it intended?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine accuseth the Queen._]\n\nThe Queen hid her face in her hands for horror of what she had beheld,\nand she cried out in a very shrill voice, \u201cI knew not that it was\npoisoned, and I know not how it was poisoned!\u201d Sir Gawaine said, \u201cThat\napple was poisoned, and thou knewest that it was poisoned. Methinks it\nwas intended for me. Thou hast always borne enmity toward me, wherefore\nthou didst place that apple upon the table that I might eat of it. One\ntime thou wert innocent, but now thou art innocent no longer, but art\nfull of malice and guile, wherefore thou hadst the will to poison me.\u201d\n\nThen the Queen cried out with a great passion, saying, \u201cGawaine, thou\nand I were never friends, but rather would I cut off my right hand than\nto do so evil a thing as this, to seek to poison thee.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mador de la Porte also accuseth the Queen._]\n\nThen Sir Mador de la Porte stood up before them all, and he said, \u201cLady,\nthat which thou sayst may deceive some who are here, but it shall not\ndeceive me. For I know of thy comings and of thy goings, and I know how\nthou didst of malice hold Sir Launcelot here at court when he would fain\nhave followed the Lady Elaine away from this place, and because that Sir\nLauncelot remained here the Lady Elaine died. From this I know that thy\nheart is full of guile and wickedness, wherefore it is but a step from\nthat sin to the sin of poisoning.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Queen weepeth._]\n\nSo saying, Sir Mador went out from that place, and all the other knights\nfollowed after him; for Sir Mador was a king\u2019s son, and of great\nimportance at the court. Then the Queen was left there alone, weeping\nwith great passion, for she wist not how that poison had been\nadministered to Sir Patrice. After that came several men who were in the\nsuite of Sir Mador, and they took up the body of Sir Patrice and they\nbore it away from that room.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mador appeareth before the High Court of the King._]\n\nAs soon as might be, Sir Mador de la Porte appeared before the King as\nhe sat in council, and he appealed the Queen of treason in that she was\na murderess; and this he proclaimed before the King and all his council.\n\nThen King Arthur turned very white and he bowed his head and anon he\nsaid, \u201cSir Mador, what wouldst thou have me do in this case? For lo!\nthou dost attaint the Queen of murder, and I do not believe it possible\nthat she could do so wicked and so evil a thing as this. Wherefore thou\nmust tell me what thou wouldst have me do in this instance.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mador challengeth the Queen of treason._]\n\nQuoth Sir Mador, \u201cLord, I do accuse her of having administered poison at\nher feast, whereof my cousin Sir Patrice died. In that she certes hath\ncommitted treason against thee and against us all, for this feast of\nhers was held here, in this castle, and we were her guests. So accusing\nher, I am ready to defend that accusation with my body.\u201d So saying, he\nflung his glove down upon the ground, and he cried out, \u201cHere lieth my\nglove in gage of battle, and I will defend my accusation with my own\nperson, my accusation being that the Queen is a murderess.\u201d Quoth the\nKing, \u201cHast thou no pity and no mercy for this lady who is thy Queen?\nHast thou no honor and no regard for me, thy King?\u201d And Sir Mador made\nreply, \u201cNot in this case! For in this case I have no regard for anything\nbut to punish the guilty.\u201d\n\nThen the King arose, and he said, \u201cSend for the Queen to come hither, so\nthat she may face her accuser.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Queen appeareth at the High Court._]\n\nSo anon the Queen came, and two ladies supported her, one upon one side\nand the other upon the other. And the Queen wore her veil over her face\nfor she had been weeping continually and with great passion ever since\nthe ending of that feast. Now there were many knights gathered there and\nmany lords and ladies of several sorts, and some of these were the\nQueen\u2019s friends and felt sorrow for her, but some of them felt\nsatisfaction that she was accused.\n\nThe King said, \u201cArise, Lady, and stand.\u201d And thereupon the Queen stood\nup before the King and Sir Mador de la Porte and the entire council.\nThen the King said to her, \u201cLady, this knight, Sir Mador de la Porte,\naccuses thee of having used poison at thy feast. What hast thou to say\nto that?\u201d\n\nThen the Queen put back her veil and she had ceased to weep, and her\neyes were very hard and proud, albeit her face was extraordinarily\nwhite. \u201cSir,\u201d she said, \u201cthou knowest me well--no one better--and thou\nknowest that with all my shortcomings (and they be many), I could never\ndo such a thing as that, to poison an enemy at mine own table. For I\nhave many enemies at this court, and amongst them is thine own nephew,\nSir Gawaine; for he is my bitterest enemy, and hath always been so. It\nwas he who first accused me at that feast of having used poison, and\nbecause he is thy nephew and because he is so powerful at court, there\nbe few knights here who will defend mine innocence against mine\naccusers, when he stands at the head of those accusers, holding that I\nattempted to poison him. Had I Sir Launcelot here at court, then would I\nhave had a good worthy defender of mine honor, but I have driven Sir\nLauncelot away from me by my pride and anger, and he is not now here to\ndefend mine innocence. Yet I believe that someone will arise to defend\nit, wherefore I will accept this knight\u2019s gage of battle and will abide\nby it, come life, come death.\u201d\n\nThen the King groaned, and he bowed his head, and at last he said, \u201cLady\nand Queen; thou art the wife of my youth, and I would fain defend thee\nmyself. But this cannot be, for I am the King, and the head of all the\nlaws. Nevertheless, I believe that some champion will arise for thee;\nfor it is not possible that in this court there is no knight who will\narise to defend thine innocence. Wherefore, let it be as thou sayst.\nHere shall the glove of Sir Mador de la Porte lie upon the ground, until\nsome defender arises to take it up, and if no other defender arises,\nthen will I take it up mine own self. Let us now depart.\u201d\n\nSo with that they all arose and left that place, and left Sir Mador de\nla Porte\u2019s glove still lying upon the floor of the council chamber.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Queen asketh Sir Bors to defend her._]\n\nThat night a messenger came to Sir Bors asking him to come to the Queen,\nand Sir Bors went with the messenger, who took him to the bower of the\nQueen where she was. When Sir Bors entered that place he found that the\nKing was with the Queen. Then the Queen arose and stood before him. And\nshe set her hands together, the palm of one against the palm of the\nother, and she said, \u201cSir Bors, will you not serve as my champion in\nthis quarrel?\u201d\n\nThen Sir Bors bowed his head, and anon he said, \u201cLady, I would you had\nasked someone else to act as your champion.\u201d\n\nThe Queen looked at him very proudly, and she said, \u201cWhy do you say\nthat? Had I known that your feelings were such, then I would not have\ntroubled you by asking that service of you. But you are the nephew of\nSir Launcelot, and you are a good worthy knight and one of those three\nwho have achieved the Grail. Wherefore I ask you why you are not willing\nto serve as my champion. Do you then also believe that I would poison a\nguest at the feast which I prepared for the entertainment of such noble\nand worthy champions?\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said Sir Bors, \u201cI think no such thing as that of you, Lady. But\nin this quarrel there be many upon either side who are my friends, and\nif I fight upon one side then my friends upon the other side would fall\naway from me because I did so.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlas!\u201d said the Queen. \u201cThe time was when I had many knights upon my\nside. For did not Sir Pelles in the days of my youth take a foolish\nquarrel upon him for my sake? And did not Sir Launcelot stand ever ready\nto defend me? Oh, Launcelot, Launcelot! If thou wert but here to stand\nmy champion in this quarrel! But thou art not here, for I, in my haste,\nhave driven thee away from me, I know not whither.\u201d So said Queen\nGuinevere, and with that she began weeping as though her heart would\nbreak.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors will serve as the Queen\u2019s champion._]\n\nThen Sir Bors was very much moved and he said, \u201cWeep not, Lady, for thou\nhast yet no cause for weeping. Thou yet hast many good true knights who\nwould defend thee. Yea; I will serve as thy champion unless a better\nchampion arise to defend thee. So take thou heart of grace in this, that\nthou art innocent of this crime; wherefore, may God defend the right.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Queen declareth her innocence._]\n\nAt this the Queen took comfort and wiped her eyes and smiled, and she\nsaid, \u201cSir Bors, for thy satisfaction I hereby make thee my solemn vow\nthat I did not do this thing of which I am accused. And methinks I know\nwho it was who laid that poisoned apple upon the table, for there was an\nattendant at that table who stood behind a screen, and this attendant\nbeheld a knight come into that room ere others came thither. But I\ncannot accuse that knight now, for I myself am accused, wherefore if I\naccuse him, all will say that it is to shelter myself that I make that\naccusation.\u201d\n\nSir Bors said, \u201cLady, if this be true, it shall be as you wish, and I\nwill certes do all that I am able to defend you.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur spoke and said, \u201cSir Bors, there is not any knight in\nall the court who is so well fitted to defend my Queen as thou. For as\nthou art one of the most virtuous knights who ever lived, so will thy\nvirtue shine upon any undertaking to which thou settest thy hand. And\nbesides this high virtue of thine, there is no knight at this court,\nunless it be Sir Gawaine, who is so strong and so excellent a knight as\nthou.\u201d\n\nSo spake they at that time, and after those speeches Sir Bors went to\nthe council chamber where lay the glove of Sir Mador de la Porte, and he\ntook up that glove and he thrust it into his belt. With that glove he\nparaded the court, and many beheld the glove of Sir Mador in his belt.\nSome came to him and proclaimed that they were secretly pleased that he\nhad assumed the championship of the Queen; but others came and were very\nangry that he had assumed it.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine is angry with Sir Bors._]\n\nAmongst these last was Sir Gawaine who said to him, \u201cSir, what is this\nyou do? Are you not aware that the poison served to us at dinner was\nmeant by the Queen for me and not for Sir Patrice who was poisoned by\nit?\u201d To him replied Sir Bors, \u201cFriend, in this you are mistook. For\nthough the poison might have been intended for you and not for Sir\nPatrice, yet it was not the Queen who placed it there. For I think I\nknow who placed it there, and by and by it will be made manifest to all\nafter that the Queen is freed from this accusation under which she\nlieth.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine smiled very bitterly and he said, \u201cThou art easily\nsatisfied, Sir.\u201d \u201cIf I am,\u201d said Sir Bors very calmly, \u201cthere is this\nvirtue in my belief; that I cannot believe that my Queen and the wife of\nmy King should do this thing. Nor do I envy those who so easily believe\nevil of their Queen.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors rideth to Sir Launcelot._]\n\nNow when the next day was come, Sir Bors took horse and rode to the\ncastle of Sir Blasius, which place he reached before the sun set. There\nhe found Sir Launcelot, and he told Sir Launcelot all that had befallen,\nand when Sir Launcelot heard it he was very angry. \u201cHow is this?\u201d he\ncried. \u201cDo they dare accuse the Queen of this offence? They do it\nbecause they know I am absent and cannot defend her.\u201d And Sir Bors said,\n\u201cYet even so it is. For there is a large party at court that is willing\nto ascribe that wickedness to her. And that party is headed by several\nof those who are of most influence at court.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot and Sir Bors talk together._]\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said Sir Launcelot, \u201cI ask not who they are who believe this\nevil of her. But I will be there to defend the Queen when her trial\ncometh. Meantime, do thou take her championship upon thee till I come;\nfor if it be necessary to prove the innocence of that noble lady, then\nthou, who art one of the three knights of the Grail, can best sustain\nit. Besides this, Sir Mador is a very hot and heady knight, wherefore,\nif thou wilt keep up this quarrel against him till I come, he will be\nthe more ready to do battle according to his beliefs. And it is\nnecessary that the Queen should be defended by arms.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Bors told Sir Launcelot that it was the Queen\u2019s belief that it\nwas Sir Pinal the Savage who had placed the poisoned apple upon the\ntable; and he also told how the Queen did not dare to bring this\naccusation against Sir Pinal until she herself was cleared of that\naccusation.\n\nAll this while Sir Launcelot sat frowning as he listened, but at the end\nof Sir Bors\u2019s speech he only said, \u201cI will be there as the Queen\u2019s\ndefender, but tell nobody that thou hast spoken to me.\u201d And Sir Bors\nsaid, \u201cI will not tell of this.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors returneth to court._]\n\nSo Sir Bors bid adieu to Sir Launcelot, and Sir Launcelot bid adieu to\nSir Bors, and Sir Bors returned that night to Camelot again, reaching\nhis inn at that place before the dawn of the day.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Sir Mador begs for his Life]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Third\n\n_How Sir Bors was relieved of the defence of the Queen, and of how Sir\nMador de la Porte was overthrown._\n\n\nSo came the eve of the day of that conflict when the innocence of the\nQueen was to be approved by conflict. That evening the Queen sent for\nSir Bors de Ganis, and she said to him, \u201cSir, what is your mind in this\nbattle which you are to fight to-morrow?\u201d Quoth Sir Bors, \u201cLady, it is\neven as it was aforetime. For ever I do believe in your innocence and\ndeem it be impossible that you could administer poison to one of your\nguests. So I will do battle for you to the best of my ability as I\npromised you I would do. But should another knight, better fitted by\nskill at arms than I, appear to assume that honor, then would I\nsurrender the honor to that knight; yea, even at the last minute.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The King praiseth Sir Bors._]\n\nSo after Sir Bors had departed from her, the Queen went to the King and\ntold him what Sir Bors had said to her. Quoth the King, \u201cLady, thou hast\none of the best champions that can be found in the entire world to\ndefend this case in thy behalf. For I know of no knight who could be\nbetter chosen to defend thine honor than Sir Bors, unless it were his\nkinsman, Sir Launcelot of the Lake. For even Sir Gawaine is not stronger\nnor better, nor was Sir Percival stronger nor better than is Sir Bors de\nGanis.\u201d\n\nSo said the King, and at his words the Queen took great comfort and\ncheerfulness.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Queen cometh with the King to the lists._]\n\nSo came the next day of trial. For at about the eleventh hour of the\nmorning there came to the open square within the walls of the town the\nKing and the Queen and the Court of the King. At that place the Lord\nConstable was already come, and to one side was a great pile of dried\nfagots laid cross wise, the one upon the other, and in the midst of that\npile of fagots was an iron stake with fetterlocks attached to it about\nas high as one could reach, standing before that stake. Those high lords\nand ladies who were there looked very closely at the Queen, and they\nbeheld that she smiled as she looked about her, but that her face was\nwhite like to purified wax for whiteness. And the Queen was clad\nentirely in white; for her robe was long and spotless of color, and she\nwore a belt of white leather, studded with silver, bound about her\nwaist, and her hair hung down upon either side and was wound about with\nribbons of white and silver. And some of those who looked upon her were\ngrieved and sorrow-struck at her trouble, but others were pleased and\ntriumphant to see her thus brought low, even to the trial of her life\nand her good fame.\n\nThen King Arthur called the constable to him and he said to him, \u201cLord\nConstable, here do I commit to thee the tender body of this my Queen,\nwho stands here wrongfully accused of the crime of murder. Take her; she\nis thine until after this trial of battle.\u201d So saying, the King took the\nQueen by the right hand and led her to the constable, and he gave the\nright hand of the Queen into the hand of the constable. And the\nconstable took the Queen by the hand, and he said, \u201cLord King; here take\nI the body of this lady who is my Queen. But I take that body only to\nreturn it unto thy ward; so hold thou this lady in thy keeping, and may\nGod keep ye both, amen.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The King sitteth beside the Queen._]\n\nTherewith the constable replaced the hand of the Queen into the hand of\nthe King, and thereupon withdrew to one side. Thereafter the King\nconducted the Queen by the hand up the flight of steps to a high seat\nthat had been prepared for her beside his own seat. Then the King said,\n\u201cLet the accusers of this lady be summoned.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mador de la Porte appeareth._]\n\nThen came Sir Mador de la Porte, clad all in very brilliantly shining\narmor, and riding a red-roan horse, whose coat glistened like red silk.\nSo he drew rein in front of the King\u2019s pew in the list. And the King\nlooked at Sir Mador, frowning till his eyes disappeared beneath his\nbrows; yea, till the veins at his forehead became expanded and knotted,\nand until his entire visage became empurpled with blood.\n\nAnon he found his voice, and he said, \u201cSir, what brings you here? For\nyou claim to be a gentleman of my court and of my Round Table, and yet\nyou bring accusation against your Queen, and the lady of all others whom\nyou should be most called upon by honor to defend.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mador challengeth the Queen._]\n\nThen Sir Mador spoke up in a very bold voice, both high and loud.\n\u201cSovereign and awful lord,\u201d said he, \u201chere stand I for justice and for\nright; without awe and without fear of anyone or of anything. Wit ye\nthen, that some days ago I and several others sat at feast with the\nQueen. What time my near kinsman, Sir Patrice of Ireland, ate an apple\nat that feast, and the apple was poisoned and he died of eating thereof.\nNow that was the Queen\u2019s feast and we were the Queen\u2019s guests; how,\nthen, was the poisoning done, saving by the Queen\u2019s orders? So here\nstand I now to accuse that Queen of the treason of poisoning; nor will I\nrest satisfied from that accusation, saving only as someone shall\noverthrow me in this, my coming battle.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The King challengeth Sir Mador._]\n\nThen spake the King, \u201cSir, did you make research concerning this\naccusation, or did you question anyone concerning this affair? For\ncertes it is very criminal and very wicked to administer poison to\nanother; but it is none the less criminal and none the less wicked to\nutter such treason as you do by accusing the Queen unjustly and without\ncause. Wherefore, Sir, you should be very certain of your accusation.\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Mador, \u201cSir, I believe the testimony of mine eyes; for they\nbeheld that which my lips have spoken, and so my hand shall uphold in\nthis, my just encounter against the Queen\u2019s strong champion.\u201d\n\nThen the King spoke very haughtily. \u201cSir,\u201d quoth he, \u201cyou have entrusted\nthe verity of your case to the testimony of your eyes, and that\ntestimony has deceived and misled you. Nevertheless, I shall not answer\nyou here, for anon you shall be answered to your pain.\u201d Then the King\nspake to an esquire who stood below in the tilt yard. \u201cHasten,\u201d said he,\n\u201cand bid Sir Bors de Ganis to come hither.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors appeareth._]\n\nSo the esquire departed and anon he returned, leading the white horse of\nSir Bors by the bridle. And Sir Bors was clad all in armor of pure and\nvirgin white, and all his trappings and the trappings of his horse were\nwhite, so that he shone glistening, like to a figure of pure silver.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors appealeth for delay._]\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said Sir Mador to Sir Bors, \u201cKnowest thou why I am here, and upon\nwhat accusation?\u201d Sir Bors said, \u201cAye, I know it well.\u201d Then said Sir\nMador, \u201cDost thou stand for the other side?\u201d Sir Bors said, \u201cYea, I\nstand heart and soul for the other side. But I will tell thee truly. I\nsaid that I would undertake this quarrel upon the Queen\u2019s behalf unless\nsome better knight than I should take that battle upon him. I know you,\nSir Mador, for a noble and valiant knight, and you know me for what you\nhave beheld of me, wherefore you know that I fear not to meet you or any\nknight in all of the world, and that I would do battle with anyone with\nall of my might in a lesser quarrel than this. Wherefore I ask you now\nto postpone this battle until the hour of noon, for by that time there\nmay come more worthy than I to defend this honorable and much abused\nlady.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mador denieth him any delay._]\n\n\u201cIs that all you have to say?\u201d said Sir Mador. \u201cWell, then, Messire,\neither come you to battle with me without loss of time, or else withdraw\nyou from the field for someone else to take your place.\u201d\n\n\u201cTake your horse and your arms,\u201d said Sir Bors, \u201cand as I suppose you\nwill not tarry long, so also will I not tarry long, but will be with you\nanon.\u201d So each knight withdrew from the field, and each busied himself\nin preparing for the conflict. In this Sir Mador was the quicker, and so\nrode out of his pavilion and around the course, and whilst none\napplauded him in that procession, yet there were some who frowned not\nupon him.\n\n[Sidenote: _A new champion appeareth upon the Queen\u2019s behalf._]\n\nSo Sir Bors, when he was made ready, came forth from his pavilion, and\nhe cast his eyes toward the forest and immediately he was aware that a\nknight was coming thence, riding easily yet swiftly. And this knight was\nclad in strange armor, and he bore a shield without any escutcheon, nor\nwas there any emblazonment about him whatsoever to tell what knight he\nwas. But Sir Bors knew very well that that knight was none other than\nSir Launcelot of the Lake.\n\nAnon this knight came quickly to where Sir Bors was, and he said to him,\n\u201cMessire, I give you grammercy for assuming this quarrel upon behalf of\nthe Queen. But now I come to assume that quarrel myself and so you are\nfreed from it.\u201d Sir Bors said, \u201cCome you to King Arthur.\u201d And the knight\nsaid, \u201cConduct me to him.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The new knight appeareth before the King._]\n\nSo Sir Bors conducted the knight to where King Arthur sat, and when he\nwas come there King Arthur said to him, \u201cSir, what knight are you? For\nthat I should know ere I consent to establish you instead of Sir Bors in\nthis quarrel.\u201d To which Sir Bors made reply, \u201cLord, I know this knight,\nand I know that he is a better knight than I am, so I yield my rights in\nthis quarrel unto him.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur said to Sir Mador de la Porte, \u201cSir, will you accept\nthis new knight in your quarrel?\u201d To which Sir Mador replied, \u201cSir, I\nwill accept him or any.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mador is overthrown._]\n\nSo each knight withdrew to his end of the lists and there they made\nthemselves ready. And when they were all prepared, then each launched\nagainst the other with all the speed and vehemence that he possessed. So\nthey met in the midst of the course and in that encounter the spear of\nSir Mador was broken all to pieces, but the spear of the other knight\nheld so that Sir Mador and his horse were both overturned into the\ndust.\n\nBut Sir Mador recovered from his fall very suddenly, and drawing his\nsword and setting his shield in front of him he came forward to the\nassault of his enemy as though this were the very beginning of the\nbattle. Upon this the other knight leaped very nimbly and quickly down\nfrom his horse, and setting his shield before him, he drew his sword and\ncame forward as with great eagerness for battle.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mador is beaten in battle._]\n\nEach struck at the other with great fierceness, for Sir Mador was a very\nstrong and powerful knight, and was further upheld by his indignation.\nSo they fought for above an hour, and in that time Sir Launcelot held\nhis strength, but the strength of Sir Mador began to wane so that he\ncould hardly sustain his arm. Then Sir Launcelot redoubled his strokes\nuntil Sir Mador held his shield full low. At that Sir Launcelot lifted\nup his sword and he smote Sir Mador so terribly upon the helm that he\nfell grovelling to the earth. Then Sir Launcelot drew near to Sir Mador\nto smite him again, but Sir Mador raised himself a little and lifting\nhis sword he smote Sir Launcelot through the thick of the thigh.\n\nBut when Sir Launcelot felt himself to be thus wounded and when he\nbeheld how that the blood flowed forth in a red stream from the wound in\nhis thigh, he drew away and waited for Sir Mador to rise again. And when\nSir Mador had arisen he rushed upon him and smote him again, so terrible\na blow that the blade bit through the iron helmet, and the leather coif\nand into the bone beneath the coif.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot spareth Sir Mador._]\n\nThen Sir Mador fell down and lay upon the ground like one who was dead,\nand Sir Launcelot ran in to where he lay and seizing the helmet that\ncovered the head, he cut the thongs with his misericordia and rushed it\noff from his head. With that the light shone in upon the face of Sir\nMador and aroused him from his swoon; and beholding Sir Launcelot\nstanding terribly above him, he cried out, in a loud piercing voice,\n\u201cSpare me my life, Sir Knight! Spare me my life!\u201d Quoth Sir Launcelot,\n\u201cI will not spare thee thy life, unless thou dost confess that thou wert\nmistaken concerning the guilt of the Queen, and that she is innocent of\nevil.\u201d Said Sir Mador, \u201cI do confess it.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot called the Lord Constable of the lists to him and he\nsaid to Sir Mador, \u201cConfess what thou hast confessed to me to this\ngentleman.\u201d And Sir Mador said, \u201cSir, to this constable I do confess and\nacknowledge that I was mistook as to the guilt of the Queen, and that\nshe is indeed guiltless of that of which I have accused her, and of all\nother crimes whatsoever.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot said, \u201cBear this knight hence away from this spot.\u201d\n\nUpon that there came several attendants to that place and they lifted\nSir Mador and carried him away from that place.\n\nThen Sir Launcelot and the constable went from that place of conflict to\nthe presence of King Arthur, and the King and the Queen descended from\ntheir high seats to welcome him. Quoth the King, \u201cSir, well have you\nfought this day, and well may we guess who you are who have done this\nbattle. We do both give you thanks--I for that you have saved to me my\nQueen; she that you have saved to her her life and her honor.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mador confesseth a wrong accusation._]\n\n\u201cLord,\u201d said Sir Launcelot, \u201chere have I brought with me this constable\nto avouch for it that Sir Mador hath confessed that he hath wrongfully\naccused the Queen of this crime, and that she is as guiltless of it as\nshe is of any other crime at this present.\u201d And the constable said, \u201cI\ndo avouch for the truth of that.\u201d Then the King said to Sir Launcelot,\n\u201cSir, I perceive that thou art wounded. Wilt thou not refresh thyself\nwith a glass of wine?\u201d And Sir Launcelot said, \u201cYea, Lord, for wine\nwould be exceedingly grateful to me at this present.\u201d\n\nSo a little page ran and presently returned, bringing a flagon of\nsparkling yellow wine, and Sir Launcelot unlaced his helmet and removed\nit from his head, so that all beheld his face and knew him for Sir\nLauncelot.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot pledgeth the Queen._]\n\nAnd then King Arthur said, \u201cSir, methought that you were Sir Launcelot\nof the Lake when I beheld how you did battle a little while ago.\nMoreover, when Sir Bors spoke of a better knight than he rising for the\nQueen\u2019s defence, I wist he must mean you, for you are the only one who\nis better than he. But now we have you, we will not let you go again.\u201d\n\u201cLord,\u201d quoth Sir Launcelot, \u201cI will not leave this court again unless I\nam bidden to go. For here may I defend both your honor and the honor of\nyour Queen. For first of all do I owe my duty to you who made me a\nknight; and then do I owe my duty to her who is my revered and honored\nlady.\u201d Then, taking the flagon of wine into his hands he turned him\nabout and lifting that flagon on high, he cried in a loud, clear voice\nso that all might hear him, \u201cHere do I drink this flagon of golden wine\nto the truth and innocence of my Queen. Health to her friends, confusion\nto her enemies, and may harm fall upon those who contemplate harm to\nher!\u201d\n\nThen he put the brim of the flagon to his lips and drank off the entire\ndraught of wine ere he removed it again.\n\nThen King Arthur said, \u201cLet us go visit that wounded knight, for I have\nsomething that I would say to him.\u201d So Sir Launcelot and the constable\nand King Arthur went across the meadow of battle to the pavilion of Sir\nMador. And they entered the pavilion and Sir Mador was lying upon a\ncouch and the surgeon was searching his wounds.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur dismisseth Sir Mador from the court._]\n\nKing Arthur said to him, \u201cSir, who besides yourself were the accusers of\nthe Queen?\u201d Sir Mador said, \u201cLord, I was her only accuser.\u201d The King\nsaid, \u201cThou liest, for there was a conspiracy against her to undo her,\nand thou wert but the instrument of that conspiracy. I will ask thee no\nfurther to betray those who were with thee in this affair. Only I have\nthis to say to thee, that if by to-morrow morning thou art within the\npurlieus of this court, or if at any future time thou comest into my\npower again, or if ever I meet thee in battle or out of battle, that\ntime spells for thee thy death. Bear my words well in mind; for though I\nspare thee this time upon behest of the Queen, yet will I not spare thee\nagain upon the beseeching of anyone in all of the world.\u201d\n\nSir Mador said very bitterly to the King, \u201cMy Lord, thou speakest as a\nsound man to one who is very grievously wounded and who may not defend\nhimself.\u201d \u201cNot so,\u201d said the King very calmly, \u201cI speak, first of all,\nas a king to his knight, and next I speak as one knight to another\nknight who hath wrought him a grievous injury. For thou canst not undo\nwhat thou hast done; for thy quarrel hath sowed dissension and evil\nthought among my entire court, so that I, who was one time loved by my\nentire court, know not now who are my friends and who mine enemies.\u201d\nThen the King turned to the constable, and he said, \u201cLord Constable,\nthou hearest what I have said. If this man is found hereabouts to-morrow\nday, cast him immediately into prison and report the same to me. For if\nafter this day he falleth into my power, then he shall himself suffer\ndestruction by the flames, as he would have consigned his own Queen to\nthe flames.\u201d\n\nThereupon the King turned upon his heel and left Sir Mador de la Porte\ngnawing his finger nails.\n\n[Sidenote: _The servant telleth how Sir Pinal placed the apple._]\n\nThat day the King held a council of his chief lords and subordinate\nkings. And before this council came that servant who had hidden behind\nthe screen as aforetold of. And this servant told of how he had beheld\nSir Pinal place the apple upon the table whereon the feast was to be\nheld. This evidence they all heard and listened to, and when it was\nended the King said, \u201cSend for this Sir Pinal and let us hear what he\nhath to say to this.\u201d\n\nSo they sent for Sir Pinal, but he was nowhere to be found, for the\nQueen\u2019s enemies had told him that that evidence was to be admitted and\nhe had fled away from the court into the wilderness, never to return\nagain.\n\n[Sidenote: _Yet is the Queen accused by many._]\n\nSo was the innocence of the Queen proven. But still there were some who\ndisbelieved that evidence, for they said, \u201cSee ye not how it is? For\nfirst they overthrow Sir Mador and then they drive him away from this\ncourt. Then they bring in this evidence to clear the Queen from guilt\nand they lay that guilt upon poor Sir Pinal, who is not of the Round\nTable. Thus there is no one to contradict the evidence of this poor\nknave, and so the Queen is to be cleared of the suspicion of guilt.\u201d\n\nSo spake several, and the news of this was brought to the ears of Sir\nGawaine. But Sir Gawaine would say no word upon the matter, for whilst\nhe felt bitter enmity toward the Queen, and whilst he suspected the\nworst things of her, yet he would not give voice to that which he\nsuspected. Neither would he give accusation against her, but went his\nown way thinking his own thoughts and keeping those thoughts within his\nown bosom.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the dissensions at the court._]\n\nThus have I told you the history of these things as I myself have read\nof them in the ancient books that treat of them. For this was the first\nbeginning of the end. For now that the Grail had been lifted from the\nearth, there was naught to hold together the Court of King Arthur as it\nhad been held together before. But each knight began now to think of his\nown glory and of himself, and not of the glory of the King and the Good\nof the world.\n\nSo now begin we with the history of those dissensions that presently\nbroke forth in the Court of the King.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Sir Launcelot defends the door]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Fourth\n\n_How there came quarrels at the court, and how Sir Launcelot of the Lake\nwas assaulted by the brothers of Sir Gawaine._\n\n\nNow there was at court at that time much dissension and many angry\nrecriminations back and forth between the one party and the other party.\nFor the one party maintained that the Queen had been ill-used and had\nsuffered much, and would have suffered death, saving only for the\ndefence of Sir Launcelot of the Lake; and the other party maintained\nthat the Queen possessed an evil soul, and that Sir Launcelot was her\ndishonorable lover and that it was for this reason that he had fought\nfor her.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mordred and Sir Agravaine accuse Sir Launcelot of\ntreason._]\n\nOf this latter party were some of the brothers of Sir Gawaine, who were\nat the head of that party; to wit, there was Sir Mordred and Sir\nAgravaine. These knights spoke very boldly and openly, saying that Sir\nLauncelot practised treachery with the Queen against the King\u2019s high\nhonor. Sir Agravaine said, \u201cWell is it that Sir Launcelot is the\ngreatest knight now living on the earth (for this is true now that Sir\nGalahad had departed in glory), yet it is not to be forgotten that he is\nnot greater in his strength than several knights who might come against\nhim at once. So when Sir Launcelot next visits the Queen, if a number of\nus shall fall upon him, it can scarcely be but that those knights should\novercome him, and that so the King\u2019s honor should be revenged.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine will not join with them._]\n\nWhilst he so spoke, Sir Gawaine sat at one side gnawing his mustache.\nThen he up and spake, saying, \u201cWhat is this you would do? Would you\npractise treachery against Sir Launcelot and against the Queen? God\nknows I have no love for the Queen, and never have had love for her, but\nneither would I practise treachery against her, but would assail her\nopenly and against the entire world. As for Sir Launcelot of the Lake;\nlong hath he been my dearest friend and companion at arms; am I then to\npractise treason against him?\u201d Then turning to Sir Geharis and Sir\nGareth, he said, \u201cWhat say you, my brothers? Speak!\u201d Then Sir Geharis\nand Sir Gareth said, \u201cWhat thou sayst, Gawaine, we also say.\u201d And Sir\nGareth said upon his part, \u201cI cannot now forget and I can never fail to\nremember that it was Sir Launcelot of the Lake who made me a knight.\nShall I then sit in judgment upon my godfather in knighthood, and\nundertake to practise evil against him?\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Mordred, \u201cI say with my brother Agravaine that the Queen is\naltogether evil and that Sir Launcelot is her lover, and that saying I\nam ready to maintain to the peril of my life.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mordred declares that he will arrest Sir Launcelot._]\n\nSaid Sir Gawaine, \u201cI pray you tell me; what is it you seek to do?\u201d Him\nanswered Sir Mordred, \u201cWe seek to spy upon Sir Launcelot and, when next\nhe visits the Queen in her apartments, we would make assault upon him.\nWhen we have thus espied upon him, then we and several others will fall\nupon him and seize him and hale him before the King for trial.\u201d Said Sir\nGawaine, \u201cThat is no such easy matter for to do. And when you have done\nit, it will be but of little avail; for the King will not condemn Sir\nLauncelot upon such uncertain accusation. For what accusation shall you\nbring against Sir Launcelot and the Queen that you dare mention to the\nKing?\u201d\n\nThen Sir Mordred made no immediate answer, but when he was come to a\nplace apart from those three, he said to Sir Agravaine, \u201cSir Launcelot\nis guilty of thou knowest what treason against the King. Now I told\nGawaine that we would arrest him and bring him to the King. What I\nreally purpose is this: that we assault Sir Launcelot in the Queen\u2019s\napartments, and that we slay him. For once he is dead the King will\nquickly forgive us and will believe the Queen to have been guilty, but\nif Sir Launcelot is alive he will never forgive us. Hah, brother, a dead\nlion is a less dangerous enemy to a man than a living fox. So it were\nbest that Sir Launcelot died.\u201d In this Sir Agravaine agreed with him; so\nafter that they set watch upon Sir Launcelot to take him when next he\nshould visit the Queen. But Sir Launcelot was warned by one who\noverheard them, and for that while he did not visit the Queen in her\napartments.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mordred betrayeth Sir Launcelot._]\n\nSo one night Sir Mordred called to him a page of the Queen\u2019s court when\nthe page was passing, and he said to him, \u201cLanadel\u201d (for such was the\npage\u2019s name)--\u201cLanadel, go you to Sir Launcelot of the Lake and tell him\nthat the Queen would fain speak with him in her bower.\u201d Thereupon the\npage, suspecting no evil, went to Sir Launcelot, and delivered that\nmessage to him, and Sir Launcelot, suspecting no evil, fulfilled the\nterms of that message, and went secretly thither to the Queen\u2019s\napartments.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot goeth to the Queen\u2019s bower._]\n\nFinding the Queen there, Sir Launcelot said to her, \u201cLady, what is it\nthou wouldst say to me?\u201d She looked upon him in astonishment and said,\n\u201cSir, I did not send for you to say anything to you.\u201d Sir Launcelot\nsaid, \u201cHow is this? Your page, Lanadel, came to me and brought it to me\nas a message that you would speak to me at this place.\u201d She said,\n\u201cLauncelot, I sent no such message as that to thee. Yet, in very truth,\nit hath been long since thou hast been hither to speak to me. Art thou\naffronted with me, Launcelot?\u201d\n\nHe said to her, \u201cLady, thou knowest that I am not affronted with thee.\nBut there is this: I must consider thine honor and reputation as I do\nmine own. But, Lady, touching this message of late delivered to me, here\nis treachery of some sort, for certes that message came to me as from\nthee, wherefore I know that some treachery is brewing against us, though\nI know not what that treachery is.\u201d\n\nNow turn we to those enemies of Sir Launcelot to see what they did upon\nthis occasion. For Sir Mordred watched at the entrance of the Queen\u2019s\napartments until that he beheld Sir Launcelot enter them. Upon that he\nran to Sir Agravaine, and said to him, \u201cBrother, wit ye that Sir\nLauncelot is at this time in the Queen\u2019s chamber. Let us now make haste\nto take him.\u201d So those two called about them certain knights who were at\nenmity with Sir Launcelot, and they said to them, \u201cGentlemen, let us\nhasten and take that traitor knight who is even now in the Queen\u2019s\nbower.\u201d\n\nNow those knights whom they called upon to accompany them were as\nfollows: There were Sir Colgrance and Sir Gingaline, and Sir Melyot of\nLogris, and Sir Galleron of Galway; there were Sir Melion of the\nMountain, and Sir Petypas of Winchelsea; there were Sir Gromer Somerjour\nand Sir Astamore, Sir Cuselaine, Sir Florence, and Sir Lovel. And these\nlast two were sons to Sir Gawaine.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Queen is warned._]\n\nThese eleven knights, together with Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred,\nmaking thirteen in all, went together in a party to the apartments of\nthe Queen. And the ladies of the Queen beheld them coming, and wist that\nthey came for no good purpose. Wherefore these ladies ran screaming and\nin haste and bolted and barred the door. Then they ran to the Queen\u2019s\napartment and they found that Sir Launcelot was there and they cried\nout, \u201cLady, arouse you, for your enemies are upon you!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The thirteen knights challenge Sir Launcelot to appear._]\n\nBy this those knights were at the door, and Sir Agravaine knocked and\ncried aloud in a very loud and thunderous voice, \u201cThou traitor knight!\nWhat doest thou here? Why liest thou behind locked doors in the Queen\u2019s\napartments? Come forth to us who are thy fellows of the court and of\nthe Round Table, and render an account to us. For we are here to receive\nthine account!\u201d\n\nThese words were uttered so loudly and so powerfully that they echoed\nand re-echoed throughout that entire part of the castle, and when they\nstruck upon the Queen\u2019s ears, she fell as white as an ash of wood and\nsank back upon a couch, placing her hand above her heart.\n\nThen Sir Launcelot stood up from where he sat and he cast his eyes\naround him from side to side, but he could see no armor for defence, and\nno way of escape. And ever those knights without smote upon the door,\nand ever Sir Agravaine cried out, \u201cSir Launcelot of the Lake; what doest\nthou there in the Queen\u2019s chamber? Come forth and deliver thyself to\nus.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot said, \u201cLady, I prithee tell me, is there ere a suit\nof armor in this place as I could clothe myself withal?\u201d She said, \u201cNay,\nLauncelot, there is no armor in this room.\u201d Then Sir Launcelot said to\nher, \u201cThen must I defend myself without armor; for I know that these\nknights have no purpose for to take me prisoner to the King. Otherwise,\nthat which they purpose is to take my life.\u201d Then the Queen sank down\nterrified upon her knees before him, and said, \u201cLauncelot, go not forth\nto them, for assuredly they mean thy death.\u201d He said to her, \u201cLady, I\nmust go; but this I beseech of thee, that thou wilt pray for me. And\nthis also I beseech of thee, that, should I fall in this encounter, thou\nwilt go with my relatives, Sir Ector and Sir Bors and Sir Lionel and Sir\nUre, and bid them that they shall take thee to an asylum of refuge at my\ncastle of Joyous Gard. For there is now no safety for thee at this\nplace, and only great and continual dangers. For ever there is growing\nat this court against thee a rooted jealousy of all that thou sayest or\ndoest, and if so be I lose my life, then these, mine enemies, will\noverwhelm thee.\u201d Then the Queen wept, and she cried out, \u201cLauncelot!\nLauncelot! Go not forth to them!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The thirteen knights threaten to burst in the door._]\n\nAs thus they spake, those knights without continually beat upon the\ndoor, crying ever in louder and more violent tones, \u201cTraitor! Open to\nus!\u201d And the door was not opened, but remained closed. Then they cast\ntheir eyes about and they beheld a great form that stood there in the\nhall. And Sir Agravaine said to certain of the others, \u201cBring hither\nyonder form, and let us beat down the door with it. For thus alone may\nwe hope to come at this traitor!\u201d So they brought that form and they\nbeat with it upon the door, and the door cracked and bent beneath their\nblows.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot defendeth himself with a cloak._]\n\nThen Sir Launcelot wrapped his cloak about his arm, and he took his\nsword in his hand, and he said to those who were beating upon the door,\n\u201cMessire, cease your uproar and I will come forth to you.\u201d Then he\nturned the key in the lock of the door, and he opened the door a little,\nbut not very far, setting his foot against it lest they should burst it\nopen from without and so rush in, many at once, upon him.\n\nBut when the door was opened and they beheld Sir Launcelot standing\nthere without any armor of defence whatsoever saving only the cloak that\nwas wrapped about his arm, they took heart of grace that they should\neasily overcome him. Then there came forward a tall and very powerful\nknight, hight Sir Colgrance of Gore, and he struck a terrible strong and\npowerful blow at Sir Launcelot with intent to hew him down. This blow\nSir Launcelot put aside with his sword and immediately delivered a blow\nin return.\n\n[Sidenote: _He slayeth Sir Colgrance._]\n\nIn that blow he smote Sir Colgrance upon the head, and the blow bit\nthrough the bascinet upon his head and it smote deep into the bone of\nthe brain so that Sir Colgrance fell down grovelling to the earth, and\nimmediately he died.\n\nThen Sir Launcelot seized Sir Colgrance\u2019s body by the shoulders and\ndragged it into the room ere the others had recovered, and immediately\nhe bolted and barred the door as it was before. And Sir Launcelot said\nto the Queen, \u201cLady, here hath Providence delivered armor into my hands.\nI prithee aid me to arm myself.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot armeth himself in Sir Colgrance\u2019s armor._]\n\nSo the Queen and her affrighted ladies hastened to Sir Launcelot and\ntogether they stripped the armor off the body of Sir Colgrance. And they\nassisted Sir Launcelot to clothe himself very quickly and nimbly in that\narmor. Then, having thus armed himself in the armor of Sir Colgrance,\nSir Launcelot came to the door of the room and he spoke to those\nwithout, and he said to them, \u201cMessires, what is it you would have with\nme?\u201d They say, \u201cWe would have you come forth and surrender yourself to\nus so that we may take you to King Arthur.\u201d Sir Launcelot said, \u201cI\ncannot surrender myself to you, but this I will promise to do: if you\nwill go hence and leave me in peace, I will surrender myself to King\nArthur to-morrow morning, and will then abide by his justice.\u201d Sir\nAgravaine said, \u201cWe will not do this. We will not trust thee. Deliver\nthyself to us immediately, or we will slay thee.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot assaileth his enemies._]\n\nThen Sir Launcelot said, \u201cI come!\u201d and therewith he flung wide open the\ndoor. And Sir Launcelot strode out amongst them like to a lion into the\nmidst of a pack of dogs. And they beheld that Sir Launcelot was clad all\nin the armor of Sir Colgrance. And Sir Launcelot fronted Sir Agravaine\nand the eyes of Sir Launcelot flashed forth pure fire from under the\nvizor of his bascinet. And Sir Launcelot strode to Sir Agravaine, crying\nout, \u201cThou first!\u201d And therewith he smote Sir Agravaine with might and\nmain.\n\nSir Agravaine warded the blow, but so wonderfully powerful was it that\nit smote down that ward; and it smote Sir Agravaine upon the bascinet;\nand it cut through the iron of the bascinet and through the bone of the\nbrain pan and into the brain itself.\n\n[Sidenote: _He slayeth Sir Agravaine and several others._]\n\nThen Sir Agravaine cried out very terribly and fell down dying to the\nearth; and Sir Launcelot put his foot upon the neck of Sir Agravaine,\nand wrenched forth the sword out of the cut that he had made. Then Sir\nLauncelot smote to the right hand and to the left; and of those eleven\nknights who were with Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred he slew nine in that\nlittle room. And he smote Sir Mordred upon the shoulder so that he\nsheared the flesh of the arm, a great slice from the bone, and the other\ntwo knights were more or less wounded, so that anon they fled in tumult\nfrom that place.\n\nAnd Sir Launcelot was also wounded in many places in that conflict, so\nthat he was, as it were, all bathed in crimson from head to foot. Then,\nhaving put his enemies to flight, he turned him and re-entered the\nQueen\u2019s chamber.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot is wounded._]\n\nBut when the Queen beheld him thus all bathed in red, she shrieked\naloud, for she thought him to be mortally wounded. But Sir Launcelot\nsaid to her, \u201cFear not, Lady, thine enemies are put to flight and I am\nnot sorely hurt.\u201d And he said to her, \u201cLady, my love for thee hath ever\nbeen my curse, and now it hath brought us to this end. For in thy\ndefence and in my defence I have slain the nephew of the King and two of\nthe sons of Sir Gawaine. So now the King will be my foe, and so I must\nquit this place for aye. But I cannot leave thee, Lady, for without me\nthou wilt be defenceless. So I prithee prepare thyself for a journey. I\nwill go forth and gather about me a number of knights of mine own\nkindred and friends, and we will take thee hence away from this place.\nFor to-morrow they will bring thee forth to trial, and when they bring\nthee forth, then will we seize thee and carry thee away.\u201d\n\nThen the Queen fell to weeping very bitterly, and she said, \u201cAh,\nLauncelot! Alas and alas! Is this then the end?\u201d And he said, \u201cAye,\nLady.\u201d Therewith he went forth from that place and left her.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot adviseth with Sir Bors._]\n\nSo Sir Launcelot came to Sir Bors\u2019s inn, and when Sir Bors beheld him,\nall covered and ensanguined with blood, he cried out, \u201cGod save us!\nWhat is this? What aileth thee?\u201d Then Sir Launcelot told Sir Bors all\nthat had befallen, and when he had told it Sir Bors sent for Sir Ector\nand for Sir Lionel and for Sir Ure, and fourteen other knights,\nrelatives and friends of Sir Launcelot, and Sir Launcelot told unto them\nwhat he had told to Sir Bors.\n\nThen Sir Bors said to those who were there gathered, \u201cMessires his is a\nvery sad and bitter quarrel. For I do avouch that my relative, Sir\nLauncelot, is in all ways perfectly innocent toward the Queen. For we\nknow that he was deceived into her presence by a false message delivered\nunto him by someone who was an enemy to him and who meant to undo him.\nSo this lady hath also been misused in such a way that it is contrary to\nhis honor as a knight that we should suffer such harm to approach her.\nNow it is my advice that we await to see what shall presently befall.\nFor if this quarrel is condoned by the King, then is all very well; but\nif the King seek to punish Sir Launcelot by bringing the Queen to a\ntrial, then shall he save her from that trial and shall convey her away\nto Joyous Gard where she may remain safe from harm.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Other knights swear fealty to Sir Launcelot._]\n\nThen all those other knights to whom Sir Bors spake held up their swords\nwith their handles before them, and they said, \u201cHerewith and upon this\nholy sign of the crucifix do we swear that we will ride with and aid Sir\nLauncelot of the Lake in this undertaking. And, if it be demanded of us,\nwe will assist him to bring this lady to Joyous Gard, and we will there\naid and defend him and her with our bodies until the last extremity and\nuntil death.\u201d\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mordred accuseth Sir Launcelot to the King._]\n\nMeantime, Sir Mordred had had his wound bound up and had taken horse and\nhad ridden to the inn of King Arthur, and he appeared before King Arthur\nin the room when the King was then with several of his court. And when\nthe King beheld him thus wounded, he started up and cried out, \u201cHah, Sir\nMordred! What bringeth thee before me in this plight? Where gottest thou\nthat wound?\u201d Then Sir Mordred kneeled down before the King, and he said,\n\u201cSovereign Lord and Master, I got this wound in thy service. For Sir\nLauncelot visited the Queen recently in her bower, and I and twelve\nother knights sought to arrest him there and to bring him before thee.\nBut he resisted that arrest, and of the thirteen who assaulted him nine\nare dead and one is like to die.\u201d\n\nThen the King drew his breath very hard between his teeth, at that news,\nand anon he said, \u201cWho are dead? Are they any of my friends?\u201d Sir\nMordred said, \u201cAll are thy friends, and three are of thy kin.\u201d Quoth\nKing Arthur, \u201cWho are those of my kin?\u201d And Sir Mordred said, \u201cOne of\nthem is Sir Agravaine, thy nephew, and the others are Sir Florence and\nSir Lovel, the young sons of Sir Gawaine.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine sorroweth._]\n\nThen the King groaned and Sir Gawaine who was with him covered his head\nand also groaned in sorrow. Quoth the King, \u201cTo-morrow day this shall be\ninquired into, and the Queen shall be brought to trial for this\ntreason.\u201d And with those words he arose and withdrew from that place,\naccompanied only by Sir Gawaine, Sir Geharis and Sir Gareth and Sir\nMordred; and leaving the other knights who were attendant upon him sunk\nin silence, not knowing which way to look or what to say.\n\nSo when the King was come to a private place, he seated himself and\nburied his face in his hands. And he groaned aloud, and he said, \u201cAlas\nis me! This is certes the beginning of the end that was foretold by\nMerlin!\u201d And anon he said to Sir Gawaine, \u201cTo thee, Gawaine, will I\nentrust the pushing of that inquiry which must follow. For thou and\nGeharis and Gareth shall go with a company of an hundred knights, and ye\nshall arrest the Queen, and shall bring her for trial for this offence.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine kneeled down before King Arthur, and he said,\n\u201cSovereign and lawful Lord and Master, I pray you to spare me from\nthis.\u201d King Arthur said, \u201cWhy should I spare thee?\u201d Sir Gawaine said,\n\u201cFor these two causes: firstly, I am sworn brother in arms to Sir\nLauncelot; secondly, I am not friendly with my lady the Queen and so am\nnot fit to serve her as her escort.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur said, \u201cI do not understand your refusal, Messire. Was\nnot Sir Agravaine your brother? And was not he a strong and noble\nknight? And were not Sir Florence and Sir Lovel your sons?\u201d\n\n\u201cYea, Lord,\u201d said Sir Gawaine. \u201cAll this is true; but I suspected evil\nin this affair, and I strongly advised them to refrain therefrom. This\nthey have refused to hearken to and so they have perished, armed and in\nfair conflict with Sir Launcelot--he one against many.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur\u2019s face flushed very red with anger, and he turned to\nSir Geharis and Sir Gareth. \u201cAnd you, Messires,\u201d said he, \u201cdo you also\nrefuse me this duty?\u201d \u201cSir,\u201d said Sir Gareth, \u201cif you bid us upon our\nduty to undertake this commission, we will do so. Yet wit you that Sir\nLauncelot was he who made me a knight; wherefore I will not go in arms\nto escort the Queen. But if thou commandest me to go, then will I go\nwithout armor or defence of any sort to protect me. For I will not stand\nin arms before the avowed lady of him who made me a knight.\u201d\n\nKing Arthur said, \u201cI do command you both to go, so let there be an end\nto this argument. But see to it that the Queen shall be brought to her\ntrial in a plain white robe without a girdle and that she come in her\nbare feet like to any criminal. For I shall not believe her to be\ninnocent until she be proved so.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gareth and Sir Geharis go unarmed to arrest Sir\nLauncelot._]\n\nNow when the next day was come, it being then about the tenth hour of\nthe morning, Sir Geharis and Sir Gareth took those five score knights\nand they rode to the lodgings of the Queen. Meantime, word had been sent\nto the Queen that she was to clothe her in such a guise as the King had\nsaid; to wit, ungirdled and in white, and in her bare feet. And it was\nsaid to her that she was to come to her trial like to a\ncriminal--barefoot in that wise, and without a girdle about her waist.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Queen weepeth._]\n\nThen the Queen wept very many bitter tears, and said, \u201cAlas, my lord,\nthe King, hath already condemned me in his heart, so that my trial will\nmean my death.\u201d And the ladies of the Queen wept with her and they said,\n\u201cLady, alas for thy happiness! For this is certes the end.\u201d Then the\nQueen dried her tears and she said to them, \u201cComfort ye! For I have done\nmany evil deeds in my life, but ye know that I am innocent of this\ndeed.\u201d They say, \u201cYea, we know it and will avouch for it.\u201d\n\nNow word of all these things had also been brought to Sir Launcelot, and\nwhen he heard of them he aroused himself and called his esquires about\nhim. Then he went forth in his full armor and he found Sir Bors and Sir\nLionel together. And Sir Launcelot said to them, \u201cMessires, do you\nremember that you and several others promised to aid me in the rescue of\nthe Queen? Well, then, the time is come, for she is about to be brought\nforth to her trial, for they have sent for her. She shall not come to\nthe disgrace of trial, for I will bear her hence. Go you and summon all\nthose who will support me and bring them in haste to the Queen\u2019s inn,\nfor I go there immediately.\u201d Sir Bors said, \u201cGo not thither from this\nplace until we summon aid.\u201d Sir Launcelot said, \u201cThen make haste.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Bors and Sir Lionel hastened away from that place, leaving Sir\nLauncelot walking in great strides up and down the length of the room.\n\nAnon came one running to where Sir Launcelot was, and said to him, \u201cSir,\nthe Queen biddeth thee to come to her in haste, for they are taking her\nbarefoot to her trial.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot hasteneth to aid the Queen._]\n\nThen Sir Launcelot waited for no further word, but hastened with all\nspeed to where the Queen was, and when he had come there he found many\nof his knights already there, and several came immediately thereafter.\nAnd as Sir Launcelot approached he beheld the Queen seated upon her\nhorse in her bare feet and surrounded by that armed escort which the\nKing had sent. Then the Queen beheld Sir Launcelot and she called to\nhim, saying, \u201cSir Launcelot, make haste!\u201d And she reached out her arms\ntoward him.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot slayeth Sir Gareth._]\n\nThen Sir Launcelot emitted a great loud and bitter cry. And therewith he\ndrew his sword like lightning and his friends drew their swords and they\nrushed into the throng smiting from right to left and from left to right\nagain. And those who were thus assaulted smote back again at those\nknights and bore them hither and thither by weight of numbers because\nthey who fought for the Queen were so few. But the knights of Sir\nLauncelot were prepared for this assault and the knights of King Arthur\nwere not prepared for it, wherefore those latter were quickly separated\nand driven back. Now in the fury of that small battle Sir Gareth was\npushed near to Sir Launcelot and he was unarmed as hath been told of,\nand Sir Launcelot saw him but knew him not. So Sir Launcelot smote Sir\nGareth upon the head with his sword and he clave asunder the head of Sir\nGareth to the throat and Sir Gareth fell dead beneath the horses\u2019 feet.\n\nAnd Sir Launcelot thought nothing of what he had done by that blow; for\nin his fury and raging he beheld the Lady Queen Guinevere before him.\nWith that he spurred forward without looking down upon the earth to see\nwho it was whom he had smitten down, and he catched the Queen up from\nher saddle and seated her on his saddle before him. Then he shouted,\n\u201cLet us away and escape while there is yet time!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _He slayeth Sir Geharis._]\n\nSo with that Sir Geharis put himself forward to stay Sir Launcelot, and\nSir Launcelot, beholding him there in the way and not witting who he\nwas, smote him also with his sword and slew him.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot escapeth with the Queen._]\n\nSo with that they all ceased fighting and spurred away from that place,\ncleaving their way before them and taking Queen Guinevere with them. And\nthey rode away from that place and from that city, and they ceased not\nto ride until they had come to the confines of Joyous Gard, where there\nwas an asylum of peace and safety. And in that battle there were lost\ntwenty-seven knights of the King, and of these there were eleven knights\nof the Round Table. And there were lost sixteen knights of Sir\nLauncelot\u2019s party and of them there were nine knights of the Round\nTable. And in that battle Sir Kay the Seneschal and Sir Gareth and Sir\nGeharis and Sir Griflet lost their lives.\n\n[Illustration: The Bishop of Rochester and the King.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Fifth\n\n_How King Arthur attacked Sir Launcelot at Joyous Gard; how Sir Lionel\nwas slain and how Sir Bors was wounded._\n\n\nNow come we to the beginning of the end of this great and glorious reign\nof King Arthur of Britain. For so Sir Launcelot stepped between the\nQueen and the law as hath afore been told of, and having done so there\nwas no recession for him from that act. For so was he bound to protect\nthe Queen and to cherish her if he could do so; and King Arthur was\nbound to recover his Queen to bring her back to her duty again if he\ncould do so.\n\n[Sidenote: _Concerning Queen Guinevere and Sir Launcelot._]\n\nYet in all this the Queen had not sinned against King Arthur, saving\nonly that she had escaped from her enemies and from justice at Camelot,\nand also because King Arthur supposed that her affections had wandered\nfrom him and toward Sir Launcelot. For in all other respects the Queen\nwas ever as honorable and as pure as she had been when first she came to\nKing Arthur that long while before at Camilard (which same hath been\ntold in full in the Book of King Arthur). Yet there was this, that the\ncoming of Sir Launcelot from the Lake and the greatness of Sir Launcelot\nas a knight, and the beauty of the person of Sir Launcelot, so\nfascinated her that she could not let him go his way without meddling\nwith his fortunes. Wherefore she demanded him for her knight, and she\nwas angry at any interference that prevented him from serving her as her\nknight both singly and in all things.\n\nBut now had come to her the end of all this. For now was she escaped\nfrom her lord the King, and from justice, and she was hiding under the\nprotection of Sir Launcelot of the Lake and of those knights of his\nblood and kindred at Joyous Gard. So had the end come to her of all the\njoy of her life, for King Arthur could now never condone or forgive her\noffence.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur grieveth._]\n\nFor when the news of that battle came to the ears of King Arthur, he was\nfilled with anger and with grief. \u201cAlas!\u201d cried he, \u201cthat this quarrel\nshould have begun, for in it I behold the end of my reign. For already\nthe joy of the Round Table is past and gone, and never shall it return\nagain.\u201d\n\nFor wit ye that that joy which is gone can never return, but only its\nmemory shall live in the heart to lend a dim and distant lustre upon the\nsorrows of the present, and of that King Arthur was very well aware. So\nalso he knew that the glory of the Round Table had departed, and he knew\nthat ere the end of that Round Table should come many knights should die\nin that quarrel that was now toward.\n\nThen the King said, \u201cDoth Sir Gawaine, the high prince, know that his\ntwo brothers have been slain?\u201d They say to him, \u201cNo, Lord.\u201d (For they\ndid not then know that Sir Gawaine had already been informed thereof.)\nThe King said, \u201cThen let him not be told of it, for if he is told of it\nnow he will, in his haste, vow vengeance against Sir Launcelot who was\nhis sworn comrade in arms and his very dear friend, and so there will be\nadded war to this war.\u201d They say to the King, \u201cHe shall not be told, but\nit shall be kept secret from him.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The news cometh to Sir Gawaine._]\n\nBut meantime there had come a messenger hastening to Sir Gawaine, and\nsaid to him, \u201cLord, the Queen hath escaped and is now upon her way to\nJoyous Gard with Sir Launcelot of the Lake.\u201d\n\nAt this Sir Gawaine gazed at the messenger and for a little while he\nsaid nothing, though he thought many things. And the face of Sir Gawaine\ngrew white like to wax for whiteness, for he feared what further news\nshould come to him. Anon he said, \u201cWhat news is this? Were not my\nbrethren set as a guard upon her? How then did they suffer her to escape\nfrom them?\u201d\n\nThe messenger said, \u201cSir, Sir Launcelot, and others of his blood,\nassaulted that guard and they seized upon the Queen and took her away.\nAnd in the m\u00eal\u00e9e at that time Sir Gareth was slain unwittingly. And then\nSir Geharis was also slain whilst attempting to stay Sir Launcelot.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine grieveth._]\n\nThen Sir Gawaine covered his head with his cloak, and he sat there for a\nlong time with his head covered. And ever he wept beneath the cloak, but\nhis face was hidden, and no one could behold his tears. And anon he said\nin a muffled voice, \u201cFive of them are gone! Five of them are gone!\u201d\nmeaning by that that his two sons and his three brothers had already\ndied in that war. And after a little while he said, \u201cThere was comfort\nfor me in that those three of them who died aforetime were armed for\nbattle. For so I advised them that they should not enter this dispute;\nand yet they did enter it, and lost their lives therein. But these\nlatter two were naked and unarmed, and of one of them Sir Launcelot was\ngodfather when he was knighted. And he loved Sir Launcelot more than he\nloved his own blood and his own brethren. Ah, Gareth! Gareth! All things\ncould I forgive in Sir Launcelot saving only thy death. For I loved Sir\nLauncelot above all others in the world, and to him could much be\nforgiven; but this I can never forgive. For those two were his friends\nand not his enemies, and they meant him good and not harm; yet he slew\nthem, all naked and unarmed as they were.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine cometh to the King._]\n\nAnd Sir Gawaine said, \u201cWhere is the King?\u201d They say, \u201cThe King is at\nsuch and such a place.\u201d So by and by Sir Gawaine arose and went to where\nKing Arthur was. And Sir Gawaine said to King Arthur, \u201cLord, what now\nwill you do?\u201d King Arthur said, \u201cI know not what I shall do.\u201d Sir\nGawaine said, \u201cSir, know you that my two brothers are slain?\u201d And King\nArthur bowed his head and said, \u201cYea, I know it.\u201d Sir Gawaine said, \u201cI\nwill tell you what you shall do. You shall wage war to the extremity of\nlife against this false and traitorous knight, Sir Launcelot of the\nLake. What? Hath he not taken your Queen from you and carried her away\nto his own castle? Hath he not slain your blood and kindred? Hath he not\nbathed his hands in the blood of your knights of the Round Table? Hath\nhe not slain Sir Kay, your foster brother, in this last assault? Hath he\nnot slain Sir Griflet and my kinsman Sir Aglaval and my two sons and my\ntwo other brethren who were all unarmed and defenceless against his\nattack? Sir, arouse yourself. Call for your kings and princes, your\nearls and barons and knights, and let us set forth as an army and\nutterly destroy this nest of traitors and murderers. I myself will call\nmy dependants around me and will accompany you to that war, for now it\nshall either be Sir Launcelot\u2019s life or my life. For never will I\nforgive him so long as I have breath in my body.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The King offers forgiveness._]\n\nQuoth the King, \u201cNephew, if these knights will return the Queen to me,\nthen I will forgive them, and if I forgive them cannot you also forgive?\nFor these are Knights of the Round Table, and I must not destroy the\nRound Table so utterly as you advise me to do.\u201d\n\nSir Gawaine said, \u201cI cannot forgive Sir Launcelot, nor shall I ever\nforgive the deaths of my innocent brothers. For they were naked and\nunarmed, and they loved Sir Launcelot, and yet Sir Launcelot slew them.\nNaught can wipe this from my memory saving only the blood of him who\nslew those two gentlemen. Wherefore, prepare for war and I will join\nyou.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The King summoneth his vassals._]\n\nSo King Arthur armed himself and he summoned those knights and princes,\nearls and barons who were dependent upon him to his assistance. And he\nsummoned all of those knights who were still allied to him. All this he\ndid, but he did it very reluctantly, for he wished not to wage war with\nSir Launcelot and his knights.\n\nAnd news of this call to arms that King Arthur had made came to Sir\nLauncelot, and he upon his part gave call to all of those lords and\nknights who were allied to him to come to him and to aid him to defend\nJoyous Gard. And they or many of them went to him as he bade them.\n\n[Sidenote: _How the King cometh to Joyous Gard._]\n\nThen King Arthur led his army to Joyous Gard and it was so vast and\nmultitudinous that it covered all the hills and valleys as it advanced.\nAnd red clouds of dust hung over it as it passed forward so that the\nbright and tranquil light of the sun was obscured by those clouds. And\ngreat flocks of carrion crows accompanied the army, for they smelt the\nblood of many carcasses as from afar, wherefore they flew accompanying\nthat army. So this army came and settled down and about Joyous Gard, and\nit was like an army of locusts that had settled at that place.\n\nAnd Sir Launcelot and his brother Sir Ector stood upon the parapet of\nthe castle of Joyous Gard, and they looked out upon the hills and upon\nthe multitude of the hosts that were there foregathered and that\nencompassed them. And when Sir Ector beheld the vast and limitless\nextent of that army, his heart failed within him and he said to Sir\nLauncelot, \u201cBehold, oh brother! the vast and limitless host that\nsurrounds us. However shall we withstand such a host as that? Would it\nnot be better to compromise with the King and to surrender the Queen to\nhim?\u201d Quoth Sir Launcelot, \u201cHow talk you of compromise, Messire, and how\ntalk you of surrendering the Queen? Wit you that to surrender the Queen\nat this time would be to dishonor ourselves in surrendering her to\ndishonor? For unless we fight for her, what terms can we now make that\nwould insure her safety? No, brother, let us abide their coming, and\ndefend ourselves with all our mights.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Queen adviseth Sir Launcelot._]\n\nThat night the Queen also spoke to Sir Launcelot, and she said,\n\u201cLauncelot, why do you suffer for me? Surrender me unto King Arthur and\nwith that this war will cease. Else will there many worthy knights\nperish in this war. For there are a great many knights here foregathered\nof the Round Table, and there be many other famous and worthy knights\nand nobles and kings here foregathered. Is my one life then worth more\nthan all their lives?\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot groaned, but he said, \u201cLady, I will not surrender\nyou until I am sure that your safety is insured. Let first the King\nassure your safety and then we shall consider whether or not you shall\nreturn to him.\u201d\n\nThen the Queen burst out weeping and she cried out, \u201cOh, woe is me that\nI should have brought so much trouble and sorrow upon this world!\u201d\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n[Sidenote: _The King assaults Joyous Gard._]\n\nNow the army of King Arthur made assault upon Joyous Gard and they made\nassault upon assault. And somewhiles they made breaches in the walls;\nbut ever those breaches were rebuilded at night so that they could not\nenter the castle. And the army of King Arthur lost many hundreds of men,\nboth of knights and yeomen; but the defence of the castle lost many\nscores, and those scores were of greater loss to them than the hundreds\nthat King Arthur lost. For those hundreds could be replaced by other\nhundreds, but the scores could not be replaced by other scores.\n\n[Sidenote: _The friends of Sir Launcelot advise with him._]\n\nSo the knights who kept the castle held a council of defence, and there\nwere at that council Sir Bors and Sir Lionel and Sir Ector and Sir\nBleoberis and Sir Blamor de Ganis, and there were other knights and\nworthies of the blood of Sir Launcelot. Sir Lionel said, \u201cWhy remain we\nhere within this castle? Ever we grow weaker and weaker, and by and by\nour enemies will break within the castle and then we shall all be put to\nthe edge of the sword. Let us sally forth against those who thus\nsurround us, for so haply we may cut our way through them and thus\nescape to the sea-shore and to France. There we shall be safe from those\nwho could work for us our undoing.\u201d Sir Launcelot said, \u201cSir, even if we\ncould do this thing, what blood would be spilt in doing it, and what\nfriends would we slay in that attempt!\u201d Quoth Sir Ector, \u201cWhat matters\nthat? Are they not seeking our lives and our blood, and are we not\ndefending ourselves? These men are no longer our friends; they are our\nenemies, and are seeking our lives. Let us then go forth and assail\nthem.\u201d All this Queen Guinevere heard, and she wept many and very bitter\ntears as she listened to that council. As for Sir Launcelot, he groaned\nvery deeply but anon he said, \u201cLet it then be so as you say, only first\nI must bespeak King Arthur.\u201d\n\nSo that afternoon he appeared upon the battlements of the castle. And he\nleaned out over the battlements and called out to those who were below,\nsaying to them, \u201cWhere is King Arthur? I would speak with him.\u201d\n\nThose who heard him ran to King Arthur, and they said to the King,\n\u201cLord, Sir Launcelot asks to speak to thee. Haply he meaneth to\nsurrender to thee.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The King speaketh to Sir Launcelot._]\n\nSo King Arthur hurried to that place where Sir Launcelot was: and Sir\nGawaine and the King of North Wales were with him. King Arthur said to\nSir Launcelot, \u201cWhat wouldst thou have of me, Messires? Dost thou\nsurrender this castle?\u201d \u201cNot so,\u201d quoth Sir Launcelot, \u201cI do not\nsurrender it, but I would speak to you of other things.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cconcerning what other things have you to speak\nto me withal?\u201d\n\n\u201cLord,\u201d said Sir Launcelot, \u201cthis is what I would say to you. What seek\nyou here in thus assaulting this castle? Here within are many lordly\nknights and many knights of the Round Table who were a short time ago\nyour friends and dependants. Some of them you yourself made knights as\nyou made me a knight, and all of those would gladly surrender their\nlives for your sake. What benefit or what honor can it then be to you to\nslay them, who were your support and your defence, and who would be so\nagain if you would live in peace with them? Would it be to your honor\nthat you should slay these good, worthy honorable knights?\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cyou forget that you have seized upon my Queen\nand that you hold her from me in this castle. First surrender to me my\nQueen, and then I will consider all these things that you have to say\nand will reply to them as I deem to be fitting.\u201d\n\n\u201cLord,\u201d said Sir Launcelot, \u201cthy Queen is held here in high and\nhonorable regard. With us she is safe from harm or injury of any sort.\nWould she be thus free from danger of harm and dishonor if she were with\nyou? Pledge me first that you would do her no harm or injury, and then\nit will beseem us as true and honorable knights to consider the\nsurrender of her to you.\u201d\n\n\u201cAm I then,\u201d said the King, \u201cto make treaty with you for the return to\nme of that wife with whom I have lived in amity for all these years?\nSir, you do not consider how unfit such a treaty would be upon my part.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine accuseth Sir Launcelot._]\n\nThen up spake Sir Gawaine. \u201cAlso, Messire, you have forgot another\nthing, and that is that you have slain my two young brothers who stood\nbefore you defenceless and unarmed. I reckon naught of those whom you\nslew, armed and in battle. For I loved you well and truly for many\nyears, and I advised them not to hazard battle with you; but they would\nhazard battle and so they were slain by you. But of those two others,\nthey did not hazard battle; for they were unarmed and naked, and they\nwould have stood your friends; yet you slew them as though they had been\nenemies. This I will never forgive you, but either you will answer for\nit with your blood, or I will answer for it with mine.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot groaned, and he said, \u201cGod pity us all for our sins,\nand God pity you, Sir Gawaine, for your unchristian hatred.\u201d And with\nthat he turned away.\n\n[Sidenote: _The defenders of the castle sally forth._]\n\nSo when the next day had come, they of the castle prepared themselves\nfor battle and for escape. They placed the Queen in their midst and they\nsurrounded her upon all sides. Then, of a sudden, all the gates upon one\nside of the castle were flung wide open and they issued out in full\narmor. And at that time the sun shone out very brightly, and it gleamed\nand sparkled like flames of fire upon the brightly polished steel of\nthose knights. Then they, the defenders of the castle, shouted very\nloud, and they charged against their enemies, bearing the Queen with\nthem in their midst.\n\nAnd for awhile they carried all before them and no one could withstand\nthem; and so they might have escaped, had it not been that the Queen was\nwith them and retarded them in their charge and their advance. For, in a\nlittle while, owing to that delay, those of King Arthur\u2019s army armed\nthemselves, and in another little while the friends of Sir Launcelot\nwere almost entirely surrounded by that vast multitude.\n\nThen Sir Launcelot beheld that in a short time they would be shut off\nfrom return to the castle, but that as yet the way was still open to\nthem. Wherefore he lifted up his voice and shouted, \u201cRetreat! Retreat!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _They of the castle retreat into it again._]\n\nThen, through the roar and thunder of battle and of blows and of sword\nblade upon steel armor, all those who were there heard these words,\n\u201cRetreat! Retreat!\u201d And they beheld that that retreat was nearly cut\noff, but not quite. So they turned their horses and made their way\nslowly backward toward the castle again, with the Queen still in their\nmidst. Those before turned their horses toward the castle, and those\nbehind fought with their faces toward their foes. And many who assaulted\nthat band tried to come to the Queen, but none could do it because of\nthe close array of horsemen that surrounded her. Many lost their lives\nin that attempt, for if they penetrated the first line of horsemen they\nwere slain by the second line of defence.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine overthroweth Sir Lionel._]\n\nIn that m\u00eal\u00e9e Sir Gawaine sought ever to come at Sir Launcelot, but he\ncould not do so because that Sir Launcelot remained ever near to the\nperson of the Queen. But Sir Gawaine charged against Sir Bors and\npierced him with his lance through the shoulder; and then he charged\nwith great violence against Sir Lionel, and in that charge he pierced\nthrough the body armor of Sir Lionel so that the point of the spear\nstood a hand\u2019s breadth out behind his back. Then Sir Lionel would have\nfallen from his horse only that the press that surrounded him held him\nup and kept him from falling. And with that blow against Sir Lionel, the\nend of Sir Gawaine\u2019s spear broke off, and it remained penetrated into\nthe body of Sir Lionel, a part of it showing in front and a part of it\nshowing behind.\n\nThen Sir Lionel felt that he had received his death-wound, and he\ngroaned very dolorously. And Sir Gawaine heard him groan and perceived\nhow badly he was hurt. And he redoubled his attack, endeavoring to\nobtain the body of Sir Lionel. But he could not obtain that body for it\nwas still held upright upon the horse, supported by several, and others\ngathered about to defend it.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Lionel dieth._]\n\nThen Sir Gawaine was furious with rage and he fought as though he had\ngone wode. For his sword flashed like flashes of lightning, and ever as\nhe struck he cried out in a loud and terrible voice, \u201cThat for Sir\nLauncelot!\u201d and \u201cThat for Sir Launcelot!\u201d and ever again \u201cThat and that\nfor Sir Launcelot!\u201d And so fierce and terrible were the blows that he\ngave that many fell down before them and never moved again. But in spite\nof his striving, they bore away Sir Lionel from his endeavor and so\nbrought him into the castle, where that night he died in a great agony\nof thirst and of torment.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur is overthrown._]\n\nIn that battle, King Arthur and those who were with him made many\ncharges against the centre of Sir Launcelot\u2019s array, and anon they had\ncome so close to where was the Queen that the King could almost have\ntouched her with his lance. So King Arthur came at last face to face\nwith Sir Launcelot, and Sir Ector was beside Sir Launcelot. And ever the\nKing strove to come at Sir Launcelot, but was unable to do so. For\nsomewhiles Sir Launcelot warded the blows from himself, and otherwhiles\nthose who were with him took those blows from him. Then Sir Ector\nperceived how the King neglected his guard in assaulting Sir Launcelot,\nand he arose in his stirrups and smote the King a terrible buffet upon\nthe helmet. At that blow the King\u2019s brains swam, and he reeled and fell\noff from his horse upon the earth. Then Sir Ector leaped from his horse\nand he said, \u201cHere will I put a stop to this war at its fountain-head.\u201d\nWhereupon he rushed off the King\u2019s helmet and whirled his sword, and\nprepared to smite the head off from the King.\n\n[Sidenote: _They spare the King his life._]\n\nBut Queen Guinevere perceived the King\u2019s danger and she shrieked out\nvery dolorously, \u201cSpare the King his life, Sir Ector!\u201d And Sir Launcelot\nsaid to Sir Ector, \u201cSir, how is this? Would you slay your King? Remember\nit was he who made you a knight and who made me a knight. Haply he may\nforget that he made us knights, but let us not forget it.\u201d\n\nSo with that Sir Ector put up his sword again, and he and Sir Launcelot\nlifted the King and set him upon his horse once more. And the King wept\nbitter tears to see how noble and knightly was Sir Launcelot, and he\nsaid, \u201cAh, Launcelot, Launcelot, that this should be!\u201d\n\nSo after that Sir Launcelot withdrew into the castle with the Queen and\nthe gates were closed behind him. But ever King Arthur sat still weeping\nand saying, \u201cAh, Launcelot, Launcelot, that this should be!\u201d\n\nThen the friends of Sir Launcelot wist not what they should do in this\nextremity, for there were they within the castle again, and could not\ncome out thence because of those who besieged them in that place. And\never they were growing weaker with each assault, but the armies of King\nArthur were not growing weaker.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Bishop of Rochester cometh to the King._]\n\nAt this extremity there came the Bishop of Rochester to the camp of King\nArthur, and the purpose of the Bishop was to make peace betwixt these\nparties. So the Bishop came to where King Arthur was, and he found King\nArthur sunk in grief. For already three-and-twenty Knights of the Round\nTable had lost their lives in these wars and contentions, and King\nArthur grieved for them very sorely. For there were no more knights like\nthose first knights foregathered about the Round Table, nor have there\never been such knights as they were from that day to this.\n\nThen the Bishop stood before the King, and the King looked at him\nremotely as though he were a great distance away, for his eyes were\ndimmed with weeping. And the Bishop said to the King, \u201cLord, let this\nquarrel cease between you and Sir Launcelot, and let there be peace in\nthe land. For now is the entire land distracted with this quarrel. For\nfriend fighteth against friend, neighbor against neighbor;--yea, even\nbrother against brother. As for you, my lord, these knights are of your\nRound Table and of your making; what pleasure or what honor then can it\nbe to you to destroy them?\u201d\n\nThe King said to him, \u201cSir, this war was not of my forming or my\nseeking, but of Sir Launcelot\u2019s. For first Sir Launcelot resisted arrest\nin a just cause, and then he resisted the arrest of the Queen. So he and\nhis fellows took the Queen away from me, and they have her in this\ncastle. Let them then deliver the Queen to me and there shall be peace\nbetwixt the friends of Sir Launcelot and my friends.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Bishop intercedes for the Queen._]\n\nThe Bishop said, \u201cThey will not deliver the Queen to thee, Lord,\nexcepting thou wilt declare upon thine honor that no harm shall befall\nher. For it is said of all that the life of the Queen is in danger from\nthee. Yet she is an honorable lady and as pure to thee as the day upon\nwhich she came to thee. For she is free from sin or from guilt of any\nsort. Wherefore, unless thou wilt declare that no harm shall befall the\nlife of the Queen and wilt declare that same in writing, she will not be\nreturned, but otherwise they will lay down their lives to guard her\nsafety.\u201d\n\nThen the King sat with his fist upon his forehead, and he considered for\na long time what the Bishop had said, and at last he said, as in a\nsmothered voice, \u201cWell, then, let the Queen be delivered to me at\nCamelot, and I upon my part shall promise that no harm shall be done to\nher life, either to threaten it or to deprive her of it.\u201d The Bishop\nsaid, \u201cLet me have that in writing.\u201d And the King said, \u201cI will do so.\u201d\n\nSo the King called to him his scribe and he had him write those words;\nto wit, that if the Queen would return to him, no harm should befall or\nthreaten her life in any way. And the King signed and sealed that\ndocument and the Bishop took it with him and entered the Castle of\nJoyous Gard.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Bishop grieveth for the Queen._]\n\nThus the Bishop came before Sir Launcelot and his kindred, and Queen\nGuinevere was with them at that time. And the Bishop looked at the face\nof the Queen and he beheld that it was all white and wan with sorrow and\nthat her eyelids were red with continual weeping. And the Bishop was\nvery sorry for the Queen and for her sadness. So the Bishop came to her\nand took her by the hand and he said to her, \u201cLady, stint thy sorrow,\nfor the time of sorrow is passed. For here am I with this document that\nsaith that no harm or injury of any kind shall be meditated against thy\nlife, but if thou wilt return to the King all shall be forgiven thee.\nFor wit you well that the King is determined that you shall return to\nhim, even if it cometh to the tearing down of this castle stone from\nstone.\u201d\n\nThen the Queen took the document that the Bishop had and she read it\nvery carefully, and when she had ended she said, \u201cLord Bishop, how is\nthis? I see here that mine own safety is provided for, but that the\nsafety of no one else is mentioned. How of those good worthy knights and\ngentlemen who have endangered their safety in my behalf; where is their\nsafety provided for in this parchment?\u201d\n\nQuoth the Bishop, \u201cI will bespeak the King that point. Meantime, do you\nremain here without endeavoring either to attack or to escape.\u201d\n\nShe said, \u201cI will remain here in peace until this time to-morrow.\u201d\n\nSo the Bishop returned to the King and he brought that word to him;\nthat a pledge must also be given for the safety to the life of those\nknights who thus guarded and sheltered the Queen. Then the King frowned,\nand he said, \u201cWhat other conditions will they impose upon me; why should\nI give this pledge to those who have acted treasonably against me?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The King promises to spare the knights of the castle._]\n\nThen Sir Gawaine plucked the King by the sleeve and the King turned\naside with him. And Sir Gawaine whispered for awhile with the King and\nby and by the King turned again to the Bishop and he said to the Bishop,\n\u201cVery well, then; take thou this my word to those knights that I will in\nno wise do harm to them whilst they are within this Kingdom of Britain.\nTake thou that word unto them.\u201d\n\nSo the Bishop took that word to them within the castle and they were\nvery glad of it. And Sir Launcelot said to the Bishop, \u201cLet the King\nreturn to Camelot, and I will bring the Queen to him in three days\u2019 time\nsurrounded by all the pomp and circumstance that appertain to her lordly\ngrace.\u201d\n\nSo the King withdrew his army from that place and he returned to\nCamelot. And Sir Launcelot made ready to bring the Queen to him at\nCamelot.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThus came to an ending that sad and cruel war in the which many good\nknights and warriors lost their lives and in which fourteen worthy\nknights of the Round Table lost their lives.\n\nFor though all those knights were commanders of armies and of\nbattalions, yet death came to them as to other men of lesser note, so\nthat many of them, even to the highest, laid down their lives in this\ndolorous war.\n\nFor so the hand of Fate lay heavy on that great and glorious company,\nfor though all grieved and made great sorrow over the war, and over\nthose who had died therein, and though comrade grieved over comrade who\ndied therein--even over those who were upon the other side and who were\nenemies--yet the hand of Fate thrust them forward to do what they were\ncompelled to do, and to slay and to be slain in that sorrowful battle.\n\nAnd so it was to the end, for ere that end was reached others who were\nthe foremost and the greatest of them all laid their bodies down to an\neternal sleep upon the bosom of that earth that gave them shape and\nfoothold. For yet were there other wars to come until all but a very\nfew of those who were left had given all that they had of the earth to\ngive in those wars.\n\nBut of this anon, for that which followeth has to treat of those things.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSo now followeth the history of those things that remain to be\nhereinafter related in that which followeth, as shall now appear.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Sir Gawaine challenges Sir Launcelot]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Sixth\n\n_Sir Launcelot brings the Queen to King Arthur at Camelot. He quitteth\nEngland, and King Arthur and Sir Gawaine pursue him._\n\n\nSo the King went to Camelot, and upon the third day the Queen was\nbrought to him at that place.\n\nThus saith the history of these things when the Queen was brought to the\nCourt of the King, to wit:\n\n[Sidenote: _How Sir Launcelot brings the Queen to Camelot._]\n\nFirst there came an hundred knights clad cap-a-pie all in armor and with\nfittings and trimmings of green velvet. And these knights wore olive\nwreaths upon their heads, indicative of peace. Followed these, four and\ntwenty esquires clad all in green velvet, and these were also crowned\nwith olive wreaths. After these came four and twenty ladies in waiting\nupon the Queen, and these, like all the others, were clad in green\nvelvet and were embroidered with pearls and precious stones even to the\nheels of their horses, and the bridles of their horses were bound with\nwreaths of olive. Then came the Queen and Sir Launcelot clad all in\nwhite samite, and the Queen carried an olive branch in her hand and Sir\nLauncelot was crowned with an olive wreath. And the raiment of these two\nwas all aglitter with the jewels and pearls with which their clothes\nwere embroidered until they were stiff with that embroidery.\n\n[Sidenote: _How the King sat at Camelot._]\n\nAt that time King Arthur received them seated upon his throne with great\ndignity in the hall of the Castle at Camelot. And the throne upon which\nhe sat was of wrought gold and was cushioned and trimmed with crimson\nvelvet, embroidered in gold with the figures of leopards. And over above\nthe throne was a great canopy of crimson velvet ornamented with the\nfigures of leopards, embroidered with threads of gold. The King was\nclothed all in white, and he wore a gold chain studded with jewels about\nhis neck and he wore his royal crown upon his head. Upon the left hand\nof the King stood seven bishops in full canonical robes, and upon his\nright hand was a throne like to his, and on that throne the Queen\nshould have been seated. But she was not seated there, for otherwise it\nwas empty.\n\nUpon the left hand of the King, but upon the second step below the\nthrone, sat Sir Gawaine, the beloved nephew of the King. And all about\nthe hall were several hundred knights in full armor and armed cap-a-pie\nwith sword and lance, so that that hall glittered and gleamed with the\nshine of that armor.\n\nSo King Arthur sat in state to receive the return of the Queen, and anon\nshe came to that place where the King awaited her. First came the\nknights and esquires of Sir Launcelot, and these drew up in two parties\nextending the length of the hall, leaving a line between them. Then came\nSir Launcelot and the Queen walking hand in hand up the length of that\nlane, and the faces of Sir Launcelot and of that lady were both of them\nexceedingly pale--hers with fear and his with fear for her. Behind these\ntwo came the four and twenty ladies in waiting upon the Queen, and these\nstopped in the midst of that lane and waited, whilst she and Sir\nLauncelot approached King Arthur.\n\nSo Sir Launcelot and the Queen came to the foot of the throne where sat\nthe King, and when they had come to that spot Sir Launcelot kneeled and\nthe Queen stood before King Arthur.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot speaketh._]\n\nQuoth Sir Launcelot, \u201cDread Lord and King, here I bring to you your\nQueen as I have promised to do, and if I took her away in sorrow and in\nhaste, then do I return her to you with ten thousand times the joy as\ncompared to what was that sorrow, and in ten thousand times the peace\nand amity to what was that haste. Lord, for thirteen weeks has she dwelt\nat Joyous Gard with all the state and circumstance due to her royalty,\nand she cometh to you now as pure and as virginal as she came to you at\nCamilard when first you loved her at that place and she loved you. Lord,\nI pray you that you will take the Queen to your heart, and will cherish\nher there as you one time cherished her, for, excepting that you pledged\nme your word that no harm should befall her, she otherwise would not\nhave been thus brought to you as she is brought to-day.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The King rebukes Sir Launcelot._]\n\nThen King Arthur frowned until his eyes disappeared beneath his\neyebrows. For a little he answered nothing, then in a little he said,\n\u201cMessire, one time you were my friend and the best-beloved of all my\nknights, but that time is past and gone, never to return again, for now\nit is altogether otherwise with me and with you. Messire, I admire at\nyour coolness and phlegm. For you took my Queen away from me by force\nand by force have you held her for all these several months. Many\nknights have died by your hand and through your instrumentality, and\nseveral of those knights were knights of my Round Table that one time\nheld you to it in bonds of love and amity. Yet now you stand before me\nand recommend to me that I shall take back my Queen into my heart again.\nMessire, wit you not that that which hath been done can never be undone,\nbut is and must remain altogether finished and completed? So it is with\nthis thing that you have done; for it also is and must remain altogether\nfinished and completed. Look you, Messire, here beside me is this\nthrone, which is empty. So it shall remain forever empty for me, for\nnever again shall Queen Guinevere or any other queen occupy it, for I\nhereby and herewith renounce her utterly and entirely. She hath\nwithdrawn herself from my court and my bed and so she shall forever\nremain withdrawn from them, for never again will I take her to my heart,\nor place her in that estate which she once occupied.\n\n[Sidenote: _The King sendeth the Queen to a convent._]\n\n\u201cI have pledged myself that no harm shall come to her through me; but\nherewith I give her over to the Church. There she shall remain a recluse\nuntil the day of her death.\u201d\n\nSo said King Arthur, and at a motion of his hand the Lord Bishop of\nRochester came forth and took the Lady by the hand and led her away; and\nas he led her away, she was weeping very bitterly.\n\nSo the Bishop of Rochester took the Queen to the Convent of Saint\nBridget at Rochester, and there she remained the lady abbess of that\nconvent even to the day of her death, as shall hereinafter be related.\n\nNow all this while Sir Launcelot still kneeled before King Arthur, and\nanon the King said to him again, \u201cMessire, your own doom I will not\nannounce to you; but I will relegate the annunciation of that doom to\nthis lord, my well-beloved nephew, Sir Gawaine. For the injury which you\ndid to him is a thousand times greater than the injury which you did to\nme. For though you took my Queen away from me, yet you did her no harm.\nBut with him, you slew five of his blood; to wit, three of his brethren\nand two of his sons. And whilst three of them were in arms against you\nso that you slew them wittingly and in self-defence, yet two of those\nstood unarmed and naked before you, and those two loved you better than\nanyone in all the world. One of those two your own hand made a knight\nand the other was knit to you with many acts and deeds of friendship and\nof love. Accordingly, I commit your doom to Sir Gawaine to announce to\nyou.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine pronounces the doom of banishment against Sir\nLauncelot._]\n\nThen Sir Gawaine smiled very bitterly upon Sir Launcelot, and he said,\n\u201cMessire, this is the doom that I pronounce. The King hath, in his great\nclemency, promised you that no harm shall befall you in life or in limb.\nSo no harm shall come to you in that way if you are reasonable and obey\nthe commands of the King. This is his command--that in fifteen days from\nthis you must quit this kingdom, and that you shall never again return\nto it whilst I live or while the King liveth.\n\n[Sidenote: _And against his knights._]\n\n\u201cAlso I pronounce the doom of banishment against those who have been\nassociated with you in these late affairs, to wit, against Sir Ector de\nMaris, Sir Bors de Ganis and Sir Ure, and Sir Blamor and Sir Bleoberis\nde Ganis, against Sir Galahautin, and Sir Galahud, and Sir Menaduke, and\nSir Galahadin, and Sir Hebes, and Sir Lavaine, and Sir Melias de Lisle,\nand Sir Palamydes, and Sir Safyr, and Sir Clegis. Upon all of these I\npronounce the doom of banishment upon behalf of this King, and if any of\nyou be found within this isle of Britain fifteen days from now, you will\nbe arrested and hanged as traitors. Meantime all your castles, earldoms,\nand baronies shall be forfeited to the King.\u201d\n\nSaid Sir Launcelot, \u201cSir, that is a bitter sentence; for here in this\nisland have I lived all my life, and of it I love every stock and stone\nthat mine eyes behold. But if I be outlawed and cast forth from this\nkingdom, then will I go to my Castle of Chillion in the land of France,\nand there I believe I shall be right well welcome and protected. So\ncome, my lords, and let us be gone to that country whiles there yet\nremains time for us to depart.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot and his knights withdraw._]\n\nSo Sir Launcelot and all those lords who were condemned with him\ndeparted from the coast of England and entered into France, where they\ntook up their lodging with much sorrow and repining.\n\nAnd King Arthur seized upon all their earldoms, baronies, and estates,\nand some of these he bestowed elsewhere and some of them he held for the\ncrown.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nNow after those knights had departed for France, Sir Gawaine urged upon\nKing Arthur that he should follow them to that kingdom and attack them\nthere at the Castle of Chillion. King Arthur said, \u201cSir, why should I do\nthis thing? Did not Sir Launcelot bring back my Queen to me and did I\nnot forgive him for what he had done? Is he not now banished from the\nland, and is he not then punished for all those things that he has done?\nLet him now live and die in peace.\u201d\n\nBut to this Sir Gawaine ever answered, \u201cSir, I cannot reconcile it to\nmyself thus to surrender my rights in this case. For Sir Launcelot slew\nmy brothers and my sons, and never will I forgive him for that offence.\nEither his blood or my blood shall answer for this; wherefore, if thou\nwilt not follow him to France, then I myself will go thither and will\nseek him out and punish him. As for thee, thou mayst forgive him as a\nman, but yet thou mayst not forgive him as a king. For as a king thou\nart the head of the law, wherefore thou mayst not forgive one who hath\nbroken the law. So with Sir Launcelot of the Lake, for he broke the laws\nand he brought these Knights of the Round Table against thee and to\nfollow him; wherefore it is thy duty under the law to assail him and to\npunish him for his treason, and also to punish those who follow him\nlikewise for their treason.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The King moveth against Sir Launcelot._]\n\nNow by this time King Arthur was growing toward being an old man, and he\nwas much broken by sorrow and by cares, wherefore these words of Sir\nGawaine so moved him that at last he agreed to sail with an army into\nFrance and to attack Sir Launcelot and his friends at Chillion. So King\nArthur entrusted the government of Britain to his nephew, Sir Mordred\n(who was brother to Sir Gawaine), and he and Sir Gawaine departed with a\ngreat army for France.\n\nSo this army appeared before the Castle of Chillion, and they shut Sir\nLauncelot and his friends up within the castle and besieged them at that\nplace.\n\nThen said Sir Launcelot, \u201cHow is this; hath not King Arthur any mercy\nupon us, or doth he seek our lives and our blood? Well, if he seeks\nthose lives and that blood, then will there be many cruel and bitter\nbattles betwixt us, and many knights shall fall, and so will come the\nentire end of the Round Table. Ah, well, if God willeth that it be so,\nso it must be.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the battles about Chillion._]\n\nSo there were many battles around about Chillion and many lost their\nlives. And though the knights of King Arthur lost more lives than did\nthe knights of Sir Launcelot, yet they could better afford to lose those\nlives because new knights were constantly coming from Britain to\nreplenish the army of King Arthur, but no new knights were coming to the\narmy of Sir Launcelot, wherefore his losses were not replenished to him.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nNow at that time there was a very wise and learned physician in the camp\nof King Arthur, and one day Sir Gawaine sent for this learned man to\ncome to him. When that wise man stood before Sir Gawaine, Sir Gawaine\nsaid to him this, \u201cSir, can you not produce for me a lotion that shall\nrender me free from all wounds of any sort?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The wise man provides medicine for Sir Gawaine._]\n\nQuoth the wise man, \u201cSir, this is impossible. But I can give to you a\nmedicine of this sort, that if you take it, you will, from the ninth\nhour of morning until the prime of noon, have the strength in your limbs\nand in your arms as of ten men.\u201d Sir Gawaine laughed, and said, \u201cProvide\nme then with that medicine.\u201d\n\nSo the wise man prepared that medicine and gave it to Sir Gawaine, and\nso it was for him as that physician had promised. For from the ninth\nhour of the morning until the prime of noon, Sir Gawaine was uplifted in\narm and body to the strength of ten men.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine giveth challenge against Sir Launcelot._]\n\nSo the next day after this medicine had been delivered to him, Sir\nGawaine went to the walls of the castle and he paraded under the walls\nof the castle, and he called out, \u201cSir Launcelot, come forth and do me\nbattle. For this satisfaction thou owest to me for slaying my kindred.\u201d\nBut Sir Launcelot would not come forth to do him battle. For Sir\nLauncelot still loved Sir Gawaine and he loved King Arthur; both for the\nsake of those times that were past and gone, when they had joy and\npleasure together. So because that the one was Sir Gawaine and the other\nwas King Arthur, he would not come forth to do battle. Nay, because of\nhis love for those two, Sir Launcelot would not fight in that part of\nthe battle where Sir Gawaine or King Arthur was, but would do battle at\nother parts.\n\nBut when the next day had come, Sir Gawaine came again and the strength\nof ten men was in his arms and his body. And he paraded back and forth\nunder the walls of the castle, and ever as he paraded he cried out\naloud, \u201cSir Launcelot, thou caitiff knight! Come forth and do me battle!\nFor thy doom is upon thee, and thou shalt die in this war; wherefore,\ncome and do me battle, or else announce that thou art afraid of me.\u201d\n\nBut still Sir Launcelot would not go forth against him, but he sat in\nthe castle and groaned for sorrow and bitterness of spirit. Then Sir\nEctor came to Sir Launcelot, and he said, \u201cKinsman, suffer me that I go\nforth and do battle in thy behalf; for this man sharneth us by this\nchallenge.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot wept, and he said, \u201cThou shalt not go, for wit you\nthat I loved this man better than mine own blood. And if he should be\nslain, then will my heart be filled with grief such as can never vacate\nit again. And if thou art killed, then will I be without my brother, and\nmust take it upon me to fight Sir Gawaine upon the behalf of thy death.\nWherefore, I pray thee go not forth to meet him.\u201d\n\nBut ever Sir Ector besought Sir Launcelot saying, \u201cBrother, suffer me to\ngo!\u201d And at last Sir Launcelot said, \u201cWell go, and may God be with\nthee!\u201d\n\nSo Sir Ector armed himself and departed out of the castle to meet Sir\nGawaine.\n\nThen Sir Gawaine rode up to Sir Ector and he said to him, \u201cSir, what\nknight are you?\u201d Quoth Sir Ector, \u201cI am Sir Ector de Maris, the brother\nof Sir Launcelot of the Lake.\u201d Said Sir Gawaine, \u201cWhy come you here?\u201d\nAnd Sir Ector replied, \u201cI come to do battle with you upon my brother\u2019s\nbehalf.\u201d Then Sir Gawaine laughed and he said, \u201cSir, you are welcome.\nRather would I have it that you were Sir Launcelot, but failing him I\nwill accept you as his proxy. So make yourself ready to encounter me.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine overthroweth Sir Ector._]\n\nSo each of those two knights rode to a certain distance and prepared\nhimself for that encounter. And when they were in all ways prepared they\ncharged very furiously against one another. In that meeting the spear of\nSir Ector broke into many pieces, but the spear of Sir Gawaine held. And\nbecause he had the strength of ten men behind his spear, it penetrated\nthe shield of Sir Ector and it penetrated his body, so that it stood a\nhaeadth out behind his back.\n\nThen Sir Ector fell from his horse and, in passing, the spear of Sir\nGawaine was broken so that the baton of the spear of Sir Gawaine\nremained sticking in the body of Sir Ector; a part of it sticking out\nbefore, and a part of it sticking out behind.\n\nThen Sir Gawaine rode back to where Sir Ector lay, and he said to him,\n\u201cSir, how fares it with you?\u201d Quoth Sir Ector, \u201cAlas, Messire! I have\nreceived my death-wound.\u201d Then Sir Gawaine laughed very bitterly, and he\nsaid, \u201cSo shall it always be with traitors, such as thou.\u201d\n\nThen with that Sir Gawaine turned his horse and rode away from that\nplace, leaving Sir Ector lying where he was.\n\nAnon there came forth those from within the castle and they lifted up\nSir Ector where he lay. And they laid him in the hollow of the shield\nand bare him into the castle. And all who saw Sir Ector in that\ncondition wept to behold him so.\n\nSo they bore him to a chamber and laid him upon a soft couch and Sir\nEctor groaned very dolorously with the agony of his wound, and Sir\nLauncelot and several others stood before him, and ever as Sir Launcelot\nconsidered him, the tears welled out of his eyes and rolled like shining\njewels down his cheeks.\n\nSo about the eleventh hour of the night Sir Ector said to Sir Launcelot,\n\u201cSir, this wound is my death-wound. I pray you to draw out the baton of\nthat spear and let me pass.\u201d Sir Launcelot said, \u201cI cannot draw it\nforth.\u201d Sir Ector said, \u201cIs there no friend here who will draw forth\nthis baton, and suffer me to die?\u201d\n\nThen said Sir Bors, \u201cI will draw it forth,\u201d and with that he came to the\nbedside of Sir Ector and he laid hold of the baton of the spear. And he\ndrew very strongly upon that baton and it came forth out of that wound\nand with it came a great effusion of blood.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Ector dieth._]\n\nThen Sir Ector groaned very deeply and he said, \u201cI pass,\u201d and with that\nhe closed his eyes and in a little while he was dead. Then they who were\nthere wept a great passion of tears, for Sir Ector was well-beloved of\nall of them.\n\nNow when the next morning was come, Sir Gawaine came again before the\ncastle and rode there as aforetime. And ever as he rode he cried out,\n\u201cSir Launcelot, thou craven knight, come forth and do me battle.\u201d But\nstill Sir Launcelot would not come forth against him. Then Sir Bors de\nGanis came to Sir Launcelot and he said to him, \u201cSir, suffer me to go\nforth against this knight, for he bringeth shame upon us all.\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Launcelot, \u201cI crave you not to go, Sir; for this knight, Sir\nGawaine, is a very strong and powerful knight. Already hath he slain Sir\nEctor, and should you also lose your life, what great loss that would be\nto us all.\u201d \u201cNevertheless,\u201d said Sir Bors, \u201cI would fain go forth\nagainst him. For God may give me the victory, in which it will be a\ngreat benefit to us all in that he will no more come to trouble us.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot turned away his head, and anon he said, \u201cGo, in God\u2019s\nname, and may good fortune attend you. As for me, I cannot go against\nSir Gawaine because of the love I held for him. For should he slay me,\nthat would be a great misfortune for us all, but should I slay him,\nnever would I cease to sorrow and to repine for his death. Wherefore, I\ncannot now go against him, but you may go against him.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Bors armed himself and went forth out of the castle, and when Sir\nGawaine beheld him coming he was rejoiced, for he thought that this was\nSir Launcelot.\n\nSo Sir Gawaine rode up to him as he approached, and he said to him,\n\u201cMessire, what knight are you?\u201d Him Sir Bors made answer, \u201cSir I am Sir\nBors de Ganis, and I have come forth here against you upon behalf of Sir\nLauncelot of the Lake.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said Sir Gawaine, \u201cyou are very welcome; though rather would I\nhave to do with Sir Launcelot of the Lake than with any other man in\nall of the world. For I have no quarrel against you, but against him I\nhave a quarrel.\u201d\n\n\u201cNevertheless,\u201d said Sir Bors, \u201cI stand here now upon his behalf to do\nbattle for him.\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Gawaine, \u201cPrepare yourself then for battle!\u201d So Sir Bors took\nhis assigned place and when they were in all wise prepared they rushed\ntogether with great violence and fury.\n\nIn that encounter the spear of each knight was broken into many pieces,\neven to the very fist that held the spear, and the horse of each\nrecoiled so that it sunk back upon its haunches and would, perhaps, have\nfallen, had not the address of the knight rider recovered it. Then each\nknight cast aside the truncheon of his spear and voided his horse, and\neach drew his sword with great readiness and rushed to the battle very\nfuriously, violently and impetuously. Each smote the other many sore\nbuffets and strokes so that each knight was wounded in several places.\n\nBut Sir Gawaine was possessed of the strength of ten, and Sir Bors was\npossessed but of the strength of one, so that by and by Sir Bors was\nobliged to hold his shield low because of weariness from the redoubled\nfury of Sir Gawaine\u2019s attack.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine woundeth Sir Bors._]\n\nSo Sir Gawaine perceived that opening which he made in his defence, and,\ngrinding his teeth together, he whirled up his sword and smote Sir Bors\nupon the shoulder of that arm that held his sword. So violent and savage\nwas the blow that it sheared through the iron of the epulier and it\nsheared through the flesh and bone of the shoulder so that the arm of\nSir Bors fell and hung down from the shoulder and his hand dropped the\nsword that he held.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors asks his life._]\n\nThen Sir Gawaine laughed and ran forward and he set his foot upon the\nsword of Sir Bors. And Sir Bors sank down upon his knees and he said in\na weak and faltering voice, \u201cSir Gawaine, I am sorely wounded. If it\nplease thee to do so, I pray thee to spare my life.\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Gawaine, \u201cWhy should I spare thee thy life? Thou art a traitor\nknave, and it is not fit that I should spare thee, but rather I should\nslay thee as thou kneelest before me. But I cannot forget our long and\nmany associations; and I cannot forget that thou wert one of those three\nknights who achieved the Grail, and brought the Grail back again to\nSarras. So I will forgive thee, and will spare thee thy life, if so be\nthat God will also spare it.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine turned and sheathed his sword, and he mounted his horse\nand rode away. And anon there came the friends of Sir Bors from the\nCastle of Chillion, and they lifted him up and laid him upon a litter,\nand so they bore him away into the castle.\n\nAnd they took Sir Bors to a room of the castle and stripped off his\narmor and beheld the wound that it was very ghastly and dismal. And so\nmuch blood was emitted from that wound that Sir Bors fainted and for\nawhile he hung hovering upon the edge of death.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors doth not die._]\n\nBut he did not die then or afterward, but he revived and his wound was\nhealed so that he, by and by, became well and strong again.\n\nThen Sir Launcelot came to where Sir Bors was, and he said to him, \u201cSir\nBors, how fared it with thee?\u201d And Sir Bors said in a fainting voice,\n\u201cSir, I know not how it was with Sir Gawaine. For I found him to be so\npassing strong that never have I found a stronger. For he smote down my\ndefences and he smote me this blow that I have received, and from which\nI shall maybe die. For mine arm is nearly severed from its shoulder, and\nI wit not whether I shall ever be strong and hale again.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot wept and he said, \u201cAlas, that this is so! For now I\ncannot forego this battle with Sir Gawaine any longer. For yesterday he\nslew my brother, Sir Ector, and to-day he hath nearly slain thee. So\nto-morrow I shall have to have ado with him, or else, by and by, all\nshall perish at this place.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Bors said, \u201cSir, beware of him, for he hath strength more than\nhuman, wherefore I fear that he may prove to thee thy undoing.\u201d\n\nTo that Sir Launcelot answereth, \u201cI should be sorry to find it so. But\nwhether it is thus or not, still must I have ado with him upon the\nchance that I may thus save the lives of others within this place.\u201d\n\nSo it came that Sir Launcelot was prepared to do battle with Sir\nGawaine.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nNow if you would hear more of this famous fight betwixt Sir Launcelot\nand Sir Gawaine, I pray you to read that which followeth. For there it\nshall be fully and distinctly set forth as it hath been told of in\nseveral ancient histories dealing with these things.\n\n[Illustration: The Passing of Sir Gawaine:]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Seventh\n\n_Of the battle betwixt Sir Launcelot and Sir Gawaine. Also how King\nArthur returned to Little Britain._\n\n\nSo came the next day and Sir Gawaine had his esquires to enclose his\nbody in full armor of proof, and he mounted his horse and took a good\nstout lance of ashwood in his hand, and he set forth once more to seek\nSir Launcelot as aforetime he had done. So Sir Gawaine came beneath the\nwall of the castle, and he paraded before the wall, and ever as he thus\nparaded he cried aloud and on high, \u201cCome forth, Sir Launcelot of the\nLake! Come forth, thou caitiff knight, and do me battle!\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot wist that now the time was come for him to do that\nbattle.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot goeth against Sir Gawaine._]\n\nSo Sir Launcelot mounted upon his horse and took into his hand a good\nstout lance of ashwood for his defence, and thus armed he gave orders\nand the portcullis of the castle was raised and the drawbridge was let\nfall and Sir Launcelot rode forth all clad in that armor of proof to\nmeet Sir Gawaine.\n\nThen Sir Gawaine rode up to Sir Launcelot and gave him greeting and he\nsaid to Sir Launcelot of the Lake, \u201cSir, I pray you tell me, are you Sir\nLauncelot of the Lake, or are you another knight than he? For by your\nfigure and by your conduct and by that device which is upon your shield,\nI wit you to be Sir Launcelot, and yet I know not whether you are he or\nnot he. For this is the third time I have challenged, and heretofore he\nwould not come out against me.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot bespeaks Sir Gawaine._]\n\nQuoth Sir Launcelot of the Lake, \u201cSir, I am Sir Launcelot indeed, and\nwit you, Sir Gawaine, I have well tried to avoid this battle, for I fear\nme in this battle or in some other battle of its kind, either you or I\nshall be slain. And I would not slay you for the love that was of old\nbetwixt us; for still I remember me of that love, and I hold it very\ndear to my heart. Wherefore I would not do battle with you if that\nbattle could be avoided.\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Gawaine, \u201cWhat prate you of love, Sir? This battle cannot be\navoided, for wit you that even if ever I loved you, yet all that love is\nnow passed away, or rather it is transformed into hate. For you have\nwounded me so deeply in my heart that no man can wound me so deeply and\nyet live while I live also upon the earth. Wherefore either you or I\nshall die by the hand of the other, if not at this time, then at some\nother time.\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Launcelot, \u201cHow have I wounded thee, Gawaine, or in what way\nhave I done thee such hurt as this? Tell me that I may make that wrong\nright again.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine accuses Sir Launcelot._]\n\nSaid Sir Gawaine, \u201cWit you not that I have often told you how that first\nyou slew two of my sons, and my brother, and how that afterward you slew\ntwo more of my brothers? Is not that injury enough for any man to bear\nwithin his heart and yet to live under that injury?\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot sighed and he said, \u201cSir, wit you that those two sons\nand that brother I slew in battle and they were armed, and assaulting\nme, and I knew them not. As for those two of your brothers whom I\nafterward slew, them I slew in the press and fury of fighting. For I saw\nnot their faces in that fury and knew them not. For if I had known them,\nwit you that I would have held my hand and spared them? Sir, for that I\nam grieved to the heart, for I loved them both very well; more\nespecially Sir Gareth whom I made a knight in the field.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine laughed very bitterly, and he said, \u201cSir, you make a\nvery good excuse, still you did that which you did, and having done it\nyou must pay for it. For so every man must pay for that which he hath\ndone; let it be good or let it be ill. Come, Sir, prepare yourself for\nbattle, for I am hungry to have battle with you.\u201d\n\nThen again Sir Launcelot sighed, this time so deeply that his heart had\nbeen lifted from its strings within his bosom by that sigh. And with\nthat sigh he closed his helmet, and reined in his horse and withdrew to\nthat part of the field which was to be his assigned place of battle.\n\n[Sidenote: _Many view the battle._]\n\nThen many of the defenders of the castle came down to the walls of the\ncastle and stood there, and looked down from those walls upon the two\nwho stood so in array of battle. And King Arthur and many others came\nfrom the camp of the besiegers, and also stood them afar off to behold\nthe battle, so that with those and with these who were there it was as\ngood an assembly as any knights could have chosen in which to do battle.\n\nAnd the sun shone very clear and strong--yet not too strong. And the\nbreeze blew very freely so that all the poplar trees around about the\ncastle were turned white with its blowing, and the river that ran down\npast the castle was dusked and rippled by that wind, and all the reeds\nof the river bowed and dipped into the water thereof.\n\nSo those two knights prepared themselves for the assault, making their\narmor in all ways tight and secure. Then when they were in all ways\nready, they shouted to their horses and so sprang to the charge,\ngalloping against one another with a noise like to the noise of thunder.\n\nSo they met in the midst of the course and smote one another, in the\ncentre of the other\u2019s shield. And before that shock the spear of each\nwas split into a great many very small pieces, even to the hand that\nheld it. And each horse sank quivering back upon its haunches at the\nrecoil of that blow, and would have fallen, were it not that the\nextraordinary address of the knight rider recovered his horse with spur\nand rein and voice. Then each knight cast aside the truncheon of his\nspear and drew his sword, and each rushed at the other very furiously\nand valiantly. Then each smote the other with great power and strength.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot faileth._]\n\nBut though Sir Launcelot smote with all of his strength, yet Sir Gawaine\nsmote with the strength of ten. So that Sir Launcelot was driven\nbackward, and around and around in small circles, and in that assault he\nwas altogether astonished at the fury and the strength of Sir Gawaine.\nFor he wist not that Sir Gawaine had that strength of ten men, and he\nknew not that Sir Gawaine had taken that medicine to lend him that\nstrength.\n\nAnd Sir Launcelot had much ado to defend himself so that he made no\nattack, but only a defence with sword and shield against the attack of\nSir Gawaine. And Sir Launcelot thought that never in all of his life had\nhe fought with so strong and so powerful a knight as Sir Gawaine--nay,\nnot even when he fought with Sir Turquine that day at the ford before\nthe castle of Sir Turquine. For anon the blood began to flow forth from\nhim in spite of all his defence, so that in a little while the ground on\nwhich he fought was all sprinkled red with that blood, and his armor was\nall ensanguined with the crimson streams that bathed it. And in all that\nwhile Sir Gawaine had hardly any wounds at all, but he fought with all\nhis strength and might, and with the purpose to beat down his assailant.\n\nBut though Sir Gawaine fought in that wise, yet, by and by, it reached\nthe prime of noon, and still he had not struck down Sir Launcelot. Then\nthat strength of ten that he had with the medicine that he had taken\nbegan to fade and wane away as the flame of a candle flickers and wanes\naway when the wax is consumed. So anon Sir Launcelot felt that the\nattack of Sir Gawaine was no longer so furious and so violent as it had\nbeen, but that it was weaker. Therewith he redoubled his own battle with\ntenfold violence. And now he no longer made defence, but instead of\ndefence he made attack. And he drave Sir Gawaine backward before him,\nfor Sir Gawaine could not stand before the fierceness of that attack now\nthat his strength was waning.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine faileth and is overthrown._]\n\nSo Sir Gawaine bore back from before those blows, and by and by he began\nto hold his shield full low for weariness. Then Sir Launcelot perceived\nhis opening, so he rushed the attack with double fury, and anon he swung\nhis sword and smote Sir Gawaine with it full upon the head. And so\nviolent was that blow that it clave asunder the helmet and the coif, and\nit wounded the head beneath the coif.\n\nThen Sir Gawaine sank down upon his knees, his hand relaxed and the\nsword that was in his hand fell out from it upon the ground. Then Sir\nLauncelot ran to Sir Gawaine and he set his foot upon the sword and he\nrushed off the helmet of Sir Gawaine and he cried out very fiercely,\n\u201cSir, yield yourself to me or I will slay you!\u201d But Sir Gawaine said, \u201cI\nwill not yield me to thee, so thou mayst slay me at thy pleasure!\u201d Then\nSir Launcelot gazed at Sir Gawaine, and as he gazed at him the fury of\nbattle passed away from his soul like a mist from before the face of the\nsun; and Sir Launcelot felt such great love for Sir Gawaine and such\ngreat pity for him that his eyes ran all with tears.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot spareth him his life._]\n\nThen Sir Launcelot said, \u201cSir Gawaine, even if you do not ask me for\nyour life, yet will I grant it to you. Arise and depart!\u201d To this Sir\nGawaine said, \u201cMessire, in this you are foolish. For if you do not slay\nme now, then when I am well and healed again, I will come back against\nyou, and will assail you again as I have assailed you to-day. For wit\nyou that in this quarrel either you shall die or I shall die.\u201d\n\nSir Launcelot said, \u201cSir, this matters not to me! I cannot slay you now\nand I will not slay you.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Launcelot turned away from that place. And he mounted his horse\nand departed thence. And as he rode back to the castle Sir Launcelot\nwept so that hardly could he see the way before him because of the tears\nthat rained down from his eyes.\n\nThen came those from King Arthur\u2019s side who had looked upon the battle,\nand they raised Sir Gawaine up and led him away to his tent. And when he\nhad come to his couch they unarmed Sir Gawaine and searched his wounds\nand found that they were very deep and sore. So they dressed the wounds\nof Sir Gawaine and put salves and unguents upon them, and so he was made\nin all ways as comfortable as could be.\n\nAnd Sir Gawaine sent for that cunning and learned physician who had\ngiven him the medicine of strength, and he said to him, \u201cCannot you give\nme a stronger medicine than that, and one that will make in me the\nstrength of twenty?\u201d The physician said, \u201cSir, I cannot do that, for I\nhave no such power.\u201d Sir Gawaine said, \u201cThen can you not give me a\nmedicine that will make me stronger for a longer time than till the\nprime of noon?\u201d But the physician said, \u201cSir, I cannot do that either.\u201d\nThen Sir Gawaine sighed and he said, \u201cWoe is me! I fear me I shall never\nbe able to overcome Sir Launcelot.\u201d\n\nMeanwhile the wounds of Sir Launcelot were being searched at the castle\nand also were found to be very sore and very deep. So it was several\nweeks before Sir Gawaine or Sir Launcelot recovered from those wounds.\nBut after those several weeks were over, then each knight was as strong\nand as hale as he had ever been.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine is healed. He challengeth Sir Launcelot._]\n\nSo, after Sir Gawaine was in all ways healed again, he clad himself in\narmor and took in his hand a very strong and powerful lance and mounted\nupon his horse once more. And Sir Gawaine rode out to the castle and he\nrode up and down before the walls of the castle, and ever as he rode he\ncalled out on high, \u201cSir Launcelot, come forth, thou caitiff knight, and\ndo me battle!\u201d\n\nThen they who heard those words went to Sir Launcelot, and they said to\nhim, \u201cSir, here Sir Gawaine is riding beneath the walls of the castle,\nand he uttereth his challenge against you.\u201d Sir Launcelot sighed and\nanon he said, \u201cSend mine armor here to me\u201d; and he said, \u201cSend Galliard\nhither\u201d (Galliard being the name of the esquire of Sir Launcelot).\n\nSo the esquire came and he aided Sir Launcelot to put his armor upon his\nbody and his limbs, and so Sir Launcelot was in all wise armed cap-a-pie\nin that armor. Then Sir Launcelot took a good stout strong spear in his\nhand, and he mounted his horse. And the gates of the castle were opened\nto him as they had been aforetime; and Sir Launcelot rode forth into the\nsunlight to meet Sir Gawaine as he had aforetime done.\n\nSo Sir Launcelot rode up to where Sir Gawaine was and he said to Sir\nGawaine, \u201cSir, I am here to meet thee.\u201d Sir Gawaine said, \u201cI see that\nthou art, and I give thee welcome.\u201d Sir Launcelot said, \u201cSir, it is with\ngreater grief than ever that I come forth to meet you to-day. For this\nis the fourth challenge that you have given to me, and I cannot receive\nany more challenges from you. So it is this day either you or I shall\nhave to die. For I cannot suffer it that you shall come to me for day\nafter day as you do, to utter your challenge against me.\u201d Said Sir\nGawaine, \u201cMessire, it is to my mind also that either you or I lay down\nour life to-day. If it be I who must die, then am I glad to lay down my\nlife for my sons and my brothers whom you have slain; if it be you who\nare to die, then am I still more glad to sacrifice you to their spirits.\nYet as you slew them unarmed, so it will be a greater pleasure to me to\nslay you for their sakes.\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Launcelot, \u201cAre you ready?\u201d and Sir Gawaine said, \u201cYea, I am\nin all wise ready.\u201d\n\nSo once more as it was before so it was now, for many of those of the\ncastle came and stood upon the walls of the castle to behold that\nbattle; and also there came many from the camp of King Arthur, and these\nstood upon the surrounding hills so that all those hills were covered\nwith a multitude of men watching that combat.\n\nSo each knight having assumed his place of battle, and each being in all\nwise prepared, each set his spear in rest and each shouted to his horse\nto advance. Then the one charged against the other with great speed and\nviolence, and so each met the other in the middle of the course with a\ncrash like to a clap of thunder.\n\n[Sidenote: _They two do battle together._]\n\nAs it was before, so now each lance was shivered to splinters, even to\nthe very truncheon of the spear, and each horse reeled back from that\nassault. Then again each knight recovered his horse with spur and voice\nso that he did not fall in that recoil.\n\nThen each knight cast aside the stump of his spear, and each leaped from\nhis horse, drawing his sword from its scabbard for the assault. So they\nrushed together as aforetime, striking and lashing with might and main.\n\nBut again Sir Launcelot found Sir Gawaine possessed of such strength as\nastonished him, for he felt that he was fighting with his own strength\nagainst the strength of ten men.\n\nIn that battle he received many wounds that were worse than they had\nbeen before; for this time Sir Gawaine fought with great desperation to\nend that battle before high noontide. But ever Sir Launcelot made very\nstrong and powerful defence, striking but few blows of assault, but\nputting himself ever in the posture of defence. Yet in spite of that\ndefence, both the armor upon his body and the earth upon which he stood\nwere all ensanguined with the blood that flowed from the many wounds\nthat he received in that battle.\n\nBut at last it came high noontide, and with the coming and passing of\nnoon the strength of Sir Gawaine reached its height and limit, and then\nit began its decline. So Sir Launcelot felt the waning of Sir Gawaine\u2019s\nstrength and therewith ceased from his defence and began to frame his\nattack against the other. Then Sir Gawaine retreated backward, and he\nassumed such defence as he was able. But Sir Launcelot rushed upon him\nand beat him again and again and yet again with his sword. And Sir\nGawaine was wounded in many places, for the blood gushed in streams out\nof many deep cuts through his armor plate.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot wounds Sir Gawaine mortally._]\n\nThen from weariness the shield of Sir Gawaine began to fall full low,\nand Sir Launcelot perceived this and ran in upon him. And Sir Launcelot\nwhirled his sword and smote Sir Gawaine with all his might upon the neck\nupon the left-hand side. And the blade of Sir Launcelot\u2019s sword sheared\nthrough the armor at that place, and it sheared through the neck and the\nbreast, and so deep was that wound that Sir Gawaine suffered from that\nblow his death-wound.\n\nYet Sir Gawaine would have stood to fight if he could have done so; but\nhe could not stand. Otherwise, he sank slowly down upon his knees and\nthere rested, with his hand upon the earth. And the blood poured down\nhis arm and wet the earth beneath him.\n\nThen Sir Launcelot ran in upon him and he rushed the helmet off Sir\nGawaine\u2019s head, and he cried out, \u201cSir Gawaine, yield thee or I will\nslay thee!\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Gawaine, \u201cMessire, already thou hast slain me. For this wound\nwhich thou hast given to me is my death-wound. So I feel it to be, for\nthe life is already passing out of me through that wound.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot wept and he said, \u201cSir, say not so. Now I pray thee\nthat thou wilt forgive me for this wound and for all else that I have\ndone against thee!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine will not forgive Sir Launcelot._]\n\nBut Sir Gawaine looked at the blood that ran in streams down his arm,\nand he said, \u201cI will not forgive thee, Launcelot, for otherwise, I will\ndie in my hatred of thee. For thou hast slain me as thou hast slain my\nbrothers, and upon thee I voice my curse and their curse as well. For my\ncurse and their curse is this: that never after this day shalt thou\nprosper in anything that thou shalt undertake. Never shalt thou join in\nany battle from this time forth; and the dearest wish of thy heart shall\ndisappear from thy hands when thou closest them upon that wish. Thou\nshalt live in sorrow and shall die shut away from all sounds and sights\nof knightly battle. This is my curse and my sons\u2019 curse and my brothers\u2019\ncurse upon thee, so wit you that though I die yet you shall be in a\nworse estate than I who am dead.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot knelt weeping before Sir Gawaine, and Sir Gawaine\nsaid, \u201cGet you hence, Sir knight, for my friends are coming.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot raised his head and looked and he beheld that the\nKnights of King Arthur were coming in that direction. So he turned and\nmounted his horse and rode away at a hard gallop toward the castle, and\nhe entered the castle and the gates thereof were closed behind him.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot grieveth._]\n\nThen many of those knights who were dearest to Sir Launcelot came about\nhim to give him praise for overthrowing Sir Gawaine. But Sir Launcelot\nwould not look at them. Otherwise, he turned away his head from them and\nwithdrew to his own inn. For wit you that Sir Launcelot loved Sir\nGawaine better than any man in all of the world; yea, better than his\nown blood and kindred. And now he knew that he had slain that one whom\nhe loved the best of all; wherefore he lay with his face turned to the\nwall and melancholy enclosed him all over, like to a cloak of black.\n\nBut meanwhile Sir Gawaine had swooned so that when those knights and\ngentlemen, his friends, came to him, he lay on the ground like one who\nwas dead. Those gathered him up and laid him upon a litter, and they\nbore him away in that litter to his tent. There they unlaced the armor\nand removed it, and anon the chirurgeon came to him to search his\nwounds. But when the chirurgeon beheld that great wound in his neck, he\nwit that Sir Gawaine could not live. So the chirurgeon sent for King\nArthur to come hither, and he said to the King, \u201cThis man cannot live,\nbut must die.\u201d King Arthur wept, and he said to the chirurgeon, \u201cHow\nknow ye that he must die?\u201d To which the chirurgeon replied, \u201cLord, when\nI looked in at that wound in the lower part of his neck, methought I\ncould see his heart beating beneath it. Wherefore, I know that if the\nheart groweth cold through his wound, then he must die.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur hid his face and for awhile he said nothing. Then he\nwent to the bedside of Sir Gawaine, and he said to him, \u201cMessire, how is\nit with you?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine advises the King._]\n\nSir Gawaine smiled at him and said to him, \u201cSir, wit you that I must die\nof this hurt.\u201d King Arthur said, \u201cI trow not.\u201d Sir Gawaine said, \u201cIn\nthat you are mistook, for here have I my death-wound, and in a little\nwhile I must die.\u201d King Arthur said, \u201cSir, keep up your heart.\u201d To this\nSir Gawaine made answer, \u201cMy heart faileth not, but my life hangeth\nfluttering upon my lips, and soon it must pass away from me.\u201d And Sir\nGawaine said, \u201cSir, wit ye of this, your own case is as bad as mine.\nReturn you again to Britain as fast as you are able, for I trust not\nmore than need be to Sir Mordred\u2019s truth, albeit he is my brother. For\nhe hath ever had a dark and gloomy spirit. And he hath ambition for the\nthrone, and now that he hath the power behind that ambition, and now\nthat you have lost so many good and worthy knights at this castle, he\nwill certes seize upon your throne unless you are by to wrest it out of\nhis hands. Wherefore I pray you to return to Britain as soon as may be.\u201d\n\nKing Arthur said, \u201cSir, these are imaginings upon your part. For Sir\nMordred is a Knight of the Round Table, and is bound to me in fealty.\nWhy, therefore, think you he would be treacherous to me?\u201d\n\nSir Gawaine said, \u201cLord, I lie now very close to the edge of death and\nall things appear extraordinarily clear and distinct to mine eyes. Sir\nMordred hath no love for any soul save only for himself. Wherefore, I\nfear me he will sacrifice you to his desires, and will seize upon your\nthrone. Lord, I shall not live until to-morrow morning, wherefore, I\ncharge you that when I am dead, you shall bury me here in haste, and\ndepart straightway for England, for I fear me for your kingdom in\nBritain.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine dieth._]\n\nSo that night in the second hour after midnight, Sir Gawaine drew his\nlast breath and died. And King Arthur was there at that passing, and\nseveral knights companions of the Round Table were there, so that Sir\nGawaine did not die in loneliness. And after he had passed, King Arthur\nwept and he said as follows:\n\n                       THE LAMENT OF KING ARTHUR\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur\u2019s lament._]\n\n\u201cSo passeth this dear and faithful friend. There is not of all those who\nare left anyone whom I love so well as I loved him. For though he was\npassionate in his angers and his indignations, yet to me he was always\nloving and full of dutifulness and kindliness. He was the right hand and\nsupport of my throne and its chiefest prop in all of its weaknesses, and\nI had hoped that he would have occupied that throne after I had departed\nfrom this earth.\n\n\u201cBut now this is past and gone and he is taken who was, next to Sir\nLauncelot of the Lake, the brightest and most glorious figure of all my\nRound Table.\n\n\u201cHe was the companion of my youth. For when I had fought my battles and\ncome to my throne, he was among the first who came and laid his hands\nbetween my palms. Also he was one of the first of all those\nknights-elect of the Round Table to take his seat at that table.\n\n\u201cBut now he is gone and I am left alone, like the tree in the forest\nthat hath been struck by lightning. Yea, like that tree my foliage is\nwithered and now I stand stark and bare against the sky. For my Queen,\nwho was the lover of my youth, is estranged from me, and I shall never\nbehold her more. My Round Table, that was otherwise the chiefest glory\nof my reign, is broken and scattered and many of those who were one time\ndearest to me in love are now my foes. Where are now the defenders of my\nthrone? They are gone; and that throne itself totters to its fall.\n\n\u201cAll these are sad and woful happenings, but the saddest and most woful\nof all is that this good worthy knight hath died. Would that I had died\nin his stead and that he had not died, but that I had died for him. What\nworse hath Fate in store for me than this that he is dead?\u201d\n\nSo in words such as these or in words like to them, King Arthur mourned\nfor Sir Gawaine; for it seemed that no worse blow could befall him than\nthis; to wit, the death of Sir Gawaine.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n[Sidenote: _News cometh to the King of Sir Mordred._]\n\nThat morning King Arthur was aroused very early from his couch of grief\nby a messenger that came to him with a message from Britain, and that\nmessage was this: that Sir Mordred had seized upon the throne and the\ncrown of Britain, and was holding them for his own.\n\nThis message came from Sir Constantine of Cornwall, who was the cousin\nof Sir Gawaine and who was yet living in England. And Sir Constantine\nsaid, \u201cHasten! Hasten your return, O Lord King, and let nothing delay\nthat return!\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur gave command that the siege of Chillion should be\nraised, and that after Sir Gawaine was buried they should all return\nagain to Britain.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine is buried._]\n\nSo that day the funeral of Sir Gawaine was held with great pomp and\ncircumstance. Four bishops conducted the mass for the rest of his soul,\nand the whole army knelt to pray for him. And those people within the\nCastle of Chillion also kneeled upon the battlements of the castle wall\nand prayed for the rest of his soul. For next to Sir Launcelot, he was\nthe greatest knight in the world.\n\nSo they laid him at rest at that place--a good worthy knight and one\nwell established in all courts of chivalry both then and thereafter. For\nif he was violent of temper and if he sought revenge upon Sir Launcelot\nfor the death of his sons and his brethren, yet he gave his life for\nthat anger and that revenge, and that the manes of his kindred might be\nsatisfied.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSo endeth the history of Sir Gawaine.\n\n[Illustration: Sir Mordred the traitor]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Eighth\n\n_How King Arthur returned to England. How he fought his last battle with\nSir Mordred._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mordred despaireth._]\n\nSo the news came to Britain that King Arthur was returning to that\nrealm, and that news was conveyed to Sir Mordred where he was. And when\nSir Mordred heard thereof he sat sunk in melancholy, his head bowed upon\nhis breast, and his food and wine standing untasted beside him.\n\nAnd several of the friends of Sir Mordred were with him at that time,\nand with them was Sir Mador de la Porte, who had, since his battle with\nSir Launcelot, been an enemy to King Arthur. These say to Sir Mordred,\n\u201cSir, why are you so cast down? Wit you that King Arthur is not yet\nreturned, and that when he doth return he must do battle with you to\nregain his kingdom.\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Mordred, \u201cYes, that is very true, but wit you that I have\ngiven out word to the world that King Arthur was slain in battle before\nthe Castle of Chillion, and in that word lay my strength. Wherefore now,\nwhen King Arthur returneth to Britain, and when the people find that he\nis yet alive, they will turn to him and will cast me out.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _His friends advise him._]\n\nQuoth Sir Mador de la Porte, \u201cThen it behooves you, Sir, to make stir\nand to proclaim to the people that with King Arthur there will be\ncontinued wars, but that with you there will be peace and tranquillity.\nFor wit you that King Arthur for this year past hath been continually at\nwar against Sir Launcelot, and during that time you have not had one\nsingle war in all of Britain. Wherefore, as people love peace, so they\nwill cling to you. Beside this, you should summon the Archbishop of\nCanterbury to your presence and have him crown you as king. For if you\nbe a king in your own right, then will you have that much more strength\nto do battle for your own rights. Now here at hand is the Archbishop of\nCanterbury, and he shall be summoned and shall crown you at your\ndemand.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mordred beseeches the Archbishop to crown him._]\n\nSo they sent for the Archbishop of Canterbury, and he came to where Sir\nMordred was. Sir Mordred said to him, \u201cSir, wit you why I have sent for\nyou? It is that you shall crown me King of Britain.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Archbishop refuses._]\n\nQuoth the Archbishop, \u201cI cannot do this thing that you ask of me, for\nthe news is that King Arthur is returning to Britain. How then can you\nbe crowned King of Britain when the rightful King of Britain is still\nalive?\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Mordred made reply, \u201cI have not set for you to reason with\nme, but to crown me as the King of this realm. For if you crown me, then\ndo I believe that I shall be well able to defend my crown and my\nkingship, but if you do not crown me, then will I do battle with King\nArthur as a usurper to make myself a king instead of him.\u201d\n\nThen said the Archbishop, \u201cSir, you shall not do this thing. For I, as\nthe head of the Church in this realm, bid you to surrender your rights\nand claims unto the just and lawful king who now returneth. For he\nsurrendered his kingship to you for a little while whilst he was away\nfrom Britain, and not for a permanency. Yet you would make that\nsurrender permanent, for you would make yourself king instead of him.\nWherefore, if you do not surrender yourself to King Arthur\u2019s mercy upon\nthe day of his landing, then will the Church curse you with bell, book\nand candle as the usurper of those rights that belong to another.\u201d Then\nSir Mordred was filled with rage against the Archbishop and he cried\nout, \u201cSir, get you gone, or I shall forget myself and draw my sword and\nslay you perhaps.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Archbishop withdraweth._]\n\nSo the Archbishop withdrew from the presence of Sir Mordred, and he\ncalled his court about him, and he recounted to that court all that had\npassed between him and Sir Mordred. And he said, \u201cLet us fly from this\nplace. For we are in danger here.\u201d So the Archbishop took him a strong\nhorse and he mounted upon it and his court also mounted upon horses, and\nthen he and his court rode with great haste away from that place and to\nDover, where King Arthur was expected to be about to land.\n\nAfter the Archbishop had gone and when Sir Mordred found that he had\ngone, Sir Mordred collected such of his army together as were there at\nhand; and he also descended to Dover, taking that army with him; his\nintent being to prevent the King from landing if he could do so.\n\nSo came King Arthur to Dover, and as one stood upon the cliffs one\nbeheld that his ships and galleys covered the entire sea as far as the\neye could behold. And as the King approached the shore, he beheld that\nthere was a considerable army drawn up in array upon the beach where he\nwas to land, and he knew not whether that array were to welcome him or\nto do battle with him. But at length he perceived Sir Mordred in the\nforefront of that array, and he wist that that army was there to do\nbattle with him. Then he groaned aloud and he said, \u201cIs there yet more\nblood to be shed? Well, then, it must be shed, for never will I give up\nmy throne unless I give it up with my life. For eight and twenty years\nhave I held that throne, and shall I now surrender it to this man, my\nnephew Mordred? No; never!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the battle of Dover._]\n\nSo as the boats drew near to the shore, those who were in them leaped\ninto the water and waded to the shore. And the army of Sir Mordred came\ndown to the water and did battle with those who sought to land. And so a\ngreat battle was fought there at the edge of the water, so that the\nwater was all discolored red with the blood of those who were wounded or\nslain and who fell into the flood. Wherefore it was that with each\nrecurring wave this red water ran upward upon the white sands, and then\nreceded, leaving the sands all stained red where it had flowed upon it.\n\nBut yet Sir Mordred did not prevent that army from landing, for ever\nmore knights and yeomen and still more leaped from the boats and into\nthat shallow water, and so at last the army of Sir Mordred was forced\nback from the water and King Arthur\u2019s army landed upon the shore.\n\nThen Sir Mordred withdrew his army from that place and King Arthur took\npossession of that part of Britain.\n\nAfter that the Archbishop of Canterbury came to where King Arthur was,\nand he gave him greeting, saying, \u201cGreeting, King Arthur, and give thee\njoy of landing upon this soil. For here am I who am the head of the\nChurch and I give thee welcome to thy realm. For wit you that Sir\nMordred would fain have had me crown him king, but I would not crown\nhim, having heard that thou wert still alive.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur embraced the Bishop and kissed him upon either cheek,\nand said to him, \u201cSir, I thank you for your welcome. And I thank you\nthat you have guarded and protected my rights.\u201d\n\nNow, after having been thus driven away from Dover, Sir Mordred withdrew\nto Baremdown, and at that place he gathered about him all those of his\nfollowers who had hitherto been tardy in coming to him. And he assembled\nwith him all those who had been friends to Sir Launcelot (for these were\nnow at enmity with King Arthur). So at that place Sir Mordred had a very\nconsiderable army to confront King Arthur withal.\n\nThen Sir Mordred stationed that army upon a rise of land where were\nthree steep hills. For so he could charge down those hills against his\nenemies, whilst they must charge up those hills against him.\n\nSo came King Arthur, and when he perceived the dispersion of Sir\nMordred\u2019s army, he also arranged his army into three divisions. The\ncentre division he took himself; the right division he entrusted to the\nKing of North Wales, and the left division he placed under the\nleadership of Sir Ewaine, who had not quitted Britain for all this time.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the battle of Baremdown._]\n\nThen King Arthur charged his army up those hills against his enemy, but\nhe could not climb those hills because of the steepness thereof, and\nbecause of the defence of the enemy at the top of the steeps. And\nafterward he charged again and again, but still he could not gain the\ncrest of those hills.\n\nThen Sir Ewaine\u2019s division overlapped the army of Sir Mordred, and he\ncharged up that hill both before and behind. And he doubled Sir\nMordred\u2019s party up upon itself and threw it into great confusion.\n\nBut that wing of Sir Mordred\u2019s army could not retreat to the rear by\nreason that Sir Ewaine\u2019s knights were there; wherefore, it fled back\nupon the centre of the army and threw that centre also into confusion.\nThen King Arthur charged for the fourth time, and this time he took the\ncentre hill of the three, and with that the army of Sir Mordred broke\nand fled. And the army of Sir Mordred fled toward Salisbury, and a great\nmany knights were slain in that flight. And the army of Sir Mordred took\nup its station not far from Salisbury, and not far distant from the sea.\n\nSo King Arthur won the battle of Baremdown, but with sad and bitter\nloss. For many knights fell in that assault and amongst them was Sir\nEwaine, who was mortally hurt.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Ewaine is wounded._]\n\nNow when King Arthur heard that Sir Ewaine was hurt, he went to where\nthe wounded knight lay in his pavilion. And Sir Ewaine\u2019s face was very\nwan and hollow and pale, and the dew of death stood upon his forehead.\nThen King Arthur went to the couch of Sir Ewaine and he kneeled beside\nthe couch and embraced Sir Ewaine about the body with his arms. And the\ntears ran down King Arthur\u2019s face and wet the face of Sir Ewaine that\nwas beneath him. And Sir Ewaine said, \u201cArt thou there, my king? For I\ncannot see thee, and yet meseems I feel thee weeping upon me.\u201d And King\nArthur said, \u201cEwaine, it is I.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Ewaine biddeth King Arthur to send for Sir Launcelot._]\n\nThen Sir Ewaine said, \u201cSir, send for Sir Launcelot to aid thee in this\nwar. For Sir Launcelot is the best of all thy knights and he has with\nhim several knights that are very good and strong. These will come to\nthine aid if thou wilt ask it of them, and so thou wilt easily overthrow\nSir Mordred. For many of the knights also are friends with Sir Launcelot\nwho are now in the army of Sir Mordred, thinking that thou art at enmity\nwith Sir Launcelot. But if Sir Launcelot cometh to thee, then will\nthose knights quit Sir Mordred and will cleave to thee. But if thou dost\nnot send for Sir Launcelot then it may be that Sir Mordred will\noverthrow thee. Wherefore I beseech thee to send for Sir Launcelot and\nfor his knights to aid thee.\u201d\n\nQuoth King Arthur, \u201cHow shall I send for him? And by what right shall I\nask him to come to mine aid? Sir Launcelot is my foe, for he took from\nme my wife and held her from me for several months. And he hath slain my\nnephews and he slew Sir Gawaine, who was my best beloved of all. How,\nthen, shall I now ask him to come to mine aid?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Ewaine writeth a letter to Sir Launcelot._]\n\nQuoth Sir Ewaine, \u201cGive me parchment and ink.\u201d So they brought ink and\nparchment to Sir Ewaine and they propped him up upon his bed. And with\nthat his wounds burst out bleeding afresh, so that he wist that he had\nbut a short time to live.\n\nThen Sir Ewaine wrote to Sir Launcelot and he said to him, \u201cSir, this\nday hath been fought a great battle upon Baremdown, and King Arthur,\nmine uncle, won that battle. But many knights have died in that battle,\nand I in it have received my death-wound. Sir, I pray you let all\nbygones pass and be done betwixt you and King Arthur. And I pray you to\nforget and forgive any injury you may have received or given; for in\nthis war King Arthur is put to such a pass that maybe he shall win and\nmaybe he shall not win; wherefore I pray you to come to him without any\ndelay, and so make his winning this war a certainty.\n\n\u201cSir, I myself have been sorely wounded and am dying, and in an hour I\nshall have passed and gone from this earth. So, with my dying strength I\nwrite you to come to the aid of your king who made you a knight some\nwhile ago.\u201d\n\nSuch as this was Sir Ewaine\u2019s letter, and after he had written it he\nsigned his name to it.\n\nThis letter King Arthur sent by a messenger to Sir Launcelot of the Lake\nin France. There Sir Launcelot received it and paid heed to it. For he\nsummoned his knights about him and he read that letter to them, and he\nsaid to them, \u201cMessires, such as this is the need of King Arthur. Now\nwho will go with me to Britain and do battle in this for the King of\nBritain?\u201d And those knights said, \u201cI will go!\u201d--\u201cAnd I!\u201d--\u201cAnd I!\u201d--\u201cAnd\nI!\u201d--until they all of them agreed to go to Britain and fight for King\nArthur.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Ewaine dieth._]\n\nNow return we to King Arthur again. For there was he left kneeling\nbeside the couch of Sir Ewaine. And so he continued to kneel and\npresently Sir Ewaine said, \u201cGood, my Lord, are you there?\u201d For Sir\nEwaine\u2019s eyes were now darkening in death and he could not see\nanything. And King Arthur said, \u201cYea, I am here.\u201d And he took Sir\nEwaine\u2019s hand in his, and Sir Ewaine\u2019s hand was cold and very heavy,\nlike to lead. And Sir Ewaine said, \u201cHold my hand and do not let it go.\u201d\nSo King Arthur held the hand of Sir Ewaine. So Sir Ewaine lay for a\nlittle while, breathing deep draughts of death; and by and by he sighed\nvery deeply and then he lay still; for his spirit had passed from him\nwith that deep sigh.\n\nThen King Arthur arose and he said, \u201cAlas, that this good worthy knight\nis gone. For he was my nephew and he was very faithful to me.\u201d And he\nsaid, \u201cTo-day we will bury him, and to-morrow we shall follow Sir\nMordred, and either he shall die or I shall die. For so through him and\nhis deeds hath this kind and noble gentleman died; wherefore he must pay\nthe price of that death--he must slay me as well, or else I will slay\nhim.\u201d\n\nSo King Arthur arose and went forth from that place. And when the day\nwas come, Sir Ewaine was buried at the minster at that place, and it was\nsaid in the history of these things that his skull was to be seen there\neven to the very day of the ancient writing of this history.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur advances against Sir Mordred._]\n\nThen after all honors had been paid to the body of Sir Ewaine, King\nArthur gathered his army together and he arose and pursued Sir Mordred\nin the direction of Salisbury. And the next day he came to that place\nwhere Sir Mordred was, and there he halted his army.\n\nThat night King Arthur lay in his pavilion and he slept very deeply and\nprofoundly, as sleeps the man who is weary of toil and marching. And\nanon while he slept he had a dream and the dream was this:\n\n[Sidenote: _The King hath a dream._]\n\nHe dreamed that he sat upon his throne, and that his throne was\nestablished upon a monstrous wheel. And the wheel rose high with him\nsitting upon his throne. And anon the wheel rose above the rim of the\nearth, and he beheld the sun shining in all his glory. And the sun\nglittered upon him and he felt all the joy and all the delight of that\nsunlight. And it seemed to King Arthur that he was a great while in that\nsunlight, but he was not, for the wheel was turning very slowly with\nhim. So the wheel reached its highest apex, and then it began to\ndescend. And the wheel descended more and more swiftly, and anon it\ndescended below the rim of the world, and so the sunlight had left the\nKing. And the wheel descended more and more swiftly, so that King Arthur\nbegan to fear he would be cast out of his throne by the turning of the\nwheel. And King Arthur dreamed that he looked down beneath him, and he\nbeheld that the wheel was descending very rapidly to a great pool, as it\nwere a lake. And this pool was filled with blackness and with blood,\nand behold there was no bottom to that pool. And by then the throne of\nKing Arthur was inclining very greatly toward that pool, and the King\nfelt that he was slipping from his throne, and at that his soul was\nfilled with terror. Then he tried to awaken, but he could not. So, in\nhis terror, he screamed very loudly and shrilly, \u201cSave me! Save me, or I\nfall!\u201d And so shrill was his calling that several knights and attendants\nran into the pavilion where he was, and these beheld the King struggling\nin his sleep. And they cried out, \u201cLord, Lord! What aileth thee?\nAwaken!\u201d And with that King Arthur awoke.\n\nAnd King Arthur sat up upon his couch and gazed about him, as one sunk\nin great amazement, and he said, \u201cI slept and I dreamed a dream; and it\nwas a dreadful dream.\u201d And he said to those in attendance upon him, \u201cDo\nnot go from me yet, for that dream hath affrighted me.\u201d\n\nSo they all sat near to him and by and by they beheld that he breathed\nvery deeply and softly, wherefore they wist that he slept again. Then\nall they withdrew from the pavilion, saving only two of his attendants\nwho still sat beside him.\n\nBut King Arthur did not sleep, though it was a manner of sleep, for he\nbeheld all the things about him as though he were partly awake, yet he\ncould not move.\n\n[Sidenote: _The King dreameth again._]\n\nThen, while he was in this sleep, King Arthur beheld a vision. For he\nsaw the flap at the doorway of the pavilion that it moved, and anon it\nwas raised and Sir Gawaine entered the tent. And Sir Gawaine held the\nflap of the doorway aside, and King Arthur beheld that fourteen ladies\nentered the tent behind Sir Gawaine.\n\nAnd when these ladies had all entered the tent, Sir Gawaine let fall the\nflap of the doorway, and so he came forward to where King Arthur lay.\nAnd the face of Sir Gawaine was very calm and smiling and cheerful, and\nKing Arthur felt great peace and happiness when he beheld him standing\nthere.\n\nThen King Arthur dreamed that he spoke to Sir Gawaine, and he said,\n\u201cSir, how is this? Methought that you were dead, and here I behold you\nalive. Was it not then you whom we buried in France some while ago?\u201d\n\nSir Gawaine said, \u201cNay, Lord, that was not I, that was but my shell--my\npoor, crumbling, perishable carcass that you buried. This is I myself,\nand I have come to you from Paradise.\u201d\n\nQuoth King Arthur, \u201cWho are these ladies whom you have with you?\u201d To\nthis Sir Gawaine made answer, \u201cThese are those ladies for whom I one\ntime did battle. For some of those ladies I saved from grief, some of\nthem from misfortune, some of them I saved from danger, and of some of\nthem I saved their lives. So they have accompanied me hither from\nParadise that I might speak to you.\u201d\n\nSaid King Arthur, \u201cSir Gawaine, my nephew, what is it you would say to\nme?\u201d To the which Sir Gawaine made reply, \u201cSir, I come to you to charge\nyou that you shall not do battle to-morrow-day. For great danger lieth\nbefore you, and if you do battle you will assuredly perish. Wherefore I\ncome to you to beseech you that you will not enter into war with your\nenemies. Wit you that Sir Launcelot will in a little while come to your\nassistance, for already the letter from Sir Ewaine hath well-nigh\nreached him, and when it reacheth him then will he come to you with all\nspeed. Wherefore I pray you make such terms with Sir Mordred as you may,\nbut do not join battle with him.\u201d\n\nKing Arthur said, \u201cHow shall I know that this that thou tellest me is a\nvision of prophecy and not a dream? For if it is a dream, then perhaps\nit is mistaken, as many dreams are mistaken; but if it be a vision of\nprophecy, then I shall believe that it is sooth.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said Sir Gawaine, \u201cyou may believe it from this sign that will\nremain unto you. And from it you may know that what you now behold is\nindeed a vision of prophecy, and not a dream.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine leaveth a sign._]\n\nSo with that Sir Gawaine reached forth his finger and touched with it\nthe back of King Arthur\u2019s hand. And when the finger of Sir Gawaine\ntouched his hand, lo! upon the hand of King Arthur there was left a spot\nas white as wax.\n\nThen the figure of Sir Gawaine melted slowly from his sight, and the\nfigures of the ladies also melted away and King Arthur awoke from his\nsleep. And King Arthur sat up upon his couch and he beheld that the\nday-light was streaming into his pavilion, for the sun had already\narisen.\n\nAnd King Arthur looked at the back of his hand, and he beheld that there\nwas the spot as white as wax where Sir Gawaine had touched him. Then\nKing Arthur was very much perturbed in spirit, for he wist that what he\nhad just beheld was no dream, but that it was a vision of prophecy.\n\n[Sidenote: _The King advises with his counsellors._]\n\nSo King Arthur called at him his knights and gentlemen and yeomen, and\nhe told them to bring to him those bishops who were with him, and also\nthe wisest of his counsellors. When these were come he told to them the\nvision of his sleep, and he showed them the white spot upon his hand,\nwhere the finger of Sir Gawaine had touched him. And he said to those\ncounsellors, \u201cSirs, is it better to treat with these our enemies to-day\nthan to do battle with them? For if it be true that Sir Launcelot cometh\nto us, then all those knights who for his sake are now in the army of\nSir Mordred, will leave that army and will join them with us for the\nsake of Sir Launcelot. Thus will many lives be spared and much blood\nremain unshed, for there will be no battle with Sir Mordred.\u201d\n\nThen all those counsellors agreed with him and they said, \u201cThat which\nthou sayst is true. Do not fight with Sir Mordred to-day, but treat with\nhim. For thy dream and thy vision foretell thy death if thou fightest\nwith him.\u201d\n\nSo King Arthur chose him two of those bishops, and he chose him Sir\nLucian the Bottelier and Sir Bedivere, his brother, from all the Knights\nof the Round Table, and these two knights and those two worthies he sent\nas his ambassadors to Sir Mordred. And he said to them, \u201cSpare not your\npromises of land and of estate, but make this treaty for a month and a\nday; for by that time we will know how Sir Launcelot standeth toward\nus.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The envoys treat with Sir Mordred._]\n\nSo those two envoys went to Sir Mordred, and they entered into treaty\nwith him and his advisers. And they argued for all that day, and against\neventide they had not decided. So the next day they went to Sir Mordred,\nand that day it was determined that Sir Mordred should hold Cornwall and\nKent for his own during the life of King Arthur, and that upon the death\nof King Arthur all Britain should be his to rule as king.\n\nThis treaty they brought to King Arthur, and when he read it he frowned\nuntil his eyes were hidden. \u201cWell,\u201d said he, \u201cthis traitor claimeth\nmuch. Let him be thankful that instead of all this land he demandeth, he\nhath given to him instead only six feet of earth in which to lie.\u201d\n\nSo it was arranged that Sir Mordred and King Arthur should meet upon the\nnext day at high noontide, at a certain place betwixt the two armies.\nAnd it was there arranged that each of them should sign this covenant,\nand that there should then be peace in all the land.\n\nAnd the place where this meeting was to be held was a certain smooth and\ngentle valley, that sloped upward upon either hand. And upon one\nextremity of the valley one could behold the distant ocean, and upon the\nother side of the valley one could behold the plains of Salisbury. At\nthis place those two armies were gathered upon the hills looking down\nupon the middle of that valley.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the meeting of King Arthur and Sir Mordred._]\n\nAnd in the centre of that valley there was a great pavilion of\nparticolored silk erected for the accommodation of the King and of Sir\nMordred. And a great banner emblazoned with the arms of the King and\nanother emblazoned with the arms of Sir Mordred flew from the peak of\nthe pavilion. And King Arthur came with six knights, and Sir Mordred\ncame with six knights, and these twelve knights--six upon either\nside--stood some short distance away separate from one another, and King\nArthur and Sir Mordred entered the pavilion.\n\nThere upon the table lay the treaty to be signed, and those two drew\nnear to the table to sign it.\n\nNow it was understood that none of those twelve knights who had come\nwith King Arthur and Sir Mordred should draw a weapon of any sort, but\nthat all should remain with sword in scabbard. For King Arthur did not\ntrust Sir Mordred, and Sir Mordred did not trust King Arthur. For King\nArthur said, \u201cThis man is altogether unnatural. His soul is black and he\nis full of treason and guile. Wherefore, if you see any of his knights\ndraw a sword, then do you draw your swords and fall upon them and upon\nSir Mordred.\u201d And Sir Mordred said, \u201cI trust not this King in any way.\nFor he giveth too readily of that which he cannot spare. Wherefore, be\nyou ready, and if you behold any of his six knights draw a sword, draw\nyour swords and fall on, and, if possible, see to it that you slay King\nArthur himself.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _A knight slayeth an adder._]\n\nNow whilst those two parties of six knights each stood talking to one\nanother, it chanced that an adder that lay hidden in a furze bush came\nforth from its hiding. And one of the knights of Sir Mordred\u2019s party\nstepped back from his place and trod upon the adder, and the adder stung\nthe knight in the heel. Then the knight looked down to see what it was\nthat stung him, and he beheld the adder beneath his heel. So without\nthinking of those commands that had been laid upon him, he drew his\nsword to slay that adder.\n\nThis the knights of King Arthur\u2019s party beheld, and they beheld the\nknight draw his sword, and they beheld the bright and trenchant blade\ngleam in the sunlight as the knight swung his sword to slay the adder.\n\nThen the knights of King Arthur\u2019s party immediately drew their swords\nand they shouted aloud, crying, \u201cTreason! treason! A rescue! A rescue!\u201d\nAnd the knights of Sir Mordred\u2019s party, upon their part also drew their\nswords and ran so to the defence of Sir Mordred.\n\nBut King Arthur heard the outcry of those knights, and upon that outcry\nhe thought that Sir Mordred had betrayed him, wherefore he cried out in\na terrible voice, \u201cHah! Wouldst thou betray me?\u201d And with that he\ncatched Sir Mordred by the throat and as he catched him thus he drew his\nmisericordia to slay him. But Sir Mordred tore himself loose from King\nArthur, and he rushed out from the tent, crying aloud, \u201cI come! I come!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The armies rush to battle._]\n\nThen King Arthur also rushed out from the tent and he beheld his six\nknights at battle with the six knights of Sir Mordred, and he beheld his\narmy and Sir Mordred\u2019s army rushing toward them. And the beat of the\nhoofs of those approaching armies was like to the sound of distant\nthunder ever coming nearer and nearer and louder and louder. And the\ncloud of dust behind those armies was like the smoke of a great\nconflagration rising up into the sky. And in the midst of those clouds\nhe could see the flashing and blazing of polished armor catching the\nsunlight and flinging it off again as those armies rode rapidly down the\nslopes and toward them.\n\nThus those armies came together with great uproar and thunder and a\nflashing like to flaming lightning in the midst of a storm. And King\nArthur ran to his horse and mounted nimbly thereon, and he spurred back\nto meet his army, and an esquire who rode with that army gave to him a\ngood stout spear of ashwood.\n\nSo those two armies met with a shock that might have been heard a\nleague. In that shock of meeting one recoiled from the other by the\nforce of the assault it had itself delivered. And many knights fell in\nthat first assault, and most of those that fell died as they fell. For\nthe horses pressed upon them with their hoofs and many died beneath that\npressure. And after the horsemen came the yeomen afoot, and these ran\nhither and thither and slew many who yet lived.\n\nThen those knights who were still a-horseback cast aside their spears,\nfor they could not longer use their spears in that narrow pass,\nwherefore they cast them away and drew their swords. And with their\nswords they hewed about them from right to left, and from left to right.\nAnd so, in a while, the ground was littered with cantles of armor and\nwith men lying dead or dying beneath the hoofs of the horses.\n\nSo that fierce battle began a little before the prick of noon, and it\ncontinued for all that afternoon, and it continued through the twilight\nof the evening and until the falling of the night.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mordred is defeated._]\n\nFor that was the last and the greatest battle that King Arthur ever\nfought, and in it were slain twelve thousand knights and gentlemen and\nyeomen. But as night descended the army of Sir Mordred broke and fled\nfrom the field, and King Arthur was left the victor of that battle.\n\nBut when King Arthur sat his horse in the midst of the battle-field, he\nwept so that the tears ran in streams down his face. Yea, he tasted\nthose tears in his mouth and they were salt to his taste.\n\nFor of all those knights who had once surrounded the Court of King\nArthur and had made it so glorious, there were hardly any left. And of\nall those Knights of the Round Table who had once been his crowning\nhonor, there were not twelve who were yet alive. All others had\nperished, and the ground was sown thick with them as the sea-shore is\nsown thick with the cobbles that lie upon it.\n\nWherefore, when King Arthur beheld all this ruin of his life, and when\nhe heard the doleful groans of those who were wounded, and when he\nbeheld those who were dead lying still in death and gazing with\nsightless eyes up into the sky, the tears ran from his eyes in great\nstreams and traced down his face and into his beard, so that he tasted\nthe salt of those tears.\n\nFor now indeed the glory of his reign was past, and nothing remained for\nhim but an empty kingdom devoid of all honor and all that was of worth.\n\u201cAlas, and woe is me!\u201d cried he, \u201cfor my fate hath now overtaken me and\nmy day is done.\u201d\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: The Passing of Arthur]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Ninth\n\n_How King Arthur slew Sir Mordred, and how he himself was wounded so\nthat he was upon the edge of death. How his sword Excalibur was cast\naway, and how three queens came from Avalon and took him away with\nthem._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _The King rideth upon the battle-field._]\n\nSo that night, after the battle afore told of, the moon arose very full\nand round, and very clearly shining. What time King Arthur rode across\nthe field of battle, with intent to discover what friends and what foes\nhad been slain. And the King discovered many knights lying there who\nwere friends and many other knights who were foes.\n\nFor at that time the sky was without any cloud at all upon it; and the\nlight of the moon was as clear and bright as though it were daylight,\nwherefore one could see all things upon the earth and to a great\ndistance away upon all sides of the earth.\n\nAnd with King Arthur there rode Sir Bedivere and Sir Lucian the\nBottelier, who was brother to Sir Bedivere. And Sir Lucian was very sore\nwounded, even to the death; but of this he made no mention nor any\ncomplaint whatsoever, but ever he rode with King Arthur and his brother,\nand neither of those two wist that he had any wound whatsoever.\n\n[Sidenote: _He perceiveth Sir Mador de la Porte dead._]\n\nAnd amongst many other knights that lay there dead upon the field of\nbattle, they discovered Sir Mador de la Porte lying dead. Then King\nArthur pointed his finger at the body of Sir Mador and he said, \u201cSee you\nthat man, Messires? That was once a good, strong and very valiant\nknight. One time he was my friend, but then he accused the Queen of\ntreason, and so I exiled him from me and from my court. So he took arms\nagainst me and now he lieth dead here as you perceive. Ah me! That he\nshould have brought that false accusation, for it was the beginning of\nthe end that hath been my undoing, and woe for him, for he was a good\nstrong knight, and a Knight of the Round Table. And one while he was\nvery dear to me.\u201d\n\nSo said King Arthur and they listened to his words.\n\nNow as they progressed still farther upon the field of battle, they\nwere, by and by, aware of a knight who stood alone beside a bramble\nbush. And the knight stood very silent and still, like to a statue of\niron. And the light of the moon shone down upon him and glistened upon\nhis armor. And at certain places that armor was stained with red, for he\nhad been wounded in several places.\n\n[Sidenote: _He findeth Sir Mordred standing alone._]\n\nSo they came nearer to that knight, and in a little while they knew him,\nand they knew that it was Sir Mordred who stood there alone. And all\nabout Sir Mordred there lay several dead knights; for here Sir Mordred\nhad made his last stand with several of his knights. And these were of\nthe dead knights that lay around him, and others of those dead knights\nwere the knights of King Arthur.\n\nBut the horse of Sir Mordred had been slain and Sir Mordred himself had\nbeen wounded in the thighs so that he could not escape with those of his\narmy who fled away from that field of battle.\n\nThen King Arthur said to Sir Bedivere and Sir Lucian, \u201cLook you! Yonder\nis Mordred himself. He is the destroyer of all my court of knighthood\nand of all my joy of life. For through him hath come all this later evil\nupon me, wherefore he is meet for death at my hands.\u201d And the King said\nto Sir Bedivere, \u201cLend me thy spear and I will go and slay him.\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Bedivere, \u201cLet him be, Lord, for anon will come those who know\nhim and will slay him even here where he standeth.\u201d\n\nKing Arthur said, \u201cI will not entrust his death to any other hands but\nmine own. For as he hath brought all this misfortune upon me, so will I\nslay him with mine own hands. Wherefore, Sir, give me your sword that I\nmay slay him.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Bedivere said to the King, \u201cLook you, Sir, how he stands\nlooking at us in the moonlight, like a wounded hawk looking upon those\nwho have wounded him. Beware, Sir, and remember the dream that you had\nlast night when Sir Gawaine appeared to you in that dream. So far have\nyou escaped all harm, but should you assail this desperate man, who\nknoweth but that you may yet meet your death at this time and at his\nhands?\u201d\n\nBut King Arthur said, \u201cWhat is my life to me now, and what have I to\nlose in losing my life? Have I not lost my Queen, who was the lover of\nmy youth? Have I not lost all these knights, who were the chiefest glory\nand pride of my reign? What, then, have I to live for, saving it be an\nempty throne of royalty? Tide me life, tide me death, I will slay this\nman, so give me your spear, Messire.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Bedivere gave his spear to King Arthur and King Arthur took it\ninto his hands. And he set that spear in rest against Sir Mordred.\n\nNow all this Sir Mordred beheld, and he believed that the King was now\nthreatening his life. And he heard all that the King said to those\nknights who were with him, and he wist that now his life was forfeit to\nhim.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur pierces Sir Mordred through with his spear._]\n\nSo Sir Mordred drew his sword and it flashed like white light in the\nmoonlight. And he came forward to meet King Arthur and his death, and as\nhe came he whirled his sword on high. And King Arthur drave his spurs\ninto his horse and charged against Sir Mordred. And King Arthur directed\nthe point of his spear against the body of Sir Mordred beneath where the\nshield sheltered his bosom, and the point of the spear penetrated the\nbody of Sir Mordred and it pierced the body and stood an ell out behind\nthe back of Sir Mordred\u2019s body.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mordred smiteth the King with his sword._]\n\nThen Sir Mordred felt that he had received his wound of death, wherefore\nhe bethought him only of revenge against King Arthur. So he pressed up\nagainst the spear with all of his might. And he thrust himself up the\nlength of the spear until he had reached the burr thereof. And when his\nbody was against the burr of the spear, he took his sword in both his\nhands and he swung the sword above his head, and he smote King Arthur\nwith the edge of the sword upon the helmet.\n\nIn that blow was all the last desperation of Sir Mordred\u2019s life, and so\nstrong was the blow that it sheared through the helmet of King Arthur,\nand through the coif beneath the helmet, and it sheared through the\nbrain-pan of the King and deep into the brain itself.\n\nThen King Arthur reeled upon his saddle and his body swayed this way and\nthat, and from side to side. And he would have fallen from his saddle\nonly that Sir Bedivere catched him and held him up upon his saddle.\n\nAnd Sir Mordred wist that he had given King Arthur his death wound,\nwherefore he fell down upon the ground and he laughed and he said, \u201cSo I\ndie, but ere I die I have finished my work, for the King also shall\ndie.\u201d Therewith he breathed very deep, and it was his last breath, for\nwith it his spirit left his body.\n\nSir Bedivere said to King Arthur, \u201cLord, are you hurt?\u201d And King Arthur,\nbreathing very heavily, said, \u201cSir, this wound is the wound of my death\nas that knight declared. For the wound, I believe, hath pierced into my\nbrain and I cannot live. Messires, take me hence to a shelter.\u201d And King\nArthur said, \u201cWhat building is that yonder?\u201d\n\nSir Bedivere said, \u201cLord, it is a chapel upon the field of battle.\u201d King\nArthur said, \u201cTake me thither and let me be at peace, for I cannot live\nbut a little while.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bedivere and Sir Lucian bring the King, wounded, to the\nchapel._]\n\nSo Sir Bedivere dismounted from his horse and he took the horse of King\nArthur by the bridle and he led the horse toward the chapel. And Sir\nLucian held King Arthur up upon the saddle, and King Arthur swayed from\nthis side to that side, and he would have fallen only that Sir Lucian\nheld him up in his place.\n\nSo they two brought King Arthur to the chapel in safety, and they bore\nhim into the chapel and laid him upon a bench that was there. And in\nthus lifting King Arthur the wounds of Sir Lucian burst out bleeding\nafresh. And with that Sir Lucian, after King Arthur had been laid upon\nthe bench, sank down upon the ground and lay there frothing at the\nmouth, and the froth was red.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Lucian dieth._]\n\nThen Sir Bedivere cried out, \u201cAh, my brother! My brother! Art thou\nhurt?\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cSearch him and see if he be wounded.\u201d So\nSir Bedivere examined Sir Lucian and felt his face and his hands, and\nanon he said, \u201cLord, my brother is indeed dead. And I knew not even that\nhe had been wounded; for all this while he hath borne his wounds in\npatience, speaking no words of it, or making no complaint of it. Ah, my\nbrother! My brother! That thou shouldst be dead!\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur groaned very deeply, and he said, \u201cAlas and alas! So\nhath another of my noble Knights of the Round Table died and left me!\u201d\nAnd then he said, \u201cSo would I weep for him, but I cannot weep; for also\nin a little while I shall be with him and with them who are gone.\u201d And\nhe said to Sir Bedivere, \u201cRemove my helmet, and search my hurt.\u201d So Sir\nBedivere removed the helmet of King Arthur and he beheld the wound upon\nhis head that it was very deep and bitter, so that the brains of his\nhead were exposed in that wound. And Sir Bedivere wept when he beheld\nthat wound; for he wist that of it King Arthur must die.\n\nBut King Arthur said, \u201cWeep not, Sir Bedivere, but do straightway as I\ntell thee.\u201d And he said, \u201cBeholdest thou Excalibur strapped about my\nloins?\u201d\n\nAnd Sir Bedivere said, \u201cYea, Lord,\u201d and ever Sir Bedivere wept.\n\nKing Arthur said, \u201cTake that sword and carry him to the water and cast\nhim into the water: then return thou hither and tell me what thou\nseest.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bedivere taketh Excalibur._]\n\nThen Sir Bedivere unbuckled the strap from about the loins of King\nArthur, and he drew the strap from beneath him. Then he folded the\nstrap around the blade of Excalibur and he took the sword with him and\nwent away with it. But when Sir Bedivere had come out into the\nmoonlight, the moonlight shone very brightly down upon the hilt of\nExcalibur, and Sir Bedivere beheld how that the hilt and the handle of\nthe sword were studded all over with jewels, and the gold into which\nthey were inset flamed and blazed in the moonlight as with a thousand\ncolors.\n\nAnd Sir Bedivere said to himself, \u201cWhy should I cast this splendid sword\ninto the sea? Behold how richly it is studded with jewels so that it\nflashes and flames with pure light. Certes, the King raves when he\ntelleth me to cast it into the sea! Rather will I keep this sword, to\nshow to those generations who are yet to come how great and how splendid\nwas the estate of King Arthur.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bedivere doth not cast the sword away._]\n\nSo Sir Bedivere looked about him and he beheld a dead and riven tree\nthat stood there, all stark and leafless in the moonlight. So he took\nthe sword Excalibur and he hid it beneath the roots of that tree. Anon\nhe returned to King Arthur, and he said to the King, \u201cLord, your behest\nis done and I have cast that sword into the sea.\u201d\n\nQuoth the King, \u201cWhat sawest thou, Sir Bedivere?\u201d\n\nQuoth Sir Bedivere, \u201cWhat should I have beheld, Lord? I beheld nothing\nbut the waves beating upon the shore. And the moon shone upon those\nwaves, as it were a path of living and of glittering silver.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur said, \u201cAh, liar and caitiff knight! I am undone for\ntrusting to thee. For thou hast deceived me, who trusted in thee. For\nthou hast coveted the jewels set upon the handle of the sword, and hast\nrefrained from casting it into the water of the sea.\u201d Then Sir Bedivere\nsaid, \u201cLord, I repent me of this.\u201d\n\nBut King Arthur said, \u201cGo now, and do what I bid thee do, and see to it\nthat this time thou failest not. For my time draweth near and I have now\nbut a little while to live.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bedivere goeth forth again.\n\nHe doth not cast away the sword._]\n\nSo Sir Bedivere went forth again and he went to that place where he had\nhidden the sword. And he took the sword from where it lay hidden and\nlifted it in his hands. And when he again beheld the light of the moon\nilluminating its handle of gold and flaming upon the jewels of the\nhandle, his heart and his purpose weakened within him, and he said to\nhimself, \u201cSurely, it would be a sin to cast away this sword. For it is\nthe most beautiful and noblest sword in all of the world. Wherefore then\nshould I destroy this sword that belongeth not more to the King himself\nthan to the world in which he lives? Certes, the King raved in this,\nwherefore for the sake of posterity and for the sake of those who are to\ncome after, I will not cast this sword into the sea.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Bedivere returned to the King, and the King said to him, panting\nas he spake, \u201cSir, have you performed that which I have commanded you to\nundertake?\u201d\n\nAnd Sir Bedivere said, \u201cYea, Lord.\u201d\n\nQuoth the King, \u201cWhat saw you in doing this thing?\u201d\n\nSaid Sir Bedivere, \u201cLord, I beheld the moon shining on high, and I\nbeheld the waves of the sea breaking noisily up against the pebbles of\nthe beach; but naught else did I behold.\u201d\n\nThen the King was silent for a little while and then he cried out, \u201cOh,\nwoe is me! that all my authority hath departed from me with my strength!\nFor it was to be supposed that mine enemies would betray me but not that\nmy friends would betray me. But here lie I hovering upon the edge of\ndeath, and now this knight who is my sworn knight and vassal will not do\nthat which I bid him to do because of the jewels that enrich the hilt of\nthat sword.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Bedivere wept and he said, \u201cLord, I will do that which thou\nbiddest me to do.\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cDo it, and make haste.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bedivere casteth away the sword._]\n\nSo Sir Bedivere ran forth from that chapel. And he ran to where the\nsword was hidden and he took the sword and wrapped the belt of the sword\nabout it. And he ran down the rocks to the sea shore, and when he had\ncome there he whirled the sword several times about his head and cast it\nfar out over the water.\n\n[Sidenote: _An arm catcheth the sword._]\n\nAnd Sir Bedivere beheld the sword that it whirled, flashing in the\nmoonlight like to pure circles of light, whirling in the darkness. So\nthe sword described a circle above the water and it descended to the\nwater, and as the sword descended to the water there emerged from the\nwater an arm. And around the arm was a sleeve of white samite and about\nthe arm were many bracelets of gold inset with precious stones. And the\narm catched the sword by the haft and brandished it thrice, and then\ndrew it down beneath the water. And the water closed over it and the\nsword and the arm were gone.\n\nAll this Sir Bedivere beheld, and when he had beheld it he returned,\nmusing, to where King Arthur lay in that small chapel above the cliffs.\n\nAnd when he returned, King Arthur said to him, \u201cSir, did you do as I\ncommanded you to, and did you fling Excalibur into the water?\u201d Sir\nBedivere said, \u201cLord, I did as you commanded me.\u201d\n\nQuoth King Arthur, \u201cAnd what did you behold?\u201d\n\nSaid Sir Bedivere, \u201cWhen I thus threw that sword into the water of the\nsea, an arm came out of that water. And the arm had to it a sleeve of\nwhite samite and it was enclasped with many bracelets of gold, and the\nbracelets were set with many precious stones of various sorts. And the\nhand of the arm catched Excalibur by the hilt and it brandished him\nthree times in the air and then it drew him beneath the water. That is\nwhat I saw.\u201d\n\nSaid King Arthur, \u201cWell hast thou served me in this! But the time\ngroweth short and mine end draweth near. Take me upon thy shoulders and\nbear me to the sea shore at that place where thou didst cast Excalibur\ninto the sea. There thou wilt find a boat with several ladies in it.\nThat boat is intended for me, and now I know that boat will be there\nwaiting for me since that arm arose and the hand of the arm seized upon\nExcalibur.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bedivere beareth the King to the boat._]\n\nSo Sir Bedivere stooped his shoulders. And he drew the arms of King\nArthur upon either side of his neck, and the arms of the King were very\nweak and limp like to those of a little child that is ill. And Sir\nBedivere raised himself and he lifted King Arthur from his couch, and\nKing Arthur groaned when Sir Bedivere lifted him. And Sir Bedivere bore\nKing Arthur out of that chapel and into the moonlight. And Sir Bedivere\nbore King Arthur in that wise down to the cliffs of the sea. And by now\na chill was upon the night so that the panting breath of Sir Bedivere\ncame forth from his nostrils like to thin smoke. And ever the iron shoes\nof Sir Bedivere smote upon the rocks as he walked, so that the rocks\nrang beneath his tread.\n\nSo Sir Bedivere bore King Arthur down that cliff to where the sea\nsplashed and moaned upon the rocks of the sea, and the shadows of Sir\nBedivere and of the King were very black and shapeless upon those rocks,\nand the shadows walked with them down to the sea.\n\nSo by and by Sir Bedivere perceived that they were coming close to that\nplace where he had cast the sword into the sea. And as he drew near he\nperceived that there was there a boat drawn up to the shore at that spot\nwhere he had stood to cast the sword into the water. And Sir Bedivere\nsaw that there were several people standing within the boat and that\nthese people were three queens and their attendants.\n\n[Sidenote: _The three queens take the King into the boat._]\n\nTwo of those queens Sir Bedivere knew, for they were the one Queen\nMorgana le Fay and the other the Queen of North Wales. But the third of\nthose queens he did not know. Yet he saw that she was very tall and\nstraight and that she was clad in garments of green, very thin and\nglistering. And her hair was black and glossy, shining in the moonlight\nlike to fine and very glassy threads of silk. And her face was\nexceedingly white, like to wax for whiteness, and her eyes were very\nblack and brilliant, like to brilliant jewels set into that ivory\nwhiteness. And around the neck of this lady were many necklaces of\njewels of gold inset with emerald stones, very bright and shining.\n\nThis lady stood at the tiller of that strange boat and she was the Lady\nof the Lake, though Sir Bedivere wist not who she was. And she held the\ntiller very steadily and so held the boat close to the shore.\n\nAnd in that boat were several other ladies who stood there very silently\nand looked ever toward the shore where was Sir Bedivere; but these were\nthe ladies attendant upon those queens.\n\nThen when Sir Bedivere came thitherward carrying King Arthur upon his\nshoulders, those ladies lifted up their voices in piercing lamentation\nso that the heart of Sir Bedivere ached to hear that lament. And Queen\nMorgana le Fay and the Queen of North Wales arose and reached their arms\nfor King Arthur; and Sir Bedivere gave King Arthur into their arms and\nthey two took him--Queen Morgana by the shoulders and the Queen of North\nWales by the knees--and they lifted him into the boat.\n\nAnd they laid him upon a couch within the boat, and he lay with his head\npillowed upon the lap of Queen Morgana. And Sir Bedivere stood upon the\nshore and looked upon the face of King Arthur as it lay within the lap\nof Queen Morgana, and he beheld that the face of King Arthur was white\nlike to the ashes of wood, wherefore he wist that he was dead. And Sir\nBedivere cried out in a loud and wailing voice, saying, \u201cMy Lord and\nKing, wilt thou leave me? What then shall I do? For here am I alone in\nthe midst of mine enemies.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The King speaketh to Sir Bedivere._]\n\nThen King Arthur opened his eyes and he said, \u201cHah, Messire, thou hast\nno enemies about thee, for thine enemies are put to flight, and in a\nlittle while Sir Launcelot comes who will be thy friend. But go thou\nback into the world and tell them all that thou hast beheld at this\nplace. For wit you that now I know that I shall not die at this place,\nbut that I shall go in this boat and with my sister, Queen Morgana, to\nAvalon. There in the Vale of Avalon I shall live, and by and by and\nafter many years I shall again return to Britain and no man shall know\nof my return. But with that return shall come peace and tranquillity.\nAnd war shall be no more, but the arts of peace shall flourish. So take\nthat message back with thee into the world, for now I go to leave thee;\nand so farewell.\u201d\n\nThen for the third time those ladies lifted up their voices and wailed\nin lamentation, and with that lamentation the boat trembled and moved.\nAnd it moved away from the shore; at first slowly, then more and more\nswiftly until it disappeared in the moonlight of the night. And for\nawhile Sir Bedivere saw it, and then he was not sure that he saw it, and\nthen it vanished away into the whiteness of the moonlight, and was gone\nfrom his vision.\n\nThen Sir Bedivere moved weeping away from that shore and he wept so that\nhardly could he see what next step he took. And so Sir Bedivere came\naway from that shore, and in his sorrow he wist not whither he went. But\never he walked forward for all that night, and when the morning was come\nhe found himself to be near to a considerable city. So he went forward\nto that city and he found that there was a great bustle and turmoil of\npeople coming and going.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bedivere cometh to the Archbishop._]\n\nSo Sir Bedivere entered the city and he said, \u201cWho is here?\u201d They say to\nhim, \u201cIt is the Archbishop of Canterbury who is here.\u201d Sir Bedivere said\nto them, \u201cTake me to him.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _He telleth the Archbishop what hath befallen._]\n\nSo they took him to where the Archbishop was, and several other bishops\nwere with him. And when the Archbishop beheld Sir Bedivere he said,\n\u201cSir, why are you so pale?\u201d Then Sir Bedivere said, \u201cSir, I am pale\nbecause of all that I have beheld.\u201d Then Sir Bedivere told the\nArchbishop and those who were with him of that great battle they had\nfought the day before between Salisbury and the sea. And he told him of\nall that had happened in that battle and of the knights who were slain\ntherein. And he told him how that Sir Mordred was slain and how King\nArthur had been wounded by Sir Mordred and had departed at night in that\nboat as aforetold of.\n\nTo all this the Archbishop listened with great astonishment and he cried\nout, \u201cHow is this, and what is this thou tellest me? Is King Arthur\ngone, and has that good and wise King disappeared thus mysteriously from\namongst us?\u201d And he said, \u201cWhat next of kin doth the King leave behind\nhim?\u201d Sir Bedivere said, \u201cHis nighest of kin is Sir Constantine of\nCornwall, who is cousin unto Sir Gawaine.\u201d\n\nThe Archbishop said, \u201cHim then shall we crown to be the next King of\nBritain. For so will he succeed in rightful line from the strain of King\nUther Pendragon.\u201d\n\nAnd so it was done as the Archbishop said, for shortly after that Sir\nConstantine of Cornwall was crowned King of Britain at Camelot--which\nsame, saith the history of these things, is Winchester of these present\ndays.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSo I have told you of the Passing of Arthur, which in all the other\nhistories of those things is told as I have told it. But of that which\nhappened thereafter there are many distinct and separate histories.\n\nBut that history which hath been accepted of old by the people of\nEngland is this: That King Arthur did not die, but that he was taken by\nQueen Morgana le Fay and by those two other queens to Avalon, and that\nthere he was salved so that he did not die. And that history saith that\nhe lives there yet, and that some day he shall come back to Britain as\nhe promised to do, and that when he thus shall come there, there shall\nlikewise come continual peace and plenty and joy and happiness as he\npromised.\n\n[Sidenote: _Concerning Avalon._]\n\nAnd touching Avalon there is this to say--that it is the dwelling-place\nof Queen Morgana le Fay, and that it is a strange and wonderful island\nthat floats forever upon the sea to the westward. And many people\ndeclare that they have beheld that land, but always from a distance. For\nsometimes they call it Fata Morgana, and sometimes they call it Avalon.\nBut always when they see it it is to behold high towers and glittering\npinnacles reaching into the sky; and it is to behold the embowerment of\ntrees, both of forest trees and of shade trees; and it is to behold hill\nand vale of that mysterious country more beautiful than are the hills\nand vales of the dark and gloomy earth. For Avalon is sometimes called\nthe Vale of Avalon and sometimes it is called Avalon the Beautiful.\n\nThere in that pleasant country is no snow and no ice; neither is there\nthe scorching heats and droughts of summer, but all forever and for aye\nis the tepid warmth of vernal springtime.\n\nAnd the people of Avalon are always happy, for never do they weep and\nnever do they bear enmity to one another, but all live in peace and\ntranquillity watching their flocks, which are as white as snow, and\ntheir herds, whose breath smelleth of wild thyme and parsley.\n\nThere, people believe, yet liveth King Arthur, and he is not dead nor is\nhe yet awake, but ever he lyeth sleeping as in peace.\n\nBut it is believed by many that the time shall come when he will awake\nagain. Then he will return once more to this earth, and all shall be\npeace and concord amongst men.\n\nAnd many believe that this time is now nigh at hand. For less and less\nis there war within the world, and more and more is there peace and\nconcord and good will amongst men. Wherefore, let every man live at\npeace with other men, and wish them well and do them well, and then will\nKing Arthur awake from his sleep. Then will his dreadful wound be healed\nand then will he return unto his own again.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nOf such was the passing of Arthur.\n\n[Illustration: The Passing of Guinevere]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Tenth\n\n_How Sir Launcelot came to Queen Guinevere, and how Queen Guinevere\nremained a nun. How Sir Launcelot went into the forest and became a\nhermit, and how seven of his fellows joined him there. Also of the death\nof Sir Launcelot of the Lake._\n\n\nNow it hath already been told how that Sir Launcelot of the Lake\nreceived the note of Sir Ewaine, and of how he and his knights decided\nto come to the aid of King Arthur.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot landeth at Dover._]\n\nSo Sir Launcelot and his knights to the number of two hundred and twelve\ncame to England in ships and galleys, and they landed at Dover as King\nArthur had done.\n\nAnd when Sir Launcelot arrived at Dover there came to him a messenger\nand told him of that battle that had been fought upon the plains not far\nfrom Salisbury, and how that Sir Mordred had been slain and how that\nKing Arthur had died of his wound thereafter. And that messenger also\ntold him how that Sir Constantine of Cornwall had been crowned King of\nBritain, in the room of King Arthur.\n\nAll this Sir Launcelot heard and also the knights who were with him. And\nSir Launcelot wept a very great deal and several of those knights who\nwere with him wept also. And Sir Launcelot cried out, \u201cAh, my dear noble\nand gracious lord, King Arthur! Woe is me that in that first battle I\nshould have slain Sir Agravaine and not Sir Mordred! For it is now upon\nme to believe that Sir Mordred was the instigator of all this mischief.\nBut now is King Arthur gone and all is turned to ruin and to loss about\nus. For here be hardly any of the Knights of the Round Table yet living,\nand many of those who were amongst the best and noblest of those knights\nhave been slain. To wit, Sir Gawaine hath been slain, and Sir Lionel and\nSir Ector have been slain, and Sir Ewaine hath been slain, and Sir\nGareth who was my dear and loving friend hath been slain, and Sir\nGeharis hath been slain. All these have died and several others, and had\nit not been for Sir Mordred and his treachery these would yet have been\nalive. But all these have died because of the treachery of Sir Mordred.\nWould that he had died in the beginning, for these would all then have\nbeen saved!\u201d\n\nSo Sir Launcelot made his lament, and in making it the tears flowed down\nhis face in streams. And Sir Launcelot said, \u201cWho of us can now serve\nunder King Constantine as vassals?\u201d They say to him, \u201cnone of us can so\nserve him.\u201d Said Sir Launcelot, \u201cnor can I serve him.\u201d Then he said,\n\u201cWhere is now Queen Guinevere?\u201d They say to him, \u201cSir, she is at this\npresent at the convent of Saint Bridget at Rochester and she is the\nAbbess of that convent. For since King Arthur gave her to the church she\nhath taken up the orders of the church and hath become a nun of black\nand white.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot goeth to Rochester to seek the Queen._]\n\nSo that night Sir Launcelot took horse and he rode away alone, and he\nrode to Rochester and to the convent of Saint Bridget. And Sir Launcelot\ncame into the room of that convent and he said to those who were there,\n\u201cLet me have speech with the Abbess of this place.\u201d\n\nThen anon came Queen Guinevere to where he was, and Sir Launcelot stood\nin the middle of the room and looked toward her. And he beheld that her\nface was grown very white and thin and that she was clad in robes of\nblack and white. And the Queen looked toward Sir Launcelot and she knew\nhim. And when she beheld him she cried out in a very loud and piercing\nvoice, \u201cGod save me! Is it thou?\u201d And with that she felt around behind\nher as though in a blindness. And she felt that there was a form behind\nher and she sat down upon the form. And she swooned upon that form so\nthat her head fell backward across the back of the form. And Sir\nLauncelot perceived that she had swooned.\n\nThen Sir Launcelot called to the ladies of that convent in a very loud\nvoice, \u201cMake haste! Make haste! For the Queen hath swooned!\u201d So several\nof those ladies came hastening and they loosened the robes of the Queen\nat the throat and they chafed her hands and bathed her temples with\nvinegar, and anon she awoke from her swoon and found Sir Launcelot\nkneeling before her.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Queen bespeaks Sir Launcelot._]\n\nAnd the Queen reached out and touched Sir Launcelot and she said, \u201cArt\nthou real, or art thou a spirit?\u201d And Sir Launcelot replied, \u201cLady, I am\nflesh and blood as thou art.\u201d Then the Queen said to him, \u201cSir, what\nseek you here?\u201d And Sir Launcelot replied, \u201cI seek thee, Lady. For ever\nthou art present with me by day and by night, and never art thou absent\nfrom my thoughts.\u201d\n\nThe Queen said, \u201cAh, Launcelot! It is vain for thee to seek me here, for\never my heart is here in this place and here it will always remain. For\nhere have I bethought me of my life and of all the joys and pleasures of\nmy life, and of all the sinfulness and the evil that I have committed.\nAnd I wit that my lord, King Arthur, is now ever first within my\nthoughts and within my heart. For though I fled from King Arthur that\ntime and betook myself with thee to Joyous Gard, yet there at Joyous\nGard my heart turned ever to my lord and my King. For he was the lover\nof my youth, and first and last my heart turned ever to him in all my\njoys and in all my troubles. So now my King is passed, and my heart\ncleaveth to him in Paradise, and there I will haply rejoin my King and\nwill dwell with him for aye. For there we shall be together in bliss and\nnaught that is of sorrow or uncertainty shall ever come betwixt us.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot cried out, \u201cAnd I, Lady, is there naught in thy\nthoughts for me?\u201d\n\nShe said, \u201cYea, Launcelot, there is great friendship and love for thee,\nbut not that sort of love. So get thee back to Joyous Gard and there\ntake thee to wife some fair and gentle lady of that place. For so thou\nmayst rear to thee children in the stead of that Sir Galahad who hath\ndeparted from thee some while ago.\u201d\n\nSir Launcelot said, \u201cLady, I can never wed any woman in this world but\nthee.\u201d And the Queen said, \u201cAh, Launcelot, that is a pity.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot departeth from the Queen._]\n\nSo that speech between those two came to an end, and Sir Launcelot rode\naway from that place with his head bowed low upon his breast. And Sir\nLauncelot rode ever toward the forest and anon he rode into the forest.\nAnd when Sir Launcelot had come to that place he kneeled down before\nthat Hermit of the Forest and he said to him \u201cSir, I pray you to confess\nme and assoil me. For here henceforth and to the end of my days will I\nremain a hermit of the forest like as thou art. Several times have I\nlived here as a recluse, yet have I ever returned by and by to the\nworld. But now will I never return to that world again; for all the\npleasure of that world was taken away from me and I am left barren of\nhope and of joy.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot becometh a forest recluse._]\n\nSo Sir Launcelot withdrew to another part of the forest, and he took his\narmor from off his body and hung his armor up upon the branches of a\ntree that was near at hand. And he took the harness and trappings from\noff his horse and he turned his horse loose to browse at will upon the\ngrass that grew there at that place. So Sir Launcelot became a recluse\nof the forest with intent never more to be anything else than that\nforest recluse.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nNow when those knights who were in attendance upon Sir Launcelot at\nDover discovered that he had gone from them, they wist not where he had\ngone and they searched for him at all places, and yet they could not\nfind him. So most of those knights separated and divided, each knight\ndeparting to his own home. But several of those who were kin to Sir\nLauncelot joined them together to search for him. And these were the\nknights that searched for Sir Launcelot: there were Sir Bors and Sir\nBleoberis and Sir Blamor de Ganis, and there was Sir Galahud and Sir\nGalahadin, and there was Sir Villiars, and there was Sir Clarus. These\nseven knights searched Britain from end to end and all athwart the land,\nand ever they sought for Sir Launcelot. So, at last, they came to that\npart of the forest where Sir Launcelot abided.\n\nAnd those knights beheld a horse browsing in the open parts of the\nforest, and Sir Bors said to the others, \u201cMessires, yonder an I mistake\nnot is the horse of Sir Launcelot.\u201d Then they went a little farther and\nthey beheld the armor of Sir Launcelot hanging upon the branches of the\ntree. And Sir Bors examined that armor and he said, \u201cThis, certes, is\nthe armor of Sir Launcelot. Now he cannot be far distant from this\nplace.\u201d\n\nAnon they heard the knelling of a little vesper bell, and Sir Bors said,\n\u201cYonder is the bell of the Hermit of the Forest. Let us go thitherward\nand mayhap we may hear news of Sir Launcelot.\u201d So they went in that\ndirection and by and by they came to the chapel of the Hermit of the\nForest. And they looked within the chapel door and they beheld the\nHermit and another anchorite kneeling in prayer. And there were little\nbirds within the chapel and they hopped about there upon the floor and\nabout those two kneeling figures and were not afraid of either of them.\n\n[Sidenote: _The knights companion find Sir Launcelot._]\n\nSo, by and by, those two ended their prayers, and they arose. Then those\nknights beheld the face of the anchorite and they saw that it was the\nface of Sir Launcelot. For though the face of Sir Launcelot was covered\nwith a beard and though it was very thin and peaked from fasting, yet\nthey knew it for his face. For Sir Launcelot had eaten no meat and but\nlittle food of any sort, but had deprived himself of food for the\nbetterment of his soul.\n\nThen Sir Bors spake and he said, \u201cSir Launcelot, is it thou who art\nhere?\u201d And Sir Launcelot said, \u201cAye, it is indeed I whom thou\nbeholdest.\u201d Sir Bors said, \u201cSir, this life does not beseem thee to lead,\nwherefore place upon thee thine armor and come forth with us into the\nworld again. For thy life is certes of value to that world.\u201d \u201cNay,\u201d said\nSir Launcelot, \u201cI will not leave this place, for here I dwell in peace\nand amity with the world. Why then should I again go forth into strife\nas of old?\u201d Quoth Sir Bors, \u201cSir, this life thou art leading is but the\nneglect of duty, for the duty of every knight is to be within the world\nand to do the work of the world, be that work to battle or to labor.\nWhy then shouldst thou rest here in this hermitage and without action of\nany sort?\u201d\n\n\u201cMessire,\u201d said Sir Launcelot, \u201cwere there a call for me to go forth\ninto the world, then would I go. For my duty would then demand of me to\nassume again the armor of my knighthood. But there is no such call, nor\nam I any longer young, as one time I was. Wherefore, now hath come my\ntime for rest, and so I remain here in quiet within the woodlands.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The knights companion become recluses._]\n\nSir Bors said, \u201cSir, we are your knights and your followers, wherefore\nif you remain here within the forest, so also do we remain with you. For\nyour life shall be our life and your fare shall be our fare until the\nend.\u201d And Sir Launcelot said, \u201cLet it be that way.\u201d\n\nSo all those knights remained there within the forest and all of them\nassumed the holy orders of hermits. Thus they remained there for three\nyears and in that time they dwelt in great peace and concord. And they\ndisturbed none of those things that were living within the forest, so\nthat the wild creatures of the forest presently grew tame to them. For\nthey could lay their hands upon the haunches of the wild doe of the\nforest and it would not flee away from them, for the wild thing wist\nthat they meant it no harm.\n\nThus they lived there in solitude and they cultivated their plots of\npulse and barley, and the fame of their virtues and of their holiness\nspread far and wide, so that many people came thither from the world for\nthe sake of their prayers and of their benediction.\n\nNow one night as he slept Sir Launcelot had a dream, and the dream came\nto him in the second watch of the night. And the dream of Sir Launcelot\nwas this:\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot dreameth._]\n\nHe dreamed that he beheld Queen Guinevere standing before him, and her\nface smiled and was very radiant as though a bright light shone through\nher face from behind. For her face was translated by that light so that\nit was all of a glorious and rosy pink in its color. And the Queen was\nclad all in a very straight robe of cloth of gold and that robe shone\nwith a very singular lustre. And around her neck and her arms were many\nornaments of gold and these also shone and glittered as she moved or\nbreathed. And this vision of Queen Guinevere said, \u201cRejoice, O Sir\nLauncelot! For my troubles and cares are at an end. For now I am in\nParadise and my body sleepeth and is dead.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Launcelot awoke and he found that it was morning and that the\nsun was shining.\n\nAnd Sir Launcelot arose and went forth and he came to where the Hermit\nwas, and he told the Hermit of that dream. Then the Hermit said to him,\n\u201cSir, meseems from this dream that the Queen is no more, but that she is\ndead and that her soul hath been translated unto Paradise. Make haste\nand go thither where she is and see if this be so.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Launcelot mounted his horse and his seven companions mounted\ntheir horses and together they rode unto Rochester. And Sir Launcelot\nrode to the nunnery at that place and he said to them that came to him,\n\u201cWhere is the Lady Abbess of this monastery?\u201d\n\nThey say to him, \u201cSir, she died last night at the second watch of the\nnight.\u201d Sir Launcelot said, \u201cBring me to her.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _He beholdeth the dead Queen._]\n\nSo they took Sir Launcelot to where lay the body of the Queen, and it\nwas in a large upper room and the windows were open and the breeze blew\ncold through the room. And Sir Launcelot beheld the Queen that her body\nlay upon a couch of white linen, and he perceived that the face of the\nbody was white like to wax. And he saw that the lips of the body smiled\nas he had beheld the Queen to smile in the dream that he had had of her\nthe night before.\n\nThen Sir Launcelot did not weep, only he stood with his hands clasped\nvery tightly together, and he reviewed in his mind all that had befallen\nhim and her. And he reviewed the first time that he had come to the\nKing\u2019s Court at Camelot. And he reviewed how he had sacrificed the life\nof his lady for the love of the Queen. And he reviewed how he had done\nbattle for the Queen, and how he had saved her life by that battle, and\nhe reviewed how he had fought and slain his friends that he might bring\nher away from her trial to Joyous Gard. All those things he reviewed,\nand some of those things were of peace to him and some of them were of\ntorment. Then he spake and he said, \u201cAh, Lady! Would that I were lying\nas thou lyest. For then would I too be at peace, whiles now I am not at\npeace.\u201d\n\nSo died Queen Guinevere, and at that time she was in the forty-sixth\nyear of her age and was exceedingly beautiful.\n\nSo those eight knights remained there at the nunnery for two days, and\nupon the third day the body of Queen Guinevere was interred before the\naltar of the nunnery. And upon the stone that covered that body were\nthese words:\n\n     Hir jaret Guinevera Regina Quondam Regina Brittani\u00e6 erat.\n\nAnd for many years that entablature was to be seen at Rochester,\nwherefore it may be known that Queen Guinevere was indeed there buried.\nFor so saith the history of those things and so those things must be.\n\nAfter all those things had passed, those knights again retired to the\nforest and there they again took up their abode as of old. And so they\nlived there for two or three years longer. Then they left that forest as\nshall presently be told.\n\nFor now speak we of the Passing of Sir Launcelot, which was as follows:\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot cometh not to prayers._]\n\nOne morning all they who were there awoke very early and they went to\ntheir matin prayers. That morning was in the May time, all the trees\nwere in leaf and the apple trees were in blossom. For whensoever the\nsoft warm wind blew through the trees, then did those blossoms shed\ntheir fragrant pink snow until all the grass around about was spread\ntherewith. And the birds were singing in every bush and tree so that all\nthe air was full of their melodious and harmonious jubilation.\n\nThat time when they were assembled they looked around and beheld that\nSir Launcelot was not there and they said, \u201cWhere is Sir Launcelot, that\nhe cometh not to matin prayers?\u201d So Sir Bors went to the cell of Sir\nLauncelot and he beheld that Sir Launcelot was lying very peacefully\nupon his couch. And Sir Bors went to Sir Launcelot to arouse him, and he\nsaw that Sir Launcelot was dead. And the hands of Sir Launcelot were\nfolded upon his breast, and there was a smile of great peace and good\ncontent upon the lips of Sir Launcelot.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Bors beholdeth him, dead._]\n\nThen Sir Bors went to the door of the cell of Sir Launcelot and he\ncalled those others to come thither and they did so. And Sir Bors said\nto them, \u201cBehold! Here lyeth that which was once Sir Launcelot, but\nwhich is that knight no more. But God be praised that he died in such\npeace and tranquillity as he hath done.\u201d\n\nAnd all they, as they gazed upon Sir Launcelot, beheld that it was so,\nand that he had indeed died in great peace and tranquillity with his\nGod.\n\nAnd Sir Bors said, \u201cLet us take the body of this good knight and carry\nit to Joyous Gard that it may be buried there. For so would he have it\nthat his body should be buried at Joyous Gard.\u201d\n\nSo they brought them to that forest place a horse bier and they laid the\nbody of Sir Launcelot upon that horse bier, and they covered the body so\nthat no one might see it in passing. And they bore the body thence and\nto Joyous Gard, and so, after many tribulations and many sufferings and\nsorrows, the body of Sir Launcelot lay in peace and quietness at that\nplace.\n\n[Sidenote: _He lyeth at Joyous Gard._]\n\nAnd those knights who were with him did not return to the forest,\notherwise they continued at Joyous Gard. And one of those knights always\nsat at vigil beside the tomb of Sir Launcelot and kept burning there\nseven waxen tapers. And so the tomb was always illuminated with those\nwaxen tapers whiles those knights lived.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the death of Sir Bors._]\n\nAnd the last of those knights to die was Sir Bors de Ganis, for Sir Bors\nwas over fourscore years of age when he died. For when the priest came\nthither one morning, he found Sir Bors sitting beside the tomb of Sir\nLauncelot, and Sir Bors had died at that time. And one of those seven\ncandles (which same was the candle of Sir Bors) was not lit but was\nburned out. For so the life of Sir Bors had flickered out, even as the\nlight of that candle had departed.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSo with this endeth the history of the lives of those knights, and so I\nhave told it to you.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Conclusion\n\n\nThus have I written the history of King Arthur and of sundry of those\nknights that comprised his Round Table. For so may you see with what\npatience, what labor and what self-devotion those knights served their\nking, their Round Table and their fellows.\n\nFor those knights were very gallant gentlemen who thought but little of\ncare and trouble and who practised self-denial when that self-denial\ncould be of avail to help their friends or to benefit the world.\n\nFor ever they brought aid to those who were in trouble and comfort to\nthose who were afflicted ever they brought food to the hungry and drink\nto the thirsty; and ever they destroyed giants and monsters and wicked\nmen, and so made the world a better and a comelier place in which to\ndwell. And wit ye that no man can do better than that in this world: to\nbring aid to the afflicted; food to the hungry, and a release from\ntrouble to those who are in anxiety.\n\nYea; for seven years have I been engaged in writing these books, which\ncontain the history of these things. Many other things have I done in\nthat time. For I have painted many pictures besides having written these\nbooks and other works of a like sort. And these books are four in\nnumber: first, there is the Book of King Arthur; then there is the Book\nof the Champions of the Round Table; then there is the Book of Sir\nLauncelot and his companions, and now there is this Book of the Grail\nand the Passing of Arthur, and this book is the last. For those books\ncomprise a history of all this time; for though there be many things\nleft untold in them, yet those things are of small consequence. For all\nthat is of greater note hath been here told, and that in full.\n\nAnd I thank God that he hath permitted me to finish this work, for wit\nye that when a man taketh seven years of his life to complete an\nundertaking, he knoweth not whether he shall live to complete that\nwhich he hath begun.\n\nBut so I have completed it, and for that I thank God who permitted me to\ncomplete it. Amen.\n\n                  _Finished at Wilmington, Delaware,\n                        This 16th day of April\n                         in the year of grace\n                                MCMX._\n\n[Illustration]","title":"The Story of the Grail and the Passing of Arthur","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":98083}