Two days after the King and all his company set out for London, and by the way, it happened to Sir Gawaine to lodge with Sir Bernard at Astolat. And when he was in his chamber, Sir Bernard and his daughter Elaine came unto Sir Gawaine, to ask him tidings of the Court, and who did best in the tourney at Winchester.
"Truly," said Sir Gawaine, "there were two Knights that bare white shields, but one of them had a red sleeve upon his helm, and he was one of the best Knights that ever I saw joust in the field, for I dare say he smote down forty Knights of the Table Round."
"Now blessed be G.o.d," said the Maid of Astolat, "that that Knight sped so well, for he is the man in the world that I loved first, and he will also be the last that ever I shall love."
"Fair Maid," asked Sir Gawaine, "is that Knight your love?"
"Certainly he is my love," said she.
"Then you know his name?" asked Sir Gawaine.
"Nay, truly," answered the damsel, "I know neither his name, nor whence he cometh, but I love him for all that."
"How did you meet him first?" asked Sir Gawaine. At that she told him the whole story, and how her brother went with Sir Lancelot to do him service, and lent him the white shield of her brother Sir Tirre and left his own shield with her. "Why did he do that?" asked Sir Gawaine.
"For this cause," said the damsel, "his shield was too well known among many n.o.ble Knights."
"Ah, fair damsel," said Sir Gawaine, "I beg of you to let me have a sight of that shield."
"Sir," answered she, "it is in my chamber covered with a case, and if you will come with me, you shall see it."
"Not so," said Sir Bernard, and sent his Squire for it. And when Sir Gawaine took off the case and beheld the shield, and saw the arms, he knew it to be Sir Lancelot"s. "Ah mercy," cried he, "my heart is heavier than ever it was before!"
"Why?" asked Elaine.
"I have great cause," answered Sir Gawaine. "Is that Knight who owns this shield your love?"
"Yes, truly," said she; "I would I were his love."
"You are right, fair damsel," replied Gawaine, "for if you love him, you love the most honourable Knight in the world. I have known him for four-and-twenty years, and never did I or any other Knight see him wear a token of either lady or damsel at a tournament. Therefore, damsel, he has paid you great honour. But I fear that I may never behold him again upon earth, and that is grievous to think of."
"Alas!" she said, "how may this be? Is he slain?"
"I did not say that," replied Sir Gawaine, "but he is sorely wounded, and is more likely to be dead than alive. And, maiden, by this shield I know that he is Sir Lancelot."
"How can this be?" said the Maid of Astolat, "and what was his hurt?"
"Truly," answered Sir Gawaine, "it was the man that loved him best who hurt him so, and I am sure that if that man knew that it was Sir Lancelot whom he had wounded, he would think it was the darkest deed that ever he did."
"Now, dear father," said Elaine, "give me leave to ride and to seek him, for I shall go out of my mind unless I find him and my brother."
"Do as you will," answered her father, "for I am grieved to hear of the hurt of that n.o.ble Knight." So the damsel made ready.
On the morn Sir Gawaine came to King Arthur and told him how he had found the shield in the keeping of the Maid of Astolat. "All that I knew beforehand," said the King, "and that was why I would not suffer you to fight at the tourney, for I had espied him when he entered his lodging the night before. But this is the first time that ever I heard of his bearing the token of some lady, and much I marvel at it."
"By my head," answered Sir Gawaine, "the Fair Maiden of Astolat loves him wondrous well. What it all means, or what will be the end, I cannot say, but she has ridden after him to seek him." So the King and his company came to London, and everyone in the Court knew that it was Sir Lancelot who had jousted the best.
And when the tidings came to Sir Bors, his heart grew heavy, and also the hearts of his kinsmen. But when the Queen heard that Sir Lancelot bore the red sleeve of the Fair Maid of Astolat, she was nearly mad with wrath and summoned Sir Bors before her in haste.
"Ah, Sir Bors," she cried when he was come, "have the tidings reached you that Sir Lancelot has been a false Knight to me?"
"Madam," answered Sir Bors, "I pray you say not so, for I cannot hear such language of him."
"Why, is he not false and a traitor when, after swearing that for right or wrong he would be my Knight and mine only, he bore the red sleeve upon his helm at the great jousts at Camelot?"
"Madam," said Sir Bors, "I grieve bitterly as to that sleeve-bearing, but I think he did it that none of his kin should know him. For no man before that had seen him bear the token of any lady, be she what she may."
"Fie on him!" said the Queen, "I myself heard Sir Gawaine tell my lord Arthur of the great love that is between the Fair Maiden of Astolat and him."
"Madam," answered Sir Bors, "I cannot hinder Sir Gawaine from saying what he pleases, but as for Sir Lancelot, I am sure that he loves no one lady or maiden better than another. And therefore I will hasten to seek him wherever he be."
Meanwhile fair Elaine came to Winchester to find Sir Lancelot, who lay in peril of his life in the hermit"s dwelling. And when she was riding hither and thither, not knowing where she should turn, she fell on her brother Sir Lavaine, who was exercising his horse. "How doth my lord Sir Lancelot?" asked she.
"Who told you, sister, that my lord"s name was Sir Lancelot?" answered Sir Lavaine.
"Sir Gawaine, who came to my father"s house to rest after the tourney, knew him by his shield," said she, and they rode on till they reached the hermitage, and Sir Lavaine brought her to Sir Lancelot. And when she saw him so pale, and in such a plight, she fell to the earth in a swoon, but by-and-bye she opened her eyes and said, "My lord Sir Lancelot, what has brought you to this?" and swooned again. When she came to herself and stood up, Sir Lancelot prayed her to be of good cheer, for if she had come to comfort him she was right welcome, and that his wound would soon heal. "But I marvel," said he, "how you know my name." Then the maiden told him how Sir Gawaine had been at Astolat and had seen his shield.
"Alas!" sighed Sir Lancelot, "it grieves me that my name is known, for trouble will come of it." For he knew full well that Sir Gawaine would tell Queen Guenevere, and that she would be wroth. And Elaine stayed and tended him, and Sir Lancelot begged Sir Lavaine to ride to Winchester and ask if Sir Bors was there, and said that he should know him by token of a wound which Sir Bors had on his forehead. "For well I am sure," said Sir Lancelot, "that Sir Bors will seek me, as he is the same good Knight that hurt me."
Therefore as Sir Lancelot commanded, Sir Lavaine rode to Winchester and inquired if Sir Bors had been seen there, so that when he entered the town Sir Lavaine readily found him. Sir Bors was overjoyed to hear good tidings of Sir Lancelot, and they rode back together to the hermitage. At the sight of Sir Lancelot lying in his bed, pale and thin, Sir Bors" heart gave way, and he wept long without speaking.
"Oh, my lord Sir Lancelot," he said at last, "G.o.d send you hasty recovery; great is my shame for having wounded you thus, you who are the n.o.blest Knight in the world. I wonder that my arm would lift itself against you, and I ask your mercy."
"Fair cousin," answered Sir Lancelot, "such words please me not at all, for it is the fault of my pride which would overcome you all, that I lie here to-day. We will not speak of it any more, for what is done cannot be undone, but let us find a cure so that I may soon be whole." Then Sir Bors leaned upon his bed, and told him how the Queen was filled with anger against him, because he wore the red sleeve at the jousts.
"I am sorrowful at what you tell me," replied Sir Lancelot, "for all I did was to hinder my being known."
"That I said to excuse you," answered Sir Bors, "though it was all in vain. But is this damsel that is so busy about you the Fair Maid of Astolat?"
"She it is, and she will not go from me!"
"Why should she go from you?" asked Sir Bors. "She is a pa.s.sing fair damsel, and of gentle breeding, and I would that you could love her, for it is easy to see by her bearing that she loves you entirely."
"It grieves me to hear that," said Sir Lancelot.
After this they talked of other things, till in a few days Sir Lancelot"s wounds were whole again. When Sir Lancelot felt his strength return, Sir Bors made him ready, and departed for the Court of King Arthur, and told them how he had left Sir Lancelot. And there was on All Hallows a great tournament, and Sir Bors won the prize for the unhorsing of twenty Knights, and Sir Gareth did great deeds also, but vanished suddenly from the field, and no man knew where he had gone. After the tourney was over, Sir Bors rode to the hermitage to see Sir Lancelot, whom he found walking on his feet, and on the next morning they bade farewell to the hermit, taking with them Elaine le Blanc. They went first to Astolat, where they were well lodged in the house of Sir Bernard, but when the morrow came, and Sir Lancelot would have departed from them, Elaine called to her father and to her brothers Sir Tirre and Sir Lavaine, and thus she said:
"My lord Sir Lancelot, fair Knight, leave me not, I pray you, but have mercy upon me, and suffer me not to die of love of thee."
"What do you wish me to do?" asked Sir Lancelot.
"I would have you for my husband," answered she.
"Fair damsel, I thank you," said Sir Lancelot, "but truly I shall never have a wife. But in token and thanks of all your good will towards me, gladly will I give a thousand pounds yearly when you set your heart upon some other Knight."
"Of such gifts I will have none," answered Elaine, "and I would have you know, Sir Lancelot, that if you refuse to wed me, my good days are done."
"Fair damsel," said Sir Lancelot, "I cannot do the thing that you ask."
At these words she fell down in a swoon, and her maids bore her to her chamber, where she made bitter sorrow. Sir Lancelot thought it would be well for him to depart before she came to her senses again, and he asked Sir Lavaine what he would do.