her king, queen, nor
knight alive except my lord King Arthur and you, madam, that should
hinder me from making Sir Meliagrance's heart full cold or ever I
departed from hence."

Then the Queen and Sir Launcelot went in together, and she commanded
him to be unarmed. Then he asked where the ten knights were that were
wounded sore. So she led Sir Launcelot to them, and they made great
joy of his coming, and he made great dole of their hurts, and bewailed
them greatly. And then Sir Launcelot told them how he had been obliged
to put himself into a cart. Thus they complained each to other, and
full gladly would they have been revenged, but they restrained
themselves because of the Queen. So Sir Launcelot was called for many
a day thereafter the Chevalier of the Cart, and he did many deeds, and
great adventures he had. And so we leave this tale of the Knight of
the Cart, and turn to others.

CHAPTER XXXVI

OF THE PLOT AGAINST SIR LAUNCELOT

In this same month of May when every lusty heart flourisheth and
bourgeoneth, there befell in King Arthur's realm a great anger and ill
fortune that stinted not till the flower of chivalry of all the world
was destroyed. And all was due to two evil knights, the which were
named Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred, that were nephews unto King Arthur
and brethren unto Sir Gawaine. For this Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred
had ever a privy hate unto the Queen, Dame Guenever, and to Sir
Launcelot, and daily and nightly they ever watched upon him.

So it mishapped that Sir Agravaine on a day said openly, so that many
knights might hear, that the friendship between Sir Launcelot and the
Queen was a disgrace to knighthood and a shame to so noble a king as
Arthur. But Sir Gawaine would not hear any of these tales nor be of
Agravaine's counsel; moreover he charged his brother to move no such
matters afore him, for he wist well what mischief would come, should
war arise betwixt Sir Launcelot and the King, and he remembered how
ofttimes Sir Launcelot had proved his goodness and loyalty by knightly
deeds. Also Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth, two other brethren, would know
nothing of Agravaine's base accusation.

But Sir Mordred, the fifth of the brethren, sons of the Queen of
Orkney, the which had mocked the good Percivale when first he came to
the court, and who had ever been jealous and ready to think evil of
another, joined with Sir Agravaine. Therewithal they three, Sir
Gawaine, Sir Gah