secret talk and great the scandal. And when the
news came to Guenever's ears she flamed with wrath.

Not long afterwards, Lancelot returned, still half frenzied with the
deception that had been practised upon him. When Guenever saw him she
accused him bitterly of being a traitor to love, and harshly bade him
leave the court, and never come again within her sight.

This bitter reviling turned Lancelot's frenzy to a sudden madness. With
distracted brain he leaped from a window into a garden, and ran like a
wild man through wood and brake, heedless that his clothes were torn and
his flesh rent with thorns and briers. Thus hotly burns despised love in
the human heart and brain, and thus it may turn the strongest senses
away and bring madness to the clearest mind.

On learning what had passed, Bors and Hector went to the queen, and
accused her harshly of the great wrong she had done to the noble
Lancelot. But she was already torn with remorse, and she knelt before
these noble knights, begging their forgiveness, and praying them
pitifully to seek Lancelot and bring him back to the court.

Months passed and Lancelot returned not, nor could he be found, though
he was sought through many lands. For he kept afar from cities and
courts, and roamed through wilds and wastes, where he had many
adventures in his madness, and did strange and wild things.

For two years he wandered hither and thither in frenzy, until at length
he came to King Pellam's city of Corbin, and to the castle where dwelt
the fair Elaine. Here he was given shelter in a little outhouse, with
straw to sleep on, while every day they threw him meat and set him
drink, for none would venture near a madman of such savage aspect.

But one day as he slept, Elaine chanced to behold him, and knew him at
once for Lancelot. Telling a trusty baron of her discovery, she had the
distracted knight borne still sleeping into a tower chamber in which was
kept the holy vessel, the Sangreal, concealed from all eyes save those
of persons of saintly life. Lancelot was laid near this, and when all
had left the chamber a man of sanctity entered and uncovered the vessel.
Such was its holy influence that it wrought marvellously upon the
distracted knight as he lay there asleep and the madness passed away
from his brain. When he woke he was himself again, as whole a man in
mind and body as any that stood upon the earth. For so healing was the
virtue of that precious vessel that it not