the knight
who fought most bravely at the tournament.

But the knights murmured to each other, 'We need not hope to win
the prize, for Sir Lancelot will be on the field, and who can stand
before the greatest knight of Arthur's court?'

And the Queen heard what the knights said to each other, and she
told Lancelot how they lost courage and hope when he came on to the
field. 'They begin to think some magic is at work when they see
you, and they cannot fight their best. But I have a plan. You must
go to the tournament at Camelot in disguise. And though the knights
do not know with whom they fight, they will still fall before the
strength of Lancelot's arm,' added the Queen, smiling up to him.

Then Lancelot disguised himself, and left the court and rode
towards Camelot. But when he was near Astolat he lost his way, and
wandered into the old castle grounds, where Elaine stood, with her
father and brothers.

And as Elaine's father, the old Baron, welcomed the knight, Lavaine
and Elaine whispered together, 'This is better than to see many
knights passing on their way to Camelot.'

And Lancelot stayed at Astolat till evening, and he told many tales
of Arthur's court.

As Elaine and Lavaine listened to his voice, and looked at his
face, with the scars of many battles on it, they loved him. 'I will
be his squire and follow him,' thought Lavaine, and Elaine wished
that she might follow the strange knight too. But Sir Torre, the
grave elder brother, looked gloomily at the stranger, and wished he
had not come to Astolat.

In the evening Sir Lancelot told the Baron how he was going in
disguise to the tournament, and how, by mistake, he had brought his
own shield with him. 'If you can lend me another, I will leave my
shield with you till I come back from Camelot,' said the knight.

Then they gave him Sir Torre's shield, for Sir Torre had been
wounded in his first battle, and could not go to the tournament.
And Elaine came running gladly to take the strange knight's shield
under her care. But none of them knew that it was Sir Lancelot's
shield, for he had not told them his name.

And Elaine, carrying the shield with her, climbed the tower stair,
up to her own little room. And she put the shield carefully into a
corner, thinking, 'I will sew a cover for it, to keep it safe and
bright.' Then she went downstairs again, and saw that the knight
was going, and that Lavaine was going too.

'He has asked the knight to take him