d he do that?' asked Sir Gawaine.

'For this cause,' said the damsel, 'his shield was too well known
among many noble 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 noble 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 a