ll 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 wo