eans to make her. Now when the Fair Maid of Astolat knew he was gone,
she would neither eat nor sleep, but cried after Sir Lancelot all the
day long. And when she had spent ten days in this manner, she grew so
weak that they thought her soul must quit this world, and the priest
came to her, and bade her dwell no more on earthly things. She would
not listen to him, but cried ever after Sir Lancelot, and how she had
loved none other, no, nor ever would, and that her love would be her
death. Then she called her father Sir Bernard, and her brother Sir
Tirre, and begged her brother to write her a letter as she should tell
him, and her father that he would have her watched till she was dead.
'And while my body is warm,' said she, 'let this letter be put in my
right hand, and my hand bound fast with the letter until I be cold,
and let me be dressed in my richest clothes and be lain on a fair bed,
and driven in a chariot to the Thames. There let me be put on a barge,
and a dumb man with me, to steer the barge, which shall be covered
over with black samite. Thus, father, I beseech you, let it be done.'
And her father promised her faithfully that so it should be done to
her when she was dead. Next day she died, and her body was lain on the
bed, and placed in a chariot, and driven to the Thames, where the man
awaited her with the barge. When she was put on board, he steered the
barge to Westminster and rowed a great while to and fro, before any
espied it. At last King Arthur and Queen Guenevere withdrew into a
window to speak together, and espied the black barge and wondered
greatly what it meant. The King summoned Sir Kay, and bade him take
Sir Brandiles and Sir Agrawaine, and find out who was lying there, and
they ran down to the river side, and came and told the King. 'That
fair corpse will I see,' returned the King, and he took the Queen's
hand and led her thither. Then he ordered the barge to be made fast,
and he entered it, and the Queen likewise, and certain Knights with
them. And there he saw a fair woman on a rich bed, and her clothing
was of cloth of gold, and she lay smiling. While they looked, all
being silent, the Queen spied a letter in her right hand, and pointed
it out to the King, who took it saying, 'Now I am sure this letter
will tell us what she was, and why she came hither.' So leaving the
barge in charge of a trusty man, they went into the King's chamber,
followed by many Knights, for the King would have the le