your sake they shall be led
with you into my own castle, if you will consent to ride with me.' So
the Queen prayed the four Knights to fight no more, and she and they
would not part, and to this, though their hearts were heavy, they
agreed.

The fight being ended the wounded Knights were placed on horseback,
some sitting, some lying across the saddle, according as they were
hurt, and Sir Meliagraunce forbade anyone to leave the castle (which
had been a gift to him from King Arthur), for sore he dreaded the
vengeance of Sir Lancelot if this thing should reach his ears. But the
Queen knew well what was passing in his mind, and she called a little
page who served her in her chamber and desired him to take her ring
and hasten with all speed to Sir Lancelot, 'and pray him, if he loves
me, to rescue me. Spare not your horse, neither for water nor for
land.' And the boy bided his time, then mounted his horse, and rode
away as fast as he might. Sir Meliagraunce spied him as he flew, and
knew whither he went, and who had sent him; and he commanded his best
archers to ride after him and shoot him ere he reached Sir Lancelot.
But the boy escaped their arrows, and vanished from their sight. Then
Sir Meliagraunce said to the Queen, 'You seek to betray me, Madam; but
Sir Lancelot shall not so lightly come at you.' And he bade his men
follow him to the castle in haste, and left an ambush of thirty
archers in the road, charging them that if a Knight mounted on a white
horse came along that way they were to slay the horse but to leave the
man alone, as he was hard to overcome. After Sir Meliagraunce had
given these orders his company galloped fast to the castle; but the
Queen would listen to nothing that he said, demanding always that her
Knights and ladies should be lodged with her, and Sir Meliagraunce was
forced to let her have her will.

[Illustration: GUENEVERE SENDS HER PAGE TO LANCELOT FOR HELP]

The castle of Sir Meliagraunce was distant seven miles from
Westminster, so it did not take long for the boy to find Sir Lancelot,
and to give him the Queen's ring and her message. 'I am shamed for
ever,' said Sir Lancelot, 'unless I can rescue that noble lady,' and
while he put on his armour, he called to the boy to tell him the whole
adventure. When he was armed and mounted, he begged the page to warn
Sir Lavaine where he had gone, and for what cause. 'And pray him, as
he loves me, that he follow me to the castle of Sir Meliagraunc