ith her. So time passed till dinner had been eaten, and then
Sir Lavaine demanded litters for the wounded Knights, that they might
be carried to Westminster with as little hurt as might be. And the
Queen and her ladies followed. When they arrived, the Knights told of
their adventure, and how Sir Meliagraunce had accused the Queen of
treason, and how he and Sir Lancelot were to fight for her good name
in eight days.

'Sir Meliagraunce has taken a great deal upon him,' said the King,
'but where is Sir Lancelot?'

'Sir,' answered they all, 'we know not, but we think he has ridden to
some adventure.' 'Well, leave him alone,' said the King. 'He will be
here when the day comes, unless some treason has befallen him.'

All this while Sir Lancelot was lying in great pain within the cave,
and he would have died for lack of food had not one of the ladies in
the castle found out the place where he was held captive, and brought
him meat and drink, and hoped that he might be brought to love her.
But he would not. 'Sir Lancelot,' said she, 'you are not wise, for
without my help you will never get out of this prison, and if you do
not appear on the day of battle, your lady, Queen Guenevere, will be
burnt in default.' 'If I am not there,' replied Sir Lancelot, 'the
King and the Queen and all men of worship will know that I am either
dead or in prison. And sure I am that there is some good Knight who
loves me or is of my kin, that will take my quarrel in hand, therefore
you cannot frighten me by such words as these. If there was not
another woman in the world, I could give you no different answer.'
'Then you will be shamed openly,' replied the lady, and left the
dungeon. But on the day that the battle was to be fought she came
again, and said, 'Sir Lancelot, if you will only kiss me once, I will
deliver you, and give you the best horse in Sir Meliagraunce's
stable.' 'Yes, I will kiss you,' answered Sir Lancelot, 'since I may
do that honourably; but if I thought it were any shame to kiss you, I
would not do it, whatever the cost.' So he kissed her, and she brought
him his armour, and led him to a stable where twelve noble horses
stood, and bade him choose the best. He chose a white courser, and
bade the keepers put on the best saddle they had, and with his spear
in his hand and his sword by his side, he rode away, thanking the lady
for all she had done for him, which some day he would try to repay.

As the hours passed on and Sir Lanc