went back to his lodging. When Sir Bors, who was awaiting him, saw
Sir Lancelot, he was gladder than he ever had been in his whole life
before. 'Mercy!' cried Sir Lancelot, 'why you are all armed!'

'Sir,' answered Sir Bors, 'after you had left us I and your friends
and your kinsmen were so troubled that we felt some great strife was
at hand, and that perchance some trap had been laid for you. So we put
on armour that we might help you whatever need you were in.' 'Fair
nephew,' said Lancelot, 'but now I have been more hardly beset than
ever I was in my life, and yet I escaped,' and he told them all that
had happened. 'I pray you, my fellows, that you will be of good
courage and stand by me in my need, for war is come to us all.'

'Sir,' answered Sir Bors, 'all is welcome that God sends us, and we
have had much good with you and much fame, so now we will take the bad
as we have taken the good.' And so said they all.

'I thank you for your comfort in my great distress,' replied Sir
Lancelot, 'and you, fair nephew, haste to the Knights which be in this
place, and find who is with me and who is against me, for I would know
my friends from my foes.'

'Sir,' said Sir Bors, 'before seven of the clock in the morning you
shall know.'

By seven o'clock, as Sir Bors had promised, many noble Knights stood
before Sir Lancelot, and were sworn to his cause. 'My lords,' said he,
'you know well that since I came into this country I have given
faithful service unto my lord King Arthur and unto my lady Queen
Guenevere. Last evening my lady, the Queen, sent for me to speak to
her, and certain Knights that were lying in wait for me cried
"Treason," and much ado I had to escape their blows. But I slew twelve
of them, and Sir Agrawaine, who is Sir Gawaine's brother; and for this
cause I am sure of mortal war, as these Knights were ordered by King
Arthur to betray me, and therefore the Queen will be judged to the
fire, and I may not suffer that she should be burnt for my sake.'

And Sir Bors answered Sir Lancelot that it was truly his part to
rescue the Queen, as he had done so often before, and that if she was
burned the shame would be his. Then they all took counsel together how
the thing might best be done, and Sir Bors deemed it wise to carry her
off to the Castle of Joyous Gard, and counselled that she should be
kept there, a prisoner, till the King's anger was past and he would be
willing to welcome her back again. To this the othe