she doth, and since I once have seen you,
lord, I cannot leave you."

So anon, with a full sorrowful heart, Sir Lancelot took his leave, and Sir
Lavaine rode with him to the court. And King Arthur and the Knights of the
Round Table joyed greatly to see him whole of his wound, but Queen
Guinevere was sorely wroth, and neither spake with him nor greeted him.

Now when Sir Lancelot had departed, the Maid of Astolat could neither eat,
nor drink, not sleep for sorrow; and having thus endured ten days, she
felt within herself that she must die.

Then sent she for a holy man, and was shriven and received the sacrament.
But when he told her she must leave her earthly thoughts, she answered,
"Am I not an earthly woman? What sin is it to love the noblest knight of
all the world? And, by my truth, I am not able to withstand the love
whereof I die; wherefore, I pray the High Father of Heaven to have mercy
on my soul."

Then she besought Sir Bernard to indite a letter as she should devise, and
said, "When I am dead put this within my hand, and dress me in my fairest
clothes, and lay me in a barge all covered with black samite, and steer it
down the river till it reach the court. Thus, father, I beseech thee let
it be."

Then, full of grief, he promised her it should be so. And anon she died,
and all the household made a bitter lamentation over her.

Then did they as she had desired, and laid her body, richly dressed, upon
a bed within the barge, and a trusty servant steered it down the river
towards the court.

Now King Arthur and Queen Guinevere sat at a window of the palace, and saw
the barge come floating with the tide, and marvelled what was laid
therein, and sent a messenger to see, who, soon returning, prayed them to
come forth.

When they came to the shore they marvelled greatly, and the king asked of
the serving-men who steered the barge what this might mean. But he made
signs that he was dumb, and pointed to the letter in the damsel's hands.
So King Arthur took the letter from the hand of the corpse, and found
thereon written, "To the noble knight, Sir Lancelot du Lake."

Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud by a clerk, and
thus it was written:--

[Illustration: Then was Sir Lancelot sent for, and the letter read aloud
by a clerk.]

"Most noble knight, my lord Sir Lancelot, now hath death for ever parted
us. I, whom men call the Maid of Astolat, set my love upon you, and have
died for you