med of his knighthood, but you may
say that because you are a lady. Now I pray you tell me why should not
Sir Launcelot wear the favor of so kind and so beautiful a lady as that
of the Lady Elaine, the King's daughter of Corbin? Such service cannot
injure you, who have always to your service so high and noble a knight
as King Arthur himself!"

So spake Sir Bors very sternly, and therewith Queen Guinevere's cheeks
flamed like fire and she stamped her foot upon the ground in wrath and
cried out in a very loud voice: "Do you dare to speak thus to me who am
your Queen? I say this unworthy knight is forsworn in that he sware his
faith to me, and that he came not to me to relieve him of that vow ere
he accepted the favor of another lady. Now I bid you go, find Sir
Launcelot and bring him straightway hither that he may answer me to my
face and that he may clear himself if he is able of that unknightly
faithlessness."

Then Sir Bors was filled with indignation against the Queen and at the
same time he was filled with great pity for her. For many things came
into his mind at that time, wherefore he did not choose to look into the
Queen's face, but only bowed low before her and said: "Lady, it shall be
as you command. I shall straightway go seek my kinsman and will bring
your commands to him that he shall come and present himself before you."

[Sidenote: _Sir Bors departeth in search of Sir Launcelot._]

So forthwith Sir Bors departed from the court to seek Sir Launcelot. But
after he had left her the Queen went into her privy closet and fast
locked herself in. And she wept amain; and as she wept she communed in
solitude with her soul, saying: "My soul! My soul! Is it anger thou
feelest or is it aught else than anger?"

[Illustration: Sir Launcelot leapeth from the window:]

[Illustration]

Chapter Sixth

_How the Lady Elaine went to seek Sir Launcelot and how Sir Launcelot
afterwards returned to the court of King Arthur._

Now ever the Lady Elaine the Fair, as aforesaid, took great grief beyond
all measure concerning the fate of Sir Launcelot. For he lay wounded she
knew not where and she knew not whether he were healing or dying. So
upon a day she came to her father, King Pelles, where he was, and she
had been weeping a great deal--yea, even whilst she spoke to her father
she began weeping afresh. So, still weeping, she said: "Sire, I pray
thee let me go and seek for this noble champion, Sir Launcelot of the