n._]

But when Sir Launcelot heard what Denneys said, he arose very hastily
and he cried out, "How is this! How is this!" and he cried out again
very vehemently: "Help me to mine armor and let me go hence!" (for Sir
Launcelot had laid aside his armor whilst he rested in the hut of the
hermit).

At that moment the hermit came in, bringing food for Denneys to eat, and
hearing what Sir Launcelot said, he would have persuaded him to abide
there until the morrow and until he could see his way. But Sir Launcelot
would listen to nothing that might stay him. So Denneys and the hermit
helped him don his armor, and after that Sir Launcelot mounted his
war-horse and rode away into the blackness of the night.

* * * * *

So Sir Launcelot rode as best he might through the darkness of the
forest, and he rode all night, and shortly after the dawning of the day
he heard the sound of rushing water.

So he followed a path that led to this water and by and by he came to
an open space very stony and rough. And he saw that here was a great
torrent of water that came roaring down from the hills very violent and
turbid and covered all over with foam like to cream. And he beheld that
there was a bridge of stone that spanned the torrent and that upon the
farther side of the bridge was a considerable body of men-at-arms all in
full armor. And he beheld that there were at least five-and-twenty of
these men, and that chief among them was a man clad in green armor.

Then Sir Launcelot rode out upon the bridge and he called to those armed
men: "Can you tell me whether this way leads to the castle of Sir
Mellegrans?"

They say to him: "Who are you, Sir Knight?"

"I am one," quoth Sir Launcelot, "who seeks the castle of Sir
Mellegrans. For that knight hath violently seized upon the person of the
Lady Guinevere and of certain of her court, and he now holds her and
them captive and in duress. I am one who hath come to rescue that lady
and her court from their distress and anxiety."

Upon this the Green Knight, who was the chief of that party, came a
little nearer to Sir Launcelot, and said: "Messire, are you Sir
Launcelot of the Lake?" Sir Launcelot said: "Yea, I am he." "Then," said
the Green Knight, "you can go no farther upon this pass, for you are to
know that we are the people of Sir Mellegrans, and that we are here to
stay you or any of your fellows from going forward upon this way."

Then Sir Launcelot l