ooks like to a
starving wolf who had come out of the forest driven by hunger.

And many gathered and stared at Sir Launcelot from a distance, and these
laughed and jeered at him as he sat there in his nakedness, and not one
of those wist that this was he who had aforetime slain the Worm of
Corbin and so saved them in a time of their direst need. So they laughed
and mocked him and anon some of those who were there began to cast
stones at him with intent to drive him away from that place. So, at
last, one of those stones struck Sir Launcelot where he sat, and at that
his rage flamed up and took possession of him, whereupon he leaped up
and ran at those who were tormenting him. And he catched a young man of
the town and heaved him up and cast him down so violently upon the earth
that he broke the bone of his thigh.

[Sidenote: _The people assail the madman._]

Upon that all those who were there shouted and screamed and fled away.
And anon they returned and began stoning Sir Launcelot where he stood
glaring and gnashing his teeth with the man whom he had hurt lying upon
the ground at his feet. And many stones struck Sir Launcelot, some
wounding him upon the head and some upon the body. And now and then Sir
Launcelot would charge the mob in his rage, and the mob would scatter
before him like chaff before a gust of wind; but ever they would return
and begin stoning him again.

So stoning Sir Launcelot and so Sir Launcelot charging the mob, the
people drove him out of the market-place. And they drave him through the
town and Sir Launcelot retreated before them toward the castle; for he
wist even in his madness that there were friends there who should help
him. So he ever retreated until he had come to a postern gate of the
castle, and there he took stand with his back set against a wall. So at
that place he maintained his stand, facing the mob and glaring upon
them, until at last a stone smote him upon the head and he fell to the
earth.

[Sidenote: _They of the castle save Sir Launcelot._]

Then it would have fared very hard with Sir Launcelot, even to his
death, had not they within the castle, hearing the uproar of the
multitude, flung open the postern gate of a sudden and so come charging
out upon the mob. Thereupon the multitude, being thus charged by the
armed folk of the castle, scattered upon all sides and ran away, leaving
Sir Launcelot lying where he was.

Then they of the castle came and gazed upon Sir Launcel