dealt so treacherously with my lady the Queen, so it must needs be
that I must seek to punish him if ever I can escape from this place. But
if it so befalls that I do escape, this much mercy will I show to Sir
Mellegrans for thy sake: I will meet him in fair field, as one knight
may meet another knight in that wise. And I will show him such courtesy
as one knight may show another in time of battle. Such mercy will I show
thy brother and meseems that is all that may rightly be asked of me."

Then Elouise the Fair began weeping afresh, and she said: "Alas,
Launcelot! I fear me that my brother will perish at thy hands if so be
that it cometh to a battle betwixt you twain. And how could I bear it to
have my brother perish in that way and at thy hands?"

"Lady," said Sir Launcelot, "the fate of battle lyeth ever in God His
hands and not in the hands of men. It may befall any man to die who
doeth battle, and such a fate may be mine as well as thy brother's. So
do thou take courage, for whilst I may not pledge myself to avoid an
ordeal of battle with Sir Mellegrans, yet it may be his good hap that he
may live and that I may die."

"Alas, Launcelot," quoth the Fair Elouise, "and dost thou think that it
would be any comfort to me to have thee die at the hands of mine own
brother? That is but poor comfort to me who am the sister of this
miserable man. Yet let it be as it may hap, I cannot find it in my heart
to let thee lie here in this place, for thou wilt assuredly die in this
dark and miserable dungeon if I do not aid thee. So once more will I set
thee free as I did aforetime when thou wast captive to Queen Morgana le
Fay, and I will do my duty by thee as the daughter of a king and the
daughter of a true knight may do. As to that which shall afterward
befall, that will I trust to the mercy of God to see that it shall all
happen as He shall deem best."

[Sidenote: _The Lady Elouise bringeth Sir Launcelot out of a pit._]

So saying, the damsel Elouise the Fair bade Sir Launcelot to arise and
to follow her, and he did so. And she led him out from that place and up
a long flight of steps and so to a fair large chamber that was high up
in a tower of the castle and under the eaves of the roof. And Sir
Launcelot beheld that everything was here prepared for his coming; for
there was a table at that place set with bread and meat and with several
flagons of wine for his refreshment. And there was in that place a
silver ewer full of