s Sir Launcelot made reply with much heat: "I know not why you
should take it upon you to meddle in this affair. For that which I did,
I did of mine own free will, and it matters not to any other man.
Moreover, I deem that it matters not how I went upon that quest so that
I achieved my purpose in a knightly fashion. For I have yet to hear any
one say that I behaved in any way such as a true knight should not
behave."

"For the matter of that," said Sir Ector, "thy knighthood is
sufficiently attested, not only in this, but in many other affairs. But
that which shames us who are of thy blood, and they who are thy
companions at arms, is that thou shouldst have achieved thy quest in so
unknightly a fashion instead of with that dignity befitting a very
worthy undertaking. For dost thou not know that thou art now called
everywhere 'The Chevalier of the Cart' and that songs are made of this
adventure and that jests are made concerning it?"

[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot covereth his shield._]

Then Sir Launcelot was filled with great anger, and he went to his inn
and took his shield and laced a sheet of leather over the face thereof.
Thereafter he painted the leather covering of the shield a pure white so
that it might not be known what was the device thereon, nor who was the
knight who bare that shield. Then after he had done this he armed
himself and took horse and rode forth errant and alone, betaking his way
he knew not whither but suffering his horse to wander upon whatsoever
path it choose.

Thus Sir Launcelot departed in anger from the court of King Arthur, and
after that, excepting one time, he was not seen in the court of the King
again for the space of two years, during which time there was much
sorrow at the court, because he was no longer there.

PART II

The Story of Sir Gareth of Orkney

_And now followeth the history of Sir Gareth of Orkney, who came unknown
to the court of his uncle, King Arthur; who was there treated with great
indignity by Sir Kay the Seneschal; who was befriended by his brother,
Sir Gawaine, and who afterward went errant with a damsel hight Lynette,
meeting whilst with her several bel-adventures which shall hereinafter
be duly told of.

So if you would know how it fared with that young knight, you must cease
to consider the further adventures of Sir Launcelot at this place, and
must now read of those other adventures of this youth, who was the
youngest son of King Lot and Queen