'Madam,' answered Sir Bors, 'I cannot hinder Sir Gawaine from saying
what he pleases, but as for Sir Lancelot, I am sure that he loves no
one lady or maiden better than another. And therefore I will hasten to
seek him wherever he be.'
Meanwhile fair Elaine came to Winchester to find Sir Lancelot, who lay
in peril of his life in the hermit's dwelling. And when she was riding
hither and thither, not knowing where she should turn, she fell on her
brother Sir Lavaine, who was exercising his horse. 'How doth my lord
Sir Lancelot?' asked she.
'Who told you, sister, that my lord's name was Sir Lancelot?' answered
Sir Lavaine.
'Sir Gawaine, who came to my father's house to rest after the tourney,
knew him by his shield,' said she, and they rode on till they reached
the hermitage, and Sir Lavaine brought her to Sir Lancelot. And when
she saw him so pale, and in such a plight, she fell to the earth in a
swoon, but by-and-bye she opened her eyes and said, 'My lord Sir
Lancelot, what has brought you to this?' and swooned again. When she
came to herself and stood up, Sir Lancelot prayed her to be of good
cheer, for if she had come to comfort him she was right welcome, and
that his wound would soon heal. 'But I marvel,' said he, 'how you know
my name.' Then the maiden told him how Sir Gawaine had been at Astolat
and had seen his shield.
'Alas!' sighed Sir Lancelot, 'it grieves me that my name is known, for
trouble will come of it.' For he knew full well that Sir Gawaine would
tell Queen Guenevere, and that she would be wroth. And Elaine stayed
and tended him, and Sir Lancelot begged Sir Lavaine to ride to
Winchester and ask if Sir Bors was there, and said that he should know
him by token of a wound which Sir Bors had on his forehead. 'For well
I am sure,' said Sir Lancelot, 'that Sir Bors will seek me, as he is
the same good Knight that hurt me.'
Therefore as Sir Lancelot commanded, Sir Lavaine rode to Winchester
and inquired if Sir Bors had been seen there, so that when he entered
the town Sir Lavaine readily found him. Sir Bors was overjoyed to hear
good tidings of Sir Lancelot, and they rode back together to the
hermitage. At the sight of Sir Lancelot lying in his bed, pale and
thin, Sir Bors' heart gave way, and he wept long without speaking.
'Oh, my lord Sir Lancelot,' he said at last, 'God send you hasty
recovery; great is my shame for having wounded you thus, you who are
the noblest Knight in the world. I wonder that my arm would lift
itself against you, and I ask your mercy.'
'Fair cousin,' answered Sir Lancelot, 'such words please me not at
all, for it is the fault of my pride which would overcome you all,
that I lie here to-day. We will not speak of it any more, for what is
done cannot be undone, but let us find a cure so that I may soon be
whole.' Then Sir Bors leaned upon his bed, and told him how the Queen
was filled with anger against him, because he wore the red sleeve at
the jousts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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