Король Артур та лицарі Круглого столу
Chapter XII
”Andmanyoftheladieswholovedknightswouldhavegonewiththem,butwereforbiddenbythehermitNacien,whosentthismessagetoallwhohadswornthemselvestothequest:“Takewithyenoladynorgentlewoman,forintosohighaserviceasyegoin,nothoughtbutofourLordandheavenmayenter.”
Onthemorrowmorningalltheknightsroseearly,andwhentheywerefullyarmed,saveshieldsandhelms,theywentinwiththekingandqueentoserviceintheminster.Thenthekingcountedallwhohadtakentheadventureonthemselves,andfoundthemahundredandfiftyknightsoftheRoundTable;andsotheyallputontheirhelms,androdeawaytogetherinthemidstofcriesandlamentationsfromthecourt,andfromtheladies,andfromallthetown.
Butthequeenwentalonetoherchamber,thatnomanmightseehersorrow;andSirLancelotfollowedhertosayfarewell.
Whenshesawhimshecriedout,“Oh,SirLancelot,thouhastbetrayedme;thouhastputmetodeaththustodepartandleavemylordtheking.”
“Ah,madam,”saidhe,“benotdispleasedorangry,forIshallcomeagainassoonasIcanwithhonour.”
“Alas!”saidshe,“thateverIsawthee;butHethatsuffereddeathuponthecrossforallmankindbetotheesafetyandgoodconduct,andtoallthycompany.”
ThenSirLancelotsalutedherandtheking,andwentforthwiththerest,andcamewiththemthatnighttoCastleVagon,wheretheyabode,andonthemorrowtheydepartedfromeachotherontheirseparateways,everyknighttakingthewaythatpleasedhimbest.
