Chapter XIII

           NowafterthequestoftheSangrealwasfulfilledandalltheknightswhowereleftalivewerecomeagaintotheRoundTable,therewasgreatjoyinthecourt.AndpassinggladwereKingArthurandQueenGuineveretoseeSirLancelotandSirBors,fortheyhadbeenlongabsentinthatquest.

           AndsogreatlywasSirLancelot’sfamenowspreadabroadthatmanyladiesanddamselsdailyresortedtohimandbesoughthimfortheirchampion;andallrightquarrelsdidhegladlyundertakeforthepleasureofourLordChrist.Andalwaysasmuchashemighthewithdrewhimfromthequeen.

           WhereforeQueenGuinevere,whocountedhimforherownknight,grewwrothwithhim,andonacertaindayshecalledhimtoherchamber,andsaidthus:“SirLancelot,Idailyseethyloyaltytomedothslack,foreverthouartabsentfromthiscourt,andtakestotherladies’quarrelsontheemorethaneverthouwertwont.NowdoIunderstandthee,falseknight,andthereforeshallInevertrusttheemore.Departnowfrommysight,andcomenomorewithinthiscourtuponpainofthyhead.”Withthatsheturnedfromhimandwouldhearnoexcuses.

           SoSirLancelotdepartedinheavinessofheart,andcallingSirBors,SirEctor,andSirLionel,hetoldthemhowthequeenhaddealtwithhim.

           “Fairsir,”repliedSirBors,“rememberwhathonouryehaveinthiscountry,andhowyearecalledthenoblestknightintheworld;whereforegonot,forwomenarehasty,anddooftenwhattheysorerepentofafterwards.Beruledbymyadvice.TakehorseandridetothehermitagebesideWindsor,andthereabidetillIsendyebettertidings.