الفصل الفصل 460 · How Sir Launcelot came in the night to the queen and lay

. How Sir Launcelot came in the night to the queen and lay

with her, and how Sir Meliagrance appeached the queen of treason.

Then the knights that were hurt were searched, and soft salves were

laid to their wounds; and so it passed on till supper time, and all the

cheer that might be made them there was done unto the queen and all her

knights. Then when season was, they went unto their chambers, but in no

wise the queen would not suffer the wounded knights to be from her, but

that they were laid within draughts by her chamber, upon beds and

pillows, that she herself might see to them, that they wanted nothing.

So when Sir Launcelot was in his chamber that was assigned unto him, he

called unto him Sir Lavaine, and told him that night he must go speak

with his lady, Dame Guenever. Sir, said Sir Lavaine, let me go with you

an it please you, for I dread me sore of the treason of Sir

Meliagrance. Nay, said Sir Launcelot, I thank you, but I will have

nobody with me. Then Sir Launcelot took his sword in his hand, and

privily went to a place where he had espied a ladder to-forehand, and

that he took under his arm, and bare it through the garden, and set it

up to the window, and there anon the queen was ready to meet him. And

then they made either to other their complaints of many divers things,

and then Sir Launcelot wished that he might have come into her. Wit ye

well, said the queen, I would as fain as ye, that ye might come in to

me. Would ye, madam, said Sir Launcelot, with your heart that I were

with you? Yea, truly, said the queen. Now shall I prove my might, said

Sir Launcelot, for your love; and then he set his hands upon the bars

of iron, and he pulled at them with such a might that he brast them

clean out of the stone walls, and therewithal one of the bars of iron

cut the brawn of his hands throughout to the bone; and then he leapt

into the chamber to the queen. Make ye no noise, said the queen, for my

wounded knights lie here fast by me. So, to pass upon this tale, Sir

Launcelot went unto bed with the queen, and he took no force of his

hurt hand, but took his pleasaunce and his liking until it was in the

dawning of the day; and wit ye well he slept not but watched, and when

he saw his time that he might tarry no longer he took his leave and

departed at the window, and put it together as well as he might again,

and so departed unto his own chamber; and there he told Sir Lavaine how

he was hurt. Then Sir Lavaine dressed his hand and staunched it, and

put upon it a glove, that it should not be espied; and so the queen lay

long in her bed until it was nine of the clock.

Then Sir Meliagrance went to the queen’s chamber, and found her ladies

there ready clothed. Jesu mercy, said Sir Meliagrance, what aileth you,

madam, that ye sleep thus long? And right therewithal he opened the

curtain for to behold her; and then was he ware where she lay, and all

the sheet and pillow was bebled with the blood of Sir Launcelot and of

his hurt hand. When Sir Meliagrance espied that blood, then he deemed

in her that she was false to the king, and that some of the wounded

knights had lain by her all that night. Ah, madam, said Sir

Meliagrance, now I have found you a false traitress unto my lord

Arthur; for now I prove well it was not for nought that ye laid these

wounded knights within the bounds of your chamber; therefore I will

call you of treason before my lord, King Arthur. And now I have proved

you, madam, with a shameful deed; and that they be all false, or some

of them, I will make good, for a wounded knight this night hath lain by

you. That is false, said the queen, and that I will report me unto them

all. Then when the ten knights heard Sir Meliagrance’s words, they

spake all in one voice and said to Sir Meliagrance: Thou sayest

falsely, and wrongfully puttest upon us such a deed, and that we will

make good any of us; choose which thou list of us when we are whole of

our wounds. Ye shall not, said Sir Meliagrance, away with your proud

language, for here ye may all see, said Sir Meliagrance, that by the

queen this night a wounded knight hath lain. Then were they all ashamed

when they saw that blood; and wit you well Sir Meliagrance was passing

glad that he had the queen at such an advantage, for he deemed by that

to hide his treason. So with this rumour came in Sir Launcelot, and

found them all at a great array.