First Part: Les Enfances De Lancelot

Chapter 1: Le Roi Ban De Benoic

On the borders of France and Little Britain ', once lived two kings who were brothers, and
who had married two sisters: King Ban reigned over Benoic, and King Bohort over Gaunes.
King Ban was old. From his wife Hélène, who was young and of great beauty, he had only
one child, a son, who bore the name of Lancelot. King Ban had a neighbor whose land
touched his, on the Berry side. It was Claudas, King of the Deserted Land, a very valiant
knight, very intelligent, but disloyal in the extreme. He was the king's vassal of France and
hated the kings of Brittany, because Uter Pendragon, the father of King Arthur, had once
devastated his land so much that it was called the Deserted Land. The neighboring
kingdoms, Bénoic and Gaunes, were on the contrary vassals of King Arthur, like all of Little
Britain. With the support of the King of France, Claudas set out to conquer the kingdoms of
Bénoic and Gaunes. The two kings defended themselves valiantly. They appealed to King
Arthur, their overlord, 'for help, but he was too busy tidying up his own kingdom to intervene.
Claudas seized in quick succession the city of Bénoic and all the cities of the kingdom. In
the end, King Ban was left with nothing but the fortress of Trebe, where he shut himself up
with his wife and son. King Claudas' army then took up a position to besiege it. The siege
continued for a month, famine threatened. On the advice of his Seneschal, King Ban
decided to go and ask King Arthur for help himself. But fearing that bad luck would happen
to the castle in his absence, he wanted his wife to accompany him with their son.

He chooses a worthy squire of confidence to prepare the horses, as well as the gold and the
riches necessary for the journey: they would leave at night, shortly before daylight. The
castle was under siege only on one side, for on the other, swamps made access very
difficult. Only a narrow causeway, at the end of a small bridge of branches, allowed them to
be crossed. The king recommended his seneschal to God, to whom he entrusted the
fortress, then he mounted his palfrey, accompanied by the queen. The squire, meanwhile,
carried the child in his cradle. They crossed a forest, then a large moor, and came to the
edge of a lake, at the foot of a hill. From there you could observe the whole country. The
day began to rise, and the king stopped. He wanted to climb to the top of the mound, to
once again contemplate his castle of Trèbe, which he loved so much. Leaving the queen,
with the child and the squire, by the lake, he climbed the hill. The day was quite clear. The
king saw his beautiful city, but suddenly he saw a great smoke, and flames which gushed
out of the ramparts. The city was burnings, the palaces, churches and monasteries
collapsed The blazing air was red and the earth all around lit up in flames. The city had
been delivered to Claudas by the seneschal, a long premeditated betrayal. King Ban saw
his castle burn down, his only hope of ever being able to regain his kingdom. He felt very
old and broken. Ah! Lord God, what will I do? Who can help me in this distress? My son ?
Poor innocent child, what fate will be his. His childhood will know misery and misfortune.
And my wife, honored high lady, will she have to depend on the benevolence of others? The
pain that gripped him was so strong that he couldn't cry. His heart failed him and he
collapsed from his horse, so brutally that he nearly broke his neck. Ruddy blood gushed
from her mouth, nose and ears. For a long time he remained inanimate. When he came to
himself, he looked at the sky. Ah! Lord, I see that I have come to my end. My death is
near. Receive me in your paradise despite my sins'! Have pity on my wife Hélène, whom I
leave unprotected, and on my son, so young and already an orphan! His eyes clouded over.
Anguish and distress - Oppressed him. Unable to sit up, he fell so hard that the veins in his
heart broke. He remained there, dead, his arms crossed, his face turned to the sky.

Chapter 2: La Reine Aux Grandes Douleurs

The palfrey, frightened by the fall of his master, had fled. He went back down the hill to join
the other horses. When the queen saw him, she told the squire to catch up with him. The
latter gave the child to the queen and ran to take the beast back. Then he climbed the hill
where he found the king dead, lying on the ground. He let out a cry so heartbreaking the
queen heard him. Laying her son on the ground and lifting up his robes, she rushed to the
top of the mound and found the young man, in tears near the king. The queen, distraught,
collapsed unconscious on her husband's body. Coming to her senses, she let out her pain.
She scratched her face, running blood down her cheeks. Pulling out her beautiful blonde
hair and tearing her clothes, she moaned pitifully. His cries were so loud that the hill, the
valley and the lake echoed. At the end, when her voice was too hoarse to scream, she
stopped and stood still for a moment. Suddenly she thought about her son. She had placed
it on the grass at the horses' feet. What if the beasts had trampled on it? She let out a cry
and rushed like mad towards the place where she had abandoned him. Hair disheveled,
clothes torn, she arrived at the edge of the lake. Her son had been lifted out of his cradle
and was in the arms of a lady, who was hugging him to her chest. She kissed his mouth and
eyes softly, and she was not wrong, for he was the most beautiful child in the world.
Beautiful sweet friend, said the queen, leave this child, for the love of God! His father has
just died losing his kingdom. A life of misery and pain awaits him. The lady did not answer.
She stood up, holding the child in her arms, and walked over to the lake, where she jumped
up with both feet. Seeing her son disappear into the lake, the queen fainted. When she
recovered, the child and the lady were no longer there. Desperate, she would have thrown
herself into the lake if the squire hadn't held her back. His pain was impossible to describe.
While she was lamenting, it happened that an abbess passed by, accompanied by two nuns,
and followed a chaplain, a monk and a squire.

She was seized with pity in front of the complaints of the unfortunate that God give you
comfort! Ah, I would really need it, for I am the most desperate woman in the world. On that
day I lost everything that made me happy. - But who are you, lady? It doesn't matter who I
am now. I have lived too long. But the chaplain recognized her and said to the abbess:
Lady, by my faith, I think it is the queen of Bénoic. Are you our lady the queen? - In truth,
lady, I am no more than the queen of the Great Sorrows. And she told him her misfortune,
without omitting anything, the lost kingdom, the king her husband dead on the hill, and her
son who had just been swallowed up in the lake. - For God's sake, she asked the abbess,
accept me among your nuns, for I want to take the veil. All of my husband's treasures, gold
and jewels, I give you so that we can build a beautiful church in the very place that saw his
death. There is - of will be buried and God will be prayed daily for the soul of King Ban '.
Lady, I will welcome you very gladly in our abbey, and we will take care of the body of your
husband, while waiting for this church to be built. But you don't know how hard the life of
nuns is! I beg you, take me among you, for I no longer want to live in this world. If you
refuse, I will go and live alone in the depths of a forest, like an unhappy abandoned woman.
The abbess, seeing her resolution, accepted her into her monastery. Immediately, her
beautiful blonde braids were cut and she took the veil. The queen remained in the abbey.
When the church was built on the hill, the king was carried there, and every day she went up
to hear the mass she had said for her husband. Then she came back down to the lake, to
the place where she had lost her son, and wept tenderly. Some time later, her sister, the
Queen of Gaunes, joined her. Her husband King Bohort was dead, and Claudas had seized
the kingdom. He had taken his two sons, Lionel and Bohort, prisoners and was holding
them captive in his tower. The two sisters thus reunited in the monastery, they could at least
share their sorrows, and their grief was alleviated a little. -

Chapter 3: Lancelot Enfant

Now, the lady who took Lancelot into the lake was a fairy. Her name was Viviane, and had
learned all her enchantments from Merlin, who had been in love with her. The lake, into
which she had seemed to throw herself, was only an enchantment. Where it seemed
deepest, the lady owned a palace and wealthy houses. All around stretched beautiful
forests, crossed by a small poisonous river. But the appearance of the lake protected the
area so well that no one could see it. She kidnapped the child, but it was to save him from
the undertakings of King Claudas, and to bring him up with the greatest tenderness. She
loved him as much as if she had carried him in her womb. She first provided him with a
nanny, then, when he could do without one, a master who taught him to behave like a child.

noble birth. The lady was not alone in her domain on the lake, she had with her a whole
company of knights, ladies and young ladies. But nobody knew the name of the child,
except her, and they named it in various ways: some "beautiful foundling", others "son of a
king". She herself often called him that, and also sometimes "rich orphan". Years passed.
Lancelot was perfectly happy with the lady, and truly believed that she was his mother. His
master had made him a bow for his size, and light arrows, and he taught him how to shoot,
first at a target, then at the little birds of the forest. As he grew older he learned to hunt
hares and larger game. As soon as he learned to ride a horse, he was provided with a very
well-trained one, equipped with a saddle and a bridle. He could ride all around the lake, but
never strayed from the domain. His companions were young noble boys, and with them he
learned to play chess and backgammon, as well as all kinds of games. According to
everyone, he was the most beautiful child in the world. Her complexion was neither white
nor brown, but a little tan, and her cheeks slightly colored with ruddy blood. Her mouth was
small and firmly drawn, his white and tidy teeth, his ne aquiline, and a small dimple hollowed
out his chin, I had a high and broad forehead, and his hair, of a brilliant blond in his infancy,
later turned chestnut, while remaining clear and curly. His keen eyes twinkled when he was
happy, but anger made them like hot coals. His nose then wrinkled like that of a stubborn
horse, he clenched his teeth, his words became violent like the sound of a trumpet, and he
tore what came to hand. Anger made him forget everything else. His body was admirably
proportioned: broad and high shoulders, slender limbs, a much wider and deeper chest
Queen Guinevere, who was to know him so well afterwards, once said that if his chest had
been smaller, she could not have lodged her heart without bursting from it. Her hands were
as slender as a lady's, yet they had strong fingers. His thighs and legs were firm, his feet
arched, and no one stood any longer when he was standing. He sang wonderfully well when
he wanted to, but it wasn't often, for he only expressed his joy in moderation. On the other
hand, when he had a good reason to be happy, gaiety illuminated his features. He spoke
with great confidence, but only out of self-confidence, and not out of pride or boastfulness.
Such was Lancelot, well made in body and face, and his moral qualities were commensurate
with his appearance. He was the sweetest, kindest child in the world when treated with
kindness. But in the face of wickedness, his kindness disappeared, and once his anger was
kindled, it was not easy to calm down. His generosity was boundless: whatever was given to
him, he willingly distributed to his young companions. He was well behaved and treated
good people with respect. When he was twelve years old, his mind was clear and righteous
enough that he could judge for himself whether something was right and reasonable, and if
he was convinced of it, it was not easy to make him let go. socket. One day it happened
that he was hunting deer with his master. His other weary companions had stayed behind.
The roncin of his master fell, unseating his rider. Lancelot, all in pursuit, did not notice it.
Spurring his horse, he finally rejoined his prey, which he killed with an arrow. He
dismounted to load the deer on the rump of his horse. In the front, he placed his pointer
dog, which had tracked the animal for him. As he was returning to his companions, who
must have been worried about him, he met a man on foot, leading by the bridle a weary and
exhausted roncin.

The young man, dressed in a coat and a cape tied on his back, was covered with scratches
and his spurs were red with his horse's blood. He was crying bitterly. Lancelot asked him
who he was and where he was going in this state. The horseman understood that he was
dealing with a young boy of high rank. Dear Lord, it does not matter who I am, Truly I am a
poor man, and I will be more so in two days, for I will be dishonored. I am of noble birth,
however, and King Claudas has had me assigned to his court for tomorrow. I must mistake
it for a traitor, who recently killed my godfather. He ambushed me last night in the forest I
was passing through, my friends were killed, as well as my horse. A neighbor vavasseur
may God reward him for his goodness - provided me with this one, but he's completely
exhausted, as you can see. If I cry, it is for my friends that I lost in this attack, and because I
will not be able to be tomorrow at the court of King Claudas, to defend my right and my
honor. Tell me, with a sturdy and fast horse, could you make it on time? Certainly, yes, lord.
By God, said the child, you will not be honored for lack of a horse!

He immediately dismounted, gave his excellent roncin, and took that of the young man, after
avoll loaded on its venison '. Cutting short his thanks, he resumed his walk, leading his stalk
by the leash and leading the horse by the bridle, "for the beast was too exhausted to be
ridden. He had not gone very far when he encountered one. Elderly vavasseur, mounted on
a palfrey. The man had with him a pointer and two greyhounds. The child immediately
greeted him, Who are you, my child, and where do you come from? said the vavasseur,
seduced by his good education. "" I am from a foreign country. For the moment, I return
from the hunt, where I took this venison. But I would gladly share it with you, if you wish. Big
thank you, my dear child I will not refuse your offer, made with such good heart, for I really
need it. I had gone hunting to treat the guests who are at my house for my daughter's
wedding with some game. see, I couldn't take anything. The vavasseur dismounted and
asked Lancelot what he could take away from the deer. fant, are you a knight? Certainly.
So take it all. This deer could not be better employed than for the wedding of a knight's
daughter. The happy vavasseur took the venison and charged behind him. Then he left,
after having thanked him a thousand times for his generosity. But as he walked, he couldn't
help but think of the child. who did he look like? The memory came back to him of King Ban
of Bénoic. Then turning around, he spurred his palfrey and easily rejoined Lancelot. My
dear child, could you not tell me who you are? No, but what do you have to do with it? It is
because you resemble my lord, who was one of the best knights in the world, and of the
noblest. And who was he? In truth, it was King Ban of Bénoic, said the vavasseur, with
tears in his eyes. All this land belonged to him, and he was unjustly stripped of it by King
Claudas of the Deserted Land. If you are his son, tell me, because it would be a great joy for
everyone in this country. As for me, I would immediately put myself at your service with the
forty men who are mine. - I am not the son of a king, as far as I know, and yet I am
sometimes called that. Your behavior shows in any case that you are of high nobility. These
two greyhounds are the best I have ever owned. Please choose one, and God grant you to
grow in age and prosperity! The child was filled with joy at the idea of having such a
beautiful greyhound. He accepted it gratefully.

Give me the best! - The vavasseur handed it to him with the chain, then he looked at the
child again. He was convinced that he was indeed the son of his lord. They recommended
each other to God, then went their separate ways. Shortly afterwards Lancelot reunited with
his tutor and his young companions. They were amazed to see him come back to this lean
roncin, and holding two dogs on a leash. And what did you do with your good horse? his
master told him. I lost it. And this one, where did you get it? They gave it to me. But the
master did not believe him. He urged him so much to say what he had done that the child
ended up confessing the truth about the roncin and the deer. The master wanted to lecture
him and exclaimed threateningly: How? You gave without my permission your excellent
roncin, and the venison which belongs to my lady? Master, do not get angry. This
greyhound is worth as much as two brambles like this one. - - - What madness ! You will
repent! He raised his hand and gave him such a slap that he knocked him off the horse.
The child neither cried nor cried, but repeated that he liked his broncin greyhound better.
The master, furious at hearing himself contradict, raised the stick he was holding in his hand
and slaughtered it on the side of the greyhound. The animal howled, and Lancelot, seized
with great anger, stepped on his master.

Taking his bow in both hands, he snapped it on her head, tearing a tuft of hair and slitting
her scalp. He would have continued to strike, with the piece of bow that remained in his
hands, but the other three boys came running to control him. He then threw the arrows from
the quiver at them, for he had nothing else to defend himself. His companions fled on foot
into the forest with the master. Left alone, Lancelot mounted his master's horse and set off
with his two dogs. Arrived in a large valley, he saw a herd of does grazing. He raised his
hand to grab his bow, and found nothing. Remembering that he had smashed it on his
master's head, he was overcome with anger. Because of him, he was going to come home
empty-handed, while with his greyhound and his pointer, he was sure to catch at least one
doe. He was going to pay him dearly! He resigned himself to returning to the lake. Still
boiling with anger, he entered the courtyard. He dismounted to go and show his lady the
greyhound. Beside her stood her tutor, still bloody. who came to complain. The lady loved
the child more than if he had been of her flesh, but she pretended to be very angry - Son of
a king, how did you dare to strike and injure the one I had given you as your master? Lady,
he wasn't a real master, when he beat me, so beat me, I didn't care, but he savagely trapped
my greyhound. He failed to kill him, and that I had done nothing wrong. He could simply
because I loved it! And besides, because of him, I couldn't kill the most beautiful spade in
the world! Lancelot then told his lady how he had given the bramble and the deer, and how
he would have killed the doe, if only he had had his bow! How? 'Or' What ? the lady said,
faking anger. Do you have the audacity to donate your roncin and the game that belongs to
me? And you beat the master that I placed with you? These are two things you should
refrain from in the future. Lady, it will be necessary, since I am under your tutelage. If one
has to accept the authority of one's lord or lady, one cannot obey a goujat for long. But I no
longer care about having a master. Know that a man's heart cannot rise to great things if he
does not have the freedom to do so. Woe to the king's son who cannot give widely! How?
'Or' What ? Do you think you are the son of a king, because I call you that? Lady, someone
told me today that I was. He didn't know you well. It's a shame, he said with a sigh,
because my heart would have dared to be. Seeing his dark expression, the lady took him in
her arms and kissed him tenderly. Dear son, do not be unhappy.

Give plenty of horses and venison around you, everything what your generous heart dictates
to you. I will be the last to blame you, because what you have done today deserves praise.
I trust your judgment, and henceforth you will be master and lord of yourself, for your heart is
indeed that of a king's son.

Chapter 4: Les Enfants de Gaunes

When King Bohort of Gaunes was dead, Claudas, not content to get his hands on his city
and his land, seized his two sons, barely a few years old, Lionel and Bohort. When the
knights of Gaunes were worried about the fate he reserved for the two children of their
previous overlord, Claudas addressed them this speech: I am ready to swear it on the holy
Gospels', I will keep them so that I can, when they grow up, give them back their
inheritance. You yourself will have custody, if I die, of the land of Gaunes and that of
Bénoic, since it appears that King Ban's son is dead. I only disinherited their father because
he refused to become my vassal, when his own overlord had abandoned him. The children
have nothing to fear from me, The men of Gaunes believed his oath. The bravest and
wisest among them, Pharian, entered his service with his nephew, to protect the children
and serve as their masters in King Claudas But, shortly after, the king had them all four in
the Tour de Gaunes. These children, he said, were too young to ride a horse, and it was
best to keep them safe. So Lionel and Bohort were imprisoned in the tower with their
masters. They had everything they could want except freedom. A few years passed. The
Lady of the Lake had learned that the sons of the King of Gaunes were imprisoned, and she
was very unhappy. She wondered how to wrest them from the hands of King Claudas. She
learned one day that the king was to convene his court and give a very important feast, to
celebrate the anniversary of his coronation.

The day before, the lady called one of her attendants named Saraide, who was very noble,
wise and courteous'. She wanted to send him as an embassy to the court of Gaunes, and
she explained to him in detail her mission. Saraide therefore left with an escort of two
squires, as well as ten armed knights. They arrived near Gaunes, and the young lady left
her men at the edge of the forest, taking with her only the two squires. King Claudas held a
solemn court in his palace in the city of Gaunes. He was seated at the head table, with his
barons and son Dorin by his side, when Saraide stepped into the room, holding two
greyhounds by their rich silver chains. She spoke in a clear voice, to be heard by all: King
Claudas, may God protect you! I greet you on behalf of the noblest lady in the world. She
has esteemed you very much until this day, but today she has heard things about you that
make her doubt your kindness, wisdom and courtesy. Lady, welcome, and God bless your
lady! But explain to me, please, why this lady changed her mind about me. I won't hide the
truth from you. He was told that you were a noble, strong and generous king, and a true
knight. Now, what she has learned, and which I see, shows that you have neither kindness,
nor wisdom, nor courtesy. Certainly, young lady, he who is lacking in these qualities cannot
claim to be a true knight. Tell me, then, what you have seen, and which you dislike so much.
Lord, is he not King Bohort's son the unworthy treatment of prison? A child needs nothing
but gentleness and pity, and he who hurts him is mean and cruel. So your conduct has been
without kindness. For wisdom, you just have to think about it: all, seeing the treatment you
inflict on them, are convinced that you will kill them. At this thought, they are full of pity for
them and hatred for you. He is very stupid, the one who is hated by everyone! If you were
courteous, finally, you would have made them come to this feast, dressed as the sons of a
king, and all the honor would have been yours. One would have thought then that you
treated the orphans nobly and that you kept their land for them.

By God, you are right, Miss Claudas immediately gave the order to her seneschal to go and
look for Lionel and Bohort and to bring them with a rich and numerous escort, as it befits the
sons of a king. not true that you inflict on The night before, precisely, the children were sitting
in the tower and eating together in the same from his master. Pharien began to gaze at him,
and soon tears began to stream down his face. Lionel noticed it. What is the matter with
you, dear master? bowl '. The great appetite of Lionel was admired Leave, my lord. There
is no point in talking about it. By my faith, I won't eat any more until I know why you are
crying. Lord, he said with a deep sigh, I weep thinking of the high glory of your lineage. And
my heart is very tight when I see you in the prison of this man, who holds his court and
wears the crown in this city which is yours. Lionel had this name because he had a ruddy
lion-shaped birthmark on his chest. And the lion, he already had the heart, he who was to
be called later "heart without brake". When he heard his master speak like that, he kicked
the table upside down. His face flushed with anger, he ran to take refuge in a window
embrasure to reflect. Pharien joined him after a while. Lord, come and eat, it's already late.
If you don't feel like it, at least pretend, for the love of your brother who, without you, will not
eat.

Master, am I not your lord? Certainly. Well, I order you to go eat with my brother. For me, I
will not eat again until I have carried out a project that I have formed, and which I do not
want to talk about. Which project ? Do not hide it from me, for it is my duty to advise you, as
a liege advises his overlord. Otherwise, I cannot remain at your service. He pretended to be
angry, and Lionel, who loved him dearly, began to cry. Ah! master, don't go! But don't
blame me, and help me loyally. In fact, I intend to take revenge on King Claudas. And how
do you plan to do it? I am going to tell you. I intend to refuse to eat until the king comes to
see me. And there, I will be brave enough to assail and kill him. And when you kill him,
what will you do? But after all, aren't all of this country my men? They will defend me with
all their power, and God, who protects the underprivileged, will help them. And if I have to
die to win my right, it doesn't matter. Better to perish with honor than to live in shame. Dear
lord, said Pharian, for the love of the Heaven, take the time to think it over. Wait for God to
give you more vigor than you have yet. When the time comes to avenge you, I will help you
with all my strength, for I love you more than I love my own son. Lionel listened to Pharien
lecture him, and he ended up agreeing to wait a bit for revenge, provided however that he
did not see Claudas. But Pha- rien spent the night worrying, for he understood that the child
would not change his mind. The next morning, when the Seneschal de Claudas came to
pick up the children, Lionel still had not eaten anything. Lying in his room, he claimed to be
ill. Pharien was trying with great difficulty to feed Bohort, who wanted to know nothing in the
absence of his brother. The seneschal stepped forward and, kneeling in front of Lionel, he
said his message. The child stood up and pretended to receive the news with joy, then he
begged the seneschal to wait here with Pharian; he would go and get ready in the next
room. There, he called a servant to bring him a superb knife, of good size, which had been
given to him. But Pharien was suspicious of the child's sudden goodwill. He entered the
room when Lionel was hiding the knife under his coat, and he snatched it from him. You
won't take it to court. In that case, I won't set foot there, I swear. Really, you hate me, for
taking away from me what makes me happy! Lord, be reasonable!

Everybody will see this knife. Give it to me instead, I will hide micux from you. So promise
me to return it to me when I ask you to. Certainly, if not to commit some madness. I won't
do anything to blame, assured Lionel, That's not what I said. Promise me not to do anything
against my will. So keep the knife, dear master. You may need it for yourself. | eer
liarikare The two children, mounted on handsome palfrois and followed by their masters,
crossed the city to reach the palace. The people had gathered on their way to see their
legitimate lords. All, young and vicux, cried and prayed that they would one day be restored
to their rights. When they got to the palace, they hurried to help them down. Pharien,
worried, slipped to Lionel Lord, for the love of God, beware of all madness! It would be our
assured death. Do not be sure, master, I am not foolish enough to undertake an action
which I cannot complete. Besides, as you know, I only have - my bare hands. Lionel came
forward, his head held high, followed by his brother. The Knights of Gaunes and Bénoic had
tears in their eyes: these children, so beautiful and so proud at the same time, were indeed
the sons of a king. King Claudas, in his coronation robe, was seated at his high table, in a
rich chair adorned with gold.

He certainly looked good, noble and valiant, but his face was that of a cruel and felon.
Before him, placed on a silver pedestal, the golden crown sparkled with fire with all its
precious stones. On either side, on rich plinths, one could see the royal sword, sharp and
shining, the point in the air, and the heavy golden scepter, adorned with precious stones.
The king greeted the children warmly and called Lionel to him, whose assured demeanor he
admired. Wanting to honor her, he handed her his rich golden cup and invited her to drink.
But the child did not even glance at him: he only had eyes for the beautiful sparkling sword.
Claudas thought he was seized with timidity. Then Saraide, the young lady of the lake,
came forward. She placed on the head of each child a beautiful hat of new flowers, and
around her neck a rich gold necklace adorned with precious stones. Then she put her hand
on Lionel's head, so that he turned his eyes towards the cup. You can drink now, beautiful
king's son. I'm going to drink, lady, he said, reaching for the cup. But it is another who will
pay the | No ! Throw it on the ground! cried Bohort. But Lionel raised it with both hands,
spilling the wine on the royal dress, and with all his strength he hit the king in the face, so
roughly that he split his skin from forehead to bone, shedding blood. Then he grabbed the
crown, threw it on the pavement of the hall and stomped on it, causing the stones to fly. The
two children seemed ready for all the follies. It came to them by nature, but also from the
magical herbs that the Lady of the Lake had braided in the wreaths of flowers entrusted to
Saraïde. As for the gold chains which were around their necks, they protected them by the
virtue of their precious stones: no weapon could have shed their blood or broken their limbs.
The confusion was extreme. All had left their places, some to seize the children, others to
protect them. The king was lying on the ground, his face bloodied by the hanap which had
struck him. His son Dorin rushed to avenge him. But Lionel picked up the fallen sword and
raised it with both hands. Bohort had seized the scepter. They began to deal great blows to
the right and to the left on anything they could reach. However Claudas had come to
himself. Grabbing a sword that one of his men held out to him, he shouted Get hold of them!
May I be cursed if only one survives!

His son Dorin rushed towards Lionel, who was trying to escape with his brother, guided by
Saraide. Lionel faced him and raised the good sharp sword with both hands. Dorin reached
out with her left hand to grab him. She was cut short. Bohort then raised the heavy golden
scepter and smacked Dorin on the forehead with all his might. The blow shattered his skull
and he fell to the ground, wounded to death. The tumult redoubled. Some wanted to
intervene to save Lionel and Bohort, because they hated Claudas. The king did not hesitate,
the brandished sword he ran to the children. Saraide, seeing him coming in rage, was
seized with fear. But she remembered the enchantment planned by the Lady of the Lake.
With one word, she gave the children the form of greyhounds, and the greyhounds that of
children. At the same moment, the king raised the sword to strike them, The young lady
intervened, the blow descended on her face and tore the tender flesh of her forehead,
Covered with blood, she cried to the king: Ah! Lord Claudas, you make me pay dearly for
the hospitality of your court! You hurt me, and you want to kill my greyhounds, the most
beautiful in the world. The king looked down and saw two greyhounds beside her. A little
further on, he saw children trying to reach a room to take refuge there. He ran after them,
and he was raising the sword to kill them, when his iron struck the lintel of the door, where it
shattered. He stopped and looked at the stump that was left in his hands. Lord God, I thank
you.

If I had killed the sons of King Bohort with my hands, I would have been reproached for it
eternally, and I would have been hated in all courts. I'll be able to find a more discreet way
to make them disappear. So he threw down his sword and ordered his men to seize the
fugitives, to lock them up until he decided their fate. After that, he returned to the hall and
gave himself up entirely to the pain of his son's death. The young lady Saraide, meanwhile,
was quietly walking through the door with her two greyhounds. Her two squires, amazed to
see her wounded, hastened to heal her wound. But she didn't want to linger. She mounted
her stable, placing Lionel in front of her, while a squire took charge of Bohort. They
advanced in the midst of the crowd assembled in front of the royal palace, worried by the
tumult and fearing for the fate of the young princes. They saw her pass, carrying two
greyhounds, without being able to suspect the truth. They joined the rest of the escort in the
forest. and rode to their overnight lodge. There, the young lady jumped to the ground and,
with one word, dispelled the enchantment. The two children appeared to the astonished
eyes of the knights. So, lords, have I not brought back some fine and good game? said
Saraīde to those with her. Certainly yes, the catch is beautiful! And who are you children?
But she didn't answer them. The young lady took great care of Lionel and Bohort, like her
lady very had asked him. The boys were a little confused, and worried about their teachers.
Do not be afraid, my children. I am taking you to a place where you will be safe, and where
you will be given whatever you desire. As for your masters, they will soon be with you.
Meanwhile, in Gaunes, those believed to be the two princes had been locked in a room. At
the very moment when Saraide returned their appearance to Lionel and Bohort, they
became dogs again. When in the morning only two greyhounds were found, the amazement
was immense. Some thought it was a ruse of the king, who had secretly killed the children.
Anger roared in Gaunes against Claudas. But Pharian and his nephew, warned by a
messenger that the children were safe, did not hesitate: they left the city and joined them at
the domain of the lake. Lionel and Bohort, led by the young lady, had arrived at the lake, at
the lady who was waiting for them. The Lady of the Lake was transported with joy at their
vuc, and paid the greatest compliments to Saraide for the success of her mission. Lancelot
was delighted with the arrival of these new companions. He thought they were nephews of
the lady, as he was led to understand. Very quickly he loved them more than all the others,
without knowing that they were his cousins. From the first day, they ate from the same bowl
and shared the same bed. So the three cousins grew up together under the care of the
good Lady of the Lake.

Chapter 5: Chevalier

Lancelot remained in the care of the Lady of the Lake until the age of eighteen. He was a
young man more handsome and stronger than any other, and of unusual wisdom at his age.
The lady understood that it was time for him to receive the order of chivalry. She knew very
well, thanks to the spells she practiced, that he was destined high. To wait any longer would
be a real betrayal, a mortal sin. And yet she would have done it very willingly, for she cared
for him with all her tenderness as a nurturing mother. A little after Pentecost 'Lancelot went
hunting in a wood and encountered a deer, which he shot and slaughtered. The beast was
exceptionally large, and all its hunting companions were amazed. He had it carried to his
lady by two servants. Remaining in the forest, Lancelot rested a long time under an oak
tree, on the green grass, for the day was very hot. In the cool of the evening, he got back on
his horse to return to the lake. He wore a short green coat, well made for hunting, and a hat
of leaves on his head, to protect himself from the heat. He stood on his horse, firm in the
pommels, and a valet carried his bow. As for his quiver of arrows, it was in his belt, for he
never parted with them. The lady saw him arrive in the courtyard, where she was waiting for
him. She felt tears rise to her eyes, and fled into her room. Astonished to see her leaving as
he approached, Lancelot followed her and found her lying face down on her bed, sighing
and crying. Ah! lady, tell me what's wrong Has anyone upset you? At these words, she
burst into tears, unable to express herself. After a moment, she articulated: Ah! son of a
king, get out of here, or my heart will break

Lady, I will go away, since I am making you suffer. And Lancelot left the room. He fetched
his bow, put it around his neck, and strode towards the yard to take his horse. But the lady
com. realized she had talked too much. She jumped up. wiping his swollen red eyes, and
ran to the courtyard, where Lancelot was already in the stirrup. She grabs him by the bridle,
And where do you want to go? I want to go back to the forest. You won't go. Get off your
horse. He dismounted and the lady motioned for the servants to take care of her mount.
Taking him by the hand, she led the young man to his room and made him sit next to her on
the bed. Tell me now, without lying, where you wanted to go. Lady, you seemed angry with
me, and you refused to speak to me. So I youlu go to another place And where? I would
have gone straight to King Arthur's court. There I would have asked some prudish man to
accept me into his service until I could be a knight. So you want to be a knight? Yes, lady,
more than anything in the world. Truly ? Do you have the audacity? It is a heavy burden
that that of the order of chivalry. Your heart might be scared if it were explained to you.
Lady, one would have to be very cowardly and lazy to be afraid of receiving the order of
chivalry. I have often heard you say that what makes a prudent man is the heart. The
virtues of the body, strength, beauty, robustness, agility, each one receives them at his birth,
when he leaves his mother's womb. But those of the heart, courage, wisdom, loyalty,
largesse, everyone must strive to acquire them. It is therefore laziness that would prevent
one from becoming a prudhomme. But enlighten me on this heavy burden that chivalry
could be. Know how chivalry was created. Originally, all men were equal, because they
were born from the same father and the same mother, our parents Adam and Eve '. But
Envy and Covetousness took hold of them and the force began to prevail over the right.
When the weak could no longer bear the oppression of the strong, they set up defenders
over them to enable them to live in peace, protecting them from injustices and outrages -
from the strong.

These defenders had to have more of value than the common of men, they should be
strong, beautiful, loyal, bold and just, endowed with all the virtues of body and heart. “This is
how chivalry was instituted, but it therefore received a heavy task. First and foremost, the
knight had to protect the same Church, 'whose men do not have the right to bear arms. He
was to be compassionate to the unfortunate, broad for the poor, ready to prosecute thieves
and murderers, fair judge for all. He had to fear dishonor more than death. “Originally, no
one had the audacity to mount a horse if he was not a knight. This is why they were given
this name. And the weapons the knight carries are all full of meaning. The shield which
hangs around his neck and from which he protects himself, is to remind him that he must
himself protect the Holy Church, and the poor people against thieves and disbelievers. The
hauberk covering his body shows that on all sides I must relax against the enemies of God
and of the Holy Church. The helmet which covers his head must be carried very high, like
the belfry which guards the city against criminals and brigands. The long and sharp lance
must put to flight the enemies of the holy Church.

The sword is, of all the weapons, the highest and the most honored. It can strike from thrust,
with the point, but also of size with the blade with the two sharp edges, which show that the
knight is at the same time at the service of God and of his people. The knight is seated on
the horse, and this horse represents the people. The latter must support him by providing
him with everything he needs to live honorably, and in return, the knight will protect and
serve him day and night. As we lead the horse where we want, the knight will lead the
people at his will, because he is above him. He will be the Lord of the people and
the soldier of God in all things. “The knight must have two hearts, one hard and compact
like diamond, the other soft and malleable like hot wax. His heart will be hard and cruel
against the violent and the disloyal, who will be fought without weakness. He will be gentle
and tender for good people, who deserve his pity and kindness. “Whoever receives the
order of chivalry one day takes an oath before God to have all these virtues. Unhappy with
him if he perjures himself He will be dishonored in the eyes of the world and in the eyes of
God, It is up to you to tell me now if you want to be a knight or >> give up. Lady, I have no
greater desire. If I find someone willing to knight me, I won't refuse, for any fear. If God has
given me the right qualities that are necessary, I will put all my heart and body into it myself,
without fear of pain or work. By God, your wishes will be granted, and you will be a knight
without delay.
That's why you found me crying all over the hour, I love you as much as a mother can love
her child, and I will have to do without your presence. I am very sorry, but you will not lose
because of me the great honor of acceding to chivalry. If you also knew who your father was
and what lineage your mother came from, 'you would have no fear of not being a prudent
man. But I won't tell you more about it until it's time. Soon you will be a knight, and in the
hand of the best prudhomme living in this century, King Arthur. We will be leaving next week
to be at his court on the Friday before the feast of Saint John. I want you to be dubbed the
very day of this feast. The lady had acquired for some time all that would be necessary for
her dubbing: a white hauberk, light and solid, a beautiful helmet adorned with silver, a snow-
white shield with a silver buckle. She had prepared for him a long sword, sharp and light, of
proven strength, and a straight, solid spear with a very sharp blade. The steed that was to
carry it was as white as an apple blossom, strong and dashing, of remarkable speed and
endurance. She had made him make a white Samit 'coat lined with ash, and a white coat
filled with immaculate ermine. For this occasion, he would wear nothing but white. Ten days
before Midsummer's Day, the Lady set out with Lancelot, to go in full crew to the court of
King Arthur. His escort of people numbered six knights and three young ladies, including
Saraide, and of course Lionel and Bohort with their tutors, who deserved to be on the trip.

All were dressed in white and mounted on pale-white palettes. They rode until they reached
the seaside, and there they embarked on a ship that took them to Brittany, to the port of
Floudehueg. They then won in several stages at Camelot, where they had been told that the
king was holding his court '. During the whole journey, the lady was thoughtful and dejected,
for she was thinking of the imminent separation.

Chapter 6: Lancelot à La Cour Du Roi Arthur

King Arthur was indeed at Camaalot, with a crowd of knights to hold his court on
Midsummer's Day. On Friday morning, he wanted to go into the forest to hunt with a bow.
He left the city with a group of knights, among them Monsignor Gauvain, his face still
bandaged because of a recent wound, Yvain, the son of King Urien, and Keu the Seneschal.
When litter they approached the edge of the woods, they saw a -Jod tee coming by two
palfrois. Inside there was a wounded man, who had his companions arrested in order to
greet the king. The latter approached and, amazed, he discovered a knight dressed in all his
weapons, except his shield.

His body was crossed by two sections of spears with their irons. A bloodstained and rusty
sword was thrust into his head through the girdle of his helm. King Arthur, God protect you,
like the best and most helpful of kings! May God bless you, Lord, and give you health, for
you really need it! Lord, I beg you to help me. This sword and these chunks are killing me.
Make me iron! Gladly, said the king, extending his hand himself. Ah, don't be in such a
hurry! cried the injured man. Whoever wants to relieve me will first have to swear, on the
holy Gospels, to avenge me on any man who says he prefers my attacker to myself. The
king took a step back. Lord, this commitment is hardly reasonable. The one who hurt you
can have many relatives, and friends who will come forward for him. No knight can
overcome it. But on the other hand, I can undertake to avenge you, provided that it is not
against the right law. - I took revenge myself by cutting off his head.
That seems sufficient to me. As for the rest, I will not advise anyone to make such a
promise to you. Lord, I had placed great hopes on your court, because I had been told that
no one left without receiving help and help, and here I am very disappointed. But God may
want to send me my deliverance. Stay in my house as much as you like, you will be
welcomed there. The wounded man was then driven to Camaalot and carried to the upper
room, where he was laid on a magnificent bed. The king continued on his way and entered
the woods. He hunted there until vespers', then took the way back. On leaving the forest,
he rejoined the main road, where he saw the procession of the Lady of the Lake coming. At
the head were two footmen leading two all-white pack horses. One carried a small, richly
adorned camp pavilion, the other a chest in which were stored the robe which was to be
used for the dubbing, another ceremonial robe, and a traveling robe. After these pack
horses came, mounted on all white brambles, two Squires wearing a snow-white shield and
a shining helm, Other squires held a spear of white wood with a sharp iron, and a sharp
sword in its white scabbard, held by a white harness!

Another led a steed as white as an apple blossom, followed other squires and sergeants,
then three damsels and knights on pale white frills. Lastly came a lady, talking to a young
man as handsome as day. The king stopped, amazed. Showing this troop to Gauvain and
Yvain, he exclaimed How they look, all dressed in white on their white horses. Never have I
seen a procession roam so gracefully. The lady, informed of the presence of the king, joined
the head of her escort to go and greet him. She advanced on her white palfrey, the saddle
of which was of ivory and the bit of pure silver. She herself was richly dressed in a dress of
Samit white and a double ermine cloak. At his side stood the young man, dressed in a coat
of white Breton cloth, and mounted on a vigorous and fast hunting horse. The lady spread
her wimple to speak to the king. Lord, God bless you as the best king on earth! I have
come from afar to ask you for a donation that you cannot refuse me, because it will cost you
nothing. Lady, even if it were to cost me, I would not refuse! Lord, I want you to knight this
young man here, with the weapons and equipment he brings, as soon as he asks you to.
Lady, this young man is very handsome, entrust him to me, and I will gladly make him a
knight. But I am in the habit of giving these young people myself all the necessary, clothes,
weapons and horses, As for the rest, the prowess and all the chivalrous qualities, God
provide it Lord, I do not want to offend you, but I ask you to accept my conditions. Know
this young man can not wear other clothes than these for his dubbing.
It's up to you to know if you want to knight him. Lord, intervened Yvain, accept what this
lady asks of you, even if it is not the custom. You can't let a young man so handsome and
so full of promise go. The king yielded to the prayer of the lady, who thanked him warmly.
Then she gave Lancelot two pack horses, two grooms and four squires to serve him, and
wanted to take leave of the king. He urged her to stay with him but she refused. It is quite
impossible, she asserted. Lady, since you cannot stay, to my great regret, at least tell me
your name. Lord, it cannot be hidden from a prudent man like you. They call me Viviane,
the Lady of the Lake. The king was very astonished, for he had never heard of her. The
lady walked away with an arc, and the young man followed her aside. Dear son of a king, I
want you to know that you are not my son, but that of a knight and a lady among the noblest
and the best in the world. You will soon know the truth about them. Lionel and Bohort are
your first cousins, and your nobility is no less high than theirs Tomorrow evening, you will
ask the king to knight you. When you are, do not stay one more time in his house, go
wandering through all the places in search of adventure and wonders, for this is how you can
conquer glory and honor. Don't stop nowhere, but leave no unfinished adventure behind.
Take care to be as valiant and noble in heart as you are beautiful in body.

If you are asked who you are or who I am, answer that you do not know it, and that I am the
lady who raised you, Then the lady took from her finger a small ring which she put on
Lancelot's finger: it had the power to dispel enchantments, Then she recommended it to
God. Go under the protection of God! Farewell then, the beautiful, the good, the gracicux,
the noble, the most beloved among all the knights. All of this you will be, I know that. One
last time, she kissed his eyes, face and mouth tenderly, then left, so upset she couldn't say a
word. The young man was so moved that he couldn't help but run to his cousins to kiss
them once again. Lionel, Lionel, do not be so sad and desperate! We will meet again and
one day we will take your kingdom back from King Claudas! Then he set off at full gallop to
join the king and his company who were waiting for him. The king then entrusted him to
Monsignor Yvain: no one would be better placed than him to guide the first steps of the
future knight. As early as Saturday morning, Lancelot came to find Yvain, who had lodged
him in his lodgings. He begged him to ask the king to make him knight the next day. My
friend, would it not be better to wait a little longer to get used to the profession of arms?

No, I don't want to be a squire any longer, so Yvain asked the king. Are you talking about
the young man dressed in white that I entrusted to you? the king wondered. Does he
already want to be a knight? What do you think, Gauvain? Well, he is very handsome and
looks of high birth. I wouldn't be surprised if he made an excellent knight. And who is this
young man, Lord Yvain? asked Queen Guinevere. Ah! lady, I have never seen one so
beautiful. And he wants to be a knight from tomorrow? Yes, he is burning with desire, I
would like to see him. The king sent Yvain to fetch him, and during this time he told the
queen of the request of the Lady of The rumor spread through the city that the young man
arrived the day before was going to be knighted the next day. Everyone hurried to see him
not ser. Yvain had made him put on his beautiful ceremonial dress, and the young man
looked proud, riding with him towards the palace. Landing, they both entered the room. The
king and queen came to meet them and each took the young man by one hand to welcome
him, before making him sit down with them. The queen, struck by his beauty, looked at him
gently. As for Lancelot, he couldn't help but stealthily glance at her, he was so dazzled. No
lady, even the Lady of the Lake, appears to him knows comparable, and he was right, for the
queen was truly the lady of the ladies, a fountain of beauty. And what is the name of this
handsome young man? she asked. Lady, I only know that he comes from the country of
France. Then the queen took the young man by the hand, asking him where he was from
and what his name was. At this contact, he shuddered all over his body, so moved that he
was unable to speak. Perceiving his confusion, and suspecting that it was the cause, she
repeated her question to him. Lady, I don't know, he replied with a sigh. Seeing how
dumbfounded and beside himself he looked, she didn't want to increase her confusion. She
got up to leave, and to give the change she said to Yvain, who was accompanying her. My
faith, this boy does not seem very sensible to me. Lady, says Yvain, he may not have the
right to reveal who he is and where he comes from. It is, my faith, quite possible. When it
was time for vespers, the whole court went to church, and Lancelot with them. On returning
to the palace, they crossed the room where the enslaved knight was lying. His wounds
stank so badly that the knights were forced to cover their noses with their cloaks. As
Lancelot asked Yvain the reason for all this, he led him to the injured. Lord knight, who hurt
you so badly?
A knight I killed. And why not get some iron on? Because no one is bold enough to do it on
my terms. And he explained the conditions to him point by point. Lancelot remained
pensive. Yvain, who was full of wisdom, took him by the hand and led him away to explain
how unacceptable the conditions were. Confirmed knights would not even dare to engage in
it, he added. After dinner Lancelot was taken to a church where he spent the whole night in
prayer. In the early morning, Yvain, who had not left him, took him back to his home so that
he could sleep a little before the ceremony. Then both joined the king's procession to go to
high mass. Before entering the church, the new knights were brought with the weapons they
needed to wear. The king gave them the colée, 'but without girding them with the sword,
which was not to be given to them until their return from church. As soon as Mass was over,
Lancelot left my Lord Yvain and went up alone to the room where the wounded man was
lying. -I am able to defer you now that I am a knight. I do not ask for better, but on the
conditions - which you know. Lancelot pronounced the oath in a firm voice, then he put his
hand to the sword stuck in the knight's head, and withdrew it as gently as possible. He did
the same for the spear sections. While he was thus defeating him, a squire saw the scene
and ran to warn Yvain, who was in the great hall, where the king was handing over their
swords to the new knights. Yvain ran into the room and cried out of himself: So you took it
off? Yes, lord, as you see. His pain made me feel too sorry. I'm afraid you have done some
serious foolishness by launching yourself into an enterprise that you will not be able to take
on. Knights who are here, among the best in the world, have preferred to give it up.

Your lack It is better that it be I who die, I whose origin is obscure, rather than this knight,
who is perhaps of great value, or a knight of the king's household. But please go get him a
doctor, because he needs treatment. Yvain returned, very distressed, to the king, who had
already heard the news. Is it then true, Yvain, that this boy unsheathed the knight? Alas,
lord, I could not prevent it. I strongly blamed him for his temerity, but it was too late. It is an
enterprise that risks well leading to his death, concludes the king, with tears in his eyes. The
news spread throughout the palace. The queen was very unhappy, for she feared that the
young man had launched into this madness only for her, to increase his merit in her eyes.
Everyone lamented over this unfortunate affair, and in the midst of this sorrow, the king no
longer thought of the sword he had forgotten to gird on the new knight. - After the meal, a
knight, armed with all his weapons, with the exception of his helm, was brought into the hall,
and who came to carry a message to the king. King Arthur, may God protect you and your
company. I greet you on behalf of the Lady of Nohaut, to whom I belong. She lets you know
That the King of Northumberland has invaded his land and laid siege to his castle. His
armies have ravaged the country. After negotiations led by knights and men of the Church,
the king declared that he would prove his right by a judicial duel 'of a against one, two
against two or three against three. My lady asks you to send her a knight to support her
cause, since you are her overlord and she your liege wife. Dear friend, replied the king, I will
help him gladly. She is a lady of great merit and she takes her land from me. So it is right
that she receives my help. Lancelot then got up and knelt before the king. Lord, you made
me a knight, and I thank you for it. I humbly ask you to grant me a gift: accept that I am the
one who will defend the Lady of Nohaut. | My friend, you don't know what you are asking
for. The King of Northumberland has seasoned knights in his ranks, and he will entrust the
battle to the best of them. I understand that you aspire to conquer honor and glory, but this
task is too heavy for you. I will not let a gift received from me lead you to death. would like
to sed Lord, this is my first request!
You cannot obstruct what I reasonably ask, If you refuse me, the others will be well little
esteem for me. I will be discredited if I do not want to entrust me with a mission where only
one knight is enough. Lord, intervened Gauvain and Yvain, give him this mission. He will do
it very well. The king therefore reluctantly agreed to entrust him with the defense of the Lady
of Nohaut, and the young man took his leave. But no sooner had he left than Seneschal
Keu called out to the king: Lord, how could you have entrusted this task to such a young and
inexperienced man? The case is of great consequence, since it concerns your liege wife.
Please send me there tomorrow! The king granted it to him. snoA During this time, Lancelot
had gone to equip himself at the home of Monsignor Yvain. As he left him, he exclaimed:
Ah! lord, what an oversight! And as Yvain questioned him, he was going to forget to take
leave of my lady the queen. Lancelot made a sign to his squire - You are going to leave
now, in the company of the Chevalier de la Dame de Nohaut. I will join you soon. Make
sure you take all my gear, and take good care of my sword. He was firmly resolved, in fact,
to be knighted by a hand other than that of the king. Joining Monsignor Yvain, he presented
himself with him in the queen's apartments. There he knelt silently in front of her, contenting
himself with looking at her gently, until, overcome by his shyness, he lowered his eyes.

Lady, said Yvain to the queen, here is the young man whom the king knighted this morning.
He is coming to take leave of you. How? 'Or' What ? Is he leaving already? Yes, lady. It is
he who is going to help the Lady of Nohaut. And how did the king accept that he takes care
of it? Lady, he was quite sorry, but the young man was given it by gift. - | | Yet he already
had enough to do with the knight he unsheathed! The queen then gently took Lancelot by
the hand to raise him. Lady, he sighed, forgive me for my foolishness. And what
foolishness have you done? I left the palace without taking leave of you. You are so young,
my dear friend, that you can easily be forgiven for this mistake. Lady, I thank you. After a
hesitation, he resumed Lady, if you would accept it, wherever I would go, I would stand for
your knight, I grant you. Farewell, then, my dear friend. And the queen picked him up by the
hand. The touch of that bare hand made him blush, and he contented himself with saying to
himself in a low voice: - I am already satisfied, lady, since it pleases you that I am your very
dear friend. Monsignor Yvain crossed the room with him and escorted him back to his
home. He made sure he put on his gauntlets and his helm, and was about to put on his
sword, when he cried out: But lord, you are not a knight! And why ? Because let's go find
him, and he will do it without delay. Lord, wait for me then, My squire has taken my sword
and this is the one that the king must gird me with. I will gallop behind him and I will come to
you the king has not girded you with the sword. ənb find here. But Monsignor Yvain waited
for him in vain. Returning to the king, he informed him of recent events. So, said the king,
he left without my girding the sword on him? I think, said Gauvain, that he is a lord of high
nobility. He may have taken offense at the fact that the king did not put the sword on him
before the others. "It is quite possible, my faith," said the queen, approved by many knights.
But she remembered that the young man had asked her for the favor of being considered
her knight. She therefore had a fine and good sword prepared in a richly ornamented
scabbard, and ordered a courier to send it to her as quickly as possible.

Second Part: La Douloureuse Garde

Chapter 1: La Dame De Nohaut

The new knight had joined his crew, who were walking on the road to Nohaut, with the knight
who had asked for help at the king's court. He made his way in their company, and after
several stages they reached the goal of their journey. The country was completely
devastated around the city, for the King of Northumberland had surrendered it to the plunder
of his troops. The Lady of Nohaut left the city to meet them, and honor the knight that King
Arthur sent her to defend his cause. If she was a little surprised by his youth, she
nevertheless gave him the best welcome. Lady, he said to her, King Arthur is sending me to
you to do your battle, and I'm ready, right now if you want. Lord, blessed be the King! And
you, welcome! But the meeting was not over until the day after tomorrow, and you will only
fight better, if you have recovered from the fatigue of the journey. The knight would have
preferred to fight without del but there was nothing to discuss. He was therefore received at
the Château de Nohaut, where the lady made every effort to make his stay pleasant. That
same evening, Guinevere's messenger arrived to deliver the sword to him from the queen. -
My lady asks you to put on this sword, and to use it well, like her knight. The young man
received it with so much joy that he thought he was losing his meaning. He kissed her
devoutly, as he would have done with a relic, 'and girded her by his side. Then he handed
the messenger the one hanging from the saddle tree: - You can take this one. I will never
portray another The next day arrived at the castle Keu the Seneschal. The lady welcomed
him very well, but she was very embarrassed when he explained his mission. She already
had a knight sent by the king to do her battle. and she didn't want to offend him. On the
other hand, she could not upset the powerful seneschal of the king, of whom she was the
liege woman.

Neither of them wanted to give up the fight. What matters, says! may this lady have the
best knight to defend her. That's a wise word, said Keu. Well, I suggest we both fight
against each other. The best will fight! The seneschal agreed. But the lady cried out: In the
name of God, I will never accept that it be so! The conditions set for this fight are such that I
can produce one, two or even three champions' to defend my cause. I will therefore let the
King of Northumberland know that I have chosen to have two knights fight. It was acting
very wisely. The next day the King of Northumberland presented himself under the walls of
Nohaut, and the lady took her place, with her household, before the town, in a meadow
which had been prepared for this purpose. We recalled the conventions fixed for the
meeting, then the two knights and their adversaries distanced themselves before setting off
at a gallop. Monsignor Keu and his adversary shattered their spears without falling from
their horse and, drawing their swords, began to exchange furious blows. For his part,
Lancelot received such a shield that hit his temple, leaving him dazed. But his opponent had
broken his spear and, taken aback by the shock, he fell to the ground. The young man
moved away and dismounted, for he did not want to fight on horseback against an opponent
on foot. The other got up, and the great blows of the sword began to rain on the helmets
and shrouds, which soon broke, leaving bare the arms and shoulders. The battle was fierce.
In the end, the knight of the King of Northumberland was content to dodge the blows.
Lancelot looked towards Monsignor Keu, who was slow to gain the upper hand. He did not
want to inflict the shame of triumphing long before him, and therefore spared his opponent a
little to make the fight last. Immediately the other to ask for mercy. This victory of the two
knights ruined the breasts of the King of Northumberland, who was obliged to ask for peace.
It was granted to him, on the condition that he withdraw his troops and repair the damage
they had caused, while pledging to refrain from any hostile acts in the future. Thus the Lady
of Nohaut had a good peace. The next day, Keu left for the court of King Arthur, to whom he
conveyed the lady's thanks and told how the affair had been concluded. As for the new
knight, he did not linger at Nohaut, despite the lady's prayers, who would gladly have kept
him longer.

Chapter 2: La Mauvaise Costume

Lancelot left Nohaut in the company of his squires and rode for thirty leagues' with them, But
he wished to be able to move more secretly, without anyone recognizing him, as does a
knight who wants to conquer honor and glory. The same evening, in a monastery where he
was very well received, he left his squires and ordered them to wait for him without moving
from there for a month. Then he left alone the next day, and rode for several days without
encountering any adventure worth telling. As the hour of none approached, he arrived in
front a fortress proudly pitched on a high rock. The castle was a good size: it extended the
length of a crossbow range in all directions. At the foot of the rock flowed a river, and on the
other side an impetuous torrent formed by more than forty springs. The fortress was called
the Sorrowful Guard, because no knight errant passed through it without being killed or held
prisoner. No one in fact had ever been able to pass the tests to which the one who stopped
there was subjected. Such was the custom of the place: the castle was surrounded by a
double enclosure of walls, each with a door, and at each door, ten knights had to be fought.
Once exhausted, another took his place and continued the fight. It was therefore impossible
for a single man to triumph over them, unless he killed them all in succession, which had
never been seen before. On the second wall, just above the door, stood a gigantic brass
knight mounted on his horse, armed with all his weapons, and holding a large ax in both
hands.

The statue had been forged by magic, and as long as it stood, the castle could not be taken.
But when a knight had crossed the first enclosure victoriously, all he had to do was cast his
eyes on the brass knight for it to collapse. Then he would have to defeat ten more knights.
Then the enchantments to which the castle was victim could be dispelled, but only if the
victor slept there for forty consecutive nights. Lancelot crossed the village which stretched
out in front of the castle and went straight up to the door, which he found closed. He was
annoyed, for the day was beginning to fall. A young lady came to meet him, wrapped in a
cloak. He couldn't make out her face, which was partly hidden by his wimple. Having
greeted her, he asked her: - Lady, could you explain to me the customs of this chateau?
She explained to him the formidable ordeals that the one who wished to enter had to face. If
you believe me, she concludes, you won't even think about it. Lady, I want to know the
mystery of this place. If others have faced him, I cannot do less. So she left him. But a
voice from the top of the door called the knight: Lord knight, what do you want? | - I would
like to enter this castle.

I'm afraid it's for your misfortune! We'll see, but hurry, because it's getting dark soon. The
sentry immediately sounded the horn, and a knight, armed from head to toe, was seen to
come out through the wicket of the door. - Lord, you have to come down a little, because we
have no room here to fight at ease. The white knight agreed, and they went down to the
bottom of the mound. Putting the spear under their armpits, they rushed forward as fast as
their steeds would allow. The knight of the castle broke his lance against his opponent's
shield. The white knight struck it above the buckle of the shield, splitting the leather and
breaking up the planks. The sharp iron, passing through the mesh of the hauberk, pierced
the body of the knight, who collapsed to the ground. But the horn was already sounding and
another knight came galloping up. The white knight withdrew his lance, which was still stuck
in the body of the first, to face this new adversary, Pressing his blow vigorously, he tore it
from his saddle and made it fly over the rump of his horse. Dismounting, he ran to him only
to find that his arm was broken and was giving up the fight. The horn sounded a third time,
and a new defender rolled down the hill. Very tall and very strong, he seemed formidable,
but the white knight urged him so strongly that he was soon no longer in a condition to
retaliate. He thus managed to defeat five opponents. I was awaiting the arrival of the sixth,
but the ticket office remained closed. Night was falling, and the spectators, from the top of
the walls, could no longer distinguish the combatants. That's when the maid came back
Come, lord knight, the battle is over for tonight. You will resume the fight tomorrow morning.
You are very tired, and you need a lodging. -

Chapter 3: Les Trois Écus De Saraïde

The young lady took him to one of the houses in the village ', to a room where she had him
disarmed. He then saw three splendid silver shields hanging on the wall. The first wore a
ruddy band across, the second two, the third three. He gazed at them for a long time, then
turned to the young lady, who had abandoned her coat and wimple. The room was brilliantly
lit with candles, and he recognized Saraide, the Lady of the Lake's attendant. Ah! dear
young lady, what a joy to see you again! Tell me how is my dear lady! All right, she was the
one who sent me to you. These three coins are meant for you, and they have amazing
properties. Whoever takes the shield from a band sees his strength increase by the strength
of a knight. With the one with two bands, the force of two, and with the one with three
bands, the force of three. I will have them brought to the scene tomorrow. Beware of being
presumptuous, as youth often are. As soon as you feel your strength diminish, take the one-
band shield, then the two-band shield. The shield with three bands will do wonders.
Tomorrow, you will know your name, and that of your father, and it will be up there, in this
castle, where you will enter before vespers are sounded. The young lady spoke to him at
length, then she made him supper. Throughout the night, the inhabitants of the village and
those of the castle prayed to God that he would grant him the torce to defeat all the knights.
The victory won over his five adversaries had given them hope: the day had perhaps come
when enchantments and bad customs would be finally conquered. In the morning, the
young lady gave mass to the white knight, then she led him in front of the castle gate,
reminding him: You know what the test is prescribed by custom: before night falls, you must
win. the ten knights of the first gate, then the ten of the second. How? 'Or' What ? But I
already defeated five last night! It's no use, you have to start over!

It is in a single day that he twenty opponents. Lancelot walked towards the castle. A knight
appeared at the top of the wall and asked him: Lord knight, what are you asking? The
adventure of the castle. Lord, you will have it. However, I wish that your prowess allows you
to conquer this chi. teau, because this pain has lasted too long. However, loyalty
commands me to fulfill the duties of my office. The horn then sounded and a fully armed
knight came out through the wicket. The two opponents started to joust. The knight of the
castle struck with all his might. But the white knight had directed his blow better: he pierced
his arm through the shield and the hauberk's sleeve, and sent him rolling to the ground,
seriously injured. He dismounted to continue the fight, but already the nine knights were
rolling down the hill. Climbing back on his steed, the white knight put his lance in position to
receive the shock of the first, who was advancing at a gallop. But the spears broke, and he
had to continue the sword fight. Noticing the second, he landed such a blow on his helm
that he slit open his head up to his shoulders. Another knight stepped forward. The white
knight rushed towards him so violently that everyone was stunned. He read it so quickly in a
short time that the other couldn't take it any longer and had to wave to the fourth. The latter
immediately took his place, fresh and ready, and the fight began again.

The white knight was threatening to run out of strength and breath, and there was little left of
his shield. We were already close to third hour. It was then that a squire came forward,
wearing a silver shield crossed diagonally with vermeil around his neck. The white knight
threw down his own shield and grabbed the one brought to him. He then felt his strength
redouble, and returned to his opponent, ignoring the blows and injuries he had already
received. He attacked all the knights together, striking to the right and to the left, slashing
the shields to pieces, tearing the shrouds, heedless of the blows that rained on him. The
fight was exhausting, because each time one of his opponents gave up the fray, another
took his place. His body was covered with sores, large and small. Seeing this, the young
lady stepped forward with the squire carrying the two-banded shield. Lancelot seized it, and
returned to the fight with increased vigor. I manhandled his opponents so well that they
were obliged to go up the mound, to get closer to the gate and be rescued more quickly.
They were ashamed to have to back down from one man, but Lancelot assaulted them with
so much energy that they just dodged the blows. They could not resist, even taking turns:
never had they seen a knight of such strength. When the white knight saw that there were
only three left, he attacked them violently, to end it all.

They gave way, preferring to flee, with the exception of the last who, seeing that any
resistance was in vain. took himself prisoner by surrendering his sword. A great uproar was
then heard. The white knight raised his head: the door was open. already, by the opening,
the ten knights massed in front of the second door. The young lady came to him to untie his
helm herself, which was all dislocated, and replace it with one she had in reserve. Then,
stripping him of his shield, she put the three-striped shield around his neck, despite her
protests: Demoiselle, you dishonor me! What will my victory be worth if I am helped in this
way? Lord, it is already time for none. The second gate will have to be quickly conquered.
The knight then advanced through the open. He saw the second door, surmounted by the
brass knight, with the ten knights massed in front of it, ready for battle. As soon as he
looked down at her, the statue trembled on its bases and fell from its full height on one of the
knights, which it crushed under its weight. Without losing a single moment, Lancelot rushed
the troop like a storm. Those he could reach he left dead. The others, seeing already one of
them crushed by the statue, and two tucs, were seized with fear. They jumped off their
horses to get back as quickly as possible through the wicket and take refuge inside the
enclosure.

Dismounting, Lancelot drew his sword to distribute big blows wherever he could reach them.
The last three, unable to find shelter, preferred to surrender. The second door then made a
loud cry and opened with two leaves in front of the winner.
Chapter 4: Le Cimetière Futur

The people of the city, who had followed the fight massed on the walls, rushed to greet the
knight and cheer him. They told him that the lord of the castle, Brandis des Iles, desperate
for the fall of his fortress, had preferred to run away at a gallop on his horse. Do I still have
to do something to complete the adventure? asked the white knight. They did not answer
him, but took him not far from there to a cemetery located between the two city walls.
Lancelot stepped forward and found him in amazement. The cemetery was enclosed on all
sides by a crenellated wall. On many battlements there were heads of knights wearing their
helmets, and under each battlement a tomb bearing the inscription.

HERE GİT TEL CHEVALIER HIS HEAD Some battlements did not have a head, and the
inscription was different. One could read: "Here will rest such a", with the name of many
good knights of the house 'of King Arthur, In the middle of the cemetery was a large slab of
metal, beautifully carved with gold, precious stones and enamels, and bearing the
inscription; This slab will never be lifted by any man Except the one who will conquer the
Painful Guard The name of the knight is written under this slab Many people had tried, by
force or by skill, to open this tomb to discover the name of the good knight who would
deliver the Painful Guard. The lord of the castle himself had tried, so that he could have him
killed. The people of the city took the white knight to this tomb, and he could decipher its
inscription. Hon ", for the Lady of the Lake had done so at length.

study. Having read it, he considered the flagstone for a moment; it would have taken four of
the strongest knights in the world to even shake it. He grasped one end with both hands,
and lifted it up to a good half a foot above his head. He could then read the inscription
below: HERE WILL REST LANCELOT DU LAKE THE SON OF KING BAN DE BENOIC He
had read his name. Now he could put the slab back in place. Looking around, he saw
Saraīde. What did you see ? she said. Nothing. By God, I saw him as well as you! And,
approaching him, she whispered the name she had read in his ear. I beg you, young lady,
don't tell anyone. Have no fear, I will not talk about it. They were then taken to a very pretty
little palace, very rich and well appointed, which had been that of Brandis des Îles. There
the knight was disarmed, and the maid stayed with him to heal his wounds and wounds,
which were numerous. But the inhabitants of the castle were worried, for they were very
afraid that the knight would not agree to stay forty days with them. It was only at the end of
this delay that the enchantments and wonders which tormented them so strongly night and
day could cease.

Chapter 5: Le Roi Et La Reine À La Douloureuse Garde

The news of the capture of the Painful Guard reached the court of King Arthur in a short
time. In fact, was present that day in the village a young man whose brother was a knight of
the king. He immediately mounted his hunting horse to bring this astounding news to court,
for it was not believed that any knight could accomplish this feat. He rode so long that on
the fourth day he reached Carlion, where the king was. As soon as he saw it, he cried out:
King Arthur, God bless you! I bring you extraordinary news! Well, my friend, tell them!
The Painful Guard is conquered! A knight forced open the doors of the two enclosures!
Everyone cried out. Such a feat was impossible. Don't say anything you're not sure, warns
the king. Lord, you can hang me if I lie. I saw it with my own eyes. And do you know the
name of this knight? I do not know. But he wore bladed weapons, and his horse was white,
By God, he's the new knight! cried Gauvain. Already many knights were ready to put on
their weapons and go out there to see if the thing was real. The king decided that he would
leave the next day with about thirty knights, including Monsignor Gauvain. The queen would
accompany them, along with her favorite young ladies. They traveled for six days before
reaching half a league from the Painful Guard. There the king had tents and pavilions
erected by the river to spend the night. The next morning the king sent a knight to the castle
gate. Lord, will you let us in? the messenger asked the lookout. Who would like to enter
here? My lord King Arthur! But the custom of the castle was that no one could enter before
the master of the place gives the order. And that day Lancelot had been away at dawn.

No one dared to open it, and the messenger returned to the king to tell him what was going
on. The you were quite unhappy and decided to stay at their camp. is lying. After a few
hours a group of knights came to find the queen. Lady, the hour is advancing and the king
has not sent anyone to this door again. What are we going to do ? Really, I dare not disturb
him, because he is absorbed in his thoughts. But maybe we could get closer to the castle.
The queen therefore set out with a small group of knights, among whom was Seneschal
Keu. They arrived in front of the castle gate at the same time as the white knight, wearing a
silver shield around his neck with a ruddy band. Walking towards the door, he saw the
queen. Lady, the Lord God bless you! May he bless you too. Would you like to enter this
castle? Certainly. By God, the door will be wide open to you. And he entered by a small
postern on the side, thinking of going to find the watcher to give a wide door to the queen
and her retinue. But when he got up to the guard post, on the rampart above the gate, he
was so shocked to see the queen that he remained in ecstasy, no longer thinking of giving
any orders. Meanwhile, the queen was waiting in front of the still closed door. Thinking that
the knight had laughed at her, she wanted to turn around and announced her intention to
Keu. Looking up, the seneschal saw the knight above the door. Lord knight, how dare you
laugh at my lady? But the knight did not hear him. Luckily, Miss Saraide was not far away,
and she shook his arm. Can't you hear what this knight is saying to you? What knight? She
pointed to Keu. And what do you say? asked Keu the white knight. - I say that you
seriously offend my lady the queen by not opening this door as you promised. With these
words, the knight realized his mistake. He thought he was going mad. Did I not give you the
order to open my lady the queen? he asked the lookout. Lord, at no time! Open quickly,
open And may this door never be closed again! The queen was finally able to make her
entrance. Knights had gone to warn the king that the gates were open, and soon all were
able to enter the city. |

But the white knight was no longer there to do them the honors of the city he had conquered.
Distraught with shame and pain. persuaded to have offended the queen in an unforgivable
way, he had said. 'ned The king and queen were taken to the palace. But everywhere they
saw a strange sight. All, ladies, young ladies and knights, wept in silence. How strange,
said the king to the queen. We still do not know anything about the mystery of this castle.
At this moment, the white knight crossed the yard on his horse, out of town. A cry arose
from the crowd: Take it! Take it. They rushed to close the doors and lock them securely.
The white knight was forced to return to the entrance to the palace, where the king and
queen were. He was walking towards them to greet them, when the people began to shout:
Take him, king! Take it These people tell me to stop you, said the king. Please, let me go.
The king was courteous, he let him go. The bourgeoisie were obliged to open the doors to
allow passage. But when he was gone, they began to mourn again.

The king and queen, amazed at this strange scene, asked the inhabitants to explain to them
the reason for their sorrow, and why they wanted so much to keep the white knight. It is
because only he can put an end to the enchantments of the castle! And they told them in
detail how the white knight had conquered the Sorrowful Guard. That same evening, Miss
Saraīde went to speak in private to the Queen. Lady, please do not be angry with the white
knight, who made you wait at the castle gate. His youth and inexperience have made him
lose measure, but he is completely devoted to you. Of course, this can be forgiven. But is it
really he, the new knight who was knighted at Camaalot on Midsummer's Day? Lady, it's
him, don't doubt it. | And do you know his name? To you, lady, I can say it: it is Lancelot du
Lac, the son of King Ban de Bénoic.

Chapter 6: La Fin Des Enchantements

Lancelot at night with a nearby hermit, saddened and tormented at having offended the lady
he loved most in the world, from the moment he had seen her. In the morning he made up
his mind to go find his squires, whom he had left without news of him for a long time. He
had not ridden for a day in the direction of the monastery, when he saw a squire coming to
him, around noon time, on a hunting horse covered in sweat. Lancelot called out: And
where are you running so fast? On an urgent matter. And which one? My lady the queen is
a prisoner at the Painful Guard Which queen?

King Arthur's wife. And for what reason ? Because King Arthur let go of the knight who
conquered the castle. Here they put her in prison, in spite of King Arthur. They declare that
they will not let her out until she brings the knight back. My lady therefore sends
messengers on all roads in order to summon him without delay. My friend, are you sure that
the queen will be delivered if the knight returns to the Painful Guard? Yes, without a doubt.
Well, you found it. Your lady will have the knight she is expecting, this evening or during the
night, because I am going to return with you to the castle. They both rode as fast as their
horses could carry them, and reached nightfall at the Painful Guard. Passing the gate, they
entered the city, the streets of which were lit with torches. The doors closed immediately.
Lancelot turned to his companion. Where is my lady the queen? I will lead you to her, lord.
They arrived at the foot of the palace, which was built on a steep rock. The squire opened a
very thick ter door, then he handed the knight a handful of candles. 'Come in,' he said, 'and
shine as I close that door. Lancelot entered and looked around. The queen behind him.

The knight understood that he was caught trap, and that he would not go out of his own
accord n spent the night in mourning. In the morning, a young lady of a certain ågo came to
speak to him through the bars of the wicket at the door. - Lord, you see, you are a prisoner.
You will not get out of here until you have made the commitments that are expected of you.
And what commitments? Lord, you have conquered this castle. So you should have
brought peace there. And here you are! And my lady the queen? Is she still a prisoner? -
The queen has never been a prisoner. But we thought we would bring it back. What are
you expecting from me ? That you swear to do all you can to put an end to the
enchantments of the castle. He could only consent. The Holy Books were presented to him
at the wicket, and he took the oath. After which the door was opened and he was given a
good meal, to which he did honor, for he had not eaten since the previous morning.

When he had recovered, they explained to him the adventure he had either to stay forty days
at the castle, or fetch the key to enchantments. He chooses the second solution. After
helping him arm himself, he was taken to the cemetery, where he had seen the graves on
the first day. At the end of the cemetery, under the tower, a chapel into which an
underground passage opened: this is where he would find the key to enchantments.
Lancelot saw nothing at first, a gaping door, and a light beyond. He made the sign of the
cross' and walked through the door, sword in hand, in himself! there was one shielding the
face with its shield. A deafening uproar then broke out: the ground began to whirl, the entire
vault seemed ready to collapse. Holding on to the wall, however, he walked to the next
door, which commanded the entrance to another room. The gate was guarded by two brass
knights, each holding a large copper sword in their hands, So heavy that two men could not
have lifted it. They were waving their swords so quickly that it was impossible to get
through. But Lancelot did not shake. Holding his shield firmly above his head, he rushed
forward. A sword struck him, splitting his shield.

The blow fell on his shoulder, cutting the stitches of his hauberk so hard that the blood ruddy
began to flow down his body. Il tre bucha, struck the earth with both hands, but immediately
got up, picking up his fallen sword. He rushed through the door and found himself in front of
a well, which gave off a foul odor. All the uproar in the vault came from this black and
horrible well, which was a good seven feet wide. Beside stood a hideous man, whose head
was black as ink. His eyes and teeth glowed like hot coals, and his mouth vomited bluish
flames. He held in his hand a huge ax, which he brandished to prevent the knight from
passing. Lancelot hesitated for a brief moment. The well was an extremely dangerous
obstacle. Putting the sword back in its scabbard, he firmly grasped his shield by the right
hand, and took off. He rushed at the black man and hit him with all his might in the face with
his shield. Unbalanced, he dropped his ax to catch up with his assailant. Lancelot
immediately seized him by the throat, with his hard and strong fists, and squeezed him so
vigorously that the other fell to the ground, Without giving him the possibility of getting up,
Lan- celot dragged him to the well, where he tilted his As he got up and wanted to draw his
sword from the scabbard, he saw that he was standing in front of a brass, crafted with great
art, which held in his right hand the keys of enchantments.

She was near a brass pillar 'which occupied the center of the room, and where this
inscription was engraved The big key is for the pillar The little one opens the perilous chest
Lancelot, seizing the big key, went to open the pillar in the center of which was the chest.
Terrible voices then broke out, uttering terrible cries, which made the pillar tremble: they
came from thirty copper pipes which came out of the chest. It was the source of the
enchantments which terrified the inhabitants of the castle. Lancelot made the sign of the
cross, put the small key in the lock of the safe and lifted the lid. Immediately there came out,
in a great uproar, a whirlwind of storm which made him fall to the ground, unconscious. It
was the devils in the safe fleeing. When Lancelot came to himself, he took the two keys, the
one to the chest and the one to the pillar, and wanted to leave. But now all around him all
the enchantments collapsed: the pillar fell to the ground, while the copper maiden and the
two copper knights fell to pieces. The knight left the vault, then the chapel. In the cemetery,
he found the entire population of the castle who was there to cheer on his liberator.

Before leaving the cemetery, he deposited on the altar of the chapel the two keys: the
enchantments were well conquered. The people of the castle took him to the palace, where
he was greeted with triumph. They also wanted to apologize for their cunning. Lancelot
remained that night at the Painful Guard, but the next day he left without being able to hold
him any longer. The inhabitants were finally delivered from their bad custom and the
enchantments which terrified them, and from that day on, the castle was called the Joyeuse
Garde.

Chapter 7: Lancelot Prisonnier

When Lancelot took to the road, he first headed for the monastery where he had left his
squires. Having reassured them about his fate, he chooses only one to accompany him.
One day when he was walking with him, they arrived around the hour of a third at a
causeway which was a league long. It crossed a large, deep marsh, which extended on
both sides. We couldn't go anywhere else. At the entrance was a knight, armed with all his
weapons, who immediately approached the newcomer to ask him who he was.

A knight of King Arthur, By God, you won't go through this! No knight in the service of King
Arthur will take my roadway, for I hate him more than anyone, And for what reason?
Because a knight of his household has pledged to do the greatest harm to my family. And
how is that? One day, a wounded knight came to find King Arthur. He had in his body two
pieces of spear, and a sword in his head, and he asked the king to have him unhooked, A
knight of the king did, and he swore on the holy Gospels to avenge the wounded of all the
kinship of his attacker. The latter is dead, but he had a large family, and the knight will have
a lot to do. How? Are you one of those who prefer the dead to the injured? Certainly ! This
dead man was none other than my uncle. Well, I'm going to have to fight you. I'm sorry,
because I thought I was going my way. Are you then the knight who pledged to avenge the
wounded? It's me, without a doubt. Well, you will kill me, or I will avenge my uncle. They
rushed against each other, at full speed with their horses. The knight of the causeway broke
his spear without shaking his opponent, but Lan celot adjusted his blow better and knocked
him to the ground.

The knight was young and quick, he got up immediately and drew his sword, to continue the
fight on foot. The assault was severe, and great blows were exchanged, on the helms and
the shields. At the end of the road, the knight of the road, in a hurry, got tired and had to
back off. He had lost a lot of blood. Lancelot threw himself on him to tear off his helm. Are
you ready to declare that you love the injured more than the dead? And why would I do it?
Because you are going to die otherwise. But the knight persisted. Protecting his head with
his shield, he resumed the fight, but his resistance did not last, and he had to give way.
Again Lancelot urged him to say that he loved the wounded more than the dead. He had no
desire to kill such a brave knight. But the latter refused again and continued to fight, his
head uncovered. Lancelot then hit him so hard that he split his head in two to the teeth,
leaving him dead in the middle of the road. Lancelot returned to his horse, which was held
by his squire, and the two resumed their journey. After riding for a while, they approached a
city called Puy de Malehaut. They were then passed by two riders at full gallop, one wearing
the shield, the other the helmet of the knight of the causeway. The two men rushed through
the city, and soon after, a great clamor arose from the city. Lancelot, who was arriving at a
slow trot, saw a troop of forty men appear through the door, also knights carry sergeants
well, who rushed at him cursing him.

His horse was soon killed with a lance, and on foot. He defended himself fiercely, but the
others hugged him so tightly that he had to drop one knee twice. Despite his best efforts,
Lancelot was about to succumb to numbers, when the lady of the city arrived. Lord knight,
rendezvous! she said to him. And for what reason, lady? What crime have I committed?
You killed the son of my seneschal, at the entrance of this road, Lady, I'm sorry, but I could
not have found himself otherwise. Meet me, she said. It is my will, and there is nothing else
you can do. He handed him his sword, and no one dared to touch him. The lady took him
prisoner, and placed him in a jail which was at the end of the great hall of her castle. It was
a good-sized stone jail, two fathoms wide in all directions. Two large glass windows made it
possible to see what was going on in the room, but towards the outside it was closed with
strong iron bars. The prisoner could move inside, but he was attached by the foot to a long
chain riveted to a ring sealed in the wall.

Third Part: Galehaut, Seigneur Des Étranges Îles

Chapter 1: Le Défi De Galehaut

King Arthur was staying at Camaalot. One night, a strange dream came to visit him. He
dreamed that all his hair was falling off his head, as were the hairs on his beard. He was
very frightened, but decided not to take it into account. Three days later, he thought that all
his fingers except the thumbs were falling from his hands. He was even more appalled than
the first time. Three days later, he thought that he was losing all his toes, except the ones.
He spoke about it to his chaplain, who said to him: Lord, this is only a dream, do not worry!
The queen, consulted, gave him the same answer. But the king did not stop there. He
summoned his the most learned clerics and told them his dreams.

As they remained perplexed, the king made them put. be in safe custody and swore that
they would remain in prison until they provided answers to his questions. After three days of
reflection, they returned to the king, and the learned one, who was also the oldest, spoke:
Lord, we will tell you what we have found. But you have to assure us first that we will not be
harmed. The king swore. The clerk continued: We will tell you the truth without lying a word,
lord, but we would be very happy if events prove us wrong, be sure of it. Speak without fear!
Lord, know that you will lose all honor on earth. Those of yours you trust will fail you in spite
of themselves. This is what must happen. The king was stunned. And is there no way to
avoid these great misfortunes? Lord, there is a remedy, but it is impossible for us to discern
it now. God will make it known to you in due time.

Some time later the king received a messenger from the Lady of the Marches. She let him
know that Gale-haut, the Giant's son, had invaded her land and had conquered it entirely,
with the exception of two castles, located apart. She had taken refuge in one of them and
asked for help, as from her liege lord. I will go and help him, said the king. I'll be leaving
tonight or tomorrow, with the queen and everyone else here. How many men does Galehaut
have with him? Lord, said the king's advisers, he has a hundred thousand horsemen.
Beware You only have the people from your household here. Lords, when someone invades
my land or that of my vassals, there is not a moment to lose. And may God abandon me if I
hesitate! The next day the king set out with the thousand soldiers he could immediately
dispose of, but he had summoned his people from all over the world, near and far. After
several days he arrived at the Chateau de la Dame des Marches, where he was greeted with
the relief one might think. Galehaut, learning of the arrival of King Arthur, had his camp
protected by iron fences, so as not to be assailed from behind. He summoned his vas-
Saux, thirty kings whom he had subjugated.

Lords, King Arthur has arrived, but large world with him. I would have little honor to triumph
under these conditions. So I will only send part of my troops. It was decided that the next
day, only the king of the Hundred Knights, with his ten thousand men, would be engaged.
The next day they were in position, ready to attack. Monsignor Gauvain went to the king:
Lord, the knights of Galehaut are coming to attack us, but without Galehaut himself. You
don't have to be there. That's right, said the king. You will do it. Take the lead of our men,
and line up your battle corps' deftly, for there are more of them - than we are. Gauvain
crossed the river at the place of the fords, then he formed the ranks, lining up his troops.
Galehaut's men tumbled in disorder, and Gauvain sent against them a body of battle, then a
second, then a third. The melee began. When he had engaged all his combatants, Gauvain
launched into battle. He performs feats, and with him the knights of the king's house. The
people of Galehaut, in spite of their number, could not support the assault and ended up
abandoning the ground.

Seeing This rout, the King of the Hundred Knights was obliged to send a message to
Galehaut to obtain reinforcement. Gauvain and his companions therefore saw a fresh troop
of thirty thousand soldiers arriving, galloping towards them at full speed. The battle
resumed, fierce. King Arthur's people were hitting furiously, but eventually they were
overwhelmed by the numbers. Obliged to cross the ford, they fell back towards the city,
pursued by their adversaries to the door. Monsignor Gauvain stood up to them until the
king's people were able to enter the castle. When he finally agreed to come home himself,
he was so broken by the wonders of valor accomplished during the day, that he fell from his
horse, fainting. The king and queen had him taken to his home, very worried about his
condition. Galehaut's men had inflicted severe losses on them and taken many prisoners.

Chapter 2: Le Chevalier Aux Armes Vermeilles

The city of Malehaut, where Lancelot was held prisoner, was situated a few leagues from the
castle of the Lady of the Marches. The lady who owned it had been married, but her
husband was dead, and she ruled her land with great wisdom, loved and esteemed by all.
The night which followed the combat between the armies of the king and those of Galehaut,
the knights of the rent at Puy de Malehaut, and brought back news of the meeting. They
highly praised Monsignor Gauvain, who had shown himself to be the best of all the knights
present. The prisoner asked to speak to the lady, who agreed to receive him.
Lady, I am your prisoner, and I have a request to present to you: I would like to be
resuscitated. I have heard that King Arthur and his companions are in the country. Some of
them, I think, will be ready to pay my ransom. Lord knight, I did not take you to obtain a
ransom, but to do justice. You have committed a serious crime. Lady, I cannot deny it was
silent, but I could not act otherwise without dishonor. And why do you want to be released
so badly? Lady, I have heard from the knights in your hall that the fight is to resume in two
days. If you accepted it, I could go there and I would undertake to come back and constitute
myself prisoner the same evening, unless I was physically prevented from doing so. - I am
willing to grant it to you, but on condition that you tell me your name. I can't, but I swear I'll
tell you ASAP. Now, I accept you to go to the assembly. On condition that I have your oath
to return to my prison.

He took the oath and the lady had it prepared for him a horse and a ruddy shield, which she
handed over to him. next day, with the weapons he carried on his arrival In the morning, at
dawn, he headed for the city of the Lady of the Marches. Arrived at the edge of the ford, he
stopped and leaned on his spear. Outside the city, above the ford, was a bretèche 'which
King Arthur had made. swim, so that it serves as a platform to observe the battle. He went
there in the company of the queen, the ladies, and Gauvain, who was still very ill from his
wounds. Galehaut's troops advanced in good order. Galehaut had decided to engage in the
battle those who had not fought the other day, that is to say sixty thousand men. At their
head was the king whom he had once subjugated first, and who since then had been called
the First Conquered king. Facing them, King Arthur's army crossed the ford to start the
assault. The melee began. Lancelot was still at the edge of the ford. He had seen the
queen in the gallery, and he stood there frozen, no longer thinking of joining the fight.
Footmen called out to him: Lord knight, what are you waiting for? He didn't even hear them.
A boy, thinking he was dealing with a poor idiot, reached down to grab a clod of earth from
the shore, and threw it against his helm. You good-for-nothing, what are you thinking about?

The shock brought Lancelot out of his daydream. He heard the clamor of battle. He
stabbed both at the First Conquered King and lowered his spear. The king struck him full in
the chest, but Lancelot was hardly moved. His spear struck the king's shield, which fell
backwards. His people, seeing him on the ground, had to help him in haste. The melee
lasted a long time. King Arthur's battalions everywhere clashed with Galehaut's, eager to do
battle. Arthur's knights were accumulating prowess, and they needed it, for there were fewer
of them: twenty thousand against sixty thousand. They were doing wonders, but among
them, the one who won unquestionably was the knight with the ruddy arms. At nightfall,
however, he disappeared without anyone knowing where he had been. On the night of the
battle, King Arthur's situation was not in his favor. Despite all the valor displayed, his troops
were beginning to wear out. As the dream had predicted to him, his most faithful support
failed him in spite of themselves, and he risked losing his land and his honor. But,
meanwhile, Galehaut addressed his vassals ənb vassals: Lords, this is not how I want to
defeat King Arthur. It has not been able to unite all its fighters, and it lacks troops. If I were
to conquer His kingdom under these conditions, I would gain no glory there, only shame. will
you do, lord? - I'm going to give him a one-year truce.

At the end of this period, he will have gathered all his armed forces, and the battle can
resume between us. Galehaut therefore sent King Arthur his two emissaries: the King of the
Hundred Knights and King the First Conquered. - Lord, said the first, the one who sent us is
our Lord Galehaut, the son of the Giant, the Lord of the Strange Girls. He is astonished that
a king as powerful as you defends his land with such poor company. You are too much to
your disadvantage, and he would have no honor in defeating you. He therefore grants you a
one-year truce, and on that date you will bring all your armies and he his own to the field.
Only then will he take possession of your land, and he will do everything to have in his house
the knight with the ruddy arms conqueror of the assembly. ' Lord, I heard your message
correctly. Please God, your Lord will never have power on my land. The interview ended
there. The next day, Galehaut broke camp with his armies to return to his country.

Chapter 3: Le Roi Arthur Et Le Prudhomme

King Arthur was torn between joy and worry. Joy at this truce which was granted to him, but
worry at the idea that Galehaut could steal from him a knight of such exceptional value. His
thoughts were there when he was informed of the arrival of a prudent man of great wisdom.
The king thought he was in great need of comfort and guidance, and that God was sending
him that help. He left his meeting with a large retinue and, as soon as he saw him, he
greeted him with the greatest courtesy. therefore to: But the prudhomme answered him in
an angry tone: - I do not care about your salvation, and I do not greet you, because you are
a miserable sinner. And you risk some receive the salary, because you are very close to
losing your kingdom and your honor, Everyone stepped aside, leaving the king in the
company of the prudhomme. - Master, said the king, explain to me why you do not want my
salvation, and why I am such a vile sinner. I will tell you. You must know that your kingdom
did not come from any mortal man. It is God who entrusted it to you so that you take good
care of it. And you destroy it instead of defending it. You honor the rich and the disloyal,
while the poor and the weak cannot come to you. You despise the little knights of your land,
and yet it is through them that your kingdom can be maintained. These will fail you, if you do
not remedy them. Ah! dear master, I am terrified. What will I do if my men abandon me?
Advise me, for the love of God! You ask for my advice, but what's the point if you don't
follow it? I'll do whatever you tell me. This is how you will do it: you will go to all the good
cities of your kingdom, and there you will listen to the complaints of all, small and great, poor
and rich, and you will render to each according to his right, in righteousness. You will thus
win the hearts of the little people. Then you will bring in the humble knights as well as the
highest men. If you see that a prudish man lives in destitution with his prowess for all
wealth, you will sit down next to him to honor him.

You will give him a generous amount of money, by giving him land or income to satisfy his
needs. To the vavaseur, easy in his house, you will give horses and rich clothes. Above all,
take care to offer him a horse that you have ridden. He will thus be able to say that he has
men, kings, dukes and barons; you will reserve the precious dishes, the rich silk clothes, the
jewels, and the beautiful hawks trained for the hunt. Give them beautiful items that they like,
because they already have everything that is really useful. This is how you will have to
regulate your gifts, by giving to each one generosity according to his rank and his needs.
And that the queen do the same, for her part, for the ladies and the young ladies. But above
all, make sure you put a good face on everyone, because a present made with reluctance
does not deserve any recognition. Master, I can see that you are speaking wisely. I will act
on your advice. I told you how you would regain the trust of the men of your kingdom. But I
still have to teach you the path that will bring you back to Our Lord. Go to your chapel, and
send for your high scigneurs and your best men of the Church. Confess your sins before
them all, and be careful to repent with a sincere heart. Do not forget, above all, the great sin
that you made Jaclis by not wearing no help to your liege man, King Ban of Bénoic.

He died in your service, and his wife, disinherited by your fault, became a nun, after their
child in the jersey, little Lancelot, had been stolen. All these misfortunes have happened
through you. Then the king thought about the fault he had committed against his liege man,
King Ban, a fault he had long forgotten, and he felt great shame. He summoned his barons
and his men of the Church to the chapel, and he appeared before them barefoot and in his
shirt. There he fell at their feet, shedding tears, and confessed his sins. They listened to
him, weeping with pity and granted him absolution and penance. 'Returning to Camaalot with
his court, King Arthur began to think about ways of implementing the prudhomme's advice.

But another concern tormented. I thought of the valiant knight who had surpassed everyone
else in the last assembly. He opened up to Monsignor Gauvain. My dear nephew, it was
customary to say that my court brought together the best of the best. But this is no longer
true, since the best knight in the world does not take part in it, | You are right, lord. With
God's help, you will have this knight. And Monsignor Gauvain undertook to seek
relentlessly, for a year if necessary, the knight with the ruddy arms.

Chapter 4: La Dame De Malehaut

On the evening of the battle, Lancelot had returned to his prison late at night. He had
returned discreetly and had gone to bed immediately, without even eating, for he was
exhausted and crippled in pain. That night, many knights that the lady had sent to battle
returned to Puy de Male-haut. To the lady's questions, they replied that the great winner of
the day had undoubtedly been the knight with the ruddy arms. the knights were gone to
rest, the onb dame addressed herself to her young cousin, who helped her to govern her
house. Dear cousin, don't you think this is our prisoner? Lady, it is quite possible. Well, I
would like to know that. If he has conquered so many world, he must bear traces of it, on his
body and on his weapons.

Let's go see it, but let's be careful that no one knows! The lady sent her servants away and
remained alone with the young lady, to whom she confided a handful of chandelles. They
went to the stable where they saw the mess, all covered with wounds on the head, chest and
sides. Lying in front of his manger, he was in such bad shape that he stayed there without
eating or drinking. We can see that he suffered a lot in battle, said the young lady. By God,
it is the horse of a true brave! They entered the room where the weapons had been
abandoned. They saw the hauberk torn, with large holes on the shoulders, the shield split,
slashed with sword blows and pierced with lance blows. The battered helmet, with its nose
piece torn off, could obviously no longer be of use to anyone. These weapons were not
carried by a lazy man! exclaimed the young lady. You mean that they are those of an
outstanding knight! But come on, let's go see it. His body will tell us the truth about his
valor. They arrived at the door of the jail, which had not been closed. The lady, raising the
candle in her hand, saw that the chevalier was sleeping soundly. He was lying naked in his
bed, and his Blanket was pulled back up to his waist from the heat. She leaned over him
and saw his face tumetous and bruised by the helm, the nose and neck scratched, the
shoulders notched by the blades of swords, the arms blued by the blows received, the
swollen and full of blood.

She glanced at her cousin, and gave a small laugh. But that girl. Well, I'll never have a
better chance to give her a kiss! What madness It is too much temerity, lady. Consider your
rank! For such a prudish man, no favor is excessive. But what if he wakes up? What if he
refused this favor? Shame would be for you. The lady listened to the young girl's lesson
and returned with her to her rooms. But she kept talking to him about the knight and it was
in vain that the other tried to divert the conversation. The young lady understood that the
lady was in love with him and tried to bring her to her senses. Lady, the imagination has
deceived many Nothing tells you that the knight is thinking of you. By God, I believe his
thoughts are set much higher than one can imagine. The lady couldn't take her mind off
him, and she wondered for what and for whom the knight was doing all these feats. She
would have liked it for her, but it seemed to her that her heart was so proud that he could
only love in very high places.

One day she ordered him out of his jail and, to honor him, made him sit down next to her.
Lord knight, I kept you in prison for a long time because of the crime you had committed.
But I have treated you with honor, in spite of my seneschal and his relatives, who would
have liked for you a harsher prison. You owe me some gratitude. Lady, I am ready to be
your knight however you please. Well, answer my questions. Tell me who you are and what
your plans are. If these things are to be kept secret, be sure of my discretion. Lady, please!
There's no one in the world I can tell. Truly ? Lady, you can do what you want with me, but I
won't say it, even if my head is cut off. Well, too bad for you By my faith, you will not leave
here before the great assembly which will oppose King Arthur and Galehaut. If you had
answered me, I would have released you today. And she let him go, pretending to be very
angry. She had learned that Monsignor Gauvain had crisscrossed the country on behalf of
King Arthur, in search of the knight with the ruddy arms. She felt proud to have under her
care this peerless knight that everyone wanted to have. But she knew she couldn't hold him
any longer, as the date of the meeting was approaching. She had him brought to her.

You can keep your secrets, lord valier. Anyway, I have learned enough about your account
to agree to release you against uoduer Dame, thank you. What ransom will you demand?
Three ransoms seem possible to me, and you will have to choose one of the three if you
want to get out of here. The first is that you tell me who you are. The second you tell me
who you love to love. Lady, he sighed, I see you don't want to set me free! I will not tell you
for anything in the world who I am, and, if I loved love, you would never know who. So let's
see if the third ransom will seem more acceptable to you: it is that you accomplish, for King
Arthur, as many feats in the coming assembly as in the previous one. Lady, I will gladly
submit to that. You will therefore remain here until the date of the meeting. I will then
provide you with a good horse and all the weapons you need. It's up to you to tell me how
you want them. Lady, I wish I had all black guns. And Lancelot retired to his prison, where
he remained until the day of the battle.

Chapter 5: Le Chevalier Noir

King Arthur had spent the year implementing the prudhomme's advice. He had traveled
through his kingdom, stopping in all of its cities to do justice there. He had honored his
vassals in a thousand ways and regained their hearts. All claimed that they would give their
lives rather than let the king lose his land. Fifteen days before the truce expired, they
assembled at the appointed place, with all the men they had been able to assemble.
Monsignor Gauvain had returned from his quest to lend a hand to the king, disappointed and
ashamed at not having found the knight with the ruddy arms. But he was ready to do
anything now to prevent his lord from losing his land. It was he who was appointed by Arthur
to lead the fight on the first day.

For his part, Galehaut had gathered troops even more numerous than last time. He decided
that on the first day he would not take part in the battle. and that it would be the King of the
Hundred Knights who would lead the thirty thousand men who would be engaged. The next
day, everyone went to equip themselves after hearing mass, and the fight began early. In a
short time there were fifty thousand men engaged. Arthur's people were only twenty
thousand, and yet they had the upper hand. The Roj First Conquered entered the battle, but
was forced to retreat from Gauvain's assault. Seeing that his troops were disbanded,
Galehaut sent for new ones, which arrived at a gallop. The king's men resisted for a while,
then began to show signs of weakness. Gauvan, in spite of all the energy he displayed, was
about to be obliged to give way when Yvain arrived at the head of a new battalion. The
melee began again, and both fought fiercely. The battle thus lasted the whole day, then
evening fell. The two armies withdrew, for all were recruits from fatigue. Monsignor Gauvain
had paid in person like no other. He was still on his horse, but blood was flowing through his
nose and mouth. The king, upset to see him in this state. wanted to speak to him, but
Gauvain fell unconscious at the entrance to his tent. The doctors, called in at the hare, put
him to bed and examined him: he had two broken ribs and was hardly breathing. His injuries
were such that one wondered if he would make it through the night.

The Knights of the Lady of Malehaut returned to the city with these sad news, Monsignor
Gauvan was seriously affected, wounded to death perhaps. The prisoner, hearing this,
managed to speak to the lady. Lady, is it true that Monsignor Gauvain is | dead No, but we
fear very much for his life. What a pain if a prudish man like him died! You promised to
send me to this assembly. Lady, you betrayed me No, I will keep my promise. The
assembly will resume in two days and you will be there. You will use the horse and the
weapons that I made you prepare, and you will join the battlefield in one go. Two days later,
Lancelot left the Puy de Male- haut. The lady had left the day before, as she wanted to join
the king's court to witness the fight. She was greeted with joy by the king and queen, who at
her request took her to see Monsignor Gauvan. The injured man seemed to have regained
some strength and she was very happy. On the morning of the fight, the king was worried,
for he - had lost many knights in the previous encounter. The Queen, the Lady of Malehaut
and many other ladies and young ladies went to sit in the bretèche which dominated the
ford, serving as a platform. With them was Monsignor Gauvain who, despite his wounds,
would have given up for nothing.

to the world to watch the battle. The king's knights had crossed the river and the fighting
began. Lancelot had arrived at sunrise, and he had resumed his last place by the river. He
leaned on his spear and, looking up, began to gaze tenderly at the breteche. The Lady of
Malehaut saw him and recognized him clearly. - By God, she exclaimed, what is this knight
doing by the river? What is he waiting for to get involved, on one side or the other?
Monsignor Gauvain made himself approach the edge of the bretèche to look at the pensive
black knight, leaning on his lance. But the queen remained concerned. The Lady of
Malehaut continued: Lady, you should ask this knight that, for your sake, he show his valor
by arms. My dear, I don't have the heart for these challenges and these games, which
usually delight us. I have too many worries at this hour: my nephew Gauvain is lying here in
an alarming state, and my lord the king is in danger of losing his land. Do it yourself, with
these ladies, if it'll distract them. The ladies liked the idea, and they therefore sent a
message to a squire, with two spears that Gauvain wanted to send to the black knight. As
soon as he had received the message, he squatted firmly in his stirrups, turned his gaze to
the bretèche, and rushed towards the battlefield.

Monsignor Gauvain said to the queen: Lady, I have never seen a knight with such fine looks.
Except maybe the knight with the ruddy arms of last year. All the ladies took to the
battlements to see the knight. Impetuous, he galloped towards a group of a good hundred
knights. There he dove into their midst, hitting one, knocking the other down with his horse.
His spear broke, he continued to strike with the chunks. When he had nothing left in his fist,
he galloped towards the squire accompanying him to grab a second spear and plunge back
into the midst of the enemies. He jousted so deftly with his three spears that some paused
to admire him. When the third spear was broken, he trotted back to the river, and looked up
at the breteche. My faith, said the Lady of Malehaut, he makes it clear to us that he will not
do more for us. Have you seen this knight? said Gauvain to the queen. He is the bravest in
the world. You were wrong, lady, not to want to be named in the message that was brought
to her. Know that if a knight can save the kingdom of Logres', it is this one. you, you did not
deign to ask him to fight for the love of you! - And what should I do?

Lady, bring your salute to this knight. and beg him to have mercy on the kingdom of Logres
and the honor of the king. A single prudhomme can change the course of things. May he
make it appear, by his prowess, that he is at the service of the king and of yourself. As for
me, I will make him hold ten big strong spears, and three horses in my colors. The queen
sent one of her maidens to carry her message to the black knight, and during that time the
spears and the horses were prepared. Lord knight, added the young lady, know that the
queen is up there, in the midst of her ladies, and with her Monsignor Gauvain. There are
people watching you. - Tell my lady and Monsignor Gauvain that I will do my best to satisfy
them. The knight then brandished the strongest of the spears, which the squire held out to
him, and rushed against the armies of Galehaut. King First Conquered was there with
twenty nill knights. He rushed towards them, secure on his horse, striking where his blows
would hit the most. Nothing resisted his spear. When one was broken, he grabbed another.
Many knights of King Arthur saw this assault: Keu the Seneschal, Sagramor, Dodinel the
Savage, and Monsignor Yvain. Everyone was amazed at his prowess. He slaughtered
knights and horses, smashing shields, tearing helms. When his horse fell under him,
pierced by a spear, he immediately climbed back into the saddle.

Arthur's men, seeing him on a horse carrying the colors of Gauvain, regained courage and
followed him, determined to die in his company, if necessary Around noon, the army of the
King of the Hundred Knights gave way before King Arthur's fifteen thousand men. They
were more numerous, but the prowess of the black knight had galvanized the battalions of
King Arthur. They fled back to the tents, in great disorder. Galehaut, amazed at the turn of
events, went to meet the fugitives to ask them what was going on. What is happening ?
The dark knight does wonders. No one can stand against him, He surpasses a hundred
times the ruddy-armed knight of last year. By God, I would like to see it. So he rallied the
fugitives to him and launched himself into the melee, uttering his rallying cry. Seeing him
coming, his troops regained courage and attacked those of King Arthur. They would have
put them to flight, if the Dark Knight hadn't been there. But he faced all perils, always ready
for defense and attack. It was then that his horse was killed under Tui. The black knight
found himself on foot. The melee was so close and confused that no squire could hold a
mount. He therefore continued to fight the sword, striking right and left without respite, slicing
the shrouds, tearing helms and shields to pieces.

Galehaut saw the wonders he was performing. No conquest in the world was worth such a
knight being killed. He swung with both and threw himself into the press to disperse the fray,
causing his men to step aside. He addressed himself to the knight Lord knight, here is the
order that I have just given to mine: that no one attacks you as long as you are on foot He
dismounted from his horse and presented it to Lancelot. The latter immediately got into the
saddle to return to the fight. Galehaut ordered another steed to be brought in and led his
army. He fought until nightfall, and achieved an incredible number of feats that day. In the
evening, it was indisputable that Galehaut and his men had had the advantage. The losses
were considerable on the king's side.

Chapter 6: Lancelot Et Galehaut

When night came, the two armies each retired to their own camp. The dark knight walked
away as quietly as possible, ascending through the meadows that stretched from the river to
the hills. Galehaut saw him go. Stitching spurs, he followed him from afar, and joined him
on the slope of the hill. He God bless you, Lord! Lancelot looked at him askance, but he
could only return his salute. Who are you, lord? resumed Galehaut. I am a knight, as you
can very courteously approach, the best knight there is.

You are the man at world that I would most like to honor. Also, please be my host tonight.
Lancelot pretended not to know who he was talking to. And who are you, to want to host
me? Lord, I am Galehaut, the son of the Giant, the lord of all against whom you have
defended the kingdom of King Arthur. Without you, I would have conquered it, because I
held it in my power, You are the enemy of King Arthur and you want me to be your host?
Never, please God! Ah! Lord, for Dicu's sake, come and stay with me! I promise to do for
you, in return, whatever you dare ask of me. Lancelot stopped and looked at Galehaut for a
long moment. Truly, Lord, what credit can I give to your promises? Please know that I don't
make any promises lightly. If you come to stay with me, I will give you what you ask of me. I
pledge my faith as a loyal knight to it, and I will take as guarantors the King of the Hundred
Knights and the conquered King Premier. Well, I'll be your host tonight! They went together
towards the tents. Monsignor Gauvain had followed the black knight with his eyes when he
had gone away. He saw him reappear at the top of the meadows in the company of
Galehaut; the latter's right arm rested amicably on his shoulder. He understood that
Galehaut had succeeded in restraining the knight.
Ah! lady, he said to the queen, we are lost! See what's going on. Galehaut was smarter
than us. The queen looked up the hill. Rage gripped her so hard that she couldn't say a
word. As for Gauvain, he was so unhappy that he fainted three times. The king, very
alarmed, ran up. Look up there on that hill, said Gauvain, you will see the one who
throughout this day has kept your land for you at the risk of his life. You failed to hold him
back, and he goes with your worst enemy. What treasure you have lost! I see coming the
great misfortunes that your clerics had announced. The king scrutinized the hill and could
not restrain his tears. Soon the whole king's camp was plunged into desolation. Meanwhile,
Galehaut was leading Lancelot to his encampment. As soon as it was disarmed, he
summoned the two kings to solemnly swear before them that he would grant Lancelot the
donation he requested. Lord, said the king to the Hundred Knights, you are wise enough to
know what you are doing, but it is a serious matter. Have no fear, I know what I'm doing.
Tonight I'm the richest man in the world. And he took the oath. Then he had his seneschal
fetched so that he could prepare a great feast to receive his guest with dignity. The kings,
dukes and counts who were his vassals, all were there to celebrate Lancelot, and all said:
"Welcome to the one who is there.

flower of chivalry! The knight was red with confusion. After dinner, Galehaut had four beds
prepared in his own tent, one of which was wider and taller than the others, and adorned
with all possible riches. It was there that he made Lancelot sleep, to honor him, in the
company of his three best knights. In the morning, the black knight got up to listen to mass
in the company of Galehaut, then he asked for his weapons to leave. My friend, said
Galehaut, stay still. There is nothing I desire more than your company. Lord, I will stay, and
I will be your companion. But I want to tell you right away the gift you gave me yesterday,
Speak without fear. Anything in my power you can get. Lord, this is what you have granted
me: you will go and cry thank you 'to King Arthur, and you will submit to him unconditionally.
Galehaut was stunned. But he had gone far - - - too far back. for Lord, he said to Lancelot,
there is nothing that I do not do to hold you back. May God abandon me if you do not obtain
the granted gift! Galehaut prepared to go to the king's camp.

Dressed in a magnificent silk coat and a vair-lined cloak, he mounted his palfrey, taking with
him a wealthy escort of kings, dukes and counts. Lancelot saw him leave with tears in his
eyes. In an instant, Galehaut had sacrificed his highest ambitions for himself. He would
never have a better friend and companion than this exceptional man. Meanwhile, at the
king's camp, they were preparing for a new day of combat. But the mines were dark, for all
knew well Dark Knight would now be in the opposing camp. Arthur was already thinking
about how to get the queen and her ladies away, still hurt. Galehaut rode with his troop
towards the standard which marked the king's flag. Arthur was in front of his tent. As far as
he saw him, Galehaut dismounted and knelt in front of him, joining the Gwain's hands
together. Lord, I come to recognize your right. I repent of the misdeed committed against
you and I implore your mercy. The king was dumbfounded for a brief moment, then he let
his joy burst out. He hastened to pick up Galehaut to give him a hug. The two men
embraced.

Word spread like lightning through the king's heart that peace was made, and that Gale.
high camp had made its submission. The queen and Monsignor Gauvain, amazed and
delighted, wondered how such a miracle could have happened, "Such was the will of
Heaven", the king was to say. During this time Galehaut had been absent for a moment to
order his armies to withdraw in good order. He would keep with him only the knights of his
house. Then he went to find Lancelot, Dear companion, what do you want me to do? I
acted as you wanted, and the king told me to come back soon. But I would like to have your
company too. Lord, go find him, for it is with him that you must be. For me, you have done
more than I can ever give you. But by grace, don't tell anyone where I am. Galehaut then
went to join the court, and the king, the queen and all his ladies hastened to do him honor.
All together reached the bretèche where Monsignor Gauvain was standing. Galechaut
worried about his health, but Gauvain was so happy with the peace concluded that he felt
almost cured. You are the man in the world I most wanted to meet, he said to Galehaut.
That evening, Galehaut slept in the rol tent. in the company of the king himself, of
Monsignor Gauvan, who was brought in, and of Monsignor Yvain.

After lunch, Galehaut, the king and the queen were gathered around the bed where Gauvain
was lying. The latter asked Galehaut: - I would like to ask you a question, if you don't mind.
How, or rather by whom could this peace be made between my lord and you? Lord, I won't
hide it from you, a knight made it. By God, said the queen, I think it's the dark knight! I
cannot deny it. And who is he? I don't know his name. How? 'Or' What ? You don't know
him? said the king. I thought he was from your land. Certainly not. - | It is not mine either.
But to have it to me, I would give half of what I have, except only the person of the queen,
which I do not share. Me, said Gauvain, I would like to be the most beautiful of young ladies,
so that this dark knight can love me all his life! What about you, lady? Galehaut asked the
queen. My God, she said, Monsignor Gauvain has already promised everything a lady can
promise! They all laughed. And you, Galehaut? said Gauvain. What would you give to win
over this prudhomme? Lord, I have already given what I have. For him, I changed my glory
to shame.

And Monsignor Gauvain was certain that it was the black knight who had made peace
between Galehaut and King Arthur. The queen finally got up to retire, and she begged
Galehaut to accompany her. When they were alone, she said to him: Galehaut, I love you
very much, and I could do more for you than you think. You have the Dark Knight with you,
I'm sure. It could be someone I know. Please, if you have friendship for me, allow me to
see him. Lady, he's not at home, Galehaut lied. And you don't know where he is? You can
tell me. Lady, I think he's in my land. Please, my friend, go get it! He is one of the men in
the world that I would most like to see. When Galehaut returned to his camp, he asked for
news of the black knight from the two kings who were to watch over him. Lord, he was told,
he slept very badly. He rolled over and over in his bed, then began to whisper in a whisper:
“Alas! Poor wretch, what can I do? He was crying bitterly, doing his best not to be
overheard. This grief and these complaints lasted all night. Galehaut returned to his tent,
where he found his companion very dark.

He told him how much the king wished to have his company, and told him of the queen's
wishes. What do you want me to say to him, my friend? Lancelot sighed deeply, and tears
came to his eyes. How would I know? I'm in your hands. Galehaut, seeing the confusion in
which this idea put him, began to understand what tormented his companion so much. - I do
not see what harm could come to you from seeing the queen. It will have to be in the
greatest secrecy. And above all, tell him that you sent for me!
Chapter 7: La Prairie Aux Arberisseax

Four days passed, during which the queen never ceased to urge Galehaut to hasten the
interview. She suspected that the knight was not far away. Galehaut had told Lancelot how
impatient the queen was to see him, and the knight had been a little comforted. His face
was no longer pale and hollow, nor his red eyes and beaten with tears shed at night. He had
regained his health. On the fifth day, Galehaut went to join his companion: the hour had
come. This news left Lancelot trembling to come and tell the queen that she could see him
that very evening. The interview should be conducted as discreetly as possible, for Lancelot
feared that he would be recognized by members of the court. The queen, for her part, did
not wish to be seen either.

Galehaut him showed a remote place, a meadow full of shrubs, where they would go for a
walk shortly before nightfall. After supper, the queen took Galehaut by the hand. She called
the Dame de Malehaut and Laure de Car- duel, a lady in her suite who was very devoted to
her. They went straight down through the meadows towards the place planned by Galehaut.
For his part, the latter called his squire, and told him to bring his seneschal to the shrub
meadow. What, said the queen, is he your seneschal? 'No, lady, but my seneschal will
accompany her. Arrived at the meadow, Galehaut and the queen went to sit under a clump
of trees, leaving the two ladies aside. The chevalier arrived across the meadows with the
Senechal. The Lady of Malehaut saw her former prisoner and immediately identified him.
Not wanting to be recognized by him, she turned to Laure de Carduel and bowed her head,
when they passed by greeting them. Galehaut said to the queen: Here is the best knight in
the world. Lancelot came forward with the seneschal. His face had lost all color, and he
was shaking so badly he barely managed to greet her. He dropped to one knee and kept his
eyes down, unable to say a word. Galehaut, perceiving his confusion, said to his seneschal.
Go and keep company with these ladies, who are quite alone over there. The queen took
the knight by the hand to pick him up and sit him down next to her.

Lord, she said smiling, here you are at last! We have longed to see you! Galehaut told me
you were the dark knight, but I would like to know from you who you are. Lancelot was too
intimidated to answer. Seeing his embarrassment, Galehaut thought he would speak more
easily face to face, Really, he said loudly enough to be heard, we leave these ladies very
alone! They have only one knight for company. And he went to join them, leaving Lancelot
alone with the queen. She was finally able to question him: Did you win the battle the other
day? Don't hide anything from me. The young knight was too modest to take credit for the
victory, and he did not answer. Is it you who wore black weapons? To you that Monsignor
Gauvain sent the horses and the spears? Yes, lady. Now tell me who knighted you. It's
you, lady. Me ? And when? Lady, do you remember that day when this knight was brought
to Camaalot, wounded with two pieces of a lance and a sword in his head? A young man
had presented himself to the king on Friday to be a knight there on Sunday. So you are the
one that a lady dressed in white brought to the king? Yes, lady.

And how would I have knighted you? Lady, such is the custom, in the kingdom of Logres: he
who gives the sword makes the knight. The king did not give me any, and it is from you that
I received mine. Certainly, I am very happy about it. And after you left, where did you go?
Lancelot then told him his adventures, how he had rescued the Lady of Nohaut, then
delivered the castle from the Painful Guard. And so I saw you at the Painful Guard? Yes,
lady, and I was foolish enough to let you wait outside the city gate. It was also for me that
the people of the city were shouting: “Take it Take it! Because I left without having put an
end to the enchantments. Did a young lady accompany you to the Painful Guard? Yes,
lady. So I know who you are: your name is Lancelot du Lac. And at the first meeting against
Galehaut, were you not present? Yes, lady, with ruddy arms. And the other day, in the
assembly, in whose honor did you do all these feats? He sighed deeply and remained silent.
You can tell me, said the queen. You must have done it for a lady or a young lady. Who is
she ? I want to know it. Since I must admit it, lady, it's you.

Me? Do you love me so much? Lady, more than I can tell. And since when ? Since I saw
you. And where did you get this love from? Lady, the day I took leave of you, you agreed to
let me be your knight. Then you said to me, "Goodbye, dear friend," That word never left my
heart. It was she who made me a prudhomme. She has been my wealth and my comfort in
all the sorrows and trials that I have encountered. My God, I didn't take that word as much
as you did, because I said it to more than one knight. But I am happy that she was so
precious to you, and that she made you a prudent man. At this moment, one of the ladies
over there coughed, and Lancelot, turning his head, recognized the Lady of Male- haut. He
felt such anguish that his tears began to flow. The queen, seeing his confusion, tried to put
him to the test. But I see your mind is no longer me. You pay great attention to these ladies
over there. Did any of them touch your heart? Lancelot changed his face. He turned so
pale the queen was afraid he might pass out. She called Galehaut, who saw how her friend
was. Lady, he said reproachfully to the queen, don't lie to him! You will kill him.

So I have to believe him, when he says he has done - great things for me? Lady, there is no
truer heart in the world than I beg you, have mercy on him! And what pity should I have?
Lady, he loves you more than anything, give him your love. Take him for your knight, and
become his lady for all the days of your life. You couldn't have a richer treasure. - I agree.
He will be mine as I will be his. Thank you very much, lady. But you should give him a first
pledge of that love. But he's not asking for .. his. But | It is because he is incapable of it.
Too much love is not without fear. Give her a kiss. A kiss ? But this is not the place for it,
these ladies are way too close, Yet I desire it too, and if he wants it, I will gladly give it to
him, let's go for a walk, all three of us, doing mine to guess. So they moved away. But
Lancelot dared not do more. The queen, seeing his shyness, then took him by the chin and
gave him a very long kiss. Then she put on her finger her ring, adorned with a clear emerald
My friend, you have done so much that I am yours, and I am very happy. But beware, all
this must remain secret, because I would not want to lose my reputation.

Our love would then become ugly and vulgar. As for you, Galehaut, you will be the
guarantor of our secret. Lady, you can be sure of that. But your told me that you could do a
lot for me. I said it, and I will say it again. What can I do for you? May this knight become
my companion. The queen then took Lancelot - I entrust this knight to you forever, to | the
hand. except what in him is mine. And do you know who I gave you? I gave you Lancelot
du Lac, the son of King Ban of Bénoic. And Galehaut felt great joy. Night had fallen, but the
moon flooded the prairie with light. They walked up the meadows to the king's camp, where
they parted ways. Galehaut accompanied the queen and her ladies back, and the seneschal
crossed the river again with Lancelot. Thus was made the first tuning of Lancelot and the
queen. It was the work of Galehaut. The queen thought she had shown great discretion,
but little had escaped the watchful eye of the Lady of Malehaut. When the queen returned to
her room in the bretèche to go to bed, the lady joined her. The queen went to the window to
think about what had just happened. The lady said softly behind her: Ah! lady, how pleasant
it is to be that to be!

As the queen was silent, pretending not to hear, the lady repeated her words. What do you
mean ? said the queen. Lady, maybe I said too much. One should not be too Tamil with
his lady or his lord. You are too wise and courteous to say words that I take offense to.
Speak, I order you and I beg you. Lady, I saw the friendship the knight over there in the
meadow. You are not wrong to love him, because he loves you more than anything in the
world, I understood that easily. So you know him? The lady told him how and why she had
kept him in prison for a year and a half. It was I, she continued, who gave him the ruddy
guns, then the black guns so that he could go to the assembly. I thought I could get his
heart, but I quickly realized he was only thinking of you. The other day, when he was
pensive by the river, he showed his feelings, and even more when he did a thousand feats in
your honor. that you tied with - But explain to me now, said the queen, why you said it was
good to be four? Why four rather than three? A secret is lost from being too much shared.
You are right, lady. But the special circumstances, The knight loves you and Galehaut juos
knows it.

When they have to leave the king's land, they will be able to talk together about this love,
and share joys and sorrows. You, you will remain in solitude without anyone to whom you
can confide, If you admit me as fourth in your company, you will receive comfort. The queen
understood that the lady's offer was sincere and that she would derive the greatest good
from it. She granted him her friendship, and even went so far as to reveal the name of
Lancelot, whom the lady had so desired to learn. The queen wanted her new friend to share
her bed, 'and when they were in bed, they spoke at length about their loves. The lady
confessed to the queen that she had loved only once "and only by thought". The queen then
conceived the project of giving him Galehaut as a friend, if he were free from his heart. The
next day a new meeting took place in the shrub meadow, which sealed the agreement
between Galehaut and the Lady of Malechaut. Every evening, from now on, the four friends
met in the meadow. They were careful to bring other people there as well, so that no one
thinks badly. But they always found a moment to discreetly isolate themselves and
exchange words of love and kisses. They stayed in this place for as long as it took Gauvain
to regain his strength. When he was restored, the king decided to return to his kingdom.
begged Galehaut to accompany him to the land of Logres.

but the latter had to return with Lancelot to his land in Sorelois, where he had a lot to do. On
the last evening, the four friends bade farewell in the meadow. Many tears were shed and
the promise was exchanged to meet again at the first assembly to be held in the land of
Logres.

Chapter 8: Lancelot En Sorelois

Lancelot and Galehaut walked as long as they arrived, after several days of travel, in the
country of which Galehaut was lord. The Sorelois was located between Wales and the
Strange Islands, the distant land where he came from. It was the most pleasant country
there was, endowed with fertile land and rich forests, and crossed by rivers full of fish. Gale-
haut would stay there very willingly to practice hunting with hounds or waterfowl. It also had
the advantage of being the closest to the land of Logres, kingdom of King Arthur. The two
companions therefore settled in Sorelois to stay there. Galehaut thus gave satisfaction to
his vassals, who rejoiced to see their lord and could also have recourse to him to settle their
conflicts.

During their stay, he organized Nisa hunts, in the forests and on the banks of the rivers, to
distract his friend. But these pleasures did not manage to rejoice the heart of Lancelot, for
he longed for the one to whom he belonged entirely. This melancholy worried a lot
Galehaut, who tried to comfort him: one day soon would come the news of an assembly of
King Arthur. Two months after their arrival in Sorelois, the Lady of the Lake sent Lancelot a
young man of good looks. She wanted him to take him into her service until he was fit to be
a knight. It was the young Lionel, son of King Bohort of Gaunes. It was a great joy for
Lancelot to find his cousin, a companion from his childhood. Their affection grew still further,
if that was possible, and the young man quickly gained the trust and friendship of Galeteau.
His affectionate presence brought Lancelot some comfort. One night, Galehaut had a dream
which caused him great fear. He was in a meadow, when he saw in front of him two lions:
one wearing a crown, the other not. The two animals fought fiercely, and in the end the
crowned lion had the underside. It was then that a leopard appeared, which rescued the
crowned lion against the lion without a crown. Then the leopard made the lion without a
crown to come and kneel before the crowned lion, and the two beasts made peace, whereas
before they mortally loathed each other.

Very shaken by this vision, Galehaut summoned his best clerks to his room, and told them of
the dream he had had. There is one more thing you should know, he added. At the end,
when peace was made between the two lions, I left the meadow. And there, I suddenly
discovered in front of me the lion without a crown dead. It was the leopard that had killed
him. The clerics were very puzzled by this story. They retired for three days to discuss
among themselves the proper interpretation of this dream. After three days, they returned to
find Galehaut. Lord, says the wisest man, we will tell you the truth, but only if you are not to
blame us. Speak without fear. Lord, in our opinion you yourself are one of the two lions, the
one who does not wear a crown, and the crowned lion is King Arthur. The leo-pard who
comes to the aid of this Lancelot. It is clear that you would have won over King Arthur if he
had not made peace between you. As for the last part of The Vision of the Uncrowned Lion
Killed by the Leopara means that eventually you yourself will die because of Lancelot. - In
truth, I accept what you say, but I am very surprised: I do not understand how Lan celot, who
is my friend and my companion, could harm or kill me. | last is Jns dream, it is about the
future.

- Lord, he will not kill you. But if one day a great misfortune should happen to him, you
could lose his life, so much you cherish him. Galehaut remained thoughtful, and forbade
them ever to say a word about it in front of Lancelot. But Lancelot was sick of the grief he
felt at being separated from the queen. He was no longer sleeping and could hardly eat and
drink. Very worried to see him let himself waste away, Galehaut came to find him Dear
companion, if you could see your lady, would you not be better? Yes, but how would that be
possible? Well, I'll tell you. We are | left in May, and now winter is coming: we haven't seen
her for six months. She has to find a way to get us to come. But she would have, if it had
been possible. She must be prevented from doing so, and I am afraid that this step will
annoy her. I'd rather die than anger her. - Do not worry. We are going to send him a
messenger of all confidence: your cousin Lionel, Galehaut sent for the young man and
explained to him: You will go to the court of King Arthur, and there, you will address yourself
to the Lady of Malehaut. As proof of your mission, you will show her this little ring, which she
once gave to me. The lady will then allow you to secretly see the queen, the flower of all the
ladies of this world. You will tell him that you are Lionel de Gaunes, Lancelot's cousin.

And if the queen asks you how he is, you will tell him that far from her he cannot go well, and
let her make sure, please, that we can see her soon. Lionel assured him of his discretion
and immediately took to the road. The queen resided in the city of Carduel. King Arthur,
back in his kingdom, had multiplied the stays in his good cities. He had given great feasts
and distributed largesse, thus following the advice of the prudhomme. The queen and the
Lady of Malehaut, her companion, would have led a very pleasant life, if only they had been
able to see those they kept thinking about. When they were together, they had no other
topic of conversation. So the Queen was in Carduel, Wales, when one day a young lady
arrived and asked to speak to her. She was introduced by the Lady of Malehaut into her
apartments, and the queen, astonished, saw that she was wearing a shield, Lady, said the
young lady, I have to bring you greetings from my lady, the most beautiful and the most
learned that I know. She asks you to keep this shield, for the sake of her and of another
person whom you love above all. My lady knows your thoughts, and she welcomes them,
because the one you love has all his affection. But who can this lady be? I would love to
know his name. She is called the Lady of the Lake, It is by this name that I know her.

The queen immediately understood who it was, and, quite joyfully, she celebrated the young
lady. Then, removing the shield from his neck, she examined it from top to bottom. She saw
that it was split all the way from the tip to the top edge. The two halves only held together by
the bar of the loop, and you could have run your hand between them. On one of the halves
was depicted a fully armed knight, except for the head. On the other a lady, the most
beautiful that the artist could paint. The two figures seemed ready to kiss, but were
prevented from doing so by the breaking of the shield. In truth, said the queen, this shield is
magnificent, but what a pity this breaking! And who are the knight and the lady painted
there? Lady is the best knight of our time, and the lady is the noblest in the world. He has
done so many feats that the lady gave him her love, but without going beyond the kiss,
When their love is full, the break will close. Then the highest joy will reign. And when will all
this happen? Lady, for this happiness to happen, this knight must be part of the house of
King Arthur. This news filled the queen with joy, for she could well guess the identity of the
knight. She had the shield hung in her room, and not a day went by without glancing at it.
The court was in Logres, the main city of King Arthur, when Lionel came there. The Lady of
Male- haut introduced him to the queen, and the two.

The women received him very warmly, and even more when they learned that he was
Lancelor's cousin. The queen was very grieved by the latter's melancholy, and immediately
she sought, with the Lady of Male. high, on what occasion they might well bring their
friends. But at this point the news reached the court that the Saxons and the Irish had
invaded Scotland, ravaging the land and slaughtering the people. They were already
masters of a large part of the country, and proposed to besiege Arestuel. Very alarmed by
this news, King Arthur summoned his men. Let them all go, within a fortnight, to Arestuel,
equipped with their weapons. As for the queen, she entrusted Lionel with this message for
Lancelot and Galehaut: that they go to Arstuel, but without revealing their identity before she
authorizes them to do so. Lancelot would wear a small pennon of ruddy silk on his helm.
She also gave Lionel a very beautiful brooch for him which closed his collar, as well as his
belt with his chaplain. Armed with this message and these objects, Lionel set off for Sorelois
as quickly as his horse allowed.

Chapter 9: La Roche Aux Saxons

The king had regrouped his troops at Arestuel in Scotland. From there he besieged La
Roche aux Saxons, a fortress so well fortified that it had nothing to fear but famine, and
situated twelve Scottish leagues from Arestuel. The whole country around had been
devastated. The castle was then run by a young lady named Gamile. She was the
granddaughter of a powerful Saxon king, Hengist, once defeated by Uter Pendragon, father
of King Arthur. The young lady was a magician, learned in enchantments of all kinds.
Thanks to her magical charms, she had made King Arthur fall in love with her.

The king nevertheless besieged the fortress, where important Saxon forces had entrenched
themselves. Lancelot and Galchaut, for their part, had joined Arestuel with a small troop of
knights from Sorelois, and established their camp in front of the city. Each day, they took
part in the fights, some of which took place near the tower where the queen was staying,
who could recognize Lancelot thanks to the small ruddy pennon on her helm. That day, the
king's men had fought against the Saxons, who had attempted a sortie. The king himself
was there, along with Seneschal Keu, Monsignor Gauvain and King Yder. All day long they
had been doing feats, but by evening the Saxons had withdrawn into the castle. The king
was at the foot of the Rock, ready to return to Arestuel, when a young lady came to bring
him a message from his mistress: she invited him to come and find her that very night in his
tower. , if he dared. She was ready to give him what he wanted so badly. His messenger
would pick him up here to take him through a small postern at the foot of the moat. The
king, all joyful, replied that he would come. He joined his knights to regain Arestuel. He had
never been seen so cheerful and playful. He sent a message to the queen to tell him that
the battle had gone very well, and that she would not see him tonight because he would stay
with his men. The queen was not otherwise sorry. In the evening, she gave Lionel a
message so that Lancelot and Galehaut could come and find her.

This is how they will do it: when their comrades in arms are asleep in their tent, they will get
up. They will come by the garden, and from there they will enter the tower. King Arthur, for
his part, had quietly left his tent in the company of Guerrehet, to whom he had entrusted his
project. The two galloped in one go towards Saxon Rock, where they found the lady's
messenger, and were led to where the young girl was waiting for the king. She had even
foreseen that one of her prettiest young ladies would take a company at Guerrehet. She
disarmed the king and took him to her room, to a magnificent bed where she slept with him.
After a long time, when the king had obtained from her all he wanted, here more than forty
armed knights burst into the prece, sword in hand, to seize him. All resistance was
unnecessary. The same scene took place in the room where Guerrehet was. The two men
were just given time to get dressed, and they were imprisoned in a windowless room, which
could only be entered or exited through a heavy iron door. Meanwhile, Lancelot and
Galehaut had left their tent. The garden gate was open, and they closed it carefully. At the
bottom of the tower, they found their ladies waiting for them. Each was taken to a room
where he could stay alone with his friend, and have the joys that a lover can have.

light a candle, ran his fingers over the shield given by the Lady of the Lake: there was no
longer any sign of it being broken. And indeed, she had acceded to the highest joy. Shortly
before daylight, the knights got up to put on their arms in the queen's chamber. The Lady of
Malehaut glanced at the shield, and saw by candlelight that the break had disappeared.
Lady, she said to the queen, we can see now that love is full. Then she came to Lancelot
and took him by the chin Lord knight, all you need is the crown to be king! Lancelot blushed
with confusion, but the queen came to her aid: If I am a king's daughter, she is no less than
Tou But the day was breaking, and the besiegers returned to Saxon Rock. There, what was
their surprise and their pain when they saw, suspended from the battlements, the shield of
the king and that of Guerrehet. Monsignor Yvain was that day at the head of the king's
people. Suddenly they saw the Saxons and the Irish flocking out of the castle to engage in
battle. They already saw themselves victorious, since they held Arthur prisoner. The king's
men defended themselves fiercely, but they had beaten a lot the day before, and fatigue was
quickly felt. In the morning, the news reached Arestuel: the king was a prisoner in the Roche
aux Saxons. The same.

At the moment there came a knight covered in blood, who asked to speak to the queen. It
was urgent to send help to Monsignor Yvain. The queen immediately sent for Lancelot and
Galehaut. Lancelot had already been armed. How many men do you need? he asked the
knight. Lord, it would take two hundred. Galehaut immediately left with the knight to go to
the king's camp to rally the available combatants. Meanwhile, Lancelot had stayed with the
Queen. Before tying his helm, she was able to give him a tender kiss. Then she gave him
her own pennon of azure with three golden crowns, so that he could attach it to his spear.
Lancelot joined Galehaut to lead the troop. At full gallop they rushed towards Roche aux
Saxons. At the sight of the pennon, Monsignor Yvain exclaimed: Help is coming! It is the
queen who | send ! And they let out King Arthur's rallying cry. Lancelot rushed at their
head, slaying with his spear all who passed within reach. When his spear was shattered, he
grabbed his good, sharp sword. He attacked the Saxons and the Irish, striking shields and
hauberkats, cutting thighs and arms. Like the furious lion among the hinds, he was causing
carnage around him. He was seen everywhere in the battle. Behind him, galvanized, the
king's knights were doing wonders. The Saxons, distraught, demoralized, fled in all sense.

Thousands fled to the marshes, where they drowned miserably. to rain down on them a rain
of arrows, but without causing them serious injuries. Riding up the street towards the keep,
he found the doors and posterns open. In the great hall of the palace, a group of knights
were arming themselves to resist Lancelot rushed at them on horseback, slicing arms,
thighs, shoulders, Opening their hair in two. Soon no defenders remained. Dismounting,
Lancelot returned to the courtyard, sword in hand. He then saw the jailer trying to flee.
Resting the point of his sword to his throat, he forced him to lead him to King Arthur's prison
and open the door for him. The king was delivered, and the Saxon Rock taken. All of
Gamile's witchcraft books, memoirs and magical charms were burned, and, in anger, she
threw herself from the top of her dungeon When the king returned to Arestuel with its
liberators, the joy and relief were immense. The king heard you know who was the knight of
mad bravery who had entered Saxon Rock. Lord, it's Lancelot du Lac, said the queen. The
son of king Ban de Bénoic The knight was obliged to come forward, and Yvain recounted the
marvelous exploits which had been his during all this day. That same evening, the king took
the queen aside.

Lady, I want to pray Lancelot to become a Companion of the Round Table and a knight of
my house, for his prowess is unparalleled. But how to convince him? Can I count on your
support? Lord, you will have my support, but it is Galehaut's companion. So it is he who
must - convince. The king therefore went to see Lancelot and Galehaut in company with the
queen, to formulate his request. When Lancelot realized that the queen's wish was for him
to stay with the king, he was shocked. Without even waiting for Galehaut's agreement, he
exclaimed: Ah! Lady, I will stay with Monsignor the King, if it is her wish and yours! And as
Galehaut looked at him sadly, the king said to him: Lord, stay with me also, as a companion
and friend, and not as a knight. On All Saints' Day, the king made a great feast in honor of
the two men, and they had their place at the Round Table. The clerics were brought in to
record all their feats in writing. They stayed at La Roche aux Saxons until the third day after
All Saints' Day, then the king had to return to Brittany, and Galehaut to return to Sorelois.
He left with Lancelot, but promising to return to court before Christmas.

Fourth Part: La Fausse Guenièvre

Chapter 1: La Reine Accusée

King Arthur was staying at Camaalot. He had brought together a number of barons,
because he wanted to celebrate the feast of Christmas with dignity. That day, all were
gathered in the great hall, when we saw a young lady dismount, who came forward very
proudly, followed by her escort. She was elegantly dressed in a silk coat filled with vair, and
her hair was braided into a long blond braid. Arrived in front of the king, she let fall her
wimple which covered her face, and all were struck by her beauty. She spoke with a strong
voice, to be understood by all: May God protect my king of our time, except a King Arthur! l
would be the thing.

Young lady, answered the king quickly, I would be grateful if you would tell me what fault you
reproach me with! King, you are at fault with my lady. The one who sent me to you is
Queen Guenièvre, the daughter of King Leodagan of Carmelid. You will know her rights by
reading the sealed letters that she has entrusted to me for you. But first, bring all the ladies
of your court: these letters must be read in the presence of all. The king, stupefied, sent for
the queen and all the ladies, and sent for her clerics. An old knight, who accompanied the
young lady, took the letter out of a beautiful gold casket and handed it to her. The king
handed it over to the wisest of his clerics, and the latter displayed the parchment min. When
he had gone through it, tears of pain and anguish rolled down his cheeks. The king, very
intrigued, ordered him: Speak, what does this letter say? The clerk was trembling, in terror.
He glanced at the queen: Ah! lady, what painful news! But the king got angry: Read me this
letter, finally, without hiding anything!

The clerk then began to read aloud: Queen Guinevere, daughter of King Leodagan of
Carmelid, greets King Arthur and all his company. King Arthur, you have been disloyal to
me, and everyone should know that. The truth is, I have been united to you in marriage, and
another was anointed and crowned queen the next day in St. Stephen's Monastery in the
city of London. I was only your lady for one day and one night, then I was taken away. The
one who took my place was my friend and my next. It is this Guinevere that you hold for wife
and queen. As for me, I have been exiled and disinherited, but here I am again recognized
in my rank. Therefore, I ask you for reparation and revenge. You don't have to live with a
cohabiting wife, like you do. The one who led you to this sin must be delivered over to
death. This is what I want to let you know. I am sending you two trustworthy people: my
cousin, who is my messenger here, and Bertelai the Old, a renowned knight, the best there
is as far as the islands of the sea. The king was speechless. Everyone in the palace was
seized with fear. The young lady made Bertelai advance. He was a handsome, robust man
with hair white, with the scars of a long life of vid lance.

Here, she said, is the knight my lady is sending you. He can testify for her. Certainly, said
the king, a man of his age could not support a disloyal cause. Bertelai confirmed everything
in the letter, then added: Lord King, if anyone from your household, or yourself, dares to
claim that my lady was not the victim of betrayal, I am ready to do so. to assert his rights in
a judicial duel, today, or on a date to be fixed. The courtyard remained silent. The king,
overwhelmed with grief and shame at the accusation which weighed on the queen, was in
the greatest confusion. He turned to Guinevere: Lady, get up and come! You must
exonerate yourself from this accusation. If you are such as this young lady testifies, you
have deceived the whole world, because you are considered to be the best lady of this
century. The queen stood up without showing any fear, and stood before the king, head
held high.

But Monsignor Gauvain was already coming forward, red with anger: Demoiselle, he said to
the messenger, would you like to blame my lady the queen, who is here? On the queen,
certainly not. I do not you of queen here, only a usurper ', who betrayed her true lady, By
God, of this betrayal she is perfectly innocent! Gauvain turned to the king: Lord, I am ready
to support my lady's cause against one or more knights. I will prove that she is in no way
guilty of what she is accused of, and that she is indeed your anointed and sacred wife and
queen of this kingdom. Young lady, said the king to the messenger, I have heard the
complaint made by your lady. Let her know that I will not cut to my reputation as a king who
is a friend of law and justice. I do not want to be blamed either for favoring the queen or for
having wronged your lady. You will tell this one that I will assemble my barons at
Candlemas in Bédigran, in the market situated between Ireland and Carmelid. The matter
will be carefully considered, and decided by my court and his. Let her be careful not to put
forward anything that she cannot prove, because whoever is convicted of treason will
receive an exemplary punishment, I take God as witness. Thereupon the messenger left
with her escort.

But the king and his men were anxious; all trembled that something was true in these
accusations. That same evening, the queen secretly sent a squire to the Sorelois, to warn
Galehaut and Lancelot of the infamous accusation which had been brought against her. The
two friends received the news with consternation. Lancelot was overcome with grief, and
Galehaut tried to comfort him. If there was to be a separation between the king and the
queen, you might have the good fortune to be together in broad daylight. I would give you
the kingdom of Sorelois. Lord, that would be my dearest wish, if it were to please my lady.
But I fear that the king will want her dead, if she is found guilty My friend, we are not there
yet. Our help will never fail him. We will both go under good escort to this assembly in
Bédigran. During my absence, I will entrust the custody of my kingdom to my vassal King
Baude-magu. He is a loyal man of great wisdom: my land will be in good hands.

Chapter 2: La Fausse Guenièvre

Eight days before Candlemas, Galehaut and Lancelot set out, with a large troop, towards
Bédigran. It was a beautiful city, and when they arrived it was already largely occupied by
the people of King Arthur. Indeed, the whole court had come for the solemn judgment which
was to take place. The king gave them an excellent welcome, but he was anxious at the
idea of meeting the demoi saddle of Carmelide. This young lady was indeed called
Guenièvre, and she bore a striking resemblance to the queen. And this was no accident.
King Leodagan had once had an affair with a very beautiful lady, the wife of his seneschal.

From this love was born a girl of great beauty, who was named Guinevere, like the daughter
the king had had with the queen. She was brought up at court, and it was difficult to
distinguish them one from the other When the princess left to marry King Arthur in London,
the other Guinevere accompanied her, and he came to her spirit of committing the treason
of which she was later to accuse the queen. But she could not achieve her ends. She
remained a long time in a foreign land, until the day when Bertelai came to find her to submit
his plan to her. He took her to the kingdom of Carmelid and made all the barons believe that
she was the real Guenievre, and that the false had lived for years with King Arthur.
Persuaded by Bertelai's words, the barons of Carmélide recognized her as their lady. On
Candlemas day, as the king was leaving mass in the company of Galehaut and his barons,
the young lady arrived with a large crew. She came before the king and said in a loud voice:
May God save Guinevere, the daughter of King Léodagan of Carmelid, and curse his
enemies. Everyone stood frozen, amazed at her resemblance to the queen. King, "she
continued," this is the day which has been set for me to prove the treason of which I have
been the victim. I am ready to show my right by having my champion fight against one of
your knights.

Galehaut intervened, with the king's permission: Lord, if this lady claims to be the victim of
treason, she must tell us who is the author. `` The author of this betrayal, '' she replied, `` is
This woman whom I see here, and whom the king considers to be The queen, stepped
forward. Word for word she denied the accusation - I'm ready, she added, to defend myself
as the court will decide. The king's advisers and the maiden's advisers agreed that the
matter should be carefully debated. It was therefore postponed until the next day and the
young lady withdrew. You have everything to lose from King Arthur's judgment. That same
evening Bertelai the Old came to find her. Lady, the situation is not in our favor. There is no
doubt that the Queen will ask for a judicial duel, and that she will do so. You accused her of
treason, a crime that deserves death. Remember that if the victory of her champion
exonerates her, the punishment will be inflicted on you. We must therefore prevent
judgment from being held. And how to ? Advise me, Bertelai. I do not believe that we can
carry out this matter without some disloyalty. But success comes at this price. This is what I
advise you; tomorrow morning, you will complain that you have been a little in pain, and you
will ask for a further delay, to deliberate with your advisers. The king will accept. Then, you
will send another of your knights: this one will take care not to say that it is yours. He will
point out to him the presence, in this forest, of the largest wild boar that we have ever
caught. The king is passionate about hunting, he will not hesitate.
You will have post your knights in the woods; they will capture him and immediately take
him to the kingdom of Carmelid. There, when he is your prisoner, it will be up to you to play.
The next day everything went as planned. The king granted the young lady a delay. No
sooner had the matter been settled than an unknown knight presented himself: King, he
cried, I bring you extraordinary news! This is what I saw with my own eyes: there is in the
forest of Bédigran a huge and ferocious boar, which wreaks so much havoc that no one
dares to attack it. Everyone was delighted at the idea of this hunt. The king got up
immediately to go and equip himself, and with him the knights present, Galebaut, Lancelot,
Yvain and Gauvain. They all got ready and left together, under the leadership of the knight
who had brought the news. When they entered the heart of the forest, where the other
knights were in ambush, their guide said to the king: Lord, we are near the boar's lair. But
your knights are making so much noise that the beast will escape us. The king made a sign
to his companions, who stopped there, then he followed the knight with only two hunters.

Suddenly around him thirty armed knights, their helmets laced. One of them grabbed his
cheyal by the bridle and warned him that any resistance was useless. The king drew his
sword and defended himself as best he could, but he was quickly overpowered and tied up,
as well as the two vencurs. After having loaded them on horses, the small troop moved
away. The knight who had led him there separated from the group to reach another corner
of the wood, the farthest possible from the place of the kidnapper. The king's companions
rushed into this place. There he sounded the horn for a long time. direction, as they were
starting to worry about his absence. They were sinking into the thickets, when they heard
the horn sounding again on the opposite side. It was the knight, who had moved to another
place, to mislead them. They thus spent the day tossing the forest, but without success.
They returned in the evening. exhausted and anxious. The queen and the other barons
were amazed to see them return without the burp. The anxiety was great, but they still
wanted to believe that the burp had been carried away by the passion for the hunt and had
gone astray. We promised to start the beatings again as soon as we got up. The next day,
the Demoiselle de Carmélide appeared before the cost, and was astonished not to see the
king. She was offered to render the judgment in her absence, by consulting the assembly of
barons, but she was indi- KAA She would agree to debate only in the presence of the oi.
She therefore left the court proclaiming loudly that she was the victim of a refusal of justice.

The young lady returned to her country and the castle where King Arthur was locked up.
She began by scaring him: King Arthur, you are now in my power. I had to act cunning
because you didn't want to do me justice. So I did justice to myself. The king remained in
this prison, without anyone knowing where he was. The young lady often came to speak to
him, so much so that the king found her very courteous and attractive. He pleased him so
much that he forgot in his arms the great love he had for the queen. As Easter approached,
as her detention weighed heavily on her, the king told her that he was ready to do whatever
she wanted. If I let you out of my prison, she told him, I will have lost you forever. By God,
beautiful sweet friend, I love you more than any other woman. Tell me what you want. I
want you to take me for wife and queen before all your barons. It is to you that my father
gave me and you must treat me as the Holy Church wants. I won't let you go without you
swearing to me on the Gospels that you will keep your promises. The king thought for a few
moments.
This, he said, is what you are going to do so that I am not blamed, neither by my clergy, nor
by my barons. You will bring the highest lords of Carmelid, and they will swear that you are
indeed the daughter of King Leodagan, given to me in lawful marriage. They will thus bear
witness before my own barons, whom I will have summoned here for the day of Ascension.
They agreed on this project. She sent for the holy books, and the king took his oath: he
swore before the knights of Carmelide to take her for wife and queen.

Chapter 3: Le Jugement

During this time, concern was at its height among the king's companions. For days, they
had traversed in all directions the forest of Bédigran, but without success, They finally
resolved to return to Brittany with the queen, because there, the vassals of Arthur were
agitated. Seeing that the kingdom was without a ruler, they were tempted to go to war with
each other. Easter arrived without any news from King Arthur. The highest lords met in
Carduel and, after deliberating, they went to find the queen and Gauvain. The kingdom
could not remain defenseless, for it would eventually sink into anarchy or fall into foreign
hands. The new king could only be Monsignor Gaudont.

vain, one knew courage and wisdom. Of moreover, it was certain that he would loyally return
the crown to his uncle, if he returned. Gauvain hesitated for a long time. Sorrow
overwhelmed him, because this offer materialized the disappearance of the king, that his
heart refused to admit. He took advice from Galehaut, in the presence of the queen,
Monsignor Yvain and Seneschal Keu. Although very distressed by the situation, they were
all in agreement on this solution and urged Gauvain to accept this honor. Three weeks after
Easter the messengers of Carmelid arrived at Carduel. These were the two hunters who
had accompanied the king on the hunt. They went to the palace and were ushered into the
great hall. At their sight, Monsignor Gauvain jumped to his feet, full of hope: -For God's
sake, are you bringing good news? - Our Lord to all, King Arthur, greets you He lets you
know that he is in good health and very well treated in the land of Carmelid. He needs the
presence of his barons, and asks you to summon them on his behalf to an assembly for
Ascension Day, in Tolebrèze, the capital of Carmélide Gauvain, very happy with this good
news, immediately gave the orders that were suitable for bringing together the barons from
all parts of the kingdom, so that they were present at Bédigran seven days before the
Ascension. The news had reached the queen's ears. She sent for the messengers, who
gave news of the king in Carmelid.

But they dared not tell him the whole truth, for fear of hurting him. Left alone with Galehaut,
she told him of her worries. studies. - Ah! Galehaut, stay with me! You are the only person
I have no secrets from, and I really need your help., The messengers brought no message to
me, and I am afraid I have lost the king's trust, La young lady holds it in her power: she won
her heart and changed her feelings towards me. All this is perhaps the punishment for my
sin: I betrayed the king by giving my love to another. The strength of this love was such that
my heart could not resist it. But now I fear the worst. Although I am completely innocent of
what I am accused of, I am afraid the king will want me dead. - Lady, I'd rather lose my life
than let you die. Fear not, my armies will be assembled, ready for battle, at Bédigran. I
don't care if I provoke the king's anger or hatred. ap The day of the assembly approached.
Monsignor Gauvain set out with the queen and the whole court towards Bédigran. They
were to join the barons who had been summoned there, to then ride with them as far as
Tolebrèze. At Bédigran, Gauvain was surprised at the large gathering of knights belonging
to Galehaut. But the latter explained to him: - We do not know if the king is not forcibly
retained in Carmelid. He could have in this case need our help, and want to contribute to this
effort. Then they left Bédigran to go to Tole Brèze where they arrived the day before
Ascension Day. The young lady had, for her part, summoned the Lords of Carmelid. They
promised to support her cause, because they firmly believed that she was in her right. On
Ascension Day, King Arthur assembled his barons in private council and made this
declaration to them: - Lords, I have brought you here, for you are my barons, and I could not
take a serious decision without your advice. You heard the complaint that the young lady
made in Bédigran, on Candlemas day. I thought she was wrong. But now I have come to
think that she was right, and that she was the victim of a betrayal plotted by her who was
your queen against all rights. You will hear the testimony of the men of Carmelid. They will
tell you that their lady is indeed the daughter of King Leodagan and that the one I held for
my wife, through ignorance and sin, is the daughter of the woman. The Breton barons
remained silent, amazed and dismayed. Monsignor Gauvain, who understood what this
meant for the queen, had tears in his eyes. But Galehaut stepped forward: Lord, the whole
world considers you a seneschal sound. wise king. Do you have any proof of the queen's
guilt?

- No one can know it as well as the barons of this country. - And how is it that no
denunciation has been brought earlier? The facts are already old I know what it is. What I
want is to stop living in sin. There will be no legal combat. The one that the barons of this
country destroy, that one will be wife and queen. The king summoned the barons of
Carmelid, as well as the young lady and the queen. who each placed themselves on one
side Lords, he said to the barons, I am summoned to you for a dispute concerning these
deax ladies that you held to be my wife also claims so. Veneration can only be known by
you Swear that you will speak without love and without hatred and that you will designate the
true queen Bertelai the Vicx stepped forward He stretched out his hand over the holy works
and swore before God that the lady was indeed there. daughter of King Leodagan and his
wife, and the lawful wife of King Arthur And after him swore All the barons of Carmelid, who
had known King Leodagan Ainst the retne was she fallen from her tang The Demoiselle de
Carmélide triumphed, to the great po of the people of his country. But it remained to be
determined what would be the fate of the one who had so long made paise for queen without
being entitled to it. The king gathered the Breton barons to consult them.

because he wanted them to take charge of this judgment and thought that they would not
dare recuse themselves. He wanted the queen to be condemned to death, for the other had
never ceased to urge him in this direction, sometimes begging him, sometimes threatening
him to withdraw his love from him. He therefore left them to deliberate. The barons, for their
part, refused to play the role the king expected of them. They understood that the judgment
would inevitably lead to a conviction of Guinevere, since she had already been stripped of
her rights as wife and queen. They therefore asked for a postponement of the judgment to
forty days. But King Arthur was in the grip of the lady, who wanted to achieve her ends
without delay. He refused any delay and put his barons on notice to comply. 'If you don't
want to do it,' he said to them, 'I'll find out who will. But they persisted in their refusal, and
the king felt gravely offended. He ordered the barons of Carmelid to pass judgment, and
they agreed, on condition that the king sits with them. While they were deliberating, the
barons of Brittany, reunited with Galehaut, wondered what they were going to do, if the
queen was condemned. Lancelot was silent, determined to die if the queen died. I will go
into exile, said Gauvain. I could not stay longer in the service of the king my uncle.
Monsignor Yvain and Keu the Seneschal made the same commitment, and after them the
kings and counts who were present. Galehaut took Lancelot aside: Companion, do not lose
hope, whatever the judgment. If the king condemns the queen to death, I will break my oath
of loyalty to challenge him. I will fight body to body against him or against any other
champion. No, lord, you cannot do that, The king would not forgive you, and it would be a
great pity if the war between two such great princes resumed. It is I who will assume this
battle. If the king hates me, it won't matter. Please, in the name of our friendship, let me
act! Ty consents, since it is your wish. But you will have to behave with caution, to avoid
blame. You are from the king's household and companion of the Round Table. You will
have to relinquish this honor before you stand up against the king's judgment. King Arthur
left the room where he had deliberated with the barons of Carmelid. At his request, Bertelai
le Vicux spoke, and said in a loud voice: Listen, lords barons of Brittany, the judgment lies
which we have rendered with the consent of our lord King Arthur. She who lived with the
king against the law of God and men will be condemned as you will hear. Her hair will be cut
off with the scalp, for she has worn the neck unduly. Her skin will also be cut off on the back
of her hands and on her two cheekbones, where she received the holy oil on the day of the
coronation.

So all what the coronation has wrongly sanctified will be cut off. After that, she will be
banished for all her life from the land of Brittany. A murmur of indignation ran through the
assembly of Breton barons. They wouldn't stay in a yard where that kind of justice was
done. But the tumult and the protests abruptly ceased as Lancelot advanced. He let fall
from his shoulders his rich silk cloak filled with ermine, and came to stand before the king.
Anger made his eyes sparkle. Lord, are you really the author of this judgment? Yes, of
course, but I did not do it alone. Lord, I have been a companion of the Round Table, and it
has been a great honor for me. But today I am leaving her, as well as the service of your
house. And why, my dear friend? Lord, as long as I am a companion of the Round Table, I
will not be able to support any cause against you. - And what cause do you want to support
against me? I declare that you have just provoked an unjust and unfair condemnation. I am
ready to provide proof of this by arms. I will fight you or any other knight, or even two or
three if need be. Lancelot, you are a valiant knight, it is true, but you cross the line when you
dare to protest against my verdict.

No one ever has had this audacity. Give up this madness and be my companion and my
friend again. But Lancelot remained steadfast. The barons of Carmélide, for their part, were
indignant that the sentence was being contested. They felt humiliated and offended
because Lancelot offered to face their three best knights alone. They accepted the
challenge and the king received their wages' and that of Lancelot, but reluctantly, because
he feared for him. He readily granted Galehaut's request, who insisted that the three knights
should be fought successively, as was customary in the land of Logres. The meeting was
therefore fixed at Bédigran, ten days later, at Pentecost. The Carmelite barons had carefully
chosen the three knights who were to fight: they were robust and in the prime of their lives.
Their fame was great in their country. On the day of Pentecote, they presented themselves
under the walls of Bédigran, where the combat was to take place. Galehaut and Gauvain
were keen to help Lancelot arm themselves. Galehaut himself laced his helm to him, and
Gauvain girded his own sword. The battle took place under the city walls. The rol sat in the
midst of its barons and the new queen was seated near a window.

As for Guinevere, For whom Lancelot was going to fight, she had climbed to the top of a
tower, in the company of a whole group of knights, and Keu the seneschal, who was to
guard her until the end of the fight. The king tried one last time to dissuade Lancelot from
fighting, because he cared very much for his friendship. He even offered to keep Guinevere
out of judgment. But Lancelot was adamant. In his impatience to see the battle begin, he
shouted to Gauvain: Lord, will that horn finally sound? Yes, right away, my friend. Galehaut
immediately sounded the horn. Lancelot wedged his spear under his armpit, covered
himself with his shield and, spurring his horse, rushed at full speed on the first of his three
adversaries. The shock was severe: the knight's lance was shattered. Lancelot's hit her
opponent's shield with such force that she split it in two. The iron pierced her body and
came out her back. The knight emptied the pommels and fell to the militia of the meadow.
His death having been declared, the horn was sounded a second time, and the next one
rushed. But Lancelot's spear struck him right in the middle of his shield. Under the violence
of the blow, the knight was thrown to the ground, and remained stunned for a moment.
Fearing to see his opponent come back on him on horseback, he protected himself with his
shield. But Lancelot would never have taken advantage of his advantage in this way. He
went to tie his steed to a tree and returned, sword in hand, to attack the other, who was in
the meantime raised. It rained redoubled blows, tearing the shield and hauberk to pieces.

Achieved of more than fourteen wounds, streaming with blood, the knight still resisted,
refusing to admit defeat. He finally backed away until he was under the tower where the
queen was standing. Lancelot looked up, and the sight rekindled in him a deadly hatred
against his adversary. With a blow of his sword, he opened his helm in half and slit open his
head up to his shoulders. echoed a third time and the third The knight stepped forward. He
had seen the fate of the previous two and understood Lancelot's worth. II the only way to
gain the advantage was to kill his opponent's horse on the first assault. This is what he did,
as soon as he was within reach. But Lancelot's blow caused him to empty his pommels, and
he flew over the rump of his horse, to find himself on the ground. It only remained to
compete with the sword. The two men fought furiously: the steel of the swords clashed
unceremoniously against the shields and the shrouds, which were soon in tatters. The
blades reached the flesh of the arms and shoulders, the water flowed over the green grass.
The fight lasted a long time and the sun was getting hotter and hotter. The knight, in spite of
his fierce defense, was beginning to exhaust himself under the blows of Lancelot, who did
not falter. Finally, his helm was torn from him and he tried to protect his head with his shield,
but he had no more chance against his opponent. Galehaut and other barons took pity on
this brave valier. They went to ask for his pardon from the roll.

I wish I could, in truth, said Arthur, but Lancelot is so angry with me that my prayer will only
hurt the knight, I'm afraid. - Yours, perhaps, but if the lady for whom he fights asks him, he
will not refuse. The third knight was thus saved, on the intervention of the queen.

Chapter 4: Guenièvre en Sorelois

The queen was saved from dishonor thanks to Lancelot, and the king could not help but set
her free. The judgment of the barons of Carmélide was annulled, to their great shame. As
for the other Guenie vre, she was in the throes of bitter grief. But Guinevere's fate was far
from being settled, for his sentence to exile was upheld. That same evening Galehaut went
to see her with Lancelot at the lodge of Monsignor Gauvain. There, he offered her the land
of Sorelois: - It is a beautiful kingdom, rich and full of pleasure. You cannot stay on the lands
of rol Arthur. In Sorelois, you will be safe, safe from the maneuvers of this new queen. The
queen thanked him warmly. However, it had to submit this proposal for approval of the king.

The next day, she went to find the latter coming out of the chapel, and falling on his knees
before him: Lord, I must leave these lands, since it is your desire, but I do not yet know
where to retire, I do not ask you, send me to a place where I can live in peace, having
nothing to fear from my enemies. Some are ready to offer me land, but I cannot accept
anything without your permission. The king replied that he would decide it with the council of
his barons. He therefore brings them together to have their opinion. Gauvain did not hide
his thought from him: Lord, you know it well, the queen is uninherited and expelled from you
at your sole decision. No fault was found against her. We have supported this injustice out
of respect for the will of our sovereign, but without approving it. I therefore advise you to
treat with dignity the one who was your companion. If you cannot keep it on your land, order
it to go to my father's land in Lconois, or to that of my cousin Yvain. But Bertelai the Old was
there to watch over the interests of the Demoiselle de Carmélide. He took the a king aside:
Lord, I saw my lady in her apartments. She heard that you wanted to retain Your concubine
by donating land to him. Know that if this girl must stay with you or one of Ms Vassaux, my
lady will die of sorrow.

This idea made the king turn pale He reassured Bertelai: I will not do anything to cause him
the least displeasure. The king returned to Gauvain. Dear nephew, Guinevere cannot
reside in the land or in that of one of my vassals, because he could guarantee his safety
there. However, I do not want her to give satisfaction to the one who is my legitimate wife: I
cannot therefore keep my concubine here, Since it is so, Lord, accept Galehaut's offer. He
is not your vassal, and intends to give the queen the land of Sorclois. The king approved
this proposal and submitted it to the barons. They gave their assent, more to please him
than out of conviction. The king then walked towards the galleries where Galchaut was
standing in the company of the queen. - My dear Galchaut, I have always appreciated your
friendship and your company. You offered to give Guinevere a rich and good land, where
she can live in peace. I would not have dared to ask for such a generous offer, but it is true
that it cannot remain on my domain or my fiefs'. You are not my vassal, but my friend and
my companion. I entrust her to you as to a friend. Keep her as your sister, please in the
name of our great friendship.

The king took Guinevere's hand and placed it in that of Galehaut. He had tears in his eyes,
and many knights were crying unrestrainedly. Gale- haut took the requested oath, and the
king withdrew. But that same evening, Gauvain came to find him to talk to him, like a man
concerned for the good of his lord. Lord, do not take what I am going to tell you in bad part,
for no one will know but you and me. Know this, you are blamed for your new marriage,
because it is believed that you did not do it to come out of sin, but to enter. I don't know
what will happen to it, but you have already lost a lot in this affair. The best knight in your
house has left you. By winning the judicial duel, he convinced you of disloyalty in front of all
your barons, This departure of Lancelot is a shame for the Round Table, because no one
has ever left it of his own free will, Know that, if you do not hold him back not, great
misfortunes may occur. My dear nephew, I want above all to retain Lancelot. If I had not
had such imity for him, I would not have endured the shame of seeing him contradict my
judgment, But despite this, I beg him to stay with us. I will offer him whatever he wants,
except to leave the new queen, You will join your prayers to mine. The king, the next day,
went with Gauvain and all his barons to the house of Galehaut, where Lancelot was. -
Lancelot, my friend, I have come to ask you to forget your resentment.

You did for me more than any other knight, and much more than I could conceal for you. For
the greater glory of my house and of chivalry, you have become a companion of the Round
Table. Out of anger against me, you renounced it, and I will never be consoled, Be in no rai
half of my kingdom. But Lancelot no longer wanted to be a part of the king's household, or
of anyone. Neither Arthur's prayers nor Gwain's prayers could change his resolve. The king
spent the night looking for a way to flex him. He made up his mind to go and ask Gueton,
companion, for his help, and I give you a fever. Lady, I know Lancelot loves you so much
that he cannot refuse you anything. You know that I care more than anything to have him as
a companion. Your prayers may have more effect than mine in holding him back. The
queen replied without showing any emotion, for she wanted above all to hide her love for
Lancelot: Lord, Lancelot showed his attachment to me by saving me from the cruel fate you
had reserved for me. He deserves all my gratitude and I would be remiss if I bother him by
making him do what he does not want. The king understood that it was useless to insist.
The hour was approaching when Galehaut was to leave with the queen. The king escorted
him, with Gauvain, for a few leagues, then the small troop left them to reach the Sorelois.

Galehaut installed him on his land and made him receive the homage 'of his vassals. The
Queen had complete confidence in him, and she addressed Lancelot in his presence: - My
friend, we are in a delicate situation. I am now separated from the king. Certainly, I am
innocent of what I have been accused of: I am indeed the daughter of King Leodagan of
Carmelid, and the legitimate wife of King Arthur, crowned and sacred as he himself was. But
I am not innocent of a sin he ignores: I shared the bed of a man other than him. No woman
in the world would have hesitated to commit this fault for the love of a knight like you, but sin
remains. That is why I ask you, in the name of our love, not to require anything of me except
kisses and hugs, while we are in this situation. When times are better, you can get anything
from me that you want. The queen thus lived more than two years in the land of Sorelois,
with the Lady of Malehaut, who never left her. She often received visits from Galehaut and
Lancelot, and their presence softened her exile. King Arthur, for his part, lived very happily
on his land. He loved his second wife even more than he loved the first.

The Pope of Rome, Informs that the king of Brittany had repudiated his informed ənb wife
without the consent of the Church, was indignant. He banned the kingdom and ordered it to
take back his first wife until his marriage was annulled by the Church. But the king observed
himself. This Guinevere, by dint of drinks and incantations, had put it entirely in her power.
He dared not contradict her in any way and took her with him in his every move, during
assemblies and hunts. She was hated by all the barons. This situation lasted for more than
two years. So the king was with her in Bédigran, an extraordinary event occurred. One
night the queen fell ill. She began to rot by the feet, and this gangrene ənb slowly rose
throughout the sound of which she lost the use, except for the eyes, * sdio) of the ears and
of the tongue. She gave off a foul odor that few could bear. That same night, Bertelai the
Old man suffered from the same illness. The king's pain was extreme. He was so anxious
about his wife's fate that he lost interest in everything else. Gauvain took him aside to
remonstrate with him: Lord, you are strongly blamed for fleeing the company of your barons
in this way.

You have to drive you as usual: a king must live among his people. -Dear nephew, you are
right, and you are giving me fair advice. As of tomorrow, we will go hunting in these woods.
The next day, the king went hunting with all his barons, showing the best possible face.
They pursued a wild boar which they killed around the hour of third. While he was being
butchered, the king dismounted, when suddenly a rooster crowed on his right. He realized
he was hungry and walked over there. He arrived at a hermitage where a man in a white
robe came to open the door for him, and he asked him if he could accommodate him and his
retinue. The holy man brought them in, and the king's servants came to light the fire and
prepare the provisions they had taken with them. Suddenly, while they were at table, the
king felt a pain so violent that it seemed to him that his heart was breaking in his chest. At
the cry he uttered, his knights turned their heads towards him and saw him vanish,
completely pale. Monsignor Gauvain took him in his arms, laid him down on a bench, livid
and inert, breathless or breathless.

They believed he was dead, but the king came out of his fainting and moaned: Ah! God,
confession '! They went to look for the hermit, who ran to him and asked him who he was.
Ah! lord, I am unhappy. My name is Arthur and I was King of Brittany. But I die miserably,
for I have done great harm to my kingdom and to my soul. Why did you make me come?
You are disloyal and perjury, Disloyal, because you left your wife for another. Perjury,
because you betrayed the faith and obedience you owed to the Holy Church. As long as you
are in this state, you have nothing to hope for. Lord, you are a priest. Receive my
confession and advise me. I recognize that I have wrongly separated from my wife and that
I am living with another woman against the law of God and the Church. I did not think I was
committing a sin when I took her: all the men of her kingdom were testifying for her. But I
have acted madly in rebelling against the will of the Holy Church. Advise me, whatever you
order, I will. Above all, you must submit to the authority of the Holy Church. If she orders
you to take back your first wife, you will obey.

So the king said his confession and received absolution dst of the holy man. He then
remained three days in the hermitage, where he rested, ate with a good appetite and
regained his strength. When it was time to leave, the king saw the hermit come to him.
Arthur, he told her, I know you much better than you think. I am Brother Amustan, and it is I
who once came from Carmelid to accompany Guenevere, the daughter of King Leodagan. I
have known her since childhood, and more than any man in the world I can know which one
is your real wife. I will therefore accompany you, despite my great age, to help you to make
truth and justice triumph. The king returned to Camaalot in the company of the hermit. The
next day a messenger arrived from Bedigran: the queen wanted to see him, for she was in
dire straits. The king went to ask Brother Amustan for advice. Dear master, what should I
do? I advise you to go see her, but with me. You will summon your barons, bishops and
archbishops', so that they come to Bédigran to know the truth. Your fault was public,
reparation must also be. When the king arrived at Bédigran, he went to his Temme. His
body gave off such a stench that Your spices and the incense that were constantly being
burned he could not hide it. She spoke with difficulty.

She was getting worse and worse and wanted to confess. The king left her alone with
Brother Amustan. and the hermit recommended Lady to him, you are in danger of death.
You must make a sincere confession, Do not hide any of your faults, past and present, if you
are to have any chance of saving your soul. Lord, I have been the most disloyal of women,
and the most sinful. I deceived and betrayed King Arthur, the best of princes. I made him
leave his rightful wife, who is the tower of all the ladies in the world. Today God takes
terrible vengeance for it, commensurate with my crimes. She recounted in detail, without
hiding anything of her faults, how she had carried out her betrayal, and asked the hermit
what she should do. Lady, here is my advice. You sinned against the king and against all
his people. You must admit your sin before the king and before all his people. Your soul will
be relieved. She agreed, and the king, with all his barons and bishops, could hear the story
of her betrayal. Bertelai the Old, before dying, also wanted to confess his crime, and the
part he had played with his lady. All the barons were amazed, and even more so the king.
He found it hard to understand how such a dark betrayal could have arisen in a woman's
heart. But all rejoiced that the truth was henceforth known and restored. Gauvain
immediately sent a messenger to the Sorelois, in order to inform the queen that her fate was
about to change.

It remained to determine the fate of the two culprits. The barons proposed that the king took
a resounding revenge, by keeping them quartered or burned on a stake. But Brother
Amustan intervened and advised to leave them to the punishment that God had inflicted on
them. The king followed this advice and sent them to an old hospital outside the city, where
they were to die three weeks before Christmas. The barons of Carmelide were summoned
and they were told the truth about the false Guinevere. She was still alive and she could
confirm it to them. They were seized with terror and feared that the queen wanted to take
revenge on them when she returned to Brittany. So they made the trip to the Sorelois to go
and shout thank you and throw themselves at his feet, But the queen was gentle and kind,
she ran to pick them up, weeping and forgave them. Soon the embassy of King Arthur
arrived in Sorelois. The reputation of his wife had been known all over the world, the
reparation must have been striking. He had therefore brought together the highest lords of
Brittany, ten kings and dukes, the archbishop of Canter and that of Wincestre, to send them
to the Kang queen. This one before agreeing to receive them, consulted Galehaut and
Lancelot. Should she accede to the king's request, who begged her to return as a legitimate
wife and queen? Lady, replied Lancelot, it is up to you to decide. But who could advise you
to refuse the honor of being Queen of Brittany and wife of King Arthur?

Even though our hearts feel out of sorrow at seeing you leave this earth, one cannot give
bad advice to your loved one. Galehaut did not speak otherwise: - Lady, no other answer is
possible, But know that nowhere will you have been loved more than in this kingdom.
Remember us, wherever you go. The queen was very moved. These men, most of them
faithful, advised her what she herself desired. She took them in her arms and kissed them
tenderly, then she went into the great hall to receive the king's ambassadors. The next day,
after bidding farewell to the people of Sorel, who were mourning the departure of such a
good lady, Queen Guinevere set out for Carduel. She was received there with the greatest
honor. One cannot describe the joy of the barons at the arrival of the queen, escorted by
Galehaut and Lancelot. More than any other, Gauvain let his joy burst out. As far as he saw
them, he ran to them with open arms to kiss them. But the moment had come to return
Guinevere solemnly to the king. Lancelot had stepped aside, in the grip of sad thoughts.
Galehaut took the queen by the hand, and, in front of the whole court, placed her in the
hands of the king. Lord, this is the lady you entrusted to me. I took care of her and kept her
as my knowledge, I can swear. The king thanked him, and the party was able to proceed as
planned, with the greatest pomp.

Only Lancelot did not take part in the general jubilation. The next day, he took the road to
Sorelois on his own. King Arthur was very unhappy with Lancelot's hatred. He went to beg
Galehaut and the queen to help him reconcile with him. They finally gave in to his prayers,
and Galehaut promised to come back with him at Easter, when his resentment was a little
calmed, Lancelot did come back at Easter, and the queen invited him to her rooms.
Lancelot, my dear friend, the time has come to reconcile you with the king. He wants to be
your friend again, and so do I. He will offer you whatever you want from his possessions.
But we both know that you already own the one asset that matters to you. However, you will
not immediately accept his offer. You will vigorously defend yourself from accepting. It is
only when Galehaut and I throw ourselves at your feet that you will give in. You, my lady, at
my feet? I will never stand it! It will be necessary, however. Do it for my sake, And so it
was. Lancelot reluctantly agreed to do his lady's will. He again became a member of the
king's household and a companion of the Round Table.

Fifth Part: Le Val Sans Retour

Chapter 1: L’enlèvement De Gauvain

That year King Arthur held a magnificent court at Pentecost. He wanted to celebrate the
presence of the reme, again by his side, as well as the return of Lancelot, who had resumed
his place among the Knights of the Round Table. From all the lands which depended on him
flowed barons and simple knights, ladies and young ladies. The banks of the Thames were
covered with ornate pavilions. On the eve of the feast, Monsignor Gauvain slipped away
from the Tent of Faith, in the company of Monsignor Yvain, the son of King Urien, Lancelot
and Calescalain. The latter, his first cousin, was a short, stocky, and valiant knight. The four
companions, Titssant Galehaut near the king, went to have fun in the meadows, then they
walked towards the forest.

De Varennes, very close, without taking any other company with them. They stopped in a
very pleasant clearing, in the shade of a large oak tree. While they were chatting. Here a
squire came up to them, mounted on a sweaty burrow. He stopped and considered them for
a moment, then walked away at a brisk pace. The four companions, astonished, were
wondering who he could be, when suddenly a great crash of nearby horses made them prick
up their ears. A very tall knight emerged into the clearing, escorted by the squire we had
seen previously. The latter shouted to him: Here is the traitor Gauvain! Immediately the
great knight threw spurs and rushed on Gwain, thinking to overthrow him. The latter made a
sideways movement and tried to grab him by the bridle. But the knight grabbed him
vigorously by both arms and hoisted him onto his horse's neck. The three companions ran
to hold him back, but the aggressor kicked his mount, knocking down Yvain, and ran off at a
full gallop. Still hugging Gauvain, he joined a group of about twenty armed knights. As
Lancelot wanted to rush after him, Monsignor Yvain grabbed him Friend, bravery is useless
here: we are disarmed. If we want to save our friend, l lade to be able to do so. This is what
I ask you: let's run to our tents and arm ourselves to say nothing to the king. We will pursue
them, until we find out what it is.

They agreed on this plan. Arrived at their accommodation, they were armed and climbed
into the saddle as discreetly as possible. Following the trail of the kidnappers of Gauvain,
they took a wide road, which led them to a crossroads. There their disapproval was great:
all roads had been trodden on horses. Monsignor Yvain said to his Jed Lords, I believe that
the wisest thing would be to separate us here, and that each one follow one of these paths.
So they separated, Lancelot taking the middle road, Yvain the left and Calescalain the right.

Chapter 2: La Quête De Calescalain

Calescalain rode without stopping until nightfall, and finally came out of the forest. It then
emerged into a vast plain. In the moonlight, saw a beautiful, well-fortified mansion and
called out loudly. The third time, a squire came out and asked him who he was. A foreign
knight, who really needs a lodging! Come in, in the name of God, and welcome to the
Manoir de la Blanche Tour. You will be very well accommodated there. He then guided him
to a mighty dungeon in the middle of the courtyard, and there he freed him of his weapons.
A very amiable young lady clothed him with a beautiful man- scarlet teau ', then returned to
the room from which she had been left.

Then came a very beautiful lady, escorted by forty knights and men-at-arms. She made him
sit down with her on a daybed and greeted him, asking him which country he was from. -
Lady, he replied, I am a knight of the kingdom of Logres and I belong to the household of
King Arthur. Lord, what is your name? Lady, they call me Calescalain, I am the son of the
king of Escavalon. At these words, the lady jumped for joy and threw her arms around his
neck, covering him with kisses: My God, be blessed, you sent me the man in the world that I
wanted to see the most! Calescalain was amazed, and she explained to him: Very dear
friend, it is right that I make you celebrate, because you are my first cousin! I am the
daughter of your aunt, Lady of Corbazan, who loved your father so much, and we were
brought up together in Escavalon. Calescalain was flabbergasted by these revelations. He
remembered her well, but as there had been no news of her since her marriage, he had
believed her dead. Beautiful cousin, this reunion fills me with Jole, Know that, if I had known
that you were alive, I would not have stopped coming to find you.

The lady then asked him where he was going, and why he walked thus fully armed on the
eve of a feast like Pentecost '. He told him how a great knight had kidnapped Monsignor
Gauvain, and how, with two other companions, he had undertaken to rescue him,
unbeknownst to the king and the rest of the court. He then described his stature and the
knight's armor. Lord, know that he has passed through these lands today, and I can assure
you that he is the most disloyal and cruel knight in the world. - And do you know his name?
Of course, it is Caradoc le Grand, the lord of the Painful Tour. He who could defeat him by
arms has not yet been born, so exceptional is his courage and physical strength. But his
heart ignores all mercy, and I can only advise you to cease his pursuit. - I know he is
extraordinarily strong, but I only want one thing to be able to face him in a closed field ?.
With God's help, no victory is impossible. Lord, he has taken the lives of many knights, and
if you face him, you will lose your mind.

You have embarked on a crazy enterprise, give up while there is still time. My dear cousin,
no need to try to talk me out of it. I would go mad if Gauvain were delivered by Lancelot and
Monsignor Yvain without my taking part. Instead, give me your advice, it would be very
useful to me. Lord, she said to him, weeping, I see that my prayers are useless. Go to bed
now, because you have to rebuild your strength. Tomorrow I will give you all the help I can.
At dawn, Calescalain woke up. He had thought for a long time about the fate of Monsignor
Gauvain before cousin, in tears, still insisted that he renounce his plan, but to no avail. She
therefore resigned herself to following his will. to fall asleep and he was burning to hit the
road again. Sa - Dear cousin, she said, I'll tell you how to act. When you leave here, I will
have my squire lead you, for it is difficult not to get lost on these paths. And do you know
what you'll find when you arrive at Caradoc Castle? It is powerfully fortified with three
enclosures, and the first gate is not easy to cross. Ten knights stand guard there, armed
from head to toe. When a knight errant shows up, he has to fight them all ten at once: it is
the bad custom of the castle. If they triumph over him, the unfortunate man tires his head,
no mercy is to be hoped for. Until now, no one has come out alive.

This is why you will avoid coming to this door, if you believe. Behind the fortress, walk along
the ditch at the foot of the walls, and you will see a low postern, and in front of it a plank that
spans the ditch, long and narrow. Take it carefully, because you will be heavily armed, then
enter through the postern. The first perimeter wall will thus be passed, and you will discover
two more. Once you have crossed the triple enclosure, you will find yourself in the most
beautiful garden that your eyes can contemplate. In the middle, a tower, where you will
enter without difficulty, and there, you will meet a very beautiful and very courteous young
lady whom I know well. Greet her for me, the lady of the White Tower, and tell her that I ask
her to help you in everything. As proof of these words, give her this ring, which she will
recognize, and be sure to tell her that you are my first cousin, the man I cherish most in the
world, now that my husband is dead. The lady then gave him a ring and he took leave of
her. But she wanted to accompany him to the edge of the forest, where she left him with her
squire. She left crying, for she was afraid she would not see him again.

Chapter 3: La Quête d’Yvain

Monsignor Yvain rode until the hour of vépres without finding any adventure, and ended up
arriving in a large valley. On the road which meandered along the river, he joined a litter
carried by two palfrois, and escorted by four squires mounted on solid brambles. Beside the
litter rode a young lady, who would have been very beautiful if only she had been more
cheerful. But she was plunged into sadness, for she was accompanying a knight suffering
from very serious wounds to the body and to the head, and her anguish was great.
Monsignor Yvain, as soon as he was up to her, greeted her, and she replied: "God bless
you", without ceasing to moan. Lady, asked Monsignor Yvain, who is he, this knight in the
litter, for whom you shed so many tears?
She replied sobbing: Ah, Lord, he is the being I love most in the world, and it is right that I
cry, for he is in danger of death, and I cannot find anyone who can help him. Will I be able
to see it with my own eyes? Do not seek to do it, lord, for no knight errant who has seen it
has taken from it anything but shame. Whether it be honor or shame, lady, I will not give up.
Whoever wants to see it must try to extract it from the chest where it is lying. Previously, he
is forced to swear that, if he succeeds, he will never stop avenging him on his attacker.
Know this, many good knights have tried and found themselves ashamed of their failure. He
will only be pulled from there by the best knight in the world. But if, under these conditions,
you agree to take the oath, I will leave it to you | - JIOA Since so many good knights have
attempted the enterprise, there is no question that I will shirk it. The young lady then
ordered the squires to put the litter on the ground, and Monsignor Yvain approached it. The
knight, seriously injured, moaned. Swords had severely slashed his forehead and shoulder,
but, much more seriously, a piece of a spear was stuck in his chest. After swearing, Yvain
took the knight in his arms and pulled him towards him, but he couldn't make him move with
sadness, he had to give up.

I was sure of it, intervened the young lady. No need to insist, lord knight. By God, lady, you
were right. I should have known that I was not the best knight in the world. How I would like
him to be here, the one I have just left! This is what you should do: take the path where I
came, and you can meet him. If a mortal man can be successful in this endeavor, I am sure
he will. With these words, Monsignor Yvain left the young lady and her escort, and
continued on his way. He had to find a shelter where his horse could be fed and cared for,
otherwise the animal would not be in good shape the next day. The road now skirted a
forest and he thought he heard the sound of a horn, coming from the depths of the thickets.
He stepped under cover and hurried in that direction. He heard it echo again with force five
or six times: the one who rang must be in great danger. He arrived in front of a bretèche
which defended the end of a drawbridge, thrown over a deep ditch. On the other side stood
a vast wooden house surrounded by a solid palisade. Inside the bretèche, people were
screaming and lamenting in great confusion. At the top stood a very young man: it was he
who had sounded the horn desperately. At the sight of Ivan fully armed, he guessed that he
was a knight and cried: Ah! noble knight, help, for the love of God! Yvain, raising his head,
asked him what was going on.

Lord, there is a great troop of bri here. gands who devastated my house and massacred my
men-at-arms. I think they killed my mother and I'm afraid they'll go after my sister to
dishonor her now. Monsignor Yvain spurred his horse and, fran. chopping the drawbridge
and the open door, tumbled down the middle of the courtyard. Four men were climbing a
ladder leaning against the wall of the main house. Inside, two robbers were holding a
struggling young girl, and they were trying to get her through the window to those on the
ladder. In the courtyard and outbuildings there were about fifteen pilasters, lightly armed
with breastplates and leather hats in the Welsh fashion. They were equipped with axes,
swords and bows. With one eye, Monsignor Yvain saw the situation. He rushed over to
those on the ladder, who were grabbing the girl, and struck the first of his spear so violently
that it pierced her body. Grabbing his sword, he struck one of the three on the head, which
he split in two with his hat. The other two dropped off the ladder to flee, terrified, across the
courtyard. He rushed straight at his and the others and began to cut off arms and heads,
everything that came within his reach. They, from a distance, fired arrows to kill his horse.
Here is my Lord Yvain on foot. Covering himself with his shield poul dnoɔ trying to protect
himself from the arrows which were raining down on him, he rushed again towards the
looters, sword drawn in hand.

None dared to face him, and they fled

stampeding across the yard. The young man, installed at the top of the bretèche, had drawn
a great bow, strong and solid, and was riddling them with arrows. It was a rout for the
brigands: the dead littered the ground. Only two of them were able to escape: jumping into
the ditch, they fled into the woods. The young man hurried down from the bretèche and
joined Yvain to celebrate him. The young lady they had wanted to kidnap was lying in the
courtyard, fainting with terror. They gently picked her up and brought her into the main
building. The lady of the castle, mother of the two young men, then left the room: she had
escaped a dreadful fate by throwing herself under a bed, and the brigands, in their haste to
plunder, had not found her. The young man introduced Yvain to his mother and sister.
Rejoice, for here is a good man whom God has sent to our aid. Desolation had changed to
jubilation. They didn't care if they lost their possessions, as long as the lady and her
daughter had been saved. This night. Monsignor Yvain had a Provided with a good horse
and showered with all the blessings, he set out again the next morning at the first hours. -

Chapter 4: La Quête De Lancelot

After separating from Calescalain and Yvon, Lance- lot rode for a long time without meeting
anyone. As the day was waning, he noticed that his path turned to get closer to the one
Yvain had taken. And indeed, the two came together. Lancelot then entered a large valley.
He saw, near a clump of trees, the small group formed by the litter and his escort. As soon
as he saw the young lady, he asked her who was the knight transported in this way, and she
gave him the same answers as before to Monsignor Yvain: she would only show him the
knight if he tried to remove it from the chest and swore to avenge him. Lancelot made the
required commitments and approached the safe.

He was seized with pity at the sight of the unfortunate man, wondering how he could live
with equally awful sores. He then took him in his arms as gently as possible and pulled him
out of the trunk without any difficulty. The knight sighed, and, looking at Lancelot: Lord,
blessed be the hour when your path crossed mine! Many good knights have tried to put an
end to my suffering, but to no avail. It is clear that you are the best of all. I wanted to go to
the court of King Arthur, but it is useless now, because I am well relieved of my pains. Dear
nephew, he said to one of his squires, return quickly to the castle with a companion, and
announce this news to my father and to my brother: it will rejoice in their hearts. This Lord
will accompany us there, for it is right that we do him honor and celebration. Then,
addressing Lancelot: Lord, it is time for you to stop. Please come to my castle. Nowhere will
you be better received, when mine will know that You have freed me. Lancelot agreed, and
the two squires immediately left to tell the castle the wonderful news. With the help of the
young lady, Lancelot swam the knight's stretcher: they made his bed soft with grass and
moss, which they covered with the fabrics which filled the litter. After that, they stretched
him out as conveniently as possible by spreading a sumptuous blanket over him. As for the
safe, they abandoned it in the middle of the road: the wounded man no longer wanted to see
it.
castle, where Their ride took them to the great feast awaited them. It was a very beautiful
castle of imposing dimensions, which dominated the Thames. It had been one of the liveliest
in the world and it was called the Gai Chateau. The master of the house, now of an
advanced age, was called Trahan the Gay, and he had been famous in his youth for his
playfulness and success with the ladies. He was the father of the Knight of the Litter, whose
name was Drian the Gay. He had a brother, Méliant le Gai, and both were renowned for
their prowess. At the entrance of the castle they were waiting for Méliant with all his men, to
escort them through the city. No sooner had he seen Lancelot than he rushed over to give
him great displays of joy, then he leaned over to his brother in the litter box, to kiss him and
ask him how he was, Lord, said Drian, I will. very well, thanks to the knight here, who
delivered me from this painful prison. You can cherish him more than anyone, for, please
God, he will avenge me. He wouldn't have delivered me if he hadn't been the best knight in
the world. They entered the city where the inhabitants were dancing for joy in the streets.
They broke off to run to meet Lancelot and cheer him on. Welcome to the good knight who
healed our young lord! At the castle, the father thanked him, weeping for joy; he had lost all
hope of seeing his recovery one day.

We ran to get this one out of the litter and Carry it to a comfortable daybed. As for Lancelot,
Méliant freed him himself of his weapons, then brought him back to the great hall. But the
more he looked at him, the more he felt like he had already met him. He ends up asking him
the question Lord, don't think I want to be indiscreet, but aren't you from King Arthur's
house? Certainly, I am one of them. Why this question ? - It seems to me, lord, that I have
already seen you. You look like that brand new knight who one day, in Camaalot, took from
the body of a wounded man the shackles that no one dared to remove. Certainly, and it has
brought me a lot of trouble and sorrow! And did you never know who that knight was? No
never ! But, because of him, I was imprisoned for a year and a half. There was no longer
any doubt for Méliant. It was him. He jumped on her neck, showing her all the joy possible.
Lord, be blessed among all the knights of the world! You are, I am sure, the one who
removed his shackles from the knight. You were dubbed the same day, and that was your
very first feat. Well, know that it is me that you freed! He then showed him the scar on his
head and the other two on his chest. Lord, he continued, we owe you our lives. my brother
and I.

Will you do me the honor and the friendship tell me your name? I want to know him more
than anything. Know that my name is Lancelot du Lac, and that there are very few knights to
whom I have revealed it. But enlighten me in your turn. Where did the terrible wounds
inflicted on you and your brother come from? The truth is that out of this forest there is a
knight, the most felon and the most cruel in the world. And he is also the tallest in height,
more than Galehaut, the son of the Giant, who is a good half a foot taller than King Arthur's
greatest knights. Its name is Caradoc le Grand, the lord of the Painful Tower. He had a
brother just as felon and disloyal as he, and it was this brother who inflicted my own sword
wounds, and between Caradoc and us a mortal hatred was born. Subsequently, he attacked
my brother Drian, who defended himself valiantly but could not resist his blows, so great is
his physical strength. Caradoc, after having thus wounded him, did not deign to kill him; he
preferred to let him live in despair and humiliation. He had him taken home and there his
mother locked him in the safe you saw. This chest was made by magic: only the best knight
in the world could, without damaging or breaking it, extract the wounded one. The magical
power of this come was such that never, as long as it was imprisoned there, its occupant
could neither die, he saw his wounds heal.

It was in this state that my unfortunate brother was transported and returned to gate of this
castle. We were so overwhelmed with their pain that we would have preferred to die. My
father fell into despair and it was then that my sister embarked on the painful quest you
know. It's been a year and a half since my brother dismounted, but I'm sure now, he will be
healed quickly, as quickly as me from the moment you took me off, Lancelot , from the
description that Méliant had given him, understood that this Caradoc was none other than
Gauvain's aggressor. He then revealed to him the reason for his trip: he was looking for it, in
the company of Calescalain and Monsignor Yvain, And how do you think of getting to the
end of Caradoc? Believe me, it won't be as easy as you imagine! At the very least, it would
require the intervention of King Arthur with all his army. And the victory would not be
acquired: its castle is very well fortified and its men numerous. I don't think a single knight is
capable of it, not two, not three, not even a hundred, Know that Caradoc is so proud that he
hopes for a confrontation with King Arthur in person. That's why he kidnapped Monsignor
Gauvain. He thinks thus of attracting to his castle the best knights of King Arthur and seizing
them, one after the other, In this way, the king. You see, the situation is serious, and it
would be Wise to renounce your plan. But whatever your choice, all our strengths are at
your disposal. I can't stop there, replied Lancelot.

Of the Knights older and more valiant than I are engaged in this quest, and they will not give
up on any prize. There is no question that I will shirk. I won't try to dissuade you any further.
If anyone can beat Caradoc, it's you. I think he will not die of another hand that We will
leave here Lancelot making plans of action, to return to Monsignor Gauvain, when he is
kidnapped.

Chapter 5: Gauvain En Prison

After barely a league, the great knight stopped. He stripped Gwain of all his clothes and had
him hoisted onto a hard trotting bramble, his feet tied under the belly of the animal. He then
delivered him to two cruel men at arms, equipped with whips, who made him advance by
giving him great blows on the sides and on the shoulders. Ruddy blood flowed all over his
body, staining red the bramble and the path he was following. Monsignor Gauvain endured
all this without a moan, but he was penetrated with pain at the thought of the shame that the
king would feel his uncle and his companions when they were wounded, he arrived at the
Painful Tower.

There, the felon handed him over to his disloyal mother, who exclaimed as soon as she
recognized him: Ah! Gauvain, I finally got you! You are going to pay for my brother Madras
the Black, whom you killed like a traitor that you are! Lady, I have never been a traitor for a
single day in my life! I offer to fight any knight, to prove my innocence. But the old woman
cared little about her protests. She shouted for the knights of the castle, who hastened to
run, for they feared her greatly. As long as Gwain the traitor lives, I will not have a day of
happiness! If you don't kill him, I will! She then rushed to grab a sword hanging from the
wall, and rushed like a madwoman to strike Gwain with it. But her son stopped her by
girding her with his arms, and he snatched the sword from her. Stop, lady! There is no
question of killing him; you would make my whole project fail. Believe me, death would be
sweeter to him than the fate I have in store for him: he will never get out of my prison, where
he will experience an excess of pain and shame. The mother ordered four sturdy men-at-
arms to seize Gauvain and lay him on a bed. There, with a poison of her own composition,
she enveloped all his wounds, then she had him transported to a dark and deep dungeon, all
infested with vermin. This dungeon had a narrow raised layer.

Below swarmed the vermin, toads and snakes which made a terrible uproar and spread an
abominable stench. The unfortunate man who would have fallen in the middle was lost. The
first night was atrocious. The bed was only covered with a little hard, spicy fodder, and the
very thin blanket did not protect Gauvain from the cold and icy humidity which fell from the
stone vault. But the worst to endure was the noise and the tumult of the snakes which,
below him, tried to assault his bed. The knight could not close his eye, and his agitation only
aggravated the condition of his infected wounds. His arms and legs were swollen, swollen
beneath! poison, and his head was spinning from lack of food and sleep. There was a very
beautiful young lady in the house, whom Caradoc loved madly. But she hated him above all,
because he had kidnapped her by killing her friend, a valiant knight whom she loved with all
her heart. So she hated him in secret. This young girl had previously been the follower of
the Lady of the Blanche Tour, Calescalain's cousin. She was the wise and courteous effect,
but could not console herself for the loss of her friend, If she had not been closely watched,
she would have fled, but the constant presence of knights and men at arms met had to do it
impossible. One fine day, she was picking flowers in the little garden at the foot of the keep,
near the dungeon where Gauvain was locked up. A narrow window, giving to the rear of the
tower, indeed provided a meager glow to the prisoner.

Hearing sighs and moans, the young lady approached. An unfortunate man complained of
his great sufferings: Ah! God, how did I deserve such a shameful fate and such a vile
death? Ah! noble King Arthur, my dear uncle, if you saw the evils I endure! Lancelot, my
companion, I am sure you would be here soon, if only you knew where I am! The young girl
understood that the captive was Monsignor Gauvain in person, whose valor and courtesy
she had heard so much about. She called him softly by name, and the prisoner answered
weakly Who is it, Lord God? I am a friend, and I know that you are the one who never
refused his help to the ladies and the young ladies. Ah! lady, who are you? She then told
him her story and asked him how she could help her. Lady, my wounds are worse and my
limbs are all gone. But what worries me the most is the relentless onslaught of snakes and
other snakes that pester me. Get me a stick to relax, this is the greatest favor you can do for
me. - In the name of Dicu, you will have it, and also an ointment 'to eliminate the poison
from your wounds.

Immediately she returned to her room in the tower, and took a small box from a box. Then
she grabbed a long pole for hanging clothes and threw it out the window as discreetly as
possible. She went back down to the garden, being careful not to be seen, and retrieved the
pole. She tied the box of ointment to the end and passed it through the window to
Monsignor Gauvain. Quickly take this box and pass this ointment all over your body. As for
the pole, break it into several sections to defend yourself. But above all, not a word to
anyone! I would be lost, and so would you, if anyone found out what I did. Monscigneur
Gauvain followed all his advice and was relieved. As for her, she went back to her tower,
wondering how she could improve her lot. She remembered a recipe that she had learned
one day from Caradoc's mother, that disloyal old woman. It was a kind of bread that no one
could eat without dying immediately. Calling for a servant, she made her fetch a good
measure of flour, enough to make bread for ten knights. Then she went to pick some grass
in the garden, the juice of which she mixed with the dough after having kneaded it. After in
small pieces on a white tablecloth. She went back down to the garden without being seen,
approached the window and threw a third of the bread into the bottom of the Dungeon.

When the snakes smelled of bread hot, they rushed into a roar of whistling and swallowed
him in the blink of an eye. She tossed the rest to them. When their stomachs were full, the
warmth of the bread and the virtue of the herbs clashed with the cold venom of the snakes,
and the horrible beasts instantly died. A terrible stench arose from it, and Monsignor
Gauvain would have suffocated from it without the delicious scent of the ointment with which
he had coated himself. The young lady had heard with satisfaction all this turmoil. She
returned to her room, thinking of a way to provide the prisoner with some food, for he was
very weak. At nightfall, she slipped out of the tower with everything she could find to eat,
carefully packed. She tied a rope to the end of a very long spear she had stolen from the
weapon room, and to the end of the rope she tied the packed food. Thereafter, Gauvain did
not run out of food, because she often repeated her operation. She also gave him clothes
and a blanket. She even imagined a way to rid him of the stench of vermin, which rotted on
the ground, with a fire of brimstone and incense. It was under these conditions that
Monsignor Gauvan lived in prison. Every day, the young lady came to talk to him and give
him the help he needed. Through her ointments, she managed to cure his aches, and his
health improved day by day.

He had not more to suffer than the confinement that was imposed on him. We will leave him
here to return to King Arthur, installed with all his court in the meadows of London, on the
banks of the Thames.

Chapter 6: À La Cour D’Arthur

It was the eve of Pentecost, and in the late afternoon King Arthur had heard vespers with
Galehaut. He left his tent with him to find the other knights and they were astonished not to
see Monsignor Gauvain. Nobody knew how to tell them the news, no more than Lancelot,
Yvain or Calescalain. Galehaut did not want to stop there. He went to their camp but no
one around them could tell him more. However, he hid his concerns from the king, because
the next day was to take place an important event: it was the day fixed for the dubbing of
Lionel, Lancelot's cousin. The ceremony went as planned, and the new knight distinguished
himself in the tournament that followed.

But neither the king, nor Galehaut, nor the knights of the court did not really have the heart
to these celebrations. Monsignor Gauvain had never been absent without cause at a great
feast like that of Pentecost. As for Lancelot, how could he fail his cousin on the day of his
dubbing? The afternoon was drawing to a close when a knight arrived with a fine crew. It
was Méliant le Gai, who had left Lancelot after accompanying him for some time on his way.
This one wanted to find Yvain and Calescalain, to try with them an action against Caradoc.
Lord, said Méliant to the king, I have to bring Lancelot's greeting to you, to you and to all
your court. The king shuddered with joy at these words. Taking Méliant in his arms, he
begged him to tell everything he knew. The news was told to Galehaut, who was standing in
his tent, all in distress. Hopping to his feet, he rushed to the king's house, fast enough to
hear Méliant's account of how Lancelot had freed his brother from the safe that imprisoned
him. And Monsignor Gauvain, said the king, do we know anything about him? Alas, lord, he
is in the hands of Caradoc, a formidable and disloyal knight in the extreme. Lancelot set out
to find him, with Monsignor Yvain and Calescalain, if he manages to find them. The king's
joy at having news quickly turned into affliction, for the fate of Gauvain and his companions
could give rise to the worst concerns. He was very afraid he'd lost them forever, if the
kidnapper was so disloyal as Méliant had told him.

Galehaut was even more overwhelmed: to the misfortune of Gauvain was added the anguish
at the risks that Lancelot was going to take. The queen was summoned to let her know of
this news. Lady, said the King to her, we have heard from Gauvain and Lancelot. And he
told her everything he knew. Seeing that tears had come to his eyes. the king comforted
her, for he knew her affection for her nephew: Do not be afraid, we will find him. But, by
God, Lancelot also deserves your affliction, for he has served you better than anyone. But
the queen was upset. Fearing to show an excess of pain, she fled to her apartments, in
such agitation that no one could say anything about it. Galehaut, seeing her confusion,
followed her and found her lying unconscious on a bed. The Lady of Malehaut was near her,
very distressed. He gently took the queen in his arms and she finally came to her senses.
But it was only sorrow to start his complaints again. Galehaut came back to the king in grief.
They consulted each other on the course to be taken, and decided that the two would set out
the next day at the head of their troops, to free Monsignor Gauvain. We took the advice of
Méliant le Gai, who gave them these advice: - Be careful not to cross the forest with your
troops. It is easy to get lost in it, and it abounds in strange adventures.

As for the land of Caradoc, it is full of defiles, deep forests and swamps, and your people
would suffer great damage there. Instead, cross the Thames and walk along the forest. I
will lead you myself in five days by a safe route. The king and Galehaut agreed to follow this
advice. They summoned their troops and set out the next morning, guided by Méliant. We
will stop talking about them to come back to Calescalain.

Chapter 7: Calescalain Au Val Sans Retour

Calescalain had left the Château de la Blanche Tour in the company of his cousin's squire.
He rode like this for several days without encountering any adventure worth telling. But one
afternoon, as he walked through a very dark forest, his companion began to show signs of
concern: Lord, we have just entered the wildest and most dangerous part. of this forest,
called the Malaventureuse Forest. And do you know what this path is called? The Devil's
Path. These names are justified, because most of the knights errant who have ventured
there have encountered nothing but shame and misfortune. Many never returned. You'd
better turn around and head back to the Blanche Tour. -

Never, said Calescalain, will I turn around by a perilous adventure. Rather die in fear of
honor than save my life by dodging danger! Night was beginning to fall. The squire saw a
clearing on his Cuche, with cows and sheep grazing. Lord, he proposed, it is time to take
shelter. If you want, I'll go and ask these shepherds if they know a place to spend the night.
very belonged to a vavasseur of a great age, who lived in a beautiful mansion nearby and
gladly lodged the knights errant. Calescalain and the squire were therefore taken there and
very well received. As they chatted with their host after the meal, Calescalain revealed to
the latter that he was trying to reach the Painful Tower. By God, said the vavasseur, you are
going to have to cross very perilous places. Beware of the treacherous adventures they
conceal. Very close to here, there is one that I advise you in particular to avoid, because no
one has ever been able to carry it out, which manor house will lead you to a wide, deep
valley. No knight, for a very long time, has never emerged from it. The reason for this
strangeness, I cannot tell You, but here is how to avoid falling into his prowess. The path
that starts from this ənb this trap. When you get above this valley you will find a chapel
called the Chapelle de Morgane. There the path splits into two lanes. The one on the right
will lead you to the Painful Tour.

For Heaven's sake, be careful not to take the left lane, which leads to the valley called the
Vale of No Return, because no knight has ever returned. But I could not advise you more to
go to the Sorrowful Tower, because no one enters without being killed. This is why the
wisest thing would be to give up all these follies, and to retrace your steps. My dear host,
said Calescalain, it is not for pleasure that I have undertaken this journey. To turn around
would be cowardice that would cover me with shame, I see that my advice is useless. Go
then, and may God protect you from all evil. After a good night's sleep, Calescalain got up
as soon as it was daylight, and put on the weapons his squire brought him. house and
started on the indicated path. They rode thus until about the hour of none, and arrived at the
Chapel of Morgane, where the road split in two. The first lane turned right towards a vast
moor. The second, on the left, led to the entrance to the valley. Arrived at the chapel, the
squire, who was going in front, pulled on his reins and said Lord, here is the perilous valley
that the vavasseur told you about. Have mercy on yourself, for if you enter it you are lost! In
this case, I will not follow you, because my lady has given me the mission of leading you to
the Sorrowful Tower, and this is where the right lane leads. No way to take it, replied
Calesca- lain. I would be accused of cowardice.

Lord, I won't say a word to anyone! I will gladly believe you, but I will know it! When the
time comes to relate my adventures to King Arthur's court, or I will speak the truth. I will be
obliged to confess that I wanted to avoid this adventure, and the dishonor will be on me. No,
I'll go as far as I can go! You wait for me here awhile to see what happens to me. If I don't
come back, you will go back to my cousin to inform her of the events. The young man swore
that he would wait for him as long as he needed, and the knight took the path to the left,
which led down to the valley. perjury, This Vale was called Vale of No Return, because no
knight returned from it, and also Vale of the Infernal Lovers, because it retained all the
knights who had been unfaithful to their friends, even only in thought. This was the origin of
the vale. Morgan, the sister of King Arthur, was, more than any other woman, skilled in
charms and enchantments. She had learned them from the wizard Merlin, then she had left
the court to live in the deep and distant forests, where she devoted herself to magic. In her
youth, she had fallen madly in love with a knight named Guyomar, cousin of Queen
Guinevere. But she caught them in the act and banished her cousin. From that day on,
Morgana hated her to death. She fled from the court to find Guyomar, but he had fallen in
love with another young girl, of great beauty.
However, he did not dare to frequent her openly, because he feared Morgana's anger and
jealousy. One day he managed to get away with the young girl, and they came to unite in
this valley, which was one of the most charming places on earth. They were denounced to
Morgana, who caught them in flagrante delicto. She thought she was going mad with pain
and struck the vale with an enchantment: no knight who came there could ever come out if
he had committed the slightest fault, even in thought, towards his friend. And all the knights
would remain imprisoned there until the day when he came who would be free from all
infidelity, in deed, in thought or in desire. Guyomar, she held him back without him ever
being able to leave the valley, but the young girl he loved met a terrible fate: she threw her in
a prison where she left her to die of hunger and cold. For seventeen years, no knight had
entered the Vale of No Return without being detained there. The enchantments had to end
if an irreproachable lover presented itself, but Morgana was sure that none existed. She
was sure that she would keep her friend in prison forever. The valley was wide and deep,
and surrounded on either side by high hills. A verdant and always fresh grass covered it,
and just in the middle of it a clear fountain spouted. A large stone path crossed it from end
to end, but it was futile to try to get out, for it was perfectly enclosed by a wall of air built by
magic. The prison was not too painful, for the knights, lodged in beautiful houses, had to eat
and drink at will and had all kinds of entertainment, backgammon and chess, dances and
rounds, hurdy-gurdy or harp concerts.

But melancholy plagued many of them, and some had died without being able to regain their
freedom. On the day Calescalain arrived there, the number of imprisoned knights was two
hundred and fifty-three. Calescalain, having left his squire in the chapel, began to descend
the hill by the steep path. But fearing that his horse might stumble, he preferred to dismount.
He thus arrived at the bottom and there he saw only a sort of thick mist which surrounded
the middle of the valley: it was the wall of air. Climbing back into the saddle, he climbed
through the haze and reached what seemed to be houses. There he found himself and
noticed that he could no longer distinguish the place by which he had entered. Surprised by
this prodigy, he looked around him: he had the impression of having, on the right as on the
left, high walls which prevented him from slanting or turning around. Forced to advance, he
came to a narrow door, so low that he could not have engaged his horse. He dismounted,
abandoned his mount and made up his mind to go through the door, shielding his head with
his shield, and sword in hand.

He took it well, because at the end of the long and narrow passage, he emerged into a small
room where there were two dragons vomiting by the mouth of sprays of fire and flame. The
two ferocious beasts were tied by the neck to chains sealed in the two opposite walls. You
had to go between the two to be able to continue on your way. The knight glanced behind
him: the door had closed. He had no choice but to face the two beasts. They threw
themselves at him with fury, one splitting his shield with its claws, the other tearing his
hauberk. Calescalain, seriously injured, hit them wherever he could, but to no great effect, it
seemed. I managed to cross the space of the room, however, and left them there, licking
the blood from their wounds. went through another door and, coming out of the building, he
knocked violently inoued. II came to a rapid and noisy stream. The only way to cross it was
a long, narrow and insecure plank. He approached it and, when it was time to set foot on it,
he saw on the other side two fully armed knights, the shield in front of their faces. One
wielded a spear, the other a drawn sword. Calesca- lain understood that the fight would be
very unequal: those who defended the bridge would be on dry land, and he on a plank, in
great danger of falling into the water, black and swift as the river of hell. There was no
question of backing down, however. He walked to the middle of the plank, not without
trembling at the thought of the rumbling water below him. What had to happen happened:
the spear struck him right in the middle of the body, and he still had time to receive a sword
blow on his helm, before falling into the swirling water.

Rolled by the waves, he was sure to drown. He was already half-unconscious, when it
seemed to him that he was being pulled out of the water by means of iron hooks, When he
opened his eyes again, he was in a vast meadow. He felt that his weapons were being
taken away from him, but his weakness was such that he could not defend himself. He was
thus brought into a beautiful garden where many knights stood. They comforted him as best
they could: they took pity on him and cursed the bad custom of the place. When he was a
little recovered, the others asked him who he was. Having learned that he was of the
household of King Arthur, several knights also named themselves. They were Knights of the
Round Table who were thought to be long dead. We will now leave the Valley of No Return
to return to Lancelot, who has just left the Gai Château.

Chapter 8: Lancelot Au Val Sans Retour

Lancelot had barely traveled a few leagues when he saw a knight on the road. It was
Monsignor Yvain. They told each other about their adventures and decided to travel
together. The fate of Monsignor Gauvain worried them a lot and they also wondered what
had become of Calescalain. Towards the hour of none, they met a demot- sella whom they
greeted. Monsignor Yvain asked her if she knew the way to the Painful Tower. 'I don't
think,' she replied, 'that either of you is bold enough to go as far as the tower, let alone enter
it. And why then, retorted Lancelot, should we not be bold enough?

Because so many perils would threaten you that any would lose heart. Lancelot exclaimed:
Lady, show us the road, and you will see if we dare to follow it! The young lady was very
happy with his answer, for she had spoken thus only to test him. She therefore suggested
that the two knights accompany them to the Doulourcuse Tour. In the evening, they arrived
at the vavasseur who had already lodged Calescalain. The news the old lord gave them
was disturbing. He was afraid, he told them, that their friend had set out on the road to the
Vale of No Return. The next morning, Lancelot, Yvain and the young lady set off. They
arrived in the afternoon at the Chapelle de Morgane, where they found Calescalain's squire,
who was still awaiting his master in the greatest anguish. He told them how he had left him,
to enter the valley from which no one had ever returned. He worried: What are you going to
do, dear lords? Are you going to go your way without worrying about him? By God, replied
Lancelot, there is no question of abandoning it! We will follow in his footsteps and see why
no knight can get out of this vale. So all three of them took the left path. When they arrived
at the entrance to the wall of air, where it was necessary to cross the mist, the young lady
exclaimed: Lords, you just have to decide which of you two will take the adventure.

Monsignor Yvain took a step forward. Wait for me there. If I don't come back in some time,
you'll know I haven't been happier than the other knights. Lancelot, not daring to oppose
what his companion demanded, therefore remained with the young lady. But my Lord Yvain
met the same fate as Calescalain, and found himself prisoner with him and all the others.
After a long time of waiting, the young girl turned to Lancelot: Well, noble knight, it is now
your turn to face the adventure. But my heart tells me that it is you who will put an end to the
evil customs of this vale. However, do not rely on your prowess to pass the test. Very
valiant knights have failed at this, for it is another quality that is required. And what quality
are you talking about? I'll explain it to you. You will not leave this place if, in your whole life,
you have committed the slightest infidelity towards your friend, in thought or in deed.
Lancelot laughed happily. - And if there was a knight who was pure from all infidelity, what
would happen? Well, know that he would have delivered all those who have been prisoners
of this vale for seventeen years.

But I don't believe that a knight capable of loving with unfailing loyalty has ever been born!
We will see what it is. Come, now! He boldly joined in and she followed him
apprehensively. He made it to the two dragons, after leaving his horse outside. Darting
towards the first, he struck it between the two eyes, but the sword rebounded without cutting
into the scales of the beast. Annoyed, he put it back in the scabbard and, raising his shield,
tried to protect himself from the flames that the dragon was spewing. But already the
second was leaping on him, tying his claws in his shield. The beast was thus immobilized,
and Lancelot was able, with both hands, to seize it by the neck, which he squeezed in an
embrace so powerful that it broke its vertebrae. Having thus got rid of it, he was able to
return to the first dragon, which he triumphed in the same way. Having recovered his crown,
Lancelot continued on his way, still followed by the young lady, and reached the stream.
Advancing towards the plank, he asked the two knights defending the bridge if this passage
was forbidden to him. As he got no answer, he put his right foot forward, then his left, and
thus walked with small steps as on a path, with confidence and lightness. When he reached
the middle of the plank, he saw the knight point his lance, ready to strike him full in the body.
He interposed his shield, and the spear fell into it.

He had no trouble then. balance his opponent, who fell into the river, with the only trophy
the ecu pierced at the end of his lance. He still had to face the second. Climbing the second
half of the plank, he joined him on the shore and assailed him with such violence, raining
blows on his helm, that he forced him to beg for mercy. Still in the company of the young
lady, he continued on his way and arrived at a palace, but there he had to stop: a wall of fire
barred his way. Baffled, he did not know what to do. But the young girl called out to him:
For the love of God, Lord knight, remember the ring which was once entrusted to you!
Lancelot took off his left gauntlet and observed the ring the Lady of the Lake had given him.
In front of him there was nothing of the curtain of flame that had stopped him. The
enchantment had dissipated. But as he continued to advance through the palace, a
attendant, who had observed everything through a window, ran to tell her mistress,
Morgana: Lady, I bring you some very strange news! wait ! What news ? Don't make me
lady, all the enchantments have dissipated, the walls of the vale no longer exist, and you can
see coming towards this castle more than a hundred knights who were prisoners. - And how
did it happen? Who did this ? Lady, it is a knight who has accomplished today's
extraordinary feats, He is the best knight in the world, and also the most loyal in love!

Cursed be it! Morgana said. No knight could hurt me more, for he thus delivered my friend,
whom I was keeping with me in this valley. But Lancelot entered the room, still followed by
his young lady, and Morgane was obliged to put on a good face and show the liveliest joy to
welcome them. Behind them arrived the freed knights: they came running to celebrate the
one who had rescued them from a painful prison. Among them were Calescalain and
Monsignor Yvain, who rushed with outstretched arms to their companion. The joy was
general and the knights hastened to ask them who was their savior. But it is Lancelot du
Lac, the son of King Ban de Bénoïc, the best knight in the world! When Morgana heard it
was Lancelot, her heart quivered with hatred. By nigromance ', by reading in the stars, she
had indeed learned the queen's love for Lancelot, More than any woman in the world, she
hated Guinevere, who had separated her from her lover Guyomar. She thought that she
finally had, with Lancelot, the means of tormenting the queen, and of losing her in the mind
of King Arthur.

That evening, however, Morgana had a great feast prepared in their honor and solemnly
promised that all the knights present would leave when they wanted. She therefore invited
everyone to stay at the palace for the night and had beds prepared. After which she
pretended to go to bed. When she thought that Lancelot was asleep, she entered her room
and slipped under her head a pillow stuffed with magical herbs, which had the power to
plunge anyone who lay there into the deepest sleep. She had it laid on a quilt by four of her
men-at-arms, who carried it outside. They placed him in a litter, which they loaded onto
horses, and set off at a brisk pace. Morgane accompanied them. They thus traveled a great
distance through the forest, to a rich estate where she had a castle. In the morning, she
took him down to a deep dungeon where she abandoned him. Meanwhile, the knights had
awakened. What was their amazement when they found themselves in the middle of the
valley! But when Calesca- lain and Monsignor Yvain noticed the absence of Lancelot, then
that of Morgane, their anxiety was at its height. They therefore equipped themselves,
overwhelmed. The young lady who had led Lancelot, just as distressed as they were,
accompanied them. How, said Monsignor Yvain, will we manage to free Gauvain without the
help of the best of us? - - What to do ? We don't know where it is!

However, if these knights here present wanted to join us, our chances of success would
increase. They all agreed with Calescalain's proposition. Determined to die, if necessary, to
free Gauvain, they headed for the Painful Tower.

Chapter 9: Lancelot Et Morgane

When Lancelot awoke he saw himself in a dark and hideous place. Where was he ? The
Valley of the Unfaithful Lovers, the deliverance of Calescalain and Yvain, was it all just a
dream? He called his friends, but no one answered. After letting him torment himself for a
while, Morgana came to him and called him by name: Lancelot, you are now my prisoner.
You are going to have to follow my will. Lady, how did I deserve this infamous fate? And my
companions, what became of them? They are safe and sound, I let them go, as had been
fixed. And you yourself, if you agree to obey me, I will set you free. But if you refuse, you
will stay in this prison for a long time.

Ah! lady, don't keep me here, because if my Lord Gauvain was delivered without my taking
Dart, I would die of shame! If there is a way to flex you, I'll be happy to do whatever you
want. Good for you, because I will not ask you for anything impossible. Swear to me to
answer all my questions truthfully. Only the truth will come out of my mouth, but I cannot
swear to answer. Well, I want to get what you refused to tell the Lady of Malehaut. You
have to reveal who you love with love. Lady, no one in the world has been dear enough to
me for me to tell her this confidence. If it is true that I love, no one will know it from me.
However, you will have to go through it! I swear to God, it won't be. You will be able to use
all the enchantments of Merlin there, I will not say a word about it. Morgan saw that he was
furious. Laughing, she said to him: Well, you'll never get out of this pri- - - Alright, so I won't.
She realized she wouldn't get anywhere this way. I could, she said, let you go to the aid of
my Lord Gauvain, but on one condition: once you are done, you will come back to my prison,
without telling anyone where you are going. You would leave this ring to me as a pledge
that I see on your right hand.

Lady, I will give you by oath all the assurances you need. But this ring will only leave my
finger with life. This was what Morgana suspected: the ring was a gift from the queen. And
indeed, it was indeed the one Guinevere had given him the day she had bestowed her love
on him. Come on, resumed Morgane, I will let you go if you swear to me to come back
immediately, Monseigneur Gauvan freed, by you or by another. Lancelot took the required
oath and got him out of jail. She had to force him to eat, he was so impatient to get going.
She made him prepare a horse, give him new weapons, and told him at the time of
departure Dear lord, I would like to entrust you with one of my young ladies. You would
ensure her protection and she could guide you to the Painful Tower. She will tell you when
you have to come back. It was impossible to refuse, and Morgane entrusted him with the
most beautiful young lady in her suite. But aside, she whispered in his ear for a moment,
before letting her climb into the saddle. Lancelot and the young girl set off on the road to the
Painful Tour. After a few leagues, the young lady. tions of his lady. She tried to get him to
talk about various subjects, giving him the best she could.

Laughing and bantering, she tried to excite him by all means: she untied her wimple to show
him her face and her hair. She even sang him Breton and French refrains, in her clear and
melodious voice. Noticing a particularly pleasant clearing, she proposed to him: Come on,
lord knight, would it not be very foolish, the one who would pass here in the company of a
beautiful young lady without stopping at leisure? She provoked him as much as she could,
but he remained insensitive to her advances. Far from being charmed, he was so annoyed
that he could not glance at her. In the end, it was impossible for her to remain silent:
Demoiselle, are you speaking calmly? Come, Lord, it is quite natural for a knight, if he is
handsome, valiant and wise, to pray to a young lady for love when they are alone! If he
does not, perhaps out of fear, the young lady can call him to order and beg him to satisfy his
wishes. And if he refuses, I think he must become an object of shame and mockery in all the
courts around the world. For this reason, I urge you to dismount. See, the place is appalling
and convenient, and if you don't make love to me, I won't follow you any further, and I'll
ridicule you wherever I go. By God, I did not know that a young girl could speak aussi freely.
For me, she only disgraces herself when she addresses a foreign knight with ropos that he
would not even dare to give her!

But in me, I'm sure you're not serious sly, and that you do so only to test me. And indeed,
the young girl had no other mission. Laughing from the shelter of her wimple, she set off
again. They rode for a long time without talking, until nightfall. They then entered a vast and
beautiful moor, and distinguished, in the light of the moon, a luxurious and magnificent
pavilion, It is my lady's pavilion, said the young lady. She had it drawn up for us. The
servants hastened to disarm the knight, then prepared a sumptuous meal. When they had
recovered, the young girl led Lancelot to a bed, the most sumptuous one had ever seen.
Fine sheets, silk pillows, an embroidered quilt adorned with precious stones, nothing was
lacking in this bed, all impregnated with the sweetest perfumes. In another corner of the
room had been made another bed, but small and poor compared to the first. The young lady
ordered Lancelot to undress and take off her shoes, then to go to bed in the big bed. And
you, young lady, where will you sleep? Don't worry about it. Then she left him to go and
have the servants and squires sleep in the outbuildings around the pavilion. When she
returned, Lancelot had gone to bed, but he had taken his precautions: he had kept his
breeches and his shirt.

The pavilion was lit by two large candles placed on a safe. Having moved them away by
putting them on the ground, the young lady went to remove her dress to keep only her shirt.
Then she approached the bed, lifted the sheets to slip inside, and tried to hug him. Lancelot
jumped out of bed. Ah, young lady, you have lost all modesty! Never have we seen a young
girl wanting to take a knight by force! Cowardly and disloyal, that is what you are! You
boast of freeing Monsignor Gauvain, and a young lady all alone puts you to flight. No knight
has called me a coward without my defending myself! Well, we'll see how you defend
yourself. With those words, she rushed at him, thinking to take him by the neck. But she
missed him and her hand slipped into the neck of his shirt. Lancelot, red with shame, seized
her by the two arms, and slaying her as little as possible. Promise me, he said, to give up
sleeping with me. But the girl was cunning. She pretended to faint, and when the knight
released his grip to try to examine her, she took the opportunity to put her lips forward and
give him a kiss. Furious, he pushed her away, spitting in disgust, and, seeing that she did
not give up.

Not sure, he left the pavilion. She pursued him, shouting: Come back, lord knight! You no
longer have to guard against me. I will not pursue a coward any more, a disloyal who shies
away at the request of a young lady! So is it loyalty, to comply with the goodwill of the young
ladies? Yes, definitely. May God exempt me from this loyalty! And why ? Am I not
beautiful enough to | you? That is not the question. I am loved by a lady so beautiful, so
good and so loyal, that I am incapable of deceiving her, neither in my heart nor in my Be
henceforth carefree, knight, I will let you rest in peace. You are the most loyal friend and the
best knight in the world. If I tormented you, it was to put you to the test, and to obey my
lady's wishes. I'm afraid I have attracted your hatred, and I beg you to forgive me. She then
fell at his feet and Lancelot picked her up. They both returned to the lodge, where each lay
down in a bed and slept until daylight.

Chapter 10: La Libération De Gauvain

The next day, Lancelot arrived with the young lady near the Painful Tower, where they found
Monsignor Yvain, Calescalain and all those who had been freed from the Vale of No Return.
One can imagine the joy that they manifested themselves. The squire who had
accompanied Calescalain joined them and explained the latest events to them. Caradoc
had set out, with two hundred knights and two thousand men-at-arms, towards the entrance
to his land, at Félon Passage, where he intended to face King Arthur with his whole army.
He had therefore left the Sorrowful Tower considerably bare. Calescalain rejoiced greatly at
the news, and asked his companions: What do you think? The moment seems favorable to
assault. I agree with you, said Monsignor Yvain.

Above all, we must free Gauvain, that is what we are here for. Everyone agreed, but
Lancelot was reluctant: I think Monsignor Gauvain, the most valiant of knights, does not
deserve to be delivered treacherously and without risk. This deliverance must be obtained
by a dazzling feat of arms: by confronting Caradoc, and not by taking possession of his
castle in his absence. So I will rather go join the king. The knights rallied to this point of
view and, without further ado, set out for the Félon Passage. Monsignor Yvain and
Calescalain, for their part, preferred to devote themselves to the immediate release of
Gauvain. Jed So they presented themselves at the entrance to the first enclosure. A dwarf
came up to them, a bloody sword in his hand. Lord knights, do you intend to enter this
castle? Certainly. Well, you will have to submit to the custom of the place: if a knight errant
presents himself, he must give battle to ten knights who guard the main gate. If there are
two, each must fight against ten. These details left the two friends amazed. Their chances
of success seemed slim! However, there was no question of giving up their business.

They concerted in low voices: Here is a passage which does not lack traitrise, says
Calescalain. But I suspect this dwarf is lying. The squire's information leaves it to be known
that there are not so many knights capable of fighting on the spot. But there may be another
way: my cousin told me that you could enter the castle through a low postern at the back.
Choose the passage you prefer. Monsignor Yvain was perplexed. He knew nothing about
the second passage, and above all he was afraid, if he avoided the first, to pass for a
coward. He decided that he would face the Ten Knights, and that Calescalain would try his
luck at the postern. They therefore separated. -uad Yvain returned to the dwarf, who
immediately sounded the horn. The door opened and ten knights appeared at the entrance,
equipped with all their weapons. Dear lords, Yvain told them, if a knight errant is a prisoner
here, what does he risk? He has every chance of losing his mind! force the passage? may
This has never been seen. Well, I will try the adventure. There is no dishonor in being
conquered, but to retreat from the ordeal Monsignor Yvain commended his soul to God,
made the sign of the cross, and stuck spurs in the direction of the ten. The knights were
waiting for him and did not fail, making him tilt the spine towards the rear tree.

His shield was torn from him, the strap broken, but his horse was strong and fast, he allowed
him to cross the yard. Gathering his strength, he straightened up and walked back to his
opponents, sword raised. He behaved like a brave man, but all his bravery was in vain.
Overwhelmed with blows, he fell to the ground. There they forcibly tied him up and took him
away to kill him. But learning that he was from King Arthur's household, they did not dare to
do so, and locked him in a dungeon while awaiting the return of their lord. For his part,
Calescalain walked towards the postern open in the palisade at the rear of the castle.
Embarrassed by his weapons, he crossed the narrow plank in fear. But hardly had he
crossed the door that he found himself in front of two knights, who rushed at him. At the cost
of a great effort, he managed to get rid of it and go through the door of the second
enclosure. There it was four knights who assaulted him and wounded him in several places.
He defended himself magnificently, offering his opponents more resistance than they
thought, but eventually succumbed to the violence of their assault. The knights took him in
turn and threw him into the prison where Monsignor Yvain was already locked up. During
this time Lancelot and his troop of knights had joined the Félon Passage, guided by the
young lady and the squire. There, the battle raged between the men of King Arthur and
those of Caradoc. The king's people, particularly reckless, had suffered heavy losses.

The newcomers rushed forward and slaughtered a large number of those who defended the
passage, changing the fate of the battle. Lancelot would have continued the fight well, but
the king's enemies were in stampede. Caradoc, after having fought valiantly, was obliged to
flee. He returned to his castle at high speed, spurring his excellent horse, through the deep
forest. But Lancelot had seen him, he set off in pursuit of him and joined him in a distant
valley. Caradoc turned and faced him, the bare sword in his hand. They exchanged furious
blows on the helms and shrouds, which soon dripped with ruddy blood. But Caradoc heard
the king's men approaching; fearing to be caught, he resumed flight towards his castle, still
pursued by Lancelot. The lookout, seeing him, lowered the drawbridge to give him passage,
and Lancelot rushed after him. His opponent was going to escape him. Getting as close as
he could, he grabbed her by the arm. Caradoc pulled with all his might to free himself and
managed to snatch Lancelot from the pommels of his saddle, landing him on the fly on the
rump of his own horse. The beast staggered under the weight of the two men, then
continued its frantic course and crossed, without anyone being able to stop it, the three rows
of fortifications. Here they are in the courtyard of the castle. The ten knights in charge of the
enclosures closed the gates and raised the drawbridge, and worked to loosen the walls
against the assailants, who had followed Lancelot closely, and led to a great uproar outside.

They had Too much to do to take care of what was going on in the yard. The horse had
ended up stopping its course in front of the tower. Caradoc was tall and vigorous: struggling
violently under Lancelot's embrace, he managed to throw himself down from his mount,
dragging it to the ground. They fell head first, nearly breaking their necks, and remained for
a moment stunned. Lancelot got up first and, putting his hand to the sword, rushed at his
opponent, who also drew quickly. Lancelot hugged him close, raining blows on his helm.
But the other, exceptionally strong, returned blows even more violent and heavy, slashing
his hauberk and denting his helmet. The fight lasted a long time, without any really having
the advantage. The young lady of the tower, the one who had helped Monsignor Gauvain
so much, watched them, amazed at this spectacle, no knight had ever held out so long in
front of Caradoc. She hated him and was ready to do anything to bring him to his downfall.
The knight was so enamored of her that he had entrusted her with the custody of a most
dangerous object: an enchanted sword. His mother had predicted by consulting the stars
that he could only die by this sword. So she had kept it for a long time. But in the end,
Caradoc had entrusted it to the young lady he was in love with. She drew the sword out of
the chest where it was locked and considered how she could get it to Lancelot.

The fight continued between the two men, too Both valiant and resilient. Confident in the
strength of his fists, Caradoc would have liked to seize Lancelot, who kept dodging his
maneuvers. He moved imperceptibly towards the tower, also aware of the din of the
assailants and thinking of finding refuge there in the event of a final assault. Arrived at the
bottom of the staircase leading to the tower, Caradoc managed to avoid a terrible blow which
his adversary dealt him. The sword slammed down on the stone step and snapped off half a
foot from the hilt. Lancelot was disarmed. His opponent took the opportunity to regain the
advantage: he forced him to give way, and to climb the degrees backwards while protecting
himself as best as possible with his shield. And behold, behind Lancelot opened the door to
the tower. The young lady handed him the precious sword and quickly closed the door.
Caradoc had seen the young girl and recognized the sword. - Ah! God, the hour of my
death has come! I die betrayed by the being I loved the most in the world! Without waiting
for his opponent, he rushed down the steps and began to flee towards a back door leading
to the underground passages, at the bottom of the ditch. Since he was condemned to die,
he wanted to go and kill Monsignor Gauvain. Lancelot sprang in pursuit. He joined him as
he reached the ditch, at the bottom of which a gate with iron bars barred access to the
underground passages. Caradoc jumped into the pit, breaking a leg, and dragged himself to
the door, which he began to unlock.

Lancelot had followed him, he heard the noise of the door and threw himself from the top of
the pit on his opponent, who collapsed. Without further ado, he tore off his helmet and cut
off his head. But Lancelot was thinking only of one thing: to free Monsignor Gauvain.
Entering the field, he suddenly stumbled against a lifeless body: it was Caradoc's mother.
Seeing that the castle was about to be taken, she had rushed towards the staircase leading
from the inside of the tower to the underground passages, with the intention of killing
Gauvain. Her haste had been fatal to her: she had fallen head first, shattering her skull.
Groping through the dark corridor, Lancelot ends up finding Monsignor Gauvain's jail: Dear
lord, my companion, is it really you? How are you ? I am still alive. But who are you, to call
me companion? Lancelot named himself. Certainly, replied Gauvain, it could only be you!
While Lancelot was in the pit, the lady of the tower had gone to see the knights who were
defending the place. She informed them of the death of Caradoc and persuaded them to
implore the grace of the good knight who had triumphed over it. It was also necessary to
free the prisoners and open the doors of the castle to King Arthur. So was done. Great was
the king's joy at finding his nephew. Calescalain and Monsignor Yvain, taken from their
dungeon, participated in the general joy, as did the captives of the Valley of No Return.

We had a big party and everyone told their adventures, which were to be recorded among
the deeds. King Arthur, with Galehaut and the other barons, went to visit the prison of
Monsignor Gauvain, who told how he was still alive thanks to the lady of the tower. That
same evening, Lancelot was joined by Morgane's maid, who reminded him of his
commitments.

Chapter 11: Morgane La Perfide

Lancelot begged the lady of the tower to secretly prepare the best horse possible for him
and provide him with weapons, for the ones he had used against Caradoc were no longer fit
for use. He equipped himself and discreetly went to find Monsignor Gauvain. Lord
companion, I would rather have nothing to hide from you, but know that I have to go now. I
can't tell you why or where I'm going, but I hope I won't stay there too long. So I beg you to
warn the king and Gale- haut of my departure, but not until tomorrow morning, when I am far
away. Ah! Lord, said Gauvain very alarmed, will you be in danger where you are going?
No, don't worry! The two friends parted ways after recom summoned to God, and Lancelot
joined Morgane's attendant, who was waiting to take him back to his mistress. In the
morning, the emotion was great when we noticed the disappearance of Lancelot. Gauvain
had to admit that he was aware of his departure, and tried to calm the king and Galehaut,
saying it wouldn't be long. But the king bitterly blamed him, and Galehaut was painfully
surprised: how could the friend who was so dear to him have confided the secret of his
departure to someone other than himself? From that moment, he sank into a dark sadness
that was never to leave him. The king and all his court left the Sorrowful Tour the same day,
to return to London at great stages. The news they brought plunged the queen into anguish,
but she hid her torments as best as possible. that his absence When Lancelot returned to
Morgane's prison, she tried by all means to put him at ease. She had noticed that it was on
her right hand and she suspected that it was a gift from the queen. She had already asked
him, but without obtaining anything, neither by prayer nor by threat. So she had another one
made, in every way similar, and one evening, she gave him a drink of her composition: a
very heady wine in which she had macerated an herb, which procured an invincible sleep,
the one who lulled it down. had absorbed could only be awakened by force.

That night, Lancelot fell into a deep sleep, and Morgana took the ring off his finger to replace
it with his. The very next day, she chose from among her attendants a trusted person to
send You to bring her message to King Arthur's court.The young lady arrived in London,
where everyone was worried about Lancelot, because we were without news from him for
weeks. She was immediately introduced and greeted the King Lord, I have come from
distant lands and I bring you strange news. But first assure me that my message will bring
me neither misfortune nor shame, for some may not find it to their liking. The king swore by
oath that she would have nothing to fear, neither from him nor from anyone present. She
then began without delay: King Arthur, I bring you news from Lancelot du Lac. Know that
you will never see him again in your backyard. Hearing these words, Galehaut felt his whole
body freeze, his heart failed him and he lost consciousness. The king and Gauvain rushed
forward to help him. As for the queen, seized with unbearable anguish and fearing to faint in
public, she rose to return to her apartments. But the messenger stopped him, shouting to
the king: - Lord, hold back the queen! I will only speak in his presence!

The king and Monsignor Gauvain therefore begged her to stay, and she consented. When
Galehaut had come to his senses, he addressed the young lady: - For the love of God, tell
us the truth! What happened to the best knight in the world? Is he alive or dead? Here's
the truth: on his return from the Sorrowful Tour, Lancelot had to fight one of the best knights
in the world. A spear shot through his body, causing him to lose so much blood that he
almost died. So he wanted to go to confession, to save his soul, and there he publicly
confessed a horrible and vile sin: he dishonored the king, his lord, in the company of his
wife. sworn to penance by renouncing to bear arms, and henceforth going out on the roads,
barefoot and in a woolen shirt. The young lady then turned to the queen, handing her the
ring that Morgana had removed from Lancelot's finger during her sleep. - Lady, here is the
message I need to deliver, whether I like it or not. I swore to Lancelot to give you back this
ring that you gave him: he gives it back to you, because he is determined never to sin with *
snos again She then dropped the ring on the queen's knees, A brief moment, this one
remained without reaction, Unable to answer. But overcoming her failure, she rose, and,
gazing at the young lady and all the audience, she spoke in a voice which grew more and
more firm.

I take God as a witness, I have never experienced For Lancelot, nor he for me, an unworthy
love. I made this ring a present to her, and I do not deny it, like a lady loyal to a loyal knight.
I have given pledges of friendship to more than one who had served his king well. In the
seven years that he was knighted, Lancelot has surpassed all others in valor, but also in
nobility of heart and in so many qualities that I cannot enumerate them. Its value is such
that, if I had granted it more than the others, I would not have to be ashamed of it. Blame
me whoever will, but I will never justify myself neither for the ring nor for anything else. So
the queen defended herself, and a murmur of approval ran through the audience. Everyone
admired her proud answer and the king was the first to reassure her: Lady, I do not give
credit to her words. I will never believe that such a message could come from Lancelot. The
young lady then took her leave and the king had her accompanied back under the protection
of Monsignor Yvain. As for the queen, she had returned to her apartments and was giving in
to grief, in the presence of Gale- haut and the Lady of Malehaut. How to see this ring
without despair? If he's dead, I don't want to live anymore. If he's alive and betrayed me,
he'll pay me for his disloyalty. He will never have my heart again. Lady, intervened
Galehaut, do not make any decision as long as you are in the dark about her fate. I'll hit the
road, and I won't stop until I know for sure whether he's alive or - dead.

Chapter 12: La Mort De Galehaut

Galehaut had left the court of King Arthur in the company of Gauvain. On leaving the city,
they were joined by Lionel, who did not resign himself to being without news of his cousin.
They searched the whole country relentlessly without finding any trace of Lancelot. As for
Morgana's lair, it was just as nowhere to be found, as it was protected by the enchantments
where she was an expert. They then decided to go their separate ways to further their
research, each in one direction. One day, Galehaut was riding with his squire, all absorbed
in dark thoughts, when he met a young lady riding a stable. She was crying bitterly and
complaining bitterly. Galehaut, seized with pity, asked her what she had. Ah! Lord, I cry
because of the best knight in the world who ever wore a shield!

Lady, are you talking about Lancelot? Have you heard from him? - I've learned enough at
this castle, which is on the edge of the forest where we are. Neither you nor I will see it
again with our eyes. At these words, Galchaut fainted with anguish on his horse's neck. Her
squire rushed forward to help her, but the young lady continued on her way, all to her own
sorrow. When Galehaut came to himself, he had only one worry: to find the castle that the
young lady had told him about. He succeeded in the hour of none. In front of the door he
found a place where a crowd of ladies, young ladies and knights were dancing and singing.
Approaching, he saw in the militia of the place a post on which was hung a shield. It was
evidently that of a valiant knight, cat it was dented, slashed from top to bottom and pierced
with spear strikes. But you could still see its color: the field was silver with a ruddy stripe
diagonally. It was the one Lancelot had taken with him when he left London in search of
Gauvain. He spoke to an old lord and asked him to whom this shield belonged. Lord, it is
that of the best knight in the world, the one who delivered the Vale of No Return. We heard
that he was dead, and wept for him for three days. Then we were brought his shield, and to
honor it, we had the party you see.

Galehaut, without saying a word, walked towards the shield, took it down and handed it to
his squire. How, said the old man, do you want to win it? Sure, I'd rather die than leave him
here. Well, it won't be long! None of those who are here will go unresponsive. Galehaut,
without further arguing, ordered his squire to go forward as quickly as possible and to regain
his land in Sorelois. He would stay here. Already a knight was rushing towards him, fully
armed, mounted on a fast horse. Lord knight, you are going to pay dearly for the ecu you
are taking with you! Galehaut secured his helm, put his shield around his neck and put his
sharp-edged lance in position. He rushed at his opponent with the fury of a man who no
longer cares about living. Suddenly he brought her down dead at her feet. But twenty other
knights were already coming out of the castle, rushing towards him and trying to cut his way
into the forest. He faced them harshly, leaving his spear to strike terrible swords at anyone
who passed within reach. He killed four in a row. But despite his defense, he received a
bad sword blow that made him stagger. Yet he resumed the fight with a vengeance, with
such temerity that they were all flabbergasted.

But his blood flowed without stopping, and the old lord intervened - - came: Lord, stop the
fight! I do not want to see a knight as valiant as you die on my land. The old man ordered
his knights to stop fighting and let Galehaut dismount. He bandaged his wounds and sent
him to a nearby monastery where he could be best looked after by a former knight turned
monk. He took care of his wound and the wound seemed to close. But despite the care,
Galehaut felt worse and worse. Assured of Lancelot's death, he didn't think he would
survive him. He therefore wanted to return to Sorelois to accomplish all kinds of good works
before his death: founding churches and hospitals, giving alms and having masses said for
the salvation of Lancelot's soul, and afterwards for his own. He therefore left the monastery
and took the road to Sorelois. When he got there, he sank into the darkest melancholy.
Unable to eat or drink, he could find no comfort except to contemplate the shield of Lancelot.
The wound he had received to conquer him became infected, causing his flesh to rot and his
body to dry up. Seeing his near end, he sent for his nephew Galehaudin, so that he would
receive his land and the homage of his barons. Then he languished and passed away in
September without having seen Lancelot again.

Chapter 13: Lancelot Prissonier

Lancelot had returned to his prison as he had entered it. Morgana seemed no longer
interested in him. She left him captive for a long time without coming to see him. Then one
fine day she had him brought to her. The master's condition had deteriorated a lot, and he
asked her wearily if she intended to keep him like this for the rest of his life. Certainly,
replied Morgana, as long as you do not reveal to me what I asked of you. Well, in that case
it's a dead man you'll keep. Ele sent him back to his prison, thinking he would eventually
capitulate. But Lancelot sank into a deep melancholy. He began to push away all food, and
became so thin and weak that he never got up from his bed. Morgane ends up coming to
find him.

Lancelot, are you going to let yourself die for good? Lady, this is what I desire the most.
What if I release you on condition? Tell me on what condition. Swear to me that you will not
go to King Arthur's court for a year. You will also not have to meet a man or a woman from
his house. Destroy me rather than exact such an oath from me! So just swear you won't go
into a place where Queen Guenievre is between now and Christmas. I will never take this
oath. I pretend to rot in this prison. Morgana, annoyed, withdrew, seeking by what means
she could overcome his resistance. She then had the idea of mixing her drink with a poison
that she herself had distilled using magical practices. This poison disturbed his brain so
much that he had strange nightmares. That night it seemed to him that he was awake and
that he found the queen in a garden, lying with another knight. He raised his sword to strike
this one, when the queen stood up to say to him: Take care not to lay your hand on this
knight, Lancelot, because it is he whom I love now! Disappear from my sight, I never want to
see you again! Such was the nightmare which Morgana aroused in him, to make him hate
the queen. And to convince him that it was reality, she had him transported, on a litter, to a
garden outside the castle.

At morning, Lancelot woke up and thought he recognized the setting of his dream. He held
in his hand the sword he had wanted to use. No doubt was possible: his lady had rejected
him forever. But Morgana arrived, followed by her people. Well, Lancelot! Are you trying to
run away without my permission? What disloyalty! Lady, I don't understand anything about
this situation. But it's too much trouble for me. I accept the conditions you have set for me.
So I will receive your oath. Be careful not to miss it, or I will chase you to King Arthur's court
to shame you. Then she took him to his castle. You can't leave here like this, she told him.
You are so thin and weak that you cannot stand on a horse. So you will stay a while longer
to gain weight and strength, and only then will I let you go. When he had recovered his
health, he left, having taken the oath. But he walked away dark and sad, without any
thought that could comfort him.

Chapter 14: La Folie De Lancelot

For several days Lancelot wandered through the forest, fleeing all human presence. The
very idea of looking for a place to stay was odious to him. From the first evening he slept in
the empty hut of a coalman, and the next morning he left his weapons and his mount there
to go deeper and deeper into the woods. He walked haphazardly through these wild places,
in such deep despair that his head went blank, and he lost his mind. Drinking spring water,
feeding on roots, he was soon so thin and weak that he barely supported himself.

Shaggy, skin blackened by the sun and frost, clad in rags, he was totally unrecognizable.
He thus spent part of the winter in the woods. One very cold morning, he was still sleeping
in the hollow of a thicket, when the lord of a neighboring castle went out to hunt. The man
was warmly equipped with a well-lined coat and sturdy boots, and he saw this poor being
half-naked and in a very bad shape. Seized with pity, he ordered his squire to gently wake
him up and take him to the shelter of his castle. In front of his haggard look, he understood
that he was no longer in his mind. Lancelot was therefore transported to the castle. The
lord, whose name was Bliaut, gave him the best possible care. Well fed, bathed, shaved
and combed, he regained his health and beauty. But his mind could not be cured, and he
remained absent and indifferent to everything. He was lodged in a very large and beautiful
room and, as he was peaceful, he was allowed to come and go freely inside the castle. We
arrived at the end of winter and the coldest days had passed. One morning Lancelot
accidentally entered a large room where an old man was painting on the walls a story from
the old days. It was that of Aeneas fleeing Troy with her old father and son.

Below this scene, a inscription explained the meaning. The desire was then born in Lancelot
to recapture the images that still inhabited his mind. He asked that he be given the colors
and the necessary instruments to paint a fresco in his room. For days, he absorbed himself
in this work. The memories flocked back to his memory. I represented the day when the
Lady of the Lake had taken him to Camaalot to be dubbed there, and also the first dazzling
encounter with the queen. He painted the conquest of the Sorrowful Guard, and also the
first kiss in the shrub plain, thus the split shield sent by the Lady of the Lake, and why the
two parties had come together. These images filled her heart with sweetness. Every
morning, when he woke up, Lancelot came to greet one after the other the images he had
drawn of his lady. Then he kissed her on the mouth and wept tenderly, for he remembered
that he had lost her. Spring came. Under his window was planted a beautiful garden, the
trees of which were covered with leaves. Lancelot approached the window and saw a
rosebush in which fresh, ruddy flowers were blooming. Among them, a rose seemed to him
to prevail over all the others, reviving in him the memory of the fresh and ruddy face of his
lady. If I cannot have my lady near me, he thought, let me at least have this rose! »Ənb >>
He put his arm out of the window, but the rose was still too far away.

So, as if seized with fury, he grabbed the bars and shook them with so much rage that he
tore them off and threw them in the middle of the room, con without hurting his hands. He
could then slip out the window, jump into the garden and pick the ruddy rose. He brought it
to his lips, then hid it on his chest. Looking around, he saw that the door leading to the
dungeon was open. Entering the still deserted room, he took a helm and a hauberk from a
chest and put them on, then he provided himself with a lance and a sword. In the stables,
he chose a sturdy and fast horse, to which he put the saddle and the bridle, then he walked
towards the castle gate, without meeting anyone, for it was still very early. Only the porter
was astonished to see this armed knight whom he did not know, but thinking that he was
leaving for some mission, he opened the door for him. Thus Lancelot left the castle of Bliaut.
What he did not know was that the latter was the Seneschal of Morgana, to whom the castle
belonged. She was to one day discover the paintings that adorned the room, and
understand who had been lodged within its walls. Lancelot was now riding in the forest. The
softness of the air, the song of the birds comforted his heart. Coming out of the woods, he
saw a young lady riding a richly equipped mule, and he walked towards her. This young
lady was a follower of the Lady of the Lake, who for months had beaten the roads in search
of Lancelot. Having made himself known to him.

She took him to a nearby castle, where they were accommodated very courteously until the
5th day before Ascension. That day the young lady came to find Lancelot, after having had
his arms and his horse prepared. Lancelot, the time has come when you will find all that you
have lost, if you have the daring. Know that you must be in Camaalot on Ascension Day,
before none time. If you are not there, you will regret it all your life. Ah! lady, tell me why!
Because the queen is going to be kidnapped. The place where she will be taken by force,
you are the only one who can tear it away. If so, I swear I'll be there. The young lady then
gave him the arms and the horse, and he set out for Camaalot.

Sixth Part: L’Enlèvement De La Reine

Chapter 1: Le Défi De Méléagant

On this day, King Arthur held court in Camaalot, a very pleasant town where he very much
liked to stay. But we were far from those splendid courtyards that we held during the lifetime
of the noble Galehaut. As for Lancelot, we had not heard from him for so long that we could
fear everything. The assembly was therefore sad and mourning. As the king returned from
mass, Lionel made his entrance. He returned from a long quest where he had faced a
thousand perils in search of his cousin Lancelot. The king celebrated him, and the queen
rushed to meet him, for, more than any other, she was anxious of the news he might bring.
But their joy quickly turned to sorrow when Lionel told them that he had traveled the whole
country in vain: Lancelot could not be found, dead in all probability.

The queen, the tears in the eyes, preferred to return to his apartments to join the Lady of
Malehaut. She had been unstoppable since learning of Gale's death up high, whom she
was to marry the same year. Seneschal Keu came to warn that the meal was ready and the
king decided to sit down to eat. But the meal was dreary, for the guests had little appetite.
When they were finished, the king remained in his place without speaking, absorbed in dark
thoughts. Suddenly an uproar at the entrance to the room made him look up. A fully armed
knight stepped forward, his right hand resting confidently on the hilt of his sword. His
demeanor was noble, his height and build impressive. Striding across the hall, he came to
encamp himself in front of the king. He took off his helm and spoke arrogantly, loud enough
for all to hear - King Arthur. I am Méléagant, the son of King Baudemagu of the country of
Gorre. I came to your yard to challenge Lancelot du Lac. Lord, replied the king, Lancelot is
not here. We have not heard from him for a long time, to our great regret. Méleagant was
preparing to leave, when he changed his mind and retraced his steps. King, I will not leave
this court without having a battle. In the land of my father Baudemagu. there are many
captives from your country. They are held in bondage, and in spite of that I do not see many
knights of your court, so famous however.

press to come and deliver them. Here is what I propose to you: dare to entrust the queen to
the best of your knights, so that he can lead her to the entrance of this forest. If he is able to
defend it against me, I will free the prisoners from the land of Gorre and I will become your
vassal. Certainly, replied the king, the fate of the captives of the country of Gorre is not
indifferent to me. But the queen has nothing to do with their captivity, and she cannot be a
stake for their release. Meleagant therefore left the room and, mounting his mount, at the
entrance to the wood he joined his companions, a good hundred knights in arms. There he
waited, watching to see if anyone would dare join him. During this time, in the great hall, one
spoke, among the knights of the king, only of Méléagant, of his arrogance and his foolish
pride. But Keu, the seneschal, wasted no time in these discussions. He ran to his lodgings
to arm himself from head to toe, and returned thus equipped before the king. Lord, I have
served you for a long time, but now I want to leave you. The king was stunned. How,
Seneschal, do you speak seriously? I! Certainly, scigner. Give up this madness, I beg of
you, Remain, in the name of the friendship which has always been ours.

No need to insist. Nothing will make me stay except one thing I can't tell you. ' The king had
great affection for Keu. He tried to get her to reveal something that might change his mind,
but to no avail. So he went to fetch the queen so that she would pray to him in her turn.
What she did very willingly: Tell us what this thing is, Keu. Know it, whatever it is, I'll give it
to you. If I could be sure, I would talk. The king, very happy to see him yield, gave him his
word, and the queen gave her guarantee. Lord, said Keu, you have granted the queen to be
entrusted to me so that I can take up the challenge of the knight who has just come out. If
no one did, your court would be dishonored. At these words, a terrible anguish invaded the
king. But his word was committed, he could not do other than confide the queen to him. He
turned to her: Lady, without a doubt, you must go with Keu. Do not have the slightest fear,
said the seneschal, I will bring it back to you safe and sound. The knights present were
whispering, blaming Keu's pride and foolishness. Gauvain was red of anger.

The queen, dismayed, had tears in her eyes. Without delay, a richly equipped stallion was
brought to her, she covered her head with her wimple, climbed into the saddle and left thus,
escorted by the seneschal. Meleagant saw them coming, and, after giving his instructions to
the hundred knights to wait for him on the moor, he joined those who were arriving. He
asked Keu who he was, and if it was the queen. Certainly. I am Keu, the seneschal of King
Arthur, and I am accompanying my lady, the queen. Well, Lord Keu, we are going to go to
this moor, where we will be more comfortable to joust. So they headed for the moor, but
here came out from the edge of the wood a knight who was hiding there. It was Lancelot,
covered with all his weapons. He approached Keu and took him aside to ask him who this
lady was. It's the queen. You don't It was entrusted to me by King Arthur, and I must defend
it against this knight here. And Keu, who had not recognized him, explained to him the
conventions which had been fixed. Lancelot could not oppose it. It was the king's word. So
he left him to join the others on the moor, but began to follow them under the cover of the
wood. The adversaries prepared to fight. They both took advantage of the field and wedged
their spears under their armpits, shielding themselves with their shields. The shock Tur
rude. Keu's spear shattered. That of taking him no further.

Meleagant reached him with such force that his shield was shattered. The iron tore the
hauberk and penetrated his side, breaking his ribs. Keu, taken aback, fell violently to the
ground against a rock and vanished in pain. But Meleagant, like a man without honor,
passed him over his body with his horse. His knights came running with a stretcher where
they hoisted the wounded man, completely broken. They thus carried it off, and Meleagant
took the head of the troop, taking with him the queen.

Notes: This chapter starts off with Lionel coming back from a quest to find his Lancelot, but
he reveals that Lancelot is probably dead. Everyone is sad, including the Queen. They then
had dinner and it was then a knight Melegeant, the son of King Baudemagu of the country of
Gorre, had come to challenge Lancelot, but he was nowhere to be found. Melegeant was
about to leave before deciding that he wanted to have a battle before leaving. The
proposition was that if the King's warrior wins, the captives of Gorre will be freed and if they
lose, the Queen will be at stake.

Seneschal Keu steps up and decides to fight the man. They then escorted the queen to a
forest where they were then told to go to a Moor where they would battle. While walking, a
knight came out of the bushes, it was Lancelot, decked out with armor. Lancelot was there to
defend the queen but then is told of the situation and decides to move to the Moor in the
cover of the wood. The two men battled but Keu was completely wounded. Meleagent then
took the head of the troop, taking the queen with him.

Chapter 2: La Charrette D'infamie

Lancelot had watched the scene from the edge of the woods, watching for the outcome of
the fight. When he saw the queen being led away, he spurred his horse, uttering a cry of
defiance. Meleagant, letting the others continue on their way, returned to the moor. The two
knights rushed towards each other, full of fury. Lancelot's lance pierced his opponent's
shield and knocked him to the ground. Meleagant was not lacking in bravery, despite his
disloyalty. He picked up his spear and immediately went up ment in the saddle.

Spurring his mount, he rushed towards Lancelot. His lance hit the horse full body, which
collapsed under its rider. But Meleagant did nothing to seize Lancelot, for he feared that
other knights of the court would appear. He left him there, preferring to gallop back to his
troop, which had already moved away. Lancelot, reduced to powerlessness in front of his
fallen horse, saw them disappear, rage in his heart. He nevertheless set out on foot,
following in their footsteps, sword in hand. He walked until he was exhausted and came to a
crossroads. All the tracks had been trampled, and he stood there, helpless, until the
moment I! I! he saw, on the side, a cart driven by a hunchbacked dwarf, Ah! dwarf, do you
know anything about the knights who passed by and took a lady? Do you mean those who
take the queen away? Yes, this is it. Do you really want to know? More than anything. I'll
give you whatever you want as a reward. In this case, get in my cart, and I will take you to a
place where you will have the information you are looking for. Lancelot jumped into the cart
without hesitation, which immediately started to move. But it was not an ordinary cart. At
that time, when a criminal, a traitor or a robber was caught in the act, he was loaded onto the
cart of infamy and led through the streets of the city.

The crowd was running to see him for and riddle it with insults and mockery. There was no
worse dishonor. Some distance away the cart was joined by an armed knight. It was
Monsignor Gauvan. Not seeing the seneschal return, seized with mortal anxiety about the
queen, he set out to help her. He had found the fallen horse on the moor, and he suspected
that its owner was none other than the knight sitting in the cart he had joined. He called out
to the dwarf: Tell me, dwarf, could you tell me news of the queen? So get in my cart, like
this knight, and you will have the information you want! Get in that cart? Never, God forbid!
Monsignor Gauvain therefore contented himself with riding beside the cart. Evening was
beginning to fall when they reached a castle. As soon as they entered the city walls, people
began to gather. They began to hoot Lancelot, swear at him and spit at him, "What crime
has he committed?" They asked the dwarf, They continued on their way through the city
and reached the dungeon. You may descend, lord knight, said the dwarf. | What about my
lady's news, will you give it to me? "" You will have it, but only tomorrow.

You must spend the night here, and submit to the test of the place. We will then see if your
bravery is up to your business. Lancelot was upset to stay, for he had every chance of being
recognized by Gauvain then. But he didn't want to sound like a coward and could only
accept the dwarf's terms. At that moment, two young ladies came out of the dungeon to
welcome the arrivals. They celebrated Monsignor Gauvain. As Lancelot also greeted them,
one answered him: By God, lord knight, take care not to greet young ladies! Why, then ?
Because you've been in the cart. In all places you must be hated. What a shame and what
sorrow for Lancelot! But the thought that it was for his lady that he had so dishonored
himself helped him endure this bitterness. He walked towards the tower and entered a
sumptuous room, furnished in the center with a magnificent bed; another, much more
modest, was in a corner. He took the shield off his neck and fully armed, without even
removing his helmet, he stretched out over the most beautiful bed. During this time the
young ladies, who remained with Monsignor Gauvain, had questioned the latter about the
identity of the dishonored knight, but in vain. Entering the bedroom in turn, they saw him
lying on the most beautiful bed. How, dishonored lord knight, you dare to lie down on this
bed?

Your place is on the bed over there in the corner, and he's still too good for you. There is no
question that one chooses another. Take care, you will risk your life! The test is already
hard for the most valiant knight in the world, and you, the most dishonored, you claim to
sleep there? This is where I will spend the night. Without further arguing, the young ladies
called servants who disarmed Lancelor and gave him a very fine coat, while they themselves
looked after Gauvain. A meal had been prepared for the new arrivals, and Gauvain
approached Lancelot to beg him to join him, but the latter, concealing his face as best he
could in the hood of his cloak, refused to come and eat. on the pretext that he was not
feeling well. Better, said the ladies. Either way, we would refuse to take a seat at the table -
with you. But Gwain was more and more intrigued by the mysterious knight. His daring, his
composure, the self-confidence he displayed despite the rebuff, all made him think of
Lancelot. When id returned to the bedroom after dinner, he found him asleep in the big bed.
He went to take his place in the other and fell asleep in his turn. When midnight came, a
terrifying crash was heard and the whole room began to shake, as if on the verge of
collapse. Here is a flaming lance descending from the ceiling.

From his fiery iron sprang a great ruddy flame. She collapsed on the bed, brushing her
occupant's Hanc, and crossed the blanket and the entire thickness of the bed to get stuck in
the floor. Lancelot jumped up and saw her planted straight on the bed. He immediately
ripped it off and threw it back as far as he could, cursing the coward who had thrown it at him
in the middle of his sleep. Then he set about smothering the fire that had set in the sheets.
Monsignor Gauvain, for his part, had jumped to his feet, fearing for his strange companion,
but the latter reassured him All is well, Lord, go back to bed. They both slept until morning.
It was already dawn when the dwarf who had led Lancelot burst into the room. He shouted
to him: Knight of the cart, come and see! We're taking the queen! In breeches and shirts,
Lancelot rushed to the window. He saw the procession of knights leading the queen, and
Seneschal Keu on a stretcher. The sight of the queen made him faint. The farther away she
got, the more he leaned outside, unable to take his eyes off her. Monsignor Gauvain ran up
and saw him ready to tip out the window. He took him arm-in-arm to pull him back and then
recognized Lancelot. He hugged him, kissing him: Ah! my friend, do you care a little about
your life! You nearly died! Without delay, the two knights claimed their weapons and got
themselves equipped.

The young ladies asked Monsignor Gauvain who the knight was. I cannot reveal it without
his permission. Just know that this is the best of all. The horses were brought to them, and
they were about to go away when the eldest damsel asked Lancelot her name. - What's the
point ? he replied. I am the knight of the cart.

Chapter 3: Vers Le Pays De Gorre

The two knights rode together until past noon. They talked about things and others, but
Monsignor Gauvain was careful not to mention the death of Galehaut. Nor did he ask
Lancelot what had kept him so long away from the court, for he felt he was preoccupied and
anxious. At a crossroads, they met a young lady riding a richly harnessed mule. They
greeted her and asked her if she had heard from the Queen. I would know how to find out
about her, but what would you give me for that?

Lady, said Lancelot, ask for whatever you want, and you will have it. - I want your protection
to accompany me to the place where I am going. There, you will owe me the donation that I
will ask for from you. first You will undoubtedly have it. But tell me what | that you know of
the queen! - His captor is none other than Méléagant, the son of King Baudemagu. But as
the father is a wise and just man, so is the son arrogant and disloyal. We have already seen
that, said Lord Gauvain. Tell us instead how it is possible to enter this country. It is very
difficult to enter Gorre, and I will explain why: more than thirty years ago, Uter Pendragon,
Arthur's father, made war against the king who then reigned there. He wanted him to
become his vassal and take his land from him. The fate of arms was first of all favorable to
him. He entered the kingdom of Gorre, devastated it and installed his own Breton barons
and their families in part of the territory. But a few years later, Baudemagu, the nephew of
the King of Gorre, was crowned. He restores his power and reclaims his kingdom. It was at
the very beginning of King Arthur's reign, and he had too much to do on his land to rescue
his barons. These, defeated, had to swear never to leave this land until the day when a
knight of Brittany would come to redeem them by his prowess. This is how they were held in
exile.

The kingdom was separated from Wales, Arthur's land, by marshes and a wide, deep and
dangerous river. reuse. Two wooden bridges defended the access, with, at the end of each,
a strongly fortified town. The king had these bridges destroyed to replace them Pont sous
l'Eau, is a wooden plank three feet wide submerged in the river from one bank to the other:
there is as much water above as below. The other bridge is even worse: it is made of a steel
blade as sharp as a sword, sealed at each end in two tree trunks. No one has ever been
able to pass it. Whoever wants to enter the kingdom of Gorre must choose between the two
bridges. Lord, said Lancelot, you will take whatever sage you want. Monsignor Gauvain
opted for the Pont sous l'Eau. - So I will take that of the Sword. Thereupon the two
companions parted. Lancelot walked with the young lady who had shown him the way,
since she wanted to travel under his protection. Quite late in the evening, they arrived at a
castle she knew and where they passed the other two, very strange. The first, the Jed -sed
Word had already spread throughout the country that a knight who had been in a cart was
coming to rescue the queen, and it was even known what weapons he carried.

The next day, when he left the cháteau, the children crowded in its path to shout: Here is the
vanquished! Here is the vanquished! He passed without saying a word in the midst of these
boos. The young lady who accompanied him wept with compassion. Around noon, they
reached a causeway defended at its end by a knight equipped with all his weapons. As
soon as he recognized the knight of the cart, he called out to him Woe to you, knight of the
cart! You won't take my pavement. By God, this is my way, and I intend to pass! You will
have to fight against me, or else pay tribute. Should everyone leave a contribution? Yes, of
course. This very day I received that of the Queen of Brittany. How? 'Or' What ? The knight
showed him the block of stone at the end of the road: pay Here you can see the most
beautiful comb in the world, made of gold and adorned with precious stones. Only a queen
has one like it. But a man who has been in a cart must not even lay eyes on it! You, you will
give me the horse that you ride.
You will not have it without difficulty, because I am ready to defend it. Fi done! I will not do
you the honor of fighting against you! Well, so I will pass easily! And Lancelot, without
further delay, entered the road. The other was forced to give battle. Taking the field the
entire length of the causeway, he rushed towards him at a gallop. He hit him hard, but his
spear snapped on Lancelot's shield, and the shock threw him to the ground. Getting up, he
protected his head with his shield and rushed towards his adversary, who had dismounted.
They exchanged violent blows on the helms, the haubards, the shields. In the end, the
knight was forced to cede ground, unable to continue the fight. He did not want to admit
defeat, however. Is it true, he cried, that you got into the cart? Certainly. I'd rather die,
then, than surrender to you. It would be too great a shame Unhappy, cried the young lady,
you can surrender to this knight! Know that he got into the cart of his own accord. It was not
to his dishonor, but to his glory! Yes, I readily believe so, for he is an excellent knight.
Receive my sword, lord, I recognize myself - - defeated.

You are going to give me the comb first queen, then you will take yourself prisoner in the
castle where I come from. Reluctantly, the other was forced to comply. The knight of the
cart gazed fervently at the comb: some of his lady's hair had remained hanging on it, and its
shine was not from the comb. Lifting a side of his hauberk, he placed it on his chest,
between his shirt and his skin, like a precious relic. The knight resumed his journey in the
company of the young lady. They walked this way for five days, and eventually arrived near
the country of Gorre. They entered a narrow, steep-sided path surrounded by thick wood. It
was then that a knight in arms appeared before them. The young lady recognized him and
said to Lancelot: Lord, here is a knight who has been asking me for a long time. He wants to
get hold of me at all costs, and that's why I asked for your protection. You have nothing to
fear. The knight approached the young lady and reached out to grab her mount by the
bridle. Let her go, lord, said Lancelot. I'm the one leading it. It is a very poor escort that she
found! A young girl of such high rank deserved better than a man who rode in a cart. For
me, I would be crazy to take such protection seriously! - Dear lord, you have not conquered
it yet.

You better turn around, or to find a place where we would have room to joust. That suits me
perfectly. So they left the forest and came to a beautiful moor. The knights were full of
energy. They spurred their mounts and rushed forward. The shock of the spears was so
severe that the wood of the shields split and the riders, taken aback, fell to the ground. Still
stunned, they got to their feet, then, drawing the sword, they exchanged great blows
wherever they could. Lancelot's opponent was exceptionally strong and courageous. The
battle lasted a long time, fierce. In the end, Lancelot rained such a hail of blows on his
enemy that he fell to his knees. Without giving him time to get up, he tore off his helmet and
threw it away from him. Seeing his imminent death, the knight began to cry for mercy. You
will have to swear to give up grabbing you by | strength of this young lady. That, never! I'd
rather die than take this oath. Well, you'll die, then. Lancelot hesitated, however, on what to
do next. The young lady who accompanied him had approached. She threw herself on her
knees Lord, listen to me! You gave me a donation Lancelot thought she wanted to save the
life of the vanquished I will be careful not to forget my word.

Well, she went on, you granted me the head of this knight. Give him to me, please, for I
assure you he's a traitor of the worst kind. Lancelot was stunned. The vanquished fell at his
feet: Ah! noble knight, thanks! Do not believe this young lady who hates me to death!
Lancelot did not know what to do. The young lady had received her word. But his rule was
to spare the life of a defeated adversary who begged for mercy, unless he was forced to kill
him. So he decided to give his opponent a second chance. And if I gave you back your
helmet and your shield, would you resume the fight against me? If I win it again, you'll leave
your head there. Lord, this is to act as a generous and noble knight. They resumed the
fight, but Lancelot overcame him even faster than the first time. He tore off his helm and the
vanquished began to cry for mercy again. The young lady, for her part, demanded her head
again: Noble knight, listen to my request, in the name of the being you love the most. You
will one day be rewarded for this service. As for this individual, he is the most disloyal man
in the world. Lancelot then raised the sword and suddenly cut off his head. He gave it to the
young girl, who that very evening went to throw it into a very deep old well. This young lady
was the sister of Méléagant, born of a second marriage to King Baudemagu.

Knight whose head she had claimed was a very close friend of her brother. He had solicited
her love with great insistence, but without success, for she loved another. Realizing that she
would always refuse him, he had poured out abominable calumnies on his daughter and his
friend to Baudemagu, and had obtained from the king the authorization to kill him. There
was no lack, and the young girl had sworn to avenge him. Having learned that the queen
had been kidnapped and that King Arthar's best knights were on their way to deliver her, she
resolved to enlist their help against the man she hated most in the world. Lord, she said to
Lancelot, our roads part here. I no longer have anything to fear in this country. As for you,
you will reach the Pont de l'Epée tomorrow. Where you will be staying tonight, you can get
all the help you need to face this ordeal. Go, and may God protect you! She left Lancelot,
who arrived the same evening at a castle where he was very well received. The inhabitants
were natives of Brittany, and like all the Bretons held captive in the country of Gorre, they
placed great hopes in this knight who had come from the court of King Arthur to dispute the
queen at Méléagant.

Chapter 4: Le Pont De l’Épée

Lancelot had all the comforts that one could wish for that night. His horse was well groomed
in the stable, and his host personally provided him with weapons in perfect condition, for his
had been damaged by the battles he had to fight. In the morning, as soon as day broke,
Lancelot went to listen to mass. Then he armed himself, and with him the two sons of the
Lord and a large part of the exiles. They wanted to accompany him to the bridge where the
hard test he had chosen to face awaited him. Around the time of none, they reached the
Pont de l'Épée. Lancelot dismounted and approached the river. Under the bridge he saw
the treacherous rumbling water. Its waves were black and muddy, and so dreadfully ugly
that it looked like the river of hell.

Any creature that fell there would have had no chance to get out of it: she would have
drowned there, as in the sea of salty waters. As for the bridge which spanned it, it was
unlike any other: it was made of a single sword sparkling white. This sword was strong and
rigid, and could not break or flex under a man's weight. It was the length of two spears and
was firmly fixed at each end in logs. Across the river stood the city of Gorron, the country's
capital. It was to this city that Queen Guinevere had been taken and she was being held in
the apartments of ror Baudemagu. She had come to a window, in the company of the king
and Meleagant, as well as many knights and ladies. From there, they had seen the small
troop advancing and a knight breaking away from them to advance towards the bridge. The
rumbling water, the sharp sword, all this filled Lancelot's companions with terror. They
couldn't help but cry when they saw the pain he was going to have to endure. But the knight
comforted them: Do not be afraid of me. Neither this bridge nor this cau scare me. With
God's help, I will deliver the queen, and I will deliver you too. Lancelot was about to cross
the abyss. Looking at the shining blade, he realized that he would have no hold on her if he
kept his iron breeches and shoes. So he got rid of it, for it was better to have his hands and
feet, and even mutilate himself, than a tomb on the bridge. He directed his eyes to the
window of the tower and made the sign of the cross, then he engaged to califour.

chon on the blade and crawled with the help of hands, knees and feet. He clung to the
sword, sharper than a scythe, at the cost of painful efforts. At the end he came to the other
side. His feet and hands were bleeding, and he had to wipe them on the green grass.
Turning to the bank from which he had come, he saw that his companions were crossing the
river in boats, as they used to do, with his horse and his weapons. King Baudemagu, the
queen, as well as Meleagant, had lost nothing of this scene. They had seen the knight cross
the bridge at the cost of great suffering. Meleagant had changed color. He knew that
henceforth they would dispute the queen. But he was so brave that he feared no one. If he
hadn't been so disloyal, there would have been no better knight, but he had a heart of stone,
inaccessible to pity. What saddened his son filled King Baudemagu with joy. He was certain
that the man who had crossed the bridge was indeed the best of all the knights. He
approached the queen, whom he had treated with the greatest respect Lady, please tell me
the no of this knight who has just crossed the bridge, because I know very well that it is for
you that he did it Lord, I'm not totally sure, but I think it's Lancelot du Lac. -The rumor of his
death has been around for a long time, otherwise, I wouldn't even have asked the question.
But now, I am convinced that he is alive, no one else would have attempted the adventure.

The king then descended from the tower and mounted his horse with some familiars to greet
Lancelot. Arrived at the place where this one was trying to heal his wounds, he dismounted.
Before he even had time to take off his helm, he hugged him, welcoming him warmly Dear
Lord, you have taken great risks in this adventure. If I am to believe the Queen of Brittany,
you are Lancelot. Know that here, the only one you have to fear is my son Méleagant. As
for me, I take care of protecting you against all the others. Thank you for your welcome,
Lord, but it is precisely your son that I am looking for. Let him come and fight against me.
The queen's imprisonment has lasted too long. Do not hurry to fight, my friend. First, get
your wounds treated and get some rest. Lord, I have no wounds or injuries to rest. I want to
face him as soon as possible. It is too late today. We'll wait until tomorrow, so people in my
kingdom and yours can witness the fight. Lancelot reluctantly agreed, he was so eager to
fight. The king took him to his own apartments to have him disarmed. Once he took off his
helm, he could recognize that it was indeed Lancelot, and he showed him the liveliest joy.

Chapter 5: Méléagant

Leaving Lancelot to rest, the king went to his son. He had always disapproved of his
conduct, for he was as righteous and good as Meleagant was disloyal and cruel. He wanted
to teach him a lesson: My dear son, you have reached the point you were looking for. I have
often heard you cry out: "Why does Lancelot not come to deliver the captives of this land?"
Then you grabbed the queen, thinking that that way you could confront him. But you see he
managed to cross this bridge that no one had crossed before him. You know perfectly well
that he is coming for the queen, over whom you have no right. I advise you to give it back to
him willingly, because then you will show wisdom, and your nobility of soul will be praised. If
you wait for him to conquer her by force, we will only talk of your foolish pride.

You will lose your honor there, because, you know very well, he is not the best knight in the
world. - The proof has not yet been made that he is better than me! Sd is valiant, I can be
valiant too, or even more. I will never give him back the queen, whom I went to conquer at
my own risk. It would not be for lichness, and not for nobility. And besides, since he is here,
this outstanding knight, what is he waiting for to come and fight? It was his desire, but I did
not allow it. I beseech you, in the name of God, restore the queen to him! - I won't. My only
desire is to fight against him. The next morning Lancelot got up early and, after attending
mass, ordered his arms to be brought in. Many crowded around him to help him get along,
for exiles had flocked from the kingdom as soon as the news of his arrival had spread. He
went to find his adversary, who had also armed himself, at the site fixed for the fight.
Méléagant was impatient to measure himself against him, and in a very bad mood because
of his father who had tried, one last time, to convince him to give it up. Far from listening to
her, he had sworn to fight to victory or death. Everyone had gathered in a large square just
in front of the king's house; this was where the meeting was to take place.

The king gave his arm to the queen, and the two went up to the windows of the tower to
watch the fight, in the company of the Ladies and young ladies, and also of Seneschal Keu,
who had been transported to his bed, The king gave the signal, and immediately the armed
knights rushed forward. The place was well cleared, and they could take their dash from
afar, the spears well out under their armpits. The steeds came full speed ahead and the
spears shattered in shock. Here are the horses chest to chest, while shields and helms
clash with a crash. Lancelot drew his sword and trapped his opponent with all his might.
The blade broke the links of the hauberk and went to cut the shoulder to the bone. Shocked,
Meleagant, bewildered, fell to the ground, but it was not long before he got up. Lancelot
immediately dismounted and rushed at him. Without a word, the adversaries clashed, more
savagely than two wild boars. They dealt terrible blows with their steel swords. The heat
grew stronger and stronger and Meleagant, who had lost a great deal of blood, was
beginning to weaken. But now Lancelot, looking up, saw the queen. Because of the heat,
she had pulled her veil down and her face was exposed. Dazzled, delighted to himself,
Lancelot almost dropped his sword. His eyes turned to the window, he forgot to fight. His
opponent took the opportunity to give him redoubled blows. Around him. we were beginning
to get angry when Seneschal Keu, painfully sticking his head out of the window, cried out to
him: Hey! Lancelot, where has your boldness gone? Would a single knight get the better of
you?

Recognizing the voice of the seneschal, all ashamed to have had the bottom, Lancelot
rushed on his opponent, faster and more aggressive than ever. He manhandled him
roughly, forcing him to give way. The assistants understood that Méleagant could not resist
any longer: he was lost. King Baudemagu leaned over to the Queen Lady, my son is in dire
straits. Despite his wrongs, I wouldn't want to see him dead or mutilated. Please intervene
to end the fight! - Certainly, I will take care not to forget the honorable way in which you
have treated me since I have been here. Go separate them! The two adversaries were
under the windows, and they clearly heard the words of the king and the queen. Lancelot
immediately put his sword back in its scabbard. Meleagant, on the contrary, wanted to take
advantage of this respite, but he was prevented from doing so by the king, who had hurried
down from the tower. - Leave the battle to me! he cried to his father. You can see that I
have the advantage! - Not another word! The situation is clear to everyone. You are not
respecting my rights by depriving me of my battle. I'll go elsewhere to resume the fight
against him. The king then took his tils aside and put the confrontation back to him at
another date and in another place. The conditions would be as follows: on the day of his
choice, he would appear before King Arthur's court and there he would challenge Lancelot.

The queen proposed to Should solemnly swear to return with him if he was the winner. This
project was agreed and the queen returned to her apartments. When Lancelot was stripped
of his arms and washed, he was taken to the queen by King Budemagu. Immediately in her
presence, he bowed to her and knelt. Lady, said the king, this is Lancelot. He has paid
dearly for the honor of being before you, for he has faced terrible trials to join you. But the
queen turned her head away and let it fall: If he did this for me, he was well lost. I cannot be
grateful to him. Think of the service that the king exclaimed to you. He has done so badly
towards me elsewhere, that I will never love him again. Ah! lady, said Lancelot, what have I
done wrong? But she did not agree to answer and withdrew to another room. gave back !

Chapter 6: Les Amants Réunis

Lancelot was overwhelmed for a long time. King Budemagu, wishing to get him out of his
dark thoughts, took him by the hand to lead him to the room where Seneschal Keu was
bedridden. The latter at his sight exclaimed: Welcome to the best of knights why this
welcome, Monsignor Keu? Because you have magnificently completed what I had
undertaken by madness. The king then left them, and Lancelot was able to ask: Do you
know why my lady refuses to speak to me? I totally ignore it. But women are subject to
many strange moods. Let's stop talking about it. His will must be respected tee in all.

But tell me, how did things go for you? And Keu told him how kind the king had been to
them. Their fate had changed completely from the moment they reached the land of Gorre.
During the trip, Méléagant had been incredibly daring: he would have liked to sleep with the
queen from the first night. But she had defended herself with the greatest firmness: he
would have to marry her first in front of his father. When Baude- magu had come to meet
them, the queen had let herself fall at his feet to beg him, with many tears and cries, to save
her from dishonor. Since then, the king had lodged her in his own apartments. He, Keu,
slept in the room which gave access to that of the queen. As for Méléagant, mad with
annoyance, he had been obliged to accept the measures taken by his father. When all
these explanations had been given, Lancelot got up: he was going to leave the next morning
to pick up Monsignor Gauvain at the Comment, so he is also in this country? We drove
together for some time, and he chose to try the adventure at the Pont sous l'Eau. 'get near
the bridge. But there he was captured by the locals who, thinking they were following the
king's will, seized him.
He was unarmed, because he thought nothing have to fear, trusting the word of
Baudemagu, who had assured him of his protection. He therefore offered no resistance.
Word spread that whoever crossed the Bridge of the Sword was dead. When news of his
capture and death reached the king's court, the queen nearly went mad with grief.
Desperate, she would have liked to kill herself, because she was convinced of being
responsible, by her cruelty, for the disappearance of her friend. Hadn't she refused to speak
to him? He had died through her fault, and she had no right to survive. She went to bed
and rejected all food, determined to die ISsne She remained like this for two days, without
eating or drinking. The king, seized with pity at her despair, tried in vain to comfort her. It
was then that the small troop which had taken Lancelot prisoner arrived in sight of the town
of Gorron. The king, warned, rushed to meet him to deliver Lancelot and throw in prison
those who had served him so badly. Taking her aside, he told her of the Queen's immense
grief at the idea of I don't think she'll talk to you again when you return to see her, he told
her. As soon as the queen received the news of Lancelot's arrival, she regained strength
and joy. When the two men presented themselves to her rooms, she stood up to meet them.
She took Lancelot in her arms and hugged him for a long time before making him sit next to
her. She also begged the king to sit down, but out of delicacy he preferred to leave them
alone.

Are you not hurt? she asked him. Lady, the only wound I care about is the one you can
inflict on me. For what reason, in the name of God, did you refuse to talk to me about the
other Jnol She then asked him what he had done with his ring. Lady, here it is, he said,
showing her the one he wore on his right hand. He never left my finger. You're lying, that's
not the one. Lady, I swear it to you, this is the ring you gave me. And he was sure he was
telling the truth. But the queen showed him the one in his possession and he immediately
recognized that it was the real one. He looked in horror at the one he wore on his finger and
threw it out the window as far as he could. The queen told her how the maid had come to
court to bring her own ring, and the accusations she had made. He understood then all the
machinations of Morgana and told her about her captivity, and the hideous dream which had
despaired him. The queen was dumbfounded at this story. Friend, be sure, I would rather
die than see a man other than you by my side! Lady, will I get my forgiveness for these
faults? I grant it to you entirely. She also agreed to have him come and talk to her the next
night. The window of his room, fitted with iron bars, looked out on a garden behind the royal
dwelling.

It was easy to enter by crossing hiding an old crumbling wall, which she showed him from
the window. When night came, when the moment seemed favorable to him, Lancelot got up
and left his room. Crossing the garden, deserted at this hour, he came to the queen's
window. This one was not sleeping, all to his expectation. She approached and, through
the opening, held out her hands to him, which he took. - Lady, if I could come in, would you
like it? - Enter, my friend, but how? God knows, however, that this is my dearest desire! -
Be carefree These are not bars that will prevent me from joining you. - Just wait until I'm
back to bed, and don't make any noise, especially, because the seneschal is sleeping in the
next room. So, without making any noise or breaking any, Lancelot pulled on the bars of the
window and thus succeeded in unsealing them. His hands were soon bloody from the
sharpness of the bars, but he did not even notice it, for darkness reigned in the room. The
queen had returned to her bed, she held out her arms to him and he slipped beside her.
Smelling the drops of blood. she thought it was sweat, and neither of them noticed.
Immense was the joy they experienced together. At daybreak, they parted. Lancelot went
through the window, replaced the bars and returned to his room in the utmost silence.

Chapter 7: Keu Accusé

In the morning Meleagant came to report to the queen, as he was accustomed to. She was
still sleeping. I saw the sheets stained with fresh drops of blood. He retraced his steps
towards Keu's room, During the night, the latter's wounds had reopened and he had bled a
lot. Lady! he cried furiously, pointing to the sheets, here is some evidence that accuses
you! My father carefully kept you from me, but very badly from Keu! We can say that the
seneschal took care of you! You dishonored yourselves with this mediocre knight, while I
have conquered you with arms in hand. What disloyalty for a lady to whom so many virtues
are claimed!

Lord, replied the queen, I take God witness, this blood was never brought into this Keu bed.
But I sometimes bleed from my nose. No need to defend yourself. You are caught in the
act. Keu was so outraged that he almost choked with rage. He was ready to exonerate
himself by trial or by judicial duel, he said. But Méleagant would not hear it. Ordering the
guards who were present not to touch anything before his return, he rushed to his father and
threw himself at his: suspected spəid. You know the dangers I ran to get the queen. You
have prevented any attack on her virtue, by making her guard against me, But this morning, I
have the proof that Keu sleeps with her every Lord, come and see what you would never
have harmed Shut up! I don't believe a word of it! Come and see the sheets. They are
stained with Keu's blood. Well, let's go! I want to see the truth of my The king, upset and
furious, made Lancelot stand up to accompany him with Meleagant to the queen. Lancelot
then noticed for the first time that he had torn his hands against the bars of the window. As
soon as they were in the queen's apartments. Meleagant said to his father, pointing to the
two beds. Lord, here is the proof! Do me justice for this time! For her, I risked death, and
she spurned me.

And now we can see that she give her favors to the coward who has not even defended her!
Ah! lady, said the king, how is it possible? Such conduct on your part! Lord, don't believe it!
God let me know if I had a bad relationship with Keu The Seneschal intervened. I am ready
to swear that I have never slept with the Queen. And may God never restore my health if I
perjure myself! I would pretend death rather than committing such an ugly offense against
my lord. I fully intend to defend my lady and even me against the accusation of your son. It
is out of the question, said the king. You are way too badly off. Lancelot then stepped
forward: Lord, the queen and Monsignor Keu are totally innocent of what they are accused
of. am ready to provide proof of it by arms - And I will dare to prove that she is guilty! contra
Méleagant. The king would have liked to avoid this fight, but the adversaries were
determined to fight. After stre both equipped, they found themselves on the ground Lancelot
addressed to the king: Lord, the stake of the battle is considerable: it is about the honor of
the queen. Have the relics brought, that we both take a solemn oath.

Méléagant stepped forward -I take God and the saints to witness, the queen spent this night
with Seneschal Keu, who was his pleasure companion. I accuse you in this of perjury, said
Lancelot. I swear in turn that the seneschal did not sleep with her. And may God take
vengeance on the one who lied! The King, Queen, and Seneschal Keu took their places at
the windows, and the fight could begin. The two knights rushed against each other with all
the speed of their steeds. The blow they struck was such that nothing remained of their
spears: their fists held only chunks, which they threw. They continued the fight, doing
everything to hurt themselves. The clash of the swords on the helms made sparks fly. They
ended up falling to the ground together, and were left stunned. Meleagant's wound had
reddened, and he lost consciousness for a brief moment. As for Lancelot, he remained on
the ground for a moment, before rising to his feet, with a leap, to rush towards the one he
hated more than all. Meleagant defended himself as best he could, for his bravery was
great, but Lancelot ended up having the upper hand. The king realized that the fight was
going to be fatal for his son. Shaken in his father's heart, he begged the queen to intervene,
and the latter could not refuse him. Come on, she said, and separate them yourself! The
king went to the field in person and asked Lancelot to stop fighting, in the name of the reim.
Really, lady, is this your wish?

As she confirmed with a sign, he obeyed, well reluctantly. As for Méléagant, he accepted
the truce, but only because he knew he could resume the fight at a time of his choosing.
The fighters broke up. Méléagant, furious at this second defeat, swore that he would take
revenge for this humiliation. I will kill Lancelot with my hands before he leaves the Know this
well, said the king to him, If Lancelot dies by your fault other than in fair fight, I will disinherit
you. My kingdom will not fall into the power of a traitor, coupled with an assassin. That
same evening, Méléagant left town.

Chapter 8: La Traîtrise De Mélégant

Exiles from Brittany were beginning to pour in from all over the country, because the king
had given the order not to hold back any of those who wished to leave. They gathered
around Gorron, full of impatience and joy at the idea of seeing their country again, and they
celebrated their savior, the good knight who had known how to cross the Bridge of the
Sword and triumph over Méléagant. Lancelot willingly lent himself to their expressions of
joy, but he remained preoccupied with the fate of Monsignor Gauvain. He therefore decided
to set off again for the Pont-sous l'Eau, but this time carefully equipped. The king made him
accompany about forty armed knights, chosen from among the exiles, and he expressly
recommended everywhere that he be treated as himself.

After a few days of travel, Lancelot reached less than seven leagues from the bridge. He
then saw a dwarf come to meet him, mounted on a hunting horse galloping at high speed.
The dwarf having asked which Lancelot was, he said to him: Lord, Monsignor Gauvain
salutes you. Lancelot, very happy, made him feast: And how is your master Very well, lord.
I must speak to you on his behalf in private. So he drew her aside to deliver his message:
My lord suspected that you were looking for him. He informs you that he is lodged in a very
pleasant place, where he has everything he wants. He asks you to come join him with a
restricted escort. You will then go together to find the queen. I will act in everything as he
wishes. But what to do with my companions? Lord, tell them to wait for you here. You will
quickly let them know what you have decided with Monsignor Gauvain. He's hardly far from
here, barely a league away. So I will go alone. Lancelot left them and went with the dwarf.
They quickly reached a small, powerfully fortified castle, surrounded by two solid ramparts
and two ditches. The gate was open. They entered a large room which was strewn with
fresh grass.

Lancelot quickened his pace, for he was eager to see Gauvain again. But now, in the middle
of the room, the ground gave way under his feet, and he fell into a pit several fathoms deep.
He did not hurt himself, however, because care had been taken to cover it with a good
thickness of fresh grass. Lancelot then understood that he had been betrayed: he owed all
this to Méleagant. Not the slightest way out: he was indeed a prisoner. He soon saw a
score of armed men appear above the ditch, and among them the one to whom the castle
belonged, the Seneschal de Gorre, who said to him Lord, you see, all resistance is useless.
Surrender, and your prison will not be too hard. Why did you get hold of me like this? It
would have been more honorable to capture me by arms! Yes, but we didn't want to risk
killing you or being hurt ourselves. But if you want to get out of this pit, go. There is no other
way. Lancelot had no choice. He gave them back his sword and his helmet. Only then did
they hoist him to the surface, then they locked him in a well-fortified turret. Meanwhile,
Lancelot's companions were waiting for him. At nightfall, very worried, 15 decided to stay in
a neighboring castle.

swim, very close to the Pont sous l'Eau. They found Monsignor Gauvain there: it was there
that he had been taken in to treat the wounds inflicted on him by the defender of the bridge.
He must have faced her very badly after crossing the river, where he had drunk so much
water that he had almost drowned. Gauvain was greatly surprised not to see Lancelot. He
was told how the dwarf, claiming to come from him, had taken him with him. Monsignor
Gauvain, dismayed, said, weeping: Alas, he was betrayed! And the culprit, by God, can only
be Meleagant the deceitful! Very distressed, he resumed the road towards the court of
Budemagu, with the companions of Lancelot. He was received very warmly by the king, and
the queen celebrated him. But when they learned of Lancelot's disappearance, their joy
turned to desolation. The king made every effort to find the knight, he sent letters to all the
barons of his land, thinking that he had thus heard some news from him. In vain. The
queen and Gauvain stayed at Gorron for a fortnight while waiting. The queen then received
a letter from King Arthur. He greeted her and invited her to return with Monsignor Gauvain
to court, where Lancelot was with him, in perfect health. Everyone was overjoyed. The
queen set out as quickly as possible with Monsignor Gauvain and the exiles. Escorted by
the king, they left the country of Gorre, whose perilous bridges had been destroyed, and they
headed for Camaalot.

What they didn't know was that the letter was a fake that Méleagant had made by forging the
seal of King Arthur. When they arrived at Camaalot, the king had moved with his barons to
welcome them. He kissed the queen, her nephew, and Keu, who was almost cured. Then
he inquired about Lancelot. Lancelot? said the queen, but he is near | How? 'Or' What ?
Yet you made me write that he was here in perfect health! By my faith, I haven't seen him
for over a year, at my plenary court in London, And I haven't sent you a letter. The queen, at
these words, felt her heart freeze. She lost consciousness and Gauvain rushed forward to
support her. He himself was very distressed and the king had tears in his eyes. The whole
court was in anguish over Lancelot's fate.

Chapter 9: Le Tournoi De Pomeglai

The king lingered at Camaalot as long as possible, for it was the city of his kingdom closest
to the land of GJorre, and news was hoped to be received from Lancelot. A month after their
return, the exiles begged the king to organize a big tournament. Their exile had long
deprived them of the spectacle of feats of arms, and above all they wanted to be able to
marry their daughters to worthy knights of Brittany: a tournament could be an opportunity to
distinguish the best of them. But the king was in no mood to organize a celebration, and his
barons were in the same mood. As for the queen, it was not until mid-August that the king
was obliged to hold court and wear the crown, because custom required it. It undermined
the pain and worry, it by only a shadow of itself.

therefore gathered its barons in Rovelenc, for a court without pomp, because no one had a
heart for the usual parties and entertainment. After the meal, in the company of the queen
and a few barons, he went and leaned out of the windows to look out into the countryside. It
was then that they saw a cart approaching the castle drawn by a large roncin and driven by
a stout dwarf with a gray beard. In the cart stood a knight dressed in bladed arms. At his
side rode a young lady mounted on a snow-white palfrey. Seeing the king at the window,
the young lady called out to him King Arthur, who will come to deliver the knight here? And
what is the crime of this knight? replied the king. The same as the other! The king did not
understand what she meant, but he went down with the whole court in front of the castle. He
addressed the knight in the cart: Lord, how could you be delivered - By a knight who would
take my place in this cart! Everyone cried out - No one here could ride in this wagon of
infamy! But Monsignor Gauvain left a room where he had been held until then. He saw that
all were assembled in the yard and he was told of the strange arrival of the cart and the
demands of his occupant.

pant. He then remembered Lancelot, how he got into the cart to find the queen's trail. Tears
came to his eyes and he walked over to the cart. Murmurs arose from the ranks of the
barons. - My dear nephew, cried the king, beware of dishonor. If there is dishonor in getting
into the cart, then Lancelot is also dishonored. I don't care if I am more honorable than him!
And Monsignor Gauvain got into the cart. The knight who was there cried out - Ah! lord,
thank you! I can see that what is said about you and your courtesy is true. The king was
amazed. The young lady stepped forward: King Arthur, it was customary to say that no one
in distress, man or woman, came to your court without receiving help. I can see that is a lie.
Only your nephew had the courage to face dishonor. But know that there is no more
dishonor to get on the cart of infamy, since Lancelot dared to do it to go to the queen's aid.
because of him, the carts should now be V. a sign of honor. And do you know who this
knight with bladed arms is? This young man of twenty-one, who has just been knighted at
Pentecost, is Bohort: He is Lionel's brother and Lancelot's cousin. The joyful king came up
to him with open arms to welcome him. Bohort got out of the cart, and with him Gauvain.
The other Knights of You, ashamed of their behavior, went up one after the other.

the love of Lancelot, and also the king. They made their way to the Great Hall to celebrate
the new arrival, when the Queen noticed that the young lady was quietly leaving. She joined
her to ask her who she was. Lady, I belong to the Lady of the Lake. I beg you, tell me if you
have any news from Lancelot! He is in perfect health, in a prison where he is treated well.
But he cannot escape without breaking his word. He should be able to go, know it, to the
first tournament to be held in the kingdom of Logres. Then the young lady walked away.
The queen, delighted with this news, joined the court, to whom she revealed that Lancelot
was being held prisoner. Lord, she said to the king, announce a great tournament on the
border between your kingdom and the land of Gorre. On this occasion you may be able to
learn news from Lancelot. It would also be a satisfaction for the exiles who begged you not
long ago. The king willingly consented to it, and a great assembly was proclaimed by letters
and messages to be held in Pomeglai in twenty days. the other in the cart. The queen went
up there, for | of time. Lancelot was in prison with the Seneschal de Gorre. This one was
often absent from the castle, and his wife, very courteous and very beautiful, did everything
to alleviate the fate of the prisoner.

Every day she made him leave the turret to have lunch with her, because she had fallen in
love with him. Word of the tournament spread throughout the country, and Lancelot was
very sad not to be able to participate. Seeing him pensive and gloomy, the lady questioned
him. Lady, he replied, it is because of this tournament which I cannot go to. And wouldn't
the person who would let you do that deserve a great reward? Sure, all I have, and more -
more! I'll let you go, and I'll provide you with arms and horse, if you give me a donation.
Lancelot, at the height of happiness, made her the pro- | mass. Do you know what you
gave me? she told him. Your love. Lancelot was very embarrassed. He thinks for a
moment. I grant you everything I have the right to give you. The lady thought he was
speaking like that only out of modesty. She made him prepare horse and arms. On the
morning of the tournament, she cocked it with her hand and made him swear to return as
soon as the match was over. Lancelot rode towards Pomeglai and quickly reached the
place prepared for the assembly. The queen was mounted on a breteche, and with her
many ladies and young ladies.

They counted well, from there, to be able to observe the fights, which would be held in
several points. Many famous knights were to take part: Dodinel the Savage, Guerrehet and
Agravain, the brothers of Gauvain, and Yvain, as well as Bohort, new to the court. Lancelot,
passing in front of the bretèche, cast a fervent glance at it, but the queen could not
distinguish him, for she did not know under what arms he would fight. Lancelot, wearing a
vert shield with three silver lions, joined the center of the field. A knight rushed at him, it was
Herlin le Roux, brother of the King of Northumberland. Lancelot hit him so hard that he
threw him to the ground, to everyone's astonishment, for Herlin had a great reputation. He
continued his ride, slaughtering the knights and shattering the spears. But now a formidable
adversary presented himself. It was Gardor d'Outre-Marche. Lancelot hit him with such
violence that he knocked horse and rider to the ground. All were amazed. The knight with
the green arms accomplished so many feats that the best were stunned. The name of
Lancelot was whispered. Gauvain turned to the queen: It cannot be She herself was
convinced of it: she recognized him by his way of fighting, having often observed him. But
she imagined abusing them. She motioned to one of her attendants and slipped to her:
Lady, go find this knight and tell him my order: from now on he fight as badly as possible.

From that moment on, Lancelot did everything to cover himself with shame. Taking his
spear, he darted forward to joust, and missed his opponent. Returning to the melee, he
gripped his horse's neck, about to fall. Lowering his head, fleeing the blows, he tried to
avoid his opponents. The crowd, which had raised him to the skies, now hooted him,
shouting insults and mockery at him. He behaved like this until midday, when the fighters
broke up for a break. The queen's attendant then came back to see him: his lady asked him
to joust as well as possible. When he went to resume the fight, bad jokes began to boo him.
Grabbing his spear, he lined up, fought so brilliantly that everyone was stunned. From that
moment he was the winner everywhere. In the evening, it was only a question of the
prowess of the knight with the green arms: everyone was convinced that it was Lancelot. He
had only fought for the worst and then began a fierce game: he made fun of them. Lancelot,
however, had already disappeared. Getting rid of his shield, he had left the field and
galloped at great stages towards his prison. But Meleagant had learned of Lancelot's
presence at the Pomeglai tournament. Drunk with rage, he promised himself to lock her in a
place where he could never get out.

He immediately had a tower built on the side the Marches of Wales, on the pretext that he
had to ensure the security of the border. The tower was located in the middle of a swamp
where no one could have risked themselves without being swallowed up as by an abyss.
Spear. Lot was transferred there and placed in the care of a serf devoted to Méléagant.
Every day, the man took a small boat to go and refuel him, following a narrow navigable
channel in the middle of the marshes. Arrived at the tower, he placed the meager ration of
bread and water in a basket which was hoisted by means of a cord to a small window. This
hole was the only opening allowing communication, because the door had been walled up.
When Méléagant had thus made sure of Lancelot, he left the country of Gorre to go to the
court of King Arthur. He came to Logres to assert his right before the king: King Arthur, I
conquered the queen over Seneschal Keu. Lancelot came looking for her. At the end of the
battle between us, the following agreement was reached: I would let him take the Queen
away, but he would have to fight against me in this court, the same year, when I wanted to.
Let him present himself, for I have come to challenge him! The king treated Méleagant very
honorably, out of respect for his father, King Baudemagu. Méléagant, Lancelot is not here. I
haven't seen him since he picked up the Queen, and before that he had been away for over
a year.

You know usage: you will have to wait here for forty days. If he is still absent, you will return
to your country until the end of the year. You will then come back to fight, against him if he
is there, or otherwise against another, and if you are victorious, you will have won your case.
Méléagant could not but accept these conditions.

Chapter 10: La Mort De Méléagant

Méléagant had a sister to whom Lancelot had done a great service by donating the head of
his worst enemy. This young lady knew that Lancelot had been searched for all over the
country of Gorre, and she suspected that her disappearance was due to some perfidy on the
part of Méléagant. When she learned that he had built a tower in the middle of the marshes,
she understood that it was Lancelot's place of captivity. She knew the wife of the guardian
of the tower well. She came to find her and showered her with blessings so that she could
stay with her. There she could observe how food was brought to Lancelot. She wept with
pity on her fate: what a loss if a knight like him were to die in this prison Hiding from
everyone, she prepared everything she needed to free him from prison: a boat, a pick and a
thick rope.
When everyone was asleep, she got into the boat and paddled quietly to the tower, where
she found the basket in which Lancelot's food was placed. She put the pick and the rope in
it and called out very softly. Who are you ? said the prisoner. I am a friend, and I am so
sorry for you that I took the risk to come and rescue you. Full of joy, Lancelot hoisted the
basket where he took the pick and the rope. With the pick, he quickly made to widen the
small window to make a passage, then he fixed the big rope inside and let himself go down
to the boat. They both reached the keeper's house, where the young lady hid him in her
bedroom. In the morning, the young girl gave him a large cloak with a hood, which he
brought back in front of his face, and made him ride on a mule. Thus concealed, she took
him with her to the nose and beard of the occupants of the house. They both walked to a
small castle that the young lady had in good hands, because it came from her mother.
There she provided Lancelot with all that was necessary and forced him to regain his
strength, for he was very tried and weakened by his harsh detention. Meanwhile, she sent a
messenger to King Arthur's court to inquire about her brother's actions.

When the squire returned, he informed him that Méleagant was at the king's court, awaiting
the expiration of the period of forty days fixed for the battle. Lancelot had already regained
much of his vigor. Hearing this, he asked the young lady to let him go: he only thought of
taking revenge on the man he hated the most in the world. Dear lord, be patient. I will get
you weapons and mounts and you can be there on the appointed date. As for me, I will pray
to Heaven to grant you your vengeance. This man was never a trere for me: he always tried
to disinherit me and to cover me with shame. Lancelot stayed another eight days with
Méléagant's sister, then he went, milked and ready, with excellent equipment, to Escavalon,
where Arthur held court. It was the last of the forty-day deadline. Méléagant, already
equipped with all his weapons, was ready to leave, since, he said, no one dared to take
Lancelot's place. With a bound, Bohort stepped forward: I am ready to fight in my cousin's
place! It is Lancelot that I would like as an adver sary! Meleagant retorted. Certainly,
intervened Monsignor Gauvain, it is easy for you to speak like this now! But you might be
less impatient if he was here. In the meantime, I offer to fight for his sake.

I won't tell you no. After him, there is no knight whom I will face with more pleasure than
Monseigneur Gauvain ran to equip himself. The king designated the place where the battle
would take place: a large square outside the walls, in the meadows. Accompanied by the
whole court, the adversaries descended through the streets of the city and prepared to fight.
It was then that Lancelot appeared, all armed. He recognized Gauvain and, dismounting,
went to hug him. The two companions embraced. The news spread in the blink of an eye
through the whole court. Méleagant was stunned. Lancelot came to him Ah! Méléagant,
what a surprise for you! Here I am outside the tower where you had me locked up by
treachery. You are going to have it, the battle that you have been asking for! Without
further ado, they took their places on the ground, and threw their horses down, Meleagant
struck his opponent so violently that his spear was shattered. Lancelot, with his own,
pierced his shield, which was nevertheless solid. The shock was so severe that the two
horsemen fell to the ground, only to get up immediately, drawing their swords. They
exchanged furtive blows on the helms and shields, tearing the shrouds and putting blood on
their shoulders. Until around noon the fight was more or less even, but then Méleagant
began to weaken. Blood was squirting from his nose and mouth, and he did nothing more
than dodge the blows.
Lancelot then raised his sword to strike the decisive blow, but his enemy backed up and fell
to the ground. Lancelot rushed at him and tore off his helm, which he threw away from him
into the meadow. Seeing himself in peril of death, Méleagant cried for mercy. The king
stepped forward to ask that he be spared, but Lancelot, looking up, saw the queen
beckoning him not to be reluctant. Lord, said Lancelot to the ro1, I can only grant one thing.
Let him get up to put on his helmet. But this is the last time that I will spare it. Meleagant
rose to his feet, grabbed his helm and sword, and ran to attack him again. But Lancelot
immediately gained the upper hand. Tearing off his helmet a second time, with a single blow
of his sword, he made his head fly, which rolled in the middle of the closed field. Gauvain,
Yvain, Seneschal Keu rushed to Lancelot to congratulate him. The king came to embrace
him, fully armed as he was, and stripped him of his helm in person. Dear friend, he said,
welcome! The queen was overjoyed: she was finally avenged for the shame she had
suffered. The barons crowded around him to embrace him. In general joy he was taken to
the palace, where the king did him the great honor of having him eat at his table beside him.
After the meal, he was introduced to young Bohort, his cousin, whom he had not seen for
years. The roi asked Lancelot to recount his adventures, he had them written down so that
everyone would remember.

Lancelot thus sojourned at court, and during this time he could often see his lady and obtain
what he wished for. But after a few days, Guinevere could not avoid revealing to him the
death of Galehaut, which had been hidden from him for so long.

Chapter 11: Le Tombeau De Galehaut

When Lancelot learned of the death of Gale- haut from the queen, he was struck with
amazement and incredulity. Lady, how is this possible? I thought that, if he was absent
from this court, it was because he had to return to his country to take care of the affairs of
the kingdom. And when did this death take place? | Last year, in the fall, when we had no
news from you. Certainly at that time I was held prisoner by Morgana's enchantments. The
noble Galehaut then undertook, with Lionel your cousin and with Gauvain, a long search. All
three beat the whole country in vain, without finding the slightest trace of you. Desperate for
this failure, Convinced of your death, Galehaut eventually regained his kingdom.

The news of his death reached us at the end of October, but I do not know the exact
circumstances, Lancelot then decided to go to Sorelois. He took leave of the queen and set
out, accompanied by a single squire, and in deep sorrow. After several days of travel, he
reached the land of Sorelois. One afternoon as he was walking, deep in sad thoughts, he
arrived at a monastery, where he thought to ask for hospitality for the night. He found three
trères at the door, taking in the fresh evening air, after having sung Compline. They came
running to help him dismount and welcome him. Learning that he had not eaten anything all
day, a meal appears. But Lancelot told them that previously he wanted to go to church to do
his prayers. Entering the church, he knelt down and said his prayers. Then glancing
around, he noticed in the right part of the nave a beautifully crafted silver grille, with small
golden flowers and also birds and animals represented. felt. Inside the choir, behind the
gate, stood five fully armed knights, helmets on their heads and swords in hand, ready to
fight. Astonished at this sight, Lancelot approached them to greet them, and saw that they
were guarding a tomb of incredible wealth, adorned with fine gold and precious stones. To
what king, to what prince could this splendid sepulcher belong? He questioned the knights
about their presence in this place. Lord, they replied, we are guarding the body that lies in
this grave, lest it be taken from here. One of the convent brothers, a holy man, predicted
that a knight would come soon to kidnap him by force. And we, people of this country, we
stand guard, because we want to keep And who is this prince? Lord, he was a powerful and
rich man, but above all he was the most valiant man of his time. Ah! God, what's her
name? Lord, if you can read, his name is inscribed on the stone of the tomb. Lancelot
approached and read: HERE LIES GALEHAUT, SON OF THE GIANT LORD OF THE
STRANGE ISLANDS WHO DIE OF HIS AFFECTION FOR LANCELOT

Upon reading this, he collapsed unconscious and lay lifeless on the ground for a moment.
The knights, dumbfounded, ran to help him and raise him up. He was in such pain that he
began to wring his fists, hitting his forehead and chest, and tearing out his hair. He
scratched his face with his fingernails, spouting ruddy blood, and he cursed the day he was
born. Ah! What a huge loss The bravest man, the noblest heart in the world, and he died
because of me! His tears and moans were such that all the people in the licu looked at him
in amazement and concern. And he, unable to say a word to them, only knew how to
lament, hit and tear himself. His eyes kept returning to the inscription: it was because of him
that Galehaut had died. Well, he too had to die for him. He rushed out of the choir to get his
sword. As soon as he left the church, he found himself facing a young girl: she was one of
the Lady of the Lake's attendants. She grabs him by the wrist to stop him: What are you
doing? And where are you running like that? Ah! young lady, let me put an end to my
sufferings, for I will never know joy or rest. He was about to slip out of her hands, but she
held him back: in the name of my mistress, the Lady of the Lord, Lake, I forbid you to go any
further without having first spoken with me.

Lady, do not be angry with me, but nothing can now rejoice my heart! Listen to what I have
to tell you. My lady was quite certain of it: as soon as you found Galehaut's tomb, you would
like to kill yourself, so great would your pain be. She sent me to you in a hurry to stop you.
Leave this despair and take courage, my lady begs you in the name of the being you love
the most in the world. - And what does she want me to do? She orders you to remove
Galehaut's body from here and have it transported to the Painful Guard. There it will be
placed in the grave where you found your name inscribed. It is indeed in this place that you
will one day be buried next to him. This project pleased Lancelot a lot. He would follow her
instructions. - And now, she went on, go and equip yourself. It is clear that these knights
will not let you take away the body they have to guard without defending it. As he ran to arm
himself, she approached the knights to try to convince them. Lords, will you oppose what
you cannot prevent? What do you mean ? The body you are keeping is going to be taken
away from you. If you oppose it, you will kill yourself. Never, us alive, will this body leave
this church! Lancelot crossed the threshold fully armed.

I want to have the body that is there, he told them. Well, you won't get it without paying a
heavy price for it. Rather, we will die on the spot. With a bound, Lancelot crossed the gate
and the knights rushed on him. Wielding his sword, he attacked the first so harshly that he
split his skull in two, despite his helm. The others attacked him, hitting him on his shield,
tearing his hauberk. But the affliction he was in made Lancelot unaffected by the blows.
Noticing the strongest of them, he rushed at him and struck him hard on the helm, which
caused sparks to burst forth. The blade slipped up to the shoulder, which it cut, and the arm
fell to the ground. The knight collapsed from the pain. The three others, terrified, would
have liked to flee, but Lancelot, indefatigable, resumed the assault. Another was quickly
thrown to the ground, another had his fist cut off before managing to escape. As for the last,
with a blow of his sword, Lancelot made him fly the helm from his head. He threw himself on
his knees to cry for mercy. Well, said Lancelot, you are going to help me transport
Galehaut's body to the Painful Guard, and there, give it a burial. The knight swore that he
would carry out his orders point by point. Then Lancelot grabbed the slab by its end and
pulled to unseal it. He had to put all his strength into it, it was so heavy. When he trained
her, his body was dripping with sweat and blood squirted through his nose and mouth, but
the pain was nothing compared to the pain he experienced at the sight of Galehaut's body.

He was dressed in all his weapons and his shining sword was lying by his side. He would
have grabbed it to pierce it if the young lady had not rushed to take it from his hands.
Lancelot had a wooden stretcher prepared with rich material to transport the body. The
captive knight then intervened Lord, would it not be better to drive at night? If the locals
learn that the body is about to be abducted, they will try to block our way. We wouldn't go
far until we were arrested. - You're right. We will be leaving this same evening with my
squire. The body was therefore carried away at nightfall, to the regret of the monks, and the
stretcher was loaded onto two gentle-looking palfrois, led by the squire and the prisoner
knight. Lancelot followed them, after taking leave of the Demoiselle du Lac. After several
days they reached the Painful Guard. The locals now called her the Joyeuse Garde, but
foreigners still knew her by her old name. The inhabitants of the castle had been warned of
their arrival by the squire, sent forward. They gathered to welcome Lancelot, but their joy
turned to grief when they saw his grief and understood why he had come. They tried to
reassure him as best they could, but Lancelot only thought of the tomb he wanted to have
built for Galehaut.

Lord, said an old lady, in this castle is the richest burial in the world. We do not know where
exactly, but I think the old people of the country must still remember it. So the elders were
brought in. After consulting each other, they affirmed that the tomb must be located under
the altar of the church. No tomb in the world surpasses him in wealth. It was built for the
Saracen king 'Narba- - duke, who reigned here before n mathie ", who converted the country
to Christianity. As soon as the Christians entered the city, they removed and threw the body
of this pagan, and built 'arrives Joseph of Ari- on this site a church. But the tomb was never
destroyed nor moved. The idea seemed good to Lancelot, and he had the tomb cleared. It
was magnificent, entirely made of stones. preciously delicately assembled. He was
transported to the cemetery, to the place where Lancelot had seen his name inscribed.

Then they brought the body of Galehaut, dressed in all his weapons, and Lancelot wanted to
lay him himself in the grave and kiss him one last time. He covered it with a rich silk cloth
embroidered with precious stones and placed the slab over it, heart broken. Lancelot did not
linger at the castle. After having recommended his inhabitants to God, he took the road to
Camaalot alone.

Chapter 12: Corbenic

One afternoon when he was riding around the hour of none, he met on his way a lady
mounted on a paletroi of great price. The hour arrived when he had to think of lodging, and
the lady suggested that he stop for the night at the chateau where she was going. He
accepted and, shortly after, they saw at the bottom of a valley a small castle well fortified by
crenellated ramparts, and surrounded by a deep moat. A young lady came out to come to
their meeting. Lady, she said, where are you leading this knight? At Corbenic Castle.
versus. Well, you don't like him much, for no knight has come out of here without shame.

When they got to the castle, they crossed the bridge and entered the main street. The
people, on their way, called out to the knight: Lord knight, the cart is waiting for you! Well, it
won't be the first time, Lancelot said between his teeth. He arrived at the keep where he
dismounted, when he thought he heard, on his right, the voice of a woman lamenting.
Entering a large room, he discovered a young lady plunged up to the waist in a marble vat
full of broth water - Sainte Marie, who will draw me out of this water which burns me?
complained the unfortunate woman. Lancelot walked over, grabbed the young lady with her
arms around her, and without the slightest effort pulled her out of the tub. The young girl,
delivered, fell at his feet. Ah! Lord, blessed be the hour in which you were born! Many
knights have tried to help me, but to no avail. You snatched me away from the worst
suffering in Nantes. woman ɔnb has ever known, The hall immediately fills up with ladies
and knights. The townspeople flocked to the man who had put an end to the spell in which
the young lady was trapped. They then led Lancelot to a cemetery next to the keep and
showed him a very rich tomb whose slab bore an inscription: Never this stone will be lifted
Before the leopard puts his hand in it, Only then will the leopard beget the great lion In the
beautiful daughter of the king of the Fairgrounds.

Lord, they said, we think it's you. You are the best living knight in the world, otherwise you
could not have rescued the bewitched maiden. And what do you want me to do? We want
you to lift this gravestone, and see what's underneath. Lancelot grabbed the stone and lifted
it effortlessly. The tomb contained a snake, the most hideous and frightening he had ever
seen. At the sight of Lancelot, the horrible beast rose up to vomit out of the mouth flames
which burned its hauberk, then it rushed from the tomb towards the militia of the cemetery,
where it set ablaze the shrubs of the enclosure. The crowd had fled, preferring to go up to
the windows to see what happened. Lancelot walked towards the serpent, like a man who
does not fear the ordeal. He placed his shield in front of his face, to protect himself from the
poisonous fire of the beast, and struck the monster with his spear in the chest, thrusting him
into the body of iron and wood. Wounded to death, flaps his wings, 'but Lancelot,
brandishing his sword, made his head fly. Everyone rushed around Lancelot to celebrate
him.

The bells began to ring and we escorted you in jubilation to the great hall of the dungeon,
where he was disarmed. The doors then opened and a tall knight appeared, followed by a
large company of lords and ladies. He was a very handsome man with gray hair, whose
noble demeanor struck Lancelot. He is the king, he is told. Dear lord, declared the king to
him, after having hugged him to welcome him, we have wanted to see you and have you
with us for a long time. This country is devastated, it is a Gaste 'Land which awaits the end
of its misfortunes. You're welcome ! They sat down side by side and the king asked him
what his name was. Lord, I am Lancelot du Lac. King Ban de Bénoic, the brave king who
died of pain, was he not your father? Yes, lord, that was him. By my faith, I know for sure
that it is by you or by a being from you that this country will be delivered from the strange
adventures which occur there day and night. Lord, I was told that this castle was called
Corbenic, but will you tell me your name? Certainly. I am King Pellès of the Fairground
Land.

At this moment a very old lady appeared, who asked to speak to the king in private. Leaving
Lancelot in the company of his knights, the king joined her and they went to isolate
themselves in a room. Lord, what will you do with this knight that God has sent to us? I'm
ready to give him my daughter, if he wants. He will refuse, I am sure, because his love for
Queen Guinevere is too strong for him to want another woman. It will take skillful
maneuvering. Do as you wish, but find a solution, This union must be done. The king
returned to sit down next to his host. While they were talking about things and things,
Lancelot saw a dove enter through the window, holding a golden censer in its beak. She
crossed the room, which was immediately filled with the sweetest smells in the world. Then
she disappeared into another room. Servants then appeared to set the tables and garnish
them with white tablecloths. The king made Lancelot sit next to him and his people sat down
in their turn in silence.

Shortly afterwards, a young lady so beautiful, so charming, that Lancelot had to admit to
himself that he had never seen such beauty, except for the queen. The young lady held in
her hands a vase which resembled a chalice, the richest that a human being could ever
contemplate. Lancelot understood that it was a sacred object, so he put his hands together
and bowed as it passed. The young girl went around the tables, and they were immediately
filled with the most delicious foods. The palate was filled with delicious smells, like those of
the rarest spices. When the young lady had returned to the room from which she had come,
the king and his hosts began to eat and to converse. And what do you think of the girl who
carried the rich vase? the king asked Lancelot. She is the most beautiful young lady I have
ever seen. Ladies, I won't say anything. The king remembered Brisane's words. The old
lady must have been right: Lancelot's thoughts were with Queen Guinevere. | This Brisane
was the confidante of the king's daughter. She came to speak with Lancelot, and asked him
for news of King Arthur. As for the queen, she added, I don't need her. I saw her recently,
and in excellent health. - You are laughing at me ? How is it possible ?

Lord, she is two leagues from here, in a castle where she will spend the night. Come with
me, I will lead you to her. Lancelot's heart was flooded with joy. He sent for his weapons,
while Brisane joined the king. Have your daughter give a mount and send her immediately
to the Chateau de Quasse, where I will join her with Lancelot. I have prepared a drink which
will make him believe it is the queen. Do not be afraid, when he is under his control, he will
behave according to our vows. The king had his daughter escorted by twenty knights who
took her to the castle of Quasse. There they made a very rich bed set up in a room, and the
young lady slept there, according to the instructions received. When Lancelot and Brisane
arrived at the castle, it was pitch black, and the moon had not yet risen. Brisane led him into
the hall where the knights rose to welcome him. Once disarmed, Lancelot asked for a drink,
for he had been hot in his haste to ride towards the castle. A young lady brought a cup filled
with a beverage that looked like wine: Brisane had given it to her as soon as she arrived.
Drink it all, Lord, it can't hurt you. You've never drunk anything like it, I think. As the drink
seemed agreeable to him, Lancelot drank it down to the last drop.
Left alone with Brisane, he then felt more chatty and cheerful than usual, and asked if he
could see the queen. He had the impression of being in Camaalot and thought to speak to a
servant of Guinevere, who would have replaced the Lady of Malehaut after his departure.
Brisane understood that he was in the state which suited his plans. It wouldn't be difficult to
abuse it. Lord, my lady may be asleep. Don't wait any longer, go join her! But I can only go
if she invites me! The old lady made a show of going to speak to the queen in her room, and
soon returned. Lord, my lady is waiting for you. You can go talk to him. He entered the
room, in his breeches and shirt, and went to lie down in bed with the young lady, believing it
to be the queen. He showed her the joy he reserved for his lady, and she gladly received
him, for she wanted to have one who surpassed all the other knights. Thus united the best
and the most beautiful knight and the most beautiful maiden of the highest lineage that was
then. He wanted her because he took her for Queen Guinevere. She did it not so much for
her beauty as for the fruit that was to be born of their union: the one that would bring
happiness and prosperity to the Gaste Land. This is how God allowed them to father Gilead,
the pure knight who should carry out the adventures of the Holy Grail. In the morning
Lancelot woke up.

The effect of the drink had dissipated and he wondered where he was. In the half-light, he
made out the young lady. Who are you, in the name of Heaven? he asked, leaping out of
bed. Lord, I am the daughter of King Pelles de la Terre Fair. | - Realizing that he had been
deceived, full of rage and bitterness, he got dressed and went out to search for his weapons.
Returning to the bedroom, he opened the shutters to let in the light. Seeing the young girl
who had cheated on him, his heart swelled with anger. Exhausted, he drew his sword and
rushed towards her. Lady, I died of the shame you just inflicted on me. Never again will you
cheat on a man like you just did with me. He was raising his sword over her, when she
threw herself at his feet, her hands clasped: Pity, noble knight, do not kill me! Forgive me as
God did to Mary Magdalene! He remained undecided, quivering with anger and resentment.
Before his eyes was a young girl of unparalleled beauty, trembling with fear, naked in her
shirt. He was ashamed of his violence. Lady, I don't have the courage to take revenge on
you.

To destroy a beauty like yours would cruel and disloyal. Please forgive me for raising my
sword over you. Lord, I forgive you, provided you forgive me for having earned your wrath.
Lancelot quickly equipped himself and, descending into the yard, found his horse saddled.
Brisane had had it prepared, for she knew he wouldn't linger at the castle once the deception
was discovered. Picking up his shield and his lance, he walked away, distressed and
discontented, and followed his path, lost in thought. As evening was falling, he arrived at a
hermitage where a monk dressed in white was finishing his vespers. The holy man
welcomed him and offered him hospitality, on condition, however, that his diet did not put
him off too much: he had only to offer him coarse barley bread and herb soup. Lancelot
agreed, for more than the weariness of his body weighed on him the confusion of his mind,
still shaken by the adventure that had happened to him. As he was sharing bread with the
hermit, the latter, seeing his gloomy expression, called out: - Lancelot, Lancelot, listen to me!
Don't let your heart sink into sadness. How do you know my name? I know a lot about you.
I know where you come from and why you are so confused. But it happens that we deplore
something from which a great good must be born. And what good could happen to me for
the bad that I could have done?
Your heart is in pain because you think you have betrayed your lady by uniting you with
another woman. This is the evil that overwhelms you at the present time. But from this evil
will come good: your union with the daughter of King Pelles will be born a child. His name
will be Gilead, after one of your ancestors, who was the youngest son of Joseph of
Arimathea. And this son will manage to accomplish certain adventures which are forbidden
to you, although you are the best knight in the world. And what are these adventures? -
These are the adventures of the Holy Grail, because to overcome them, valor is not enough.
Only an absolutely pure knight is worthy of it. You, you gave your heart to the queen, and
this guilty love will prevent you from succeeding in these great adventures. But they were
always promised to your lineage, and God, in his goodness, was good enough to give you a
son who will fulfill them. With these words, the hermit left his host, for he was to say the last
service of the day, that of compline. Lancelot was left alone, pondering these words. He felt
regret at the idea of adventures he could not accomplish, but the thought of a son was a
great comfort to him. The next morning, after having listened to mass, he left the hermitage
more serene, and resumed the road to Camaalot.

Fifteen years passed. Fifteen years during which adventures were not lacking. Lancelot will
face formidable enemies, he forced perilous passages and put an end to evil customs.
Several times he went in search of Knights of the Round Table of whom we had no news.
And every time he returned to King Arthur's court, he found his lady's love again. The queen
accepted, at the cost of much torment, that he put his life in peril, for his glory counted more
than anything in his eyes. For a whole year, Lancelot went to France with his cousins Lionel
and Bohort. With their help, he reconquered the kingdoms of Bénoic and Gaunes from the
cruel King Claudas.

His mother Hélène, the Queen of Sorrows, had the joy of seeing her son before dying
peacefully in her monastery. After fifteen years, on the day of Pentecost, a handsome young
man, Gilead, arrived at the court of King Arthur, who had been brought up at the court of
King Pelles in Corbenic. Lancelot thus got to know his son, a knight who was to prove to be
as valiant and noble as him. For three years, Gilead carried out the high adventures for
which he was destined, and it was he who was chosen by God to accompany the Holy Grail
to Jerusalem, where he disappeared forever.

Seventh Part: La Fin Des Aventures

Chapter 1: Révélations

On that day King Arthur gathered his court at Camaatot. For three years, his knights had
gone in search of the Holy Grail, and now that most of them had returned, the king wanted to
celebrate his return with dignity by organizing a big tournament, which would take place not
far from there, in Wincestre. Lancelot wanted to take part in this tournament, but without
making himself known, because he feared that no one would compete against him. To be
able to go there alone and secretly, he asked his cousins Bohort and Lionel to leave with
their companions, because he felt in too bad health to go there, But this merry-go-round
attracted the attention of Agravain. This Agravain was one of Monsignor Gauvain's brothers.
Gauvain was in fact the eldest of the five sons of King Lot and Queen of Orcania, sister of
King Arthur Besides his bravery, generosity and courtesy were known to all.
The oldest after him was Agravain, an excellent knight, but very proud. His heart was
envious, and his mouth was quick to utter wicked and vile words. His brothers Gaheriet and
Guerrehet were known as daring, enterprising and generous knights. As for the youngest,
Mordret, he was very handsome and valiant, but of a deceitful and concealed character.
Agravain had never liked Lancelot very much, for envy gnawed at him in front of his
prowess. He had developed the habit of spying on her comings and goings, and he
understood that a secret love united him with the queen. Learning that Lancelot intended to
stay in Camaatot rather than go to Wincestre, he rejoiced at the thought that his time had
come. More than Arthur's honor, it was the desire to harm Lancelot that prompted him to
act. He therefore went to find his uncle the king. May the Lord suct, I would like to speak to
you in secret. Know that it is your honor. - My honor ? Is it so bad that my honor is at
stake? Yes, lord. Here is what it is: Lancelot loves the queen with a guilty love, and this
love is reciprocal. Tomorrow, Lancelot will stay here, because he told his suite to go without
him to the tournament in Wincestre. While you are there, they can meet at leisure.

But for King Arthur, these words could only be lies. Agravain, my dear nephew, stop talking
like that, for I cannot believe you. Lancelot would never act that way. How, lord, will you do
nothing more? And what do you want me to do? I think they should be spied on, until they
are caught together. You could not then deny the truth. Do as you like, sighed the king.
Agravain asked no more. All night long the king thought about his words, but his heart could
not accept them. He couldn't believe it was true. In the morning, he got up and got ready to
go to the tournament. He was joined by the queen, who also wished to attend. The
tournament was magnificent, Lancelot distinguished himself and only made himself
recognized at the end. Soon after, the king was speaking with Monsignor Gauvain, and the
latter reminded him of the tournament in Winchester, and how Lancelot had finally revealed
his identity. Certainly, said the king, he is the best knight in the world. And yet, if I had
believed your brother Agravain, I would have had him killed! And what did he tell you? He
came to me the other day and pretended to reveal to me how ashamed Lancelot was in me.

He told me that he loved the queen with a guilty love and that they were lovers. It was for
this reason that Lancelot wanted to stay in Camaalot while I was in Wincestre! And he only
stayed there to secretly come to the tournament! Yes, uncle, you must keep your envious.
Lancelot is perfectly loyal to you. I would be ready to defend it in a closed field against all -
The king left Gwain completely reassured. As for Agravain, despite his disappointment, he
did not give up watching Lancelot and the queen. charge. A month later, the king wanted to
hunt and he left for a few days with Sagremor and a small escort of knights, One evening,
the hunt took them further than they thought and they arrived in a country they did not know
not. Night was coming and it was becoming urgent to find accommodation, when they heard
the sound of a horn. Riding in that direction, they came to a superb castle hidden in the
depths of the forest., This castle belonged to Morgana. It was there that his seneschal had
once taken in Lancelot for a whole winter when his mind was troubled by madness. When
Sagremor came to ask for hospitality for King Arthur, Morgana was there. She immediately
gave orders for everyone to be received magnificently. When the king and the knights were
disarmed, they were ushered into the room where Morgana was with a company of ladies
and knights.
She walked up to the king: Lord, you are in the house where they wanted to see you the
most. Know that there is no woman in the world who loves you more than me. Lady, who
are you to love me so much? Lord, you do not have a closer friend by blood, for I am
Morgana, your sister. He looked at her and recognized her. By my faith, he said, hugging
her, I thought you were dead! For over thirty years I had no news from you. The king was
happier than one can tell. My dear sister, since Dicu gave me to find you, I want to take you
with me to Camaalot. From now on you will remain at my court, where you will be in the
company of Queen Guinevere, my wife. I know she will be delighted when she finds out that
you are alive. My dear brother, do not ask me that. I will never go to court. When I leave
here, I will go to the island of Avalon ', where I will retire in the company of ladies who know
all the enchantments in the world. After a delicious meal, served with refinement, Morgana
had the king accompanied by two young ladies carrying golden candlesticks. They led him
to the very room where Lancelot had stayed once, where he had painted his story on the
walls.

In the morning the day dawned and a beautiful shining sun entered the room, lighting it up
as in broad daylight. The king stood up and his gaze was drawn to the paintings that
adorned the walls. He could read enough to decipher the inscriptions under the pictures. It
was the story he knew well of Lancelot and his exploits as a brand new knight. The king
therefore absorbed himself in this reading, and when he saw the images which told how
Lancelot, under the leadership of Galehaut, had become Guinevere's friend, when he saw
their first kiss, he was stunned and overwhelmed. By my faith, he said in a low voice, if this
is all true, then Lancelot has dishonored me. His affair with my wife is clearly revealed.
Nothing could cause me more pain and shame. He went to find Morgana and made her
come to the room. My dear sister, please tell me the truth. Sure, if I by faith you owe me,
tell me who xnəd painted the pictures in this room. Ah! Lord, if I revealed it to you, I would
have to fear the vengeance of their author. Have no fear, you will have my protection
guaranteed. So I will tell you without lying with a single word I will tell you. The truth is that
Lancelot has loved the queen since the first day he received the order of chivalry.

It is for have you come from the castle of the painful guard: you weren't able to set foot there
before the arrival of her that he accomplished all his feats. Sub-queen. Yes, but I didn't
understand why then. Lancelot loved the queen more than any mortal could love a lady, but
he suffered from this love for a long time before daring to declare it. Galehaut saw that he
was languishing to the point of losing his drink so much he loved the queen. It was he who
convinced her to give herself to Lancelot. - - and eat it, You've told me enough. I see my
shame spread over these walls, and Lancelot's betrayal. But - tell me who painted these
pictures? Lord, it's Lancelot himself. Do you remember that he disappeared from the court
more than a year, after having delivered Gauvain from the Sorrowful Tour where he was a
prisoner? His mind was lost then, and he spent a whole winter in this castle. It was then
that he made the paintings you see. The king remained silent for a long time, his eyes fixed
on the walls of the chamber. Agravain told me the same thing, and I didn't want to believe
him, because I thought he was lying. But these Images do not lie: they testify that Lancelot
covered me with shame. As for me, I will not know the rest until I have taken them in the act.
I will take justice then in such a way that it will be talked about forever, I swear on my crown.

Morgane hated Lancelot more than any other man, because he was loved by the queen,
whom she hated. So she did everything to stir up the king's anger and desire for
vengeance. When the latter took leave of her to return to Camaalot, his resolution was
taken.

Chapter 2: Les Amants Supris

Forgetting the precautions they had always taken during their dates, Lancelot and the queen
behaved with such recklessness that their affair soon became known to Gauvain and his
four brothers. One day when they were meeting at the palace, a lively discussion took place
on this subject. Agravain wanted to reveal everything to the king, but Gauvain and Gaheriet
fiercely refused. King Arthur came up and wanted to know what they were discussing. But
Gauvain preferred to leave the premises with Gaheriet to avoid answering. By my faith, said
Gauvain to his brother, if the king knew this and quarreled with Lancelot, the entire court
would be destroyed, for Lancelot would have with him all his relatives and those of France.

But the king remained with the other brothers. He urged Agravain to tell him why they were
quarreling. Lord, I was telling Gauvain and Gaheriet that they betrayed you by enduring the
shame and dishonor that Lancelot du Lac was casting on you for a longer time. How? 'Or'
What ? Does Lancelot make me ashamed? Lord, he dishonours you with the queen, your
wife, with whom he is having an affair. The king changed color and turned quite pale, What
a strange thing, he said after a long silence. Mordret spoke Lord, we hid it from you as long
as possible, but a longer silence would be disloyalty on our part. You must know the truth.
Now it's up to you to take revenge. The king remained a long time thoughtful, in the grip of a
deep unease. But when he spoke, his voice was firm: "If you love me as much as you say
you do, make sure you catch them red-handed." And may I lose my crown, if I do not take
revenge on it as a traitor. All three swore they would serve him faithfully. When Gauvain and
Gaheriet returned to the palace, they suspected that their brothers had spoken of the king's
face. The next day, the king sent for Agravain, Guerrehet and Mordret. -

Lords, Lancelot will come to court for the next tournament that I will give to Karahès. Find
me a way to surprise him on this occasion, Here is what would be possible, said Agravain,
Let it be known that you will go hunting in the morning, and ask all your knights to
accompany you, except Lancelot. He will gladly stay, and while you are in the forest, he will
come and sleep with the queen. The three of us will have stayed at the castle, and we will
be posted in secret in a neighboring room. We will take it and keep it until you return. They
agreed on this plan. Gauvain had noticed this secret meeting between the king and his
ancestors. With a worried look, he said to Gaheriet Agravain revealed everything to the ro1 I
am afraid that great misfortunes befall us. Two days before the tournament, Lancelot
presented himself at court with his cousins and a large company of knights. He was well
aware of the king's coldness towards him. Did you see, he said to Bohort, the face King
Arthur showed me? I think he's angry with me, but I don't know what anyone said to him
about you and the queen. Be careful what you do, for the time may have come for a war
that will never end.

The next morning, when day broke, Monsignor Gauvain said to Lancelot: Lord, will you come
to the forest with my brother and me? No, I plan to stay, because I'm not feeling very well.
When they were all gone for the hunt, the Queen sent a messenger to Lancelot to invite him
to come without delay. Very happy, he got up and dressed to follow him. Bohort, who was
still there, begged him not to go, for Heaven's sake. But there was no question for Lancelot
to give it up. At most, he agreed to take his sword, as his cousin begged him. Lancelot took
a small, discreet path which led him to a garden below the tower where the queen had her
room. But Agravain had posted his spies everywhere, who informed him of his arrival.
Approaching the window, he showed it to the knights he had with him. Here it is. When he
is in the room, take care that he does not escape you Lancelot entered the tower room of the
queen. Having undressed, he joined her in her bed. Shortly after, the knights, with Agravain
at their head, arrived in front of the mée This noise alerted the queen, Friend, we are
betrayed! How is that possible, lady?

He then heard the uproar of the newcomers, who wanted to break down the door. - My dear
friend, here we are delivered to dishonor neur and death. The king will know all about us. It
is the work of Agravain. Lady, don't be upset. I will be the first to die for this action. They
both jumped out of bed to prepare themselves as best they could. Do you have a hauberk
here, so I can protect myself? Alas no! What bad luck! We are going to die, you and me.
But if Dicu allows you to escape unharmed, then I too will be saved, because no one will
dare deliver me to death if they know you are alive. Lancelot, sword in hand, walked to the
door and opened it. Damn cowards, which of you will dare to attack me? Come on, go
ahead! A knight named Tanaguin, who hated him, rushed forward. Lancelot raised his
sword and struck him so hard on his helm that he split it in two up to the shoulders. When
the others saw him collapse to the ground, they stepped back in terror. Lancelot turned to
the queen - What should I do now? Think about your safety first. You need to get out of
here ASAP. Lancelot looked at the body of the knight who had fallen across the threshold.
He pulled him into the bedroom, closed the door, and proceeded to disarm him.

Once Equipped with his weapons, he opened the door and found those who were waiting for
him. Sword held high, he rushed towards the nearest one and, with the first blow he struck
him, stretched him to the ground, the group of knights opened to let him pass. Crossing the
garden, he returned straight to his home where he found Bohort, As he was astonished to
see him fully armed, he told him about the incident: Agravain and his two brothers spied on
me and wanted to take me in flagrante delicto with the queen. They set a trap for me with
other knights, but I managed to rout them. Ah! Lord, this victory will be of no use to you, for
your secret is uncovered. Now will start an endless war. The king loved you more than any
of his knights, and he will hate you all the more. He is now your mortal enemy. As for the
queen, I am afraid that she will be delivered to death because of you. Lionel arrived in the
meantime. Informed, he was dismayed at the turn of the situation. The best solution for us,
he says, is to get out of here. Let's go and settle discreetly with our men in the neighboring
forest. When the queen is judged she will, I am sure, be taken out of town to face her
punishment. This is where we will be able to come to her aid, and we will seize her without
their being able to hold dear to us. From there, we will lead her to safety in the kingdom of
Bénoic or that of Gaunes, and King Arthur can do nothing against us. -

Lancelot and Bohort approved it. They saddled the knights and men-at-arms, thirty-eight in
number, who made up their retinue, and they went to hide in the depths of the forest.
Lancelot had, however, left Camaalot with a squire responsible for discreetly inquiring into
the fate of the queen and keeping him informed of events. Meanwhile, Agravain and his
men, annoyed at having let Lancelot escape, had not remained inactive. No sooner had the
latter left than they entered the room to satiate the queen. Lady, your misconduct has been
proven. You are caught in the act. And you will not be able to escape death. The queen
wept, overwhelmed with shame, but these cruel knights felt no mercy. At the hour of none,
the king entered the courtyard of the castle, and they brought him the news that the retne
had been surprised with Lancelot. Did we take Lancelot? No, lord. He defended himself
fiercely. Go look for him at his home. I want to do justice to him and the queen together.
But the knights could not find him and they were not sorry, for not one felt capable of
bringing him by force. The news did not please the king, who had to resign himself to taking
vengeance only on the queen.

He announced to his barons that he would reunite them in council the next morning, so that
they can judge by what death she should die. During the whole evening he neither drank
nor ate and at no time did he want to see the queen. In the morning, at prime time, after a
sleepless night, he brings together the council of his barons to ask them the question: Lords,
what justice should we do to the queen? The barons retired to deliberate, and they asked
Agravain what they should do. Lords, she must die in shame, for she dishonored the king,
her lord, by sleeping with another knight. She deserved death. They rallied to this opinion,
for they could see it was the king's will. When Monsignor Gauvain saw that the queen's fate
had been decided, grief overwhelmed him. He left the room Lord, he said to him, I no longer
want to be your vassal I renounce serving you, if you tolerate this injustice. But the king did
not answer, and Gauvain left the court to return home, in the grip of mortal sorrow. - ənb to
go find the king. The king ordered his men to erect a pyre in the meadow of Camaalot,
where the queen would be thrown. A queen guilty of treason could not die otherwise, since
she had been sacred. A very large pyre was therefore made and set on fire. The flames
were so high that they could be seen from the city.

A rumor spread through the city that a pyre was being raised for the queen. The people of
Camaalot ran to the front of the palace, weeping and moaning as if it had been their mother.
The king ordered that the queen be brought to him. She arrived dressed in a Yermeille silk
dress, tears streaming down her face: no one had ever seen so beautiful a woman in the
world. The king saw her, and felt such pity that he could not look at her. He therefore
ordered that he be taken to the place of his ordeal. When the queen had left the palace and
the people of the city saw her, there was only a cry: Ah! noble lady, more generous and
more courteous than any other! Who will have pity on us from now on? Ah! King Arthur,
what disloyalty! The traitors who plotted his death will have to repent. They followed the
queen, lamenting and crying. The king ordered Agravain to take with him eighty knights to
go and guard the field where the pyre had been lit, because he feared Lancelot's
intervention. I will go, lord, he replied, but order my brother Gaheriet to accompany me.
Gaheriet refused, but the king threatened him until he obeyed. So he went to arm himself
and rejoined Agravan. Know well, Agravain, that I will not fight Lancelot, if he comes to the
rescue of the queen. I love him too much to fight him.

Agravain and Gaheriet approached the fire, with their troop of eighty men. But Lancelot was
there in ambush. He had learned from his squire the judgment which condemned the queen
to the stake and had reunited, with his cousins, the thirty-eight men of their retinue.
Grabbing shields and spears, they spurred their horses and rushed towards those who were
in the meadow. Lancelot, who was at their head, headed straight for Agravain Cursed
traitor, your last hour has come! He thrust his sword into her chest with such force that no
hauberk could resist. Agravain fell to the ground. Bohort was coming, with all the speed of
his horse. Seeing Guerrehet, he challenged him then rushed at him with a lowered spear:
the iron went through his body. The melee began. But Gaheriet had seen his brothers fall.
His heart filled with anger and sorrow, and he launched into battle, despite his resolve not to
intervene in an unjust fight. He was fighting furiously when Lionel saw him. He came up to
him with the sword held high and struck him hard so that he made his helm fly. Stunned by
the shock, Gaheriet remained with his head uncovered. Lancelot, who was walking through
the ranks of the melee, did not recognize him. He gave her such a blow that he slit her skull
to the teeth. King Arthur's men, seeing Gaheriet fall, lost heart. They fled, with Mordret.
When Lancelot saw that his opponents had been routed, he came to the queen: Lady, what
can we do for you?

Lord, bring me to safety, in a place where King Arthur cannot reach me. He put her on a
stable and took her with them to their refuge in the forest. When they were all gathered, they
noticed that three of their faiths, said Lionel, I think they were killed by Gaheriet. How, said
Lancelot, Gaheriet was there? You yourself killed him, said Bohort. Lancelot sighed,
overwhelmed, for he loved Gaheriet very much: Never again will we know peace with King
Arthur and Monsignor Gauvain. Their love for Gaheriet will lead them to a war that will never
end. Bohort continued: And what shall we do, lord, to put the queen in safety? We could
lead her to a castle I once conquered, and where she would have nothing to fear from King
Arthur. It is very well fortified, and impossible to besiege. I would bring in sufficient numbers
of men who are faithful to me. And what is his name? It is the castle of the Joyeuse Garde.
But when I conquered him, a brand new knight, he was called the Painful Guard. All agreed
on this project. In long stages, they made their way to the Joyeuse Garde.

Coming four leagues from the castle, Lancelot sent a messenger to announce his arrival.
The people of the town came to welcome him and give him an even happier welcome than
they would have done for King Arthur. When he explained to them why he was here, they
swore by the relics that they would help him and be faithful to him until death.

Chapter 3: La Guerre Sans Fin

When King Arthur saw Mordret return with his companions, he asked him what had
happened. Lord, everything has gone wrong for us. Lancelot saved the queen from death
and took refuge with her in the forest of Camaalot. The king sent knights and men-at-arms
into the forest, but to no avail: the fugitives had already left. He then went to the place where
his knights had died. Looking to his right, he saw Agravain, his body pierced by a sword.
Further on, Guerre- het, whom Bohort had killed. Ah! my dear nephews, he said, those who
killed you must hate you! He had their bodies placed on their shields, so that they could be
brought back to the city.

Looking to the left, he saw the body of Gaheriet, that of his nephews he loved the most,
apart from Gauvain. He ran to him and passed out from the pain on his body. Ah! dear
nephew, I have really lived too long! Cursed be the sword that pierced you, Cursed be he
who killed you! It was myself and my whole lineage that he hit! He kissed her on the eyes
and on the mouth, and everyone around him and in the city was crying, they loved Gaheriet
so much. The clamor caused Gauvain to leave his home, and he went to the licuxes of
combat. The king called out to him Gauvain, Gauvain, see here your pain and mine! Here
lies dead Gaheriet your brother, and with him the most valiant men of our lineage. And he
showed her the bloody body he was holding in his arms. Gauvain was silent for a moment,
unable to answer, then his heart failed him and he fell unconscious. When he came to his
senses, he ran to kneel beside Gaheriet and hugged him to his chest, kissing him. Ah! my
dear brother, curse the arm that struck you! I don't want to live any longer if I can't avenge
you for the traitor who killed you. He couldn't say another word, his heart was so tight.
Casting his eyes to his right, he recognized the bodies of Agravain and Guerrehet, lying on
their shields. Ah! God, I have lived too much, since I SEE those dead who are my flesh and
blood!

He fell unconscious next to the bodies of his brothers, and the barons were afraid that he
would die of pain. By order of the king, they brought him back to Camaalot and laid him
down in a room where he remained prostrate, without any word being able to be drawn from
it. All day and all night, mourning was immense in the city. The next morning, rich coffins
and magnificent tombs were prepared to bury the dead. The king had his nephews placed in
the monastery of Saint-Etienne, all the bishops and archbishops of the country came for the
blessing. On Gaheriet's tomb, the king had the inscription engraved: HERE GİT GAHERIET,
THE NEPUT OF KING ARTHUR THAT TUA LANCELOT DU LAC After the ceremony, the
king addressed his barons: Lords, the loss we have suffered is irreparable. The one who
inflicted it on us is Lancelot du Lac, whom we have welcomed into our kingdom and loved
more than any other. You are my vassals, advise me, as you owe your lord, that my shame
may be avenged. The barons were unanimous in wanting to avenge the honor of their lord.
But the enterprise was not easy: they would have against them all the kinship of King Ban.
The news had arrived that Lancelot had taken refuge with the queen at the Joyeuse Garde.
To besiege it would not be a small matter. The king had the relics brought and all swore to
the Joyeuse Garde. The news that war had been decided reached Lancelot soon after.

This one sent messengers in Sorelois so that all the friends he had left there come to his aid
against King Arthur. He also sent a message to the kingdoms of Bénoic and Gaunes, to fill
the fortresses with men, food and weapons, in case he had to leave Brittany to fall back to
France. King Arthur took a fortnight to assemble his knights at Camaalot. On the advice of
Gauvain, he chooses the best among them to become knights of the Round Table, in place
of those who were dead or who had become enemies. Then they made their way to the
Joycuse Garde, where they arrived a few days later. Arrived at half a licue, they set up their
camp in the meadows, When Lancelot saw that the siege of the castle was preparing, he felt
great sorrow, for the king was the man he loved the most in the world. So he sent him a
young lady to bring him an offer of peace. She delivered her message, but Gwain, who was
next to the burp, jumped up to speak: Lord, you have sworn to Camaalot to avenge you and
destroy the kinship of King Ban. If you make peace with Lancelot, your honor is over!
Gauvain, the thing has gone too far. Lancelot once stood for more than any other knight, but
now he has robbed me of my closest friends by blood. I will never be at peace with him,
whatever he may do or say. I give you my word as king.

When Lancelot learned of the failure of his attempt, he was very distressed. All he had to do
was fight, but he swore to himself that the king would never die at his hand. The next day
the first assault began. The fight was fierce on both sides. The adversaries did not spare
themselves, dealing terrible blows. Hatred was now between them as strong as friendship
had once been. Those who stood out the most that day were Gauvain and Lancelot.
Gauvain did kill thirty knights, so great was the rage he felt for the death of Gaheriet. When
night came, each returned to their camp, exhausted from the fighting. Those of the castle
had lost a hundred men, and the besiegers two hundred. The next day, as soon as the sun
was up, the besieged ran to take their arms and left the castle in good order. When those
from saw them, they came out of the pavilions fully armed, Gauvan at their head. He found
Bohort in front of him. Moved by equal hatred, they rushed at each other, swords raised.
They collided so violently that they fell to the ground, each stabbed by the other's sword.
Their companions rushed to extricate them, but they were too badly injured to resume the
fight, despite their desire to do so. Bohort was stretched out on his shield and transported to
the castle, where a doctor treated him. Gauvain's condition was hardly worth the same, All
day long, the battle raged without any decisive advantage being able to be taken,

On the third day, the melee began again, and it lasted until the hour of vespers. The battle
was cruel and there were many wounded and killed. On that day, King Arthur bore arms,
and, despite his age, few knights could have compared to him. He almost gave the victory
to his camp, so great was his valor, but he found himself facing Lancelot. He rushed at him
with the sword held high and assailed him boldly. When Lancelot saw him coming, he
contented himself with protecting himself, without striking a blow himself, for he loved the
king too much. A blow from the king's sword brought down his horse and Lancelot fell to the
ground. But Lionel was not far away, he ran to the king and hit him so violently on his helm
that he made him fall from his horse next to Lancelot. He cried out to his cousin: Lord, cut
off his head! It will be the end of | our war! What are you saying, Lionel? I don't want to
hear another word on it. This is how Lancelot saved King Arthur from death, because Lionel
would have killed him. When, in the evening, the king found his family, he said to them: Did
you see what Lancelot did? He was free to kill me. By my faith, he surpassed in generosity
and courtesy any knight I have ever known. He conquered my heart by his nobility more
than he could have done by force. What a pity this war is! - for me ? - The king thus made
the seat of the Joyeuse Garde during two months and more.

The besieged only made brief but frequent sorties, for they feared to lose too many men,
while the attackers were more numerous. The Pope of Rome had learned that King Arthur
had separated from his wife and promised to kill her, if he could keep her. When he learned
that there was no flagrante delicto for the crime for which the queen was accused, the Pope
intervened with the archbishops and bishops. He ordered that the kingdom be prohibited, if
the king did not take back his wife and treat her honorably, like a queen. When the king
heard of this order, he was very angry, because he was convinced that the queen was at
fault. However, he loved her very much, and he was easily convinced. He still said that if
the queen returned, the war would not end with Lancelot. The Bishop of Rovecestre
therefore went to find him to say to her: Lady, you must come back to King Arthur your
husband, it is the order of the Pope. The king will solemnly promise, in the presence of all
his barons, to treat you as a queen befits, regardless of what may have been said about you
or Lancelot. The queen, before giving her answer, wanted to consult Lancelot, Bohort and
Lionel. She informed them of the king's proposal. Lady, replied Lancelot, my heart desires
only one thing: that you stay here. But in this matter, your honor comes before my desire.

You will therefore return to King Arthur, for it would be disloyal of me to dissuade you.
Bohort saw the tears in Lancelot's eyes, and also in those of the queen. He wanted to warn
them: Scigneur, think carefully. I'm afraid you will have to repent. You will go to France and
the queen will stay in Brittany. You may never see her again. But Lancelot remained
steadfast., The queen gave her response to the bishop, who returned to report to King
Arthur. By God, said the king, if the relations between Lancelot and the queen were as
culpable as they wanted to tell me, he would not render it so noble. It was therefore fixed
that the queen would be returned the next day, and that Lancelot could regain the kingdom
of Gaunes in peace. The people of King Arthur were happy with the happy outcome of this
war. In the Joyeuse Garde, on the contrary, sadness reigned. In the morning, Lancelot
made his adicux to the queen. Lady, the day of our separation has come. I must leave this
country, and I do not know if I will see you again. Here is the ring that you once gave me
and that I kept for your sake, now wear it for your sake, and give me whatever you she gave
it to her. So ended their interview. Lancelot and his cousins equipped themselves richly and
they advanced towards the camp, followed by a Gorgeous escort.

The king came to meet them, and Lancelot dismounted. Seizing the queen's palfrey by the
bridle, he said to the king: - Lord, here is the queen that I am returning to you. She would
have died because of the disloyalty of the people of the house, if I had not come to her aid.
She is the noblest lady in the world, and her loss would have been too painful, if these
traitors had achieved their ends. If they are dead, it is out of their own disloyalty. Before
these words, the king remained gloomy and pensive. Lord, resumed Lancelot, if I had loved
the queen with a guilty love, as you have been told, I would not have returned her to you for
months. You did well, Lancelot, and I appreciate it. But Monsignor Gauvain stepped
forward and said harshly to Lancelot: The king is grateful to you for what you are doing. But
he has something else to ask of you, And what then, Lord? He asks you to leave his
kingdom, and that you will never be seen there again! Is this your desire? Lancelot asked
the king. your - - Yes, since Monsignor Gauvain wants it. Return to your kingdom. And
when I get there, what should I expect from you? Peace or war? you can be sure, said
Gauvain, that it will be war.

And this war will last until Gaheriet, my brother whom you slain cowardly, be avenged on
your head. Monsignor Gauvain, intervened Bohort, enough threats! My lord does not fear
you much. If you come to the kingdom of Bénoic or that of Gaunes, be sure that it is your
head that will be in danger. As for this accusation of having killed your brother Gaheriet in
an unfair manner, I am ready to refute it by fighting with you in a closed field. Monsignor
Gauvain was already holding out his pledge to the king, for he was eager to do battle. But
the king refused: Lancelot would return to France in peace with his family, his royal word had
been committed. Once home, however, he could be sure to find war. Certainly, Lord, said
Lancelot to him, this war, you will not be at a loss to wage it. Better, undoubtedly, than that
which opposed you formerly to Galehaut, the lord of the Strange Islands. That day you
would have been lost without my help. And you, Monsignor Gauvain, you who never cease
to stir up the king's anger against us, remember the Sorrowful Tower, and the day when I
delivered you from the prison of Caradoc! Lancelot, replied Gauvain, you have done nothing
for me that you have not made me pay dearly in the end, for you have deprived me of the
beings whom I loved the most in the world. There will never be peace between you and me,
as long as I live. Thus ended the meeting. The next day. Lan Celot entrusted the Joyeuse
Garde to a faithful knight who had served him for a long time, then he took to the road with
his cousins and all their company.
There was good four hundred knights, not counting the men-at-arms. Lancelot got on the
boat, which soon left the shore. Looking at the land and the country where he had known so
many adventures and gained so much glory, his eyes filled with tears and he said in a low
voice: Ah! sweet land where I have known so much happiness, may you be blessed!
Blessed are those who remain there, whether they are my friends or my enemies May they
be at peace! May God give them joy and happiness! As long as he could see the kingdom
of Logres, he remained on the deck of the ship, then he went to bed. But he couldn't sleep,
and his pain lasted until he arrived in France. When the ship landed in Little Britain, Lancelot
and his companions returned to their land, where they were greeted with great joy. On All
Saints' Day, in front of the assembled barons, Lionel was crowned king of Gaunes, and
Bohort king of Bénoic, because Lancelot gave him his inheritance. All three spent the winter
repairing the fortresses and furnishing them with men and provisions. King Arthur spent the
whole winter in the kingdom of Logres.He went from town to town and from castle to castle,
and he could have spent pleasant days there, but Monsignor Gauvain kept harassing him so
that he would resume war against Lancelot. The king finally promised him that, as soon as
the feast of Easter had passed, he would summon his great army to go to war.

He would tear down the fortresses of Bénoic and Gaunes, and there would be no stone left
behind, At Easter, as soon as the good weather returned, he assembled his barons in the
city of London and had ships fitted out to cross the sea, Lord, Gauvain asked him. custody
of our lady the queen? And as the king remained pensive, Mordret offered to offer himself.
Lord, I will stay to protect her. I will take care of her like my own body, have no fear. And the
king granted him this favor. He placed Guinevere's hand in his, telling him to keep it loyally,
like his lord's wife. The queen was very angry, for she knew Mordret's deceit and believed
that no harm could come from it. The king then entrusted his nephew with the key anb of his
treasures, so that he could send him gold and silver when he was in France. Finally he
commanded all those who remained in the land to obey him, and made them take an oath of
fidelity on the relics. When the day came, the king left the city of London with his men to go
to the place of embarkation. When he had to go up to the nave, the queen embraced him,
weeping. Lord, may God lead you and bring you back safe and sound! But I have never
been so afraid, for my heart tells me that we will not meet again "Srd Lady, fear is useless.
Everything is in the hands of God.

The sails were stretched to receive the wind, and The ships moved away quickly, reaching
the high seas. The winds were favorable to them and they soon landed in France. There,
they disembarked thanking God for having protected their journey, and settled in a large
meadow. The king counted his men: there were more than forty thousand. Before setting
out, they took advice. Lord, said Gauvain, let's go straight to the city of Gaunes. This is
where Lancelot is located, with kings Lionel and Bohort. If we come to the end of it, our war
will be over quickly, By God, said Yvain, it's madness! We must first destroy the fortresses
of the country. Our position will be more secure when we go to besiege Gaunes, They will
not dare to move from their castles, when they see us taking position in the country. So let's
go besiege Gaunes, since you want to, concluded the king. - When Lancelot learned that
the king was half a league from Gaunes with his army, he proposed to attack him before he
had time to entrench himself. The next morning, at prime time, knights and men-at-arms
gathered, very happy, because they were eager to do battle. Lancelot and Lionel formed
them in order of battle, with a leader at the head of each group, and they left the city.
Immediately the king's army fell on them, and the melee began. Facing them, Lancelot and
Bohort immediately found Gauvain and Yvain, who were looking for them.

The shock was so severe that the four men fell to the ground, and Ivan nearly broke his arm.
Lancelot, remounting his steed, drew his sword to deal furious blows on all sides. When
Gwain had found a mount, his opponent was no longer there, and he had to throw himself
into the fray in his turn. The battle lasted all day. Lionel, for his part, accomplished feats,
and he would have given the advantage to his camp, if he had not been wounded in the
head by King Arthur, who did wonders to defend his men. At the hour of vespers, the
combatants finally retired to the city. The next day, the battle recommenced, and for more
than two months the two camps clashed four perished, but more in the king's army than the
besieged. One day, King Arthur said privately to his nephew: Gauvain, you have launched
me into an enterprise from which we will not emerge victorious. We have more to lose than
to gain, for King Ban's kinship outweighs all in bravery, and they have many valiant knights
with them. Monsignor Gauvain thought for a moment, then knelt before the king. per week.
Many good knights at times | Lord, give me a gift. The king graciously granted it to him and
raised him up. Lord, thank you! This is what you have granted me I will call Lancelot of
treason, and I will support this indictment against him. If I am victorious, I do not ask for
more.

If he wins, you will lift the siege and return to the kingdom of Logres. My dear nephew, said
the king with dismay, give up this project while there is still time. Lancelot is the best knight
in the world. I would rather lose my better city than see you attempt this fight, Lord, I trust in
God's help, because I have the right for me, and he is in his wrong. It is only fair that this
war, which started between him and me, ends between him and me. And Monsignor
Gauvain immediately sent a message to bring his challenge to the city of Gaunes. Lancelot
received him in company with Bohort and Lionel, and, having listened to him, was filled with
sorrow and anger. - My friend, he said to him, the very idea of a fight against Monsignor
Gauvain is odious to me. He has been my companion and my friend since the time of my
dubbing. But an accusation of treason is such a serious matter that I would be a man
without honor if I did not lift it. He will find me armed in a closed field at the time he wants.
The messenger gone, Lancelot was left alone with his cousins. But how, says Bohort, a
man as wise as Gwain could he conceive of such madness? Everyone knows that you killed
Gaheriet in fair combat, and not through treason! For me, said Lionel, I think he suffers so
much from the death of his brothers that he prefers to die than to live.

I do not know, said Lancelot, what will happen to it, but I don't want to kill him. He is the man
I love the most after King Arthur. You love him dearly, said Bohort, but he hates you
mortally! Yes, it's weird, but he will never hate me as much as I do, I love him. The next
day, Lancelot came with Bohort and Lionel to appear before the king, so that the conditions
of the meeting could be fixed. Monsignor Gauvain stepped forward: Lancelot, I accuse you
of mortal treason for the death of my brothers whom you have killed treacherously, we all
know that. My uncle is here to ensure that, if you are victorious, he will withdraw, with all his
army, to regain the kingdom of Logres. Monsignor Gauvain, if you wanted, you would give
up the battle. Know that I do not speak out of cowardice, because I do not fear you.
Mounted on my steed, I would know how to defend myself. But I want to make peace, and I
suggest that you pay homage to you, with all my relatives, with the exception of the two
kings. I will do penance, barefoot and in my shirt, for the death of your brothers. But I am
ready to swear by the relics that I did not kill Gaberiet out of treason or in cold blood, and
that I felt deep sorrow for it. Everyone who heard him had tears in their eyes. The king,
stupefied at such generosity, said to Gauvain: My dear nephew, do what he asks of you!

Prayers are useless. I'd rather have my heart ripped out of my chest than give up my
revenge! He handed the king his pledge, and Lancelot was obliged to do the same. The
next morning, Lancelot had himself equipped with good light and solid weapons, then they
brought him his strong and fast steed. Accompanied by his cousins and his knights, he left
the city and went to the father where the meeting was to take place. He was soon joined
there by Monsignor Gauvain and his men, but Lancelot's company was as happy as
Gauvain's was gloomy and sad. More than one thought it was a great pride on his part to
have rejected the peace offers of the day before. King Arthur and King Bohort accompanied
the two men to the enclosed field, then left them to take their places with the others in the
barbacas. The day was fine and clear, the rising sun made their weapons sparkle. The
knights rushed off at the gallop of their steeds and the shock of the lances was such that
they flew to the ground, stunned. The horses, freed from their weight, fled without anyone
thinking of catching them. The first to rise was Lancelot, who put his hand to the sword, still
stunned from his fall.

My Lord Gauvain ran to take his shield, which had escaped him under the shock, and drew
Escalibur, the good sword of King Arthur, which the latter had lent him. He struck Lancelot
with a blow on his helm which restored him to his senses. Lancelot retaliated steadfastly,
and the melee began, fierce and cruel. Very quickly, the hauberkats were in tatters and the
helms all dented. The blows of the sword no longer cut the steel meshes but the uncovered
flesh. Blood was streaming. By the time of the third, the opponents were so exhausted that
their blows were no longer so strong, and that was lucky, because otherwise they would not
have remained alive. Monsignor Gauvain was the first to step back a little to lean on his
shield for a moment. Lancelot did the same. I'm afraid now for Lancelot, said Bohort. It's the
first time I've seen him take a break from a fight. No, said Lionel, he didn't need it. If he did
so, it was to spare Monsignor Gauvain. The fight lasted until noon. And there we suddenly
saw Gauvain regain his vigor and assail Lancelot, as fresh and brave as if the fight had just
begun. Lancelot was amazed, He had heard of this gift, but had never had to experience it
himself.

At noon, Gauvain therefore ran and Knocked out his opponent and dealt him such blows that
he wounded him in more than ten places. Lancelot defended himself as best he could, but
he was in great pain. He succeeded in resisting, however, and when the hour of none
arrived, he recovered enough strength and breath to run to assail his adversary. He
punched him so hard that he staggered him. By the hour of vespers the knights had
received so many wounds that anyone else would have died. Gwain barely had the strength
to hold his sword, and blood was flowing through his nose and mouth, from a terrible blow he
had received to the head. Lancelot took a few steps back. Lord, we could stop there. You
know that whoever brings the accusation of treason must win before the hour of vespers.
Otherwise he has lost his quarrel. Have mercy on yourself! No ! one of us must die in this
field. But Lancelot didn't want to kill Gauvain, because he loved him too much for that. He
walked over to where the king was. Lord, please ask Monsignor Gauvain to stop the battle.
If we continue, too great a misfortune will happen. Lancelot, said the king, touched by his
nobility, Gauvan will not give up, but you can do it. The hour of vespers has passed and you
have had the upper hand in this fight. So I will go with your leave. Lancelot joined Bohort
and Lionel, who strongly disapproved of him for not having taken advantage of the situation
to finish off his opponent.

But Lancelot would have preferred to strike himself with his sword. He returned to the Palais
de Gaunes, and the doctors who came to examine him were amazed to see him still alive
with such wounds. Meanwhile, King Arthur's men had gone to rescue Gwain, who was
barely standing. They brought him to the king's tent to disarm him and there they found so
many horrible wounds on his body that they were terrified. The king said to him, weeping:
irreparable mage for you and all your lineage! But Gauvain was too ill to answer. The
doctor doubted that he could be cured, because of the large wound on his head. All night
long they watched over him for fear of seeing him pass away. The next day, the king
ordered that the camp be raised. He wanted to stay in France for a while, so that Gauvain
could recover. They therefore had him carried in a litter and left Gaunes to go to the town of
Meaux. Dear nephew, your madness has killed you.

Chapter 4: Salesbières

The king remained a long time in Meaux. Gauvain's condition hardly improved, and it was
obvious that he would not recover from it. It was then that a messenger from Queen
Guinevere arrived, He told her what had happened in her absence in her kingdom. Mordret
had acquired the loyalty of the most powerful lords of Brittany, by giving around him
profusely the gold and silver of the royal treasury. One day a letter had arrived bearing the
seal of King Arthur: the king had been wounded to death, and he asked that his nephew be
elected king in his stead, and that he take Queen Guinevere as his wife. The barons of
Brittany had therefore given the crown to Mordret, and put the queen on notice to take him
for her husband.

But the queen had taken advantage of the time granted to her to take refuge in the tower de
Logres, with a handful of loyal knights, Full of suspicion about the letter coming from she had
sent a messenger to France to get certain news. King Arthur, at this news, remained silent
for a moment without uttering a word. He remembered the dream he had once had: a
serpent came out of his own entrails, to burn his earth and devour it. Ah! Mordret, you are
the snake that came out of my belly! But you will die on my own mornings! The king
immediately prepared to break camp the next day. The pavilions were dismantled and a
litter was prepared for Monsignor Gauvain. From the smallest army inol - began to march.
A few days later, they arrived at the seaside. The king made Gwain sleep in his own nave,
the sailors set the sails and the boats set sail. Ah! God, where am I? asked the wounded
man to "IOI My dear nephew, we are on the sea. We are returning to the kingdom of Logres.
- Blessed be that day! So I will die on this land that I have loved so much. Do you think you
are dying? Yes, I do not will live longer to this day. What grieves me is to expire without
seeing Lancelot again. I would have liked to ask his forgiveness for having treated him in
such a mad and outrageous way, My soul would have left more serene.

Nephew, your madness has caused me a great deal of damage, because she will have
deprived me of you, and also of Lancelot. Never would Mordret have dared such a felony if I
had had you both with me. How? 'Or' What ? My brother Mordret was therefore disloyal?
The king told him briefly about the situation. - Ah! How can I not be by your side to fight this
traitor! Dear uncle, I am going to die. Salute for me my lady the queen, and Lancelot if you
see him. Do not be afraid to appeal to him against Mordret, he is so noble and generous
that he will forget his grievances. As for me, have me buried in the church of Saint-Etienne
in Camaalot, with my brother Gaheriet. You will have the following engraved on our tomb:
"Gaheriet and Gauvatn lay there, whom Lancelot du Lac killed by their fault," "May God
forgive me for my misdeeds! he added. After these words, he folded his hands over his
chest, and so he passed away. The king mourned the death of his nephew unbelievably.
The barons, fearing to see him die of grief, had to remove him from his body. But on all the
naves, it was only weeping and lamenting, for Gwain was the knight everyone loved. When
the king disembarked, he had his body placed in a rich coffin and sent it under good escort
to Camaalot, according to his values. gathered his men.

Mordret had indeed heard the news of King Arthur's return. At first he was bewildered for a
moment, trembling at the thought of the king's anger and his own felony. But his barons had
revived his courage: they were very attached to him because of all the riches they had
received from him. They were ready to march against King Arthur, and full of self-
confidence: what could the king's army, weary and tired of a campaign in France, do against
fresh and well-equipped troops? Mordret therefore summoned his troops from all over the
kingdom and assembled them in the plain of Salesbières. He himself left London with his
men, and in doing so he lifted the siege of the tower of Logres where the queen had taken
refuge. Guinevere thus learned the news of the arrival of the king. She was happy about it,
but her fears did not prevail, she would be killed or dishonored. If it was her husband, he
might not believe that she could resist Mordret, and he would kill her. His future was bleak.
She spent the night praying to God for advice. In the morning, his resolution was taken.
She would go to an abbey that her ancestors had founded, and there she would take the
veil. Accompanied by two young ladies who did not want to leave her, she went the same
day to this monastery where the abbess welcomed her. not calmed down so far. If Mordret
Le Roi was no longer far from Salesbières.

He made a stopover so that his troops would be fresh for the next day. As he was sleeping
in his bed, he thought he saw Gauvain, his nephew, coming towards him. King Arthur, he
said to him, beware of fighting Mordret! You would be hurt to death. By the soul of Uter
Pendragon, my father, I will fight him, at the risk of my life! I must defend my land against
this traitor! Then Gauvain left him weeping. In the morning the king reached the vast plains
of Salesbières. It was a clear place, suitable for a great battle. On arriving, the king saw a
rock of hard stone on which was engraved an inscription: In this plain the battle will take
place Which will leave the kingdom of Brittany orphan Lord, said the archbishop to him, it is
an inscription that the prophet Merlin. Take care! Don't fight against Mordret! May God
help me! said the king. In the distance, in the plain, Mordret's troops were in position. The
king saw a young knight come to him, carrying a message: King Arthur, I do not greet you,
for I am your enemy. My lord is Mordret, king of the de Logres. You made the folly to enter
his lands, but he will spare you, if you get out with your army. Otherwise, you will have to
fight. Go tell your lord that this land is mine by right of inheritance, and that I will throw out
Mordret the - kingdom perjury.

The knight returned to his camp and the battle could begin. Mordret's troops were twice as
numerous, as he had assembled men from Wales, Scotland and Ireland. There were even
Saxons, longtime enemies of King Anhur. The king's knights galloped across the plain.
They found in front of them well-ordered fighters, their banners fluttering in the wind. All the
spears lowered, and in no time the land was strewn with knights slain on both sides. The
king had established ten battle corps, with Yvain, Girflet son of Do, Lucan le Bouteiller,
Sagremor, king Yon, Guivret, king Aguling, Dodimel the Savage, and Keu the seneschal.
The tenth was that of King Anhur. The battle began, fierce. The swords sparkled then went
to slip into the arms, into the shoulders. They crossed the helmets to bathe in blood in the
brains. In the melee, Monsignor Yvain was killed with two spears. Seeing this, King Yon
rushed against the knights of Ireland and made a camage, crushing the wounded and the
dead under the hooves of his horse. The land of sdnoɔ Dodinel the Savage galloped
towards the King of the Saxons. It struck him so violently that he pierced his shield and his
hauberk, and knocked him dead at his feet. But the Ireland king made him pay dearly for it:
d thrust his iron into his chest.

On both sides, the knights were so brave that their blows, well supported, made cun trying to
avenge the death of a companion. They fought relentlessly, driven by deadly hatred. The
din of battle was deafening: cries and complaints mingled with the clash of swords and the
rustle of broken shields. Dust rose from the trodden ground, obscuring the sky. At noon
there were only two thousand men left in the plain. All the battle corps had been dislocated
except those of Mordret and King Arthur. The king saw that his troops were half as
numerous. Of the Knights of the Round Table, only seventy-two remained, but they were
determined to fight to the death. He had his standard raised by Keu the Seneschal, made
the sign of the cross, and commanded his people to advance against those of Mordret. The
shock was violent. The king walked over to Mordret as soon as he saw him, and the other
did not dodge him. On the contrary, he struck first. But the king was so strong that he was
not even moved. He knocked the traitor off his horse, but unfortunately his knights pulled
him up immediately. The fight resumed, without pity, between the king's men and those of
Mordret. Towards the hour of none, of the hundred thousand combatants who had clashed
in the plain, only forty remained. The Knights of the Round Table had all been killed, except
four, Seneschal Keu, Girflet son of Do, Lucan the Bouteiller and Sagremor ravaged him.

Out of adjustment, so badly he couldn't hold on in the saddle. Mordret threw his horse at
Sagremor and hit him so hard that he made his head fly. When the king saw this blow, he
spurred his horse towards Mordret. The latter recognized him and did not refuse the assault,
for he wanted more than anything to kill him. The king, coming towards him with all his
might, struck him full in the chest with his sword. The chain links of the hauberk broke and
the iron pierced the traitor through and through. Girflet, who witnessed the blow, later
recounted that he had seen a ray of sunlight pass through the wound, as a sign from
Heaven. But when Mordret felt himself wounded to death, he struck the king on the helm
with a blow so hard it hit the skull, knocking him off his horse to the ground, before collapsing
himself. This is how the king killed Mordret and was killed by him. When Arthur's men saw
him on the ground, a terrible anger seized them. They rushed on those of Mordret to
recommence the mortal combat. By the hour of vespers, all had been killed, with the
exception of Girflet. He approached the king and saw that he was still alive and was trying
to get up. He managed to hoist him onto a horse and led him aside, away from the
battlefield. "I don't want to die among my enemies," said the king. Lead me to the sea. They
both rode and came to the shore. There the king dismounted and said: sword, Pulling her
from the scabbard, he stared at her for a long moment.
Ah! Escalibur, good sword, the best that was ever, you are going to lose your master! Who
will carry you? Only Lancelot would have been worthy of it. He called Girflet. Go behind
this hill, you will find a lake. You will throw in my sword. She cannot stay in this world. Lord,
I will obey you. But I would rather have this sword, if you would give it to me. No, said the
king. It's impossible. Girflet took the sword. But when he came to the lake, he looked at
her. She was so beautiful he couldn't throw her away. He laid her down on the grass and
preferred to throw his own. Returning to the king, he said to him Lord, I have done your
command. And what did you see? Nothing normal. ənb Ah! how you torment me! Go
back to the lake and throw it away, because you didn't. Girflet returned to the lake and drew
the sword from the scabbard. What a pity that it is thus lost! He contented himself with
throwing the scabbard into the lake and returned to the king. What did you see ? he asked
her. What there was to see. You didn't carry out my order. Go throw it away, for I know it
won't disappear without a great prodigy. Girflet, all ashamed, ran to retrieve the sword,
beautiful and good, and he threw it into the lake, as far as he could.

could. And as she approached the water, he then saw a hand emerge from the lake, which
seized it by the handle and brandished it three times in the air before disappearing with it
into the depths of the lake. Girflet remained dumbfounded for a moment, then he came back
to the king to tell him about this miracle. That's good, said the king. I see my end is near.
Now, my friend, you are going to go out of here and leave me alone, because you will not
see me again. But I don't want to abandon you! said Girflet, with tears in his eyes. You
can't stay here. Go away, please, in the name of the love that has always been between us.
But where will you go? I cannot tell you that. Girflet resumed his steed and left weeping.
Immediately, a tremendous rain began to fall, and this rain accompanied him until he
reached the top of the hill. The storm had ceased, he stopped under a tree and looked
towards the shore where he had left the king. He then saw a magnificent nave, full of
beautiful ladies, coming to the sea, which docked on the shore. Among them was Morgane,
the king's sister

Arthur, She called him softly and he got up to enter the nave, followed by his horse. The
wind blew the sails of the ship, which set off again out to sea, leaving Girflet upset,
wondering if he had dreamed.