" He rides into a wood,
where Lavaine draws forth the spear. Lavaine brings Lancelot to the
hermit, once a knight. "I have seen the day," says the hermit, "I
would have loved him the worse, because he was against my lord, King
Arthur, for some time. I was one of the fellowship of the Round
Table, but I thank God now I am otherwise disposed." Gawain, seeking
the wounded knight, comes to Astolat, where Elaine declares "he is
the man in the world that I first loved, and truly he is the last
that ever I shall love." Gawain, on seeing the shield, tells Elaine
that the wounded knight is Lancelot, and she goes to seek him and
Lavaine. Gawain does not pay court to Elaine, nor does Arthur rebuke
him, as in the poem. When Guinevere heard that Lancelot bore another
lady's favour, "she was nigh out of her mind for wrath," and
expressed her anger to Sir Bors, for Gawain had spoken of the maid of
Astolat. Bors tells this to Lancelot, who is tended by Elaine.
"'But I well see,' said Sir Bors, 'by her diligence about you that
she loveth you entirely.' 'That me repenteth,' said Sir Lancelot.
Said Sir Bors, 'Sir, she is not the first that hath lost her pain
upon you, and that is the more pity.'" When Lancelot recovers, and
returns to Astolat, she declares her love with the frankness of
ladies in mediaeval romance. "Have mercy upon me and suffer me not
to die for thy love." Lancelot replies with the courtesy and the
offers of service which became him.
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