King Arthur's Knights
Elaine lingered long about her brother, and would never say that she
had really buckled the last strap of his armour. Then, when at length
she could keep them no longer, she came up to Sir Lancelot, with a face
all pale and red by turns, yet striving to laugh away her fear.
'Sir,' she said, 'I wish you noble deeds at the jousts and much fame.
Sir, I have never had a knight wear favour of mine. Therefore, lord,
will you wear a token of mine in your helm for good fortune?'
Lancelot looked down into the lovely face and smiled:
'Fair damsel,' he said gently, 'if I granted you that, I should do more
for you than ever I have done for any dame or damsel living.'
At that she thought he refused, and the tears sprang like jewels into
her blue eyes, and she turned away.
Sir Lancelot was grieved to think his refusal hurt one that seemed so
sweet and gentle. Then he remembered that he desired to go to the
jousts disguised, and he bethought him that if he wore a lady's token
in his helm, no one would recognise him, for all knew that never would
he consent to wear such things in joust or tournament, as was the
custom of many knights.
'Stay, fair damsel,' he said kindly, 'I will grant you to wear a token
of yours upon my helm. Therefore, bring it me.'
Instantly the face of Elaine shone with joy and pride as she looked up
quickly at the great steel-clad figure on the horse beside her. Then,
quickly running, she brought what she had in her mind he should wear.
'See,' she said, giving it into his hand, 'it is a sleeve of mine, of
scarlet samite, embroidered with great pearls.'
'I will wear it at the jousts, fair maiden,' said he, 'for the sake of
the kindness you and yours have shown me. And will you keep the shield
which is mine own against the time when I shall return? For I will take
thy brother's.'
'I will keep it in my own room,' said Elaine, 'and will see that it
doth not tarnish.'
Then Sir Lancelot and young Sir Lavaine rode forth, each bearing a
white shield, as if both were young knights who had not yet done some
deed, in memory whereof they could blazon a device upon their shields.
So they rode to Camelot, where they found the narrow streets of the
little town packed with the press of knights, dukes, earls and barons
come to take part in the jousts. Sir Lancelot got them lodgings with a
rich burgess, and so privily and closely did they keep the house that
none knew that they were there.
On the day of the jousts the trumpets began to blow in the field where
they should be held. King Arthur sat on a great scaffold which was
raised at one end, to judge who did best in the jousting. So great was
the press of folk, both noble and common, earls and chiefs, that many
did marvel to think that the realm of Britain held so many people.
The knights held themselves in two parties and went to either end of
the lists. Some called themselves the band of Arthur, and would fight
all comers; and among them was Sir Palomides, Sir Conn of Ireland, Sir
Sagramore, Sir Kay the seneschal, Sir Griflet, Sir Mordred, Sir
Gallernon, and Sir Saffre, all knights of the Round Table. On the other
side were the King of Northgales, the King of Swordlands, Sir Galahalt
the Proud, and other knights of the north. These were the smaller
party, yet were they very valiant knights.
Sir Lancelot made him ready with the others, and fashioned the red
sleeve upon his helm. But it was in his mind to see which party fared
the worse before he would choose his part; for ever Sir Lancelot liked
a task which was not easy.
So he rode forth with Sir Lavaine into a little wood upon a knoll,
whence they could look into the lists and see the knights hurtle and
crash together. Soon they saw the knights of King Arthur's band come
against the northern knights, and many of the latter were smitten down.
Then he saw how the King of the Northgales and the King of Swordlands
with a few knights made a bold and brave stand against the many knights
of King Arthur's Round Table.
'See,' said Sir Lancelot to Sir Lavaine, 'how that company of knights
hold out against that great press! They are like brave boars in the
midst of the hounds.'
'Ye say truth,' said Sir Lavaine; 'they are indeed brave souls.'
'Now,' said Sir Lancelot, 'if you will help me a little, you may see
that great company go back more quickly than they came forward.'
'Sir, spare not,' said the young knight, 'and I will do what I may.'
Sir Lancelot spurred forward into the lists, and so fierce was his
onslaught and so hard was his blow that with one spear he overthrew Sir
Sagramore, Sir Kay, Sir Griflet and Sir Saffre, and with another spear
he smote down five others. Thereupon the northern knights were much
comforted, and greeted the strange knight full courteously, though they
wondered that he had but a white shield.
Then the band of Arthur's knights took counsel and gathered together
Sir Bors, Sir Ector de Maris, Sir Lionel, Sir Blamore and five others.
These were all mighty knights and all were great fighters and close kin
to Sir Lancelot. They resolved to rebuke the two stranger knights with
white shields whom they knew not; and chiefly him with the lady's
sleeve upon his helm did they seek to bring to the dust.
Again the knights hurtled mightily together, and Sir Bors, Sir Ector,
and Sir Lionel drove at Sir Lancelot, and so great was their force that
they smote Sir Lancelot's horse to the ground. By ill hap, the spear of
Sir Bors pierced through his cousin's shield into his side, and the
head of the lance broke off and remained in the wound.
Then Sir Lavaine, seeing his friend prone, did mightily assault Sir
Mordred, who was on the other side, and hurled him to the ground; and,
bringing Sir Mordred's horse to Sir Lancelot, he helped him to mount.
Sir Lancelot was exceeding wroth, and took a great strong spear, and
smote Sir Bors, both horse and knight, to the ground; and likewise he
served Sir Ector and Sir Lionel, and four other knights. The others
retreated, for they feared his great strength.
'I marvel who is that knight that hath the red sleeve in his helm?'
said King Arthur to Sir Gawaine, who sat with him.
'Sir,' said the other, 'he will be known ere he depart.'
When the king caused the trumpet to sound the end of the day's
jousting, the heralds cried that the prize was to go to the knight with
the red sleeve. But when the northern knights came to Sir Lancelot and
would have him go to the king and take the prize, he said:
'Fair lords, let me depart, I pray you. For I have bought my victory
with my life; and now I would rather have quiet than all the wealth of
the world.'
Forthwith he galloped away with Sir Lavaine until they came to a great
forest; and then Sir Lancelot groaned and said he could no further go,
and forthwith he fell from his horse in a great swoon. Sir Lavaine went
to find water in the wood, and had to go far ere he found it. But
presently he saw a clearing, and there was a little hermitage and a
stream running by. Sir Lavaine called the hermit, who was a man full
reverend and noble of aspect, and told him how his friend lay in a
deathly swoon.
In a little while they had brought Sir Lancelot to the hermitage, where
the hermit took out the head of the spear and bound up the wound and
gave to the knight a strong cordial. Anon he was refreshed and came to
his senses again.
At the lodging of the king in Camelot, men spoke of the jousts, and
wondered who might be the knight who had won the prize and who had been
injured, as the northern knights had reported. Though King Arthur had
it in his mind that it had been Sir Lancelot, he hoped it was not, for
it grieved him much to think that Sir Lancelot was so badly wounded.
Next day the court journeyed towards London, and rested for the night
at Astolat; and the town being full, it chanced that Sir Gawaine went
to the manor of Sir Bernard, which lay just outside the city. When he
had dined, the old knight Sir Bernard began to speak to him, and to ask
who had done the best at the jousts at Camelot.
Ever since he had arrived, Sir Gawaine had seen how the fair girl, the
daughter of the knight, who had attended upon him, was pale and
thoughtful; and now she looked white and red by turns as he began to
speak.
'There were two knights,' said Sir Gawaine, 'who each bore a white
shield, and one had a red sleeve upon his helmet.'
Sir Gawaine saw how the damsel clasped her hands together, and her face
lit up with a great light and her eyes were bright and proud.
'And I swear that never saw I so valiant and stout a knight as he,'
said Sir Gawaine. 'For I dare swear that he beat down twenty knights of
the Round Table, and his fellow also did well.'
'Now, blessed be God,' said the fair maid of Astolat, with a great cry
of joy, 'that the good knight sped so well; for he is the one man in
the world whom I have ever loved, and truly he shall be the last man
that ever after I shall love.'
'Then do ye know his name?' asked Sir Gawaine.
'Nay, I know it not,' said Elaine, 'nor whence he came. But I know that
I love him and none other.'
Then they told Sir Gawaine how they had first had knowledge of the
strange knight; and the damsel said that he had left her his shield in
place of the white one he had taken, so that none should know him. Sir
Gawaine begged that she would fetch it from her chamber.
Elaine brought it and drew it from the case of leather in which she had
wrapped it, and said, 'See, there is no spot of rust upon it, for I
have cleaned it with my own hands every day.'
'Alas,' said Sir Gawaine, when he saw the device upon the shield, 'now
is my heart full heavier than it hath ever been.'
'Why, oh why?' cried Elaine, and stood pale and breathless.
'Is the knight that owneth that shield your love?' asked Gawaine.
'Yes, truly,' said the maiden, 'I love him'; and then sadly she said,
'but would that he should tell me that I was also his love.'
'How ever that be,' said Sir Gawaine, 'you should know that you love
the noblest knight in all the world, the most honourable and one of the
most worth.'
'So thought me ever,' said the maid of Astolat, proudly smiling; 'for
never have I seen a knight that I could love but that one.'
'And never hath he borne token or sign of any lady or gentlewoman
before he bore thine,' said Sir Gawaine.
At these words the maid Elaine could have swooned for very joy, for she
deemed that Sir Lancelot had borne her token for love of her.
Therefore, she was cast more deeply in love with him than ever.
'But I dread me,' went on Sir Gawaine, 'for I fear we may never see him
in this life again.'
'Alas! alas!' cried Elaine, throwing herself at the feet of the knight,
and clutching his arm tightly, while she gazed with terror into his
face. 'How may this be? oh, say not--say not that he is--is----'
She could not say the word, but Sir Gawaine made answer.
'I say not so, but wit ye well that he is grievously wounded.'
'Alas!' cried Elaine, 'what is his hurt? Where is he? Oh, I will go to
him instantly.'
She rose, wildly ringing her slender hands.
'Truly,' said Sir Gawaine, who, though a great warrior, was a slow
talker, and had no thought of the sorrow of the poor maid, 'the man
that hurt him was one that would least have hurt him had he known. And
when he shall know it, that will be the most sorrow that he hath ever
had.'
'Ah, but say,' cried Elaine, 'where doth my lord lie wounded?'
'Truly,' replied Gawaine, 'no man knoweth where he may lie. For he went
off at a great gallop, and though I and others of King Arthur's knights
did seek him within six or seven miles of Camelot, we could not come
upon him.'
'Now, dear father,' said the maid Elaine, and the tears welled from her