Chapter XIII
NowafterthequestoftheSangrealwasfulfilledandalltheknightswhowereleftalivewerecomeagaintotheRoundTable,therewasgreatjoyinthecourt.AndpassinggladwereKingArthurandQueenGuineveretoseeSirLancelotandSirBors,fortheyhadbeenlongabsentinthatquest.
AndsogreatlywasSirLancelot’sfamenowspreadabroadthatmanyladiesanddamselsdailyresortedtohimandbesoughthimfortheirchampion;andallrightquarrelsdidhegladlyundertakeforthepleasureofourLordChrist.Andalwaysasmuchashemighthewithdrewhimfromthequeen.
WhereforeQueenGuinevere,whocountedhimforherownknight,grewwrothwithhim,andonacertaindayshecalledhimtoherchamber,andsaidthus:“SirLancelot,Idailyseethyloyaltytomedothslack,foreverthouartabsentfromthiscourt,andtakestotherladies’quarrelsontheemorethaneverthouwertwont.NowdoIunderstandthee,falseknight,andthereforeshallInevertrusttheemore.Departnowfrommysight,andcomenomorewithinthiscourtuponpainofthyhead.”Withthatsheturnedfromhimandwouldhearnoexcuses.
SoSirLancelotdepartedinheavinessofheart,andcallingSirBors,SirEctor,andSirLionel,hetoldthemhowthequeenhaddealtwithhim.
“Fairsir,”repliedSirBors,“rememberwhathonouryehaveinthiscountry,andhowyearecalledthenoblestknightintheworld;whereforegonot,forwomenarehasty,anddooftenwhattheysorerepentofafterwards.Beruledbymyadvice.TakehorseandridetothehermitagebesideWindsor,andthereabidetillIsendyebettertidings.