nor door but it was open. At last he found
a chamber whereof the door was shut, and he set his hand thereto to
open it, but he might not, though he enforced himself much to undo the
door.

Then he listened, and heard a voice which sang so sweetly that it
seemed none earthly thing. Launcelot kneeled down tofore the chamber,
for well wist he that there was the Holy Grail within that chamber.
Then said he: "Fair sweet Father Jesu Christ, if ever I did thing that
pleased Thee, for Thy pity have me not in despite for my sins done
aforetime, and show me something of that I seek!"

With that he saw the chamber door open, and there came out a great
clearness, so that the house was as bright as if all the torches of the
world had been there. So came he to the chamber door, and would have
entered, but anon a voice said to him, "Flee, Launcelot, and enter not,
for thou oughtest not to do it; and if thou enter thou shalt repent it."

He withdrew himself back right heavy, and then looked he up in the
midst of the chamber, and saw a table of silver, and the holy vessel
covered with red samite, and many angels about it. Right so came he to
the door at a great pace, entered into the chamber, and drew towards
the table of silver.

When he came nigh he felt a breath that seemed intermingled with fire,
which smote him so sore in the visage that he thought it burned his
visage. Therewith he fell to the earth, and had no power to arise.
Then felt he many hands about him, which took him up and bare him out
of the chamber door, and left him there seeming dead to all people.

Upon the morrow, when it was fair day, they within were arisen, and
found Launcelot lying afore the chamber door, and all they marvelled
how he came in. They looked upon him, and felt his pulse, to wit
whether there were any life in him. And so they found life in him, but
he might neither stand nor stir any limb that he had. They took him
up, and bare him into a chamber, and laid him in a rich bed, far from
all folk, and so he lay still as a dead man four and twenty days, in
punishment, he afterwards thought, for the twenty-four years that he
had been a sinner.

At the twenty-fifth day it befell that he opened his eyes, and the folk
asked how it stood with him. He answered that he was whole of body,
and then he would know where he was. They told him he was in the
castle of Carboneck, and that the quest of the Holy Grail had been
achieved by him, and that