that I
may then boast that I have had at least so much of that which is his
own."

She set her mouth close to him and so kissed him the best and fairest
she might, three times, and Lancelot awakened forthwith. He leapt up
and made the cross upon him, then looked at the damsel, and said: "Ha,
God! where, then, am I?"

"Fair sweet friend," saith she, "You are nigh her that hath all set her
heart upon you and will remove it never."

"I cry you mercy, damsel," saith Lancelot, "and I tell you, for nought
that may befall, one that loveth me, please God, never will I hate!
but that which one hath loved long time ought not so soon to fall away
from the remembrance of a love that is rooted in the heart, when she
hath been proven good and loyal, nor ought one so soon to depart
therefrom."

VIII.

"Sir," saith she, "This castle is at your commandment, and you will
remain therein, and well may you know my thought towards you. Would
that your thought were the same towards me."

"Damsel," saith he, "I seek the healing of a knight that may not be
healed save I bring him the head of one of your serpents."

"Certes, Sir, so hath it been said. But I bade the damsel say so only
for that I was fain you should come back hither to me."

"Damsel," saith he, "I have come back hither, and so may I turn back
again sith that of the serpent's head is there no need."

"Ha, Lancelot," saith she, "How good a knight are you, and how ill
default do you make in another way! No knight, methinketh, is there in
the world that would have refused me save only you. This cometh of your
folly, and your outrage, and your baseness of heart! The griffons have
not done my will in that they have not slain you or strangled you as
you slept, and, so I thought that they would have power to slay you, I
would make them come to slay you now. But the devil hath put so much
knighthood into you that scarce any man may have protection against
you. Better ought I to love you dead than alive. By my head, I would
fain that your head were hanged with the others that hang at the
entrance of the gateway, and, had I thought you would have failed me in
such wise I would have brought my father hither to where you were
sleeping, and right gladly would he have slain you."

IX.

"None that knoweth the covenant between me and you ought to hold you
for a good knight; for you have cozened me of my right according to the
tenor and custom of the castle if that thro