a sad and pensive mood,
when she saw a tower in the distance standing by the shore of an arm of
the sea. Not within a league around about was there any house, cottage,
or dwelling-place. Meleagant had had it built, and had confined Lancelot
within. But of all this she still was unaware. As soon as she espied the
tower, she fixed her attention upon it to the exclusion of all else. And
her heart gives her assurance that here is the object of her quest; now
at last she has reached her goal, to which Fortune through many trials
has at last directed her.

(Vv. 6459-6656.) The damsel draws so near to the tower that she can
touch it with her hands. She walks about, listening attentively, I
suppose, if perchance she may hear some welcome sound. She looks down
and she gazes up, and she sees that the tower is strong and high and
thick. She is amazed to see no door or window, except one little narrow
opening. Moreover, there was no ladder or steps about this high, sheer
tower. For this reason she surmises that it was made so intentionally,
and that Lancelot is confined inside. But she resolves that before she
tastes of food, she will learn whether this is so or not. She thinks she
will call Lancelot by name, and is about to do so when she is deterred
by hearing from the tower a voice which was making a marvellously sad
moan as it called on death. It implores death to come, and complains of
misery unbearable. In contempt of the body and life, it weakly piped in
a low, hoarse tone: "Ah, fortune, how disastrously thy wheel has turned
for me! Thou hast mocked me shamefully: a while ago I was up, but now I
am down; I was well off of late, but now I am in a sorry state; not long
since thou didst smile on me, but now thy eyes are filled with tears.
Alas, poor wretch, why didst thou trust in her, when so soon she has
deserted thee! Behold, in a very little while she has cast thee down
from thy high estate! Fortune, it was wrong of thee to mock me thus; but
what carest thou! Thou carest not how it may turn out. Ah, sacred Cross!
All, Holy Ghost! How am I wretched and undone! How completely has my
career been closed! Ah, Gawain, you who possess such worth, and whose
goodness is unparalleled, surely I may well be amazed that you do
not come to succour me. Surely you delay too long and are not showing
courtesy. He ought indeed to receive your aid whom you used to love so
devotedly! For my part I may truly say that there is no lodging place or