where he saw
a pavilion of red sendal.

"Fortune aids me," said Lancelot. "Whoever owns that pavilion, it shall
give me shelter for the night."

He thereupon alighted, tied his horse to a tree near by, and entered the
pavilion, in which was a comfortable bed. Disarming, he laid himself
therein, and very soon was lost in heavy slumber.

Within an hour afterwards the knight who owned the pavilion came
thither, and laid himself upon the bed without noticing that it was
already occupied. His entrance wakened Lancelot, who, on feeling this
intrusion, sprang in quick alarm from the bed and grasped his sword. The
other knight, no less alarmed, did the same, and sword in hand they
rushed out from the pavilion into the open air, and fell into mortal
combat by the side of a little stream that there ran past.

The fight was quickly at an end, for after a few passes the knight of
the pavilion fell to the earth, wounded nearly unto death.

"I yield me, sir knight," he cried. "But I fear I have fought my last."

"Why came you into my bed?" demanded Lancelot.

"The pavilion is my own," said the knight. "It is ill fortune that I
should die for seeking my own bed."

"Then I am sorry to have hurt you," said Lancelot. "I have lately been
beguiled by treason, and was in dread of it. Come into the pavilion. It
may be that I can stanch your blood."

They entered the pavilion, where Lancelot, with skilful hands, dressed
the knight's wound and stopped the bleeding. As he did so the knight's
lady entered the pavilion, and fell into deep lamentation and accusal of
Lancelot, on seeing how sorely her lord was hurt.

"Peace, my lady and love," said the knight. "This is a worthy and
honorable gentleman. I am in fault for my hurt, and he has saved my life
by his skill and care."

"Will you tell me what knight you are?" asked the lady.

"Fair lady," he replied, "my name is Lancelot du Lake."

"So your face and voice told me," she replied, "for I have seen you
often, and know you better than you deem. And I would ask of your
courtesy, for the harm you have done to my lord Beleus and the grief you
have given me, that you will cause my lord to be made a Knight of the
Round Table. This I can say for him, that he is a man of warlike
prowess, and the lord of many islands."

"Let him come to the court at the next high feast," said Lancelot; "and
come you with him. I shall do what I can for him, and if he prove as
good a knight as you say, I