een. Long and
happily he lived, famed through all Britain as one of the most
valiant and faithful knights of King Arthur's Round Table.

BOOK VIII

THE HOLY GRAIL

CHAPTER XXIII

THE COMING OF SIR GALAHAD

Many times had the Feast of Pentecost come round, and many were the
knights that Arthur had made since first he founded the Order of
the Round Table; yet no knight had appeared who dared claim the
seat named by Merlin the Siege Perilous. At last, one vigil of the
great feast, a lady came to Arthur's court at Camelot and asked Sir
Launcelot to ride with her into the forest hard by, for a purpose
not then to be revealed. Launcelot consenting, they rode together
until they came to a nunnery hidden deep in the forest; and there
the lady bade Launcelot dismount, and led him into a great and
stately room. Presently there entered twelve nuns and with them a
youth, the fairest that Launcelot had ever seen. "Sir," said the
nuns, "we have brought up this child in our midst, and now that he
is grown to manhood, we pray you make him knight, for of none
worthier could he receive the honour." "Is this thy own desire?"
asked Launcelot of the young squire; and when he said that so it
was, Launcelot promised to make him knight after the great festival
had been celebrated in the church next day.

So on the morrow, after they had worshipped, Launcelot knighted
Galahad--for that was the youth's name--and asked him if he would
ride at once with him to the King's court; but the young knight
excusing himself, Sir Launcelot rode back alone to Camelot, where
all rejoiced that he was returned in time to keep the feast with
the whole Order of the Round Table.

Now, according to his custom, King Arthur was waiting for some
marvel to befall before he and his knights sat down to the banquet.
Presently a squire entered the hall and said: "Sir King, a great
wonder has appeared. There floats on the river a mighty stone, as
it were a block of red marble, and it is thrust through by a sword,
the hilt of which is set thick with precious stones." On hearing
this, the King and all his knights went forth to view the stone
and found it as the squire had said; moreover, looking closer, they
read these words: "None shall draw me hence, but only he by whose
side I must hang; and he shall be the best knight in all the
world." Immediately, all bade Launcelot draw forth the sword, but
he refused, saying that the sword was not for him. The