ntle cousin, Sir Bors, that ye and I will never depart asunder
whilst our lives may last. Sir, said he, I will as ye will.

_Thus endeth the history of the Sangreal, that was briefly drawn out
of French into English, the which is a story chronicled for one of the
truest and the holiest that is in this world, the which is the xvii
book.

And here followeth the eighteenth book._

BOOK XVIII.

CHAPTER I. Of the joy King Arthur and the queen had of the achievement
of the Sangreal; and how Launcelot fell to his old love again.

SO after the quest of the Sangreal was fulfilled, and all knights that
were left alive were come again unto the Table Round, as the book of the
Sangreal maketh mention, then was there great joy in the court; and in
especial King Arthur and Queen Guenever made great joy of the remnant
that were come home, and passing glad was the king and the queen of Sir
Launcelot and of Sir Bors, for they had been passing long away in the
quest of the Sangreal.

Then, as the book saith, Sir Launcelot began to resort unto Queen
Guenever again, and forgat the promise and the perfection that he made
in the quest. For, as the book saith, had not Sir Launcelot been in his
privy thoughts and in his mind so set inwardly to the queen as he was in
seeming outward to God, there had no knight passed him in the quest of
the Sangreal; but ever his thoughts were privily on the queen, and so
they loved together more hotter than they did to-forehand, and had such
privy draughts together, that many in the court spake of it, and
in especial Sir Agravaine, Sir Gawaine's brother, for he was ever
open-mouthed.

So befell that Sir Launcelot had many resorts of ladies and damosels
that daily resorted unto him, that besought him to be their champion,
and in all such matters of right Sir Launcelot applied him daily to do
for the pleasure of Our Lord, Jesu Christ. And ever as much as he might
he withdrew him from the company and fellowship of Queen Guenever, for
to eschew the slander and noise; wherefore the queen waxed wroth with
Sir Launcelot. And upon a day she called Sir Launcelot unto her chamber,
and said thus: Sir Launcelot, I see and feel daily that thy love
beginneth to slake, for thou hast no joy to be in my presence, but ever
thou art out of this court, and quarrels and matters thou hast nowadays
for ladies and gentlewomen more than ever thou wert wont to have
aforehand.

Ah madam, said Launcelot, in this