laid
to their wounds; and so it passed on till supper time, and all the
cheer that might be made them there was done unto the queen and all her
knights. Then when season was, they went unto their chambers, but in no
wise the queen would not suffer the wounded knights to be from her,
but that they were laid within draughts by her chamber, upon beds and
pillows, that she herself might see to them, that they wanted nothing.

So when Sir Launcelot was in his chamber that was assigned unto him, he
called unto him Sir Lavaine, and told him that night he must go speak
with his lady, Dame Guenever. Sir, said Sir Lavaine, let me go with you
an it please you, for I dread me sore of the treason of Sir Meliagrance.
Nay, said Sir Launcelot, I thank you, but I will have nobody with me.
Then Sir Launcelot took his sword in his hand, and privily went to a
place where he had espied a ladder to-forehand, and that he took under
his arm, and bare it through the garden, and set it up to the window,
and there anon the queen was ready to meet him. And then they made
either to other their complaints of many divers things, and then Sir
Launcelot wished that he might have come into her. Wit ye well, said
the queen, I would as fain as ye, that ye might come in to me. Would ye,
madam, said Sir Launcelot, with your heart that I were with you? Yea,
truly, said the queen. Now shall I prove my might, said Sir Launcelot,
for your love; and then he set his hands upon the bars of iron, and he
pulled at them with such a might that he brast them clean out of the
stone walls, and therewithal one of the bars of iron cut the brawn of
his hands throughout to the bone; and then he leapt into the chamber to
the queen. Make ye no noise, said the queen, for my wounded knights lie
here fast by me. So, to pass upon this tale, Sir Launcelot went unto
bed with the queen, and he took no force of his hurt hand, but took his
pleasaunce and his liking until it was in the dawning of the day; and
wit ye well he slept not but watched, and when he saw his time that he
might tarry no longer he took his leave and departed at the window, and
put it together as well as he might again, and so departed unto his own
chamber; and there he told Sir Lavaine how he was hurt. Then Sir Lavaine
dressed his hand and staunched it, and put upon it a glove, that it
should not be espied; and so the queen lay long in her bed until it was
nine of the clock.

Then Sir Meliagrance went to the que