on as that should have met with mishap in this battle of to-day.
Yet do I hope that wound which he suffered is not so sore but that he
will soon be well again."

"Lord," quoth the King of North Wales, "mefeareth that that noble
knight, whomsoever he may be, hath been very grievously hurt; for when
he spake to us his voice was passing weak and he appeared to suffer a
great deal of pain."

Then King Arthur was much grieved at what he heard and he said: "That is
sad news for me, for rather would I lose half of my kingdom than that
death should befall that noble champion." So said King Arthur, yet he
would not say who was that champion of the red sleeve, for he perceived
that Sir Launcelot would fain conceal his name, wherefore neither would
he betray it.

[Sidenote: _The Lady Elaine grieveth._]

Now King Pelles sat not far from King Arthur's high seat at the table,
and the Lady Elaine the Fair sat with him and several lords of their
court were there also. These heard what was said between King Arthur and
the King of North Wales, and when the Lady Elaine the Fair heard how
that her champion was so sorely wounded that he was like to die, it was
as though a sword of terror had been thrust into her bosom; for hearing
those words she turned all as white as ashes and sank back into her
chair as though she would swoon.

Seeing her thus, all white and stricken, King Pelles said, "Daughter,
what ails thee?" and she said: "My father, did you not hear how that the
Chevalier Malfait hath been sorely wounded and mayhap may be even now
lying nigh to death?" "Yea, I did hear that," said King Pelles, "but
such is the chance of battle that every good knight is called upon to
face." Then the Lady Elaine cried out: "Father! Father! I am sorely
afraid that great ill hath befallen that noble knight. Now I pray thee,
let us go hence." King Pelles said, "Whither shall we go?" She said:
"Haply, my brother, Sir Lavaine, will bring him to the castle of the
earl our kinsman, wherefore I pray you, sir, let us make haste thither
and see if that be so." And King Pelles said, "It shall be as you will
have it."

So King Pelles besought leave of King Arthur to quit that feast, and
King Arthur gave him leave and King Pelles withdrew with the Lady Elaine
and all of his court from that company.

Yet when they returned to the castle of the earl, Sir Launcelot was not
there, for, as hath been told, he lay at that time in the hermit's cell
in the fores