t and grievous wrong in times gone by." She said, "Say naught
of that." "Yea," he said, "I must say much of that, for I have this to
say of it, that I would that I could undo that wrong which I did thee by
my neglect. But what have I aught to offer thee in compensation? Naught
but mine own broken and beggared life. Yet that poor life and all that
it holds dearest I would fain offer thee if only it might be a
compensation to thee."

Then the Lady Elaine looked very long and intently at Sir Launcelot and
she said: "Sir Launcelot, thy lips speak of duty, but that which boots
is that thy heart should speak of duty. For if so be that thou hast ever
done me wrong, thou canst not hope to remove that wrong by the words of
thy mouth. But if from thy heart thou sayst, 'I have wronged this one
and I would fain make amends,' then indeed may that wrong be very
quickly amended."

Then Sir Launcelot smiled and he said: "And so I have looked well into
my heart ere I spake to thee, and so it is my heart that speaks and not
my lips. For in my heart meseems I find great love for thee and certes I
find all honor and reverence for thee lying therein, and moving me to
everything that I now hope to do or to perform. Now tell me, Lady, what
can any heart hold more than that?" And Elaine said, "Meseems it can
hold no more."

Then Sir Launcelot took her by the hand and drew her to him and she went
to him, and he kissed her upon the lips and she forbade him not. So they
two were reconciled in peace and happiness.

[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot and the Lady Elaine are wedded._]

So when Sir Launcelot was altogether healed of his sickness, they two
were married. And after they were married, King Pelles gave to them a
very noble castle for to be their dwelling-place and that castle was
called the Castle of Blayne.

That castle stood upon a very beautiful island in the midst of a lake of
pure water as clear as crystal. And the island was covered over with
many plantations and orchards of beautiful trees of various foliages.
And there were gardens and meadows upon that island and there was a town
about the castle so fair that when one stood upon the margin of that
lake and gazed across the lake to the town and the castle he beheld such
a place as one may see in a shining dream.

So Sir Launcelot, because of the great peace of that island and because
of the peace which he hoped to find there, called it the Joyous Isle,
and so it was known of all me