s you do! May God have pity on us both, for you tear my
heart strings with your grief." Therewith, they two being alone, he sank
down upon his knees before her, and he took her hands into his and
strove to draw them away from her face. And for a while she would not
let him withdraw her hands and then after a while she did let him, and
so he held them imprisoned very tight in his own. Yet ever she kept her
face turned away from him so that he could see but little of it. So with
her face turned away she said after a while, "Launcelot! Launcelot! Art
thou not sorry for me?" He said: "Yea, lady, I am sorry for thee and I
am sorry for myself, and for which of the two I am more sorry I cannot
tell. For God knoweth I would abide by my duty and my faith, and
mefeareth thou wouldst have me do otherwise." Then the Queen said:
"Launcelot, what is duty and what is faith when we measure these things
with the measurement of happiness and unhappiness?" And Sir Launcelot
said, "Lady, for God's sake, forbear."

[Sidenote: _The Lady Elaine appeareth at that place._]

Now as Sir Launcelot said those words he became of a sudden aware that
some one was in that room. So he looked up and behold! not far away from
them there stood the Lady Elaine, and she was regarding them both and
her face was as white as death, for she had entered that place without
their knowing and she had heard much of that which had passed.

Then Sir Launcelot was aware that she had overheard his words to the
Queen and with that he was overwhelmed with confusion and with pity. So
he arose from his knees, though not quickly, and stood there before the
Lady Elaine with folded arms and with his gaze downcast upon the floor.
Then the Queen also looked up and likewise beheld the Lady Elaine where
she stood, and therewith her face flamed all red like to fire.

Then the Queen arose very haughtily and she said: "Lady, this is well
met, for I was about to send for you. Now tell me, was it by your will
that this knight came last night to this part of the castle?" and the
Lady Elaine said: "Yea, lady, it was by my will he came, for I was sad,
and no one but he could comfort me."

Then the Queen's eyes sparkled with anger and she said: "Then you have
broken an ordinance of the King's court, for well you know that such a
thing as that is not permitted. For this I might punish you even unto
death an I chose to do so. Yet I will not so punish you, but will have
mercy upon you and