d my
brother."

"Nay," said the lord, "it is not a fitting thing for a young
maiden like you to seek a wounded knight. He is not your lover.
It cannot be."

"I would give him his diamond," she said, "and since he is so
sorely wounded, I would take care of him. It is not fitting, my
father, but I cannot live unless I know where he is and how he
does."

Then, because he loved his child very much and had never refused
any request she made of him, the old lord let her go in care of
Sir Torre. The two rode for a long time, until at last, near
Camelot, they met Sir Lavaine. Elaine ran up to him and cried:

"Lavaine, take me to Sir Lancelot."

Sir Lavaine was much astonished that Elaine knew the name of the
stranger knight. He was glad to see her, because he thought she
could help his friend. Sir Lancelot seemed glad to see her, too,
and the beautiful maiden cared for him so tenderly that the old
hermit said he never could have recovered without her nursing.
When he was well enough, they all rode to the castle of Astolat.

There Sir Lancelot remained for a few days; then he took his
shield and prepared to return to Camelot. Before he went he asked
Elaine if he could not do something for her in return for her
care of him.

She grew very pale and then she said:

"I am going to say something which I should not. I love you. Take
me with you to Camelot."

Sir Lancelot said very gently:

"My poor little maiden, if I had meant to take a wife, I should
have wedded earlier. All the court knows that I love only the
king and the queen. You do not really love me. Some day you will
marry a young knight, and then I shall give you many castles and
much land as a dowry."

"I will have nothing of all that," said Elaine.

She turned away and climbed up to the tower, while her father
said to Sir Lancelot:

"I pray you, be discourteous in some way so that she will cease
to love you. Such love is madness."

"It is not my habit to be discourteous," said Sir Lancelot.
"However, when she stands at the turret window to wave me
farewell, I will not look up at her."

Sir Lancelot rode sadly away, and did not look up at the window
where Elaine stood. She watched him till he disappeared, and then
she fell in a swoon. Day after day she pined away, and one
morning she said to her father:

"Dear father, I am going to die. When I am dead, take my bed and
cover it with rich draperies. Then dress me in my most beautiful
clothes; put a