第72章 BOOK VI(11)

Anon the lady gat the hawk in her hand;and therewithal came out Sir Phelot out of the groves suddenly,that was her husband,all armed and with his naked sword in his hand,and said:O knight Launcelot,now have I found thee as I would,and stood at the bole of the tree to slay him.Ah,lady,said Sir Launcelot,why have ye betrayed me?She hath done,said Sir Phelot,but as Icommanded her,and therefore there nis none other boot but thine hour is come that thou must die.That were shame unto thee,said Sir Launcelot,thou an armed knight to slay a naked man by treason.Thou gettest none other grace,said Sir Phelot,and therefore help thyself an thou canst.Truly,said Sir Launcelot,that shall be thy shame,but since thou wilt do none other,take mine harness with thee,and hang my sword upon a bough that I may get it,and then do thy best to slay me an thou canst.Nay,nay,said Sir Phelot,for I know thee better than thou weenest,therefore thou gettest no weapon,an I may keep you therefrom.

Alas,said Sir Launcelot,that ever a knight should die weaponless.And therewith he waited above him and under him,and over his head he saw a rownsepyk,a big bough leafless,and therewith he brake it off by the body.And then he came lower and awaited how his own horse stood,and suddenly he leapt on the further side of the horse,fro-ward the knight.And then Sir Phelot lashed at him eagerly,weening to have slain him.But Sir Launcelot put away the stroke with the rownsepyk,and therewith he smote him on the one side of the head,that he fell down in a swoon to the ground.So then Sir Launcelot took his sword out of his hand,and struck his neck from the body.Then cried the lady,Alas !why hast thou slain my husband?I am not causer,said Sir Launcelot,for with falsehood ye would have had slain me with treason,and now it is fallen on you both.And then she swooned as though she would die.And therewithal Sir Launcelot gat all his armour as well as he might,and put it upon him for dread of more resort,for he dreaded that the knight's castle was so nigh.And so,as soon as he might,he took his horse and departed,and thanked God that he had escaped that adventure.

CHAPTER XVII

How Sir Launcelot overtook a knight which chased his wife to have slain her,and how he said to him.

SO Sir Launcelot rode many wild ways,throughout marches and many wild ways.And as he rode in a valley he saw a knight chasing a lady,with a naked sword,to have slain her.And by fortune as this knight should have slain this lady,she cried on Sir Launcelot and prayed him to rescue her.When Sir Launcelot saw that mischief,he took his horse and rode between them,saying,Knight,fie for shame,why wilt thou slay this lady?thou dost shame unto thee and all knights.What hast thou to do betwixt me and my wife?said the knight.I will slay her maugre thy head.

That shall ye not,said Sir Launcelot,for rather we two will have ado together.Sir Launcelot,said the knight,thou dost not thy part,for this lady hath betrayed me.It is not so,said the lady,truly he saith wrong on me.And for because I love and cherish my cousin germain,he is jealous betwixt him and me;and as I shall answer to God there was never sin betwixt us.But,sir,said the lady,as thou art called the worshipfullest knight of the world,I require thee of true knighthood,keep me and save me.For whatsomever ye say he will slay me,for he is without mercy.Have ye no doubt,said Launcelot,it shall not lie in his power.Sir,said the knight,in your sight I will be ruled as ye will have me.And so Sir Launcelot rode on the one side and she on the other:he had not ridden but a while,but the knight bade Sir Launcelot turn him and look behind him,and said,Sir,yonder come men of arms after us riding.And so Sir Launcelot turned him and thought no treason,and therewith was the knight and the lady on one side,and suddenly he swapped off his lady's head.