LANCELOT AND ELAINE.
Long before Arthur was crowned king while he was roving one night overthe trackless realms of Lyonesse he came upon a glen with a gray boulderand a lake. As he rode up the highway in the misty moonshine he suddenlystepped upon a white skeleton of a man with a crown of diamonds upon itsskull. The skull broke off from the body and rolled away into the lake.Arthur alighted, reached down and picked up the crown and set it on hishead murmuring to himself, "_You too shall be king some day_," for theskeleton was the bones of a king who had fought with his brother thereand been killed.
YOU TOO SHALL BE KING SOME DAY.]
When Arthur was crowned he plucked the nine gems out of the crown he hadfound on the skeleton and showed them to his knights with the words:
"These jewels belong to the whole kingdom for everybody's use and not tothe king. Hereafter there is to be joust for one of them every year andin that way in nine years time we will learn who is the mightiest in thekingdom and we will race with each other to become skilful in the useof arms until at last we shall be able to drive away the heathen hordefrom the land."
Eight years had now passed and there had been eight jousts. Lancelot hadwon the diamond every year and intended when he had been victorious inall the jousts, to give the nine gems to the queen. When the ninth yearcame Arthur proclaimed the tournament for the central and largestdiamond to be held at Camelot, where he was holding his court. But thequeen became ill as the time for the tour jousts drew near and he askedher whether she was too feeble to go to see Lancelot in the lists.
"Yes, my lord," replied Guinevere, "and you know it," and she looked uplanguidly to Lancelot who stood near.
Lancelot thinking that she would rather have him near while she was illthan to receive all the diamonds of the crown, said:
"Sir King, that old wound of mine is not quite healed so I can hardlyride in my saddle."
So the king went, excused Lancelot, and rode away alone to the listswhile Lancelot remained, but as soon as Arthur was gone the _queen toldLancelot that he ought by all means go too and fight_.
"But how can I go now," replied Lancelot, "after what I have said to theking."
"I will tell you what to do," said Guinevere. "Everybody says that mengo down before your spear just because of your great name. They areafraid as soon as you appear and of course, they are conquered. Go intoday entirely unknown and win for yourself, then after all is over theking will be pleased with you for being so clever."
THE QUEEN TOLD LANCELOT THAT HE OUGHT BY ALL MEANSFIGHT.]
Lancelot quickly got his horse and leaving the beaten thoroughfare,chose a green path among the downs to take him to the lists. It was anew road to him however and he lost his way and did not know where to gountil at last he came upon a faintly traced pathway that led to thecastle of Astolat far away on a hill. He went thither, blew the horn atthe gate where a _dumb, wrinkled old man came to let him in_. In thecastle court he met the lord of Astolat with his two young sons, SirTorre and Sir Lavaine and behind them the lily maiden Elaine, Astolat'sdaughter. They were jesting and laughing as they came.
A WRINKLED OLD MAN CAME AND LET HIM IN.]
"Where do you come from, my guest, and what is your name?" askedAstolat. "By your state and presence I would guess you to be the chiefof Arthur's court, for I have seen him although the other knights of theRound Table are strangers to me."
Lancelot, Arthur's chief knight replied, "I am of Arthur's court and Iam known, and my shield which I have happened to bring with me, is knowntoo. But as I am going to joust for the diamond at Camelot as astranger do not ask me my name. After it is over you shall know me andmy shield. If you have some blank shield around, or one with a strangedevice, pray lend it to me."
"Here is Torre's," the Lord of Astolat replied. "He was hurt in hisfirst tilt and so his shield is blank enough, God knows. You can havehis."
"Yes," added Sir Torre simply, "since I can't use it you may have it."
His father laughed. "Fie, Churl, is that an answer for a noble knight?You must pardon him, but Lavaine, my younger boy, is so full of life hewill ride in the lists, joust for the diamond, win and bring it in onehour to set upon his sister's golden hair and make her three times aswilful as before."
"Oh, no, good father! don't shame me before this noble knight. It wasall a joke. Elaine dreamed that some one had put the diamond into herhand and it was so slippery it dropped into a pool of water. Then I toldher that if I fought and won it for her she must keep it safer thanthat. But it was all in fun. However, if you'll give me your leave, I'llride to Camelot with this noble knight. I shall not win but I'll do mybest to win."
Lancelot smiled a moment. "If you'll give me the pleasure of yourcompany over the downs where I lost myself I'll be glad to have you as afriend and guide. You shall win the diamond if you can and then give itto your sister if you wish."
"Such diamonds are for queens and not for simple little girls," said SirTorre.
Elaine flushed at this and Lancelot said, "If beautiful things are forbeautiful people this maiden may wear as fine jewels as there are in theworld."
Then the lily maid lifted her eyes and thought that Lancelot was thegreatest man that had ever lived. She loved his bruised and bronzed faceseamed across with an old sword-cut.
They took the pet knight of Arthur's court into the rude hall of Astolatwhere they entertained him with their best meats, wines and minstrelmelodies. They told him about the dumb old man at the gate, how tenyears ago he had warned Astolat of the heathen fighters coming, and howthey had all escaped to the woods and lived in a boatman's hut by theriver while the old man had been caught and had his tongue cut off.
"Those were dull days," said the Lord of Astolat, "until Arthur came anddrove the heathen away."
"O, great Lord!" cried Lavaine to Lancelot, "you fought in thoseglorious wars with Arthur. Tell us about them!"
So Lancelot told him all about the fight all day long at the white mouthof the river Glenn, the four loud battles on the shore of Duglas wherethe glorious king wore on his cuirass an emerald carved into Our Lady'shead. "On the mount of Badon," he said, "I saw him charge at the head ofall of his Round Table and break the heathen hosts. Afterward he stoodon a heap of the killed, all red, from his spurs to the plumes of hishelmet, with their blood, and he cried to me: 'They are broken! they arebroken!' In this heathen war the fire of God filled him, I never sawanyone like him, there is no greater leader."
"Except yourself," thought the lily maid Elaine. All through the nightshe saw his dark, splendid face living before her eyes and early in themorning she arose as if to bid goodbye to Lavaine, stole step after stepdown the long tower stairs and passed out to the court where Lancelotwas smoothing the glossy shoulders of his horse. She drew nearer andstood in the dewy light, studying his face as though it was a god. Hehad never dreamed she was so beautiful.
"FAIR LORD," SAID ELAINE.]
"Fair lord," said Elaine, "I don't know your name but I believe it isthe noblest himself of them all. Will you wear a token of me at thetournament today?"
"No, pretty lady," said he, "for I've never worn a token of any woman inthe lists; as every one who knows me knows."
"Then by wearing mine you'll be less likely to be found out this time."
"That's true, my child, well, I'll wear it. Fetch it out to me. What isit?"
"A red sleeve bordered with pearls," replied Elaine, and she went in andbrought it out to him.
Then he wound it round his helmet and said he had never before done somuch for any girl in the world. The blood sprang to Elaine's face as hesaid that, and filled her with delight, although she grew all the paleras Lavaine came out and handed Sir Torre's shield to Lancelot. Lancelotgave his own shield to Elaine saying, "Do me this favor, child, keep myshield for me until I come back."
"It's a favor to me," she replied smiling, "I'll be your squire."
"Come, Lily Maid," cried Lavaine, "you'll be a lily maid in earnest ifyou don't get to bed and h
ave some sleep," and he kissed her good-bye.
Lancelot kissed her hand as they moved away. She watched them at thegateway until their sparkling arms dipped below the downs, then climbedup to her tower with the shield and there she studied it and mused overit every day.
Meanwhile Lancelot and Lavaine passed far over the long downs until theyreached an old hermit who lived in a white rock. Here they spent thenight. The next morning as they rode away Lancelot said, "Listen to me,but keep what I say a secret, you're riding with Lancelot of the Lake."
"The great Lancelot?" stammered Lavaine, catching his breath withsurprise. "There is only one other great man to see, and that isBritain's king of kings, Arthur. And he's going to be at the tournament,too."
As soon as they reached the lists in the meadows by Camelot, Lancelotpointed out the king who, as he sat in the peopled gallery was very easyto recognize because of his five dragons. A golden dragon clung to hiscrown, another writhed down his robe while two others in gilded carvedwood-work formed the arms of his chair. The canopy above him blazed withthe last big diamond.
"You call me great," cried Lancelot, "I'm not great, there's the man."
Lavaine gaped at Arthur as if he were something miraculous. Then thetrumpets blew. The two sides, those who held the lists and those whoattacked them, set their lances in rest, then struck their spurs, movedout suddenly and shocked in the center of the field. The ground shookand there was a low thunder of arms. Lancelot waited a little until hesaw which was the weaker side, then sprang into the fight with them. Inthose days of his glory, whomever he struck he overthrew, whether theywere kings, dukes, earls, counts or barons. But that day in the fieldsome of his relatives were holding the lists who did not know him andwho could not bear the idea that any stranger knight should out do thefeats of their own Lancelot.
"Who is this?" one of them asked, "Isn't it Lancelot?"
"When has Lancelot ever worn a lady's token?" the others replied.
"Who is it then?" they cried, furious to guard the name of Lancelot.They pricked their steeds and moving all together bore down upon himlike a wild wave that upsets a ship. One spear lamed Lancelot's chargerand another pierced through Lancelot's side, snapped there and stuck.Lavaine now did splendidly for he brought a famous old knight down byLancelot's side. Lancelot in the meantime rose to his feet in all hisagony and by a sort of miracle as it seemed to those who were on hisside, drove all his opponents back to the barrier. Then the trumpet blewand proclaimed that the knight who wore the scarlet sleeve with pearlswas victor.
"Go up and get your diamond," his men said to him.
"Don't give me any diamonds," said Lancelot. "My prize is death, I'llleave and don't follow."
Then he vanished into the poplar grove where he told Lavaine to draw outthe lance head.
"I'm afraid you'll die, if I do," cried Lavaine.
"I'm dying now with it," said Lancelot, so Lavaine drew it out andLancelot gave a wonderful shriek and swooned away.
Then the old hermit came out, carried him into the white rock andstanched his wound.
Immediately after he had left the field the men of his side went to theking and said that the knight who had won the day had left withoutreceiving his prize.
"Such a knight as that must not go uncared for," said the king. "Gawain,ride out and find him and since he didn't come for his diamond we willsend it to him. Don't leave your quest until you have him."
Gawain the courteous was a good young knight but he didn't like it thathe had to leave the banquet and the king's side to look for a strangerknight, so he mounted his horse rather crossly. He rode all round thecountry to every place except the right one, poplar grove, and at lastvery late reached the Castle of Astolat.
"What news from Camelot?" cried Elaine as soon as she saw him, "Whatabout the knight with the red sleeve?"
"He won."
"I knew it," she said.
"But he left the jousts wounded in his side."
Then Elaine almost swooned away. When the Lord of Astolat came out andheard about Gawain's quest, "Stay with us, noble prince," said he. "Forthe knight was here and left his shield with us, so he will certainlycome back or send for it. Besides my son is with him."
Gawain thought he would have a pleasant time with Elaine so he stayed.But Elaine rebelled against his pretty love-making and asked him why heneglected the king's quest and why he didn't ask to see the knight'sshield.
"I've lost my quest in the light of your blue eyes," said Gawain, "butlet me see the shield. Ah! the king was right!" he cried out when Elaineshowed it to him. "It was our Lancelot."
"I was right too," Elaine said merrily, "for I dreamed that my knightwas the greatest of them all."
"And suppose that I dreamed that you love this greatest knight?"returned Gawain.
"What do I know?" Elaine answered simply. "I don't know whether I knowwhat love is, but I do know that if I do not love him there isn'tanother man whom I can love."
"Yes, you love him well," said Gawain. "And I suppose you know justwhere your greatest knight is hidden, so let me leave my quest with you.If you love him it will be sweet to you to give him the diamond and ifhe loves you it will be sweet to him to receive it from you, while evenif he doesn't love you, a diamond is always a diamond. Farewell athousand times. If he loves you I may see you at court after while."
Then Gawain lightly kissed her hand as he laid the diamond in it, and,wearied of his quest, leaped on his horse and carrolling a love-balladairily rode away to the court where it was soon buzzed abroad that amaid of Astolat loved Lancelot and that Lancelot loved a maid ofAstolat.
The maid meanwhile crept up to her father one day and received his leaveto take the diamond to Sir Lancelot. Sir Torre went with her to thegates of Camelot where they saw Lavaine capering about on a horse.
"Lavaine!" she cried, "how is it with my lord Sir Lancelot?" and shetold him about the diamond. Then Sir Torre went on into the city whileLavaine guided Elaine to the hermit's cave. As she saw her handsomeknight on the floor, a sort of skeleton of himself, she gave a littletender dolorous cry.
"Your prize, the diamond, sent you by the king," said she, as she put itinto his hand and explained how she had received it from Gawain. Then hekissed her as a father would kiss a dear little daughter and she wentback to the dim, rich city of Camelot for the night. But the nextmorning she was back in the cave, and day after day she came, caring forhim more mildly, tenderly and kindly than any mother could with a child,until at last the old hermit said she had nursed him back to life, thenall three rode back together one morning to Astolat where Lancelot askedElaine to tell him the dearest wish of her heart so that he could grantit to her. Elaine turned as pale as a ghost when he first spoke but atlast one day she told him. She said she wanted him to love her, shewanted to be his wife.
"If I had chosen to wed," Lancelot replied, slowly, "I would have beenmarried long before this. But now I shall never marry, sweet Elaine."
"No, no," cried Elaine, "it won't matter if I can't be your wife, if Ican only go with you always and go round the world with you and serveyou."
But Lancelot said that would be a poor way for him to requite the loveand kindness her father and brothers had shown him. "Noble maid," hewent on, "this is only the first flash of love with you. After awhileyou will smile at yourself about it when you find a knight who is fitterfor you to marry and not three times older than you as I am, and then Iwill give you broad lands and territories even to a half of my kingdomacross the seas and I'll always be ready to fight for you in yourtroubles. I'll do this, dear girl, but more I cannot."
"Of all this I care for nothing," Elaine said growing deathly pale andfalling in a swoon.
That evening Lancelot sent for his shield from the tower where Elainesat with it, and as his horse's hoofs clattered off upon the stone ofthe highway she looked down from her tower, but he did not glance back.
After that Elaine dreamed her time sadly away in the tower and onlywished that she could die.
She begged her father to send for the priestto confess her and asked Lavaine to write a letter for her to Lancelot.Then she arranged it that when she died the dumb old man at the gate wasto take her in the barge down the river to the king's palace. Elevendays later this was done. Elaine was dressed like a little sleepingqueen and floated along the stream with her letter in one hand and alily in the other.
That day Lancelot was with the queen and as he looked out of thecasement upon the river he saw the barge hung with rich black samite,the dumb old man and the lily maid of Astolat gliding up to the palacedoor.
"What is it?" cried everybody streaming round. "A pale fairy queen cometo take Arthur to fairy land?"
Then the king bade meek Sir Percival and pure Sir Galahad carry herreverently into the hall where the fine Gawain came and wondered at herand Lancelot came and mused over her, and the queen came and pitied her.But King Arthur spied a letter, opened it and read it aloud to all thelords and ladies. It was Elaine's goodbye to Lancelot.
A PALE FAIRY QUEEN CAME TO TAKE ARTHUR TO FAIRY LAND.]
Then Sir Lancelot told them everything about Elaine and how he hadpromised to give her his lands and riches when she should be ready tomarry some knight of her own age. The king said that he should see thatshe was buried very grandly. So they had a procession with all the pompof a queen, with gorgeous ceremonies, mass and rolling music while allthe Order of the Round Table followed her to the tomb. Then they laidthe shield of Lancelot at her feet and put a lily in her hand.