Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 20, 1909.djvu/324

 284 The History of the Destruction

fasting and praying for so many days ; and Lane lived there in that retreat for a long time to fulfil his penance.

15. Nobody wist during all that time what had become of him, for he had hidden his way from his companion knights and his second cousins, Borz and Lionel, and from his brother Estor, and from the King, and all were amazed at his disappearance. When the days of his penance were over, he came forth from the retreat ; he put on his armour, mounted his steed, and went to the Royal Court. The day he entered the Court was a day of good tidings to the King ; all the knights and the men at the Court, and the inhabitants of Camelot, rejoiced and made it a festival. Above all, however, was Queen Zinevra full of joy at his coming ; for all the days of his seclusion in the retreat had been for her days of mourning, secret weeping, and discontent. No wonder, for she loved him with a love as strong as death, from the day she was united to him, persuaded thereto by Messer Galot, as another tale tells. Messer Lang also loved her still, and even a thousand times more than before. And whereas in former times he used to embrace and to kiss her more under cover, now he openly showed his love to her more than was necessary, and to evil purpose. She did likewise, till all the courtiers in general, and Agravan (Agraban) in particular, noticed it. She dressed and adorned herself most gor- geously out of love for him, so that she became a danger to all who beheld her, so beautiful was she. The people began to speak ill of them and of their being so deeply in love with one another, and of their evil desire. This evil desire was the cause of the destruction of the Table, of the death of King Artus, and of the fall of the whole empire, as you will see further on.

1 6. When Agravan, brother of Messer Gal wan, noticed these things, he rejoiced very much. He hated Messer Lang, and thought within himself, — "Now is the opportunity come to have my revenge on Messer Lang." When the