Darling Guinevere,
Thank you so much for your most kind letter. I am afraid that after
all I shall not be able to come to the Jousts. It is too tiresome.
But I have not been at all well lately and the physicians say I must
have change of air. I am ordered to the French coast and the King has
got some cousins who live in a charming little house on the coast of
Normandy. I am starting to-morrow, and I shall probably stay there
during the whole month of May. It is too tiresome to miss the Jousts,
and you cannot imagine how disappointed I am. The King will, of
course, come without me.
I hear that Sir Lancelot of the Lake is not going to compete this year
for the Diamond on account of his health. I am so sorry. The people
here say he is afraid of being beaten, and that there is a wonderful
new knight called Lamorack who is better than everybody. Isn’t it
absurd? People are so spiteful. How you must miss the dear King, and
you must be so lonely at Camelot without any of the knights.
By the way, is it true that Sir Lancelot is engaged to Elaine, the
daughter of the Lord of Astolat? She is quite lovely, but I never
thought that Lancelot cared for young girls. I think she is only
sixteen.
Your loving
ISEULT OF CORNWALL.
_Guinevere to Lancelot_
_Whit-Sunday._
The King has just told me whose sleeve it was you wore to-day. I now
understand everything, and I must say I did not suspect you of playing
this kind of double game. I do hate lies and liars, and, above all,
stupid liars. It is, of course, very humiliating to make such a mistake
about a man. But I hope you will be happy with Elaine, and I pray
Heaven she may never find you out.