Josephus telleth us that the semblances of the islands changed
themselves by reason of the divers adventures that by the pleasure of
God befell therein, and that the quest of adventures would not have
pleased the knights so well and they had not found them so different.
For, when they had entered into a forest or an island where they had
found any adventure, and they came there another time, they found holds
and castles and adventures of another kind, so that their toils and
travails might not weary them, and also for that God would that the
land should be conformed to the New Law. And they were the knights
that had more toil and travail in seeking adventures than all the
knights of the world before them, and in holding to that whereof they
had made covenant; nor of no court of no king in the world went forth
so many good knights as went forth from the court of King Arthur, and
but that God loved them so much, never might they have endured such
toil and travail as they did from day to day; for without fait, good
knights were they, and good knights not only to deal hard buffets, but
rather in that they were loyal and true, and had faith in the Saviour
of the World and His sweet Mother, and therefore dreaded shame and
loved honour. King Arthur goeth on his way and Messire Gawain and
Lancelot with him, and they pass through many strange countries, and so
enter into a great forest. Lancelot called to remembrance the knight
that he had slain in the Waste City whither behoved him to go, and knew
well that the day whereon he should come was drawing nigh. He told
King Arthur as much, and then said, that and he should go not, he would
belie his covenant. They rode until they came to a cross where the
ways forked.
"Sir," saith Lancelot, "Behoveth me go to acquit me of my pledge, and I
go in great adventure and peril of death, nor know I whether I may live
at all thereafter, for I slew the knight, albeit I was right sorry
thereof, but or ever I slew him, I had to swear that I would go set my
head in the like jeopardy as he had set his. Now the day draweth nigh
that I must go thither, for I am unwilling to fail of my covenant,
whereof I should be blamed, and, so God grant me to escape therefrom, I
will follow you speedily."
The King embraceth him and kisseth him at parting and Messire Gawain
also, and they pray God preserve his body and his life, and that they
may see him again ere it be long. Lancelot would willingly have sent
salute to the Queen had he durst, for she lay nearer his heart than
aught beside, but he would not that the King nor Messire Gawain should
misdeem of the love they might carry to their kinswoman. The love is
so rooted in his heart that he may not leave it, into what peril soever
he may go; rather, he prayeth God every day as sweetly as he may, that
He save the Queen, and that he may deliver his body from this jeopardy.
He hath ridden until that he cometh at the hour of noon into the Waste
City, and findeth the city empty as it was the first time he was there.