When the lord of the castle knew it, he went into the chamber where his
daughter was, and found her weeping, and thinketh that it is for the
two knights that are dead. News is brought him that the lion is dead
at the issue of the cavern, and thereby well knoweth he that Lancelot
is gone. He biddeth his knights follow after him, but none was there
so hardy as that he durst follow. The damsel was right fain they
should go after him, if only they might bring him back to the castle,
for so mortally was she taken of his love that she thought of none
other thing. But Lancelot had her not in remembrance, but only
another, and rode on sadly right amidst the forest, and looked from
time to time at the rent the lion had made in his habergeon. He rideth
until he is come toward evening to a great valley where was forest on
the one side and the other, and the valley stretched onward half a
score great leagues Welsh. He looketh to the right, and on the top of
the mountain beside the valley he seeth a chapel newly builded that was
right fair and rich, and it was covered of lead, and had at the back
two quoins that seemed to be of gold. By the side of this chapel were
three houses dight right richly, each standing by itself facing the
chapel. There was a right fair grave-yard round about the chapel, that
was enclosed at the compass of the forest, and a spring came down, full
clear, from the heights of the forest before the chapel and ran into
the valley with a great rushing; and each of the houses had its own
orchard, and the orchard an enclosure. Lancelot heareth vespers being
chanted in the chapel, and seeth the path that turned thitherward, but
the mountain is so rugged that he could not go along it on horseback.
So he alighteth and leadeth his horse after him by the reins until he
cometh nigh the chapel.