The damsel leadeth Lancelot to where Meliot of Logres lay. Lancelot
sitteth him down before him and asketh how it is with him?
"Meliot," saith the damsel, "This is Lancelot, that bringeth you your
healing."
"Ha, Sir, welcome may you be!"
"God grant you health speedily," said Lancelot.
"Ha, for God's sake," saith Meliot, "What doth Messire Gawain? Is he
hearty?"
"I left him quite hearty when I parted from him," saith Lancelot, "And
so he knew that you had been wounded in such sort, full sorry would he
be thereof and King Arthur likewise."
"Sir," saith he, "The knight that assieged them maimed me in this
fashion, but was himself maimed in such sort that he is dead thereof.
But the wounds that he dealt me are so cruel and so raging, that they
may not be healed save his sword toucheth them and if be not bound with
some of the winding-sheet wherein he was shrouded, that he had
displayed about him, all bloody."
"By my faith," saith the damsel, "Behold them here!"
"Ha, Sir," saith he, "Gramercy of this great goodness! In every way
appeareth it that you are good knight, for, but for the goodness of
your knighthood, the coffin wherein the knight lieth had never opened
so lightly, nor would you never have had the sword nor the cloth, nor
never till now hath knight entered therein but either he were slain
there, or departed thence wounded right grievously."
They uncover his wounds, and Lancelot unbindeth them, and the damsel
toucheth him of the sword and the winding-sheet, and they are assuaged
for him. And he saith that now at last he knoweth well he need not
fear to die thereof. Lancelot is right joyful thereof in his heart,
for that he seeth he will be whole betimes; and sore pity had it been
of his death, for a good knight was he, and wise and loyal.