only the Lady Guinevere, the thought of whom standeth above me like that
bright star afore spoken of."

"Ha," quoth Croisette, "then am I sad for the sake of some lady, I know not
who. For if thou wert of another mind thou mightest make some lady very
glad to have so great a knight as thou art to serve her." Upon this Sir
Launcelot laughed with a very cheerful spirit, for he and the damsel were
grown to be exceedingly good friends, as you may suppose from such
discourse as this.

[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot perceives the Castle of Sir Peris] So they wended
their way in this fashion until somewhat after the prime of day, and by
that time they had come out of that forest and into a very rugged country.
For this place into which they were now come was a sort of rocky valley,
rough and bare and in no wise beautiful. When they had entered into it they
perceived, a great way off, a castle built up upon the rocks. And that
castle was built very high, so that the roofs and the chimneys thereof
stood wonderfully sharp and clear against the sky; yet the castle was so
distant that it looked like a toy which you might easily take into your
hand and hold betwixt your fingers.

Then Croisette said to Sir Launcelot: "Yonder is the castle of that
evil-minded knight of whom I spake to thee yesterday, and his name is Sir
Peris of the Forest Sauvage. Below that castle, where the road leads into
that woodland, there doth he lurk to seize upon wayfarers who come
thitherward. And indeed he is a very catiff knight, for, though he is
strong and powerful, he doth not often attack other knights, but only
ladies and demoiselles who come hither. For these he may take captive
without danger to himself. For I believe that though he is so big of frame
yet is he a coward in his heart."