the wrist by a mighty sword-cut. Then Sir Launcelot boldly seized the
sword and with it cut off a piece of the bloody mantle. Immediately
the earth shook and the walls of the chapel rocked, and in fear Sir
Launcelot turned to go. But, as he would have left the chapel, there
stood before him in the doorway a lady, fair to look upon and
beautifully arrayed, who gazed earnestly upon him, and said: "Sir
knight, put away from you that sword lest it be your death." But Sir
Launcelot answered her: "Lady, what I have said, I do; and what I have
won, I keep." "It is well," said the lady. "Had ye cast away the sword
your life days were done. And now I make but one request. Kiss me
once." "That may I not do," said Sir Launcelot. Then said the lady,
"Go your way, Launcelot; ye have won, and I have lost. Know that, had
ye kissed me, your dead body had lain even now on the altar bier. For
much have I desired to win you; and to entrap you, I ordained this
chapel. Many a knight have I taken, and once Sir Gawain himself
hardly escaped, but he fought with Sir Gilbert and lopped off his
hand, and so got away. Fare ye well; it is plain to see that none but
our lady, Queen Guenevere, may have your services." With that, she
vanished from his sight. So Sir Launcelot mounted his horse and rode
away from that evil place till he met Sir Meliot's sister, who led him
to her brother where he lay, pale as the earth, and bleeding fast. And
when he saw Sir Launcelot, he would have risen to greet him; but his
strength failed him, and he fell back on his couch. Sir Launcelot
searched his wounds with the sword, and bound them up with the
blood-stained cloth, and immediately Sir Meliot was sound and well,
and greatly he rejoiced. Then Sir Meliot and his sister begged Sir
Launcelot to stay and rest, but he departed on his adventures, bidding
them farewell until he should meet them again at Arthur's court. As
for the sorceress of the Chapel Perilous, it is said she died of grief
that all her charms had failed to win for her the good knight Sir