When Sir Launcelot beheld her come thus gloriously into his room he rose and greeted her with a very profound salutation, for he was astonished beyond measure at beholding that shining vision.  Then Queen Morgana gave him her hand, and he kneeled, and took her jewelled fingers in his and set her hand to his lips.  “Welcome, Sir Launcelot!” quoth she; “welcome to this place!  For it is indeed a great honor to have here so noble and famous a knight as you!”

“Ha, Lady,” said Sir Launcelot, “you are gracious to me beyond measure!  But I pray you tell me how I came to this place and by what means?  For when I fell asleep yesterday at noon I lay beneath an apple-tree upon a hillside; and when I awoke—­lo!  I found myself in this fair chamber.”

[Sidenote:  Queen Morgana seeks to beguile Sir Launcelot] To this Queen Morgana le Fay made smiling reply as follows:  “Sir, I am Queen Morgana le Fay, of whom you may have heard tell, for I am the sister of King Arthur, whose particular knight you are.  Yesterday, at noon, riding with certain other queens and a small court of knights, esquires, and demoiselles, we went by where you lay sleeping.  Finding you lying so, alone and without any companion, I was able, by certain arts which I possess, to lay a gentle enchantment upon you so that the sleep wherein you lay should remain unbroken for three or four hours.  So we brought you to this place in hopes that you would stay with us for two or three days or more, and give us the pleasure of your company.  For your fame, which is very great, hath reached even as far as this place, wherefore we have made a gentle prisoner of you for this time being.”

“Lady,” said Sir Launcelot, “such constraint as that would be very pleasing to me at another time.  But when I fell asleep I was with my cousin, Sir Lionel, and I know not what hath become of him, and haply he will not know what hath become of me should he seek me.  Now I pray you let me go forth and find my cousin, and when I have done so I will return to you again at this place with an easy spirit.”

“Well, Messire,” said Queen Morgana, “it shall be as you desire, only I require of you some pledge of your return.” (Herewith she drew from her finger a golden ring set very richly with several jewels.) “Now take this ring,” she said, “and give me that ring which I see upon your finger, and when you shall return hither each shall have his ring again from the other.”

“Lady,” said Sir Launcelot, “that may not be.  For this ring was placed upon my finger with such a pledge that it may never leave where it is whilst my soul abideth in my body.  Ask of me any other pledge and you shall have it; but I cannot give this ring to you.”

[Sidenote:  Queen Morgana hath anger for Sir Launcelot] Upon this Queen Morgana’s cheeks grew very red, and her eyes shone like sparks of fire.  “Ha, Sir Knight,” she said, “I do not think you are very courteous to refuse a lady and a queen so small a pledge as that.  I am much affronted with you that you should have done so.  Wherefore, I now demand of you, as the sister of King Arthur whom you serve, that you give me that ring.”