Immediately there was heard a voice saying, “Flee, Bors, and touch not thy brother”; and at the same time, a fiery cloud burned between them, so that their shields glowed with the flame, and both knights fell to the earth.  But the voice came again, saying, “Bors, leave thy brother and take thy way to the sea.  There thou shalt meet Sir Percivale.”  Then Sir Bors made ready to obey, and, turning to Lionel, said:  “Dear brother, I pray you forgive me for aught in which I have wronged you.”  “I forgive you,” said Lionel, for he was too amazed and terrified to keep his anger.

So Sir Bors continued his journey, and at the last, coming to the sea shore, he espied a ship, draped all with white samite, and entering thereon, he saw Sir Percivale, and much they rejoiced them in each other’s company.

CHAPTER XXVII

THE ADVENTURES OF SIR LAUNCELOT

After Sir Launcelot had parted from his fellows at the Castle of Vagon, he rode many days through the forest without adventure, till he chanced upon a knight close by a little hermitage in the wood.  Immediately, as was the wont of errant knights, they prepared to joust, and Launcelot, whom none before had overthrown, was borne down, man and horse, by the stranger knight.  Thereupon a nun, who dwelt in the hermitage, cried:  “God be with thee, best knight in all this world,” for she knew the victor for Sir Galahad.  But Galahad, not wishing to be known, rode swiftly away; and presently Sir Launcelot got to horse again and rode slowly on his way, shamed and doubting sorely in his heart whether this quest were meant for him.

When night fell, he came to a great stone cross which stood at the parting of the way and close by a little ruined chapel.  So Sir Launcelot, being minded to pass the night there, alighted, fastened his horse to a tree and hung his shield on a bough.  Then he drew near to the little chapel, and wondered to see how, all ruinous though it was, yet within was an altar hung with silk and a great silver candlestick on it; but when he sought entrance, he could find none and, much troubled in his mind, he returned to his horse where he had left it, and unlacing his helm and ungirding his sword, laid him down to rest.

Then it seemed to Sir Launcelot that, as he lay between sleeping and waking, there passed him two white palfreys bearing a litter wherein was a sick knight, who cried:  “Sweet Lord, when shall I be pardoned all my transgressions, and when shall the holy vessel come to me, to cure me of my sickness?” And instantly it seemed that the great candlestick came forth of itself from the chapel, floating through the air before a table of silver on which was the Holy Grail.  Thereupon the sick knight raised himself, and on his bended knees he approached so nigh that he kissed the holy vessel; and immediately he cried:  “I thank Thee, sweet Lord, that I am healed of my sickness.”