Lord, would I not longer live, if it might please thee.”  And when he had said these words, Sir Galahad went to Sir Perceval and to Sir Bohort and kissed them, and commended them to God.  And then he kneeled down before the table, and made his prayers, and suddenly his soul departed, and a great multitude of angels bare his soul up to heaven, so as the two fellows could well behold it.  Also they saw come from heaven a hand, but they saw not the body; and the hand came right to the vessel and bare it up to heaven.  Since then was there never one so hardy as to say that he had seen the Sangreal on earth any more.

CHAPTER XXII

SIR AGRIVAIN’S TREASON

When Sir Perceval and Sir Bohort saw Sir Galahad dead they made as much sorrow as ever did two men.  And if they had not been good men they might have fallen into despair.  As soon as Sir Galahad was buried Sir Perceval retired to a hermitage out of the city, and took a religious clothing; and Sir Bohort was always with him, but did not change his secular clothing, because he purposed to return to the realm of Loegria.  Thus a year and two months lived Sir Perceval in the hermitage a full holy life, and then passed out of this world, and Sir Bohort buried him by his sister and Sir Galahad.  Then Sir Bohort armed himself and departed from Sarras, and entered into a ship, and sailed to the kingdom of Loegria, and in due time arrived safe at Camelot, where the king was.  Then was there great joy made of him in the whole court, for they feared he had been dead.  Then the king made great clerks to come before him, that they should chronicle of the high adventures of the good knights.  And Sir Bohort told him of the adventures that had befallen him, and his two fellows, Sir Perceval and Sir Galahad.  And Sir Launcelot told the adventures of the Sangreal that he had seen.  All this was made in great books, and put up in the church at Salisbury.

So King Arthur and Queen Guenever made great joy of the remnant that were come home, and chiefly of Sir Launcelot and Sir Bohort.  Then Sir Launcelot began to resort unto Queen Guenever again, and forgot the promise that he made in the quest:  so that many in the court spoke of it, and in especial Sir Agrivain, Sir Gawain’s brother, for he was ever open-mouthed.  So it happened Sir Gawain and all his brothers were in King Arthur’s chamber, and then Sir Agrivain said thus openly, “I marvel that we all are not ashamed to see and to know so noble a knight as King Arthur so to be shamed by the conduct of Sir Launcelot and the queen.  “Then spoke Sir Gawain, and said, “Brother, Sir Agrivain, I pray you and charge you move not such matters any more before me, for be ye assured I will not be of your counsel.”  “Neither will we,” said Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth.  “Then will I,” said Sir Modred.  “I doubt you not,” said Sir Gawain, “for to all mischief ever were ye prone; yet I would that ye left all this, for I know what will come of it.”