"Whatever is your
pleasure is agreeable to me," the Queen says honestly: "I shall
not object to anything you do." Lancelot plainly heard what
reply the Queen made to the king's request, and from that time he
ceased to fight and renounced the struggle at once. But
Meleagant does not wish to stop, and continues to strike and hew
at him. But the king rushes between them and stops his son, who
declares with an oath that he has no desire for peace. He wants
to fight, and cares not for peace. Then the king says to him:
"Be quiet, and take my advice, and be sensible. No shame or harm
shall come to thee, if thou wilt do what is right and heed my
words. Dost thou not remember that thou hast agreed to fight him
at King Arthur's court? And dost thou not suppose that it would
be a much greater honour for thee to defeat him there than
anywhere else?" The king says this to see if he can so influence
him as to appease him and separate them. And Lancelot, who was
impatient to go in search of my lord Gawain, requests leave of
the king and Queen to depart. With their permission he goes away
toward the water-bridge, and after him there followed a great
company of knights. But it would have suited him very well, if
many of those who went had stayed behind.
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