SirLauncelotgotupsteam,heandIloadedupthekettlewithunslakedlimeandcarbolicacid,withatouchoflacticacidaddedthereto,thenfilledthethingupwithwaterandinsertedthesteam-spoutunderthecanopy.
Everythingwasship-shapenow,andwesatdownoneithersideofthecribtostandourwatch.Sandywassogratefulandsocomfortedthatshechargedacoupleofchurch-wardenswithwillow-barkandsumach-tobaccoforus,andtoldustosmokeasmuchaswepleased,itcouldn\'tgetunderthecanopy,andshewasusedtosmoke,beingthefirstladyinthelandwhohadeverseenacloudblown.Well,therecouldn\'tbeamorecontentedorcomfortablesightthanSirLauncelotinhisnoblearmorsittingingraciousserenityattheendofayardofsnowychurch-warden.Hewasabeautifulman,alovelyman,andwasjustintendedtomakeawifeandchildrenhappy.But,ofcourseGuenever——however,it\'snousetocryoverwhat\'sdoneandcan\'tbehelped.
Well,hestoodwatch-and-watchwithme,rightstraightthrough,forthreedaysandnights,tillthechildwasoutofdanger;thenhetookherupinhisgreatarmsandkissedher,withhisplumesfallingabouthergoldenhead,thenlaidhersoftlyinSandy\'slapagainandtookhisstatelywaydownthevasthall,betweentheranksofadmiringmen-at-armsandmenials,andsodisappeared.AndnoinstinctwarnedmethatIshouldneverlookuponhimagaininthisworld!Lord,whataworldofheart-breakitis.
Thedoctorssaidwemusttakethechildaway,ifwewouldcoaxherbacktohealthandstrengthagain.Andshemusthavesea-air.Sowetookaman-of-war,andasuiteoftwohundredandsixtypersons,andwentcruisingabout,andafterafortnightofthiswesteppedashoreontheFrenchcoast,andthedoctorsthoughtitwouldbeagoodideatomakesomethingofastaythere.Thelittlekingofthatregionofferedushishospitalities,andweweregladtoaccept.Ifhehadhadasmanyconveniencesashelacked,weshouldhavebeenplentycomfortableenough;evenasitwas,wemadeoutverywell,inhisqueeroldcastle,bythehelpofcomfortsandluxuriesfromtheship.
AttheendofamonthIsentthevesselhomeforfreshsupplies,andfornews.Weexpectedherbackinthreeorfourdays.Shewouldbringme,alongwithothernews,theresultofacertainexperimentwhichIhadbeenstarting.Itwasaprojectofminetoreplacethetournamentwithsomethingwhichmightfurnishanescapefortheextrasteamofthechivalry,keepthosebucksentertainedandoutofmischief,andatthesametimepreservethebestthinginthem,whichwastheirhardyspiritofemulation.Ihadhadachoicebandoftheminprivatetrainingforsometime,andthedatewasnowarrivingfortheirfirstpubliceffort.