And as they rode at an easy pace through that woodland place they
talked of many things in a very pleasant and merry discourse.
Quoth the damsel unto Sir Launcelot: "Messire, I take very great wonder
that thou hast not some special lady for to serve in all ways as a knight
should serve a lady."
[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot and Croisette discourse together] "Ha, damsel,"
said Sir Launcelot, "I do serve a lady in that manner and she is peerless
above all other ladies; for that lady is the Lady Guinevere, who is King
Arthur's queen. Yet though I am her servant I serve her from a very great
distance. For in serving her I am like one who standeth upon the earth, yet
looketh upward ever toward the bright and morning star. For though such an
one may delight in that star from a distance, yet may he never hope to
reach an altitude whereon that star standeth."
"Heyday!" quoth Croisette, "for that matter, there are other ways of
serving a lady than that wise. Were I a knight meseems I would rather serve
a lady nearer at hand than at so great distance as that of which thou
speakest.
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