[Sidenote: The Lady Elizabeth escapes into the forest] But the Lady
Elizabeth ran very deep into the forest, and the gentlewoman and the page
ran after her; and the Queen thought that she was going to find her lord in
the forest. So she ran very rapidly for a great distance, until by and by
she waxed faint with weariness from running and sank down upon the ground;
and there they that followed her found her lying. And they found that the
Queen was in a great passion of pain and sick to death. For the day was
very wintry, with a fine powder of snow all over the ground, so that the
cold of the weather pierced through the garments of the Lady Elizabeth and
entered into her body and chilled her to the heart.
Now the gentlewoman, seeing how it was with the Queen, called the page to
her and said: "Make haste! Go back to the castle of Lyonesse, and bring
some of the knights of the castle with all speed, else the Queen will die
at this place." And upon that the page ran off with great speed to do her
bidding and the Queen was left alone with her gentlewoman.
Then the gentlewoman said, "Lady, what cheer?" And the Queen said, "Alas, I
am sick to death.
Pages:
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187