And then he went to the chapel door, and found it
waste and broken. And within he found a fair altar, full richly
arrayed with cloth of clene silk, and there stood a fair clean
candlestick, which bare six great candles, and the candlestick was of
silver. And when Sir Launcelot saw this light he had great will for to
enter into the chapel, but he could find no place where he might
enter; then was he passing heavy and dismayed. Then he returned and
came to his horse and did off his saddle and bridle, and let him
pasture, and unlaced his helm, and ungirt his sword, and laid him down
to sleep upon his shield tofore the cross.
CHAPTER XVIII
HOW SIR LAUNCELOT, HALF SLEEPING AND HALF WAKING, SAW A SICK MAN BORNE
IN A LITTER, AND HOW HE WAS HEALED WITH THE SANGREAL
And so he fell on sleep; and half waking and sleeping he saw come by
him two palfreys all fair and white, the which bare a litter, therein
lying a sick knight. And when he was nigh the cross he there abode
still. All this Sir Launcelot saw and beheld, for he slept not verily;
and he heard him say: O sweet Lord, when shall this sorrow leave me?
and when shall the holy vessel come by me, wherethrough I shall be
blessed? For I have endured thus long, for little trespass.
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