No More Learning

Immediately after he had left the field the men of his side went to the
king and said that the knight who had won the day had left without
receiving his prize.

"Such a knight as that must not go uncared for," said the king. "Gawain,
ride out and find him and since he didn't come for his diamond we will
send it to him. Don't leave your quest until you have him. "

Gawain the courteous was a good young knight but he didn't like it that
he had to leave the banquet and the king's side to look for a stranger
knight, so he mounted his horse rather crossly. He rode all round the
country to every place except the right one, poplar grove, and at last
very late reached the Castle of Astolat.

"What news from Camelot? " cried Elaine as soon as she saw him, "What
about the knight with the red sleeve? "

"He won. "

"I knew it," she said.

"But he left the jousts wounded in his side. "

Then Elaine almost swooned away. When the Lord of Astolat came out and
heard about Gawain's quest, "Stay with us, noble prince," said he. "For
the knight was here and left his shield with us, so he will certainly
come back or send for it. Besides my son is with him.
"

Gawain thought he would have a pleasant time with Elaine so he stayed.
But Elaine rebelled against his pretty love-making and asked him why he
neglected the king's quest and why he didn't ask to see the knight's
shield.

"I've lost my quest in the light of your blue eyes," said Gawain, "but
let me see the shield. Ah! the king was right! " he cried out when Elaine
showed it to him. "It was our Lancelot. "

"I was right too," Elaine said merrily, "for I dreamed that my knight
was the greatest of them all. "

"And suppose that I dreamed that you love this greatest knight? "
returned Gawain.

"What do I know? " Elaine answered simply. "I don't know whether I know
what love is, but I do know that if I do not love him there isn't
another man whom I can love. "

"Yes, you love him well," said Gawain. "And I suppose you know just
where your greatest knight is hidden, so let me leave my quest with you.
If you love him it will be sweet to you to give him the diamond and if
he loves you it will be sweet to him to receive it from you, while even
if he doesn't love you, a diamond is always a diamond.