[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot departs with the damsel] So Sir Launcelot mounted
Sir Gaheris' horse and rode away with that young damsel, and Sir Gaheris
went to the castle as Sir Launcelot had bidden him to do.

[Sidenote: Sir Gaheris frees the castle captives] In that castle he found
five score and eight prisoners in dreadful case, for some who were there
had been there for a long time, so that the hair of them had grown down
upon their shoulders, and their beards had grown down upon their breasts.
And some had been there but a short time, as was the case of Sir Lionel and
Sir Ector. But all were in a miserable sorry plight; and all of those sad
prisoners but two were knights of King Arthur's court, and eight of them
were knights of the Round Table. All these crowded around Sir Gaheris, for
they saw that he was wounded and they deemed that it was he had set them
free, wherefore they gave him thanks beyond measure.

"Not so," said Sir Gaheris, "it was not I who set you free; it was Sir
Launcelot of the Lake. He overcame Sir Turquine in such a battle as I never
before beheld. For I saw that battle with mine own eyes, being at a little
distance seated upon a stone slab and wounded as you see. And I make my
oath that I never beheld so fierce and manful a combat in all of my life.
But now your troubles are over and done, and Sir Launcelot greets you all
with words of good cheer and bids me tell you to take all ease and comfort
that you can in being free, and in especial he bids me greet you, Sir
Ector, and you, Sir Lionel, and to tell you that you are to follow him no
farther, but to return to court and bide there until he cometh; for he
goeth upon an adventure which he must undertake by himself."

[Sidenote: Sir Lionel and Sir Ector and Sir Kay follow after Sir
Launcelot] "Not so," said Sir Lionel, "I will follow after him, and find