"Then let us go to dinner," said Meliagrance, "and afterwards you and the queen and her knights may ride to Camelot."
Yet fairly as he spoke his heart was full of treachery, and before going to the table he asked Lancelot if he would care to see the rooms and passages of the castle.
"If you wish to show them," said Lancelot.
Then they went from chamber to chamber, Lancelot having no fear of peril or thought of treason. But as they traversed a long and dark passage the false-hearted host trod on a spring, and down fell a trap-door, giving Lancelot a fall of more than ten fathoms into a dark cell, whose floor was covered deeply with straw. This done, Meliagrance hastened away, after replacing the trap, and ordered one of his men to remove Lavaine's horse from the stable.
When the knights came to dinner all were surprised that Lancelot was not present.
"Is this one of his old tricks?" asked the queen. "He has a fashion of thus departing suddenly, without warning."
"But not on foot," said Lavaine, and left the room.
When he returned, it was to say that his horse had vanished from the stable, and that doubtless Lancelot had taken it and ridden off. So they sat quietly at dinner, and afterwards set out for the court, the wounded knights being carried under care of Lavaine, in easily litters.
When the court was reached, and Arthur was told of what had occurred, he was full of wrath.
"So this traitor Meliagrance chooses first to kidnap my queen, and then to accuse her of treason?" he cried. "By my crown, I would deal with him in another fashion only that Lancelot has taken the challenge. I fancy the fellow will have his hands full, without my care. But where is Lancelot?"