“Now I thank God,” said Elaine, “that that knight sped so well.”
“Know ye his name?” said Sir Gawain.
“Nay, truly,” said the maiden, “I know not his name, nor whence he cometh.”
“Tell me, then, how had ye knowledge of him first?” said Sir Gawain.
Then she told him as ye have heard before, and how her father intrusted her brother to him to do him service and how her father lent him her brother’s shield, “And here with me he left his shield,” she said.
“For what cause did he so?” said Sir Gawain.
“For this cause,” said the damsel, “for his shield was too well known among many noble knights.”
“Ah, fair damsel,” said Sir Gawain, “please it you let me have a sight of that shield.”
So when the shield was come, Sir Gawain knew it was Sir Lancelot’s shield.
“Ah,” said Sir Gawain, “now is my heart heavier than ever it was before.”