reverence. Again kneeled he down afore Lionel's horse's feet, and
said, "Fair sweet brother, have mercy upon me and slay me not, and have
in remembrance the great love which ought to be between us twain."

What Sir Bors said Lionel recked not, for the fiend had brought him in
such a will that he was determined to slay him. Then when Lionel saw
he would none other, and that he would not rise to give him battle, he
rushed over him, so that his horse's feet smote Bors to the earth, and
hurt him so sore that he swooned of distress. When Lionel saw this, he
alighted from his horse to smite off his head. So he took him by the
helm, and would have rent it from his head, had not the hermit come
running unto him, which was a good man and of great age. Well had he
heard all the words that were between them, and so fell down upon Sir
Bors.

Then he said to Lionel, "Ah, gentle knight, have mercy upon me and on
thy brother, for if thou slay him thou shalt commit a deadly sin, and
that were sorrowful; for he is one of the worthiest knights of the
world, and of the best conditions."

"So God me help," said Lionel, "sir priest, unless ye flee from him I
shall slay you, and he shall never the sooner be quit."

"Verily," said the good man, "I had rather ye slay me than him, for my
death shall not be great harm, not half so much as his."

"Well," said Lionel, "I am agreed"; and he set his hand to his sword,
and smote the hermit so hard that his head went backward.

For all that, he restrained him not of his evil will, but took his
brother by the helm, and unlaced it to strike off his head. And he
would have slain him without fail, but so it happened that Colgrevance,
a fellow of the Round Table, came at that time thither, as our Lord's
will was. First he saw the good man slain, then he beheld how Lionel
would slay his brother, whom he knew and loved right well. Anon he
sprang down and took Lionel by the shoulders, and drew him strongly
back from Bors, and said, "Lionel, will ye slay your brother, one of
the worthiest knights of the world? That should no good man suffer."

"Why," said Sir Lionel, "will ye hinder me? If ye interfere in this, I
shall slay you, and him after."

Then Lionel ran upon Bors, and would have smitten him through the head,
but Sir Colgrevance ran betwixt them, and said, "If ye be so hardy as
to do so more, we two shall meddle together."

Then Lionel defied him, and gave a great stroke through the