aits us in Joyous Gard, and that many knights have joined
him."

"Well is it so," said Gawaine fiercely. "Then my lord Arthur, gather
your friends, and I will gather mine. Say not that deeds like this shall
go unpunished in England's realm. Your justice defied! My unarmed
brothers murdered! Shall this be done, and we basely submit?"

"You speak to the point," said the king. "We must strike for honor and
revenge. Strong as Lancelot's castle is, and bold as are his friends, I
fancy I can gain strength enough to draw him out of the strongest tower
in it."

Then King Arthur sent orders far and wide through the land, and in brief
time there came to Carlisle many knights, dukes, and earls, so that he
had a great host. These the king informed of what had happened, and of
his purpose to force Lancelot to yield up his queen, and to punish him
for his trespass.

Lancelot meanwhile, was not idle, but drew to himself, many more
knights, and provisioned his castle fully, for he well knew that he must
abide behind walls, as he was far too weak to meet the king's host in
the field.

Not many days had elapsed when King Arthur and Gawaine with a great host
of men, laid siege about Joyous Gard, both the town and the castle, and
war replaced the peace that had reigned so long in the land.

But Lancelot lay secure in his castle, and for a long time would not go
out himself, nor suffer any of his knights to pass the gates of town or
castle. And so fifteen weeks of the siege passed away.

CHAPTER III.

THE RETURN OF GUENEVER.

It befell upon a day in harvest-time that Lancelot looked over the walls
of Joyous Gard, and seeing below him the king and Gawaine, thus spoke to
them,--

"My lords both, you besiege this castle in vain. You will gain more
dishonor than worship here. If I chose to come out, with my knights, I
should soon bring this war to an end."

"Come forth, if thou darest!" cried the king, in anger. "I promise to
meet thee in the midst of the field."

"God defend that I should face on the field of battle the noble king who
made me knight."

"A truce to your fair language," answered the king. "Trust me, that I am
your mortal foe, and will be so till the day of my death. You have slain
my knights and dishonored my queen, and hold her from me by force, like
a traitor. Think you I shall lightly forgive this?"

"You may say what you will, my lord and king," answered Lancelot. "With
you I will not fight; but as