living."

With these words he led the damsel to the king's pavilion. There Arthur,
who had been advised of her coming, sat with Gawaine to hear her
message. When she had told her errand the king was so moved that tears
ran from his eyes, and all the lords were ready to advise him to make
peace with Lancelot. But Gawaine, who sat with lowering brow, now broke
out in hot speech,--

"My lord, my uncle, what will you do? Will you turn again after having
come so far? All the world will speak villany of you."

"I do not deem it wise to refuse his fair proffers," said the king.
"Yet since I am come so far on this journey, I leave it to you to give
the damsel her answer."

"Then tell Sir Lancelot," said Gawaine to the damsel, "that he wastes
his labor now to sue to my uncle. If he wished peace he should have
sought it sooner. Now it is too late. Tell him, also, that I, Sir
Gawaine, promise him, by the faith I owe to God and to knighthood, never
to leave him in peace till he have slain me or I him."

This word the damsel brought back to Lancelot, where he stood among his
knights, and sad of heart he was to hear it.

"Why do you grieve?" said the knights. "If war they want, let them have
it to their fill. Let us meet them in the field."

"Never before was I so loath to do battle," said Lancelot. "I would
rather flee from King Arthur than fight him. Be ruled by me, noble sirs.
When I must defend myself, then I will; but haste will make fresh
sorrow."

Then the knights held their peace, and that night took their rest. But
in the morning, when they looked abroad, they saw a hostile host around
the city of Benwick, pressing it so closely that ladders were already
set up against the walls. The defenders of the town flocked in haste to
the walls and threw down the ladders, and hot strife began.

Forth now rode Sir Gawaine on a strong steed, and with a great spear in
his hand, and when he came before the chief gate he called out loudly,--

"Sir Lancelot, where art thou? Or what proud knight is here that dare
break a spear with me?"

Hearing this challenge, Sir Bors hastily made ready, and rode from the
city to the encounter. But Gawaine smote him from his horse, and would
have slain him had he not been rescued. Then Lionel, his brother, rode
out to revenge him; but he, too, was sorely wounded, and so borne into
the town.

And thus, day after day, came Gawaine with his challenge, and not a day
passed but some knight fell