any
Christian Queen.'

'Well, Madam,' answered Lancelot, 'since it is so I shall sell my life
as dear as I may, and a thousandfold I am more heavy for you than for
myself.'

Therewith Sir Lancelot wrapped his mantle thickly round his arm, and
stood beside the door, which the Knights without were trying to break
in by aid of a stout wooden form.

'Fair Lords,' said Sir Lancelot, 'leave this noise, and I will open
the door, and you may do with me what you will.'

'Open it then,' answered they, 'for well you know you cannot escape
us, and we will save your life and bring you before King Arthur.' So
Sir Lancelot opened the door and held it with his left hand, so that
but one man could come in at once. Then came forward a strong Knight,
Sir Colgrevance of Gore, who struck fiercely at Lancelot with his
sword. But Sir Lancelot stepped on one side, that the blow fell
harmless, and with his arm he gave Sir Colgrevance a buffet on the
head so that he fell dead. And Sir Lancelot drew him into the chamber,
and barred the door.

Hastily he unbuckled the dead Knight's armour, and the Queen and her
ladies put it on him, Sir Agrawaine and Sir Mordred ever calling to
him the while, 'Traitor Knight, come out of that chamber!' But Sir
Lancelot cried to them all to go away and he would appear next morning
before the King, and they should accuse him of what they would, and he
would answer them, and prove his words in battle. 'Fie on you,
traitor,' said Sir Agrawaine, 'we have you in our power, to save or to
slay, for King Arthur will listen to our words, and will believe what
we tell him.'

'As you like,' answered Sir Lancelot, 'look to yourself,' and he flung
open the chamber door, and strode in amongst them and killed Sir
Agrawaine with his first blow, and in a few minutes the bodies of the
other twelve Knights lay on the ground beside his, for no man ever
withstood that buffet of Sir Lancelot's. He wounded Sir Mordred also,
so that he fled away with all his might. When the clamour of the
battle was still, Sir Lancelot turned back to the Queen and said,
'Alas, Madam, they will make King Arthur my foe, and yours also, but
if you will come with me to my castle, I will save you from all
dangers.'

'I will not go with you now,' answered the Queen, 'but if you see
to-morrow that they will burn me to death, then you may deliver me as
you shall think best.'

'While I live I will deliver you,' said Sir Lancelot, and he left her
and