ung their hands in grief, and few
men wore armour, for in that day it was held that the presence of
mail-clad Knights made death more shameful. Now among those present
was one sent by Sir Lancelot, and when he saw the Queen's dress
unclasped, and the priest step forth to listen to her confession, he
rode to warn Sir Lancelot that the hour had come. And suddenly there
was heard a sound as of rushing horses, and Sir Lancelot dashed up to
the fire, and all the Knights that stood around were slain, for few
men wore armour. Sir Lancelot looked not where he struck, and Sir
Gaheris and Sir Gareth were found in the thickest of the throng. At
last he reached the Queen, and, throwing a mantle over her, he caught
her on to his saddle and rode away with her. Right thankful was the
Queen at being snatched from the fire, and her heart was grateful to
Sir Lancelot, who took her to his Castle of Joyous Gard, and many
noble Knights and Kings had fellowship with them.

After King Arthur had given judgment for the Queen to die he went back
into his Palace of Westminster, where men came and told him how Sir
Lancelot had delivered her, and of the death of his Knights, and in
especial of Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth, and he swooned away from
sorrow. 'Alas!' he cried, when he recovered from his swoon, 'alas!
that a crown was ever on my head, for in these two days I have lost
forty Knights and the fellowship of Sir Lancelot and his kinsmen, and
never more will they be of my company. But I charge you that none tell
Sir Gawaine of the death of his brothers, for I am sure that when he
hears of Sir Gareth he will go out of his mind. Oh, why did Sir
Lancelot slay them? for Sir Gareth loved Sir Lancelot more than any
other man.'

'That is true,' answered some of the Knights, 'but Sir Lancelot saw
not whom he smote, and therefore were they slain.'

'The death of those two,' said Arthur, 'will cause the greatest mortal
war that ever was. I am sure that when Sir Gawaine knows Sir Gareth is
slain he will never suffer me to rest till I have destroyed Sir
Lancelot and all his kin, or till they have destroyed me. My heart
was never so heavy as it is now, and far more grievous to me is the
loss of my good Knights than of my Queen; for Queens I might have in
plenty, but no man had ever such a company of Knights, and it hurts me
sore that Sir Lancelot and I should be at war. It is the ill will
borne by Sir Agrawaine and Sir Mordred to Sir Lancelot that has c