'Ah, traitor!' cried King Arthur, 'this is twice you have betrayed me.
If you do not now fulfil my bidding, with mine own hands will I slay
you, for you would gladly see me dead for the sake of my sword.' Then
Sir Bedivere was shamed at having disobeyed the King, and drew forth
the sword from its hiding place, and carried it to the water side, and
with a mighty swing threw it far into the water. And as it flew
through the air, an arm and hand lifted itself out of the water, and
caught the hilt, and brandished the sword thrice, and vanished with it
beneath the water. So Sir Bedivere came again unto the King, and told
him what he saw.

'Alas!' said the King, 'help me hence, for I have tarried overlong,'
and Sir Bedivere took him on his back, and bare him to the water side.
And when they stood by the bank, a little barge containing many fair
ladies and a Queen, all in black hoods, drew near, and they wept and
shrieked when they beheld King Arthur.

'Now put me into the barge,' said the King, and Sir Bedivere laid him
softly down, and the ladies made great mourning and the barge rowed
from the land.

'Ah, my lord Arthur!' cried Sir Bedivere, 'what shall become of me now
you go from me, and I am left here alone with my enemies?'

'Comfort yourself,' replied the King, 'and do as well as you may, for
I go unto the valley of Avilion, to be healed of my grievous wound.
And if you never more hear of me, pray for my soul.' But Sir Bedivere
watched the barge till it was beyond his sight, then he rode all night
till he came to a hermitage. Now when Queen Guenevere heard of the
battle, and how that King Arthur was slain and Sir Mordred and all
their Knights, she stole away, and five ladies with her, and rode to
Amesbury; and there she put on clothes of black and white, and became
a nun, and did great penance, and many alms deeds, and people
marvelled at her and at her godly life. And ever she wept and moaned
over the years that were past, and for King Arthur.

As soon as the messenger whom the King had sent with Sir Gawaine's
letter reached Sir Lancelot, and he learned that Sir Mordred had taken
for himself the crown of England, he rose up in wrath, and, calling
Sir Bors, bid him collect their host, that they should pass at once
over the sea to avenge themselves on that false Knight. A fair wind
blew them to Dover, and there Sir Lancelot asked tidings of King
Arthur. Then the people told him that the King was slain, and Sir