ile Beaumains's helm was off he looked at the castle window, and there
saw the Lady Lioness, who looked at him in such wise that his heart grew
light with joy, and he bade the red knight to make ready, for the battle
must begin again.

Then they laced their helms and stepped together and fought freshly. But
Beaumains came near to disaster, for the red knight, by a skilful sword
sweep, struck his sword from his hand, and then gave him such a buffet
on the helm as hurled him to the earth.

The red knight ran forward to his fallen foe, but Linet cried loudly,--

"Oh, Beaumains, where is thy valor gone? Alas, my sister sobs and weeps
to see you overthrown, till my own heart is heavy for her grief."

Hearing this, Beaumains sprang to his feet before his foe could reach
him, and with a leap recovered his sword, which he gripped with a strong
hand. And thus he faced again his surprised antagonist.

Then the young knight, nerved by love and desperation, poured such
fierce blows on his enemy that he smote the sword from his hand and
brought him to the earth with a fiery blow on the helm.

Before the red knight could rise, Beaumains threw himself upon him, and
tore his helm from his head with intent to slay him. But the fallen
knight cried loudly,--

"O noble knight, I yield me to thy mercy."

"Why should you have it, after the shameful death you have given to so
many knights?"

"I did all this through love," answered the red knight. "I loved a lady
whose brother was slain by Lancelot or Gawaine, as she said. She made me
swear on my knighthood to fight till I met one of them, and put to a
shameful death all I overcame. And I vowed to fight King Arthur's
knights above all, till I should meet him that had slain her brother."

Then there came up many earls, and barons, and noble knights, who fell
upon their knees and prayed for mercy to the vanquished, saying,--

"Sir, it were fairer to take homage and fealty of him, and let him hold
his lands of you, than to slay him. Nothing wrong that he has done will
be undone by his death, and we will all become your men, and do you
homage and fealty."

"Fair lords," said Beaumains, "I am loath to slay this knight, though
his deeds have been ill and shameful. But as he acted through a lady's
request I blame him the less, and will release him on these conditions:
He must go into the castle and yield to the Lady Lioness, and make
amends to her for his trespass on her lands; then if s