wait in a tower ready to
sally forth and destroy them."

"Foul shame is this," cried Gawaine, "that such treachery should ever be
devised by a queen's daughter and the sister of the worshipful King
Arthur. Sir knight, will you stand with me, and unmask the malice of
these thirty ambushed rogues?"

"That shall I willingly," said Tristram. "Trust me to do my share to
punish these dogs. Not long since I and a fellow met with thirty of that
lady's knights, who were in ambush for Lancelot, and we gave them
something else to think of. If there be another thirty on the same vile
quest, I am for them."

Then they rode together towards the queen's castle, Gawaine with a
shrewd fancy that he knew his Cornish companion, for he had heard the
story of how two knights had beaten thirty. When they reached the
castle, Gawaine called in a loud voice,--

"Queen Morgan le Fay, send out the knights whom you hold in ambush
against Lancelot and Tristram. I know your treason, and will tell of it
wherever I ride. I, Sir Gawaine, and my fellow here, dare your thirty
knights to come out and meet us like men."

"You bluster bravely, friend Gawaine," answered the knights. "But we
well know that your pride and valor come from the knight who is there
with you. Some of us have tried conclusions with that head-splitter who
wears the arms of Cornwall, and have had enough of him. You alone would
not keep us long in the castle, but we have no fancy to measure swords
with him. So ride your way; you will get no glory here."

In vain did Gawaine berate them as dastards and villains; say what he
would, not a soul of them would set foot beyond the walls, and in time
the two knights rode away in a rage, cursing all cowards in their
beards.

For several days they rode together without adventure. Then they beheld
a shameful sight, that roused their souls to anger. For they saw a
villanous knight, known in those parts as Breuse Sans Pite, who chased a
lady with intent to kill her, having slain her lover before. Many
dastardly deeds of this kind had he done, yet so far had escaped all
retribution for his crimes.

"Let me ride alone against him," said Gawaine. "I know his tricks. He
will stand to face one man, but if he sees us both, he will fly, and he
always rides so swift a horse that none can overtake him."

Then he rode at full speed between the lady and her pursuer, and cried
loudly,--

"False knight and murderer, leave that lady and try your tr