throne and both knelt before the King; then,
rising, Sir Launcelot lifted the Queen to her feet, and thus he
spoke to King Arthur, boldly and well before the whole court: "My
lord, Sir Arthur, I bring you here your Queen, than whom no truer
nor nobler lady ever lived; and here stand I, Sir Launcelot du Lac,
ready to do battle with any that dare gainsay it"; and with these
words Sir Launcelot turned and looked upon the lords and knights
present in their places, but none would challenge him in that
cause, not even Sir Gawain, for he had ever affirmed that Dame
Guenevere was a true and honourable lady.

Then Sir Launcelot spoke again: "Now, my Lord Arthur, in my own
defence it behoves me to say that never in aught have I been false
to you. That I slew certain knights is true; but I hold me
guiltless, seeing that they brought death upon themselves. For no
sooner had I gone to the Queen's bower, as she had commanded me,
than they beset the door, with shameful outcry, that all the court
might hear, calling me traitor and felon knight." "And rightly they
called you," cried Sir Gawain fiercely. "My lord, Sir Gawain,"
answered Sir Launcelot, "in their quarrel they proved not
themselves right, else had not I, alone, encountered fourteen
knights and come forth unscathed."

Then said King Arthur: "Sir Launcelot, I have ever loved you above
all other knights, and trusted you to the uttermost; but ill have
ye done by me and mine." "My lord," said Launcelot, "that I slew
Sir Gareth I shall mourn as long as life lasts. As soon would I
have slain my own nephew, Sir Bors, as have harmed Sir Gareth
wittingly; for I myself made him knight, and loved him as my
brother." "Liar and traitor," cried Sir Gawain, "ye slew him,
defenceless and unarmed." "It is full plain, Sir Gawain," said
Launcelot, "that never again shall I have your love; and yet there
has been old kindness between us, and once ye thanked me that I
saved your life." "It shall not avail you now," said Sir Gawain;
"traitor ye are, both to the King and to me. Know that, while life
lasts, never will I rest until I have avenged my brother Sir
Gareth's death upon you." "Fair nephew," said the King, "cease your
brawling. Sir Launcelot has come under surety of my word that none
shall do him harm. Elsewhere, and at another time, fasten a quarrel
upon him, if quarrel ye must." "I care not," cried Sir Gawain
fiercely. "The proud traitor trusts so in his own strength that he
thinks no