an stand no longer. Will you let me die without
lifting your hand?"

At this moment Lionel smote the helm from his head, and then with
another fierce blow stretched him dead and bleeding upon the earth.

This murderous deed done, he ran on Bors with the passion of a fiend,
and dealt him a blow that made him stoop.

"For God's love leave me!" cried Bors. "If I slay you or you me, we will
both be dead of that sin."

"May God never help me if I take mercy on you, if I have the better
hand," cried Lionel, in reply.

Then Bors drew his sword, though his eyes were wet with tears.

"Fair brother," he said, "God knows my heart. You have done evil enough
this day, in slaying a holy priest and one of our own brotherhood of
knights. I fear you not, but I dread the wrath of God, for this is an
unnatural battle which you force upon me. May God have mercy upon me,
since I must defend my life against my brother."

Saying this, Bors raised his sword and advanced upon Lionel, who stood
before him with the wrath of a fury.

Then would have been a most unholy battle, had not God come to the
rescue. For as they thus stood defiant a voice came to them from the
air, which said,--

"Flee, Bors, and touch him not, for if you do, you will surely slay
him."

And between them descended a cloud that gleamed like fire, and from
which issued a marvellous flame that burned both their shields to a
cinder. They were both so affrighted that they fell to the earth, and
lay there long in a swoon.

When they came to themselves Bors saw that his brother had received no
harm. For this he thanked God, for he feared that heaven's vengeance had
fallen upon him. Then came the voice again.

"Bors," it said, "go hence, and bear thy brother company no longer. Take
thy way to the sea where Percivale awaiteth thee."

"Forgive me, brother," said Bors, "for what I have done against you."

"God has forgiven you, and I must," said Lionel. "It was the foul fiend
that filled my soul with fury, and much harm has come of it."

Then Bors rode away, leaving Lionel in the company of those whom he had
slain, and took the most direct road towards the sea.

At length he came to an abbey that was near the water-side. And at
midnight as he rested there he was roused from his sleep by a voice,
that bade him leave his bed and ride onward.

He started up at this, and made the sign of the cross on his forehead;
then took his harness and horse, and rode out at a brok