n to the stake, you may keep her till his heat shall cool. Then you
may bring her home with worship, and gain Arthur's thanks."

"That may not work so well as you fancy," said Lancelot. "You remember
what a return Tristram got from King Mark."

"That is another story," replied Bors. "You know well that Arthur and
Mark are men of different mould. Mark could smile and play the traitor;
but no man living can say that King Arthur was ever untrue to his word."

Their conference over, by the advice of Lancelot the knights put
themselves in ambush in a wood as near Carlisle as they could secretly
approach. And there they remained on guard, waiting to learn what the
king might do.

Meantime Mordred, though wounded by Lancelot's sword, had managed to
mount his horse, and rode in all haste to tell the king of the bloody
end of the ambush. On hearing the story, Arthur's mind was divided
between anger and pain.

"It grieves me sorely that Lancelot should be against me," he said; "and
much I fear that the glorious fellowship of the Round Table is broken,
for many of our noblest knights will hold with him. But dishonor must
not rest upon England's crown. The queen has played me false, and shall
suffer death for her treason to her wifely duty."

For the law was such in those days, that all, of whatever estate or
degree, found guilty of treason, should suffer death. And so it was
ordained in Queen Guenever's case--since thirteen knights had been
slain, and one escaped sore wounded, in defending the king's honor--that
she should be taken to the stake, and there be burnt to death as a
traitress.

"My lord Arthur," said Gawaine, "let me counsel you not to be over
hasty in this severe judgment, for as I take it the guilt of the queen
is not proved. That Lancelot was found in the queen's chamber I admit;
but he might have come there with no evil purpose. You know how he has
been for years her chosen knight, and how much he has done for her. She
may have sent for him privily, to avoid scandal, for conference on some
innocent subject. What we do for the best often turns to the worst, and
I dare affirm that my lady the queen is, and has always been, faithful
and true to her lord. As for Lancelot, I doubt me not he will make good
what I have said with word and body, against any and all that question
or oppose."

"That I believe," said the king. "I know Lancelot's way. But his
boldness does not prove the queen's innocence. For her he sh