for your lady Guenever, I am ready to stand
for her innocence against any knight under heaven. Those who have
slandered me and her lie in their teeth, and I hold myself ready to
prove to the death that she is as true and chaste a lady as ever lived.
More than once, my lord, you have consented that she should be burnt,
from the voice of slander, and more than once have I rescued her, and
forced the lie down the throats of her slanderers. Then you thanked me
for saving her from the fire. Now, for doing you the same high service
again, you bring war upon me. Your queen is honest and true, and if you
will receive her to your good grace again I stand ready to deliver her."

"Recreant knight!" cried Gawaine, in wrath, "I warrant you my lord the
king shall have his queen and you too, despite your fair words and proud
defiance, and shall slay you both if it please him."

"That may be, Gawaine," said Lancelot. "Yet if I chose to come out of
the castle you would not find it quite child's play to win me and the
queen."

"Save your boastful words," said Gawaine. "As for my lady, the queen, I
shall say naught to her dishonor. But, recreant knight, what cause had
you to slay my brother Gareth, who loved you with his whole soul?"

"I shall not seek an excuse for that deed," said Lancelot. "I would with
as good will have slain my nephew Sir Bors. All I may say is that it was
done in the heat of battle, and I knew not they were slain till word was
brought me here."

"You lie in your teeth!" cried Gawaine. "You killed them in despite of
me; and for this foul deed I shall make war on you while I live."

"If you are so hotly set, there is no use for me to seek accord; yet I
am truly sorry for their deaths and your enmity. Only for this I would
soon have the good grace of my lord Arthur."

"That may be, traitor, but you will wait long for peace. You have lorded
it over me, and the whole of us, too long, and slain knights at your
will. Now our turn has come."

"No one dare say that I ever killed a knight through treachery, as you,
Gawaine, have done."

"You mean Sir Lamorak. Him I slew, man to man."

"Who lies now? You know well that you and the crew that set upon him
dared not meet him face to face. You struck him treacherously from
behind."

"A truce to Lamorak. This you may know, that I will never leave you till
I deal with you as I did with him."

"Murder me, you mean! I fancy you might if you caught me in such a
strait,