all I make an end of this war?"

"On pain of your head, no! Harm not the king! I shall not stand by and
see him slain."

Then Lancelot sprang to the ground and helped the king to his horse
again, saying,--

"My lord Arthur, for God's sake, end this strife! I will not fight you,
though you kill me, nor have I the heart to fight your men. My lord,
remember what I have done for you. Is not this an evil reward?"

When Arthur heard these words tears flowed from his eyes, for Lancelot's
courtesy had overcome his anger. He turned and rode away, saying
sadly,--

"Alas! that this war ever began."

Then both sides drew off, and parties of each began the sad duty of
burying the dead, while the wounded were borne away, and healing salves
applied to their wounds.

The next day the battle was renewed, and fought with the same deadly
energy as before. On this day Bors led the foremost party, and met
Gawaine as Lionel had done the day before. Fiercely together they rode,
and both were hurled to the ground with deep and dangerous wounds.
Around them the battle raged with double fierceness, but Lancelot broke
in and rescued Bors, and had him borne to the castle, while the other
party bore off Gawaine.

Then, as the battle continued, Lavaine and others begged Lancelot to put
forth his strength and fight with his full might, for he imperilled them
all by his forbearance.

"Why should you spare your foes?" they said. "You do but harm thereby.
Your enemies spare not you."

"I have no heart to fight against the king," said Lancelot.

"If you spare them all this day they will never thank you," said
Palamides. "And if they get the better of you they will slay you without
mercy."

Lancelot saw that this was but the truth, and stirred by this and the
wound of Sir Bors, he rushed into the fray with his old might and fury,
forcing back all before him. Glad to see the old Lancelot, his
followers pressed forward, driving back the foe, so that by eventide
they had the best of the fray, and their horses went fetlock deep in the
blood of the slain.

Then, in pity for Arthur, Lancelot blew the recall, and suffered the
king's party to withdraw without further slaughter.

After this there was peace between the parties for many days, for
Gawaine had been so sorely hurt that he could not stir the king to
active war, and Arthur after awhile returned to Carlisle, leaving the
castle closely besieged.

But the story of this war had now passe