quine, leading your brother, Sir Gaheris, bound on his saddle,
and slew him, and rescued your brother, as also three-score and four of
King Arthur's knights whom he held in prison. Never met I with as strong
and hard-fighting knights as Sir Carados and Sir Turquine, and I fought
with them to the uttermost for the sake of you and your brother. It
seems to me, Sir Gawaine, that you ought to bear in mind this good
service I did for you in the past. If I might but have your good will in
return, I would trust to God to have my lord Arthur's kindly grace."

"The king may do as he will," said Gawaine; "but while I live I shall
never be in accord with you. I cannot forget that you have killed three
of my brothers, two of them treacherously and pitilessly, for they wore
no armor against you, and refused to bear any."

"Would to heaven they had been armed, for then they would now be alive,"
said Lancelot. "I tell you this, Sir Gawaine, that I love none of my own
kinsmen as I did your brother, Sir Gareth, and would far rather have
slain myself than him. Never while I live shall I cease to mourn his
death, not alone for your bitter sorrow and anger, but for other causes
which concern myself. One is, that it was I who made him a knight;
another is, that he loved me above all other knights; a third is, that
he was ever noble, true, courteous, and gentle. I never would have
slain, or even hurt, either Gareth or Gaheris by my will; and sad at
heart am I that this fatal chance has robbed me of your love and made
undying war between us, and has caused my noble lord and king to be my
mortal foe. May Jesus forgive me for this cruel chance, which the fates
have laid upon me. In reparation for this sad misfortune, I shall freely
offer, if it will please the king's good grace, and yours, my lord
Gawaine, to do penance in this wise. I shall start from Sandwich, and go
in my shirt, barefoot, and at every ten miles' end I shall found a
religious house, of what order you wish, where shall be sung and read
day and night psalms and masses for the repose of Sir Gareth and Sir
Gaheris. This I shall perform from Sandwich to Carlisle. This, Sir
Gawaine, seems to me fairer, holier, and better for their souls than
that you and the king should make war upon me; for little good to any is
likely to come from it."

Then the knights and ladies there wept as though they were distracted,
and the tears fell hot on King Arthur's cheeks. But no shadow of
softnes