chance at our last battle," he said, "but
if you dare come into the field this day I will make amends, and lay you
as low as you laid me."

"Defend me from such a fate," said Lancelot, "for if you should get me
into such a strait my days were done. But since you in this unknightly
fashion charge me with treason, I warrant you shall have both hands full
before you gain your end."

Then Lancelot armed and rode out, and the battle began as before, with a
circle of armed knights surrounding. But in this onset Gawaine's spear
broke into a hundred pieces in his hand, while Lancelot struck him with
such might that his horse's feet were raised, and horse and rider
toppled to the earth.

"Alight, traitor knight!" cried Gawaine, drawing his sword. "If a horse
has failed me, think not that a king and queen's son shall fail thee."

Then Lancelot sprang to the ground and the battle went on as before,
Gawaine's strength increasing hour by hour. But Lancelot, feeling this,
warily kept his strength and his wind, keeping under cover of his
shield, and tracing and traversing back and forth, to break the strength
and courage of his foe.

As for Gawaine, he put forth all his might and power to destroy
Lancelot, and for three hours pressed him so fiercely that he could
barely defend himself. But when noon passed, and Lancelot felt Gawaine's
strength again decline, he said,--

"I have proved you twice, Sir Gawaine. By this magic trick of your
strength increasing you have deceived many a valiant knight. You have
done your worst; now you shall see of what metal I am made."

Then he attacked him fiercely, and Gawaine defended himself with all his
power; but at length there fell such a heavy blow on his helmet and on
the old wound, that he sank to the earth in a swoon. When he came to
himself again, he struck feebly at Lancelot as he lay, and cried
spitefully,--

"Thou false traitor, I am not yet slain. Come near me, and do this
battle to the uttermost."

"I shall do no more than I have done," said Lancelot. "When I see you on
your feet again I shall stand ready to fight you to the bitter end. But
to smite a wounded and prostrate man!--God defend me from such a shame."

And he turned and went towards the city, while Gawaine with spiteful
malice called him traitor, and vowed he would never cease to fight with
him till one of them was dead.

A month now passed away, during which Gawaine lay sick of his wound. As
he slowly recovered,