ng. 'The death of them will cause the
greatest woful war that ever was in this fair realm. I see ruin before
us all--rent and ruined shall we be, and all peace for ever at an end.'

Though the king had forbidden any of his knights to tell Sir Gawaine of
the death of his two brothers, Sir Mordred called his squire aside, and
bade him go and let Sir Gawaine know all that had happened.

'Do you see to it,' he told the man, 'that thou dost inflame his mind
against Sir Lancelot.'

The knave went to Sir Gawaine, and found him walking on the terrace of
the palace overlooking the broad quiet Thames, where the small trading
ships sailed up and down the river on their ways to and from Gaul and
the ports of the Kentish coast.

'Sir,' said the squire, doffing his cap and bowing, 'great and woful
deeds have been toward this day. The queen hath been rescued by Sir
Lancelot and his kin, and some thirty knights were slain in the melee
about the stake.'

'Heaven defend my brethren,' said Sir Gawaine, 'for they went unarmed.
But as for Sir Lancelot, I guessed he would try a rescue, and I had
deemed him no man of knightly worship if he had not. But, tell me, how
are my brethren. Where be they?'

'Alas, sir,' said the man, 'they be slain.'

The grim face of Sir Gawaine went pale, and with an iron hand he seized
the shoulder of the squire and shook him in his rage.

'Have a care, thou limb of Mordred's, if thou speakest lies,' he said.
'I would not have them dead for all this realm and its riches. Where is
my young brother, Sir Gareth?'

'Sir, I tell ye truth,' said the man, 'for I know how heavy would be
your anger if I lied in this. Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheris are slain, and
all good knights are mourning them, and in especial the king our
master.'

Sir Gawaine took a step backwards and his face went pale and then it
darkened with rage.

'Tell me who slew them?' he thundered.

'Sir,' replied the man, 'Sir Lancelot slew them both.'

'False knave!' cried Sir Gawaine, 'I knew thou didst lie.'

He struck the man a great buffet on the head, so that he fell half
dazed to the ground.

'Ha! ha! thou lying talebearer!' laughed Sir Gawaine, half relieved of
his fears, yet still half doubtful. 'To tell me that Sir Lancelot slew
them! Why, man, knowest thou of whom thou pratest? Sir Lancelot to slay
my dear young brother Gareth! Why, man, Gareth loved Sir Lancelot as he
loved me--not more than he loved me, but near as much; and Sir L