me down to a narrow window in the gate-tower, and
cried out to the king:

'Most noble king, I think that neither of us may get honour from this
war. Cannot we make an end of it?'

'Ay,' cried Sir Gawaine, his face red with anger, and shaking his
mailed fist at Lancelot, 'come thou forth, thou traitor, and we will
make an end of thee.'

'Come forth,' said the king, 'and I will meet thee on the field. Thou
hast slain thirty of my good knights, taken my queen from me, and
plunged this realm in ruin.'

'Nay, lord, it was not I that caused this war,' said Sir Lancelot. 'I
had been but a base knight to have suffered the noble lady my queen to
be burned at the stake. And it passes me, my lord king, how thou
couldst ever think to suffer her to be burned.'

'She was charged with poisoning a knight who slandered her,' said the
king. 'I must see justice done on high and low, and though it grieved
me to condemn her, I could do naught else. Moreover, if Sir Pinel spoke
true, both you and she were conspiring to slay me and to rule this
kingdom in my stead.'

'A foul lie, a black calumny!' cried Sir Lancelot fiercely. 'And I
would answer for it with the strength which God might give me on any
six of your knights that may say I am so black a traitor. I tell you,
my lord king, and I swear it on my knighthood, and may death strike me
now if I lie, that neither I nor the queen have ever had evil thoughts
against your person, nor had designs upon your crown.'

At so solemn an oath men stood still and waited, for few doubted in
those days that if a man who took so great an oath was speaking
falsely, fire from heaven would instantly descend and consume him.

The moments passed and nothing happened, and men breathed again.

Sir Lancelot looked at the face of King Arthur, and saw by the light
upon it that the king believed him; and Sir Lancelot rejoiced in his
heart.

He saw the king turn to Sir Gawaine with a questioning air, as if he
would ask what more his nephew wanted. But next moment, with a harsh
laugh, Sir Gawaine spoke.

'Hark ye, Sir Lancelot, thou mayest swear to Heaven as to some things,
and there are those that may be moved by thy round oaths. But this I
charge upon thee, thou false, proud knight, that thou didst slay two
unarmed men--men that loved thee and worshipped thee! Forsooth, thou
boastful braggart and mouthing hero, thou wilt not dare to deny it!'

Sad was the face and voice of Sir Lancelot as he made repl