for
the nobleness of Sir Lancelot that forbore to slay you.'

'Ay, we all know your love of the pestilent fool, uncle,' said Sir
Gawaine, 'but we will stay here until we have made an end of him and
his kingdom, if it take us all our lives.'

Even as he spoke there came the clear call of a trumpet outside in the
camp, and Sir Bedevere came to the door of the king's tent, his grim
old face pale, his grizzled hair unkempt, and every sign of haste and
travel upon his dress.

The king started up. 'Sir Bedevere, ye bring evil tidings from
Britain,' he cried. 'Can it be that more ruin and wrong is to come than
that I suffer now? What is your news?'

'O my king, it is that Mordred your nephew hath rebelled,' said Sir
Bedevere, 'and has gathered much people about him, and hath sent many
letters to all the lords and knights your vassals, promising them
wealth and lands if they make him king. And Gwenevere your queen he
hath imprisoned, saying that he will wed her when ye are slain.'

'Mordred! Mordred!' cried the king, 'him that I thought was a quiet,
strong man--turned so base a traitor!'

'Ay, he was ever the traitor, though brother of mine,' cried Sir
Gawaine in a voice of rage. 'A man that speaks in whispers, haunts dark
corners, and ever sneers with his lips.'

'Hardly with my life have I escaped to tell you this,' went on Sir
Bedevere, 'for he placed men to watch me after I had scorned his evil
offers to myself. But now, my lord, quickly ye must betake yourself and
all your army from this fruitless and wrongful War against Sir
Lancelot, and hasten to beat down the poisonous viper whom ye have
nourished in your bosom.'

Ere the day was done the army of King Arthur had raised the siege of
Sir Lancelot's town and were quickly marching to the sea, there to take
their boats across to Britain to punish the usurper and traitor, Sir
Mordred.

A fair wind carried them across the sea, but long ere they reached the
shallows of the beach at Dover they saw the sunlight flashing from
thousands of headpieces of knights and men-at-arms, set to oppose the
landing of their rightful lord. The king was fiercely angry, and he
commanded the masters of the ships to launch their small boats, and
into these the knights swarmed and were rowed towards the shore.

But the rebels of Mordred also launched boats and great pinnaces filled
with knights, and when the boats of the opposite parties met, then
there was fierce fighting and much sl