d awoke, and their dread was great on finding
the sword across their throats.

"It is Pelleas's sword!" she cried. "You have betrayed him and me both,
for you lied to me in saying that you had killed him. Only that he has
proved himself a man of true honor, he would have slain us both. Leave
me, traitor! Never let me see your false face again!"

Gawaine had no words in answer, but hastily mounted his horse and rode
into the forest, feeling at heart that he had proved a traitor both to
honor and love.

When morning dawned it happened that Nimue, the damsel of the lake, who
by chance had come into that country, met with a follower of Sir
Pelleas, who was grieving sorely for the ill fortune of his master. She
asked him the cause of his grief, and he told her the woeful tale of the
lovelorn knight, and how he had taken to his bed, vowing never again to
rise.

"He shall not die of love, I warrant you that," she said. "Bring me to
him. I promise you that she who has treated him so vilely shall feel all
the pain she has made him endure."

She was accordingly brought to the tent of Pelleas, and a feeling of
pity and love grew in her heart as she looked on his noble and woe-worn
face while he lay asleep. Therefore she deepened his slumber with a
spell of enchantment, and charging that no man should wake him before
her return, she rode through the forest to Ettard's castle.

Within two hours she brought the lady Ettard to the tent, where Pelleas
still lay wrapped in deep slumber.

"You should do penance for life to murder such a knight as this," she
said. "You have treated a true lover with shameful despite, and for
love's sake you shall pay the penalty of your misdeeds."

Then she threw so deep a spell of enchantment on the proud lady that her
former scorn turned to the deepest love, and her heart went out to
Pelleas as if it would break with sorrow and remorse.

"Alas!" she cried, "I hated him above all men. What has befallen me that
I love him now with my whole soul?"

"It is God's righteous judgment," said Nimue.

As they spoke Pelleas awoke, and when he looked upon Ettard his eyes
filled with scorn and hatred.

"Away, traitress!" he cried. "Never again come within my sight. You have
taught me to hate you as much as I ever loved."

These scornful words wounded Ettard to the soul. She turned away weeping
bitterly, and left the tent overwhelmed with anguish.

"Take your horse and leave this country, Sir Pelleas