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Chapter XIV
“Wewillbewiththeeinthisquarrel,”saidtheyall;“andifthequeenbesentencedtothefire,wecertainlywillsaveher.”
MeanwhileSirModred,ingreatfearandpain,fledfromthecourt,androdeuntilhefoundKingArthur,andtoldhimallthathadbefallen.ButthekingwouldscarcebelievehimtillhecameandsawthebodiesofSirAgravaineandalltheotherknights.
Thenfeltheinhimselfthatallwastrue,andwithhispassinggriefhisheartnighbroke.“Alas!”criedhe,“nowisthefellowshipoftheRoundTableforeverbroken:yea,woeisme!Imaynotwithmyhonoursparemyqueen.”
AnonitwasordainedthatQueenGuinevereshouldbeburnedtodeath,becauseshehaddishonouredKingArthur.
ButwhenSirGawainheardthereof,hecamebeforetheking,andsaid,“Mylord,Icounseltheebenottoohastyinthismatter,butstaythejudgmentofthequeenaseason,foritmaywellbethatSirLancelotwasinherchamberfornoevil,seeingsheisgreatlybeholdentohimforsomanydeedsdoneforhersake,andperadventureshehadsenttohimtothankhim,anddiditsecretlythatshemightavoidslander.”
ButKingArthuranswered,fullofgrief,“Alas!Imaynothelpher;sheisjudgedasanyotherwoman.”
ThenherequiredSirGawainandhisbrethren,SirGaherisandSirGareth,tobereadytobearthequeento-morrowtotheplaceofexecution.
“Nay,noblelord,”repliedSirGawain,“thatcanIneverdo;forneitherwillmyheartsuffermetoseethequeendie,norshallmeneversayIwasofyourcounselinthismatter.
