SCENE III.--_Another part of the forest._--LAUNCELOT and GWAINE.

_Gwaine._ Launcelot, thou art a fool. Thou art the King’s man, and the best. Thou hast an arm and a sword on it. Thou must come. I will no longer here.

_Laun._ I may not, this hurt be too deep.

_Gwaine._ Damn thy hurt, man! thou art sound as I.

_Laun._ ’Tis a deep hurt, Launcelot fights no more. Here will I die.

_Gwaine._ Better go a Monk, thou art a fool, Man. This love is a girl’s folly. Fighting is a man’s trade and his sword his true mistress. Gwaine will have no other. Come, thou art not dead yet.

_Laun._ Aye Gwaine thou wastest words, Launcelot is ended.

_Gwaine._ Damn thee! I gave my word I would bring thee, will I have to go foresworn else carry thee on my back. Have I cured thy madness but for this?

_Laun._ Nay, nay, make peace best thou canst. Thou art a good fellow, but I cannot. Launcelot will die here.

_Gwaine._ I say, damn thee, thou shalt come!

_Laun._ Thou liest! (_Both spring to their feet and draw._) (_Trumpets without._) (_Enter the_ KING’S Messengers.)

_Gwaine._ Who comes?

_Mess._ From the King.

_Gwaine._ What want ye?

_Mess._ We seek two knights, Sir Launcelot and Sir Gwaine.

_Gwaine._ We be thy men--what be thy message?

_Mess._ The King desireth thee in great haste, the Queen be in great peril.

_Laun._ Nay!

_Mess._ Yea, of her life. She be condemned to the stake if a knight assoil her not with his body on her accuser tomorrow noon.

_Laun._ Dread Heaven!

_Gwaine._ What be the accusation?

_Mess._ Murder on the body of Sir Patrise.

_Laun._ Enough! hast thou brought horses?

_Mess._ Yea.

_Laun._ Then quick! on your lives! lead us hence!

[_Exit_ LAUNCELOT and Messengers.

_Gwaine._ The foul fiend take this love! It be a queer sickness indeed. Anon it made him like to luke water, and now he be all fire. It bloweth now up now down, like the wind i’ a chimney. Yea I love that man like a father his child. There is no sword like to his i’ the whole kingdom. An’ a wench that be a queen leadeth him like a goss-hawk. (_Voices without._)

Yea, I am coming. [_Exit._