"Ha!" said Sir Turquine, "that is very good news to me, for of all knights
in the world thou art the one I most desire to meet, for I have looked for
thee for a long while with intent to do battle with thee. For it was thou
who didst slay my brother Sir Caradus at Dolorous Gard, who was held to be
the best knight in all the world. Wherefore, because of this, I have the
greatest despite against thee of any man in the world, and it was because
of that despite that I waged particular battle against all the knights of
King Arthur's court. And in despite of thee I now hold five score and eight
knights, who are thy fellows, in the dismallest dungeon of my castle. Also
I have to tell thee that among those knights is thine own brother, Sir
Ector, and thy kinsman, Sir Lionel. For I overthrew Sir Ector and Sir
Lionel only a day or two ago, and now they lie almost naked in the lower
parts of that castle yonder. I will put down this knight as thou biddst me,
and when I have done battle with thee I hope to tie thee on his
saddle-horn in his place."

So Sir Turquine loosed the cords that bound Sir Gaheris and set him from
off the horse's back, and Sir Gaheris, who was sorely wounded and very
weak, sat him down upon a slab of stone near-by.

[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot and Sir Turquine do battle together] Then Sir
Launcelot and Sir Turquine made themselves ready at all points, and each
took such stand as seemed to him to be best; and when each was ready for
the assault, each set spurs to his horse and rushed the one against the
other with such terrible violence that they smote together like a clap of
thunder.

So fierce was that onset that each horse fell back upon the ground and only
by great skill and address did the knight who rode him void his saddle, so
as to save himself from a fall. And in that meeting the horse of Sir