blazing above it; and while it was there, came his brother Sir Ector de
Maris, who had long been seeking Lancelot. When he heard such noise and
saw such lights in the choir, he alighted and came in; and Sir Bors went
towards him and told him that his brother Lancelot was lying dead. Then
Sir Ector threw his shield and sword and helm from him, and when he looked
on Sir Lancelot's face he fell down in a swoon, and when he rose he spoke
thus: "Ah, Sir Lancelot," said he, "thou wert dead of all Christen
knights! And now I dare say, that, Sir Lancelot, there thou liest, thou
wert never matched of none earthly knight's hands; and thou wert the
curtiest knight that ever beare shield; and thou wert the truest friend to
thy lover that ever bestrood horse, and thou wert the truest lover of a
sinful man that ever loved woman; and thou wert the kindest man that ever
strooke with sword; and thou wert the goodliest person that ever came
among presse of knights; and thou wert the meekest man and the gentlest
that ever eate in hall among ladies; and thou wert the sternest knight to
thy mortall foe that ever put speare in the rest."



IX

THE HALF-MAN


King Arthur in his youth was fond of all manly exercises, especially of
wrestling, an art in which he found few equals. The old men who had been
the champions of earlier days, and who still sat, in summer evenings,
watching the youths who tried their skill before them, at last told him
that he had no rival in Cornwall, and that his only remaining competitor
elsewhere was one who had tired out all others.