cried with a loud voice to the lord of the castle, "Alas, master, here
lieth dead the best knight that one might find in the wide world, even
your dear son. There liveth not his like on earth, so strong, so bold,
so skilled in valiant deeds!"

Then was all the burg aghast; and the host, the father of the knight who
lay dead upon the bier, felt his heart die within him. Scarce might he
find words; and he cried, "Who hath robbed him of life, mine own dear
son, whom I loved above all the world? How came he by his death? I fear
me 'twas by his own deed, for well I know that he was fierce of heart,
and spared neither foe nor friend. I fear lest he have merited his
death. Now do I conjure ye all here present, by God, our Righteous
Father (so spake the lord of the castle) that ye speak, and make known
to me the whole truth; fain would I hear how he came by his death, my
dear son, who lieth here, and for whom my heart doth sorely grieve."

Then said they all who brought the dead man thither, that forsooth 'twas
a stranger knight who did this by his great valour; "Though we saw it
not with our eyes, yet may we well bear witness to the death of many of
our folk; and others are so sorely wounded that they may never more be
healed. Man may scarce tell all the mischief wrought by that stranger
knight who slew your son, the best knight on earth; nor may we tell who
he might be." But Sir Gawain, who was there within, and knew well that
he was guilty, saw that he might scarce escape either by will or by
valour, since he had laid aside his weapons and stood all unarmed in his
robes; thereof was he grieved at heart.

As they stood and spake thus, sudden they saw the blood of the knight
who lay there dead, and which afore was stanched, leap forth afresh, and
run crimson down the hall. With this were they ware of Sir Gawain, their