BORS, LAVAINE, _and other friends of_ LAUNCELOT, _appear with drawn swords in the doorway_. Are you ghosts? That visit me, so haggard, pale and silent? Your swords are bare and in your eyes are looks Of fear. This dim light has a ghastness in it Making the vision of you strange. BORS Sire, pardon! But some of us had terrors in our dreams And leapt awake in sweat, and snatched our swords. It was as if a cry rang in our ears. We thought some danger happened to Launcelot; And lo, we cannot find him. GAWAINE Launcelot! BORS Where is he! Tell us! ARTHUR Ask of the King’s foes. Launcelot is a traitor. BORS Woe is me The King should say it. Launcelot loves him more Than all his friends. ARTHUR Choose: choose between your King And Launcelot. BORS What miserable cloud Is fallen about us, or what evil dream! Gawaine! GAWAINE (_shrugging his shoulders_) All idle! Waves upon a rock. ARTHUR Choose: if your will be on the King’s side, stay: But if on Launcelot’s, turn your faces from me. It shall be battle when we meet again. [BORS _and his friends look at each other, then silently turn and go out_. ARTHUR So breaks my kingdom. It is gashed in two. Oh, Gawaine! Gawaine! (_He falls upon_ GAWAINE’S _neck_.) (A MAN-AT-ARMS _is heard without crying: “The King! Where is the King?”_) GAWAINE Terror’s in that cry! _The_ MAN _stumbles in breathless_. MAN (_falling on his knee_) Pardon me, King! GAWAINE My heart forebodes an evil. MAN I am come breathless. ARTHUR Speak! GAWAINE All news is ill. ARTHUR Tell all. MAN I am afraid. ARTHUR Your King commands. MAN The Queen.... Sir Launcelot. ARTHUR Taken? MAN They are fled. Sir Launcelot has carried off the Queen. ARTHUR (_starting up_) Do you live and tell it to me? MAN