Leaping hastily to the ground, he caught the furious knight by the shoulders and drew him strongly backward. "What would you do?" he cried. "Madman, would you kill your brother, the worthiest knight of our brotherhood? And are you so lost to honor as to slay any knight thus lying insensible?" "Will you hinder me?" asked Lionel, turning in rage. "Back, sirrah, or I shall slay you first and him afterwards." "Why seek you to slay him?" "He has richly deserved it, and die he shall, whoever says the contrary." Then he ran upon Bors and raised his sword to strike him on the head. But Colgrevance pushed between them and thrust him fiercely backward. "Off, you murderer!" he cried. "If you are so hot for blood you must have mine first." "Who are you?" demanded Lionel. "I am Colgrevance, one of your fellows. Round Table Knights should be brothers, not foes, but I would challenge King Arthur himself in this quarrel." "Defend yourself, meddler," cried Lionel, rushing upon him and striking him fiercely on the helm with his sword. "That shall I," rejoined Colgrevance, attacking him in turn. Then a hot battle began, for Colgrevance was a good knight, and defended himself manfully. While the fight went on Bors recovered his senses, and saw with a sad heart Colgrevance defending him against his brother. He strove to rise and part them, but his hurts were such that he could not stand on his feet. And thus he sat watching the combat till he saw that Colgrevance had the worst, for Lionel had wounded him sorely, and he had lost so much blood that he could barely stand. At this juncture he saw Bors, who sat watching them in deep anguish. "Bors," he cried, "I am fighting to succor you. Will you sit there and see me perish?" "You both shall die," cried Lionel, furiously. "You shall pay the penalty of your meddling, and he of his treason." Hearing this, Bors rose with aching limbs, and painfully put on his helm. Colgrevance again called to him in anguish,-- "Help me, Bors! I can stand no longer. Will you let me die without lifting your hand?" At this moment Lionel smote the helm from his head, and then with another fierce blow stretched him dead and bleeding upon the earth. This murderous deed done, he ran on Bors with the passion of a fiend, and dealt him a blow that made him stoop. "For God's love leave me!" cried Bors. "If I slay you or you me, we will both be dead of that sin." "May God never help me if I take mercy on you, if I have the better hand," cried Lionel, in reply. Then Bors drew his sword, though his eyes were wet with tears. "Fair brother," he said, "God knows my heart. You have done evil enough this day, in slaying a holy priest and one of our own brotherhood of knights. I fear you not, but I dread the wrath of God, for this is an unnatural battle which you force upon me. May God have mercy upon me, since I must defend my life against my brother."