Then all those other knights to whom Sir Bors spake held up their swords with their handles before them, and they said, “Herewith and upon this holy sign of the crucifix do we swear that we will ride with and aid Sir Launcelot of the Lake in this undertaking. And, if it be demanded of us, we will assist him to bring this lady to Joyous Gard, and we will there aid and defend him and her with our bodies until the last extremity and until death.” * * * * * [Sidenote: _Sir Mordred accuseth Sir Launcelot to the King._] Meantime, Sir Mordred had had his wound bound up and had taken horse and had ridden to the inn of King Arthur, and he appeared before King Arthur in the room when the King was then with several of his court. And when the King beheld him thus wounded, he started up and cried out, “Hah, Sir Mordred! What bringeth thee before me in this plight? Where gottest thou that wound?” Then Sir Mordred kneeled down before the King, and he said, “Sovereign Lord and Master, I got this wound in thy service. For Sir Launcelot visited the Queen recently in her bower, and I and twelve other knights sought to arrest him there and to bring him before thee. But he resisted that arrest, and of the thirteen who assaulted him nine are dead and one is like to die.” Then the King drew his breath very hard between his teeth, at that news, and anon he said, “Who are dead? Are they any of my friends?” Sir Mordred said, “All are thy friends, and three are of thy kin.” Quoth King Arthur, “Who are those of my kin?” And Sir Mordred said, “One of them is Sir Agravaine, thy nephew, and the others are Sir Florence and Sir Lovel, the young sons of Sir Gawaine.” [Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine sorroweth._] Then the King groaned and Sir Gawaine who was with him covered his head and also groaned in sorrow. Quoth the King, “To-morrow day this shall be inquired into, and the Queen shall be brought to trial for this treason.” And with those words he arose and withdrew from that place, accompanied only by Sir Gawaine, Sir Geharis and Sir Gareth and Sir Mordred; and leaving the other knights who were attendant upon him sunk in silence, not knowing which way to look or what to say. So when the King was come to a private place, he seated himself and buried his face in his hands. And he groaned aloud, and he said, “Alas is me! This is certes the beginning of the end that was foretold by Merlin!” And anon he said to Sir Gawaine, “To thee, Gawaine, will I entrust the pushing of that inquiry which must follow. For thou and Geharis and Gareth shall go with a company of an hundred knights, and ye shall arrest the Queen, and shall bring her for trial for this offence.”