So that afternoon he appeared upon the battlements of the castle. And he leaned out over the battlements and called out to those who were below, saying to them, “Where is King Arthur? I would speak with him.” Those who heard him ran to King Arthur, and they said to the King, “Lord, Sir Launcelot asks to speak to thee. Haply he meaneth to surrender to thee.” [Sidenote: _The King speaketh to Sir Launcelot._] So King Arthur hurried to that place where Sir Launcelot was: and Sir Gawaine and the King of North Wales were with him. King Arthur said to Sir Launcelot, “What wouldst thou have of me, Messires? Dost thou surrender this castle?” “Not so,” quoth Sir Launcelot, “I do not surrender it, but I would speak to you of other things.” “Sir,” said King Arthur, “concerning what other things have you to speak to me withal?” “Lord,” said Sir Launcelot, “this is what I would say to you. What seek you here in thus assaulting this castle? Here within are many lordly knights and many knights of the Round Table who were a short time ago your friends and dependants. Some of them you yourself made knights as you made me a knight, and all of those would gladly surrender their lives for your sake. What benefit or what honor can it then be to you to slay them, who were your support and your defence, and who would be so again if you would live in peace with them? Would it be to your honor that you should slay these good, worthy honorable knights?” “Sir,” said King Arthur, “you forget that you have seized upon my Queen and that you hold her from me in this castle. First surrender to me my Queen, and then I will consider all these things that you have to say and will reply to them as I deem to be fitting.” “Lord,” said Sir Launcelot, “thy Queen is held here in high and honorable regard. With us she is safe from harm or injury of any sort. Would she be thus free from danger of harm and dishonor if she were with you? Pledge me first that you would do her no harm or injury, and then it will beseem us as true and honorable knights to consider the surrender of her to you.” “Am I then,” said the King, “to make treaty with you for the return to me of that wife with whom I have lived in amity for all these years? Sir, you do not consider how unfit such a treaty would be upon my part.” [Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine accuseth Sir Launcelot._]