Sir Gawaine smiled at him and said to him, “Sir, wit you that I must die of this hurt.” King Arthur said, “I trow not.” Sir Gawaine said, “In that you are mistook, for here have I my death-wound, and in a little while I must die.” King Arthur said, “Sir, keep up your heart.” To this Sir Gawaine made answer, “My heart faileth not, but my life hangeth fluttering upon my lips, and soon it must pass away from me.” And Sir Gawaine said, “Sir, wit ye of this, your own case is as bad as mine. Return you again to Britain as fast as you are able, for I trust not more than need be to Sir Mordred’s truth, albeit he is my brother. For he hath ever had a dark and gloomy spirit. And he hath ambition for the throne, and now that he hath the power behind that ambition, and now that you have lost so many good and worthy knights at this castle, he will certes seize upon your throne unless you are by to wrest it out of his hands. Wherefore I pray you to return to Britain as soon as may be.” King Arthur said, “Sir, these are imaginings upon your part. For Sir Mordred is a Knight of the Round Table, and is bound to me in fealty. Why, therefore, think you he would be treacherous to me?” Sir Gawaine said, “Lord, I lie now very close to the edge of death and all things appear extraordinarily clear and distinct to mine eyes. Sir Mordred hath no love for any soul save only for himself. Wherefore, I fear me he will sacrifice you to his desires, and will seize upon your throne. Lord, I shall not live until to-morrow morning, wherefore, I charge you that when I am dead, you shall bury me here in haste, and depart straightway for England, for I fear me for your kingdom in Britain.” [Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine dieth._] So that night in the second hour after midnight, Sir Gawaine drew his last breath and died. And King Arthur was there at that passing, and several knights companions of the Round Table were there, so that Sir Gawaine did not die in loneliness. And after he had passed, King Arthur wept and he said as follows: THE LAMENT OF KING ARTHUR [Sidenote: _King Arthur’s lament._] “So passeth this dear and faithful friend. There is not of all those who are left anyone whom I love so well as I loved him. For though he was passionate in his angers and his indignations, yet to me he was always loving and full of dutifulness and kindliness. He was the right hand and support of my throne and its chiefest prop in all of its weaknesses, and I had hoped that he would have occupied that throne after I had departed from this earth. “But now this is past and gone and he is taken who was, next to Sir Launcelot of the Lake, the brightest and most glorious figure of all my Round Table. “He was the companion of my youth. For when I had fought my battles and come to my throne, he was among the first who came and laid his hands between my palms. Also he was one of the first of all those knights-elect of the Round Table to take his seat at that table.