"I am at your command," said Ontzlake, "and thank you humbly for your goodness and bounty. As for this battle, I would have fought it myself, only that lately I was deeply wounded in a combat with a wandering knight."
"I would it had been so," said Arthur, "for treason was used against me in this combat, and had I fought with you I should not have been so badly hurt. My own sword was stolen and I was given a false and brittle blade, which failed me in my greatest need."
"Great pity it is that a king so noble and a knight so worthy should have been thus foully dealt with."
"I shall reward the traitor in short time, by the grace of God," said Arthur. "Now tell me how far I am from Camelot?"
"Then where can I obtain shelter and rest?"
"There is an abbey but three miles distant where you will find skilled leeches and good nursing."
Then King Arthur took his leave of the people, and repaired with Accolan to the abbey, where he and the knight were placed under medical care. Arthur's wounds, though deep and painful, proved not serious, and he rapidly recovered, but Accolan had lost so much blood that he died within four days. Then Arthur had the corpse sent on a horse-bier, attended by six knights, to Camelot, saying to the messengers,--
"Bear this body to my sister, Morgan le Fay, and say to her that I send it as a present. Tell her, moreover, that, through her sisterly kindness, I have again my sword Excalibur and the scabbard, and shall visit her ere long."
In the meantime Morgan le Fay was so sure of the success of her murderous plot, to aid which she had used all her power of necromancy, that she felt it safe to complete her scheme. Seeing her husband, King Uriens, lying asleep upon his couch, she called a maiden, who was in her confidence, and said,--
"Bring me my lord's sword. Now shall my work be ended."
"Oh, madam," cried the damsel, "would you slay your lord! If you do so you can never escape."
"Leave that to me, girl. Bring me the sword at once; I am the best judge of what it is fit to do."
The damsel departed with a heavy heart, but finding Sir Uwaine, King Uriens' son, asleep in another chamber, she waked him and said,--
"Rise at once and go to your mother. She has vowed to kill the king, your father, and has sent me in all haste for his sword."