saw that it was Sir Modred. Arthur threw down his scabbard and
lifted his good Excalibur. Then he sprang upon the traitor. Sir
Modred struck the king on the helmet, which had been worn thin in
many battles. The stroke cut through the steel, and wounded
Arthur mortally, but he used his ebbing strength for one last
blow with Excalibur, and killed Sir Modred.
The king sank to the ground, but Sir Bedivere lifted him, and
bore him to a ruined chapel near the seashore. When he had laid
him down by the broken cross in the chancel, Arthur said:
"You know well that my Excalibur was given to me by the Lady of
the Lake. I have used it like a king. And now the time has come
to obey the writing on the blade. So take my sword Excalibur, and
throw it far out into the lake."
Sir Bedivere took the sword and went out from the ruined chapel.
He walked amid the graves of ancient knights over which the sea
wind was singing. He passed the barren cliffs and chasms, and
reached the lake at last.
He lifted Excalibur, and as he did so the moon came from behind
the clouds. The light fell on the hilt of the sword, and all the
jewels shone. Sir Bedivere looked until his eyes were dazzled; he
could not throw the beautiful weapon away. So he hid it in the
weeds upon the shore of the lake, and returned to the king.
"What did you see or hear?" asked Arthur.
Sir Bedivere replied:
"I heard the ripple washing in the reeds, and the wild water
lapping on the crags."
King Arthur, faint and pale, said:
"You have betrayed me. You have acted a lie. Had you thrown the
sword, something would have happened, some sign would have been
given. Go back now, and throw it into the lake."
Sir Bedivere went back and again picked up Excalibur. As he
looked at it he said aloud:
"Surely it is not right to throw away such a precious thing. It
would please the eyes of people forever. I know it is wrong to
disobey the king. Yet he is sick; perhaps he does not know what
he is doing. If I keep Excalibur and store it in a great
treasure-house, people will look at it throughout all the coming
years, and feel great reverence for the king who fought with it."
So again Sir Bedivere hid the sword and returned to the king, who
asked:
"What have you seen or heard?"
And Sir Bedivere replied:
"I heard the water lapping on the crag, and the long ripple
washing in the reeds."
Then the king was very angry.
"Ah, unkind!" he cried. "You, too, are a traitor. Because I am
dying, I have no authority. You refuse to obey me, you who are
the last of my knights! Yet it is possible for a man to fail in
his duty twice, and succeed the third time. Go now, and throw
Excalibur."
Sir Bedivere ran quickly and seized the sword, shutting his eyes
that he might not see its beauty. He whirled it round his head
and threw it far out over the lake. It flashed in the moonlight
and fell. But before it reached the surface of the water, an arm,
clothed in pure white, rose and caught it, brandished it three
times, and then drew it under the water.
When Sir Bedivere went back to Arthur, the king knew that he had
been obeyed.
"I am dying," he said. "Lift me on your back and carry me to the
lake."
Then Sir Bedivere carried the helpless king, walking quickly
through the place of tombs, and over the crags, and past the
chasms, till he came to the smooth shining lake. There beside the
bank was a barge, all black. The deck was covered with stately
figures of people clad in mourning. Among them were three fair
queens with crowns of gold--the three queens who were to help
Arthur at his need.
They had come to take him away, Sir Bedivere did not know where.
When they saw the wounded king, they gave a cry of grief that
seemed to rise to the stars. Then they lifted him into the barge.
The tallest put his head on her knees, and took off his broken
helmet. She called him by name, weeping bitterly.
Poor Sir Bedivere cried:
"Oh, my Lord Arthur, you are leaving me. Where shall I go? The
great Round Table is broken up forever. What shall I do?"
Then Arthur answered:
"Old customs pass and new ones come. God makes his world better
in many ways. The Round Table did its work and now has disappeared;
but something else will surely come to advance the cause of
truth and justice. Pray for me and for yourself. More things are
done by prayer than this world dreams of. And now, farewell! You
shall never see me again, my Bedivere. My work is done; yours,
too, is nearly over. Farewell!"
Then the barge moved slowly away, while those on board lamented.
Sir Bedivere watched it till it disappeared amid the shadows over
the lake. Then he rose slowly and wandered back to Lyonnesse.
After a time he went to Camelot. There was a new king there, who
was good, and new customs, also good. But Sir Bedivere was too
old to change his way of life. He spent the rest of his days in
Camelot, but he lived only in the past, dreaming of the time when
King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table ruled in the land.
[Illustration: The Shield and the Sword]
End of Project Gutenberg's King Arthur and His Knights, by Maude L. Radford