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Chapter XIII
”
TothatSirLancelotconsented,anddepartedwithasorrowfulcountenance.
Nowwhenthequeenheardofhisleavingshewasinwardlysorry,butmadenoshowofgrief,bearingaproudvisageoutwardly.AndonacertaindayshemadeacostlybanquettoalltheknightsoftheRoundTable,toshowshehadasgreatjoyinallothersasinSirLancelot.AndatthebanquetwereSirGawain,andhisbrothersSirAgravaine,SirGaheris,andSirGareth;alsoSirModred,SirBors,SirBlamor,SirBleoberis,SirEctor,SirLionel,SirPalomedes,SirMadordelaPort,andhiscousinSirPatrice—aknightofIreland,SirPinellleSavage,andmanymore.
NowSirPinellhatedSirGawainbecausehehadslainoneofhiskinsmenbytreason;andSirGawainhadagreatloveforallkindsoffruit,which,whenSirPinellknew,hepoisonedcertainapplesthatweresetuponthetable,withintenttoslayhim.Andsoitchancedastheyateandmademerry,SirPatrice,whosatnexttoSirGawain,tookoneofthepoisonedapplesandeatit,andwhenhehadeatenhesuddenlyswelledupandfelldowndead.
Atthateveryknightleaptfromtheboardashamedandenragednighoutoftheirwits,fortheyknewnotwhattosay,yetseeingthatthequeenhadmadethebanquettheyallhadsuspicionofher.
“Myladythequeen,”saidSirGawain,“Iwitwellthisfruitwasmeantforme,forallmenknowmyloveforit,andnowhadIbeennearlyslain;wherefore,Ifearme,yewillbeashamed.
