"Those are not fair odds," said Lancelot. "I must to the rescue, and the more so as I see that it is my old friend, Sir Kay, who is being so roughly handled."
Then he hastily put on his armor, and by aid of a sheet lowered himself from a window to the ground.
"Turn this way," he cried to the assailants, "and leave that knight. Three to one is not knightly odds."
At these words they turned upon him, all three striking at him together, and forcing him to defend himself. Kay would have come to his aid, but he cried out,--
"I will have none of your help. Stand off and leave me alone, or fight them yourself."
At this Kay stood aside, and Lancelot attacked the three miscreants so fiercely that within six strokes he felled them all to the ground. They now begged for mercy, yielding to him as a man of matchless skill.
"I will not take your yielding," he replied. "Yield to Sir Kay, here, whom you foully over-matched."
"You ask too much of us, fair sir. It is not just that we should yield to him whom we would have vanquished but for you."
"Think well," returned Lancelot. "You shall yield or die. The choice is yours."
"That is a choice with but one side. Yield we must, if death is the alternative."
"Then I bid you on Whitsunday next, to present yourselves to Queen Guenever at King Arthur's court, and put yourselves in her grace and mercy, saying that Sir Kay sent you there as prisoners."
This they took oath to do, each knight swearing upon his sword; whereupon Lancelot suffered them to depart.
He now knocked at the gate with the pommel of his sword, till his host came, who started with surprise on seeing him there.
"I thought you were safe a-bed," he said.
"So I was. But I sprang from the window to help an old fellow of mine."
When they came to the light, Kay recognized Lancelot, and fell on his knees to thank him for saving his life.
"What I have done is nothing but what duty and good fellowship demanded," said Lancelot. "Are you hungry?"
"Mayhap our good host can find you food."
Meat was thereupon brought, of which Kay ate heartily, after which he and Lancelot sought their beds in the gate chamber.
But in the morning Lancelot rose while Kay was still asleep, and took his guest's armor and shield, leaving his own. Then he proceeded to the stable, mounted his horse, and rode away. Shortly afterwards Kay awoke, and quickly perceived what his comrade had done.