"Sir priest," said Lionel, sternly, "if you leave not I shall slay you, and him after you."
"Slay me if you will, but spare your brother, for my death would not do half so much harm as his."
"Have it, then, meddler, if you will!" cried Lionel, and he struck the hermit a blow with his sword that stretched him dead on the ground.
Then, with unquenched anger, he tore loose the lacings of his brother's helmet, and would have killed him on the spot but for a fortunate chance.
As it happened, Colgrevance, a fellow of the Round Table, rode up at that moment, and wondered when he saw the hermit dead, and Lionel about to slay his brother, whom he greatly loved.
Leaping hastily to the ground, he caught the furious knight by the shoulders and drew him strongly backward.
"What would you do?" he cried. "Madman, would you kill your brother, the worthiest knight of our brotherhood? And are you so lost to honor as to slay any knight thus lying insensible?"
"Will you hinder me?" asked Lionel, turning in rage. "Back, sirrah, or I shall slay you first and him afterwards."
"Why seek you to slay him?"
"He has richly deserved it, and die he shall, whoever says the contrary."