"Truly," said Tristram, "this is the royalest show that I ever saw."
"You forget," answered Palamides. "It had its equal at the Castle of Maidens, where you won the prize."
"And in that tournament which Galahalt of the Long Isles held in Surluse there was as great a gathering," said Dinadan.
"I was not there; who won the prize?" asked Tristram.
"Lancelot du Lake, and the next after him was the noble knight Lamorak de Galis."
"A noble fellow, indeed, I never met his better, save Sir Lancelot. His murder was shameful, and were they not the nephews of my lord Arthur that slew him, by my faith they should die the death. And this without prejudice to you, Sir Gareth."
"Say what you will on that point; I am with you," answered Gareth. "Though my own brothers did that bloody work, I hold not with them. None of them love me, as you well know, and I have left their company as murderers. Had I been by when Lamorak was killed there might have been another tale to tell."
"Truly that is well said of you," rejoined Tristram. "I would rather have been there than to have all the gold between here and Rome."
"And I also," said Palamides. "It is a burning disgrace to the Round Table fellowship that such a knight should have been ambushed and slain on his way from a passage-at-arms where he had won the prize of valor."
"Out on such treason!" cried Tristram. "The tale of it makes my blood run cold."