King Arthurs Knights | Page 6

stood about, dark of look, gnawing their lips with rage and
disappointment, the archbishop turned privily to Sir Ector and bade him
bring Arthur.
The young man came, quietly clad in a tunic of brown samite, of
medium height, with curly hair above a fair face of noble, though mild
mien. As he came among the richly clad nobles, they looked haughtily
at him, and wondered who he was and why he came, for as yet none
had been told that the sword had been drawn by him.
The archbishop, tall, white-haired and reverend, called Arthur to him
and said in grave tones:
'My son, I have heard a strange tale of thee, and whether it be true or
false, God shall decide. Now, therefore, do ye take hold upon this
sword and essay to draw it from the stone.'
The proud barons, some with looks amazed and others with sneering
laughter, pressed about the young man as he stepped towards the stone.
Arthur took the handle of the sword with his right hand, and the sword
seemed to fall into his grasp.
Thereat arose great cries of rage, and angry looks flashed forth, and
many a hand went to dagger haft.
'Ho, archbishop!' cried King Lot, fiercely striding towards the tall
ecclesiastic, 'what wizard's brat are you foisting upon us here to draw
the sword by magic?'

''Tis a trick!' cried Nentres of Garlot, his bluff manner falling from him,
and all the savage anger gleaming from his eyes. 'A trick that shall not
blind men such as we!'
'Who is this beggar's boy that is put forth to shame us kings and
nobles?' said King Mark, and his hand sought his dagger as he
disappeared among the crowd and wormed his way towards where
stood young Arthur. But Sir Ector and Sir Kay, seeing the threatening
looks of all, had quickly ranged themselves beside young Arthur, and
with them went Sir Bedevere, Sir Baudwin and Sir Ulfius, three noble
lords who had loved King Uther well.
'Peace, lords!' said the old archbishop, calmly meeting the raging looks
about him. 'Ye know what words are about the sword, and this youth
hath drawn the sword. I know naught of tricks or wizardry, but I think
high Heaven hath chosen this way of showing who shall be lord of this
land, and I think this young man is rightful King of us all.'
''Tis some base-born churl's son that the wizard Merlin would foist
upon us!' cried the barons. 'We will have none of him!'
'A shame and dishonour it is, so to try to overrule us, kings and lords of
high lineage, with an unknown youth,' cried others.
'We will have the sword put back and set a watch over it,' cried King
Uriens, 'and we will meet here again at Candlemas, and essay the sword.
And at that time, my lord archbishop, thou shalt do the proper rites to
exorcise all evil powers, and then we will try the sword once more.'
So was it agreed by all, and ten knights watched day and night about
the stone and the sword.
But it befell at Candlemas as it had befallen at Twelfth Day, that for all
their strength and might, none of the kings or barons could draw forth
the sword; but into the hand of the unknown Arthur the weapon seemed
to fall.
Whereat they were all sore aggrieved and rageful, and resolved that

they would have yet another trial at Easter. It befell at the feast of
Easter as it had befallen before, and this time the kings and lords for
angry spite would have fallen upon Arthur and slain him, but the
archbishop threatened them with the most dreadful ban of Holy Church.
They forbore, therefore, and went aside, and declared that it was their
will to essay the sword again at the high feast of Pentecost.
By Merlin's advice the young Arthur went never about, unless the five
friends of Uther were with him, that is to say, Sir Ector and his son Sir
Kay, Sir Bedevere, Sir Baudwin and Sir Ulfius. And though at divers
times men were found skulking or hiding in the horse-stall, the dark
wood by the hall, or the bend in the lane, in places where Arthur might
pass, no harm came to him by reason of the loving watch of those noble
knights.
Again at the feast of Pentecost men gathered in the churchyard of St.
Paul's, and the press of people was such that no man had ever seen the
like. Once more the kings and princes and great barons, to the number
of forty-nine, came forward, and each in turn pulled and drew at the
sword in the stone until the sweat stood on their brows. Nevertheless,
though