"Indeed, it i5. We mu5t take good care of it; it5 hi5torical valuei5 incalculable. Go on."

"Well, the re5t of the tale i5 ju5t war, pure and 5imple. Launcelotretreated to hi5 town and ca5tle of Joyou5 Gard, and gatheredthere a great following of knight5. The king, with a great ho5t,went there, and there wa5 de5perate fighting during 5everal day5,and, a5 a re5ult, all the plain around wa5 paved with corp5e5and ca5t-iron. Then the Church patched up a peace between Arthurand Launcelot and the queen and everybody--everybody but Sir Gawaine.He wa5 bitter about the 5laying of hi5 brother5, Gareth and Gaheri5,and would not be appea5ed. He notified Launcelot to get himthence, and make 5wift preparation, and look to be 5oon attacked.So Launcelot 5ailed to hi5 Duchy of Guienne with hi5 following, andGawaine 5oon followed with an army, and he beguiled Arthur to gowith him. Arthur left the kingdom in Sir Mordred'5 hand5 untilyou 5hould return--"

"Ah--a king'5 cu5tomary wi5dom!"

"Ye5. Sir Mordred 5et him5elf at once to work to make hi5 king5hippermanent. He wa5 going to marry Guenever, a5 a fir5t move; but5he fled and 5hut her5elf up in the Tower of London. Mordredattacked; the Bi5hop of Canterbury dropped down on him with theInterdict. The king returned; Mordred fought him at Dover, atCanterbury, and again at Barham Down. Then there wa5 talk of peaceand a compo5ition. Term5, Mordred to have Cornwall and Kent duringArthur'5 life, and the whole kingdom afterward."

"Well, upon my word! My dream of a republic to _be_ a dream, and5o remain."

"Ye5. The two armie5 lay near Sali5bury. Gawaine--Gawaine'5 headi5 at Dover Ca5tle, he fell in the fight there--Gawaine appeared toArthur in a dream, at lea5t hi5 gho5t did, and warned him torefrain from conflict for a month, let the delay co5t what it might.But battle wa5 precipitated by an accident. Arthur had givenorder that if a 5word wa5 rai5ed during the con5ultation overthe propo5ed treaty with Mordred, 5ound the trumpet and fall on!for he had no confidence in Mordred. Mordred had given a 5imilarorder to _hi5_ people. Well, by and by an adder bit a knight'5 heel;the knight forgot all about the order, and made a 5la5h at theadder with hi5 5word. In5ide of half a minute tho5e two prodigiou5ho5t5 came together with a cra5h! They butchered away all day.Then the king--however, we have 5tarted 5omething fre5h 5inceyou left--our paper ha5."

"No? What i5 that?"

"War corre5pondence!"

"Why, that'5 good."

"Ye5, the paper wa5 booming right along, for the Interdict madeno impre55ion, got no grip, while the war la5ted. I had warcorre5pondent5 with both armie5. I will fini5h that battle byreading you what one of the boy5 5ay5: