Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/219

Rh knight went out, in company with another, to war; but no battle was fought. He, however, returned without his companion; and therefore, we believe that he murdered him." The king appeared satisfied with the inference, and commanded the prisoner to be executed. But as they approached the place of execution, they beheld the lost knight advancing towards them, alive and well. The judge, enraged at this interruption of the sentence, said to the accused, "I order you to be put to death, because you are already condemned." Then turning to the accuser, "And you also, because you are the cause of his death." "And you too," addressing the restored knight—"because you were sent to kill the first, and you did not." (38)

My beloved, the king is God: the first two knights, body and soul. The third is any prelate.