SQUIRE: (entering)
You see him yonder, sir? In the clearing near the bridge? His armor
is white as the moon, sire. It shines like nothing I've ever seen.
ARTHUR:
And he will not tell his name, you say?
SQUIRE:
He refuses. Says he will not make himself known to any knight less
worthy than himself.
ARTHUR: (steely
determination) I
shall know his name or I shall die! Call him here!
(KNIGHT 1
exits. ARTHUR calls over the wall to unknown knight. Getting no
answer, he angrily pounds his fist on the "wall" and exits
up Center. HE quickly re-enters up left, just as LANCELOT enters up
right. LANCELOT barely notices ARTHUR.)
ARTHUR:
You there! Sir Knight! Who do you serve and what is your mission?
LANCELOT:
I have been cursed, sir, with perfection.
ARTHUR:
Perfection, is it?
LANCELOT:
Yes. I have traveled far and wide and I have never met my match in
combat or duel. I am simply the very best knight living, sir.
ARTHUR:
Ha! It seems you do not suffer from the curse of modesty.
LANCELOT:
I simply tell the truth.
ARTHUR:
And truth is the greatest of all knightly virtues! We shall test your
boast, sir. We shall see which of us is true and which of us is false!
LANCELOT:
I have come here to test myself against the Knights of King Arthur's
Round Table. I have heard that his knights are the greatest in all
the world. Sadly, I have found that they lack proper skill and are
sorely in need of...
(HE quickly
pulls out sword, surprising ARTHUR.)
LANCE:
... education.
ARTHUR:
In need of education?! And I suppose you shall do the teaching?!
LANCE: (bowing
head) I feel it
is the least that I can do.
ARTHUR: (growling)
You try my patience, sir. I battle best when I am angry. Prepare to
meet your match, oh thou Perfect Humble Knight!
(THEY fight.
The fight is a very exciting sword fight with LANCELOT making very
fancy moves, though ARTHUR holds his own.)
LANCE:
You battle well, sir. King Arthur should be proud of you!
(ARTHUR
growls and lunges. THEY both battle well but clearly LANCELOT is the
best man.)
LANCE:
I suggest you quit now, sir. I do not wish to harm you.
ARTHUR:
Harm me!!?
LANCE:
King Arthur would surely grieve to see you lost in battle.
ARTHUR:
King Arthur?! King Arthur!?
(ARTHUR is
simply lunging now, acting not out of skill but out of sheer fury.
LANCELOT is holding back now, fighting a half-hearted defense,
waiting for ARTHUR to tire and stop. ARTHUR attempts a final lunge.
LANCELOT strikes a sharp blow which knocks ARTHUR violently to the
ground. HE screams in pain.)
ARTHUR: Guenever!!
LANCE:
Do you mean the Queen Guenever? I have heard of her, her beauty is
legend around the world! She is perfection, I am told. She should be
championed by a perfect knight such as I.
(ARTHUR,
hearing this, reels around in rage at LANCELOT who has his back to
ARTHUR. ARTHUR raises Excalibur to bring it crashing down on
LANCELOT'S back.
SOUND #7.
Large cymbal crash. ALL freeze. LANCELOT quietly exits as we hear
other worldly music. The LADY OF THE LAKE enters with long flowing
white veil covering her face. Only one hand is seen and it is clothed
in a kind of glove of brilliant jewels. SHE removes Excalibur from
ARTHUR'S hands and replaces it with a broken hilt. As she drops the
broken blade ARTHUR is released from the freeze. During the
following, LADY OF THE LAKE takes Excalibur up stage, to retrieve
later, then moves silks to represent a lake.)
ARTHUR: (as
if in a dream, picking up the pieces)
Merlin, what have I done?
MERLIN: (off,
using microphone)
You have broken what could not be broken.
ARTHUR: (grief
and almost tears)
Ahhh! (throws the
pieces to the ground)
MERLIN:
Hope is broken.
Note:
This is a sample from the actual script. To review the entire
play, order the PERUSAL SCRIPT (online instant download).