s: And armies waned, for magnet-like she drew


s: The rustiest iron of old fighters' hearts;


s: And beasts themselves would worship; camels knelt


s: Unbidden, and the brutes of mountain back


s: That carry kings in castles, bowed black knees


s: Of homage, ringing with their serpent hands,


s: To make her smile, her golden ankle-bells.


s: What wonder, being jealous, that he sent


s: His horns of proclamation out through all


s: The hundred under-kingdoms that he swayed


s: To find a wizard who might teach the King


s: Some charm, which being wrought upon the Queen


s: Might keep her all his own:  to such a one


s: He promised more than ever king has given,


s: A league of mountain full of golden mines,


s: A province with a hundred miles of coast,


s: But on all those who tried and failed, the King


s: Pronounced a dismal sentence, meaning by it


s: To keep the list low and pretenders back,


s: Or like a king, not to be trifled with--


s: Their heads should moulder on the city gates.


s: And many tried and failed, because the charm


s: And many a wizard brow bleached on the walls:


s: Hung like a cloud above the gateway towers.'


s: Thy tongue has tript a little:  ask thyself.


s: With those fine eyes:  she had her pleasure in it,


s: And made her good man jealous with good cause.


s: And lived there neither dame nor damsel then


s: Wroth at a lover's loss? were all as tame,


s: I mean, as noble, as the Queen was fair?


s: Or pinch a murderous dust into her drink,


s: Well, those were not our days:  but did they find


s: A wizard?  Tell me, was he like to thee?


s: She ceased, and made her lithe arm round his neck


s: Tighten, and then drew back, and let her eyes


s: Speak for her, glowing on him, like a bride's


s: On her new lord, her own, the first of men.


s: He answered laughing, 'Nay, not like to me.


s: At last they found--his foragers for charms--


s: Who lived alone in a great wild on grass;


s: Read but one book, and ever reading grew


s: So grated down and filed away with thought,


s: So lean his eyes were monstrous; while the skin


s: Clung but to crate and basket, ribs and spine.


s: And since he kept his mind on one sole aim,


s: Nor ever touched fierce wine, nor tasted flesh,


s: Nor owned a sensual wish, to him the wall


s: That sunders ghosts and shadow-casting men


s: Became a crystal, and he saw them through it,


s: And heard their voices talk behind the wall,


s: And learnt their elemental secrets, powers


s: And forces; often o'er the sun's bright eye


s: And lashed it at the base with slanting storm;


s: Or in the noon of mist and driving rain,


s: When the lake whitened and the pinewood roared,


s: And the cairned mountain was a shadow, sunned


s: The world to peace again:  here was the man.


s: And so by force they dragged him to the King.


s: And then he taught the King to charm the Queen


s: In such-wise, that no man could see her more,


s: Nor saw she save the King, who wrought the charm,


s: And lost all use of life:  but when the King


s: Made proffer of the league of golden mines,


s: The province with a hundred miles of coast,


s: The palace and the princess, that old man


s: Went back to his old wild, and lived on grass,


s: And vanished, and his book came down to me.'


s: 'Ye have the book:  the charm is written in it:


s: Good:  take my counsel:  let me know it at once:


s: For keep it like a puzzle chest in chest,


s: With each chest locked and padlocked thirty-fold,


s: And whelm all this beneath as vast a mound


s: To dig, pick, open, find and read the charm:


s: Then, if I tried it, who should blame me then?'


s: That is not of his school, nor any school


s: But that where blind and naked Ignorance


s: On all things all day long, he answered her:


s: A square of text that looks a little blot,


s: The text no larger than the limbs of fleas;


s: And every square of text an awful charm,


s: Writ in a language that has long gone by.


s: So long, that mountains have arisen since


s: With cities on their flanks--thou read the book!


s: And ever margin scribbled, crost, and crammed


s: With comment, densest condensation, hard


s: To mind and eye; but the long sleepless nights


s: Of my long life have made it easy to me.


s: And none can read the comment but myself;


s: And in the comment did I find the charm.


s: For though you should not prove it upon me,


s: But keep that oath ye sware, ye might, perchance,


s: Assay it on some one of the Table Round,


s: And all because ye dream they babble of you.'


s: And Vivien, frowning in true anger, said:


s: 'What dare the full-fed liars say of me?


s: They ride abroad redressing human wrongs!


s: They sit with knife in meat and wine in horn!


s: But you are man, you well can understand


s: The shame that cannot be explained for shame.


s: Not one of all the drove should touch me:  swine!'


s: Then answered Merlin careless of her words:


s: 'You breathe but accusation vast and vague,


s: Spleen-born, I think, and proofless.  If ye know,


s: Set up the charge ye know, to stand or fall!'


s: And Vivien answered frowning wrathfully:


s: Whose kinsman left him watcher o'er his wife


s: And two fair babes, and went to distant lands;


s: Was one year gone, and on returning found


s: Not two but three? there lay the reckling, one


s: But one hour old!  What said the happy sire?'


s: A seven-months' babe had been a truer gift.


s: Those twelve sweet moons confused his fatherhood.'


s: Then answered Merlin, 'Nay, I know the tale.


s: Sir Valence wedded with an outland dame:


s: Some cause had kept him sundered from his wife:


s: One child they had:  it lived with her:  she died:


s: His kinsman travelling on his own affair


s: Was charged by Valence to bring home the child.


s: He brought, not found it therefore:  take the truth.'


s: What say ye then to sweet Sir Sagramore,


s: That ardent man? "to pluck the flower in season,"


s: So says the song, "I trow it is no treason."


s: To crop his own sweet rose before the hour?'


s: And Merlin answered, 'Overquick art thou


s: To catch a loathly plume fallen from the wing


s: Of that foul bird of rapine whose whole prey


s: Is man's good name:  he never wronged his bride.


s: Puffed out his torch among the myriad-roomed


s: Of Arthur's palace:  then he found a door,


s: And darkling felt the sculptured ornament


s: That wreathen round it made it seem his own;


s: And wearied out made for the couch and slept,


s: A stainless man beside a stainless maid;


s: And either slept, nor knew of other there;


s: Till the high dawn piercing the royal rose


s: In Arthur's casement glimmered chastely down,


s: Blushing upon them blushing, and at once


s: He rose without a word and parted from her:


s: But when the thing was blazed about the court,


s: The brute world howling forced them into bonds,


s: And as it chanced they are happy, being pure.'


s: 'O ay,' said Vivien, 'that were likely too.


s: And of the horrid foulness that he wrought,


s: The saintly youth, the spotless lamb of Christ,


s: Or some black wether of St Satan's fold.


s: What, in the precincts of the chapel-yard,


s: Among the knightly brasses of the graves,


s: And by the cold Hic Jacets of the dead!'


s: And Merlin answered careless of her charge,


s: But once in life was flustered with new wine,


s: Then paced for coolness in the chapel-yard;


s: Where one of Satan's shepherdesses caught


s: And meant to stamp him with her master's mark;


s: For, look upon his face!--but if he sinned,


s: The sin that practice burns into the blood,


s: And not the one dark hour which brings remorse,


s: Will brand us, after, of whose fold we be:


s: Or else were he, the holy king, whose hymns


s: Are chanted in the minster, worse than all.


s: But is your spleen frothed out, or have ye more?'


s: And Vivien answered frowning yet in wrath:


s: 'O ay; what say ye to Sir Lancelot, friend


s: Traitor or true? that commerce with the Queen,


s: I ask you, is it clamoured by the child,


s: Or whispered in the corner? do ye know it?'


s: To which he answered sadly, 'Yea, I know it.


s: To fetch her, and she watched him from her walls.


s: A rumour runs, she took him for the King,


s: For Arthur, blameless King and stainless man?'


s: She answered with a low and chuckling laugh:


s: 'Man! is he man at all, who knows and winks?


s: Sees what his fair bride is and does, and winks?


s: By which the good King means to blind himself,


s: And blinds himself and all the Table Round


s: To all the foulness that they work.  Myself


s: Could call him (were it not for womanhood)


s: The pretty, popular cause such manhood earns,


s: Could call him the main cause of all their crime;


s: Yea, were he not crowned King, coward, and fool.'


s: Then Merlin to his own heart, loathing, said:


s: 'O true and tender!  O my liege and King!


s: Who wouldst against thine own eye-witness fain


s: Have all men true and leal, all women pure;


s: How, in the mouths of base interpreters,


s: To things with every sense as false and foul


s: As the poached filth that floods the middle street,


s: Is thy white blamelessness accounted blame!'


s: By instance, recommenced, and let her tongue


s: Rage like a fire among the noblest names,


s: Not even Lancelot brave, nor Galahad clean.


s: Her words had issue other than she willed.


s: He dragged his eyebrow bushes down, and made


s: And muttered in himself, 'Tell her the charm!


s: To snare the next, and if she have it not


s: So will she rail.  What did the wanton say?


s: "Not mount as high;" we scarce can sink as low:


s: For men at most differ as Heaven and earth,


s: But women, worst and best, as Heaven and Hell.


s: I know the Table Round, my friends of old;


s: All brave, and many generous, and some chaste.


s: She cloaks the scar of some repulse with lies;


s: I well believe she tempted them and failed,


s: Being so bitter:  for fine plots may fail,


s: Though harlots paint their talk as well as face


s: With colours of the heart that are not theirs.


s: I will not let her know:  nine tithes of times


s: Face-flatterer and backbiter are the same.


s: And they, sweet soul, that most impute a crime


s: Are pronest to it, and impute themselves,


s: Not to feel lowest makes them level all;


s: Yea, they would pare the mountain to the plain,


s: Are harlots like the crowd, that if they find


s: Some stain or blemish in a name of note,


s: Not grieving that their greatest are so small,


s: And judge all nature from her feet of clay,


s: Without the will to lift their eyes, and see


s: Her godlike head crowned with spiritual fire,


s: And touching other worlds.  I am weary of her.'


s: He spoke in words part heard, in whispers part,


s: And many-wintered fleece of throat and chin.


s: But Vivien, gathering somewhat of his mood,


s: And hearing 'harlot' muttered twice or thrice,


s: Leapt from her session on his lap, and stood


s: Stiff as a viper frozen; loathsome sight,


s: How from the rosy lips of life and love,


s: Flashed the bare-grinning skeleton of death!


s: White was her cheek; sharp breaths of anger puffed


s: Her fairy nostril out; her hand half-clenched


s: Went faltering sideways downward to her belt,


s: And feeling; had she found a dagger there


s: (For in a wink the false love turns to hate)


s: She would have stabbed him; but she found it not:


s: Then her false voice made way, broken with sobs:


s: Or sung in song!  O vainly lavished love!


s: O cruel, there was nothing wild or strange,


s: Or seeming shameful--for what shame in love,


s: So love be true, and not as yours is--nothing


s: Poor Vivien had not done to win his trust


s: Who called her what he called her--all her crime,


s: All--all--the wish to prove him wholly hers.'


s: She mused a little, and then clapt her hands


s: Together with a wailing shriek, and said:


s: 'Stabbed through the heart's affections to the heart!


s: Seethed like the kid in its own mother's milk!


s: Killed with a word worse than a life of blows!


s: I thought that he was gentle, being great:


s: I should have found in him a greater heart.


s: O, I, that flattering my true passion, saw


s: The knights, the court, the King, dark in your light,


s: Who loved to make men darker than they are,


s: Because of that high pleasure which I had


s: Of worship--I am answered, and henceforth


s: The course of life that seemed so flowery to me


s: With you for guide and master, only you,


s: Becomes the sea-cliff pathway broken short,


s: But into some low cave to crawl, and there,


s: If the wolf spare me, weep my life away,


s: She paused, she turned away, she hung her head,


s: The snake of gold slid from her hair, the braid


s: Slipt and uncoiled itself, she wept afresh,


s: And the dark wood grew darker toward the storm


s: For ease of heart, and half believed her true:


s: Called her to shelter in the hollow oak,


s: 'Come from the storm,' and having no reply,


s: Gazed at the heaving shoulder, and the face


s: Hand-hidden, as for utmost grief or shame;


s: Then thrice essayed, by tenderest-touching terms,


s: To sleek her ruffled peace of mind, in vain.


s: At last she let herself be conquered by him,


s: And as the cageling newly flown returns,


s: The seeming-injured simple-hearted thing


s: Came to her old perch back, and settled there.


s: There while she sat, half-falling from his knees,


s: Half-nestled at his heart, and since he saw


s: The slow tear creep from her closed eyelid yet,


s: About her, more in kindness than in love,


s: But she dislinked herself at once and rose,


s: Her arms upon her breast across, and stood,


s: Upright and flushed before him:  then she said:


s: Since, if I be what I am grossly called,


s: What should be granted which your own gross heart


s: Would reckon worth the taking?  I will go.


s: In truth, but one thing now--better have died


s: Thrice than have asked it once--could make me stay--


s: That proof of trust--so often asked in vain!


s: How justly, after that vile term of yours,


s: I find with grief!  I might believe you then,


s: Who knows? once more.  Lo! what was once to me


s: Mere matter of the fancy, now hath grown


s: Farewell; think gently of me, for I fear


s: For one so old, must be to love thee still.


s: But ere I leave thee let me swear once more


s: That if I schemed against thy peace in this,


s: May yon just heaven, that darkens o'er me, send


s: One flash, that, missing all things else, may make


s: Scarce had she ceased, when out of heaven a bolt


s: (For now the storm was close above them) struck,


s: With darted spikes and splinters of the wood


s: The dark earth round.  He raised his eyes and saw


s: The tree that shone white-listed through the gloom.


s: But Vivien, fearing heaven had heard her oath,


s: And dazzled by the livid-flickering fork,


s: And deafened with the stammering cracks and claps


s: That followed, flying back and crying out,


s: 'O Merlin, though you do not love me, save,


s: Yet save me!' clung to him and hugged him close;


s: And called him dear protector in her fright,


s: Nor yet forgot her practice in her fright,


s: But wrought upon his mood and hugged him close.


s: The pale blood of the wizard at her touch


s: Took gayer colours, like an opal warmed.


s: She blamed herself for telling hearsay tales:


s: She shook from fear, and for her fault she wept


s: Of petulancy; she called him lord and liege,


s: Her seer, her bard, her silver star of eve,


s: Her God, her Merlin, the one passionate love


s: Bellowed the tempest, and the rotten branch


s: Above them; and in change of glare and gloom


s: Her eyes and neck glittering went and came;


s: Till now the storm, its burst of passion spent,


s: Had left the ravaged woodland yet once more


s: To peace; and what should not have been had been,


s: Had yielded, told her all the charm, and slept.


s: Then, in one moment, she put forth the charm


s: And lost to life and use and name and fame.


s: Then crying 'I have made his glory mine,'


s: And shrieking out 'O fool!' the harlot leapt


s: Adown the forest, and the thicket closed


s: Behind her, and the forest echoed 'fool.'


s: High in her chamber up a tower to the east


s: Which first she placed where the morning's earliest ray


s: Might strike it, and awake her with the gleam;


s: Then fearing rust or soilure fashioned for it


s: In their own tinct, and added, of her wit,


s: And yellow-throated nestling in the nest.


s: Nor rested thus content, but day by day,


s: Leaving her household and good father, climbed


s: That eastern tower, and entering barred her door,


s: Stript off the case, and read the naked shield,


s: Now guessed a hidden meaning in his arms,


s: And every scratch a lance had made upon it,


s: Conjecturing when and where:  this cut is fresh;


s: That ten years back; this dealt him at Caerlyle;


s: And ah God's mercy, what a stroke was there!


s: And here a thrust that might have killed, but God


s: Broke the strong lance, and rolled his enemy down,


s: And saved him:  so she lived in fantasy.


s: How came the lily maid by that good shield


s: Of Lancelot, she that knew not even his name?


s: He left it with her, when he rode to tilt


s: For the great diamond in the diamond jousts,


s: Which Arthur had ordained, and by that name


s: Had named them, since a diamond was the prize.


s: For Arthur, long before they crowned him King,


s: Roving the trackless realms of Lyonnesse,


s: Had found a glen, gray boulder and black tarn.


s: A horror lived about the tarn, and clave


s: Like its own mists to all the mountain side:


s: For here two brothers, one a king, had met


s: And fought together; but their names were lost;


s: And each had slain his brother at a blow;


s: And down they fell and made the glen abhorred:


s: And there they lay till all their bones were bleached,


s: And lichened into colour with the crags:


s: And he, that once was king, had on a crown


s: Of diamonds, one in front, and four aside.


s: And Arthur came, and labouring up the pass,


s: Had trodden that crowned skeleton, and the skull


s: Brake from the nape, and from the skull the crown


s: Rolled into light, and turning on its rims


s: Fled like a glittering rivulet to the tarn:


s: And down the shingly scaur he plunged, and caught,


s: And set it on his head, and in his heart


s: Heard murmurs, 'Lo, thou likewise shalt be King.'


s: Thereafter, when a King, he had the gems


s: Plucked from the crown, and showed them to his knights,


s: Divinely, are the kingdom's, not the King's--


s: For public use:  henceforward let there be,


s: Once every year, a joust for one of these:


s: For so by nine years' proof we needs must learn


s: Which is our mightiest, and ourselves shall grow


s: In use of arms and manhood, till we drive


s: The heathen, who, some say, shall rule the land


s: Hereafter, which God hinder.'  Thus he spoke:


s: And eight years past, eight jousts had been, and still


s: Had Lancelot won the diamond of the year,


s: With purpose to present them to the Queen,


s: When all were won; but meaning all at once


s: Worth half her realm, had never spoken word.


s: Now for the central diamond and the last


s: And largest, Arthur, holding then his court


s: Hard on the river nigh the place which now


s: Is this world's hugest, let proclaim a joust


s: Spake (for she had been sick) to Guinevere,


s: 'Are you so sick, my Queen, you cannot move


s: To these fair jousts?'  'Yea, lord,' she said, 'ye know it.'


s: 'Then will ye miss,' he answered, 'the great deeds


s: Of Lancelot, and his prowess in the lists,


s: A sight ye love to look on.'  And the Queen


s: Lifted her eyes, and they dwelt languidly


s: On Lancelot, where he stood beside the King.


s: He thinking that he read her meaning there,


s: 'Stay with me, I am sick; my love is more


s: Than many diamonds,' yielded; and a heart


s: Love-loyal to the least wish of the Queen


s: (However much he yearned to make complete


s: The tale of diamonds for his destined boon)


s: Urged him to speak against the truth, and say,


s: 'Sir King, mine ancient wound is hardly whole,


s: And lets me from the saddle;' and the King


s: Glanced first at him, then her, and went his way.


s: 'To blame, my lord Sir Lancelot, much to blame!


s: Why go ye not to these fair jousts? the knights


s: Are half of them our enemies, and the crowd


s: Will murmur, "Lo the shameless ones, who take


s: Their pastime now the trustful King is gone!"'


s: Then Lancelot vext at having lied in vain:


s: 'Are ye so wise? ye were not once so wise,


s: My Queen, that summer, when ye loved me first.


s: Then of the crowd ye took no more account


s: When its own voice clings to each blade of grass,


s: And every voice is nothing.  As to knights,


s: Them surely can I silence with all ease.


s: Of all men:  many a bard, without offence,


s: Has linked our names together in his lay,


s: Lancelot, the flower of bravery, Guinevere,


s: The pearl of beauty:  and our knights at feast


s: Have pledged us in this union, while the King


s: Would listen smiling.  How then? is there more?


s: Has Arthur spoken aught? or would yourself,


s: Henceforth be truer to your faultless lord?'


s: 'Arthur, my lord, Arthur, the faultless King,


s: That passionate perfection, my good lord--


s: But who can gaze upon the Sun in heaven?


s: There gleamed a vague suspicion in his eyes:


s: Some meddling rogue has tampered with him--else


s: To make them like himself:  but, friend, to me


s: He is all fault who hath no fault at all:


s: For who loves me must have a touch of earth;


s: The low sun makes the colour:  I am yours,


s: Not Arthur's, as ye know, save by the bond.


s: And therefore hear my words:  go to the jousts:


s: The tiny-trumpeting gnat can break our dream


s: When sweetest; and the vermin voices here


s: May buzz so loud--we scorn them, but they sting.'


s: Then answered Lancelot, the chief of knights:


s: 'And with what face, after my pretext made,


s: 'A moral child without the craft to rule,


s: Else had he not lost me:  but listen to me,


s: If I must find you wit:  we hear it said


s: That men go down before your spear at a touch,


s: But knowing you are Lancelot; your great name,


s: This conquers:  hide it therefore; go unknown:


s: Win! by this kiss you will:  and our true King


s: Will then allow your pretext, O my knight,


s: As all for glory; for to speak him true,


s: Ye know right well, how meek soe'er he seem,


s: He loves it in his knights more than himself:


s: They prove to him his work:  win and return.'


s: Then got Sir Lancelot suddenly to horse,


s: Wroth at himself.  Not willing to be known,


s: Chose the green path that showed the rarer foot,


s: Till as he traced a faintly-shadowed track,


s: That all in loops and links among the dales


s: Fired from the west, far on a hill, the towers.


s: Thither he made, and blew the gateway horn.


s: And Lancelot marvelled at the wordless man;


s: With two strong sons, Sir Torre and Sir Lavaine,


s: And close behind them stept the lily maid


s: Elaine, his daughter:  mother of the house


s: There was not:  some light jest among them rose


s: With laughter dying down as the great knight


s: Approached them:  then the Lord of Astolat:


s: 'Whence comes thou, my guest, and by what name


s: Livest thou between the lips? for by thy state


s: And presence I might guess thee chief of those,


s: After the King, who eat in Arthur's halls.


s: Him have I seen:  the rest, his Table Round,


s: Known as they are, to me they are unknown.'


s: Then answered Sir Lancelot, the chief of knights:


s: 'Known am I, and of Arthur's hall, and known,


s: What I by mere mischance have brought, my shield.


s: Hereafter ye shall know me--and the shield--


s: I pray you lend me one, if such you have,


s: Blank, or at least with some device not mine.'


s: Then said the Lord of Astolat, 'Here is Torre's:


s: Hurt in his first tilt was my son, Sir Torre.


s: And so, God wot, his shield is blank enough.


s: His ye can have.'  Then added plain Sir Torre,


s: 'Yea, since I cannot use it, ye may have it.'


s: Here laughed the father saying, 'Fie, Sir Churl,


s: Allow him! but Lavaine, my younger here,


s: He is so full of lustihood, he will ride,


s: Joust for it, and win, and bring it in an hour,


s: And set it in this damsel's golden hair,


s: To make her thrice as wilful as before.'


s: 'Nay, father, nay good father, shame me not


s: Before this noble knight,' said young Lavaine,


s: 'For nothing.  Surely I but played on Torre:


s: He seemed so sullen, vext he could not go:


s: A jest, no more! for, knight, the maiden dreamt


s: That some one put this diamond in her hand,


s: And that it was too slippery to be held,


s: And slipt and fell into some pool or stream,


s: The castle-well, belike; and then I said


s: That if I went and if I fought and won it


s: (But all was jest and joke among ourselves)


s: Then must she keep it safelier.  All was jest.


s: But, father, give me leave, an if he will,


s: To ride to Camelot with this noble knight:


s: 'So will ye grace me,' answered Lancelot,


s: O'er these waste downs whereon I lost myself,


s: Then were I glad of you as guide and friend:


s: And you shall win this diamond,--as I hear


s: And yield it to this maiden, if ye will.'


s: 'A fair large diamond,' added plain Sir Torre,


s: 'Such be for queens, and not for simple maids.'


s: Then she, who held her eyes upon the ground,


s: Elaine, and heard her name so tost about,


s: Flushed slightly at the slight disparagement


s: Before the stranger knight, who, looking at her,


s: Full courtly, yet not falsely, thus returned:


s: 'If what is fair be but for what is fair,


s: Rash were my judgment then, who deem this maid


s: Not violating the bond of like to like.'


s: He spoke and ceased:  the lily maid Elaine,


s: Won by the mellow voice before she looked,


s: Lifted her eyes, and read his lineaments.


s: The great and guilty love he bare the Queen,


s: In battle with the love he bare his lord,


s: Had marred his face, and marked it ere his time.


s: Another sinning on such heights with one,


s: The flower of all the west and all the world,


s: Had been the sleeker for it:  but in him


s: His mood was often like a fiend, and rose


s: Marred as he was, he seemed the goodliest man


s: And noblest, when she lifted up her eyes.


s: However marred, of more than twice her years,


s: Seamed with an ancient swordcut on the cheek,


s: And bruised and bronzed, she lifted up her eyes


s: And loved him, with that love which was her doom.


s: Then the great knight, the darling of the court,


s: Loved of the loveliest, into that rude hall


s: Stept with all grace, and not with half disdain


s: Whom they with meats and vintage of their best


s: And talk and minstrel melody entertained.


s: And much they asked of court and Table Round,


s: But Lancelot, when they glanced at Guinevere,


s: Heard from the Baron that, ten years before,


s: The heathen caught and reft him of his tongue.


s: 'He learnt and warned me of their fierce design


s: Against my house, and him they caught and maimed;


s: But I, my sons, and little daughter fled


s: From bonds or death, and dwelt among the woods


s: Dull days were those, till our good Arthur broke


s: 'O there, great lord, doubtless,' Lavaine said, rapt


s: By all the sweet and sudden passion of youth


s: Toward greatness in its elder, 'you have fought.


s: Of Arthur's glorious wars.'  And Lancelot spoke


s: And answered him at full, as having been


s: With Arthur in the fight which all day long


s: Rang by the white mouth of the violent Glem;


s: And in the four loud battles by the shore


s: That thundered in and out the gloomy skirts


s: By castle Gurnion, where the glorious King


s: Had on his cuirass worn our Lady's Head,


s: Of silver rays, that lightened as he breathed;


s: When the strong neighings of the wild white Horse


s: And down the waste sand-shores of Trath Treroit,


s: Where many a heathen fell; 'and on the mount


s: Charge at the head of all his Table Round,


s: And all his legions crying Christ and him,


s: And break them; and I saw him, after, stand


s: High on a heap of slain, from spur to plume


s: Red as the rising sun with heathen blood,


s: And seeing me, with a great voice he cried,


s: "They are broken, they are broken!" for the King,


s: However mild he seems at home, nor cares


s: For triumph in our mimic wars, the jousts--


s: For if his own knight cast him down, he laughs


s: Saying, his knights are better men than he--


s: Fills him:  I never saw his like:  there lives


s: Low to her own heart said the lily maid,


s: 'Save your own great self, fair lord;' and when he fell


s: From talk of war to traits of pleasantry--


s: Being mirthful he, but in a stately kind--


s: She still took note that when the living smile


s: Died from his lips, across him came a cloud


s: The lily maid had striven to make him cheer,


s: Of manners and of nature:  and she thought


s: That all was nature, all, perchance, for her.


s: And all night long his face before her lived,


s: Divinely through all hindrance finds the man


s: Behind it, and so paints him that his face,


s: The shape and colour of a mind and life,


s: Lives for his children, ever at its best


s: And fullest; so the face before her lived,


s: Dark-splendid, speaking in the silence, full


s: Of noble things, and held her from her sleep.


s: Till rathe she rose, half-cheated in the thought


s: She needs must bid farewell to sweet Lavaine.


s: First in fear, step after step, she stole


s: Anon, she heard Sir Lancelot cry in the court,


s: 'This shield, my friend, where is it?' and Lavaine


s: Past inward, as she came from out the tower.


s: There to his proud horse Lancelot turned, and smoothed


s: The glossy shoulder, humming to himself.


s: Half-envious of the flattering hand, she drew


s: Nearer and stood.  He looked, and more amazed


s: He had not dreamed she was so beautiful.


s: For silent, though he greeted her, she stood


s: That he should wear her favour at the tilt.


s: She braved a riotous heart in asking for it.


s: 'Fair lord, whose name I know not--noble it is,


s: I well believe, the noblest--will you wear


s: My favour at this tourney?'  'Nay,' said he,


s: Such is my wont, as those, who know me, know.'


s: 'Yea, so,' she answered; 'then in wearing mine


s: Needs must be lesser likelihood, noble lord,


s: That those who know should know you.'  And he turned


s: Her counsel up and down within his mind,


s: And found it true, and answered, 'True, my child.


s: Well, I will wear it:  fetch it out to me:


s: What is it?' and she told him 'A red sleeve


s: Broidered with pearls,' and brought it:  then he bound


s: Sprang to her face and filled her with delight;


s: But left her all the paler, when Lavaine


s: Returning brought the yet-unblazoned shield,


s: His brother's; which he gave to Lancelot,


s: 'Do me this grace, my child, to have my shield


s: In keeping till I come.'  'A grace to me,'


s: She answered, 'twice today.  I am your squire!'


s: Whereat Lavaine said, laughing, 'Lily maid,


s: In earnest, let me bring your colour back;


s: Once, twice, and thrice:  now get you hence to bed:'


s: So kissed her, and Sir Lancelot his own hand,


s: And thus they moved away:  she stayed a minute,


s: Then made a sudden step to the gate, and there--


s: Her bright hair blown about the serious face


s: Yet rosy-kindled with her brother's kiss--


s: Paused by the gateway, standing near the shield


s: In silence, while she watched their arms far-off


s: Sparkle, until they dipt below the downs.


s: Then to her tower she climbed, and took the shield,


s: Far o'er the long backs of the bushless downs,


s: To where Sir Lancelot knew there lived a knight


s: Not far from Camelot, now for forty years


s: A hermit, who had prayed, laboured and prayed,


s: On massive columns, like a shorecliff cave,


s: And cells and chambers:  all were fair and dry;


s: The green light from the meadows underneath


s: Struck up and lived along the milky roofs;


s: And in the meadows tremulous aspen-trees


s: And poplars made a noise of falling showers.


s: And thither wending there that night they bode.


s: But when the next day broke from underground,


s: And shot red fire and shadows through the cave,


s: They rose, heard mass, broke fast, and rode away:


s: Then Lancelot saying, 'Hear, but hold my name


s: Hidden, you ride with Lancelot of the Lake,'


s: Abashed young Lavaine, whose instant reverence,


s: Dearer to true young hearts than their own praise,


s: But left him leave to stammer, 'Is it indeed?'


s: And after muttering 'The great Lancelot,


s: At last he got his breath and answered, 'One,


s: One have I seen--that other, our liege lord,


s: The dread Pendragon, Britain's King of kings,


s: He will be there--then were I stricken blind


s: That minute, I might say that I had seen.'


s: So spake Lavaine, and when they reached the lists


s: Run through the peopled gallery which half round


s: Lay like a rainbow fallen upon the grass,


s: Until they found the clear-faced King, who sat


s: Robed in red samite, easily to be known,


s: Since to his crown the golden dragon clung,


s: And down his robe the dragon writhed in gold,


s: And from the carven-work behind him crept


s: Two dragons gilded, sloping down to make


s: Arms for his chair, while all the rest of them


s: Through knots and loops and folds innumerable


s: Fled ever through the woodwork, till they found


s: The new design wherein they lost themselves,


s: Yet with all ease, so tender was the work:


s: Blazed the last diamond of the nameless king.


s: Then Lancelot answered young Lavaine and said,


s: 'Me you call great:  mine is the firmer seat,


s: The truer lance:  but there is many a youth


s: No greatness, save it be some far-off touch


s: Of greatness to know well I am not great:


s: There is the man.'  And Lavaine gaped upon him


s: The trumpets blew; and then did either side,


s: They that assailed, and they that held the lists,


s: Set lance in rest, strike spur, suddenly move,


s: Meet in the midst, and there so furiously


s: Shock, that a man far-off might well perceive,


s: The hard earth shake, and a low thunder of arms.


s: Which were the weaker; then he hurled into it


s: Against the stronger:  little need to speak


s: Of Lancelot in his glory!  King, duke, earl,


s: Count, baron--whom he smote, he overthrew.


s: But in the field were Lancelot's kith and kin,


s: Ranged with the Table Round that held the lists,


s: Strong men, and wrathful that a stranger knight


s: Of Lancelot; and one said to the other, 'Lo!


s: What is he?  I do not mean the force alone--


s: Is it not Lancelot?'  'When has Lancelot worn


s: Not such his wont, as we, that know him, know.'


s: 'How then? who then?' a fury seized them all,


s: Of Lancelot, and a glory one with theirs.


s: They couched their spears and pricked their steeds, and thus,


s: Their plumes driven backward by the wind they made


s: Bare, as a wild wave in the wide North-sea,


s: Green-glimmering toward the summit, bears, with all


s: Its stormy crests that smoke against the skies,


s: Sir Lancelot and his charger, and a spear


s: Down-glancing lamed the charger, and a spear


s: Pricked sharply his own cuirass, and the head


s: Pierced through his side, and there snapt, and remained.


s: Then Sir Lavaine did well and worshipfully;


s: He bore a knight of old repute to the earth,


s: And brought his horse to Lancelot where he lay.


s: He up the side, sweating with agony, got,


s: But thought to do while he might yet endure,


s: His party,--though it seemed half-miracle


s: To those he fought with,--drave his kith and kin,


s: And all the Table Round that held the lists,


s: Back to the barrier; then the trumpets blew


s: Proclaiming his the prize, who wore the sleeve


s: Of scarlet, and the pearls; and all the knights,


s: His party, cried 'Advance and take thy prize


s: The diamond;' but he answered, 'Diamond me


s: No diamonds! for God's love, a little air!


s: Prize me no prizes, for my prize is death!


s: Hence will I, and I charge you, follow me not.'


s: He spoke, and vanished suddenly from the field


s: With young Lavaine into the poplar grove.


s: There from his charger down he slid, and sat,


s: Gasping to Sir Lavaine, 'Draw the lance-head:'


s: 'Ah my sweet lord Sir Lancelot,' said Lavaine,


s: 'I dread me, if I draw it, you will die.'


s: Draw,'--and Lavaine drew, and Sir Lancelot gave


s: A marvellous great shriek and ghastly groan,


s: And half his blood burst forth, and down he sank


s: For the pure pain, and wholly swooned away.


s: Then came the hermit out and bare him in,


s: There stanched his wound; and there, in daily doubt


s: Hid from the wide world's rumour by the grove


s: Of poplars with their noise of falling showers,


s: But on that day when Lancelot fled the lists,


s: His party, knights of utmost North and West,


s: Lords of waste marches, kings of desolate isles,


s: Came round their great Pendragon, saying to him,


s: 'Lo, Sire, our knight, through whom we won the day,


s: Hath gone sore wounded, and hath left his prize


s: Untaken, crying that his prize is death.'


s: 'Heaven hinder,' said the King, 'that such an one,


s: So great a knight as we have seen today--


s: Yea, twenty times I thought him Lancelot--


s: He must not pass uncared for.  Wherefore, rise,


s: O Gawain, and ride forth and find the knight.


s: Wounded and wearied needs must he be near.


s: I charge you that you get at once to horse.


s: And, knights and kings, there breathes not one of you


s: Will deem this prize of ours is rashly given:


s: His prowess was too wondrous.  We will do him


s: Came not to us, of us to claim the prize,


s: Ourselves will send it after.  Rise and take


s: This diamond, and deliver it, and return,


s: And bring us where he is, and how he fares,


s: And cease not from your quest until ye find.'


s: So saying, from the carven flower above,


s: To which it made a restless heart, he took,


s: And gave, the diamond:  then from where he sat


s: At Arthur's right, with smiling face arose,


s: With smiling face and frowning heart, a Prince


s: In the mid might and flourish of his May,


s: Gawain, surnamed The Courteous, fair and strong,


s: And after Lancelot, Tristram, and Geraint


s: And Gareth, a good knight, but therewithal


s: Sir Modred's brother, and the child of Lot,


s: Wroth that the King's command to sally forth


s: In quest of whom he knew not, made him leave


s: The banquet, and concourse of knights and kings.


s: So all in wrath he got to horse and went;


s: While Arthur to the banquet, dark in mood,


s: Past, thinking 'Is it Lancelot who hath come


s: Despite the wound he spake of, all for gain


s: Of glory, and hath added wound to wound,


s: And ridden away to die?'  So feared the King,


s: And, after two days' tarriance there, returned.


s: Then when he saw the Queen, embracing asked,


s: 'Love, are you yet so sick?'  'Nay, lord,' she said.


s: 'And where is Lancelot?'  Then the Queen amazed,


s: 'Was he not with you? won he not your prize?'


s: 'Nay, but one like him.'  'Why that like was he.'


s: And when the King demanded how she knew,


s: Said, 'Lord, no sooner had ye parted from us,


s: That men went down before his spear at a touch,


s: But knowing he was Lancelot; his great name


s: Conquered; and therefore would he hide his name


s: From all men, even the King, and to this end


s: Had made a pretext of a hindering wound,


s: That he might joust unknown of all, and learn


s: If his old prowess were in aught decayed;


s: And added, "Our true Arthur, when he learns,


s: 'Far lovelier in our Lancelot had it been,


s: In lieu of idly dallying with the truth,


s: To have trusted me as he hath trusted thee.


s: Surely his King and most familiar friend


s: Might well have kept his secret.  True, indeed,


s: Must needs have moved my laughter:  now remains


s: But little cause for laughter:  his own kin--


s: Ill news, my Queen, for all who love him, this!--


s: His kith and kin, not knowing, set upon him;


s: So that he went sore wounded from the field:


s: Yet good news too:  for goodly hopes are mine


s: That Lancelot is no more a lonely heart.


s: He wore, against his wont, upon his helm


s: A sleeve of scarlet, broidered with great pearls,


s: 'Thy hopes are mine,' and saying that, she choked,


s: And sharply turned about to hide her face,


s: Past to her chamber, and there flung herself


s: Down on the great King's couch, and writhed upon it,


s: And clenched her fingers till they bit the palm,


s: And shrieked out 'Traitor' to the unhearing wall,


s: Then flashed into wild tears, and rose again,


s: And moved about her palace, proud and pale.


s: Gawain the while through all the region round


s: Rode with his diamond, wearied of the quest,


s: Touched at all points, except the poplar grove,


s: And came at last, though late, to Astolat:


s: Whom glittering in enamelled arms the maid


s: Glanced at, and cried, 'What news from Camelot, lord?


s: What of the knight with the red sleeve?'  'He won.'


s: 'I knew it,' she said.  'But parted from the jousts


s: Hurt in the side,' whereat she caught her breath;


s: Through her own side she felt the sharp lance go;


s: Thereon she smote her hand:  wellnigh she swooned:


s: And, while he gazed wonderingly at her, came


s: The Lord of Astolat out, to whom the Prince


s: Sent, that he bore the prize and could not find


s: The victor, but had ridden a random round


s: To seek him, and had wearied of the search.


s: To whom the Lord of Astolat, 'Bide with us,


s: And ride no more at random, noble Prince!


s: Here was the knight, and here he left a shield;


s: This will he send or come for:  furthermore


s: Our son is with him; we shall hear anon,


s: Needs must hear.'  To this the courteous Prince


s: And stayed; and cast his eyes on fair Elaine:


s: Where could be found face daintier? then her shape


s: From forehead down to foot, perfect--again


s: From foot to forehead exquisitely turned:


s: 'Well--if I bide, lo! this wild flower for me!'


s: And there he set himself to play upon her


s: With sallying wit, free flashes from a height


s: Above her, graces of the court, and songs,


s: Sighs, and slow smiles, and golden eloquence


s: Rebelled against it, saying to him, 'Prince,


s: Why ask you not to see the shield he left,


s: Whence you might learn his name?  Why slight your King,


s: And lose the quest he sent you on, and prove


s: Who lost the hern we slipt her at, and went


s: To all the winds?'  'Nay, by mine head,' said he,


s: 'I lose it, as we lose the lark in heaven,


s: O damsel, in the light of your blue eyes;


s: But an ye will it let me see the shield.'


s: And when the shield was brought, and Gawain saw


s: Sir Lancelot's azure lions, crowned with gold,


s: Ramp in the field, he smote his thigh, and mocked:


s: 'Right was the King! our Lancelot! that true man!'


s: 'And right was I,' she answered merrily, 'I,


s: Who dreamed my knight the greatest knight of all.'


s: 'And if I dreamed,' said Gawain, 'that you love


s: This greatest knight, your pardon! lo, ye know it!


s: Speak therefore:  shall I waste myself in vain?'


s: Full simple was her answer, 'What know I?


s: My brethren have been all my fellowship;


s: And I, when often they have talked of love,


s: Wished it had been my mother, for they talked,


s: Meseemed, of what they knew not; so myself--


s: 'Yea, by God's death,' said he, 'ye love him well,


s: But would not, knew ye what all others know,


s: And whom he loves.'  'So be it,' cried Elaine,


s: And lifted her fair face and moved away:


s: But he pursued her, calling, 'Stay a little!


s: One golden minute's grace! he wore your sleeve:


s: Would he break faith with one I may not name?


s: Must our true man change like a leaf at last?


s: Nay--like enow:  why then, far be it from me


s: To cross our mighty Lancelot in his loves!


s: And, damsel, for I deem you know full well


s: Where your great knight is hidden, let me leave


s: My quest with you; the diamond also:  here!


s: For if you love, it will be sweet to give it;


s: And if he love, it will be sweet to have it


s: From your own hand; and whether he love or not,


s: A thousand times!--a thousand times farewell!


s: Yet, if he love, and his love hold, we two


s: May meet at court hereafter:  there, I think,


s: So ye will learn the courtesies of the court,


s: And slightly kissed the hand to which he gave,


s: The diamond, and all wearied of the quest


s: Leapt on his horse, and carolling as he went


s: Thence to the court he past; there told the King


s: What the King knew, 'Sir Lancelot is the knight.'


s: And added, 'Sire, my liege, so much I learnt;


s: But failed to find him, though I rode all round


s: Whose sleeve he wore; she loves him; and to her,


s: I gave the diamond:  she will render it;


s: For by mine head she knows his hiding-place.'


s: The seldom-frowning King frowned, and replied,


s: 'Too courteous truly! ye shall go no more


s: Obedience is the courtesy due to kings.'


s: He spake and parted.  Wroth, but all in awe,


s: For twenty strokes of the blood, without a word,


s: Then shook his hair, strode off, and buzzed abroad


s: About the maid of Astolat, and her love.


s: All ears were pricked at once, all tongues were loosed:


s: 'The maid of Astolat loves Sir Lancelot,


s: Sir Lancelot loves the maid of Astolat.'


s: Some read the King's face, some the Queen's, and all


s: Had marvel what the maid might be, but most


s: Predoomed her as unworthy.  One old dame


s: Came suddenly on the Queen with the sharp news.


s: She, that had heard the noise of it before,


s: But sorrowing Lancelot should have stooped so low,


s: Marred her friend's aim with pale tranquillity.


s: So ran the tale like fire about the court,


s: Fire in dry stubble a nine-days' wonder flared:


s: Till even the knights at banquet twice or thrice


s: Forgot to drink to Lancelot and the Queen,


s: Smiled at each other, while the Queen, who sat


s: With lips severely placid, felt the knot


s: Climb in her throat, and with her feet unseen


s: Crushed the wild passion out against the floor


s: Beneath the banquet, where all the meats became


s: As wormwood, and she hated all who pledged.


s: The one-day-seen Sir Lancelot in her heart,


s: Crept to her father, while he mused alone,


s: Sat on his knee, stroked his gray face and said,


s: 'Father, you call me wilful, and the fault


s: Is yours who let me have my will, and now,


s: Sweet father, will you let me lose my wits?'


s: 'Nay,' said he, 'surely.'  'Wherefore, let me hence,'


s: She answered, 'and find out our dear Lavaine.'


s: 'Ye will not lose your wits for dear Lavaine:


s: Bide,' answered he:  'we needs must hear anon


s: Of him, and of that other.'  'Ay,' she said,


s: 'And of that other, for I needs must hence


s: And with mine own hand give his diamond to him,


s: Lest I be found as faithless in the quest


s: As yon proud Prince who left the quest to me.


s: Gaunt as it were the skeleton of himself,


s: Death-pale, for lack of gentle maiden's aid.


s: The gentler-born the maiden, the more bound,


s: To noble knights in sickness, as ye know


s: When these have worn their tokens:  let me hence


s: I pray you.'  Then her father nodding said,


s: 'Ay, ay, the diamond:  wit ye well, my child,


s: Right fain were I to learn this knight were whole,


s: Being our greatest:  yea, and you must give it--


s: And sure I think this fruit is hung too high


s: For any mouth to gape for save a queen's--


s: Nay, I mean nothing:  so then, get you gone,


s: Lightly, her suit allowed, she slipt away,


s: And while she made her ready for her ride,


s: Her father's latest word hummed in her ear,


s: And changed itself and echoed in her heart,


s: But she was happy enough and shook it off,


s: As we shake off the bee that buzzes at us;


s: And in her heart she answered it and said,


s: 'What matter, so I help him back to life?'


s: Then far away with good Sir Torre for guide


s: Rode o'er the long backs of the bushless downs


s: For pleasure all about a field of flowers:


s: Whom when she saw, 'Lavaine,' she cried, 'Lavaine,


s: How fares my lord Sir Lancelot?'  He amazed,


s: 'Torre and Elaine! why here? Sir Lancelot!


s: How know ye my lord's name is Lancelot?'


s: But when the maid had told him all her tale,


s: Then turned Sir Torre, and being in his moods


s: Left them, and under the strange-statued gate,


s: Where Arthur's wars were rendered mystically,


s: His own far blood, which dwelt at Camelot;


s: And her, Lavaine across the poplar grove


s: Led to the caves:  there first she saw the casque


s: Of Lancelot on the wall:  her scarlet sleeve,


s: Though carved and cut, and half the pearls away,


s: Streamed from it still; and in her heart she laughed,


s: Because he had not loosed it from his helm,


s: But meant once more perchance to tourney in it.


s: And when they gained the cell wherein he slept,


s: His battle-writhen arms and mighty hands


s: Of dragging down his enemy made them move.


s: Then she that saw him lying unsleek, unshorn,


s: Gaunt as it were the skeleton of himself,


s: The sound not wonted in a place so still


s: Woke the sick knight, and while he rolled his eyes


s: Yet blank from sleep, she started to him, saying,


s: 'Your prize the diamond sent you by the King:'


s: His eyes glistened:  she fancied 'Is it for me?'


s: And when the maid had told him all the tale


s: Of King and Prince, the diamond sent, the quest


s: Assigned to her not worthy of it, she knelt


s: Her face was near, and as we kiss the child


s: That does the task assigned, he kissed her face.


s: At once she slipt like water to the floor.


s: 'Alas,' he said, 'your ride hath wearied you.


s: Rest must you have.'  'No rest for me,' she said;


s: 'Nay, for near you, fair lord, I am at rest.'


s: What might she mean by that? his large black eyes,


s: Yet larger through his leanness, dwelt upon her,


s: Till all her heart's sad secret blazed itself


s: In the heart's colours on her simple face;


s: And Lancelot looked and was perplext in mind,


s: But did not love the colour; woman's love,


s: Save one, he not regarded, and so turned


s: Sighing, and feigned a sleep until he slept.


s: Then rose Elaine and glided through the fields,


s: And past beneath the weirdly-sculptured gates


s: There bode the night:  but woke with dawn, and past


s: Down through the dim rich city to the fields,


s: Thence to the cave:  so day by day she past


s: In either twilight ghost-like to and fro


s: And likewise many a night:  and Lancelot


s: Would, though he called his wound a little hurt


s: Whereof he should be quickly whole, at times


s: Brain-feverous in his heat and agony, seem


s: Uncourteous, even he:  but the meek maid


s: And never woman yet, since man's first fall,


s: Did kindlier unto man, but her deep love


s: Upbore her; till the hermit, skilled in all


s: The simples and the science of that time,


s: Told him that her fine care had saved his life.


s: And the sick man forgot her simple blush,


s: Would call her friend and sister, sweet Elaine,


s: Her parting step, and held her tenderly,


s: And loved her with all love except the love


s: Of man and woman when they love their best,


s: Closest and sweetest, and had died the death


s: She might have made this and that other world


s: The shackles of an old love straitened him,


s: And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true.


s: Yet the great knight in his mid-sickness made


s: These, as but born of sickness, could not live:


s: For when the blood ran lustier in him again,


s: Full often the bright image of one face,


s: Making a treacherous quiet in his heart,


s: Then if the maiden, while that ghostly grace


s: Beamed on his fancy, spoke, he answered not,


s: Or short and coldly, and she knew right well


s: What the rough sickness meant, but what this meant


s: She knew not, and the sorrow dimmed her sight,


s: And drave her ere her time across the fields


s: She murmured, 'Vain, in vain:  it cannot be.


s: He will not love me:  how then? must I die?'


s: Then as a little helpless innocent bird,


s: That has but one plain passage of few notes,


s: Will sing the simple passage o'er and o'er


s: Went half the night repeating, 'Must I die?'


s: And now to right she turned, and now to left,


s: And found no ease in turning or in rest;


s: And 'Him or death,' she muttered, 'death or him,'


s: Again and like a burthen, 'Him or death.'


s: But when Sir Lancelot's deadly hurt was whole,


s: There morn by morn, arraying her sweet self


s: In that wherein she deemed she looked her best,


s: She came before Sir Lancelot, for she thought


s: 'If I be loved, these are my festal robes,


s: If not, the victim's flowers before he fall.'


s: That she should ask some goodly gift of him


s: For her own self or hers; 'and do not shun


s: To speak the wish most near to your true heart;


s: Such service have ye done me, that I make


s: My will of yours, and Prince and Lord am I


s: In mine own land, and what I will I can.'


s: Then like a ghost she lifted up her face,


s: But like a ghost without the power to speak.


s: And Lancelot saw that she withheld her wish,


s: Till he should learn it; and one morn it chanced


s: And said, 'Delay no longer, speak your wish,


s: 'Going? and we shall never see you more.


s: And I must die for want of one bold word.'


s: 'Speak:  that I live to hear,' he said, 'is yours.'


s: Then suddenly and passionately she spoke:


s: 'I have gone mad.  I love you:  let me die.'


s: 'Ah, sister,' answered Lancelot, 'what is this?'


s: And innocently extending her white arms,


s: 'Your love,' she said, 'your love--to be your wife.'


s: And Lancelot answered, 'Had I chosen to wed,


s: I had been wedded earlier, sweet Elaine:


s: But now there never will be wife of mine.'


s: 'No, no,' she cried, 'I care not to be wife,


s: But to be with you still, to see your face,


s: To serve you, and to follow you through the world.'


s: And Lancelot answered, 'Nay, the world, the world,


s: All ear and eye, with such a stupid heart


s: To interpret ear and eye, and such a tongue


s: Full ill then should I quit your brother's love,


s: And your good father's kindness.'  And she said,


s: 'Not to be with you, not to see your face--


s: Alas for me then, my good days are done.'


s: 'Nay, noble maid,' he answered, 'ten times nay!


s: This is not love:  but love's first flash in youth,


s: Most common:  yea, I know it of mine own self:


s: And you yourself will smile at your own self


s: Hereafter, when you yield your flower of life


s: To one more fitly yours, not thrice your age:


s: And then will I, for true you are and sweet


s: More specially should your good knight be poor,


s: Even to the half my realm beyond the seas,


s: So that would make you happy:  furthermore,


s: Even to the death, as though ye were my blood,


s: In all your quarrels will I be your knight.


s: This I will do, dear damsel, for your sake,


s: She neither blushed nor shook, but deathly-pale


s: Stood grasping what was nearest, then replied:


s: 'Of all this will I nothing;' and so fell,


s: And thus they bore her swooning to her tower.


s: Then spake, to whom through those black walls of yew


s: Their talk had pierced, her father:  'Ay, a flash,


s: I fear me, that will strike my blossom dead.


s: Too courteous are ye, fair Lord Lancelot.


s: 'That were against me:  what I can I will;'


s: And there that day remained, and toward even


s: Sent for his shield:  full meekly rose the maid,


s: Stript off the case, and gave the naked shield;


s: Then, when she heard his horse upon the stones,


s: Unclasping flung the casement back, and looked


s: Down on his helm, from which her sleeve had gone.


s: And Lancelot knew the little clinking sound;


s: That Lancelot knew that she was looking at him.


s: And yet he glanced not up, nor waved his hand,


s: This was the one discourtesy that he used.


s: His very shield was gone; only the case,


s: Her own poor work, her empty labour, left.


s: But still she heard him, still his picture formed


s: And grew between her and the pictured wall.


s: Then came her father, saying in low tones,


s: 'Have comfort,' whom she greeted quietly.


s: Then came her brethren saying, 'Peace to thee,


s: Sweet sister,' whom she answered with all calm.


s: But when they left her to herself again,


s: Death, like a friend's voice from a distant field


s: Approaching through the darkness, called; the owls


s: Wailing had power upon her, and she mixt


s: Her fancies with the sallow-rifted glooms


s: Of evening, and the moanings of the wind.


s: And in those days she made a little song,


s: And called her song 'The Song of Love and Death,'


s: And sang it:  sweetly could she make and sing.


s: 'Sweet is true love though given in vain, in vain;


s: And sweet is death who puts an end to pain:


s: 'Love, art thou sweet? then bitter death must be:


s: Love, thou art bitter; sweet is death to me.


s: O Love, if death be sweeter, let me die.


s: 'Sweet love, that seems not made to fade away,


s: Sweet death, that seems to make us loveless clay,


s: 'I fain would follow love, if that could be;


s: I needs must follow death, who calls for me;


s: Call and I follow, I follow! let me die.'


s: High with the last line scaled her voice, and this,


s: That shook her tower, the brothers heard, and thought


s: With shuddering, 'Hark the Phantom of the house


s: That ever shrieks before a death,' and called


s: The father, and all three in hurry and fear


s: Ran to her, and lo! the blood-red light of dawn


s: Flared on her face, she shrilling, 'Let me die!'


s: Repeating, till the word we know so well


s: So dwelt the father on her face, and thought


s: 'Is this Elaine?' till back the maiden fell,


s: Then gave a languid hand to each, and lay,


s: Speaking a still good-morrow with her eyes.


s: At last she said, 'Sweet brothers, yesternight


s: As happy as when we dwelt among the woods,


s: And when ye used to take me with the flood


s: Up the great river in the boatman's boat.


s: That has the poplar on it:  there ye fixt


s: Your limit, oft returning with the tide.


s: And yet I cried because ye would not pass


s: And yet ye would not; but this night I dreamed


s: And then I said, "Now shall I have my will:"


s: And there I woke, but still the wish remained.


s: And no man there will dare to mock at me;


s: But there the fine Gawain will wonder at me,


s: And there the great Sir Lancelot muse at me;


s: Gawain, who bad a thousand farewells to me,


s: Lancelot, who coldly went, nor bad me one:


s: And there the King will know me and my love,


s: And there the Queen herself will pity me,


s: And all the gentle court will welcome me,


s: 'Peace,' said her father, 'O my child, ye seem


s: Light-headed, for what force is yours to go


s: So far, being sick? and wherefore would ye look


s: On this proud fellow again, who scorns us all?'


s: Then the rough Torre began to heave and move,


s: 'I never loved him:  an I meet with him,


s: Then will I strike at him and strike him down,


s: Give me good fortune, I will strike him dead,


s: For this discomfort he hath done the house.'


s: 'Fret not yourself, dear brother, nor be wroth,


s: Seeing it is no more Sir Lancelot's fault


s: Him of all men who seems to me the highest.'


s: 'Highest?' the father answered, echoing 'highest?'


s: (He meant to break the passion in her) 'nay,


s: Daughter, I know not what you call the highest;


s: But this I know, for all the people know it,


s: He loves the Queen, and in an open shame:


s: 'Sweet father, all too faint and sick am I


s: For anger:  these are slanders:  never yet


s: He makes no friend who never made a foe.


s: One peerless, without stain:  so let me pass,


s: Not all unhappy, having loved God's best


s: And greatest, though my love had no return:


s: Yet, seeing you desire your child to live,


s: Thanks, but you work against your own desire;


s: For if I could believe the things you say


s: I should but die the sooner; wherefore cease,


s: Sweet father, and bid call the ghostly man


s: Hither, and let me shrive me clean, and die.'


s: So when the ghostly man had come and gone,


s: She with a face, bright as for sin forgiven,


s: Besought Lavaine to write as she devised


s: A letter, word for word; and when he asked


s: 'Is it for Lancelot, is it for my dear lord?


s: Then will I bear it gladly;' she replied,


s: 'For Lancelot and the Queen and all the world,


s: But I myself must bear it.'  Then he wrote


s: The letter she devised; which being writ


s: And folded, 'O sweet father, tender and true,


s: Denied my fancies--this, however strange,


s: Upon it; I shall guard it even in death.


s: And when the heat is gone from out my heart,


s: Then take the little bed on which I died


s: For Lancelot's love, and deck it like the Queen's


s: For richness, and me also like the Queen


s: In all I have of rich, and lay me on it.


s: And let there be prepared a chariot-bier


s: Be ready on the river, clothed in black.


s: I go in state to court, to meet the Queen.


s: There surely I shall speak for mine own self,


s: And none of you can speak for me so well.


s: Go with me, he can steer and row, and he


s: Will guide me to that palace, to the doors.'


s: She ceased:  her father promised; whereupon


s: She grew so cheerful that they deemed her death


s: Was rather in the fantasy than the blood.


s: But ten slow mornings past, and on the eleventh


s: And closed the hand upon it, and she died.


s: But when the next sun brake from underground,


s: Then, those two brethren slowly with bent brows


s: Past like a shadow through the field, that shone


s: Full-summer, to that stream whereon the barge,


s: Palled all its length in blackest samite, lay.


s: There sat the lifelong creature of the house,


s: Winking his eyes, and twisted all his face.


s: So those two brethren from the chariot took


s: And on the black decks laid her in her bed,


s: The silken case with braided blazonings,


s: And kissed her quiet brows, and saying to her


s: 'Farewell, sweet sister,' parted all in tears.


s: The letter--all her bright hair streaming down--


s: Drawn to her waist, and she herself in white


s: All but her face, and that clear-featured face


s: Was lovely, for she did not seem as dead,


s: But fast asleep, and lay as though she smiled.


s: That day Sir Lancelot at the palace craved


s: The price of half a realm, his costly gift,


s: Hard-won and hardly won with bruise and blow,


s: With deaths of others, and almost his own,


s: The nine-years-fought-for diamonds:  for he saw


s: One of her house, and sent him to the Queen


s: Bearing his wish, whereto the Queen agreed


s: She might have seemed her statue, but that he,


s: Low-drooping till he wellnigh kissed her feet


s: The shadow of some piece of pointed lace,


s: In the Queen's shadow, vibrate on the walls,


s: And parted, laughing in his courtly heart.


s: Vine-clad, of Arthur's palace toward the stream,


s: They met, and Lancelot kneeling uttered, 'Queen,


s: Take, what I had not won except for you,


s: An armlet for the roundest arm on earth,


s: Or necklace for a neck to which the swan's


s: Is tawnier than her cygnet's:  these are words:


s: In speaking, yet O grant my worship of it


s: Words, as we grant grief tears.  Such sin in words


s: Perchance, we both can pardon:  but, my Queen,


s: I hear of rumours flying through your court.


s: Our bond, as not the bond of man and wife,


s: To make up that defect:  let rumours be:


s: When did not rumours fly? these, as I trust


s: That you trust me in your own nobleness,


s: I may not well believe that you believe.'


s: While thus he spoke, half turned away, the Queen


s: Brake from the vast oriel-embowering vine


s: Leaf after leaf, and tore, and cast them off,


s: Till all the place whereon she stood was green;


s: Then, when he ceased, in one cold passive hand


s: Received at once and laid aside the gems


s: Than you believe me, Lancelot of the Lake.


s: Our bond is not the bond of man and wife.


s: This many a year have done despite and wrong


s: I did acknowledge nobler.  What are these?


s: Diamonds for me! they had been thrice their worth


s: Being your gift, had you not lost your own.


s: Grant me, I pray you:  have your joys apart.


s: I doubt not that however changed, you keep


s: So much of what is graceful:  and myself


s: Would shun to break those bounds of courtesy


s: In which as Arthur's Queen I move and rule:


s: So cannot speak my mind.  An end to this!


s: So pray you, add my diamonds to her pearls;


s: Deck her with these; tell her, she shines me down:


s: An armlet for an arm to which the Queen's


s: Was richer than these diamonds--hers not mine--


s: Or hers or mine, mine now to work my will--


s: And, through the casement standing wide for heat,


s: Flung them, and down they flashed, and smote the stream.


s: Then from the smitten surface flashed, as it were,


s: Diamonds to meet them, and they past away.


s: Then while Sir Lancelot leant, in half disdain


s: At love, life, all things, on the window ledge,


s: Close underneath his eyes, and right across


s: Where these had fallen, slowly past the barge.


s: Lay smiling, like a star in blackest night.


s: But the wild Queen, who saw not, burst away


s: To weep and wail in secret; and the barge,


s: On to the palace-doorway sliding, paused.


s: There two stood armed, and kept the door; to whom,


s: All up the marble stair, tier over tier,


s: Were added mouths that gaped, and eyes that asked


s: 'What is it?' but that oarsman's haggard face,


s: As hard and still as is the face that men


s: Shape to their fancy's eye from broken rocks


s: On some cliff-side, appalled them, and they said


s: 'He is enchanted, cannot speak--and she,


s: Look how she sleeps--the Fairy Queen, so fair!


s: Yea, but how pale! what are they? flesh and blood?


s: While thus they babbled of the King, the King


s: Came girt with knights:  then turned the tongueless man


s: From the half-face to the full eye, and rose


s: And pointed to the damsel, and the doors.


s: And pure Sir Galahad to uplift the maid;


s: Then came the fine Gawain and wondered at her,


s: And Lancelot later came and mused at her,


s: And last the Queen herself, and pitied her:


s: But Arthur spied the letter in her hand,


s: Stoopt, took, brake seal, and read it; this was all:


s: 'Most noble lord, Sir Lancelot of the Lake,


s: Come, for you left me taking no farewell,


s: Hither, to take my last farewell of you.


s: And therefore my true love has been my death.


s: Pray for my soul thou too, Sir Lancelot,


s: And ever in the reading, lords and dames


s: Wept, looking often from his face who read


s: To hers which lay so silent, and at times,


s: So touched were they, half-thinking that her lips,


s: Who had devised the letter, moved again.


s: Then freely spoke Sir Lancelot to them all:


s: 'My lord liege Arthur, and all ye that hear,


s: Know that for this most gentle maiden's death


s: Right heavy am I; for good she was and true,


s: But loved me with a love beyond all love


s: Yet to be loved makes not to love again;


s: Not at my years, however it hold in youth.


s: I swear by truth and knighthood that I gave


s: No cause, not willingly, for such a love:


s: Her brethren, and her father, who himself


s: Besought me to be plain and blunt, and use,


s: Against my nature:  what I could, I did.


s: Though, had I dreamt the damsel would have died,


s: I might have put my wits to some rough use,


s: (Sea was her wrath, yet working after storm)


s: 'Ye might at least have done her so much grace,


s: Fair lord, as would have helped her from her death.'


s: He raised his head, their eyes met and hers fell,


s: Save that I wedded her, which could not be.


s: Then might she follow me through the world, she asked;


s: It could not be.  I told her that her love


s: Was but the flash of youth, would darken down


s: Toward one more worthy of her--then would I,


s: More specially were he, she wedded, poor,


s: Estate them with large land and territory


s: In mine own realm beyond the narrow seas,


s: To keep them in all joyance:  more than this


s: I could not; this she would not, and she died.'


s: He pausing, Arthur answered, 'O my knight,


s: It will be to thy worship, as my knight,


s: And mine, as head of all our Table Round,


s: To see that she be buried worshipfully.'


s: So toward that shrine which then in all the realm


s: Was richest, Arthur leading, slowly went


s: The marshalled Order of their Table Round,


s: And Lancelot sad beyond his wont, to see


s: Nor meanly, but with gorgeous obsequies,


s: And mass, and rolling music, like a queen.


s: And when the knights had laid her comely head


s: Low in the dust of half-forgotten kings,


s: Then Arthur spake among them, 'Let her tomb


s: And let the shield of Lancelot at her feet


s: And let the story of her dolorous voyage


s: For all true hearts be blazoned on her tomb


s: In letters gold and azure!' which was wrought


s: Thereafter; but when now the lords and dames


s: And people, from the high door streaming, brake


s: Disorderly, as homeward each, the Queen,


s: Who marked Sir Lancelot where he moved apart,


s: Drew near, and sighed in passing, 'Lancelot,


s: He answered with his eyes upon the ground,


s: 'That is love's curse; pass on, my Queen, forgiven.'


s: But Arthur, who beheld his cloudy brows,


s: Approached him, and with full affection said,


s: 'Lancelot, my Lancelot, thou in whom I have


s: What thou hast been in battle by my side,


s: And many a time have watched thee at the tilt


s: Strike down the lusty and long practised knight,


s: And loved thy courtesies and thee, a man


s: Made to be loved; but now I would to God,


s: Seeing the homeless trouble in thine eyes,


s: Thou couldst have loved this maiden, shaped, it seems,


s: By God for thee alone, and from her face,


s: If one may judge the living by the dead,


s: Who might have brought thee, now a lonely man


s: Wifeless and heirless, noble issue, sons


s: Born to the glory of thine name and fame,


s: My knight, the great Sir Lancelot of the Lake.'


s: Then answered Lancelot, 'Fair she was, my King,


s: Pure, as you ever wish your knights to be.


s: To doubt her fairness were to want an eye,


s: To doubt her pureness were to want a heart--


s: Yea, to be loved, if what is worthy love


s: Could bind him, but free love will not be bound.'


s: 'Free love, so bound, were freest,' said the King.


s: 'Let love be free; free love is for the best:


s: And, after heaven, on our dull side of death,


s: What should be best, if not so pure a love


s: Clothed in so pure a loveliness? yet thee


s: She failed to bind, though being, as I think,


s: And Lancelot answered nothing, but he went,


s: The high reed wave, and lifted up his eyes


s: And saw the barge that brought her moving down,


s: Far-off, a blot upon the stream, and said


s: Low in himself, 'Ah simple heart and sweet,


s: Far tenderer than my Queen's.  Pray for thy soul?


s: Ay, that will I.  Farewell too--now at last--


s: Farewell, fair lily.  "Jealousy in love?"


s: Not rather dead love's harsh heir, jealous pride?


s: Queen, if I grant the jealousy as of love,


s: May not your crescent fear for name and fame


s: Speak, as it waxes, of a love that wanes?


s: Why did the King dwell on my name to me?


s: Mine own name shames me, seeming a reproach,


s: Caught from his mother's arms--the wondrous one


s: Who passes through the vision of the night--


s: She chanted snatches of mysterious hymns


s: Heard on the winding waters, eve and morn


s: She kissed me saying, "Thou art fair, my child,


s: Would she had drowned me in it, where'er it be!


s: Of greatest knight?  I fought for it, and have it:


s: Pleasure to have it, none; to lose it, pain;


s: Now grown a part of me:  but what use in it?


s: To make men worse by making my sin known?


s: Or sin seem less, the sinner seeming great?


s: Alas for Arthur's greatest knight, a man


s: Not after Arthur's heart!  I needs must break


s: These bonds that so defame me:  not without


s: She wills it:  would I, if she willed it? nay,


s: Who knows? but if I would not, then may God,


s: To seize me by the hair and bear me far,


s: And fling me deep in that forgotten mere,


s: Among the tumbled fragments of the hills.'


s: So groaned Sir Lancelot in remorseful pain,


s: From noiseful arms, and acts of prowess done


s: Whom Arthur and his knighthood called The Pure,


s: Had passed into the silent life of prayer,


s: Praise, fast, and alms; and leaving for the cowl


s: From Camelot, there, and not long after, died.


s: Ambrosius, loved him much beyond the rest,


s: And honoured him, and wrought into his heart


s: To answer that which came:  and as they sat


s: Beneath a world-old yew-tree, darkening half


s: That puffed the swaying branches into smoke


s: The monk Ambrosius questioned Percivale:


s: 'O brother, I have seen this yew-tree smoke,


s: Spring after spring, for half a hundred years:


s: For never have I known the world without,


s: Nor ever strayed beyond the pale:  but thee,


s: Spake through the limbs and in the voice--I knew


s: For one of those who eat in Arthur's hall;


s: For good ye are and bad, and like to coins,


s: Some true, some light, but every one of you


s: Stamped with the image of the King; and now


s: Tell me, what drove thee from the Table Round,


s: My brother? was it earthly passion crost?'


s: 'Nay,' said the knight; 'for no such passion mine.


s: Drove me from all vainglories, rivalries,


s: And earthly heats that spring and sparkle out


s: Among us in the jousts, while women watch


s: Who wins, who falls; and waste the spiritual strength


s: Within us, better offered up to Heaven.'


s: To whom the monk:  'The Holy Grail!--I trust


s: We are green in Heaven's eyes; but here too much


s: We moulder--as to things without I mean--


s: Yet one of your own knights, a guest of ours,


s: But spake with such a sadness and so low


s: We heard not half of what he said.  What is it?


s: The phantom of a cup that comes and goes?'


s: 'Nay, monk! what phantom?' answered Percivale.


s: 'The cup, the cup itself, from which our Lord


s: Drank at the last sad supper with his own.


s: After the day of darkness, when the dead


s: Went wandering o'er Moriah--the good saint


s: Blossoms at Christmas, mindful of our Lord.


s: Could touch or see it, he was healed at once,


s: By faith, of all his ills.  But then the times


s: Was caught away to Heaven, and disappeared.'


s: To whom the monk:  'From our old books I know


s: And there the heathen Prince, Arviragus,


s: Gave him an isle of marsh whereon to build;


s: And there he built with wattles from the marsh


s: For so they say, these books of ours, but seem


s: Mute of this miracle, far as I have read.


s: But who first saw the holy thing today?'


s: A holy maid; though never maiden glowed,


s: With such a fervent flame of human love,


s: Which being rudely blunted, glanced and shot


s: Only to holy things; to prayer and praise


s: She gave herself, to fast and alms.  And yet,


s: Nun as she was, the scandal of the Court,


s: And the strange sound of an adulterous race,


s: Beat, and she prayed and fasted all the more.


s: 'And he to whom she told her sins, or what


s: Her all but utter whiteness held for sin,


s: A legend handed down through five or six,


s: And each of these a hundred winters old,


s: From our Lord's time.  And when King Arthur made


s: His Table Round, and all men's hearts became


s: Clean for a season, surely he had thought


s: That now the Holy Grail would come again;


s: But sin broke out.  Ah, Christ, that it would come,


s: And heal the world of all their wickedness!


s: "O Father!" asked the maiden, "might it come


s: To me by prayer and fasting?"  "Nay," said he,


s: "I know not, for thy heart is pure as snow."


s: And so she prayed and fasted, till the sun


s: Shone, and the wind blew, through her, and I thought


s: She might have risen and floated when I saw her.


s: 'For on a day she sent to speak with me.


s: And when she came to speak, behold her eyes


s: "Sweet brother, I have seen the Holy Grail:


s: For, waked at dead of night, I heard a sound


s: Blown, and I thought, 'It is not Arthur's use


s: To hunt by moonlight;' and the slender sound


s: Nor aught we blow with breath, or touch with hand,


s: Was like that music as it came; and then


s: Streamed through my cell a cold and silver beam,


s: And down the long beam stole the Holy Grail,


s: Rose-red with beatings in it, as if alive,


s: Till all the white walls of my cell were dyed


s: Past, and the beam decayed, and from the walls


s: The rosy quiverings died into the night.


s: Among us, brother, fast thou too and pray,


s: And tell thy brother knights to fast and pray,


s: That so perchance the vision may be seen


s: By thee and those, and all the world be healed."


s: 'Then leaving the pale nun, I spake of this


s: To all men; and myself fasted and prayed


s: Fasted and prayed even to the uttermost,


s: "God make thee good as thou art beautiful,"


s: Said Arthur, when he dubbed him knight; and none,


s: In so young youth, was ever made a knight


s: Till Galahad; and this Galahad, when he heard


s: My sister's vision, filled me with amaze;


s: His eyes became so like her own, they seemed


s: Hers, and himself her brother more than I.


s: 'Sister or brother none had he; but some


s: Called him a son of Lancelot, and some said


s: Begotten by enchantment--chatterers they,


s: Like birds of passage piping up and down,


s: That gape for flies--we know not whence they come;


s: 'But she, the wan sweet maiden, shore away


s: Clean from her forehead all that wealth of hair


s: Which made a silken mat-work for her feet;


s: And out of this she plaited broad and long


s: A strong sword-belt, and wove with silver thread


s: And crimson in the belt a strange device,


s: And saw the bright boy-knight, and bound it on him,


s: Saying, "My knight, my love, my knight of heaven,


s: O thou, my love, whose love is one with mine,


s: I, maiden, round thee, maiden, bind my belt.


s: Go forth, for thou shalt see what I have seen,


s: And break through all, till one will crown thee king


s: Far in the spiritual city:" and as she spake


s: She sent the deathless passion in her eyes


s: Through him, and made him hers, and laid her mind


s: 'Then came a year of miracle:  O brother,


s: In our great hall there stood a vacant chair,


s: And carven with strange figures; and in and out


s: The figures, like a serpent, ran a scroll


s: Of letters in a tongue no man could read.


s: And Merlin called it "The Siege perilous,"


s: Perilous for good and ill; "for there," he said,


s: "No man could sit but he should lose himself:"


s: In his own chair, and so was lost; but he,


s: Galahad, when he heard of Merlin's doom,


s: Cried, "If I lose myself, I save myself!"


s: 'Then on a summer night it came to pass,


s: While the great banquet lay along the hall,


s: That Galahad would sit down in Merlin's chair.


s: 'And all at once, as there we sat, we heard


s: And in the blast there smote along the hall


s: A beam of light seven times more clear than day:


s: And down the long beam stole the Holy Grail


s: And none might see who bare it, and it past.


s: But every knight beheld his fellow's face


s: As in a glory, and all the knights arose,


s: Stood, till I found a voice and sware a vow.


s: Because I had not seen the Grail, would ride


s: My sister saw it; and Galahad sware the vow,


s: And good Sir Bors, our Lancelot's cousin, sware,


s: And Lancelot sware, and many among the knights,


s: And Gawain sware, and louder than the rest.'


s: Then spake the monk Ambrosius, asking him,


s: 'What said the King?  Did Arthur take the vow?'


s: 'Nay, for my lord,' said Percivale, 'the King,


s: Was not in hall:  for early that same day,


s: Scaped through a cavern from a bandit hold,


s: Crying on help:  for all her shining hair


s: Was smeared with earth, and either milky arm


s: Red-rent with hooks of bramble, and all she wore


s: Torn as a sail that leaves the rope is torn


s: To smoke the scandalous hive of those wild bees


s: That made such honey in his realm.  Howbeit


s: Returning o'er the plain that then began


s: To darken under Camelot; whence the King


s: Looked up, calling aloud, "Lo, there! the roofs


s: Of our great hall are rolled in thunder-smoke!


s: Pray Heaven, they be not smitten by the bolt."


s: For dear to Arthur was that hall of ours,


s: As having there so oft with all his knights


s: Feasted, and as the stateliest under heaven.


s: 'O brother, had you known our mighty hall,


s: And all the dim rich city, roof by roof,


s: By grove, and garden-lawn, and rushing brook,


s: Climbs to the mighty hall that Merlin built.


s: And four great zones of sculpture, set betwixt


s: With many a mystic symbol, gird the hall:


s: And in the lowest beasts are slaying men,


s: And in the second men are slaying beasts,


s: And on the third are warriors, perfect men,


s: And on the fourth are men with growing wings,


s: Of Arthur, made by Merlin, with a crown,


s: And peaked wings pointed to the Northern Star.


s: And eastward fronts the statue, and the crown


s: And both the wings are made of gold, and flame


s: At sunrise till the people in far fields,


s: Behold it, crying, "We have still a King."


s: 'And, brother, had you known our hall within,


s: Broader and higher than any in all the lands!


s: Where twelve great windows blazon Arthur's wars,


s: And all the light that falls upon the board


s: Streams through the twelve great battles of our King.


s: Nay, one there is, and at the eastern end,


s: Wealthy with wandering lines of mount and mere,


s: And also one to the west, and counter to it,


s: And blank:  and who shall blazon it? when and how?--


s: O there, perchance, when all our wars are done,


s: 'So to this hall full quickly rode the King,


s: In horror lest the work by Merlin wrought,


s: Dreamlike, should on the sudden vanish, wrapt


s: And in he rode, and up I glanced, and saw


s: And many of those who burnt the hold, their arms


s: Hacked, and their foreheads grimed with smoke, and seared,


s: Followed, and in among bright faces, ours,


s: Full of the vision, prest:  and then the King


s: Spake to me, being nearest, "Percivale,"


s: (Because the hall was all in tumult--some


s: Vowing, and some protesting), "what is this?"


s: 'O brother, when I told him what had chanced,


s: My sister's vision, and the rest, his face


s: Darkened, as I have seen it more than once,


s: When some brave deed seemed to be done in vain,


s: Darken; and "Woe is me, my knights," he cried,


s: "Had I been here, ye had not sworn the vow."


s: Bold was mine answer, "Had thyself been here,


s: My King, thou wouldst have sworn."  "Yea, yea," said he,


s: "Art thou so bold and hast not seen the Grail?"


s: '"Nay, lord, I heard the sound, I saw the light,


s: 'Then when he asked us, knight by knight, if any


s: Had seen it, all their answers were as one:


s: "Nay, lord, and therefore have we sworn our vows."


s: '"Lo now," said Arthur, "have ye seen a cloud?


s: 'Then Galahad on the sudden, and in a voice


s: Shrilling along the hall to Arthur, called,


s: '"Ah, Galahad, Galahad," said the King, "for such


s: As thou art is the vision, not for these.


s: Thy holy nun and thou have seen a sign--


s: Holier is none, my Percivale, than she--


s: But ye, that follow but the leader's bell"


s: (Brother, the King was hard upon his knights)


s: "Taliessin is our fullest throat of song,


s: Lancelot is Lancelot, and hath overborne


s: Five knights at once, and every younger knight,


s: Till overborne by one, he learns--and ye,


s: What are ye? Galahads?--no, nor Percivales"


s: (For thus it pleased the King to range me close


s: After Sir Galahad); "nay," said he, "but men


s: With strength and will to right the wronged, of power


s: To lay the sudden heads of violence flat,


s: Knights that in twelve great battles splashed and dyed


s: The strong White Horse in his own heathen blood--


s: But one hath seen, and all the blind will see.


s: Go, since your vows are sacred, being made:


s: Yet--for ye know the cries of all my realm


s: Pass through this hall--how often, O my knights,


s: This chance of noble deeds will come and go


s: Unchallenged, while ye follow wandering fires


s: Lost in the quagmire!  Many of you, yea most,


s: Too dark a prophet:  come now, let us meet


s: The morrow morn once more in one full field


s: Of gracious pastime, that once more the King,


s: Before ye leave him for this Quest, may count


s: The yet-unbroken strength of all his knights,


s: 'So when the sun broke next from under ground,


s: All the great table of our Arthur closed


s: And clashed in such a tourney and so full,


s: Had Camelot seen the like, since Arthur came;


s: And I myself and Galahad, for a strength


s: So many knights that all the people cried,


s: And almost burst the barriers in their heat,


s: 'But when the next day brake from under ground--


s: Built by old kings, age after age, so old


s: The King himself had fears that it would fall,


s: So strange, and rich, and dim; for where the roofs


s: Met foreheads all along the street of those


s: Who watched us pass; and lower, and where the long


s: Rich galleries, lady-laden, weighed the necks


s: Thicker than drops from thunder, showers of flowers


s: Fell as we past; and men and boys astride


s: At all the corners, named us each by name,


s: Calling, "God speed!" but in the ways below


s: The knights and ladies wept, and rich and poor


s: Wept, and the King himself could hardly speak


s: For grief, and all in middle street the Queen,


s: Who rode by Lancelot, wailed and shrieked aloud,


s: "This madness has come on us for our sins."


s: So to the Gate of the three Queens we came,


s: Where Arthur's wars are rendered mystically,


s: 'And I was lifted up in heart, and thought


s: Of all my late-shown prowess in the lists,


s: How my strong lance had beaten down the knights,


s: Had heaven appeared so blue, nor earth so green,


s: For all my blood danced in me, and I knew


s: That I should light upon the Holy Grail.


s: 'Thereafter, the dark warning of our King,


s: That most of us would follow wandering fires,


s: Came like a driving gloom across my mind.


s: And every evil thought I had thought of old,


s: Awoke and cried, "This Quest is not for thee."


s: And lifting up mine eyes, I found myself


s: Alone, and in a land of sand and thorns,


s: And I, too, cried, "This Quest is not for thee."


s: 'And on I rode, and when I thought my thirst


s: Would slay me, saw deep lawns, and then a brook,


s: With one sharp rapid, where the crisping white


s: And took both ear and eye; and o'er the brook


s: Were apple-trees, and apples by the brook


s: Fallen, and on the lawns.  "I will rest here,"


s: But even while I drank the brook, and ate


s: The goodly apples, all these things at once


s: And thirsting, in a land of sand and thorns.


s: Spinning; and fair the house whereby she sat,


s: And all her bearing gracious; and she rose


s: Opening her arms to meet me, as who should say,


s: "Rest here;" but when I touched her, lo! she, too,


s: Fell into dust and nothing, and the house


s: 'And on I rode, and greater was my thirst.


s: Then flashed a yellow gleam across the world,


s: And where it smote the plowshare in the field,


s: The plowman left his plowing, and fell down


s: Before it; where it glittered on her pail,


s: The milkmaid left her milking, and fell down


s: Before it, and I knew not why, but thought


s: "The sun is rising," though the sun had risen.


s: And on the splendour came, flashing me blind;


s: And seemed to me the Lord of all the world,


s: Being so huge.  But when I thought he meant


s: Opened his arms to embrace me as he came,


s: And up I went and touched him, and he, too,


s: And wearying in a land of sand and thorns.


s: And on the top, a city walled:  the spires


s: Pricked with incredible pinnacles into heaven.


s: And by the gateway stirred a crowd; and these


s: Cried to me climbing, "Welcome, Percivale!


s: Thou mightiest and thou purest among men!"


s: And glad was I and clomb, but found at top


s: No man, nor any voice.  And thence I past


s: That man had once dwelt there; but there I found


s: Scarce any voice to answer, and yet gasped,


s: "Whence and what art thou?" and even as he spoke


s: Was left alone once more, and cried in grief,


s: And touch it, it will crumble into dust."


s: Low as the hill was high, and where the vale


s: To whom I told my phantoms, and he said:


s: For when the Lord of all things made Himself


s: 'Take thou my robe,' she said, 'for all is thine,'


s: And all her form shone forth with sudden light


s: Followed Him down, and like a flying star


s: Led on the gray-haired wisdom of the east;


s: But her thou hast not known:  for what is this


s: Thou thoughtest of thy prowess and thy sins?


s: Thou hast not lost thyself to save thyself


s: As Galahad."  When the hermit made an end,


s: Laid lance, and entered, and we knelt in prayer.


s: And there the hermit slaked my burning thirst,


s: "Saw ye no more?  I, Galahad, saw the Grail,


s: The Holy Grail, descend upon the shrine:


s: That smote itself into the bread, and went;


s: Hath what thy sister taught me first to see,


s: This Holy Thing, failed from my side, nor come


s: Covered, but moving with me night and day,


s: Blood-red, and sliding down the blackened marsh


s: Blood-red, and on the naked mountain top


s: Blood-red, and in the sleeping mere below


s: Blood-red.  And in the strength of this I rode,


s: And past through Pagan realms, and made them mine,


s: And clashed with Pagan hordes, and bore them down,


s: And broke through all, and in the strength of this


s: Come victor.  But my time is hard at hand,


s: And hence I go; and one will crown me king


s: Far in the spiritual city; and come thou, too,


s: For thou shalt see the vision when I go."


s: 'While thus he spake, his eye, dwelling on mine,


s: Drew me, with power upon me, till I grew


s: One with him, to believe as he believed.


s: Then, when the day began to wane, we went.


s: 'There rose a hill that none but man could climb,


s: Scarred with a hundred wintry water-courses--


s: Storm at the top, and when we gained it, storm


s: Round us and death; for every moment glanced


s: His silver arms and gloomed:  so quick and thick


s: The lightnings here and there to left and right


s: Struck, till the dry old trunks about us, dead,


s: Yea, rotten with a hundred years of death,


s: Sprang into fire:  and at the base we found


s: On either hand, as far as eye could see,


s: A great black swamp and of an evil smell,


s: Part black, part whitened with the bones of men,


s: Not to be crost, save that some ancient king


s: Had built a way, where, linked with many a bridge,


s: A thousand piers ran into the great Sea.


s: And Galahad fled along them bridge by bridge,


s: Sprang into fire and vanished, though I yearned


s: To follow; and thrice above him all the heavens


s: Opened and blazed with thunder such as seemed


s: Shoutings of all the sons of God:  and first


s: Clothed in white samite or a luminous cloud.


s: And with exceeding swiftness ran the boat,


s: If boat it were--I saw not whence it came.


s: And when the heavens opened and blazed again


s: And had he set the sail, or had the boat


s: Become a living creature clad with wings?


s: For now I knew the veil had been withdrawn.


s: Opening, I saw the least of little stars


s: Down on the waste, and straight beyond the star


s: I saw the spiritual city and all her spires


s: And gateways in a glory like one pearl--


s: No larger, though the goal of all the saints--


s: Strike from the sea; and from the star there shot


s: A rose-red sparkle to the city, and there


s: Dwelt, and I knew it was the Holy Grail,


s: Which never eyes on earth again shall see.


s: Then fell the floods of heaven drowning the deep.


s: And how my feet recrost the deathful ridge


s: No memory in me lives; but that I touched


s: The chapel-doors at dawn I know; and thence


s: Glad that no phantom vext me more, returned


s: To whence I came, the gate of Arthur's wars.'


s: 'O brother,' asked Ambrosius,--'for in sooth


s: These ancient books--and they would win thee--teem,


s: With miracles and marvels like to these,


s: Till my head swims; and then go forth and pass


s: Down to the little thorpe that lies so close,


s: And almost plastered like a martin's nest


s: To these old walls--and mingle with our folk;


s: As well as ever shepherd knew his sheep,


s: And every homely secret in their hearts,


s: Delight myself with gossip and old wives,


s: And ills and aches, and teethings, lyings-in,


s: And mirthful sayings, children of the place,


s: That have no meaning half a league away:


s: Or lulling random squabbles when they rise,


s: Chafferings and chatterings at the market-cross,


s: Rejoice, small man, in this small world of mine,


s: Yea, even in their hens and in their eggs--


s: Came ye on none but phantoms in your quest,


s: 'All men, to one so bound by such a vow,


s: And women were as phantoms.  O, my brother,


s: Why wilt thou shame me to confess to thee


s: How far I faltered from my quest and vow?


s: A bedmate of the snail and eft and snake,


s: In grass and burdock, I was changed to wan


s: And meagre, and the vision had not come;


s: With one great dwelling in the middle of it;


s: Thither I made, and there was I disarmed


s: The Princess of that castle was the one,


s: Brother, and that one only, who had ever


s: Made my heart leap; for when I moved of old


s: Went after her with longing:  yet we twain


s: Had never kissed a kiss, or vowed a vow.


s: And one had wedded her, and he was dead,


s: And all his land and wealth and state were hers.


s: Was toward me as of old; till one fair morn,


s: That flashed across her orchard underneath


s: Her castle-walls, she stole upon my walk,


s: And calling me the greatest of all knights,


s: Embraced me, and so kissed me the first time,


s: And gave herself and all her wealth to me.


s: Then I remembered Arthur's warning word,


s: That most of us would follow wandering fires,


s: With supplication both of knees and tongue:


s: "We have heard of thee:  thou art our greatest knight,


s: And thou shalt be as Arthur in our land."


s: Burnt me within, so that I rose and fled,


s: But wailed and wept, and hated mine own self,


s: And even the Holy Quest, and all but her;


s: Cared not for her, nor anything upon earth.'


s: Then said the monk, 'Poor men, when yule is cold,


s: Ever so little; yea, and blest be Heaven


s: That brought thee here to this poor house of ours


s: Where all the brethren are so hard, to warm


s: My cold heart with a friend:  but O the pity


s: To find thine own first love once more--to hold,


s: Hold her a wealthy bride within thine arms,


s: Or all but hold, and then--cast her aside,


s: Foregoing all her sweetness, like a weed.


s: For we that want the warmth of double life,


s: We that are plagued with dreams of something sweet


s: Beyond all sweetness in a life so rich,--


s: Ah, blessed Lord, I speak too earthlywise,


s: But live like an old badger in his earth,


s: With earth about him everywhere, despite


s: All fast and penance.  Saw ye none beside,


s: 'One night my pathway swerving east, I saw


s: The pelican on the casque of our Sir Bors


s: And toward him spurred, and hailed him, and he me,


s: And each made joy of either; then he asked,


s: "Where is he? hast thou seen him--Lancelot?--Once,"


s: Said good Sir Bors, "he dashed across me--mad,


s: And maddening what he rode:  and when I cried,


s: So holy,' Lancelot shouted, 'Stay me not!


s: I have been the sluggard, and I ride apace,


s: Because his former madness, once the talk


s: For Lancelot's kith and kin so worship him


s: Beyond the rest:  he well had been content


s: Not to have seen, so Lancelot might have seen,


s: Being so clouded with his grief and love,


s: Small heart was his after the Holy Quest:


s: If God would send the vision, well:  if not,


s: The Quest and he were in the hands of Heaven.


s: 'And then, with small adventure met, Sir Bors


s: Rode to the lonest tract of all the realm,


s: And found a people there among their crags,


s: Our race and blood, a remnant that were left


s: Paynim amid their circles, and the stones


s: They pitch up straight to heaven:  and their wise men


s: Were strong in that old magic which can trace


s: The wandering of the stars, and scoffed at him


s: And this high Quest as at a simple thing:


s: Told him he followed--almost Arthur's words--


s: A mocking fire:  "what other fire than he,


s: Whereby the blood beats, and the blossom blows,


s: And the sea rolls, and all the world is warmed?"


s: And when his answer chafed them, the rough crowd,


s: Hearing he had a difference with their priests,


s: Seized him, and bound and plunged him into a cell


s: Of great piled stones; and lying bounden there


s: He heard the hollow-ringing heavens sweep


s: Heavy as it was, a great stone slipt and fell,


s: Such as no wind could move:  and through the gap


s: Glimmered the streaming scud:  then came a night


s: Still as the day was loud; and through the gap


s: The seven clear stars of Arthur's Table Round--


s: For, brother, so one night, because they roll


s: Through such a round in heaven, we named the stars,


s: Rejoicing in ourselves and in our King--


s: And these, like bright eyes of familiar friends,


s: In on him shone:  "And then to me, to me,"


s: Said good Sir Bors, "beyond all hopes of mine,


s: Who scarce had prayed or asked it for myself--