A　hoary　man；　his　chamberlain；　to　whom
  He　trusted　all　things；　and　of　him　required
  His　counsel：　　'Knowest　thou　aught　of　Arthur's　birth？'
  Then　spake　the　hoary　chamberlain　and　said；
  'Sir　King；　there　be　but　two　old　men　that　know：
  And　each　is　twice　as　old　as　I；　and　one
  Is　Merlin；　the　wise　man　that　ever　served
  King　Uther　through　his　magic　art；　and　one
  Is　Merlin's　master　（so　they　call　him）　Bleys；
  Who　taught　him　magic；　but　the　scholar　ran
  Before　the　master；　and　so　far；　that　Bleys；
  Laid　magic　by；　and　sat　him　down；　and　wrote
  All　things　and　whatsoever　Merlin　did
  In　one　great　annal…book；　where　after…years
  Will　learn　the　secret　of　our　Arthur's　birth。'
  To　whom　the　King　Leodogran　replied；
  'O　friend；　had　I　been　holpen　half　as　well
  By　this　King　Arthur　as　by　thee　today；
  Then　beast　and　man　had　had　their　share　of　me：
  But　summon　here　before　us　yet　once　more
  Ulfius；　and　Brastias；　and　Bedivere。'
  Then；　when　they　came　before　him；　the　King　said；
  'I　have　seen　the　cuckoo　chased　by　lesser　fowl；
  And　reason　in　the　chase：　　but　wherefore　now
  Do　these　your　lords　stir　up　the　heat　of　war；
  Some　calling　Arthur　born　of　Gorlois；
  Others　of　Anton？　　Tell　me；　ye　yourselves；
  Hold　ye　this　Arthur　for　King　Uther's　son？'
  And　Ulfius　and　Brastias　answered；　'Ay。'
  Then　Bedivere；　the　first　of　all　his　knights
  Knighted　by　Arthur　at　his　crowning；　spake
  For　bold　in　heart　and　act　and　word　was　he；
  Whenever　slander　breathed　against　the　King
  'Sir；　there　be　many　rumours　on　this　head：
  For　there　be　those　who　hate　him　in　their　hearts；
  Call　him　baseborn；　and　since　his　ways　are　sweet；
  And　theirs　are　bestial；　hold　him　less　than　man：
  And　there　be　those　who　deem　him　more　than　man；
  And　dream　he　dropt　from　heaven：　　but　my　belief
  In　all　this　matterso　ye　care　to　learn
  Sir；　for　ye　know　that　in　King　Uther's　time
  The　prince　and　warrior　Gorlois；　he　that　held
  Tintagil　castle　by　the　Cornish　sea；
  Was　wedded　with　a　winsome　wife；　Ygerne：
  And　daughters　had　she　borne　him；one　whereof；
  Lot's　wife；　the　Queen　of　Orkney；　Bellicent；
  Hath　ever　like　a　loyal　sister　cleaved
  To　Arthur；but　a　son　she　had　not　borne。
  And　Uther　cast　upon　her　eyes　of　love：
  But　she；　a　stainless　wife　to　Gorlois；
  So　loathed　the　bright　dishonour　of　his　love；
  That　Gorlois　and　King　Uther　went　to　war：
  And　overthrown　was　Gorlois　and　slain。
  Then　Uther　in　his　wrath　and　heat　besieged
  Ygerne　within　Tintagil；　where　her　men；
  Seeing　the　mighty　swarm　about　their　walls；
  Left　her　and　fled；　and　Uther　entered　in；
  And　there　was　none　to　call　to　but　himself。
  So；　compassed　by　the　power　of　the　King；
  Enforced　was　she　to　wed　him　in　her　tears；
  And　with　a　shameful　swiftness：　　afterward；
  Not　many　moons；　King　Uther　died　himself；
  Moaning　and　wailing　for　an　heir　to　rule
  After　him；　lest　the　realm　should　go　to　wrack。
  And　that　same　night；　the　night　of　the　new　year；
  By　reason　of　the　bitterness　and　grief
  That　vext　his　mother；　all　before　his　time
  Was　Arthur　born；　and　all　as　soon　as　born
  Delivered　at　a　secret　postern…gate
  To　Merlin；　to　be　holden　far　apart
  Until　his　hour　should　come；　because　the　lords
  Of　that　fierce　day　were　as　the　lords　of　this；
  Wild　beasts；　and　surely　would　have　torn　the　child
  Piecemeal　among　them；　had　they　known；　for　each
  But　sought　to　rule　for　his　own　self　and　hand；
  And　many　hated　Uther　for　the　sake
  Of　Gorlois。　　Wherefore　Merlin　took　the　child；
  And　gave　him　to　Sir　Anton；　an　old　knight
  And　ancient　friend　of　Uther；　and　his　wife
  Nursed　the　young　prince；　and　reared　him　with　her　own；
  And　no　man　knew。　　And　ever　since　the　lords
  Have　foughten　like　wild　beasts　among　themselves；
  So　that　the　realm　has　gone　to　wrack：　　but　now；
  This　year；　when　Merlin　（for　his　hour　had　come）
  Brought　Arthur　forth；　and　set　him　in　the　hall；
  Proclaiming；　〃Here　is　Uther's　heir；　your　king；〃
  A　hundred　voices　cried；　〃Away　with　him！
  No　king　of　ours！　a　son　of　Gorlois　he；
  Or　else　the　child　of　Anton；　and　no　king；
  Or　else　baseborn。〃　　Yet　Merlin　through　his　craft；
  And　while　the　people　clamoured　for　a　king；
  Had　Arthur　crowned；　but　after；　the　great　lords
  Banded；　and　so　brake　out　in　open　war。'
  Then　while　the　King　debated　with　himself
  If　Arthur　were　the　child　of　shamefulness；
  Or　born　the　son　of　Gorlois；　after　death；
  Or　Uther's　son；　and　born　before　his　time；
  Or　whether　there　were　truth　in　anything
  Said　by　these　three；　there　came　to　Cameliard；
  With　Gawain　and　young　Modred；　her　two　sons；
  Lot's　wife；　the　Queen　of　Orkney；　Bellicent；
  Whom　as　he　could；　not　as　he　would；　the　King
  Made　feast　for；　saying；　as　they　sat　at　meat；
  'A　doubtful　throne　is　ice　on　summer　seas。
  Ye　come　from　Arthur's　court。　　Victor　his　men
  Report　him！　　Yea；　but　yethink　ye　this　king
  So　many　those　that　hate　him；　and　so　strong；
  So　few　his　knights；　however　brave　they　be
  Hath　body　enow　to　hold　his　foemen　down？'
  'O　King；'　she　cried；　'and　I　will　tell　thee：　　few；
  Few；　but　all　brave；　all　of　one　mind　with　him；
  For　I　was　near　him　when　the　savage　yells
  Of　Uther's　peerage　died；　and　Arthur　sat
  Crowned　on　the　dais；　and　his　warriors　cried；
  〃Be　thou　the　king；　and　we　will　work　thy　will
  Who　love　thee。〃　　Then　the　King　in　low　deep　tones；
  And　simple　words　of　great　authority；
  Bound　them　by　so　strait　vows　to　his　own　self；
  That　when　they　rose；　knighted　from　kneeling；　some
  Were　pale　as　at　the　passing　of　a　ghost；
  Some　flushed；　and　others　dazed；　as　one　who　wakes
  Half…blinded　at　the　coming　of　a　light。
  'But　when　he　spake　and　cheered　his　Table　Round
  With　large；　divine；　and　comfortable　words；
  Beyond　my　tongue　to　tell　theeI　beheld
  From　eye　to　eye　through　all　their　Order　flash
  A　momentary　likeness　of　the　King：
  And　ere　it　left　their　faces；　through　the　cross
  And　those　around　it　and　the　Crucified；
  Down　from　the　casement　over　Arthur；　smote
  Flame…colour；　vert　and　azure；　in　three　rays；
  One　falling　upon　each　of　three　fair　queens；
  Who　stood　in　silence　near　his　throne；　the　friends
  Of　Arthur；　gazing　on　him；　tall；　with　bright
  Sweet　faces；　who　will　help　him　at　his　need。
  'And　there　I　saw　mage　Merlin；　whose　vast　wit
  And　hundred　winters　are　but　as　the　hands
  Of　loyal　vassals　toiling　for　their　liege。
  'And　near　him　stood　the　Lady　of　the　Lake；
  Who　knows　a　subtler　magic　than　his　own
  Clothed　in　white　samite；　mystic；　wonderful。
  She　gave　the　King　his　huge　cross…hilted　sword；
  Whereby　to　drive　the　heathen　out：　　a　mist
  Of　incense　curled　about　her；　and　her　face
  Wellnigh　was　hidden　in　the　minster　gloom；
  But　there　was　heard　among　the　holy　hymns
  A　voice　as　of　the　waters；　for　she　dwells
  Down　in　a　deep；　calm；　whatsoever　storms
  May　shake　the　world；　and　when　the　surface　rolls；
  Hath　power　to　walk　the　waters　like　our　Lord。
  'There　likewise　I　beheld　Excalibur
  Before　him　at　his　crowning　borne；　the　sword
  That　rose　from　out　the　bosom　of　the　lake；
  And　Arthur　rowed　across　and　took　itrich
  With　jewels；　elfin　Urim；　on　the　hilt；
  Bewildering　heart　and　eyethe　blade　so　bright
  That　men　are　blinded　by　iton　one　side；
  Graven　in　the　oldest　tongue　of　all　this　world；
  〃Take　me；〃　but　turn　the　blade　and　ye　shall　see；
  And　written　in　the　speech　ye　speak　yourself；
  〃Cast　me　away！〃　　And　sad　was　Arthur's　face
  Taking　it；　but　old　Merlin　counselled　him；
  〃Take　thou　and　strike！　the　time　to　cast　away
  Is　yet　far…off。〃　　So　this　great　brand　the　king
  Took；　and　by　this　will　beat　his　foemen　down。'
  Thereat　Leodogran　rejoiced；　but　thought
  To　sift　his　doubtings　to　the　last；　and　asked；
  Fixing　full　eyes　of　question　on　her　face；
  'The　swallow　and　the　swift　are　near　akin；
  But　thou　art　closer　to　this　noble　prince；
  Being　his　own　dear　sister；'　and　she　said；
  'Daughter　of　Gorlois　and　Ygerne　am　I；'
  'And　therefore　Arthur's　sister？'　asked　the　King。
  She　answered；　'These　be　secret　things；'　and　signed
  To　those　two　sons　to　pass；　and　let　them　be。
  And　Gawain　went；　and　breaking　into　song
  Sprang　out；　and　followed　by　his　flying　hair
  Ran　like　a　colt；　and　leapt　at　all　he　saw：
  But　Modred　laid　his　ear　beside　the　doors；
  And　there　half…heard；　the　same　that　afterward
  Struck　for　the　throne；　and　striking　found　his　doom。
  And　then　the　Queen　made　answer；　'What　know　I？
  For　dark　my　mother　was　in　eyes　and　hair；
  And　dark　in　hair　and　eyes　am　I；　and　dark
  Was　Gorlois；　yea　and　dark　was　Uther　too；
  Wellnigh　to　blackness；　but　this　King　is　fair
  Beyond　the　race　of　Britons　and　of　men。
  Moreover；　always　in　my　mind　I　hear
  A　cry　from　out　the　dawning　of　my　life；
  A　mother　weeping；　and　I　hear　her　say；
  〃O　that　ye　had　some　brother；　pretty　one；
  To　guard　thee　on　the　rough　ways　of　the　world。〃'
  'Ay；'　said　the　King；　'and　hear　ye　such　a　cry？
  But　when　did　Arthur　chance　upon　thee　first？'
  'O　King！'　she　cried；　'and　I　will　tell　thee　true：
  He　found　me　first　when　yet　a　little　maid：
  Beaten　I　had　been　for　a　little　fault
  Whereof　I　was　not　guilty；　and　out　I　ran
  And　flung　myself　down　on　a　bank　of　heath；
  And　hated　this　fair　world　and　all　therein；
  And　wept；　and　wished　that　I　were　dead；　and　he
  I　know　not　whether　of　himself　he　came；
  Or　brought　by　Merlin；　who；　they　say；　can　walk
  Unseen　at　pleasurehe　was　at　my　side；
  And　spake　sweet　words；　and　comforted　my　heart；
  And　dried　my　tears；　being　a　child　with　me。
  And　many　a　time　he　came；　and　evermore
  As　I　grew　greater　grew　with　me；　and　sad
  At　times　he　seemed；　and　sad　with　him　was　I；
  Stern　too　at　times；　and　then　I　loved　him　not；
  Bu