Out　of　the　city　a　blast　of　music　pealed。
  Back　from　the　gate　started　the　three；　to　whom
  From　out　thereunder　came　an　ancient　man；
  Long…bearded；　saying；　'Who　be　ye；　my　sons？'
  Then　Gareth；　'We　be　tillers　of　the　soil；
  Who　leaving　share　in　furrow　come　to　see
  The　glories　of　our　King：　　but　these；　my　men；
  （Your　city　moved　so　weirdly　in　the　mist）
  Doubt　if　the　King　be　King　at　all；　or　come
  From　Fairyland；　and　whether　this　be　built
  By　magic；　and　by　fairy　Kings　and　Queens；
  Or　whether　there　be　any　city　at　all；
  Or　all　a　vision：　　and　this　music　now
  Hath　scared　them　both；　but　tell　thou　these　the　truth。'
  Then　that　old　Seer　made　answer　playing　on　him
  And　saying；　'Son；　I　have　seen　the　good　ship　sail
  Keel　upward；　and　mast　downward；　in　the　heavens；
  And　solid　turrets　topsy…turvy　in　air：
  And　here　is　truth；　but　an　it　please　thee　not；
  Take　thou　the　truth　as　thou　hast　told　it　me。
  For　truly　as　thou　sayest；　a　Fairy　King
  And　Fairy　Queens　have　built　the　city；　son；
  They　came　from　out　a　sacred　mountain…cleft
  Toward　the　sunrise；　each　with　harp　in　hand；
  And　built　it　to　the　music　of　their　harps。
  And；　as　thou　sayest；　it　is　enchanted；　son；
  For　there　is　nothing　in　it　as　it　seems
  Saving　the　King；　though　some　there　be　that　hold
  The　King　a　shadow；　and　the　city　real：
  Yet　take　thou　heed　of　him；　for；　so　thou　pass
  Beneath　this　archway；　then　wilt　thou　become
  A　thrall　to　his　enchantments；　for　the　King
  Will　bind　thee　by　such　vows；　as　is　a　shame
  A　man　should　not　be　bound　by；　yet　the　which
  No　man　can　keep；　but；　so　thou　dread　to　swear；
  Pass　not　beneath　this　gateway；　but　abide
  Without；　among　the　cattle　of　the　field。
  For　an　ye　heard　a　music；　like　enow
  They　are　building　still；　seeing　the　city　is　built
  To　music；　therefore　never　built　at　all；
  And　therefore　built　for　ever。'
  Gareth　spake
  Angered；　'Old　master；　reverence　thine　own　beard
  That　looks　as　white　as　utter　truth；　and　seems
  Wellnigh　as　long　as　thou　art　statured　tall！
  Why　mockest　thou　the　stranger　that　hath　been
  To　thee　fair…spoken？'
  But　the　Seer　replied；
  'Know　ye　not　then　the　Riddling　of　the　Bards？
  〃Confusion；　and　illusion；　and　relation；
  Elusion；　and　occasion；　and　evasion〃？
  I　mock　thee　not　but　as　thou　mockest　me；
  And　all　that　see　thee；　for　thou　art　not　who
  Thou　seemest；　but　I　know　thee　who　thou　art。
  And　now　thou　goest　up　to　mock　the　King；
  Who　cannot　brook　the　shadow　of　any　lie。'
  Unmockingly　the　mocker　ending　here
  Turned　to　the　right；　and　past　along　the　plain；
  Whom　Gareth　looking　after　said；　'My　men；
  Our　one　white　lie　sits　like　a　little　ghost
  Here　on　the　threshold　of　our　enterprise。
  Let　love　be　blamed　for　it；　not　she；　nor　I：
  Well；　we　will　make　amends。'
  With　all　good　cheer
  He　spake　and　laughed；　then　entered　with　his　twain
  Camelot；　a　city　of　shadowy　palaces
  And　stately；　rich　in　emblem　and　the　work
  Of　ancient　kings　who　did　their　days　in　stone；
  Which　Merlin's　hand；　the　Mage　at　Arthur's　court；
  Knowing　all　arts；　had　touched；　and　everywhere
  At　Arthur's　ordinance；　tipt　with　lessening　peak
  And　pinnacle；　and　had　made　it　spire　to　heaven。
  And　ever　and　anon　a　knight　would　pass
  Outward；　or　inward　to　the　hall：　　his　arms
  Clashed；　and　the　sound　was　good　to　Gareth's　ear。
  And　out　of　bower　and　casement　shyly　glanced
  Eyes　of　pure　women；　wholesome　stars　of　love；
  And　all　about　a　healthful　people　stept
  As　in　the　presence　of　a　gracious　king。
  Then　into　hall　Gareth　ascending　heard
  A　voice；　the　voice　of　Arthur；　and　beheld
  Far　over　heads　in　that　long…vaulted　hall
  The　splendour　of　the　presence　of　the　King
  Throned；　and　delivering　doomand　looked　no　more
  But　felt　his　young　heart　hammering　in　his　ears；
  And　thought；　'For　this　half…shadow　of　a　lie
  The　truthful　King　will　doom　me　when　I　speak。'
  Yet　pressing　on；　though　all　in　fear　to　find
  Sir　Gawain　or　Sir　Modred；　saw　nor　one
  Nor　other；　but　in　all　the　listening　eyes
  Of　those　tall　knights；　that　ranged　about　the　throne；
  Clear　honour　shining　like　the　dewy　star
  Of　dawn；　and　faith　in　their　great　King；　with　pure
  Affection；　and　the　light　of　victory；
  And　glory　gained；　and　evermore　to　gain。
  Then　came　a　widow　crying　to　the　King；
  'A　boon；　Sir　King！　　Thy　father；　Uther；　reft
  From　my　dead　lord　a　field　with　violence：
  For　howsoe'er　at　first　he　proffered　gold；
  Yet；　for　the　field　was　pleasant　in　our　eyes；
  We　yielded　not；　and　then　he　reft　us　of　it
  Perforce；　and　left　us　neither　gold　nor　field。'
  Said　Arthur；　'Whether　would　ye？　gold　or　field？'
  To　whom　the　woman　weeping；　'Nay；　my　lord；
  The　field　was　pleasant　in　my　husband's　eye。'
  And　Arthur；　'Have　thy　pleasant　field　again；
  And　thrice　the　gold　for　Uther's　use　thereof；
  According　to　the　years。　　No　boon　is　here；
  But　justice；　so　thy　say　be　proven　true。
  Accursed；　who　from　the　wrongs　his　father　did
  Would　shape　himself　a　right！'
  And　while　she　past；
  Came　yet　another　widow　crying　to　him；
  'A　boon；　Sir　King！　　Thine　enemy；　King；　am　I。
  With　thine　own　hand　thou　slewest　my　dear　lord；
  A　knight　of　Uther　in　the　Barons'　war；
  When　Lot　and　many　another　rose　and　fought
  Against　thee；　saying　thou　wert　basely　born。
  I　held　with　these；　and　loathe　to　ask　thee　aught。
  Yet　lo！　my　husband's　brother　had　my　son
  Thralled　in　his　castle；　and　hath　starved　him　dead；
  And　standeth　seized　of　that　inheritance
  Which　thou　that　slewest　the　sire　hast　left　the　son。
  So　though　I　scarce　can　ask　it　thee　for　hate；
  Grant　me　some　knight　to　do　the　battle　for　me；
  Kill　the　foul　thief；　and　wreak　me　for　my　son。'
  Then　strode　a　good　knight　forward；　crying　to　him；
  'A　boon；　Sir　King！　　I　am　her　kinsman；　I。
  Give　me　to　right　her　wrong；　and　slay　the　man。'
  Then　came　Sir　Kay；　the　seneschal；　and　cried；
  'A　boon；　Sir　King！　even　that　thou　grant　her　none；
  This　railer；　that　hath　mocked　thee　in　full　hall
  None；　or　the　wholesome　boon　of　gyve　and　gag。'
  But　Arthur；　'We　sit　King；　to　help　the　wronged
  Through　all　our　realm。　　The　woman　loves　her　lord。
  Peace　to　thee；　woman；　with　thy　loves　and　hates！
  The　kings　of　old　had　doomed　thee　to　the　flames；
  Aurelius　Emrys　would　have　scourged　thee　dead；
  And　Uther　slit　thy　tongue：　　but　get　thee　hence
  Lest　that　rough　humour　of　the　kings　of　old
  Return　upon　me！　　Thou　that　art　her　kin；
  Go　likewise；　lay　him　low　and　slay　him　not；
  But　bring　him　here；　that　I　may　judge　the　right；
  According　to　the　justice　of　the　King：
  Then；　be　he　guilty；　by　that　deathless　King
  Who　lived　and　died　for　men；　the　man　shall　die。'
  Then　came　in　hall　the　messenger　of　Mark；
  A　name　of　evil　savour　in　the　land；
  The　Cornish　king。　　In　either　hand　he　bore
  What　dazzled　all；　and　shone　far…off　as　shines
  A　field　of　charlock　in　the　sudden　sun
  Between　two　showers；　a　cloth　of　palest　gold；
  Which　down　he　laid　before　the　throne；　and　knelt；
  Delivering；　that　his　lord；　the　vassal　king；
  Was　even　upon　his　way　to　Camelot；
  For　having　heard　that　Arthur　of　his　grace
  Had　made　his　goodly　cousin；　Tristram；　knight；
  And；　for　himself　was　of　the　greater　state；
  Being　a　king；　he　trusted　his　liege…lord
  Would　yield　him　this　large　honour　all　the　more；
  So　prayed　him　well　to　accept　this　cloth　of　gold；
  In　token　of　true　heart　and　fealty。
  Then　Arthur　cried　to　rend　the　cloth；　to　rend
  In　pieces；　and　so　cast　it　on　the　hearth。
  An　oak…tree　smouldered　there。　　'The　goodly　knight！
  What！　shall　the　shield　of　Mark　stand　among　these？'
  For；　midway　down　the　side　of　that　long　hall
  A　stately　pile；whereof　along　the　front；
  Some　blazoned；　some　but　carven；　and　some　blank；
  There　ran　a　treble　range　of　stony　shields；
  Rose；　and　high…arching　overbrowed　the　hearth。
  And　under　every　shield　a　knight　was　named：
  For　this　was　Arthur's　custom　in　his　hall；
  When　some　good　knight　had　done　one　noble　deed；
  His　arms　were　carven　only；　but　if　twain
  His　arms　were　blazoned　also；　but　if　none；
  The　shield　was　blank　and　bare　without　a　sign
  Saving　the　name　beneath；　and　Gareth　saw
  The　shield　of　Gawain　blazoned　rich　and　bright；
  And　Modred's　blank　as　death；　and　Arthur　cried
  To　rend　the　cloth　and　cast　it　on　the　hearth。
  'More　like　are　we　to　reave　him　of　his　crown
  Than　make　him　knight　because　men　call　him　king。
  The　kings　we　found；　ye　know　we　stayed　their　hands
  From　war　among　themselves；　but　left　them　kings；
  Of　whom　were　any　bounteous；　merciful；
  Truth…speaking；　brave；　good　livers；　them　we　enrolled
  Among　us；　and　they　sit　within　our　hall。
  But　as　Mark　hath　tarnished　the　great　name　of　king；
  As　Mark　would　sully　the　low　state　of　churl：
  And；　seeing　he　hath　sent　us　cloth　of　gold；
  Return；　and　meet；　and　hold　him　from　our　eyes；
  Lest　we　should　lap　him　up　in　cloth　of　lead；
  Silenced　for　evercravena　man　of　plots；
  Craft；　poisonous　counsels；　wayside　ambushings
  No　fault　of　thine：　　let　Kay　the　seneschal
  Look　to　thy　wants；　and　send　thee　satisfied
  Accursed；　who　strikes　nor　lets　the　hand　be　seen！'
  And　many　another　suppliant　crying　came
  With　noise　of　ravage　wrought　by　beast　and　man；
  And　evermore　a　knight　would　ride　away。
  Last；　Gareth　leaning　both　hands　heavily
  Down　on　the　shoulders　of　the　twain；　his　men；
  Approached　between　them　toward　the　King；　and　asked；
  'A　boon；　Sir　King　（his　voice　was　all　ashamed）；
  For　see　ye　not　how　weak　and　hungerworn
  I　seemleaning　on　these？　grant　me　to　serve
  For　meat　and　drink　among　thy　kitc