Ever　a　good　way　on　before；　and　this
  I　charge　thee；　on　thy　duty　as　a　wife；
  Whatever　happens；　not　to　speak　to　me；
  No；　not　a　word！'　and　Enid　was　aghast；
  And　forth　they　rode；　but　scarce　three　paces　on；
  When　crying　out；　'Effeminate　as　I　am；
  I　will　not　fight　my　way　with　gilded　arms；
  All　shall　be　iron；'　he　loosed　a　mighty　purse；
  Hung　at　his　belt；　and　hurled　it　toward　the　squire。
  So　the　last　sight　that　Enid　had　of　home
  Was　all　the　marble　threshold　flashing；　strown
  With　gold　and　scattered　coinage；　and　the　squire
  Chafing　his　shoulder：　　then　he　cried　again；
  'To　the　wilds！'　and　Enid　leading　down　the　tracks
  Through　which　he　bad　her　lead　him　on；　they　past
  The　marches；　and　by　bandit…haunted　holds；
  Gray　swamps　and　pools；　waste　places　of　the　hern；
  And　wildernesses；　perilous　paths；　they　rode：
  Round　was　their　pace　at　first；　but　slackened　soon：
  A　stranger　meeting　them　had　surely　thought
  They　rode　so　slowly　and　they　looked　so　pale；
  That　each　had　suffered　some　exceeding　wrong。
  For　he　was　ever　saying　to　himself；
  'O　I　that　wasted　time　to　tend　upon　her；
  To　compass　her　with　sweet　observances；
  To　dress　her　beautifully　and　keep　her　true'
  And　there　he　broke　the　sentence　in　his　heart
  Abruptly；　as　a　man　upon　his　tongue
  May　break　it；　when　his　passion　masters　him。
  And　she　was　ever　praying　the　sweet　heavens
  To　save　her　dear　lord　whole　from　any　wound。
  And　ever　in　her　mind　she　cast　about
  For　that　unnoticed　failing　in　herself；
  Which　made　him　look　so　cloudy　and　so　cold；
  Till　the　great　plover's　human　whistle　amazed
  Her　heart；　and　glancing　round　the　waste　she　feared
  In　ever　wavering　brake　an　ambuscade。
  Then　thought　again；　'If　there　be　such　in　me；
  I　might　amend　it　by　the　grace　of　Heaven；
  If　he　would　only　speak　and　tell　me　of　it。'
  But　when　the　fourth　part　of　the　day　was　gone；
  Then　Enid　was　aware　of　three　tall　knights
  On　horseback；　wholly　armed；　behind　a　rock
  In　shadow；　waiting　for　them；　caitiffs　all；
  And　heard　one　crying　to　his　fellow；　'Look；
  Here　comes　a　laggard　hanging　down　his　head；
  Who　seems　no　bolder　than　a　beaten　hound；
  Come；　we　will　slay　him　and　will　have　his　horse
  And　armour；　and　his　damsel　shall　be　ours。'
  Then　Enid　pondered　in　her　heart；　and　said：
  'I　will　go　back　a　little　to　my　lord；
  And　I　will　tell　him　all　their　caitiff　talk；
  For；　be　he　wroth　even　to　slaying　me；
  Far　liefer　by　his　dear　hand　had　I　die；
  Than　that　my　lord　should　suffer　loss　or　shame。'
  Then　she　went　back　some　paces　of　return；
  Met　his　full　frown　timidly　firm；　and　said；
  'My　lord；　I　saw　three　bandits　by　the　rock
  Waiting　to　fall　on　you；　and　heard　them　boast
  That　they　would　slay　you；　and　possess　your　horse
  And　armour；　and　your　damsel　should　be　theirs。'
  He　made　a　wrathful　answer：　　'Did　I　wish
  Your　warning　or　your　silence？　one　command
  I　laid　upon　you；　not　to　speak　to　me；
  And　thus　ye　keep　it！　　Well　then；　lookfor　now；
  Whether　ye　wish　me　victory　or　defeat；
  Long　for　my　life；　or　hunger　for　my　death；
  Yourself　shall　see　my　vigour　is　not　lost。'
  Then　Enid　waited　pale　and　sorrowful；
  And　down　upon　him　bare　the　bandit　three。
  And　at　the　midmost　charging；　Prince　Geraint
  Drave　the　long　spear　a　cubit　through　his　breast
  And　out　beyond；　and　then　against　his　brace
  Of　comrades；　each　of　whom　had　broken　on　him
  A　lance　that　splintered　like　an　icicle；
  Swung　from　his　brand　a　windy　buffet　out
  Once；　twice；　to　right；　to　left；　and　stunned　the　twain
  Or　slew　them；　and　dismounting　like　a　man
  That　skins　the　wild　beast　after　slaying　him；
  Stript　from　the　three　dead　wolves　of　woman　born
  The　three　gay　suits　of　armour　which　they　wore；
  And　let　the　bodies　lie；　but　bound　the　suits
  Of　armour　on　their　horses；　each　on　each；
  And　tied　the　bridle…reins　of　all　the　three
  Together；　and　said　to　her；　'Drive　them　on
  Before　you；'　and　she　drove　them　through　the　waste。
  He　followed　nearer；　ruth　began　to　work
  Against　his　anger　in　him；　while　he　watched
  The　being　he　loved　best　in　all　the　world；
  With　difficulty　in　mild　obedience
  Driving　them　on：　　he　fain　had　spoken　to　her；
  And　loosed　in　words　of　sudden　fire　the　wrath
  And　smouldered　wrong　that　burnt　him　all　within；
  But　evermore　it　seemed　an　easier　thing
  At　once　without　remorse　to　strike　her　dead；
  Than　to　cry　'Halt；'　and　to　her　own　bright　face
  Accuse　her　of　the　least　immodesty：
  And　thus　tongue…tied；　it　made　him　wroth　the　more
  That　she　could　speak　whom　his　own　ear　had　heard
  Call　herself　false：　　and　suffering　thus　he　made
  Minutes　an　age：　　but　in　scarce　longer　time
  Than　at　Caerleon　the　full…tided　Usk；
  Before　he　turn　to　fall　seaward　again；
  Pauses；　did　Enid；　keeping　watch；　behold
  In　the　first　shallow　shade　of　a　deep　wood；
  Before　a　gloom　of　stubborn…shafted　oaks；
  Three　other　horsemen　waiting；　wholly　armed；
  Whereof　one　seemed　far　larger　than　her　lord；
  And　shook　her　pulses；　crying；　'Look；　a　prize！
  Three　horses　and　three　goodly　suits　of　arms；
  And　all　in　charge　of　whom？　a　girl：　　set　on。'
  'Nay；'　said　the　second；　'yonder　comes　a　knight。'
  The　third；　'A　craven；　how　he　hangs　his　head。'
  The　giant　answered　merrily；　'Yea；　but　one？
  Wait　here；　and　when　he　passes　fall　upon　him。'
  And　Enid　pondered　in　her　heart　and　said；
  'I　will　abide　the　coming　of　my　lord；
  And　I　will　tell　him　all　their　villainy。
  My　lord　is　weary　with　the　fight　before；
  And　they　will　fall　upon　him　unawares。
  I　needs　must　disobey　him　for　his　good；
  How　should　I　dare　obey　him　to　his　harm？
  Needs　must　I　speak；　and　though　he　kill　me　for　it；
  I　save　a　life　dearer　to　me　than　mine。'
  And　she　abode　his　coming；　and　said　to　him
  With　timid　firmness；　'Have　I　leave　to　speak？'
  He　said；　'Ye　take　it；　speaking；'　and　she　spoke。
  'There　lurk　three　villains　yonder　in　the　wood；
  And　each　of　them　is　wholly　armed；　and　one
  Is　larger…limbed　than　you　are；　and　they　say
  That　they　will　fall　upon　you　while　ye　pass。'
  To　which　he　flung　a　wrathful　answer　back：
  'And　if　there　were　an　hundred　in　the　wood；
  And　every　man　were　larger…limbed　than　I；
  And　all　at　once　should　sally　out　upon　me；
  I　swear　it　would　not　ruffle　me　so　much
  As　you　that　not　obey　me。　　Stand　aside；
  And　if　I　fall；　cleave　to　the　better　man。'
  And　Enid　stood　aside　to　wait　the　event；
  Not　dare　to　watch　the　combat；　only　breathe
  Short　fits　of　prayer；　at　every　stroke　a　breath。
  And　he；　she　dreaded　most；　bare　down　upon　him。
  Aimed　at　the　helm；　his　lance　erred；　but　Geraint's；
  A　little　in　the　late　encounter　strained；
  Struck　through　the　bulky　bandit's　corselet　home；
  And　then　brake　short；　and　down　his　enemy　rolled；
  And　there　lay　still；　as　he　that　tells　the　tale
  Saw　once　a　great　piece　of　a　promontory；
  That　had　a　sapling　growing　on　it；　slide
  From　the　long　shore…cliff's　windy　walls　to　the　beach；
  And　there　lie　still；　and　yet　the　sapling　grew：
  So　lay　the　man　transfixt。　　His　craven　pair
  Of　comrades　making　slowlier　at　the　Prince；
  When　now　they　saw　their　bulwark　fallen；　stood；
  On　whom　the　victor；　to　confound　them　more；
  Spurred　with　his　terrible　war…cry；　for　as　one；
  That　listens　near　a　torrent　mountain…brook；
  All　through　the　crash　of　the　near　cataract　hears
  The　drumming　thunder　of　the　huger　fall
  At　distance；　were　the　soldiers　wont　to　hear
  His　voice　in　battle；　and　be　kindled　by　it；
  And　foemen　scared；　like　that　false　pair　who　turned
  Flying；　but；　overtaken；　died　the　death
  Themselves　had　wrought　on　many　an　innocent。
  Thereon　Geraint；　dismounting；　picked　the　lance
  That　pleased　him　best；　and　drew　from　those　dead　wolves
  Their　three　gay　suits　of　armour；　each　from　each；
  And　bound　them　on　their　horses；　each　on　each；
  And　tied　the　bridle…reins　of　all　the　three
  Together；　and　said　to　her；　'Drive　them　on
  Before　you；'　and　she　drove　them　through　the　wood。
  He　followed　nearer　still：　　the　pain　she　had
  To　keep　them　in　the　wild　ways　of　the　wood；
  Two　sets　of　three　laden　with　jingling　arms；
  Together；　served　a　little　to　disedge
  The　sharpness　of　that　pain　about　her　heart：
  And　they　themselves；　like　creatures　gently　born
  But　into　bad　hands　fallen；　and　now　so　long
  By　bandits　groomed；　pricked　their　light　ears；　and　felt
  Her　low　firm　voice　and　tender　government。
  So　through　the　green　gloom　of　the　wood　they　past；
  And　issuing　under　open　heavens　beheld
  A　little　town　with　towers；　upon　a　rock；
  And　close　beneath；　a　meadow　gemlike　chased
  In　the　brown　wild；　and　mowers　mowing　in　it：
  And　down　a　rocky　pathway　from　the　place
  There　came　a　fair…haired　youth；　that　in　his　hand
  Bare　victual　for　the　mowers：　　and　Geraint
  Had　ruth　again　on　Enid　looking　pale：
  Then；　moving　downward　to　the　meadow　ground；
  He；　when　the　fair…haired　youth　came　by　him；　said；
  'Friend；　let　her　eat；　the　damsel　is　so　faint。'
  'Yea；　willingly；'　replied　the　youth；　'and　thou；
  My　lord；　eat　also；　though　the　fare　is　coarse；
  And　only　meet　for　mowers；'　then　set　down
  His　basket；　and　dismounting　on　the　sward
  They　let　the　horses　graze；　and　ate　themselves。
  And　Enid　took　a　little　delicately；
  Less　having　stomach　for　it　than　desire
  To　close　with　her　lord's　pleasure；　but　Geraint
  Ate　all　the　mowers'　victual　unawares；
  And　when　he　found　all　empty；　was　amazed；
  And　'Boy；'　said　he；　'I　have　eaten　all；　but　take
  A　horse　and　arms　for　guerdon；　choose　the　best。'
  He；　reddening　in　extremity　of　delight；
  'My　lord；　you　overpay　me　fifty…fold。'
  'Ye　will　be　all　the　wealthier；'　cried　the　Prince。
  'I　take　it　as　free　gift；　then；'　sai