With　joy　that　blazed　itself　in　woodland　wealth
  Of　leaf；　and　gayest　garlandage　of　flowers；
  Along　the　walls　and　down　the　board；　they　sat；
  And　cup　clashed　cup；　they　drank　and　some　one　sang；
  Sweet…voiced；　a　song　of　welcome；　whereupon
  Their　common　shout　in　chorus；　mounting；　made
  Those　banners　of　twelve　battles　overhead
  Stir；　as　they　stirred　of　old；　when　Arthur's　host
  Proclaimed　him　Victor；　and　the　day　was　won。
  Then　Balan　added　to　their　Order　lived
  A　wealthier　life　than　heretofore　with　these
  And　Balin；　till　their　embassage　returned。
  'Sir　King'　they　brought　report　'we　hardly　found；
  So　bushed　about　it　is　with　gloom；　the　hall
  Of　him　to　whom　ye　sent　us；　Pellam；　once
  A　Christless　foe　of　thine　as　ever　dashed
  Horse　against　horse；　but　seeing　that　thy　realm
  Hath　prospered　in　the　name　of　Christ；　the　King
  Took；　as　in　rival　heat；　to　holy　things；
  And　finds　himself　descended　from　the　Saint
  Arimathaean　Joseph；　him　who　first
  Brought　the　great　faith　to　Britain　over　seas；
  He　boasts　his　life　as　purer　than　thine　own；
  Eats　scarce　enow　to　keep　his　pulse　abeat；
  Hath　pushed　aside　his　faithful　wife；　nor　lets
  Or　dame　or　damsel　enter　at　his　gates
  Lest　he　should　be　polluted。　　This　gray　King
  Showed　us　a　shrine　wherein　were　wondersyea
  Rich　arks　with　priceless　bones　of　martyrdom；
  Thorns　of　the　crown　and　shivers　of　the　cross；
  And　therewithal　（for　thus　he　told　us）　brought
  By　holy　Joseph　thither；　that　same　spear
  Wherewith　the　Roman　pierced　the　side　of　Christ。
  He　much　amazed　us；　after；　when　we　sought
  The　tribute；　answered　〃I　have　quite　foregone
  All　matters　of　this　world：　　Garlon；　mine　heir；
  Of　him　demand　it；〃　which　this　Garlon　gave
  With　much　ado；　railing　at　thine　and　thee。
  'But　when　we　left；　in　those　deep　woods　we　found
  A　knight　of　thine　spear…stricken　from　behind；
  Dead；　whom　we　buried；　more　than　one　of　us
  Cried　out　on　Garlon；　but　a　woodman　there
  Reported　of　some　demon　in　the　woods
  Was　once　a　man；　who　driven　by　evil　tongues
  From　all　his　fellows；　lived　alone；　and　came
  To　learn　black　magic；　and　to　hate　his　kind
  With　such　a　hate；　that　when　he　died；　his　soul
  Became　a　Fiend；　which；　as　the　man　in　life
  Was　wounded　by　blind　tongues　he　saw　not　whence；
  Strikes　from　behind。　　This　woodman　showed　the　cave
  From　which　he　sallies；　and　wherein　he　dwelt。
  We　saw　the　hoof…print　of　a　horse；　no　more。'
  Then　Arthur；　'Let　who　goes　before　me；　see
  He　do　not　fall　behind　me：　　foully　slain
  And　villainously！　who　will　hunt　for　me
  This　demon　of　the　woods？'　　Said　Balan；　'I'！
  So　claimed　the　quest　and　rode　away；　but　first；
  Embracing　Balin；　'Good　my　brother；　hear！
  Let　not　thy　moods　prevail；　when　I　am　gone
  Who　used　to　lay　them！　hold　them　outer　fiends；
  Who　leap　at　thee　to　tear　thee；　shake　them　aside；
  Dreams　ruling　when　wit　sleeps！　yea；　but　to　dream
  That　any　of　these　would　wrong　thee；　wrongs　thyself。
  Witness　their　flowery　welcome。　　Bound　are　they
  To　speak　no　evil。　　Truly　save　for　fears；
  My　fears　for　thee；　so　rich　a　fellowship
  Would　make　me　wholly　blest：　　thou　one　of　them；
  Be　one　indeed：　　consider　them；　and　all
  Their　bearing　in　their　common　bond　of　love；
  No　more　of　hatred　than　in　Heaven　itself；
  No　more　of　jealousy　than　in　Paradise。'
  So　Balan　warned；　and　went；　Balin　remained：
  Whofor　but　three　brief　moons　had　glanced　away
  From　being　knighted　till　he　smote　the　thrall；
  And　faded　from　the　presence　into　years
  Of　exilenow　would　strictlier　set　himself
  To　learn　what　Arthur　meant　by　courtesy；
  Manhood；　and　knighthood；　wherefore　hovered　round
  Lancelot；　but　when　he　marked　his　high　sweet　smile
  In　passing；　and　a　transitory　word
  Make　knight　or　churl　or　child　or　damsel　seem
  From　being　smiled　at　happier　in　themselves
  Sighed；　as　a　boy　lame…born　beneath　a　height；
  That　glooms　his　valley；　sighs　to　see　the　peak
  Sun…flushed；　or　touch　at　night　the　northern　star；
  For　one　from　out　his　village　lately　climed
  And　brought　report　of　azure　lands　and　fair；
  Far　seen　to　left　and　right；　and　he　himself
  Hath　hardly　scaled　with　help　a　hundred　feet
  Up　from　the　base：　　so　Balin　marvelling　oft
  How　far　beyond　him　Lancelot　seemed　to　move；
  Groaned；　and　at　times　would　mutter；　'These　be　gifts；
  Born　with　the　blood；　not　learnable；　divine；
  Beyond　my　reach。　　Well　had　I　foughtenwell
  In　those　fierce　wars；　struck　hardand　had　I　crowned
  With　my　slain　self　the　heaps　of　whom　I　slew
  Sobetter！But　this　worship　of　the　Queen；
  That　honour　too　wherein　she　holds　himthis；
  This　was　the　sunshine　that　hath　given　the　man
  A　growth；　a　name　that　branches　o'er　the　rest；
  And　strength　against　all　odds；　and　what　the　King
  So　prizesoverprizesgentleness。
  Her　likewise　would　I　worship　an　I　might。
  I　never　can　be　close　with　her；　as　he
  That　brought　her　hither。　　Shall　I　pray　the　King
  To　let　me　bear　some　token　of　his　Queen
  Whereon　to　gaze；　remembering　herforget
  My　heats　and　violences？　live　afresh？
  What；　if　the　Queen　disdained　to　grant　it！　nay
  Being　so　stately…gentle；　would　she　make
  My　darkness　blackness？　and　with　how　sweet　grace
  She　greeted　my　return！　　Bold　will　I　be
  Some　goodly　cognizance　of　Guinevere；
  In　lieu　of　this　rough　beast　upon　my　shield；
  Langued　gules；　and　toothed　with　grinning　savagery。'
  And　Arthur；　when　Sir　Balin　sought　him；　said
  'What　wilt　thou　bear？'　Balin　was　bold；　and　asked
  To　bear　her　own　crown…royal　upon　shield；
  Whereat　she　smiled　and　turned　her　to　the　King；
  Who　answered　'Thou　shalt　put　the　crown　to　use。
  The　crown　is　but　the　shadow　of　the　King；
  And　this　a　shadow's　shadow；　let　him　have　it；
  So　this　will　help　him　of　his　violences！'
  'No　shadow'　said　Sir　Balin　'O　my　Queen；
  But　light　to　me！　no　shadow；　O　my　King；
  But　golden　earnest　of　a　gentler　life！'
  So　Balin　bare　the　crown；　and　all　the　knights
  Approved　him；　and　the　Queen；　and　all　the　world
  Made　music；　and　he　felt　his　being　move
  In　music　with　his　Order；　and　the　King。
  The　nightingale；　full…toned　in　middle　May；
  Hath　ever　and　anon　a　note　so　thin
  It　seems　another　voice　in　other　groves；
  Thus；　after　some　quick　burst　of　sudden　wrath；
  The　music　in　him　seemed　to　change；　and　grow
  Faint　and　far…off。
  And　once　he　saw　the　thrall
  His　passion　half　had　gauntleted　to　death；
  That　causer　of　his　banishment　and　shame；
  Smile　at　him；　as　he　deemed；　presumptuously：
  His　arm　half　rose　to　strike　again；　but　fell：
  The　memory　of　that　cognizance　on　shield
  Weighted　it　down；　but　in　himself　he　moaned：
  'Too　high　this　mount　of　Camelot　for　me：
  These　high…set　courtesies　are　not　for　me。
  Shall　I　not　rather　prove　the　worse　for　these？
  Fierier　and　stormier　from　restraining；　break
  Into　some　madness　even　before　the　Queen？'
  Thus；　as　a　hearth　lit　in　a　mountain　home；
  And　glancing　on　the　window；　when　the　gloom
  Of　twilight　deepens　round　it；　seems　a　flame
  That　rages　in　the　woodland　far　below；
  So　when　his　moods　were　darkened；　court　and　King
  And　all　the　kindly　warmth　of　Arthur's　hall
  Shadowed　an　angry　distance：　　yet　he　strove
  To　learn　the　graces　of　their　Table；　fought
  Hard　with　himself；　and　seemed　at　length　in　peace。
  Then　chanced；　one　morning；　that　Sir　Balin　sat
  Close…bowered　in　that　garden　nigh　the　hall。
  A　walk　of　roses　ran　from　door　to　door；
  A　walk　of　lilies　crost　it　to　the　bower：
  And　down　that　range　of　roses　the　great　Queen
  Came　with　slow　steps；　the　morning　on　her　face；
  And　all　in　shadow　from　the　counter　door
  Sir　Lancelot　as　to　meet　her；　then　at　once；
  As　if　he　saw　not；　glanced　aside；　and　paced
  The　long　white　walk　of　lilies　toward　the　bower。
  Followed　the　Queen；　Sir　Balin　heard　her　'Prince；
  Art　thou　so　little　loyal　to　thy　Queen；
  As　pass　without　good　morrow　to　thy　Queen？'
  To　whom　Sir　Lancelot　with　his　eyes　on　earth；
  'Fain　would　I　still　be　loyal　to　the　Queen。'
  'Yea　so'　she　said　'but　so　to　pass　me　by
  So　loyal　scarce　is　loyal　to　thyself；
  Whom　all　men　rate　the　king　of　courtesy。
  Let　be：　　ye　stand；　fair　lord；　as　in　a　dream。'
  Then　Lancelot　with　his　hand　among　the　flowers
  'Yeafor　a　dream。　　Last　night　methought　I　saw
  That　maiden　Saint　who　stands　with　lily　in　hand
  In　yonder　shrine。　　All　round　her　prest　the　dark；
  And　all　the　light　upon　her　silver　face
  Flowed　from　the　spiritual　lily　that　she　held。
  Lo！　these　her　emblems　drew　mine　eyesaway：
  For　see；　how　perfect…pure！　　As　light　a　flush
  As　hardly　tints　the　blossom　of　the　quince
  Would　mar　their　charm　of　stainless　maidenhood。'
  'Sweeter　to　me'　she　said　'this　garden　rose
  Deep…hued　and　many…folded！　sweeter　still
  The　wild…wood　hyacinth　and　the　bloom　of　May。
  Prince；　we　have　ridden　before　among　the　flowers
  In　those　fair　daysnot　all　as　cool　as　these；
  Though　season…earlier。　　Art　thou　sad？　or　sick？
  Our　noble　King　will　send　thee　his　own　leech
  Sick？　or　for　any　matter　angered　at　me？'
  Then　Lancelot　lifted　his　large　eyes；　they　dwelt
  Deep…tranced　on　hers；　and　could　not　fall：　　her　hue
  Changed　at　his　gaze：　　so　turning　side　by　side
  They　past；　and　Balin　started　from　his　bower。
  'Queen？　subject？　but　I　see　not　what　I　see。
  Damsel　and　lover？　hear　not　what　I　hear。
  My　father　hath　begotten　me　in　his　wrath。
  I　suffer　from　the　things　before　me；　know；
  Learn　nothing；　am　not　worthy　to　be　knight；
  A　churl；　a　clown！'　and　in　him　gloom　on　gloom
  Deepened：　　he　sharply　caught　his　lance　and　shield；
  Nor　stayed　to　crave　permission　of　the　King；
  But；　mad　for　strange　adventure；　dashed　away。
  He　took　the　selfsame　tra