And　never　could　undo　it：　　ask　no　more：
  For　though　you　should　not　prove　it　upon　me；
  But　keep　that　oath　ye　sware；　ye　might；　perchance；
  Assay　it　on　some　one　of　the　Table　Round；
  And　all　because　ye　dream　they　babble　of　you。'
  And　Vivien；　frowning　in　true　anger；　said：
  'What　dare　the　full…fed　liars　say　of　me？
  They　ride　abroad　redressing　human　wrongs！
  They　sit　with　knife　in　meat　and　wine　in　horn！
  They　bound　to　holy　vows　of　chastity！
  Were　I　not　woman；　I　could　tell　a　tale。
  But　you　are　man；　you　well　can　understand
  The　shame　that　cannot　be　explained　for　shame。
  Not　one　of　all　the　drove　should　touch　me：　　swine！'
  Then　answered　Merlin　careless　of　her　words：
  'You　breathe　but　accusation　vast　and　vague；
  Spleen…born；　I　think；　and　proofless。　　If　ye　know；
  Set　up　the　charge　ye　know；　to　stand　or　fall！'
  And　Vivien　answered　frowning　wrathfully：
  'O　ay；　what　say　ye　to　Sir　Valence；　him
  Whose　kinsman　left　him　watcher　o'er　his　wife
  And　two　fair　babes；　and　went　to　distant　lands；
  Was　one　year　gone；　and　on　returning　found
  Not　two　but　three？　there　lay　the　reckling；　one
  But　one　hour　old！　　What　said　the　happy　sire？'
  A　seven…months'　babe　had　been　a　truer　gift。
  Those　twelve　sweet　moons　confused　his　fatherhood。'
  Then　answered　Merlin；　'Nay；　I　know　the　tale。
  Sir　Valence　wedded　with　an　outland　dame：
  Some　cause　had　kept　him　sundered　from　his　wife：
  One　child　they　had：　　it　lived　with　her：　　she　died：
  His　kinsman　travelling　on　his　own　affair
  Was　charged　by　Valence　to　bring　home　the　child。
  He　brought；　not　found　it　therefore：　　take　the　truth。'
  'O　ay；'　said　Vivien；　'overtrue　a　tale。
  What　say　ye　then　to　sweet　Sir　Sagramore；
  That　ardent　man？　〃to　pluck　the　flower　in　season；〃
  So　says　the　song；　〃I　trow　it　is　no　treason。〃
  O　Master；　shall　we　call　him　overquick
  To　crop　his　own　sweet　rose　before　the　hour？'
  And　Merlin　answered；　'Overquick　art　thou
  To　catch　a　loathly　plume　fallen　from　the　wing
  Of　that　foul　bird　of　rapine　whose　whole　prey
  Is　man's　good　name：　　he　never　wronged　his　bride。
  I　know　the　tale。　　An　angry　gust　of　wind
  Puffed　out　his　torch　among　the　myriad…roomed
  And　many…corridored　complexities
  Of　Arthur's　palace：　　then　he　found　a　door；
  And　darkling　felt　the　sculptured　ornament
  That　wreathen　round　it　made　it　seem　his　own；
  And　wearied　out　made　for　the　couch　and　slept；
  A　stainless　man　beside　a　stainless　maid；
  And　either　slept；　nor　knew　of　other　there；
  Till　the　high　dawn　piercing　the　royal　rose
  In　Arthur's　casement　glimmered　chastely　down；
  Blushing　upon　them　blushing；　and　at　once
  He　rose　without　a　word　and　parted　from　her：
  But　when　the　thing　was　blazed　about　the　court；
  The　brute　world　howling　forced　them　into　bonds；
  And　as　it　chanced　they　are　happy；　being　pure。'
  'O　ay；'　said　Vivien；　'that　were　likely　too。
  What　say　ye　then　to　fair　Sir　Percivale
  And　of　the　horrid　foulness　that　he　wrought；
  The　saintly　youth；　the　spotless　lamb　of　Christ；
  Or　some　black　wether　of　St　Satan's　fold。
  What；　in　the　precincts　of　the　chapel…yard；
  Among　the　knightly　brasses　of　the　graves；
  And　by　the　cold　Hic　Jacets　of　the　dead！'
  And　Merlin　answered　careless　of　her　charge；
  'A　sober　man　is　Percivale　and　pure；
  But　once　in　life　was　flustered　with　new　wine；
  Then　paced　for　coolness　in　the　chapel…yard；
  Where　one　of　Satan's　shepherdesses　caught
  And　meant　to　stamp　him　with　her　master's　mark；
  And　that　he　sinned　is　not　believable；
  For；　look　upon　his　face！but　if　he　sinned；
  The　sin　that　practice　burns　into　the　blood；
  And　not　the　one　dark　hour　which　brings　remorse；
  Will　brand　us；　after；　of　whose　fold　we　be：
  Or　else　were　he；　the　holy　king；　whose　hymns
  Are　chanted　in　the　minster；　worse　than　all。
  But　is　your　spleen　frothed　out；　or　have　ye　more？'
  And　Vivien　answered　frowning　yet　in　wrath：
  'O　ay；　what　say　ye　to　Sir　Lancelot；　friend
  Traitor　or　true？　that　commerce　with　the　Queen；
  I　ask　you；　is　it　clamoured　by　the　child；
  Or　whispered　in　the　corner？　do　ye　know　it？'
  To　which　he　answered　sadly；　'Yea；　I　know　it。
  Sir　Lancelot　went　ambassador；　at　first；
  To　fetch　her；　and　she　watched　him　from　her　walls。
  A　rumour　runs；　she　took　him　for　the　King；
  So　fixt　her　fancy　on　him：　　let　them　be。
  But　have　ye　no　one　word　of　loyal　praise
  For　Arthur；　blameless　King　and　stainless　man？'
  She　answered　with　a　low　and　chuckling　laugh：
  'Man！　is　he　man　at　all；　who　knows　and　winks？
  Sees　what　his　fair　bride　is　and　does；　and　winks？
  By　which　the　good　King　means　to　blind　himself；
  And　blinds　himself　and　all　the　Table　Round
  To　all　the　foulness　that　they　work。　　Myself
  Could　call　him　（were　it　not　for　womanhood）
  The　pretty；　popular　cause　such　manhood　earns；
  Could　call　him　the　main　cause　of　all　their　crime；
  Yea；　were　he　not　crowned　King；　coward；　and　fool。'
  Then　Merlin　to　his　own　heart；　loathing；　said：
  'O　true　and　tender！　　O　my　liege　and　King！
  O　selfless　man　and　stainless　gentleman；
  Who　wouldst　against　thine　own　eye…witness　fain
  Have　all　men　true　and　leal；　all　women　pure；
  How；　in　the　mouths　of　base　interpreters；
  From　over…fineness　not　intelligible
  To　things　with　every　sense　as　false　and　foul
  As　the　poached　filth　that　floods　the　middle　street；
  Is　thy　white　blamelessness　accounted　blame！'
  But　Vivien；　deeming　Merlin　overborne
  By　instance；　recommenced；　and　let　her　tongue
  Rage　like　a　fire　among　the　noblest　names；
  Polluting；　and　imputing　her　whole　self；
  Defaming　and　defacing；　till　she　left
  Not　even　Lancelot　brave；　nor　Galahad　clean。
  Her　words　had　issue　other　than　she　willed。
  He　dragged　his　eyebrow　bushes　down；　and　made
  A　snowy　penthouse　for　his　hollow　eyes；
  And　muttered　in　himself；　'Tell　her　the　charm！
  So；　if　she　had　it；　would　she　rail　on　me
  To　snare　the　next；　and　if　she　have　it　not
  So　will　she　rail。　　What　did　the　wanton　say？
  〃Not　mount　as　high；〃　we　scarce　can　sink　as　low：
  For　men　at　most　differ　as　Heaven　and　earth；
  But　women；　worst　and　best；　as　Heaven　and　Hell。
  I　know　the　Table　Round；　my　friends　of　old；
  All　brave；　and　many　generous；　and　some　chaste。
  She　cloaks　the　scar　of　some　repulse　with　lies；
  I　well　believe　she　tempted　them　and　failed；
  Being　so　bitter：　　for　fine　plots　may　fail；
  Though　harlots　paint　their　talk　as　well　as　face
  With　colours　of　the　heart　that　are　not　theirs。
  I　will　not　let　her　know：　　nine　tithes　of　times
  Face…flatterer　and　backbiter　are　the　same。
  And　they；　sweet　soul；　that　most　impute　a　crime
  Are　pronest　to　it；　and　impute　themselves；
  Wanting　the　mental　range；　or　low　desire
  Not　to　feel　lowest　makes　them　level　all；
  Yea；　they　would　pare　the　mountain　to　the　plain；
  To　leave　an　equal　baseness；　and　in　this
  Are　harlots　like　the　crowd；　that　if　they　find
  Some　stain　or　blemish　in　a　name　of　note；
  Not　grieving　that　their　greatest　are　so　small；
  Inflate　themselves　with　some　insane　delight；
  And　judge　all　nature　from　her　feet　of　clay；
  Without　the　will　to　lift　their　eyes；　and　see
  Her　godlike　head　crowned　with　spiritual　fire；
  And　touching　other　worlds。　　I　am　weary　of　her。'
  He　spoke　in　words　part　heard；　in　whispers　part；
  Half…suffocated　in　the　hoary　fell
  And　many…wintered　fleece　of　throat　and　chin。
  But　Vivien；　gathering　somewhat　of　his　mood；
  And　hearing　'harlot'　muttered　twice　or　thrice；
  Leapt　from　her　session　on　his　lap；　and　stood
  Stiff　as　a　viper　frozen；　loathsome　sight；
  How　from　the　rosy　lips　of　life　and　love；
  Flashed　the　bare…grinning　skeleton　of　death！
  White　was　her　cheek；　sharp　breaths　of　anger　puffed
  Her　fairy　nostril　out；　her　hand　half…clenched
  Went　faltering　sideways　downward　to　her　belt；
  And　feeling；　had　she　found　a　dagger　there
  （For　in　a　wink　the　false　love　turns　to　hate）
  She　would　have　stabbed　him；　but　she　found　it　not：
  His　eye　was　calm；　and　suddenly　she　took
  To　bitter　weeping　like　a　beaten　child；
  A　long；　long　weeping；　not　consolable。
  Then　her　false　voice　made　way；　broken　with　sobs：
  'O　crueller　than　was　ever　told　in　tale；
  Or　sung　in　song！　　O　vainly　lavished　love！
  O　cruel；　there　was　nothing　wild　or　strange；
  Or　seeming　shamefulfor　what　shame　in　love；
  So　love　be　true；　and　not　as　yours　isnothing
  Poor　Vivien　had　not　done　to　win　his　trust
  Who　called　her　what　he　called　herall　her　crime；
  Allallthe　wish　to　prove　him　wholly　hers。'
  She　mused　a　little；　and　then　clapt　her　hands
  Together　with　a　wailing　shriek；　and　said：
  'Stabbed　through　the　heart's　affections　to　the　heart！
  Seethed　like　the　kid　in　its　own　mother's　milk！
  Killed　with　a　word　worse　than　a　life　of　blows！
  I　thought　that　he　was　gentle；　being　great：
  O　God；　that　I　had　loved　a　smaller　man！
  I　should　have　found　in　him　a　greater　heart。
  O；　I；　that　flattering　my　true　passion；　saw
  The　knights；　the　court；　the　King；　dark　in　your　light；
  Who　loved　to　make　men　darker　than　they　are；
  Because　of　that　high　pleasure　which　I　had
  To　seat　you　sole　upon　my　pedestal
  Of　worshipI　am　answered；　and　henceforth
  The　course　of　life　that　seemed　so　flowery　to　me
  With　you　for　guide　and　master；　only　you；
  Becomes　the　sea…cliff　pathway　broken　short；
  And　ending　in　a　ruinnothing　left；
  But　into　some　low　cave　to　crawl；　and　there；
  If　the　wolf　spare　me；　weep　my　life　away；
  Killed　with　inutterable　unkindliness。'
  She　paused；　she　turned　away；　she　hung　her　head；
  The　snake　of　gold　slid　from　her　hair；　the　braid
  Slipt　and　uncoiled　itself；　she　wept　afresh；
  And　the　dark　wood　grew　darker　toward　the　storm
  I