Slipt　and　uncoiled　itself；　she　wept　afresh；
  And　the　dark　wood　grew　darker　toward　the　storm
  In　silence；　while　his　anger　slowly　died
  Within　him；　till　he　let　his　wisdom　go
  For　ease　of　heart；　and　half　believed　her　true：
  Called　her　to　shelter　in　the　hollow　oak；
  'Come　from　the　storm；'　and　having　no　reply；
  Gazed　at　the　heaving　shoulder；　and　the　face
  Hand…hidden；　as　for　utmost　grief　or　shame；
  Then　thrice　essayed；　by　tenderest…touching　terms；
  To　sleek　her　ruffled　peace　of　mind；　in　vain。
  At　last　she　let　herself　be　conquered　by　him；
  And　as　the　cageling　newly　flown　returns；
  The　seeming…injured　simple…hearted　thing
  Came　to　her　old　perch　back；　and　settled　there。
  There　while　she　sat；　half…falling　from　his　knees；
  Half…nestled　at　his　heart；　and　since　he　saw
  The　slow　tear　creep　from　her　closed　eyelid　yet；
  About　her；　more　in　kindness　than　in　love；
  The　gentle　wizard　cast　a　shielding　arm。
  But　she　dislinked　herself　at　once　and　rose；
  Her　arms　upon　her　breast　across；　and　stood；
  A　virtuous　gentlewoman　deeply　wronged；
  Upright　and　flushed　before　him：　　then　she　said：
  'There　must　now　be　no　passages　of　love
  Betwixt　us　twain　henceforward　evermore；
  Since；　if　I　be　what　I　am　grossly　called；
  What　should　be　granted　which　your　own　gross　heart
  Would　reckon　worth　the　taking？　　I　will　go。
  In　truth；　but　one　thing　nowbetter　have　died
  Thrice　than　have　asked　it　oncecould　make　me　stay
  That　proof　of　trustso　often　asked　in　vain！
  How　justly；　after　that　vile　term　of　yours；
  I　find　with　grief！　　I　might　believe　you　then；
  Who　knows？　once　more。　　Lo！　what　was　once　to　me
  Mere　matter　of　the　fancy；　now　hath　grown
  The　vast　necessity　of　heart　and　life。
  Farewell；　think　gently　of　me；　for　I　fear
  My　fate　or　folly；　passing　gayer　youth
  For　one　so　old；　must　be　to　love　thee　still。
  But　ere　I　leave　thee　let　me　swear　once　more
  That　if　I　schemed　against　thy　peace　in　this；
  May　yon　just　heaven；　that　darkens　o'er　me；　send
  One　flash；　that；　missing　all　things　else；　may　make
  My　scheming　brain　a　cinder；　if　I　lie。'
  Scarce　had　she　ceased；　when　out　of　heaven　a　bolt
  （For　now　the　storm　was　close　above　them）　struck；
  Furrowing　a　giant　oak；　and　javelining
  With　darted　spikes　and　splinters　of　the　wood
  The　dark　earth　round。　　He　raised　his　eyes　and　saw
  The　tree　that　shone　white…listed　through　the　gloom。
  But　Vivien；　fearing　heaven　had　heard　her　oath；
  And　dazzled　by　the　livid…flickering　fork；
  And　deafened　with　the　stammering　cracks　and　claps
  That　followed；　flying　back　and　crying　out；
  'O　Merlin；　though　you　do　not　love　me；　save；
  Yet　save　me！'　clung　to　him　and　hugged　him　close；
  And　called　him　dear　protector　in　her　fright；
  Nor　yet　forgot　her　practice　in　her　fright；
  But　wrought　upon　his　mood　and　hugged　him　close。
  The　pale　blood　of　the　wizard　at　her　touch
  Took　gayer　colours；　like　an　opal　warmed。
  She　blamed　herself　for　telling　hearsay　tales：
  She　shook　from　fear；　and　for　her　fault　she　wept
  Of　petulancy；　she　called　him　lord　and　liege；
  Her　seer；　her　bard；　her　silver　star　of　eve；
  Her　God；　her　Merlin；　the　one　passionate　love
  Of　her　whole　life；　and　ever　overhead
  Bellowed　the　tempest；　and　the　rotten　branch
  Snapt　in　the　rushing　of　the　river…rain
  Above　them；　and　in　change　of　glare　and　gloom
  Her　eyes　and　neck　glittering　went　and　came；
  Till　now　the　storm；　its　burst　of　passion　spent；
  Moaning　and　calling　out　of　other　lands；
  Had　left　the　ravaged　woodland　yet　once　more
  To　peace；　and　what　should　not　have　been　had　been；
  For　Merlin；　overtalked　and　overworn；
  Had　yielded；　told　her　all　the　charm；　and　slept。
  Then；　in　one　moment；　she　put　forth　the　charm
  Of　woven　paces　and　of　waving　hands；
  And　in　the　hollow　oak　he　lay　as　dead；
  And　lost　to　life　and　use　and　name　and　fame。
  Then　crying　'I　have　made　his　glory　mine；'
  And　shrieking　out　'O　fool！'　the　harlot　leapt
  Adown　the　forest；　and　the　thicket　closed
  Behind　her；　and　the　forest　echoed　'fool。'
  Lancelot　and　Elaine
  Elaine　the　fair；　Elaine　the　loveable；
  Elaine；　the　lily　maid　of　Astolat；
  High　in　her　chamber　up　a　tower　to　the　east
  Guarded　the　sacred　shield　of　Lancelot；
  Which　first　she　placed　where　the　morning's　earliest　ray
  Might　strike　it；　and　awake　her　with　the　gleam；
  Then　fearing　rust　or　soilure　fashioned　for　it
  A　case　of　silk；　and　braided　thereupon
  All　the　devices　blazoned　on　the　shield
  In　their　own　tinct；　and　added；　of　her　wit；
  A　border　fantasy　of　branch　and　flower；
  And　yellow…throated　nestling　in　the　nest。
  Nor　rested　thus　content；　but　day　by　day；
  Leaving　her　household　and　good　father；　climbed
  That　eastern　tower；　and　entering　barred　her　door；
  Stript　off　the　case；　and　read　the　naked　shield；
  Now　guessed　a　hidden　meaning　in　his　arms；
  Now　made　a　pretty　history　to　herself
  Of　every　dint　a　sword　had　beaten　in　it；
  And　every　scratch　a　lance　had　made　upon　it；
  Conjecturing　when　and　where：　　this　cut　is　fresh；
  That　ten　years　back；　this　dealt　him　at　Caerlyle；
  That　at　Caerleon；　this　at　Camelot：
  And　ah　God's　mercy；　what　a　stroke　was　there！
  And　here　a　thrust　that　might　have　killed；　but　God
  Broke　the　strong　lance；　and　rolled　his　enemy　down；
  And　saved　him：　　so　she　lived　in　fantasy。
  How　came　the　lily　maid　by　that　good　shield
  Of　Lancelot；　she　that　knew　not　even　his　name？
  He　left　it　with　her；　when　he　rode　to　tilt
  For　the　great　diamond　in　the　diamond　jousts；
  Which　Arthur　had　ordained；　and　by　that　name
  Had　named　them；　since　a　diamond　was　the　prize。
  For　Arthur；　long　before　they　crowned　him　King；
  Roving　the　trackless　realms　of　Lyonnesse；
  Had　found　a　glen；　gray　boulder　and　black　tarn。
  A　horror　lived　about　the　tarn；　and　clave
  Like　its　own　mists　to　all　the　mountain　side：
  For　here　two　brothers；　one　a　king；　had　met
  And　fought　together；　but　their　names　were　lost；
  And　each　had　slain　his　brother　at　a　blow；
  And　down　they　fell　and　made　the　glen　abhorred：
  And　there　they　lay　till　all　their　bones　were　bleached；
  And　lichened　into　colour　with　the　crags：
  And　he；　that　once　was　king；　had　on　a　crown
  Of　diamonds；　one　in　front；　and　four　aside。
  And　Arthur　came；　and　labouring　up　the　pass；
  All　in　a　misty　moonshine；　unawares
  Had　trodden　that　crowned　skeleton；　and　the　skull
  Brake　from　the　nape；　and　from　the　skull　the　crown
  Rolled　into　light；　and　turning　on　its　rims
  Fled　like　a　glittering　rivulet　to　the　tarn：
  And　down　the　shingly　scaur　he　plunged；　and　caught；
  And　set　it　on　his　head；　and　in　his　heart
  Heard　murmurs；　'Lo；　thou　likewise　shalt　be　King。'
  Thereafter；　when　a　King；　he　had　the　gems
  Plucked　from　the　crown；　and　showed　them　to　his　knights；
  Saying；　'These　jewels；　whereupon　I　chanced
  Divinely；　are　the　kingdom's；　not　the　King's
  For　public　use：　　henceforward　let　there　be；
  Once　every　year；　a　joust　for　one　of　these：
  For　so　by　nine　years'　proof　we　needs　must　learn
  Which　is　our　mightiest；　and　ourselves　shall　grow
  In　use　of　arms　and　manhood；　till　we　drive
  The　heathen；　who；　some　say；　shall　rule　the　land
  Hereafter；　which　God　hinder。'　　Thus　he　spoke：
  And　eight　years　past；　eight　jousts　had　been；　and　still
  Had　Lancelot　won　the　diamond　of　the　year；
  With　purpose　to　present　them　to　the　Queen；
  When　all　were　won；　but　meaning　all　at　once
  To　snare　her　royal　fancy　with　a　boon
  Worth　half　her　realm；　had　never　spoken　word。
  Now　for　the　central　diamond　and　the　last
  And　largest；　Arthur；　holding　then　his　court
  Hard　on　the　river　nigh　the　place　which　now
  Is　this　world's　hugest；　let　proclaim　a　joust
  At　Camelot；　and　when　the　time　drew　nigh
  Spake　（for　she　had　been　sick）　to　Guinevere；
  'Are　you　so　sick；　my　Queen；　you　cannot　move
  To　these　fair　jousts？'　　'Yea；　lord；'　she　said；　'ye　know　it。'
  'Then　will　ye　miss；'　he　answered；　'the　great　deeds
  Of　Lancelot；　and　his　prowess　in　the　lists；
  A　sight　ye　love　to　look　on。'　　And　the　Queen
  Lifted　her　eyes；　and　they　dwelt　languidly
  On　Lancelot；　where　he　stood　beside　the　King。
  He　thinking　that　he　read　her　meaning　there；
  'Stay　with　me；　I　am　sick；　my　love　is　more
  Than　many　diamonds；'　yielded；　and　a　heart
  Love…loyal　to　the　least　wish　of　the　Queen
  （However　much　he　yearned　to　make　complete
  The　tale　of　diamonds　for　his　destined　boon）
  Urged　him　to　speak　against　the　truth；　and　say；
  'Sir　King；　mine　ancient　wound　is　hardly　whole；
  And　lets　me　from　the　saddle；'　and　the　King
  Glanced　first　at　him；　then　her；　and　went　his　way。
  No　sooner　gone　than　suddenly　she　began：
  'To　blame；　my　lord　Sir　Lancelot；　much　to　blame！
  Why　go　ye　not　to　these　fair　jousts？　the　knights
  Are　half　of　them　our　enemies；　and　the　crowd
  Will　murmur；　〃Lo　the　shameless　ones；　who　take
  Their　pastime　now　the　trustful　King　is　gone！〃'
  Then　Lancelot　vext　at　having　lied　in　vain：
  'Are　ye　so　wise？　ye　were　not　once　so　wise；
  My　Queen；　that　summer；　when　ye　loved　me　first。
  Then　of　the　crowd　ye　took　no　more　account
  Than　of　the　myriad　cricket　of　the　mead；
  When　its　own　voice　clings　to　each　blade　of　grass；
  And　every　voice　is　nothing。　　As　to　knights；
  Them　surely　can　I　silence　with　all　ease。
  But　now　my　loyal　worship　is　allowed
  Of　all　men：　　many　a　bard；　without　offence；
  Has　linked　our　names　together　in　his　lay；
  Lancelot；　the　flower　of　bravery；　Guinevere；
  The　pearl　of　beauty：　　and　our　knights　at　feast
  Have　pledged　us　in　this　union；　while　the　King
  Would　listen　smiling。　　How　then？　is　there　more？
  Has　Arthur　spoken　aught？　or　would　yourself；
  Now　weary　of　my　service　and　devoir；
  Hencefort