Has　Arthur　spoken　aught？　or　would　yourself；
  Now　weary　of　my　service　and　devoir；
  Henceforth　be　truer　to　your　faultless　lord？'
  She　broke　into　a　little　scornful　laugh：
  'Arthur；　my　lord；　Arthur；　the　faultless　King；
  That　passionate　perfection；　my　good　lord
  But　who　can　gaze　upon　the　Sun　in　heaven？
  He　never　spake　word　of　reproach　to　me；
  He　never　had　a　glimpse　of　mine　untruth；
  He　cares　not　for　me：　　only　here　today
  There　gleamed　a　vague　suspicion　in　his　eyes：
  Some　meddling　rogue　has　tampered　with　himelse
  Rapt　in　this　fancy　of　his　Table　Round；
  And　swearing　men　to　vows　impossible；
  To　make　them　like　himself：　　but；　friend；　to　me
  He　is　all　fault　who　hath　no　fault　at　all：
  For　who　loves　me　must　have　a　touch　of　earth；
  The　low　sun　makes　the　colour：　　I　am　yours；
  Not　Arthur's；　as　ye　know；　save　by　the　bond。
  And　therefore　hear　my　words：　　go　to　the　jousts：
  The　tiny…trumpeting　gnat　can　break　our　dream
  When　sweetest；　and　the　vermin　voices　here
  May　buzz　so　loudwe　scorn　them；　but　they　sting。'
  Then　answered　Lancelot；　the　chief　of　knights：
  'And　with　what　face；　after　my　pretext　made；
  Shall　I　appear；　O　Queen；　at　Camelot；　I
  Before　a　King　who　honours　his　own　word；
  As　if　it　were　his　God's？'
  'Yea；'　said　the　Queen；
  'A　moral　child　without　the　craft　to　rule；
  Else　had　he　not　lost　me：　　but　listen　to　me；
  If　I　must　find　you　wit：　　we　hear　it　said
  That　men　go　down　before　your　spear　at　a　touch；
  But　knowing　you　are　Lancelot；　your　great　name；
  This　conquers：　　hide　it　therefore；　go　unknown：
  Win！　by　this　kiss　you　will：　　and　our　true　King
  Will　then　allow　your　pretext；　O　my　knight；
  As　all　for　glory；　for　to　speak　him　true；
  Ye　know　right　well；　how　meek　soe'er　he　seem；
  No　keener　hunter　after　glory　breathes。
  He　loves　it　in　his　knights　more　than　himself：
  They　prove　to　him　his　work：　　win　and　return。'
  Then　got　Sir　Lancelot　suddenly　to　horse；
  Wroth　at　himself。　　Not　willing　to　be　known；
  He　left　the　barren…beaten　thoroughfare；
  Chose　the　green　path　that　showed　the　rarer　foot；
  And　there　among　the　solitary　downs；
  Full　often　lost　in　fancy；　lost　his　way；
  Till　as　he　traced　a　faintly…shadowed　track；
  That　all　in　loops　and　links　among　the　dales
  Ran　to　the　Castle　of　Astolat；　he　saw
  Fired　from　the　west；　far　on　a　hill；　the　towers。
  Thither　he　made；　and　blew　the　gateway　horn。
  Then　came　an　old；　dumb；　myriad…wrinkled　man；
  Who　let　him　into　lodging　and　disarmed。
  And　Lancelot　marvelled　at　the　wordless　man；
  And　issuing　found　the　Lord　of　Astolat
  With　two　strong　sons；　Sir　Torre　and　Sir　Lavaine；
  Moving　to　meet　him　in　the　castle　court；
  And　close　behind　them　stept　the　lily　maid
  Elaine；　his　daughter：　　mother　of　the　house
  There　was　not：　　some　light　jest　among　them　rose
  With　laughter　dying　down　as　the　great　knight
  Approached　them：　　then　the　Lord　of　Astolat：
  'Whence　comes　thou；　my　guest；　and　by　what　name
  Livest　thou　between　the　lips？　for　by　thy　state
  And　presence　I　might　guess　thee　chief　of　those；
  After　the　King；　who　eat　in　Arthur's　halls。
  Him　have　I　seen：　　the　rest；　his　Table　Round；
  Known　as　they　are；　to　me　they　are　unknown。'
  Then　answered　Sir　Lancelot；　the　chief　of　knights：
  'Known　am　I；　and　of　Arthur's　hall；　and　known；
  What　I　by　mere　mischance　have　brought；　my　shield。
  But　since　I　go　to　joust　as　one　unknown
  At　Camelot　for　the　diamond；　ask　me　not；
  Hereafter　ye　shall　know　meand　the　shield
  I　pray　you　lend　me　one；　if　such　you　have；
  Blank；　or　at　least　with　some　device　not　mine。'
  Then　said　the　Lord　of　Astolat；　'Here　is　Torre's：
  Hurt　in　his　first　tilt　was　my　son；　Sir　Torre。
  And　so；　God　wot；　his　shield　is　blank　enough。
  His　ye　can　have。'　　Then　added　plain　Sir　Torre；
  'Yea；　since　I　cannot　use　it；　ye　may　have　it。'
  Here　laughed　the　father　saying；　'Fie；　Sir　Churl；
  Is　that　answer　for　a　noble　knight？
  Allow　him！　but　Lavaine；　my　younger　here；
  He　is　so　full　of　lustihood；　he　will　ride；
  Joust　for　it；　and　win；　and　bring　it　in　an　hour；
  And　set　it　in　this　damsel's　golden　hair；
  To　make　her　thrice　as　wilful　as　before。'
  'Nay；　father；　nay　good　father；　shame　me　not
  Before　this　noble　knight；'　said　young　Lavaine；
  'For　nothing。　　Surely　I　but　played　on　Torre：
  He　seemed　so　sullen；　vext　he　could　not　go：
  A　jest；　no　more！　for；　knight；　the　maiden　dreamt
  That　some　one　put　this　diamond　in　her　hand；
  And　that　it　was　too　slippery　to　be　held；
  And　slipt　and　fell　into　some　pool　or　stream；
  The　castle…well；　belike；　and　then　I　said
  That　if　I　went　and　if　I　fought　and　won　it
  （But　all　was　jest　and　joke　among　ourselves）
  Then　must　she　keep　it　safelier。　　All　was　jest。
  But；　father；　give　me　leave；　an　if　he　will；
  To　ride　to　Camelot　with　this　noble　knight：
  Win　shall　I　not；　but　do　my　best　to　win：
  Young　as　I　am；　yet　would　I　do　my　best。'
  'So　will　ye　grace　me；'　answered　Lancelot；
  Smiling　a　moment；　'with　your　fellowship
  O'er　these　waste　downs　whereon　I　lost　myself；
  Then　were　I　glad　of　you　as　guide　and　friend：
  And　you　shall　win　this　diamond；as　I　hear
  It　is　a　fair　large　diamond；if　ye　may；
  And　yield　it　to　this　maiden；　if　ye　will。'
  'A　fair　large　diamond；'　added　plain　Sir　Torre；
  'Such　be　for　queens；　and　not　for　simple　maids。'
  Then　she；　who　held　her　eyes　upon　the　ground；
  Elaine；　and　heard　her　name　so　tost　about；
  Flushed　slightly　at　the　slight　disparagement
  Before　the　stranger　knight；　who；　looking　at　her；
  Full　courtly；　yet　not　falsely；　thus　returned：
  'If　what　is　fair　be　but　for　what　is　fair；
  And　only　queens　are　to　be　counted　so；
  Rash　were　my　judgment　then；　who　deem　this　maid
  Might　wear　as　fair　a　jewel　as　is　on　earth；
  Not　violating　the　bond　of　like　to　like。'
  He　spoke　and　ceased：　　the　lily　maid　Elaine；
  Won　by　the　mellow　voice　before　she　looked；
  Lifted　her　eyes；　and　read　his　lineaments。
  The　great　and　guilty　love　he　bare　the　Queen；
  In　battle　with　the　love　he　bare　his　lord；
  Had　marred　his　face；　and　marked　it　ere　his　time。
  Another　sinning　on　such　heights　with　one；
  The　flower　of　all　the　west　and　all　the　world；
  Had　been　the　sleeker　for　it：　　but　in　him
  His　mood　was　often　like　a　fiend；　and　rose
  And　drove　him　into　wastes　and　solitudes
  For　agony；　who　was　yet　a　living　soul。
  Marred　as　he　was；　he　seemed　the　goodliest　man
  That　ever　among　ladies　ate　in　hall；
  And　noblest；　when　she　lifted　up　her　eyes。
  However　marred；　of　more　than　twice　her　years；
  Seamed　with　an　ancient　swordcut　on　the　cheek；
  And　bruised　and　bronzed；　she　lifted　up　her　eyes
  And　loved　him；　with　that　love　which　was　her　doom。
  Then　the　great　knight；　the　darling　of　the　court；
  Loved　of　the　loveliest；　into　that　rude　hall
  Stept　with　all　grace；　and　not　with　half　disdain
  Hid　under　grace；　as　in　a　smaller　time；
  But　kindly　man　moving　among　his　kind：
  Whom　they　with　meats　and　vintage　of　their　best
  And　talk　and　minstrel　melody　entertained。
  And　much　they　asked　of　court　and　Table　Round；
  And　ever　well　and　readily　answered　he：
  But　Lancelot；　when　they　glanced　at　Guinevere；
  Suddenly　speaking　of　the　wordless　man；
  Heard　from　the　Baron　that；　ten　years　before；
  The　heathen　caught　and　reft　him　of　his　tongue。
  'He　learnt　and　warned　me　of　their　fierce　design
  Against　my　house；　and　him　they　caught　and　maimed；
  But　I；　my　sons；　and　little　daughter　fled
  From　bonds　or　death；　and　dwelt　among　the　woods
  By　the　great　river　in　a　boatman's　hut。
  Dull　days　were　those；　till　our　good　Arthur　broke
  The　Pagan　yet　once　more　on　Badon　hill。'
  'O　there；　great　lord；　doubtless；'　Lavaine　said；　rapt
  By　all　the　sweet　and　sudden　passion　of　youth
  Toward　greatness　in　its　elder；　'you　have　fought。
  O　tell　usfor　we　live　apartyou　know
  Of　Arthur's　glorious　wars。'　　And　Lancelot　spoke
  And　answered　him　at　full；　as　having　been
  With　Arthur　in　the　fight　which　all　day　long
  Rang　by　the　white　mouth　of　the　violent　Glem；
  And　in　the　four　loud　battles　by　the　shore
  Of　Duglas；　that　on　Bassa；　then　the　war
  That　thundered　in　and　out　the　gloomy　skirts
  Of　Celidon　the　forest；　and　again
  By　castle　Gurnion；　where　the　glorious　King
  Had　on　his　cuirass　worn　our　Lady's　Head；
  Carved　of　one　emerald　centered　in　a　sun
  Of　silver　rays；　that　lightened　as　he　breathed；
  And　at　Caerleon　had　he　helped　his　lord；
  When　the　strong　neighings　of　the　wild　white　Horse
  Set　every　gilded　parapet　shuddering；
  And　up　in　Agned…Cathregonion　too；
  And　down　the　waste　sand…shores　of　Trath　Treroit；
  Where　many　a　heathen　fell；　'and　on　the　mount
  Of　Badon　I　myself　beheld　the　King
  Charge　at　the　head　of　all　his　Table　Round；
  And　all　his　legions　crying　Christ　and　him；
  And　break　them；　and　I　saw　him；　after；　stand
  High　on　a　heap　of　slain；　from　spur　to　plume
  Red　as　the　rising　sun　with　heathen　blood；
  And　seeing　me；　with　a　great　voice　he　cried；
  〃They　are　broken；　they　are　broken！〃　for　the　King；
  However　mild　he　seems　at　home；　nor　cares
  For　triumph　in　our　mimic　wars；　the　jousts
  For　if　his　own　knight　cast　him　down；　he　laughs
  Saying；　his　knights　are　better　men　than　he
  Yet　in　this　heathen　war　the　fire　of　God
  Fills　him：　　I　never　saw　his　like：　　there　lives
  No　greater　leader。'
  While　he　uttered　this；
  Low　to　her　own　heart　said　the　lily　maid；
  'Save　your　own　great　self；　fair　lord；'　and　when　he　fell
  From　talk　of　war　to　traits　of　pleasantry
  Being　mirthful　he；　but　in　a　stately　kind
  She　still　took　note　that　when　the　living　smile
  Died　from　his　lips；　across　him　came　a　cloud
  Of　melancholy　severe；　from　which　agai