And　then　the　music　faded；　and　the　Grail
  Past；　and　the　beam　decayed；　and　from　the　walls
  The　rosy　quiverings　died　into　the　night。
  So　now　the　Holy　Thing　is　here　again
  Among　us；　brother；　fast　thou　too　and　pray；
  And　tell　thy　brother　knights　to　fast　and　pray；
  That　so　perchance　the　vision　may　be　seen
  By　thee　and　those；　and　all　the　world　be　healed。〃
  'Then　leaving　the　pale　nun；　I　spake　of　this
  To　all　men；　and　myself　fasted　and　prayed
  Always；　and　many　among　us　many　a　week
  Fasted　and　prayed　even　to　the　uttermost；
  Expectant　of　the　wonder　that　would　be。
  'And　one　there　was　among　us；　ever　moved
  Among　us　in　white　armour；　Galahad。
  〃God　make　thee　good　as　thou　art　beautiful；〃
  Said　Arthur；　when　he　dubbed　him　knight；　and　none；
  In　so　young　youth；　was　ever　made　a　knight
  Till　Galahad；　and　this　Galahad；　when　he　heard
  My　sister's　vision；　filled　me　with　amaze；
  His　eyes　became　so　like　her　own；　they　seemed
  Hers；　and　himself　her　brother　more　than　I。
  'Sister　or　brother　none　had　he；　but　some
  Called　him　a　son　of　Lancelot；　and　some　said
  Begotten　by　enchantmentchatterers　they；
  Like　birds　of　passage　piping　up　and　down；
  That　gape　for　flieswe　know　not　whence　they　come；
  For　when　was　Lancelot　wanderingly　lewd？
  'But　she；　the　wan　sweet　maiden；　shore　away
  Clean　from　her　forehead　all　that　wealth　of　hair
  Which　made　a　silken　mat…work　for　her　feet；
  And　out　of　this　she　plaited　broad　and　long
  A　strong　sword…belt；　and　wove　with　silver　thread
  And　crimson　in　the　belt　a　strange　device；
  A　crimson　grail　within　a　silver　beam；
  And　saw　the　bright　boy…knight；　and　bound　it　on　him；
  Saying；　〃My　knight；　my　love；　my　knight　of　heaven；
  O　thou；　my　love；　whose　love　is　one　with　mine；
  I；　maiden；　round　thee；　maiden；　bind　my　belt。
  Go　forth；　for　thou　shalt　see　what　I　have　seen；
  And　break　through　all；　till　one　will　crown　thee　king
  Far　in　the　spiritual　city：〃　and　as　she　spake
  She　sent　the　deathless　passion　in　her　eyes
  Through　him；　and　made　him　hers；　and　laid　her　mind
  On　him；　and　he　believed　in　her　belief。
  'Then　came　a　year　of　miracle：　　O　brother；
  In　our　great　hall　there　stood　a　vacant　chair；
  Fashioned　by　Merlin　ere　he　past　away；
  And　carven　with　strange　figures；　and　in　and　out
  The　figures；　like　a　serpent；　ran　a　scroll
  Of　letters　in　a　tongue　no　man　could　read。
  And　Merlin　called　it　〃The　Siege　perilous；〃
  Perilous　for　good　and　ill；　〃for　there；〃　he　said；
  〃No　man　could　sit　but　he　should　lose　himself：〃
  And　once　by　misadvertence　Merlin　sat
  In　his　own　chair；　and　so　was　lost；　but　he；
  Galahad；　when　he　heard　of　Merlin's　doom；
  Cried；　〃If　I　lose　myself；　I　save　myself！〃
  'Then　on　a　summer　night　it　came　to　pass；
  While　the　great　banquet　lay　along　the　hall；
  That　Galahad　would　sit　down　in　Merlin's　chair。
  'And　all　at　once；　as　there　we　sat；　we　heard
  A　cracking　and　a　riving　of　the　roofs；
  And　rending；　and　a　blast；　and　overhead
  Thunder；　and　in　the　thunder　was　a　cry。
  And　in　the　blast　there　smote　along　the　hall
  A　beam　of　light　seven　times　more　clear　than　day：
  And　down　the　long　beam　stole　the　Holy　Grail
  All　over　covered　with　a　luminous　cloud。
  And　none　might　see　who　bare　it；　and　it　past。
  But　every　knight　beheld　his　fellow's　face
  As　in　a　glory；　and　all　the　knights　arose；
  And　staring　each　at　other　like　dumb　men
  Stood；　till　I　found　a　voice　and　sware　a　vow。
  'I　sware　a　vow　before　them　all；　that　I；
  Because　I　had　not　seen　the　Grail；　would　ride
  A　twelvemonth　and　a　day　in　quest　of　it；
  Until　I　found　and　saw　it；　as　the　nun
  My　sister　saw　it；　and　Galahad　sware　the　vow；
  And　good　Sir　Bors；　our　Lancelot's　cousin；　sware；
  And　Lancelot　sware；　and　many　among　the　knights；
  And　Gawain　sware；　and　louder　than　the　rest。'
  Then　spake　the　monk　Ambrosius；　asking　him；
  'What　said　the　King？　　Did　Arthur　take　the　vow？'
  'Nay；　for　my　lord；'　said　Percivale；　'the　King；
  Was　not　in　hall：　　for　early　that　same　day；
  Scaped　through　a　cavern　from　a　bandit　hold；
  An　outraged　maiden　sprang　into　the　hall
  Crying　on　help：　　for　all　her　shining　hair
  Was　smeared　with　earth；　and　either　milky　arm
  Red…rent　with　hooks　of　bramble；　and　all　she　wore
  Torn　as　a　sail　that　leaves　the　rope　is　torn
  In　tempest：　　so　the　King　arose　and　went
  To　smoke　the　scandalous　hive　of　those　wild　bees
  That　made　such　honey　in　his　realm。　　Howbeit
  Some　little　of　this　marvel　he　too　saw；
  Returning　o'er　the　plain　that　then　began
  To　darken　under　Camelot；　whence　the　King
  Looked　up；　calling　aloud；　〃Lo；　there！　the　roofs
  Of　our　great　hall　are　rolled　in　thunder…smoke！
  Pray　Heaven；　they　be　not　smitten　by　the　bolt。〃
  For　dear　to　Arthur　was　that　hall　of　ours；
  As　having　there　so　oft　with　all　his　knights
  Feasted；　and　as　the　stateliest　under　heaven。
  'O　brother；　had　you　known　our　mighty　hall；
  Which　Merlin　built　for　Arthur　long　ago！
  For　all　the　sacred　mount　of　Camelot；
  And　all　the　dim　rich　city；　roof　by　roof；
  Tower　after　tower；　spire　beyond　spire；
  By　grove；　and　garden…lawn；　and　rushing　brook；
  Climbs　to　the　mighty　hall　that　Merlin　built。
  And　four　great　zones　of　sculpture；　set　betwixt
  With　many　a　mystic　symbol；　gird　the　hall：
  And　in　the　lowest　beasts　are　slaying　men；
  And　in　the　second　men　are　slaying　beasts；
  And　on　the　third　are　warriors；　perfect　men；
  And　on　the　fourth　are　men　with　growing　wings；
  And　over　all　one　statue　in　the　mould
  Of　Arthur；　made　by　Merlin；　with　a　crown；
  And　peaked　wings　pointed　to　the　Northern　Star。
  And　eastward　fronts　the　statue；　and　the　crown
  And　both　the　wings　are　made　of　gold；　and　flame
  At　sunrise　till　the　people　in　far　fields；
  Wasted　so　often　by　the　heathen　hordes；
  Behold　it；　crying；　〃We　have　still　a　King。〃
  'And；　brother；　had　you　known　our　hall　within；
  Broader　and　higher　than　any　in　all　the　lands！
  Where　twelve　great　windows　blazon　Arthur's　wars；
  And　all　the　light　that　falls　upon　the　board
  Streams　through　the　twelve　great　battles　of　our　King。
  Nay；　one　there　is；　and　at　the　eastern　end；
  Wealthy　with　wandering　lines　of　mount　and　mere；
  Where　Arthur　finds　the　brand　Excalibur。
  And　also　one　to　the　west；　and　counter　to　it；
  And　blank：　　and　who　shall　blazon　it？　when　and　how？
  O　there；　perchance；　when　all　our　wars　are　done；
  The　brand　Excalibur　will　be　cast　away。
  'So　to　this　hall　full　quickly　rode　the　King；
  In　horror　lest　the　work　by　Merlin　wrought；
  Dreamlike；　should　on　the　sudden　vanish；　wrapt
  In　unremorseful　folds　of　rolling　fire。
  And　in　he　rode；　and　up　I　glanced；　and　saw
  The　golden　dragon　sparkling　over　all：
  And　many　of　those　who　burnt　the　hold；　their　arms
  Hacked；　and　their　foreheads　grimed　with　smoke；　and　seared；
  Followed；　and　in　among　bright　faces；　ours；
  Full　of　the　vision；　prest：　　and　then　the　King
  Spake　to　me；　being　nearest；　〃Percivale；〃
  （Because　the　hall　was　all　in　tumultsome
  Vowing；　and　some　protesting）；　〃what　is　this？〃
  'O　brother；　when　I　told　him　what　had　chanced；
  My　sister's　vision；　and　the　rest；　his　face
  Darkened；　as　I　have　seen　it　more　than　once；
  When　some　brave　deed　seemed　to　be　done　in　vain；
  Darken；　and　〃Woe　is　me；　my　knights；〃　he　cried；
  〃Had　I　been　here；　ye　had　not　sworn　the　vow。〃
  Bold　was　mine　answer；　〃Had　thyself　been　here；
  My　King；　thou　wouldst　have　sworn。〃　　〃Yea；　yea；〃　said　he；
  〃Art　thou　so　bold　and　hast　not　seen　the　Grail？〃
  '〃Nay；　lord；　I　heard　the　sound；　I　saw　the　light；
  But　since　I　did　not　see　the　Holy　Thing；
  I　sware　a　vow　to　follow　it　till　I　saw。〃
  'Then　when　he　asked　us；　knight　by　knight；　if　any
  Had　seen　it；　all　their　answers　were　as　one：
  〃Nay；　lord；　and　therefore　have　we　sworn　our　vows。〃
  '〃Lo　now；〃　said　Arthur；　〃have　ye　seen　a　cloud？
  What　go　ye　into　the　wilderness　to　see？〃
  'Then　Galahad　on　the　sudden；　and　in　a　voice
  Shrilling　along　the　hall　to　Arthur；　called；
  〃But　I；　Sir　Arthur；　saw　the　Holy　Grail；
  I　saw　the　Holy　Grail　and　heard　a　cry
  'O　Galahad；　and　O　Galahad；　follow　me。'〃
  '〃Ah；　Galahad；　Galahad；〃　said　the　King；　〃for　such
  As　thou　art　is　the　vision；　not　for　these。
  Thy　holy　nun　and　thou　have　seen　a　sign
  Holier　is　none；　my　Percivale；　than　she
  A　sign　to　maim　this　Order　which　I　made。
  But　ye；　that　follow　but　the　leader's　bell〃
  （Brother；　the　King　was　hard　upon　his　knights）
  〃Taliessin　is　our　fullest　throat　of　song；
  And　one　hath　sung　and　all　the　dumb　will　sing。
  Lancelot　is　Lancelot；　and　hath　overborne
  Five　knights　at　once；　and　every　younger　knight；
  Unproven；　holds　himself　as　Lancelot；
  Till　overborne　by　one；　he　learnsand　ye；
  What　are　ye？　Galahads？no；　nor　Percivales〃
  （For　thus　it　pleased　the　King　to　range　me　close
  After　Sir　Galahad）；　〃nay；〃　said　he；　〃but　men
  With　strength　and　will　to　right　the　wronged；　of　power
  To　lay　the　sudden　heads　of　violence　flat；
  Knights　that　in　twelve　great　battles　splashed　and　dyed
  The　strong　White　Horse　in　his　own　heathen　blood
  But　one　hath　seen；　and　all　the　blind　will　see。
  Go；　since　your　vows　are　sacred；　being　made：
  Yetfor　ye　know　the　cries　of　all　my　realm
  Pass　through　this　hallhow　often；　O　my　knights；
  Your　places　being　vacant　at　my　side；
  This　chance　of　noble　deeds　will　come　and　go
  Unchallenged；　while　ye　follow　wandering　fires
  Lost　in　the　quagmire！　　Many　of　you；　yea　most；
  Return　no　more：　　ye　think　I　show　myself
  Too　dark　a　prophet：　　come　now；　let　us　meet
  The　morrow　morn　once　more　in　one　full　field
  Of　gracious　pastime；　that　once　more　the　King；
  Before　ye　leave　him　for　this　Quest；　may　count
  The　yet…unbro