Dwelt；　and　I　knew　it　was　the　Holy　Grail；
  Which　never　eyes　on　earth　again　shall　see。
  Then　fell　the　floods　of　heaven　drowning　the　deep。
  And　how　my　feet　recrost　the　deathful　ridge
  No　memory　in　me　lives；　but　that　I　touched
  The　chapel…doors　at　dawn　I　know；　and　thence
  Taking　my　war…horse　from　the　holy　man；
  Glad　that　no　phantom　vext　me　more；　returned
  To　whence　I　came；　the　gate　of　Arthur's　wars。'
  'O　brother；'　asked　Ambrosius；'for　in　sooth
  These　ancient　booksand　they　would　win　theeteem；
  Only　I　find　not　there　this　Holy　Grail；
  With　miracles　and　marvels　like　to　these；
  Not　all　unlike；　which　oftentime　I　read；
  Who　read　but　on　my　breviary　with　ease；
  Till　my　head　swims；　and　then　go　forth　and　pass
  Down　to　the　little　thorpe　that　lies　so　close；
  And　almost　plastered　like　a　martin's　nest
  To　these　old　wallsand　mingle　with　our　folk；
  And　knowing　every　honest　face　of　theirs
  As　well　as　ever　shepherd　knew　his　sheep；
  And　every　homely　secret　in　their　hearts；
  Delight　myself　with　gossip　and　old　wives；
  And　ills　and　aches；　and　teethings；　lyings…in；
  And　mirthful　sayings；　children　of　the　place；
  That　have　no　meaning　half　a　league　away：
  Or　lulling　random　squabbles　when　they　rise；
  Chafferings　and　chatterings　at　the　market…cross；
  Rejoice；　small　man；　in　this　small　world　of　mine；
  Yea；　even　in　their　hens　and　in　their　eggs
  O　brother；　saving　this　Sir　Galahad；
  Came　ye　on　none　but　phantoms　in　your　quest；
  No　man；　no　woman？'
  Then　Sir　Percivale：
  'All　men；　to　one　so　bound　by　such　a　vow；
  And　women　were　as　phantoms。　　O；　my　brother；
  Why　wilt　thou　shame　me　to　confess　to　thee
  How　far　I　faltered　from　my　quest　and　vow？
  For　after　I　had　lain　so　many　nights
  A　bedmate　of　the　snail　and　eft　and　snake；
  In　grass　and　burdock；　I　was　changed　to　wan
  And　meagre；　and　the　vision　had　not　come；
  And　then　I　chanced　upon　a　goodly　town
  With　one　great　dwelling　in　the　middle　of　it；
  Thither　I　made；　and　there　was　I　disarmed
  By　maidens　each　as　fair　as　any　flower：
  But　when　they　led　me　into　hall；　behold；
  The　Princess　of　that　castle　was　the　one；
  Brother；　and　that　one　only；　who　had　ever
  Made　my　heart　leap；　for　when　I　moved　of　old
  A　slender　page　about　her　father's　hall；
  And　she　a　slender　maiden；　all　my　heart
  Went　after　her　with　longing：　　yet　we　twain
  Had　never　kissed　a　kiss；　or　vowed　a　vow。
  And　now　I　came　upon　her　once　again；
  And　one　had　wedded　her；　and　he　was　dead；
  And　all　his　land　and　wealth　and　state　were　hers。
  And　while　I　tarried；　every　day　she　set
  A　banquet　richer　than　the　day　before
  By　me；　for　all　her　longing　and　her　will
  Was　toward　me　as　of　old；　till　one　fair　morn；
  I　walking　to　and　fro　beside　a　stream
  That　flashed　across　her　orchard　underneath
  Her　castle…walls；　she　stole　upon　my　walk；
  And　calling　me　the　greatest　of　all　knights；
  Embraced　me；　and　so　kissed　me　the　first　time；
  And　gave　herself　and　all　her　wealth　to　me。
  Then　I　remembered　Arthur's　warning　word；
  That　most　of　us　would　follow　wandering　fires；
  And　the　Quest　faded　in　my　heart。　　Anon；
  The　heads　of　all　her　people　drew　to　me；
  With　supplication　both　of　knees　and　tongue：
  〃We　have　heard　of　thee：　　thou　art　our　greatest　knight；
  Our　Lady　says　it；　and　we　well　believe：
  Wed　thou　our　Lady；　and　rule　over　us；
  And　thou　shalt　be　as　Arthur　in　our　land。〃
  O　me；　my　brother！　but　one　night　my　vow
  Burnt　me　within；　so　that　I　rose　and　fled；
  But　wailed　and　wept；　and　hated　mine　own　self；
  And　even　the　Holy　Quest；　and　all　but　her；
  Then　after　I　was　joined　with　Galahad
  Cared　not　for　her；　nor　anything　upon　earth。'
  Then　said　the　monk；　'Poor　men；　when　yule　is　cold；
  Must　be　content　to　sit　by　little　fires。
  And　this　am　I；　so　that　ye　care　for　me
  Ever　so　little；　yea；　and　blest　be　Heaven
  That　brought　thee　here　to　this　poor　house　of　ours
  Where　all　the　brethren　are　so　hard；　to　warm
  My　cold　heart　with　a　friend：　　but　O　the　pity
  To　find　thine　own　first　love　once　moreto　hold；
  Hold　her　a　wealthy　bride　within　thine　arms；
  Or　all　but　hold；　and　thencast　her　aside；
  Foregoing　all　her　sweetness；　like　a　weed。
  For　we　that　want　the　warmth　of　double　life；
  We　that　are　plagued　with　dreams　of　something　sweet
  Beyond　all　sweetness　in　a　life　so　rich；
  Ah；　blessed　Lord；　I　speak　too　earthlywise；
  Seeing　I　never　strayed　beyond　the　cell；
  But　live　like　an　old　badger　in　his　earth；
  With　earth　about　him　everywhere；　despite
  All　fast　and　penance。　　Saw　ye　none　beside；
  None　of　your　knights？'
  'Yea　so；'　said　Percivale：
  'One　night　my　pathway　swerving　east；　I　saw
  The　pelican　on　the　casque　of　our　Sir　Bors
  All　in　the　middle　of　the　rising　moon：
  And　toward　him　spurred；　and　hailed　him；　and　he　me；
  And　each　made　joy　of　either；　then　he　asked；
  〃Where　is　he？　hast　thou　seen　himLancelot？Once；〃
  Said　good　Sir　Bors；　〃he　dashed　across　memad；
  And　maddening　what　he　rode：　　and　when　I　cried；
  'Ridest　thou　then　so　hotly　on　a　quest
  So　holy；'　Lancelot　shouted；　'Stay　me　not！
  I　have　been　the　sluggard；　and　I　ride　apace；
  For　now　there　is　a　lion　in　the　way。'
  So　vanished。〃
  'Then　Sir　Bors　had　ridden　on
  Softly；　and　sorrowing　for　our　Lancelot；
  Because　his　former　madness；　once　the　talk
  And　scandal　of　our　table；　had　returned；
  For　Lancelot's　kith　and　kin　so　worship　him
  That　ill　to　him　is　ill　to　them；　to　Bors
  Beyond　the　rest：　　he　well　had　been　content
  Not　to　have　seen；　so　Lancelot　might　have　seen；
  The　Holy　Cup　of　healing；　and；　indeed；
  Being　so　clouded　with　his　grief　and　love；
  Small　heart　was　his　after　the　Holy　Quest：
  If　God　would　send　the　vision；　well：　　if　not；
  The　Quest　and　he　were　in　the　hands　of　Heaven。
  'And　then；　with　small　adventure　met；　Sir　Bors
  Rode　to　the　lonest　tract　of　all　the　realm；
  And　found　a　people　there　among　their　crags；
  Our　race　and　blood；　a　remnant　that　were　left
  Paynim　amid　their　circles；　and　the　stones
  They　pitch　up　straight　to　heaven：　　and　their　wise　men
  Were　strong　in　that　old　magic　which　can　trace
  The　wandering　of　the　stars；　and　scoffed　at　him
  And　this　high　Quest　as　at　a　simple　thing：
  Told　him　he　followedalmost　Arthur's　words
  A　mocking　fire：　　〃what　other　fire　than　he；
  Whereby　the　blood　beats；　and　the　blossom　blows；
  And　the　sea　rolls；　and　all　the　world　is　warmed？〃
  And　when　his　answer　chafed　them；　the　rough　crowd；
  Hearing　he　had　a　difference　with　their　priests；
  Seized　him；　and　bound　and　plunged　him　into　a　cell
  Of　great　piled　stones；　and　lying　bounden　there
  In　darkness　through　innumerable　hours
  He　heard　the　hollow…ringing　heavens　sweep
  Over　him　till　by　miraclewhat　else？
  Heavy　as　it　was；　a　great　stone　slipt　and　fell；
  Such　as　no　wind　could　move：　　and　through　the　gap
  Glimmered　the　streaming　scud：　　then　came　a　night
  Still　as　the　day　was　loud；　and　through　the　gap
  The　seven　clear　stars　of　Arthur's　Table　Round
  For；　brother；　so　one　night；　because　they　roll
  Through　such　a　round　in　heaven；　we　named　the　stars；
  Rejoicing　in　ourselves　and　in　our　King
  And　these；　like　bright　eyes　of　familiar　friends；
  In　on　him　shone：　　〃And　then　to　me；　to　me；〃
  Said　good　Sir　Bors；　〃beyond　all　hopes　of　mine；
  Who　scarce　had　prayed　or　asked　it　for　myself
  Across　the　seven　clear　starsO　grace　to　me
  In　colour　like　the　fingers　of　a　hand
  Before　a　burning　taper；　the　sweet　Grail
  Glided　and　past；　and　close　upon　it　pealed
  A　sharp　quick　thunder。〃　　Afterwards；　a　maid；
  Who　kept　our　holy　faith　among　her　kin
  In　secret；　entering；　loosed　and　let　him　go。'
  To　whom　the　monk：　　'And　I　remember　now
  That　pelican　on　the　casque：　　Sir　Bors　it　was
  Who　spake　so　low　and　sadly　at　our　board；
  And　mighty　reverent　at　our　grace　was　he：
  A　square…set　man　and　honest；　and　his　eyes；
  An　out…door　sign　of　all　the　warmth　within；
  Smiled　with　his　lipsa　smile　beneath　a　cloud；
  But　heaven　had　meant　it　for　a　sunny　one：
  Ay；　ay；　Sir　Bors；　who　else？　　But　when　ye　reached
  The　city；　found　ye　all　your　knights　returned；
  Or　was　there　sooth　in　Arthur's　prophecy；
  Tell　me；　and　what　said　each；　and　what　the　King？'
  Then　answered　Percivale：　　'And　that　can　I；
  Brother；　and　truly；　since　the　living　words
  Of　so　great　men　as　Lancelot　and　our　King
  Pass　not　from　door　to　door　and　out　again；
  But　sit　within　the　house。　　O；　when　we　reached
  The　city；　our　horses　stumbling　as　they　trode
  On　heaps　of　ruin；　hornless　unicorns；
  Cracked　basilisks；　and　splintered　cockatrices；
  And　shattered　talbots；　which　had　left　the　stones
  Raw；　that　they　fell　from；　brought　us　to　the　hall。
  'And　there　sat　Arthur　on　the　dais…throne；
  And　those　that　had　gone　out　upon　the　Quest；
  Wasted　and　worn；　and　but　a　tithe　of　them；
  And　those　that　had　not；　stood　before　the　King；
  Who；　when　he　saw　me；　rose；　and　bad　me　hail；
  Saying；　〃A　welfare　in　thine　eye　reproves
  Our　fear　of　some　disastrous　chance　for　thee
  On　hill；　or　plain；　at　sea；　or　flooding　ford。
  So　fierce　a　gale　made　havoc　here　of　late
  Among　the　strange　devices　of　our　kings；
  Yea；　shook　this　newer；　stronger　hall　of　ours；
  And　from　the　statue　Merlin　moulded　for　us
  Half…wrenched　a　golden　wing；　but　nowthe　Quest；
  This　visionhast　thou　seen　the　Holy　Cup；
  That　Joseph　brought　of　old　to　Glastonbury？〃
  'So　when　I　told　him　all　thyself　hast　heard；
  Ambrosius；　and　my　fresh　but　fixt　resolve
  To　pass　away　into　the　quiet　life；
  He　answered　not；　but；　sharply　turning；　asked
  Of　Gawain；　〃Gawain；　was　this　Quest　for　thee？〃
  '〃Nay；　lord；〃　said　Gawain；　〃not　for　such　as　I。
  Therefore　I　commune