To　cope　with；　or　a　traitor　proven；　or　hound
  Beaten；　did　Pelleas　in　an　utter　shame
  Creep　with　his　shadow　through　the　court　again；
  Fingering　at　his　sword…handle　until　he　stood
  There　on　the　castle…bridge　once　more；　and　thought；
  'I　will　go　back；　and　slay　them　where　they　lie。'
  And　so　went　back；　and　seeing　them　yet　in　sleep
  Said；　'Ye；　that　so　dishallow　the　holy　sleep；
  Your　sleep　is　death；'　and　drew　the　sword；　and　thought；
  'What！　slay　a　sleeping　knight？　the　King　hath　bound
  And　sworn　me　to　this　brotherhood；'　again；
  'Alas　that　ever　a　knight　should　be　so　false。'
  Then　turned；　and　so　returned；　and　groaning　laid
  The　naked　sword　athwart　their　naked　throats；
  There　left　it；　and　them　sleeping；　and　she　lay；
  The　circlet　of　her　tourney　round　her　brows；
  And　the　sword　of　the　tourney　across　her　throat。
  And　forth　he　past；　and　mounting　on　his　horse
  Stared　at　her　towers　that；　larger　than　themselves
  In　their　own　darkness；　thronged　into　the　moon。
  Then　crushed　the　saddle　with　his　thighs；　and　clenched
  His　hands；　and　maddened　with　himself　and　moaned：
  'Would　they　have　risen　against　me　in　their　blood
  At　the　last　day？　　I　might　have　answered　them
  Even　before　high　God。　　O　towers　so　strong；
  Huge；　solid；　would　that　even　while　I　gaze
  The　crack　of　earthquake　shivering　to　your　base
  Split　you；　and　Hell　burst　up　your　harlot　roofs
  Bellowing；　and　charred　you　through　and　through　within；
  Black　as　the　harlot's　hearthollow　as　a　skull！
  Let　the　fierce　east　scream　through　your　eyelet…holes；
  And　whirl　the　dust　of　harlots　round　and　round
  In　dung　and　nettles！　hiss；　snakeI　saw　him　there
  Let　the　fox　bark；　let　the　wolf　yell。　　Who　yells
  Here　in　the　still　sweet　summer　night；　but　I
  I；　the　poor　Pelleas　whom　she　called　her　fool？
  Fool；　beasthe；　she；　or　I？　myself　most　fool；
  Beast　too；　as　lacking　human　witdisgraced；
  Dishonoured　all　for　trial　of　true　love
  Love？we　be　all　alike：　　only　the　King
  Hath　made　us　fools　and　liars。　　O　noble　vows！
  O　great　and　sane　and　simple　race　of　brutes
  That　own　no　lust　because　they　have　no　law！
  For　why　should　I　have　loved　her　to　my　shame？
  I　loathe　her；　as　I　loved　her　to　my　shame。
  I　never　loved　her；　I　but　lusted　for　her
  Away'
  He　dashed　the　rowel　into　his　horse；
  And　bounded　forth　and　vanished　through　the　night。
  Then　she；　that　felt　the　cold　touch　on　her　throat；
  Awaking　knew　the　sword；　and　turned　herself
  To　Gawain：　　'Liar；　for　thou　hast　not　slain
  This　Pelleas！　here　he　stood；　and　might　have　slain
  Me　and　thyself。'　　And　he　that　tells　the　tale
  Says　that　her　ever…veering　fancy　turned
  To　Pelleas；　as　the　one　true　knight　on　earth；
  And　only　lover；　and　through　her　love　her　life
  Wasted　and　pined；　desiring　him　in　vain。
  But　he　by　wild　and　way；　for　half　the　night；
  And　over　hard　and　soft；　striking　the　sod
  From　out　the　soft；　the　spark　from　off　the　hard；
  Rode　till　the　star　above　the　wakening　sun；
  Beside　that　tower　where　Percivale　was　cowled；
  Glanced　from　the　rosy　forehead　of　the　dawn。
  For　so　the　words　were　flashed　into　his　heart
  He　knew　not　whence　or　wherefore：　　'O　sweet　star；
  Pure　on　the　virgin　forehead　of　the　dawn！'
  And　there　he　would　have　wept；　but　felt　his　eyes
  Harder　and　drier　than　a　fountain　bed
  In　summer：　　thither　came　the　village　girls
  And　lingered　talking；　and　they　come　no　more
  Till　the　sweet　heavens　have　filled　it　from　the　heights
  Again　with　living　waters　in　the　change
  Of　seasons：　　hard　his　eyes；　harder　his　heart
  Seemed；　but　so　weary　were　his　limbs；　that　he；
  Gasping；　'Of　Arthur's　hall　am　I；　but　here；
  Here　let　me　rest　and　die；'　cast　himself　down；
  And　gulfed　his　griefs　in　inmost　sleep；　so　lay；
  Till　shaken　by　a　dream；　that　Gawain　fired
  The　hall　of　Merlin；　and　the　morning　star
  Reeled　in　the　smoke；　brake　into　flame；　and　fell。
  He　woke；　and　being　ware　of　some　one　nigh；
  Sent　hands　upon　him；　as　to　tear　him；　crying；
  'False！　and　I　held　thee　pure　as　Guinevere。'
  But　Percivale　stood　near　him　and　replied；
  'Am　I　but　false　as　Guinevere　is　pure？
  Or　art　thou　mazed　with　dreams？　or　being　one
  Of　our　free…spoken　Table　hast　not　heard
  That　Lancelot'there　he　checked　himself　and　paused。
  Then　fared　it　with　Sir　Pelleas　as　with　one
  Who　gets　a　wound　in　battle；　and　the　sword
  That　made　it　plunges　through　the　wound　again；
  And　pricks　it　deeper：　　and　he　shrank　and　wailed；
  'Is　the　Queen　false？'　and　Percivale　was　mute。
  'Have　any　of　our　Round　Table　held　their　vows？'
  And　Percivale　made　answer　not　a　word。
  'Is　the　King　true？'　　'The　King！'　said　Percivale。
  'Why　then　let　men　couple　at　once　with　wolves。
  What！　art　thou　mad？'
  But　Pelleas；　leaping　up；
  Ran　through　the　doors　and　vaulted　on　his　horse
  And　fled：　　small　pity　upon　his　horse　had　he；
  Or　on　himself；　or　any；　and　when　he　met
  A　cripple；　one　that　held　a　hand　for　alms
  Hunched　as　he　was；　and　like　an　old　dwarf…elm
  That　turns　its　back　upon　the　salt　blast；　the　boy
  Paused　not；　but　overrode　him；　shouting；　'False；
  And　false　with　Gawain！'　and　so　left　him　bruised
  And　battered；　and　fled　on；　and　hill　and　wood
  Went　ever　streaming　by　him　till　the　gloom；
  That　follows　on　the　turning　of　the　world；
  Darkened　the　common　path：　　he　twitched　the　reins；
  And　made　his　beast　that　better　knew　it；　swerve
  Now　off　it　and　now　on；　but　when　he　saw
  High　up　in　heaven　the　hall　that　Merlin　built；
  Blackening　against　the　dead…green　stripes　of　even；
  'Black　nest　of　rats；'　he　groaned；　'ye　build　too　high。'
  Not　long　thereafter　from　the　city　gates
  Issued　Sir　Lancelot　riding　airily；
  Warm　with　a　gracious　parting　from　the　Queen；
  Peace　at　his　heart；　and　gazing　at　a　star
  And　marvelling　what　it　was：　　on　whom　the　boy；
  Across　the　silent　seeded　meadow…grass
  Borne；　clashed：　　and　Lancelot；　saying；　'What　name　hast　thou
  That　ridest　here　so　blindly　and　so　hard？'
  'No　name；　no　name；'　he　shouted；　'a　scourge　am　I
  To　lash　the　treasons　of　the　Table　Round。'
  'Yea；　but　thy　name？'　　'I　have　many　names；'　he　cried：
  'I　am　wrath　and　shame　and　hate　and　evil　fame；
  And　like　a　poisonous　wind　I　pass　to　blast
  And　blaze　the　crime　of　Lancelot　and　the　Queen。'
  'First　over　me；'　said　Lancelot；　'shalt　thou　pass。'
  'Fight　therefore；'　yelled　the　youth；　and　either　knight
  Drew　back　a　space；　and　when　they　closed；　at　once
  The　weary　steed　of　Pelleas　floundering　flung
  His　rider；　who　called　out　from　the　dark　field；
  'Thou　art　as　false　as　Hell：　　slay　me：　　I　have　no　sword。'
  Then　Lancelot；　'Yea；　between　thy　lipsand　sharp；
  But　here　I　will　disedge　it　by　thy　death。'
  'Slay　then；'　he　shrieked；　'my　will　is　to　be　slain；'
  And　Lancelot；　with　his　heel　upon　the　fallen；
  Rolling　his　eyes；　a　moment　stood；　then　spake：
  'Rise；　weakling；　I　am　Lancelot；　say　thy　say。'
  And　Lancelot　slowly　rode　his　warhorse　back
  To　Camelot；　and　Sir　Pelleas　in　brief　while
  Caught　his　unbroken　limbs　from　the　dark　field；
  And　followed　to　the　city。　　It　chanced　that　both
  Brake　into　hall　together；　worn　and　pale。
  There　with　her　knights　and　dames　was　Guinevere。
  Full　wonderingly　she　gazed　on　Lancelot
  So　soon　returned；　and　then　on　Pelleas；　him
  Who　had　not　greeted　her；　but　cast　himself
  Down　on　a　bench；　hard…breathing。　　'Have　ye　fought？'
  She　asked　of　Lancelot。　　'Ay；　my　Queen；'　he　said。
  'And　hast　thou　overthrown　him？'　　'Ay；　my　Queen。'
  Then　she；　turning　to　Pelleas；　'O　young　knight；
  Hath　the　great　heart　of　knighthood　in　thee　failed
  So　far　thou　canst　not　bide；　unfrowardly；
  A　fall　from　him？'　　Then；　for　he　answered　not；
  'Or　hast　thou　other　griefs？　　If　I；　the　Queen；
  May　help　them；　loose　thy　tongue；　and　let　me　know。'
  But　Pelleas　lifted　up　an　eye　so　fierce
  She　quailed；　and　he；　hissing　'I　have　no　sword；'
  Sprang　from　the　door　into　the　dark。　　The　Queen
  Looked　hard　upon　her　lover；　he　on　her；
  And　each　foresaw　the　dolorous　day　to　be：
  And　all　talk　died；　as　in　a　grove　all　song
  Beneath　the　shadow　of　some　bird　of　prey；
  Then　a　long　silence　came　upon　the　hall；
  And　Modred　thought；　'The　time　is　hard　at　hand。'
  The　Last　Tournament
  Dagonet；　the　fool；　whom　Gawain　in　his　mood
  Had　made　mock…knight　of　Arthur's　Table　Round；
  At　Camelot；　high　above　the　yellowing　woods；
  Danced　like　a　withered　leaf　before　the　hall。
  And　toward　him　from　the　hall；　with　harp　in　hand；
  And　from　the　crown　thereof　a　carcanet
  Of　ruby　swaying　to　and　fro；　the　prize
  Of　Tristram　in　the　jousts　of　yesterday；
  Came　Tristram；　saying；　'Why　skip　ye　so；　Sir　Fool？'
  For　Arthur　and　Sir　Lancelot　riding　once
  Far　down　beneath　a　winding　wall　of　rock
  Heard　a　child　wail。　　A　stump　of　oak　half…dead；
  From　roots　like　some　black　coil　of　carven　snakes；
  Clutched　at　the　crag；　and　started　through　mid　air
  Bearing　an　eagle's　nest：　　and　through　the　tree
  Rushed　ever　a　rainy　wind；　and　through　the　wind
  Pierced　ever　a　child's　cry：　　and　crag　and　tree
  Scaling；　Sir　Lancelot　from　the　perilous　nest；
  This　ruby　necklace　thrice　around　her　neck；
  And　all　unscarred　from　beak　or　talon；　brought
  A　maiden　babe；　which　Arthur　pitying　took；
  Then　gave　it　to　his　Queen　to　rear：　　the　Queen
  But　coldly　acquiescing；　in　her　white　arms
  Received；　and　after　loved　it　tenderly；
  And　named　it　Nestling；　so　forgot　herself
  A　moment；　and　her　cares；　till　that　young　life
  Being　smitten　in　mid　heaven　with　mortal　cold
  Past　from　her；　and　in　time　the　carcanet
  Vext　her　with　plaintive　memories　of　the　child：
  So　she；　delivering　it　to　Arthur；　said；
  'Take　thou　the　jewels　of　this　dead　inno