Vext　her　with　plaintive　memories　of　the　child：
  So　she；　delivering　it　to　Arthur；　said；
  'Take　thou　the　jewels　of　this　dead　innocence；
  And　make　them；　an　thou　wilt；　a　tourney…prize。'
  To　whom　the　King；　'Peace　to　thine　eagle…borne
  Dead　nestling；　and　this　honour　after　death；
  Following　thy　will！　but；　O　my　Queen；　I　muse
  Why　ye　not　wear　on　arm；　or　neck；　or　zone
  Those　diamonds　that　I　rescued　from　the　tarn；
  And　Lancelot　won；　methought；　for　thee　to　wear。'
  'Would　rather　you　had　let　them　fall；'　she　cried；
  'Plunge　and　be　lostill…fated　as　they　were；
  A　bitterness　to　me！ye　look　amazed；
  Not　knowing　they　were　lost　as　soon　as　given
  Slid　from　my　hands；　when　I　was　leaning　out
  Above　the　riverthat　unhappy　child
  Past　in　her　barge：　　but　rosier　luck　will　go
  With　these　rich　jewels；　seeing　that　they　came
  Not　from　the　skeleton　of　a　brother…slayer；
  But　the　sweet　body　of　a　maiden　babe。
  Perchancewho　knows？the　purest　of　thy　knights
  May　win　them　for　the　purest　of　my　maids。'
  She　ended；　and　the　cry　of　a　great　jousts
  With　trumpet…blowings　ran　on　all　the　ways
  From　Camelot　in　among　the　faded　fields
  To　furthest　towers；　and　everywhere　the　knights
  Armed　for　a　day　of　glory　before　the　King。
  But　on　the　hither　side　of　that　loud　morn
  Into　the　hall　staggered；　his　visage　ribbed
  From　ear　to　ear　with　dogwhip…weals；　his　nose
  Bridge…broken；　one　eye　out；　and　one　hand　off；
  And　one　with　shattered　fingers　dangling　lame；
  A　churl；　to　whom　indignantly　the　King；
  'My　churl；　for　whom　Christ　died；　what　evil　beast
  Hath　drawn　his　claws　athwart　thy　face？　or　fiend？
  Man　was　it　who　marred　heaven's　image　in　thee　thus？'
  Then；　sputtering　through　the　hedge　of　splintered　teeth；
  Yet　strangers　to　the　tongue；　and　with　blunt　stump
  Pitch…blackened　sawing　the　air；　said　the　maimed　churl；
  'He　took　them　and　he　drave　them　to　his　tower
  Some　hold　he　was　a　table…knight　of　thine
  A　hundred　goodly　onesthe　Red　Knight；　he
  Lord；　I　was　tending　swine；　and　the　Red　Knight
  Brake　in　upon　me　and　drave　them　to　his　tower；
  And　when　I　called　upon　thy　name　as　one
  That　doest　right　by　gentle　and　by　churl；
  Maimed　me　and　mauled；　and　would　outright　have　slain；
  Save　that　he　sware　me　to　a　message；　saying；
  〃Tell　thou　the　King　and　all　his　liars；　that　I
  Have　founded　my　Round　Table　in　the　North；
  And　whatsoever　his　own　knights　have　sworn
  My　knights　have　sworn　the　counter　to　itand　say
  My　tower　is　full　of　harlots；　like　his　court；
  But　mine　are　worthier；　seeing　they　profess
  To　be　none　other　than　themselvesand　say
  My　knights　are　all　adulterers　like　his　own；
  But　mine　are　truer；　seeing　they　profess
  To　be　none　other；　and　say　his　hour　is　come；
  The　heathen　are　upon　him；　his　long　lance
  Broken；　and　his　Excalibur　a　straw。〃'
  Then　Arthur　turned　to　Kay　the　seneschal；
  'Take　thou　my　churl；　and　tend　him　curiously
  Like　a　king's　heir；　till　all　his　hurts　be　whole。
  The　heathenbut　that　ever…climbing　wave；
  Hurled　back　again　so　often　in　empty　foam；
  Hath　lain　for　years　at　restand　renegades；
  Thieves；　bandits；　leavings　of　confusion；　whom
  The　wholesome　realm　is　purged　of　otherwhere；
  Friends；　through　your　manhood　and　your　fealty；now
  Make　their　last　head　like　Satan　in　the　North。
  My　younger　knights；　new…made；　in　whom　your　flower
  Waits　to　be　solid　fruit　of　golden　deeds；
  Move　with　me　toward　their　quelling；　which　achieved；
  The　loneliest　ways　are　safe　from　shore　to　shore。
  But　thou；　Sir　Lancelot；　sitting　in　my　place
  Enchaired　tomorrow；　arbitrate　the　field；
  For　wherefore　shouldst　thou　care　to　mingle　with　it；
  Only　to　yield　my　Queen　her　own　again？
  Speak；　Lancelot；　thou　art　silent：　　is　it　well？'
  Thereto　Sir　Lancelot　answered；　'It　is　well：
  Yet　better　if　the　King　abide；　and　leave
  The　leading　of　his　younger　knights　to　me。
  Else；　for　the　King　has　willed　it；　it　is　well。'
  Then　Arthur　rose　and　Lancelot　followed　him；
  And　while　they　stood　without　the　doors；　the　King
  Turned　to　him　saying；　'Is　it　then　so　well？
  Or　mine　the　blame　that　oft　I　seem　as　he
  Of　whom　was　written；　〃A　sound　is　in　his　ears〃？
  The　foot　that　loiters；　bidden　go；the　glance
  That　only　seems　half…loyal　to　command；
  A　manner　somewhat　fallen　from　reverence
  Or　have　I　dreamed　the　bearing　of　our　knights
  Tells　of　a　manhood　ever　less　and　lower？
  Or　whence　the　fear　lest　this　my　realm；　upreared；
  By　noble　deeds　at　one　with　noble　vows；
  From　flat　confusion　and　brute　violences；
  Reel　back　into　the　beast；　and　be　no　more？'
  He　spoke；　and　taking　all　his　younger　knights；
  Down　the　slope　city　rode；　and　sharply　turned
  North　by　the　gate。　　In　her　high　bower　the　Queen；
  Working　a　tapestry；　lifted　up　her　head；
  Watched　her　lord　pass；　and　knew　not　that　she　sighed。
  Then　ran　across　her　memory　the　strange　rhyme
  Of　bygone　Merlin；　'Where　is　he　who　knows？
  From　the　great　deep　to　the　great　deep　he　goes。'
  But　when　the　morning　of　a　tournament；
  By　these　in　earnest　those　in　mockery　called
  The　Tournament　of　the　Dead　Innocence；
  Brake　with　a　wet　wind　blowing；　Lancelot；
  Round　whose　sick　head　all　night；　like　birds　of　prey；
  The　words　of　Arthur　flying　shrieked；　arose；
  And　down　a　streetway　hung　with　folds　of　pure
  White　samite；　and　by　fountains　running　wine；
  Where　children　sat　in　white　with　cups　of　gold；
  Moved　to　the　lists；　and　there；　with　slow　sad　steps
  Ascending；　filled　his　double…dragoned　chair。
  He　glanced　and　saw　the　stately　galleries；
  Dame；　damsel；　each　through　worship　of　their　Queen
  White…robed　in　honour　of　the　stainless　child；
  And　some　with　scattered　jewels；　like　a　bank
  Of　maiden　snow　mingled　with　sparks　of　fire。
  He　looked　but　once；　and　vailed　his　eyes　again。
  The　sudden　trumpet　sounded　as　in　a　dream
  To　ears　but　half…awaked；　then　one　low　roll
  Of　Autumn　thunder；　and　the　jousts　began：
  And　ever　the　wind　blew；　and　yellowing　leaf
  And　gloom　and　gleam；　and　shower　and　shorn　plume
  Went　down　it。　　Sighing　weariedly；　as　one
  Who　sits　and　gazes　on　a　faded　fire；
  When　all　the　goodlier　guests　are　past　away；
  Sat　their　great　umpire；　looking　o'er　the　lists。
  He　saw　the　laws　that　ruled　the　tournament
  Broken；　but　spake　not；　once；　a　knight　cast　down
  Before　his　throne　of　arbitration　cursed
  The　dead　babe　and　the　follies　of　the　King；
  And　once　the　laces　of　a　helmet　cracked；
  And　showed　him；　like　a　vermin　in　its　hole；
  Modred；　a　narrow　face：　　anon　he　heard
  The　voice　that　billowed　round　the　barriers　roar
  An　ocean…sounding　welcome　to　one　knight；
  But　newly…entered；　taller　than　the　rest；
  And　armoured　all　in　forest　green；　whereon
  There　tript　a　hundred　tiny　silver　deer；
  And　wearing　but　a　holly…spray　for　crest；
  With　ever…scattering　berries；　and　on　shield
  A　spear；　a　harp；　a　bugleTristramlate
  From　overseas　in　Brittany　returned；
  And　marriage　with　a　princess　of　that　realm；
  Isolt　the　WhiteSir　Tristram　of　the　Woods
  Whom　Lancelot　knew；　had　held　sometime　with　pain
  His　own　against　him；　and　now　yearned　to　shake
  The　burthen　off　his　heart　in　one　full　shock
  With　Tristram　even　to　death：　　his　strong　hands　gript
  And　dinted　the　gilt　dragons　right　and　left；
  Until　he　groaned　for　wrathso　many　of　those；
  That　ware　their　ladies'　colours　on　the　casque；
  Drew　from　before　Sir　Tristram　to　the　bounds；
  And　there　with　gibes　and　flickering　mockeries
  Stood；　while　he　muttered；　'Craven　crests！　　O　shame！
  What　faith　have　these　in　whom　they　sware　to　love？
  The　glory　of　our　Round　Table　is　no　more。'
  So　Tristram　won；　and　Lancelot　gave；　the　gems；
  Not　speaking　other　word　than　'Hast　thou　won？
  Art　thou　the　purest；　brother？　　See；　the　hand
  Wherewith　thou　takest　this；　is　red！'　to　whom
  Tristram；　half　plagued　by　Lancelot's　languorous　mood；
  Made　answer；　'Ay；　but　wherefore　toss　me　this
  Like　a　dry　bone　cast　to　some　hungry　hound？
  Lest　be　thy　fair　Queen's　fantasy。　　Strength　of　heart
  And　might　of　limb；　but　mainly　use　and　skill；
  Are　winners　in　this　pastime　of　our　King。
  My　handbelike　the　lance　hath　dript　upon　it
  No　blood　of　mine；　I　trow；　but　O　chief　knight；
  Right　arm　of　Arthur　in　the　battlefield；
  Great　brother；　thou　nor　I　have　made　the　world；
  Be　happy　in　thy　fair　Queen　as　I　in　mine。'
  And　Tristram　round　the　gallery　made　his　horse
  Caracole；　then　bowed　his　homage；　bluntly　saying；
  'Fair　damsels；　each　to　him　who　worships　each
  Sole　Queen　of　Beauty　and　of　love；　behold
  This　day　my　Queen　of　Beauty　is　not　here。'
  And　most　of　these　were　mute；　some　angered；　one
  Murmuring；　'All　courtesy　is　dead；'　and　one；
  'The　glory　of　our　Round　Table　is　no　more。'
  Then　fell　thick　rain；　plume　droopt　and　mantle　clung；
  And　pettish　cries　awoke；　and　the　wan　day
  Went　glooming　down　in　wet　and　weariness：
  But　under　her　black　brows　a　swarthy　one
  Laughed　shrilly；　crying；　'Praise　the　patient　saints；
  Our　one　white　day　of　Innocence　hath　past；
  Though　somewhat　draggled　at　the　skirt。　　So　be　it。
  The　snowdrop　only；　flowering　through　the　year；
  Would　make　the　world　as　blank　as　Winter…tide。
  Comelet　us　gladden　their　sad　eyes；　our　Queen's
  And　Lancelot's；　at　this　night's　solemnity
  With　all　the　kindlier　colours　of　the　field。'
  So　dame　and　damsel　glittered　at　the　feast
  Variously　gay：　　for　he　that　tells　the　tale
  Likened　them；　saying；　as　when　an　hour　of　cold
  Falls　on　the　mountain　in　midsummer　snows；
  And　all　the　purple　slopes　of　mountain　flowers
  Pass　under　white；　till　the　warm　hour　returns
  With　veer　of　wind；　and　all　are　flowers　again；
  So　dame　and　damsel　cast　th