Far　cities　burnt；　and　with　a　cry　she　woke。
  And　all　this　trouble　did　not　pass　but　grew；
  Till　even　the　clear　face　of　the　guileless　King；
  And　trustful　courtesies　of　household　life；
  Became　her　bane；　and　at　the　last　she　said；
  'O　Lancelot；　get　thee　hence　to　thine　own　land；
  For　if　thou　tarry　we　shall　meet　again；
  And　if　we　meet　again；　some　evil　chance
  Will　make　the　smouldering　scandal　break　and　blaze
  Before　the　people；　and　our　lord　the　King。'
  And　Lancelot　ever　promised；　but　remained；
  And　still　they　met　and　met。　　Again　she　said；
  'O　Lancelot；　if　thou　love　me　get　thee　hence。'
  And　then　they　were　agreed　upon　a　night
  （When　the　good　King　should　not　be　there）　to　meet
  And　part　for　ever。　　Vivien；　lurking；　heard。
  She　told　Sir　Modred。　　Passion…pale　they　met
  And　greeted。　　Hands　in　hands；　and　eye　to　eye；
  Low　on　the　border　of　her　couch　they　sat
  Stammering　and　staring。　　It　was　their　last　hour；
  A　madness　of　farewells。　　And　Modred　brought
  His　creatures　to　the　basement　of　the　tower
  For　testimony；　and　crying　with　full　voice
  'Traitor；　come　out；　ye　are　trapt　at　last；'　aroused
  Lancelot；　who　rushing　outward　lionlike
  Leapt　on　him；　and　hurled　him　headlong；　and　he　fell
  Stunned；　and　his　creatures　took　and　bare　him　off；
  And　all　was　still：　　then　she；　'The　end　is　come；
  And　I　am　shamed　for　ever；'　and　he　said；
  'Mine　be　the　shame；　mine　was　the　sin：　　but　rise；
  And　fly　to　my　strong　castle　overseas：
  There　will　I　hide　thee；　till　my　life　shall　end；
  There　hold　thee　with　my　life　against　the　world。'
  She　answered；　'Lancelot；　wilt　thou　hold　me　so？
  Nay；　friend；　for　we　have　taken　our　farewells。
  Would　God　that　thou　couldst　hide　me　from　myself！
  Mine　is　the　shame；　for　I　was　wife；　and　thou
  Unwedded：　　yet　rise　now；　and　let　us　fly；
  For　I　will　draw　me　into　sanctuary；
  And　bide　my　doom。'　　So　Lancelot　got　her　horse；
  Set　her　thereon；　and　mounted　on　his　own；
  And　then　they　rode　to　the　divided　way；
  There　kissed；　and　parted　weeping：　　for　he　past；
  Love…loyal　to　the　least　wish　of　the　Queen；
  Back　to　his　land；　but　she　to　Almesbury
  Fled　all　night　long　by　glimmering　waste　and　weald；
  And　heard　the　Spirits　of　the　waste　and　weald
  Moan　as　she　fled；　or　thought　she　heard　them　moan：
  And　in　herself　she　moaned　'Too　late；　too　late！'
  Till　in　the　cold　wind　that　foreruns　the　morn；
  A　blot　in　heaven；　the　Raven；　flying　high；
  Croaked；　and　she　thought；　'He　spies　a　field　of　death；
  For　now　the　Heathen　of　the　Northern　Sea；
  Lured　by　the　crimes　and　frailties　of　the　court；
  Begin　to　slay　the　folk；　and　spoil　the　land。'
  And　when　she　came　to　Almesbury　she　spake
  There　to　the　nuns；　and　said；　'Mine　enemies
  Pursue　me；　but；　O　peaceful　Sisterhood；
  Receive；　and　yield　me　sanctuary；　nor　ask
  Her　name　to　whom　ye　yield　it；　till　her　time
  To　tell　you：'　and　her　beauty；　grace　and　power；
  Wrought　as　a　charm　upon　them；　and　they　spared
  To　ask　it。
  So　the　stately　Queen　abode
  For　many　a　week；　unknown；　among　the　nuns；
  Nor　with　them　mixed；　nor　told　her　name；　nor　sought；
  Wrapt　in　her　grief；　for　housel　or　for　shrift；
  But　communed　only　with　the　little　maid；
  Who　pleased　her　with　a　babbling　heedlessness
  Which　often　lured　her　from　herself；　but　now；
  This　night；　a　rumour　wildly　blown　about
  Came；　that　Sir　Modred　had　usurped　the　realm；
  And　leagued　him　with　the　heathen；　while　the　King
  Was　waging　war　on　Lancelot：　　then　she　thought；
  'With　what　a　hate　the　people　and　the　King
  Must　hate　me；'　and　bowed　down　upon　her　hands
  Silent；　until　the　little　maid；　who　brooked
  No　silence；　brake　it；　uttering；　'Late！　so　late！
  What　hour；　I　wonder；　now？'　and　when　she　drew
  No　answer；　by　and　by　began　to　hum
  An　air　the　nuns　had　taught　her；　'Late；　so　late！'
  Which　when　she　heard；　the　Queen　looked　up；　and　said；
  'O　maiden；　if　indeed　ye　list　to　sing；
  Sing；　and　unbind　my　heart　that　I　may　weep。'
  Whereat　full　willingly　sang　the　little　maid。
  'Late；　late；　so　late！　and　dark　the　night　and　chill！
  Late；　late；　so　late！　but　we　can　enter　still。
  Too　late；　too　late！　ye　cannot　enter　now。
  'No　light　had　we：　　for　that　we　do　repent；
  And　learning　this；　the　bridegroom　will　relent。
  Too　late；　too　late！　ye　cannot　enter　now。
  'No　light：　　so　late！　and　dark　and　chill　the　night！
  O　let　us　in；　that　we　may　find　the　light！
  Too　late；　too　late：　　ye　cannot　enter　now。
  'Have　we　not　heard　the　bridegroom　is　so　sweet？
  O　let　us　in；　though　late；　to　kiss　his　feet！
  No；　no；　too　late！　ye　cannot　enter　now。'
  So　sang　the　novice；　while　full　passionately；
  Her　head　upon　her　hands；　remembering
  Her　thought　when　first　she　came；　wept　the　sad　Queen。
  Then　said　the　little　novice　prattling　to　her；
  'O　pray　you；　noble　lady；　weep　no　more；
  But　let　my　words；　the　words　of　one　so　small；
  Who　knowing　nothing　knows　but　to　obey；
  And　if　I　do　not　there　is　penance　given
  Comfort　your　sorrows；　for　they　do　not　flow
  From　evil　done；　right　sure　am　I　of　that；
  Who　see　your　tender　grace　and　stateliness。
  But　weigh　your　sorrows　with　our　lord　the　King's；
  And　weighing　find　them　less；　for　gone　is　he
  To　wage　grim　war　against　Sir　Lancelot　there；
  Round　that　strong　castle　where　he　holds　the　Queen；
  And　Modred　whom　he　left　in　charge　of　all；
  The　traitorAh　sweet　lady；　the　King's　grief
  For　his　own　self；　and　his　own　Queen；　and　realm；
  Must　needs　be　thrice　as　great　as　any　of　ours。
  For　me；　I　thank　the　saints；　I　am　not　great。
  For　if　there　ever　come　a　grief　to　me
  I　cry　my　cry　in　silence；　and　have　done。
  None　knows　it；　and　my　tears　have　brought　me　good：
  But　even　were　the　griefs　of　little　ones
  As　great　as　those　of　great　ones；　yet　this　grief
  Is　added　to　the　griefs　the　great　must　bear；
  That　howsoever　much　they　may　desire
  Silence；　they　cannot　weep　behind　a　cloud：
  As　even　here　they　talk　at　Almesbury
  About　the　good　King　and　his　wicked　Queen；
  And　were　I　such　a　King　with　such　a　Queen；
  Well　might　I　wish　to　veil　her　wickedness；
  But　were　I　such　a　King；　it　could　not　be。'
  Then　to　her　own　sad　heart　muttered　the　Queen；
  'Will　the　child　kill　me　with　her　innocent　talk？'
  But　openly　she　answered；　'Must　not　I；
  If　this　false　traitor　have　displaced　his　lord；
  Grieve　with　the　common　grief　of　all　the　realm？'
  'Yea；'　said　the　maid；　'this　is　all　woman's　grief；
  That　she　is　woman；　whose　disloyal　life
  Hath　wrought　confusion　in　the　Table　Round
  Which　good　King　Arthur　founded；　years　ago；
  With　signs　and　miracles　and　wonders；　there
  At　Camelot；　ere　the　coming　of　the　Queen。'
  Then　thought　the　Queen　within　herself　again；
  'Will　the　child　kill　me　with　her　foolish　prate？'
  But　openly　she　spake　and　said　to　her；
  'O　little　maid；　shut　in　by　nunnery　walls；
  What　canst　thou　know　of　Kings　and　Tables　Round；
  Or　what　of　signs　and　wonders；　but　the　signs
  And　simple　miracles　of　thy　nunnery？'
  To　whom　the　little　novice　garrulously；
  'Yea；　but　I　know：　　the　land　was　full　of　signs
  And　wonders　ere　the　coming　of　the　Queen。
  So　said　my　father；　and　himself　was　knight
  Of　the　great　Tableat　the　founding　of　it；
  And　rode　thereto　from　Lyonnesse；　and　he　said
  That　as　he　rode；　an　hour　or　maybe　twain
  After　the　sunset；　down　the　coast；　he　heard
  Strange　music；　and　he　paused；　and　turningthere；
  All　down　the　lonely　coast　of　Lyonnesse；
  Each　with　a　beacon…star　upon　his　head；
  And　with　a　wild　sea…light　about　his　feet；
  He　saw　themheadland　after　headland　flame
  Far　on　into　the　rich　heart　of　the　west：
  And　in　the　light　the　white　mermaiden　swam；
  And　strong　man…breasted　things　stood　from　the　sea；
  And　sent　a　deep　sea…voice　through　all　the　land；
  To　which　the　little　elves　of　chasm　and　cleft
  Made　answer；　sounding　like　a　distant　horn。
  So　said　my　fatheryea；　and　furthermore；
  Next　morning；　while　he　past　the　dim…lit　woods；
  Himself　beheld　three　spirits　mad　with　joy
  Come　dashing　down　on　a　tall　wayside　flower；
  That　shook　beneath　them；　as　the　thistle　shakes
  When　three　gray　linnets　wrangle　for　the　seed：
  And　still　at　evenings　on　before　his　horse
  The　flickering　fairy…circle　wheeled　and　broke
  Flying；　and　linked　again；　and　wheeled　and　broke
  Flying；　for　all　the　land　was　full　of　life。
  And　when　at　last　he　came　to　Camelot；
  A　wreath　of　airy　dancers　hand…in…hand
  Swung　round　the　lighted　lantern　of　the　hall；
  And　in　the　hall　itself　was　such　a　feast
  As　never　man　had　dreamed；　for　every　knight
  Had　whatsoever　meat　he　longed　for　served
  By　hands　unseen；　and　even　as　he　said
  Down　in　the　cellars　merry　bloated　things
  Shouldered　the　spigot；　straddling　on　the　butts
  While　the　wine　ran：　　so　glad　were　spirits　and　men
  Before　the　coming　of　the　sinful　Queen。'
  Then　spake　the　Queen　and　somewhat　bitterly；
  'Were　they　so　glad？　ill　prophets　were　they　all；
  Spirits　and　men：　　could　none　of　them　foresee；
  Not　even　thy　wise　father　with　his　signs
  And　wonders；　what　has　fallen　upon　the　realm？'
  To　whom　the　novice　garrulously　again；
  'Yea；　one；　a　bard；　of　whom　my　father　said；
  Full　many　a　noble　war…song　had　he　sung；
  Even　in　the　presence　of　an　enemy's　fleet；
  Between　the　steep　cliff　and　the　coming　wave；
  And　many　a　mystic　lay　of　life　and　death
  Had　chanted　on　the　smoky　mountain…tops；
  When　round　him　bent　the　spirits　of　the　hills
  With　all　their　dewy　hair　blown　back　like　flame：
  So　said　my　fatherand　that　night　the　bard
  Sang　Arthur's　glorious　wars；　and　sang　the　King
  As　wellnigh　more　than　man；　and　railed　at　those
  Who　called　him　the　false　son　of　Gorlois：
  For　there　was　no　man　knew　from　whence　he　came；