Who　called　him　the　false　son　of　Gorlois：
  For　there　was　no　man　knew　from　whence　he　came；
  But　after　tempest；　when　the　long　wave　broke
  All　down　the　thundering　shores　of　Bude　and　Bos；
  There　came　a　day　as　still　as　heaven；　and　then
  They　found　a　naked　child　upon　the　sands
  Of　dark　Tintagil　by　the　Cornish　sea；
  And　that　was　Arthur；　and　they　fostered　him
  Till　he　by　miracle　was　approven　King：
  And　that　his　grave　should　be　a　mystery
  From　all　men；　like　his　birth；　and　could　he　find
  A　woman　in　her　womanhood　as　great
  As　he　was　in　his　manhood；　then；　he　sang；
  The　twain　together　well　might　change　the　world。
  But　even　in　the　middle　of　his　song
  He　faltered；　and　his　hand　fell　from　the　harp；
  And　pale　he　turned；　and　reeled；　and　would　have　fallen；
  But　that　they　stayed　him　up；　nor　would　he　tell
  His　vision；　but　what　doubt　that　he　foresaw
  This　evil　work　of　Lancelot　and　the　Queen？'
  Then　thought　the　Queen；　'Lo！　they　have　set　her　on；
  Our　simple…seeming　Abbess　and　her　nuns；
  To　play　upon　me；'　and　bowed　her　head　nor　spake。
  Whereat　the　novice　crying；　with　clasped　hands；
  Shame　on　her　own　garrulity　garrulously；
  Said　the　good　nuns　would　check　her　gadding　tongue
  Full　often；　'and；　sweet　lady；　if　I　seem
  To　vex　an　ear　too　sad　to　listen　to　me；
  Unmannerly；　with　prattling　and　the　tales
  Which　my　good　father　told　me；　check　me　too
  Nor　let　me　shame　my　father's　memory；　one
  Of　noblest　manners；　though　himself　would　say
  Sir　Lancelot　had　the　noblest；　and　he　died；
  Killed　in　a　tilt；　come　next；　five　summers　back；
  And　left　me；　but　of　others　who　remain；
  And　of　the　two　first…famed　for　courtesy
  And　pray　you　check　me　if　I　ask　amiss…
  But　pray　you；　which　had　noblest；　while　you　moved
  Among　them；　Lancelot　or　our　lord　the　King？'
  Then　the　pale　Queen　looked　up　and　answered　her；
  'Sir　Lancelot；　as　became　a　noble　knight；
  Was　gracious　to　all　ladies；　and　the　same
  In　open　battle　or　the　tilting…field
  Forbore　his　own　advantage；　and　the　King
  In　open　battle　or　the　tilting…field
  Forbore　his　own　advantage；　and　these　two
  Were　the　most　nobly…mannered　men　of　all；
  For　manners　are　not　idle；　but　the　fruit
  Of　loyal　nature；　and　of　noble　mind。'
  'Yea；'　said　the　maid；　'be　manners　such　fair　fruit？'
  Then　Lancelot's　needs　must　be　a　thousand…fold
  Less　noble；　being；　as　all　rumour　runs；
  The　most　disloyal　friend　in　all　the　world。'
  To　which　a　mournful　answer　made　the　Queen：
  'O　closed　about　by　narrowing　nunnery…walls；
  What　knowest　thou　of　the　world；　and　all　its　lights
  And　shadows；　all　the　wealth　and　all　the　woe？
  If　ever　Lancelot；　that　most　noble　knight；
  Were　for　one　hour　less　noble　than　himself；
  Pray　for　him　that　he　scape　the　doom　of　fire；
  And　weep　for　her　that　drew　him　to　his　doom。'
  'Yea；'　said　the　little　novice；　'I　pray　for　both；
  But　I　should　all　as　soon　believe　that　his；
  Sir　Lancelot's；　were　as　noble　as　the　King's；
  As　I　could　think；　sweet　lady；　yours　would　be
  Such　as　they　are；　were　you　the　sinful　Queen。'
  So　she；　like　many　another　babbler；　hurt
  Whom　she　would　soothe；　and　harmed　where　she　would　heal；
  For　here　a　sudden　flush　of　wrathful　heat
  Fired　all　the　pale　face　of　the　Queen；　who　cried；
  'Such　as　thou　art　be　never　maiden　more
  For　ever！　thou　their　tool；　set　on　to　plague
  And　play　upon；　and　harry　me；　petty　spy
  And　traitress。'　　When　that　storm　of　anger　brake
  From　Guinevere；　aghast　the　maiden　rose；
  White　as　her　veil；　and　stood　before　the　Queen
  As　tremulously　as　foam　upon　the　beach
  Stands　in　a　wind；　ready　to　break　and　fly；
  And　when　the　Queen　had　added　'Get　thee　hence；'
  Fled　frighted。　　Then　that　other　left　alone
  Sighed；　and　began　to　gather　heart　again；
  Saying　in　herself；　'The　simple；　fearful　child
  Meant　nothing；　but　my　own　too…fearful　guilt；
  Simpler　than　any　child；　betrays　itself。
  But　help　me；　heaven；　for　surely　I　repent。
  For　what　is　true　repentance　but　in　thought
  Not　even　in　inmost　thought　to　think　again
  The　sins　that　made　the　past　so　pleasant　to　us：
  And　I　have　sworn　never　to　see　him　more；
  To　see　him　more。'
  And　even　in　saying　this；
  Her　memory　from　old　habit　of　the　mind
  Went　slipping　back　upon　the　golden　days
  In　which　she　saw　him　first；　when　Lancelot　came；
  Reputed　the　best　knight　and　goodliest　man；
  Ambassador；　to　lead　her　to　his　lord
  Arthur；　and　led　her　forth；　and　far　ahead
  Of　his　and　her　retinue　moving；　they；
  Rapt　in　sweet　talk　or　lively；　all　on　love
  And　sport　and　tilts　and　pleasure；　（for　the　time
  Was　maytime；　and　as　yet　no　sin　was　dreamed；）
  Rode　under　groves　that　looked　a　paradise
  Of　blossom；　over　sheets　of　hyacinth
  That　seemed　the　heavens　upbreaking　through　the　earth；
  And　on　from　hill　to　hill；　and　every　day
  Beheld　at　noon　in　some　delicious　dale
  The　silk　pavilions　of　King　Arthur　raised
  For　brief　repast　or　afternoon　repose
  By　couriers　gone　before；　and　on　again；
  Till　yet　once　more　ere　set　of　sun　they　saw
  The　Dragon　of　the　great　Pendragonship；
  That　crowned　the　state　pavilion　of　the　King；
  Blaze　by　the　rushing　brook　or　silent　well。
  But　when　the　Queen　immersed　in　such　a　trance；
  And　moving　through　the　past　unconsciously；
  Came　to　that　point　where　first　she　saw　the　King
  Ride　toward　her　from　the　city；　sighed　to　find
  Her　journey　done；　glanced　at　him；　thought　him　cold；
  High；　self…contained；　and　passionless；　not　like　him；
  'Not　like　my　Lancelot'while　she　brooded　thus
  And　grew　half…guilty　in　her　thoughts　again；
  There　rode　an　armed　warrior　to　the　doors。
  A　murmuring　whisper　through　the　nunnery　ran；
  Then　on　a　sudden　a　cry；　'The　King。'　　She　sat
  Stiff…stricken；　listening；　but　when　armed　feet
  Through　the　long　gallery　from　the　outer　doors
  Rang　coming；　prone　from　off　her　seat　she　fell；
  And　grovelled　with　her　face　against　the　floor：
  There　with　her　milkwhite　arms　and　shadowy　hair
  She　made　her　face　a　darkness　from　the　King：
  And　in　the　darkness　heard　his　armed　feet
  Pause　by　her；　then　came　silence；　then　a　voice；
  Monotonous　and　hollow　like　a　Ghost's
  Denouncing　judgment；　but　though　changed；　the　King's：
  'Liest　thou　here　so　low；　the　child　of　one
  I　honoured；　happy；　dead　before　thy　shame？
  Well　is　it　that　no　child　is　born　of　thee。
  The　children　born　of　thee　are　sword　and　fire；
  Red　ruin；　and　the　breaking　up　of　laws；
  The　craft　of　kindred　and　the　Godless　hosts
  Of　heathen　swarming　o'er　the　Northern　Sea；
  Whom　I；　while　yet　Sir　Lancelot；　my　right　arm；
  The　mightiest　of　my　knights；　abode　with　me；
  Have　everywhere　about　this　land　of　Christ
  In　twelve　great　battles　ruining　overthrown。
  And　knowest　thou　now　from　whence　I　comefrom　him
  From　waging　bitter　war　with　him：　　and　he；
  That　did　not　shun　to　smite　me　in　worse　way；
  Had　yet　that　grace　of　courtesy　in　him　left；
  He　spared　to　lift　his　hand　against　the　King
  Who　made　him　knight：　　but　many　a　knight　was　slain；
  And　many　more；　and　all　his　kith　and　kin
  Clave　to　him；　and　abode　in　his　own　land。
  And　many　more　when　Modred　raised　revolt；
  Forgetful　of　their　troth　and　fealty；　clave
  To　Modred；　and　a　remnant　stays　with　me。
  And　of　this　remnant　will　I　leave　a　part；
  True　men　who　love　me　still；　for　whom　I　live；
  To　guard　thee　in　the　wild　hour　coming　on；
  Lest　but　a　hair　of　this　low　head　be　harmed。
  Fear　not：　　thou　shalt　be　guarded　till　my　death。
  Howbeit　I　know；　if　ancient　prophecies
  Have　erred　not；　that　I　march　to　meet　my　doom。
  Thou　hast　not　made　my　life　so　sweet　to　me；
  That　I　the　King　should　greatly　care　to　live；
  For　thou　hast　spoilt　the　purpose　of　my　life。
  Bear　with　me　for　the　last　time　while　I　show；
  Even　for　thy　sake；　the　sin　which　thou　hast　sinned。
  For　when　the　Roman　left　us；　and　their　law
  Relaxed　its　hold　upon　us；　and　the　ways
  Were　filled　with　rapine；　here　and　there　a　deed
  Of　prowess　done　redressed　a　random　wrong。
  But　I　was　first　of　all　the　kings　who　drew
  The　knighthood…errant　of　this　realm　and　all
  The　realms　together　under　me；　their　Head；
  In　that　fair　Order　of　my　Table　Round；
  A　glorious　company；　the　flower　of　men；
  To　serve　as　model　for　the　mighty　world；
  And　be　the　fair　beginning　of　a　time。
  I　made　them　lay　their　hands　in　mine　and　swear
  To　reverence　the　King；　as　if　he　were
  Their　conscience；　and　their　conscience　as　their　King；
  To　break　the　heathen　and　uphold　the　Christ；
  To　ride　abroad　redressing　human　wrongs；
  To　speak　no　slander；　no；　nor　listen　to　it；
  To　honour　his　own　word　as　if　his　God's；
  To　lead　sweet　lives　in　purest　chastity；
  To　love　one　maiden　only；　cleave　to　her；
  And　worship　her　by　years　of　noble　deeds；
  Until　they　won　her；　for　indeed　I　knew
  Of　no　more　subtle　master　under　heaven
  Than　is　the　maiden　passion　for　a　maid；
  Not　only　to　keep　down　the　base　in　man；
  But　teach　high　thought；　and　amiable　words
  And　courtliness；　and　the　desire　of　fame；
  And　love　of　truth；　and　all　that　makes　a　man。
  And　all　this　throve　before　I　wedded　thee；
  Believing；　〃lo　mine　helpmate；　one　to　feel
  My　purpose　and　rejoicing　in　my　joy。〃
  Then　came　thy　shameful　sin　with　Lancelot；
  Then　came　the　sin　of　Tristram　and　Isolt；
  Then　others；　following　these　my　mightiest　knights；
  And　drawing　foul　ensample　from　fair　names；
  Sinned　also；　till　the　loathsome　opposite
  Of　all　my　heart　had　destined　did　obtain；
  And　all　through　thee！　so　that　this　life　of　mine
  I　guard　as　God's　high　gift　from　scathe　and　wrong；
  Not　greatly　care　to　lose；　but　rather　think
  How　sad　it　were　for　Arthur；　should　he　live；
  To　sit　once　more　within　his　lonely　hall；
  And　miss　the　wonted　n