Aidless；　alone；　and　smitten　through　the　helm
  A　little　thing　may　harm　a　wounded　man；
  Yet　I　thy　hest　will　all　perform　at　full；
  Watch　what　I　see；　and　lightly　bring　thee　word。'
  So　saying；　from　the　ruined　shrine　he　stept；
  And　in　the　moon　athwart　the　place　of　tombs；
  Where　lay　the　mighty　bones　of　ancient　men；
  Old　knights；　and　over　them　the　sea…wind　sang
  Shrill；　chill；　with　flakes　of　foam。　　He；　stepping　down
  By　zigzag　paths；　and　juts　of　pointed　rock；
  Came　on　the　shining　levels　of　the　lake。
  There　drew　he　forth　the　brand　Excalibur；
  And　o'er　him；　drawing　it；　the　winter　moon；
  Brightening　the　skirts　of　a　long　cloud；　ran　forth
  And　sparkled　keen　with　frost　against　the　hilt：
  For　all　the　haft　twinkled　with　diamond　sparks；
  Myriads　of　topaz…lights；　and　jacinth…work
  Of　subtlest　jewellery。　　He　gazed　so　long
  That　both　his　eyes　were　dazzled　as　he　stood；
  This　way　and　that　dividing　the　swift　mind；
  In　act　to　throw：　　but　at　the　last　it　seemed
  Better　to　leave　Excalibur　concealed
  There　in　the　many…knotted　waterflags；
  That　whistled　stiff　and　dry　about　the　marge。
  So　strode　he　back　slow　to　the　wounded　King。
  Then　spake　King　Arthur　to　Sir　Bedivere：
  'Hast　thou　performed　my　mission　which　I　gave？
  What　is　it　thou　hast　seen？　or　what　hast　heard？'
  And　answer　made　the　bold　Sir　Bedivere：
  'I　heard　the　ripple　washing　in　the　reeds；
  And　the　wild　water　lapping　on　the　crag。'
  To　whom　replied　King　Arthur；　faint　and　pale：
  'Thou　hast　betrayed　thy　nature　and　thy　name；
  Not　rendering　true　answer；　as　beseemed
  Thy　fealty；　nor　like　a　noble　knight：
  For　surer　sign　had　followed；　either　hand；
  Or　voice；　or　else　a　motion　of　the　mere。
  This　is　a　shameful　thing　for　men　to　lie。
  Yet　now；　I　charge　thee；　quickly　go　again；
  As　thou　art　lief　and　dear；　and　do　the　thing
  I　bade　thee；　watch；　and　lightly　bring　me　word。'
  Then　went　Sir　Bedivere　the　second　time
  Across　the　ridge；　and　paced　beside　the　mere；
  Counting　the　dewy　pebbles；　fixed　in　thought；
  But　when　he　saw　the　wonder　of　the　hilt；
  How　curiously　and　strangely　chased；　he　smote
  His　palms　together；　and　he　cried　aloud：
  'And　if　indeed　I　cast　the　brand　away；
  Surely　a　precious　thing；　one　worthy　note；
  Should　thus　be　lost　for　ever　from　the　earth；
  Which　might　have　pleased　the　eyes　of　many　men。
  What　good　should　follow　this；　if　this　were　done？
  What　harm；　undone？　　Deep　harm　to　disobey；
  Seeing　obedience　is　the　bond　of　rule。
  Were　it　well　to　obey　then；　if　a　king　demand
  An　act　unprofitable；　against　himself？
  The　King　is　sick；　and　knows　not　what　he　does。
  What　record；　or　what　relic　of　my　lord
  Should　be　to　aftertime；　but　empty　breath
  And　rumours　of　a　doubt？　　But　were　this　kept；
  Stored　in　some　treasure…house　of　mighty　kings；
  Some　one　might　show　it　at　a　joust　of　arms；
  Saying；　〃King　Arthur's　sword；　Excalibur；
  Wrought　by　the　lonely　maiden　of　the　Lake。
  Nine　years　she　wrought　it；　sitting　in　the　deeps
  Upon　the　hidden　bases　of　the　hills。〃
  So　might　some　old　man　speak　in　the　aftertime
  To　all　the　people；　winning　reverence。
  But　now　much　honour　and　much　fame　were　lost。'
  So　spake　he；　clouded　with　his　own　conceit；
  And　hid　Excalibur　the　second　time；
  And　so　strode　back　slow　to　the　wounded　King。
  Then　spoke　King　Arthur；　breathing　heavily：
  'What　is　it　thou　hast　seen？　or　what　hast　heard？'
  And　answer　made　the　bold　Sir　Bedivere：
  'I　heard　the　water　lapping　on　the　crag；
  And　the　long　ripple　washing　in　the　reeds。'
  To　whom　replied　King　Arthur；　much　in　wrath：
  'Ah；　miserable　and　unkind；　untrue；
  Unknightly；　traitor…hearted！　　Woe　is　me！
  Authority　forgets　a　dying　king；
  Laid　widowed　of　the　power　in　his　eye
  That　bowed　the　will。　　I　see　thee　what　thou　art；
  For　thou；　the　latest…left　of　all　my　knights；
  In　whom　should　meet　the　offices　of　all；
  Thou　wouldst　betray　me　for　the　precious　hilt；
  Either　from　lust　of　gold；　or　like　a　girl
  Valuing　the　giddy　pleasure　of　the　eyes。
  Yet；　for　a　man　may　fail　in　duty　twice；
  And　the　third　time　may　prosper；　get　thee　hence：
  But；　if　thou　spare　to　fling　Excalibur；
  I　will　arise　and　slay　thee　with　my　hands。'
  Then　quickly　rose　Sir　Bedivere；　and　ran；
  And；　leaping　down　the　ridges　lightly；　plunged
  Among　the　bulrush　beds；　and　clutched　the　sword；
  And　strongly　wheeled　and　threw　it。　　The　great　brand
  Made　lightnings　in　the　splendour　of　the　moon；
  And　flashing　round　and　round；　and　whirled　in　an　arch；
  Shot　like　a　streamer　of　the　northern　morn；
  Seen　where　the　moving　isles　of　winter　shock
  By　night；　with　noises　of　the　Northern　Sea。
  So　flashed　and　fell　the　brand　Excalibur：
  But　ere　he　dipt　the　surface；　rose　an　arm
  Clothed　in　white　samite；　mystic；　wonderful；
  And　caught　him　by　the　hilt；　and　brandished　him
  Three　times；　and　drew　him　under　in　the　mere。
  And　lightly　went　the　other　to　the　King。
  Then　spoke　King　Arthur；　drawing　thicker　breath：
  'Now　see　I　by　thine　eyes　that　this　is　done。
  Speak　out：　　what　is　it　thou　hast　heard；　or　seen？'
  And　answer　made　the　bold　Sir　Bedivere：
  'Sir　King；　I　closed　mine　eyelids；　lest　the　gems
  Should　blind　my　purpose；　for　I　never　saw；
  Nor　shall　see；　here　or　elsewhere；　till　I　die；
  Not　though　I　live　three　lives　of　mortal　men；
  So　great　a　miracle　as　yonder　hilt。
  Then　with　both　hands　I　flung　him；　wheeling　him；
  But　when　I　looked　again；　behold　an　arm；
  Clothed　in　white　samite；　mystic；　wonderful；
  That　caught　him　by　the　hilt；　and　brandished　him
  Three　times；　and　drew　him　under　in　the　mere。'
  And　answer　made　King　Arthur；　breathing　hard：
  'My　end　draws　nigh；　'tis　time　that　I　were　gone。
  Make　broad　thy　shoulders　to　receive　my　weight；
  And　bear　me　to　the　margin；　yet　I　fear
  My　wound　hath　taken　cold；　and　I　shall　die。'
  So　saying；　from　the　pavement　he　half　rose；
  Slowly；　with　pain；　reclining　on　his　arm；
  And　looking　wistfully　with　wide　blue　eyes
  As　in　a　picture。　　Him　Sir　Bedivere
  Remorsefully　regarded　through　his　tears；
  And　would　have　spoken；　but　he　found　not　words；
  Then　took　with　care；　and　kneeling　on　one　knee；
  O'er　both　his　shoulders　drew　the　languid　hands；
  And　rising　bore　him　through　the　place　of　tombs。
  But；　as　he　walked；　King　Arthur　panted　hard；
  Like　one　that　feels　a　nightmare　on　his　bed
  When　all　the　house　is　mute。　　So　sighed　the　King；
  Muttering　and　murmuring　at　his　ear；　'Quick；　quick！
  I　fear　it　is　too　late；　and　I　shall　die。'
  But　the　other　swiftly　strode　from　ridge　to　ridge；
  Clothed　with　his　breath；　and　looking；　as　he　walked；
  Larger　than　human　on　the　frozen　hills。
  He　heard　the　deep　behind　him；　and　a　cry
  Before。　　His　own　thought　drove　him　like　a　goad。
  Dry　clashed　his　harness　in　the　icy　caves
  And　barren　chasms；　and　all　to　left　and　right
  The　bare　black　cliff　clanged　round　him；　as　he　based
  His　feet　on　juts　of　slippery　crag　that　rang
  Sharp…smitten　with　the　dint　of　armed　heels
  And　on　a　sudden；　lo！　the　level　lake；
  And　the　long　glories　of　the　winter　moon。
  Then　saw　they　how　there　hove　a　dusky　barge；
  Dark　as　a　funeral　scarf　from　stem　to　stern；
  Beneath　them；　and　descending　they　were　ware
  That　all　the　decks　were　dense　with　stately　forms；
  Black…stoled；　black…hooded；　like　a　dreamby　these
  Three　Queens　with　crowns　of　gold：　　and　from　them　rose
  A　cry　that　shivered　to　the　tingling　stars；
  And；　as　it　were　one　voice；　an　agony
  Of　lamentation；　like　a　wind　that　shrills
  All　night　in　a　waste　land；　where　no　one　comes；
  Or　hath　come；　since　the　making　of　the　world。
  Then　murmured　Arthur；　'Place　me　in　the　barge。'
  So　to　the　barge　they　came。　　There　those　three　Queens
  Put　forth　their　hands；　and　took　the　King；　and　wept。
  But　she；　that　rose　the　tallest　of　them　all
  And　fairest；　laid　his　head　upon　her　lap；
  And　loosed　the　shattered　casque；　and　chafed　his　hands；
  And　called　him　by　his　name；　complaining　loud；
  And　dropping　bitter　tears　against　a　brow
  Striped　with　dark　blood：　　for　all　his　face　was　white
  And　colourless；　and　like　the　withered　moon
  Smote　by　the　fresh　beam　of　the　springing　east；
  And　all　his　greaves　and　cuisses　dashed　with　drops
  Of　onset；　and　the　light　and　lustrous　curls
  That　made　his　forehead　like　a　rising　sun
  High　from　the　dais…thronewere　parched　with　dust；
  Or；　clotted　into　points　and　hanging　loose；
  Mixed　with　the　knightly　growth　that　fringed　his　lips。
  So　like　a　shattered　column　lay　the　King；
  Not　like　that　Arthur　who；　with　lance　in　rest；
  From　spur　to　plume　a　star　of　tournament；
  Shot　through　the　lists　at　Camelot；　and　charged
  Before　the　eyes　of　ladies　and　of　kings。
  Then　loudly　cried　the　bold　Sir　Bedivere：
  'Ah！　my　Lord　Arthur；　whither　shall　I　go？
  Where　shall　I　hide　my　forehead　and　my　eyes？
  For　now　I　see　the　true　old　times　are　dead；
  When　every　morning　brought　a　noble　chance；
  And　every　chance　brought　out　a　noble　knight。
  Such　times　have　been　not　since　the　light　that　led
  The　holy　Elders　with　the　gift　of　myrrh。
  But　now　the　whole　Round　Table　is　dissolved
  Which　was　an　image　of　the　mighty　world；
  And　I；　the　last；　go　forth　companionless；
  And　the　days　darken　round　me；　and　the　years；
  Among　new　men；　strange　faces；　other　minds。'
  And　slowly　answered　Arthur　from　the　barge：
  'The　old　order　changeth；　yielding　place　to　new；
  And　God　fulfils　himself　in　many　ways；
  Lest　one　good　custom　should　corrupt　the　world。
  Comfort　thyself：　　what　comfort　is　in　me？
  I　have　lived　my　life；　and　that　which　I　have　done
  May　He　within　himself　make　pure！　but　thou；
  If　thou　shouldst　never　see