按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The man he sought afar around
And seeing took fire for joy。
And with him went a maiden； fair
As flowers aflush with April air。
And Balen bade him turn him there
To tell the king what woes they were
That bowed him down so sore： and he
Made woeful answer： 〃This should do
Great scathe to me； with nought for you
Of help that hope might hearken to
For boot that may not be。〃
And Balen answered： 〃I were loth
To fight as one perforce made wroth
With one that owes by knighthood's oath
One love； one service； and one troth
With me to him whose gracious hand
Holds fast the helm of knighthood here
Whereby man's hope and heart may steer：
I pray you let not sorrow or fear
Against his bidding stand。〃
The strange knight gazed on him； and spake：
〃Will you； for Arthur's royal sake；
Be warrant for me that I take
No scathe from strife that man may make？
Then will I go with you。〃 And he
Made joyous answer： 〃Yea； for I
Will be your warrant or will die。〃
And thence they rode with hearts as high
As men's that search the sea。
And as by noon's large light the twain
Before the tented hall drew rein；
Suddenly fell the strange knight； slain
By one that came and went again
And none might see him； but his spear
Clove through the body； swift as fire；
The man whose doom； forefelt as dire；
Had darkened all his life's desire；
As one that death held dear。
And dying he turned his face and said；
〃Lo now thy warrant that my head
Should fall not； following forth where led
A knight whose pledge hath left me dead。
This darkling manslayer hath to name
Garlon： take thou my goodlier steed；
Seeing thine is less of strength and speed；
And ride； if thou be knight indeed；
Even thither whence we came。
〃And as the maiden's fair behest
Shall bid you follow on my quest；
Follow： and when God's will sees best；
Revenge my death； and let me rest
As one that lived and died a knight；
Unstained of shame alive or dead。〃
And Balen； wrung with sorrow； said；
〃That shall I do： my hand and head
I pledge to do you right。〃
And thence with sorrowing heart and cheer
He rode； in grief that cast out fear
Lest death in darkness yet were near；
And bore the truncheon of the spear
Wherewith the woful knight lay slain
To her with whom he rode； and she
Still bare it with her； fain to see
What righteous doom of God's might be
The darkling manslayer's bane。
And down a dim deep woodland way
They rode between the boughs asway
With flickering winds whose flash and play
Made sunlight sunnier where the day
Laughed； leapt； and fluttered like a bird
Caught in a light loose leafy net
That earth for amorous heaven had set
To hold and see the sundawn yet
And hear what morning heard。
There in the sweet soft shifting light
Across their passage rode a knight
Flushed hot from hunting as from fight；
And seeing the sorrow…stricken sight
Made question of them why they rode
As mourners sick at heart and sad；
When all alive about them bade
Sweet earth for heaven's sweet sake be glad
As heaven for earth's love glowed。
〃Me lists not tell you；〃 Balen said。
The strange knight's face grew keen and red
〃Now； might my hand but keep my head；
Even here should one of twain lie dead
Were he no better armed than I。〃
And Balen spake with smiling speed；
Where scorn and courtesy kept heed
Of either： 〃That should little need：
Not here shall either die。〃
And all the cause he told him through
As one that feared not though he knew
All： and the strange knight spake anew；
Saying： 〃I will part no more from you
While life shall last me。〃 So they went
Where he might arm himself to ride；
And rode across wild ways and wide
To where against a churchyard side
A hermit's harbour leant。
And there against them riding came
Fleet as the lightning's laugh and flame
The invisible evil； even the same
They sought and might not curse by name
As hell's foul child on earth set free；
And smote the strange knight through； and fled；
And left the mourners by the dead。
〃Alas； again；〃 Sir Balen said；
〃This wrong he hath done to me。〃
And there they laid their dead to sleep
Royally； lying where wild winds keep
Keen watch and wail more soft and deep
Than where men's choirs bid music weep
And song like incense heave and swell。
And forth again they rode； and found
Before them； dire in sight and sound；
A castle girt about and bound
With sorrow like a spell。
Above it seemed the sun at noon
Sad as a wintry withering moon
That shudders while the waste wind's tune
Craves ever none may guess what boon；
But all may know the boon for dire。
And evening on its darkness fell
More dark than very death's farewell；
And night about it hung like hell；
Whose fume the dawn made fire。
And Balen lighted down and passed
Within the gateway； whence no blast
Rang as the sheer portcullis； cast
Suddenly down； fell； and made fast
The gate behind him； whence he spied
A sudden rage of men without
And ravin of a murderous rout
That girt the maiden hard about
With death on either side。
And seeing that shame and peril； fear
Bade wrath and grief awake and hear
What shame should say in fame's wide ear
If she； by sorrow sealed more dear
Than joy might make her； so should die：
And up the tower's curled stair he sprang
As one that flies death's deadliest fang；
And leapt right out amid their gang
As fire from heaven on high。
And they thereunder seeing the knight
Unhurt among their press alight
And bare his sword for chance of fight
Stood from him； loth to strive or smite；
And bade him hear their woful word；
That not the maiden's death they sought；
But there through years too dire for thought
Had lain their lady stricken； and nought
Might heal her： and he heard。
For there a maiden clean and whole
In virgin body and virgin soul；
Whose name was writ on royal roll；
That would but stain a silver bowl
With offering of her stainless blood；
Therewith might heal her： so they stayed
For hope's sad sake each blameless maid
There journeying in that dolorous shade
Whose bloom was bright in bud。
No hurt nor harm to her it were
If she should yield a sister there
Some tribute of her blood； and fare
Forth with this joy at heart to bear；
That all unhurt and unafraid
This grace she had here by God's grace wrought。
And kindling all with kindly thought
And love that saw save love's self nought；
Shone； smiled； and spake the maid。
〃Good knight of mine； good will have I
To help this healing though I die。〃
〃Nay；〃 Balen said； 〃but love may try
What help in living love may lie。
… I will not lose the life of her
While my life lasteth。〃 So she gave
The tribute love was fain to crave；
But might not heal though fain to save；
Were God's grace helpfuller。
Another maid in later Mays
Won with her life that woful praise；
And died。 But they； when surging day's
Deep tide fulfilled the dawn's wide ways；
Rode forth； and found by day or night
No chance to cross their wayfaring
Till when they saw the fourth day spring
A knight's hall gave them harbouring
Rich as a king's house might。
And while they sat at meat and spake
Words bright and kind as grace might make
Sweet for true knighthood's kindly sake；
They heard a cry beside them break
The still…souled joy of blameless rest。
〃What noise is this？〃 quoth Balen。 〃Nay；〃
His knightly host made answer； 〃may
Our grief not grieve you though I say
How here I dwell unblest。
〃Not many a day has lived and died
Since at a tournay late I tried
My strength to smite and turn and ride
Against a knight of kinglike pride；
King Pellam's brother： twice I smote
The splendour of his strength to dust：
And he； fulfilled of hate's fierce lust；
Swore vengeance； pledged for hell to trust；
And keen as hell's wide throat。
〃Invisible as the spirit of night
That heaven and earth in depth and height
May see not by the mild moon's light
Nor even when stars would grant them sight；
He walks and slays as plague's blind breath
Slays： and my son； whose anguish here
Makes moan perforce that mars our cheer；
He wounded； even ere love might fear
That hate were strong as death。
〃Nor may my son be whole till he
Whose stroke through him hath stricken me
Shall give again his blood to be
Our healing： yet may no man see
This felon； clothed with darkness round
And keen as lightning's life。〃 Thereon
Spake Balen； and his presence shone
Even as the sun's when stars are gone
That hear dawn's trumpet sound。
〃That knight I know： two knights of mine；
Two comrades； sealed by faith's bright sign；
Whose eyes as ours that live should shine；
And drink the golden sunlight's wine
With joy's thanksgiving that they live；
He hath slain in even the same blind wise：
Were all wide wealth beneath the skies
Mine； might I meet him； eyes on eyes；
All would I laugh to give。〃
His host made answer； and his gaze
Grew bright with trust as dawn's moist maze
With fire： 〃Within these twenty days；
King Pellam； lord of Lystenayse；
Holds feast through all this country cried；
And there before the knightly king
May no knight come except he bring
For witness of his wayfaring
His paramour or bride。
〃And there that day； so soon to shine；
This knight； your felon foe and mine；
Shall sh