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His paramour or bride。
〃And there that day； so soon to shine；
This knight； your felon foe and mine；
Shall show； full…flushed with bloodred wine；
The fierce false face whereon we pine
To wreak the wrong he hath wrought us； bare
As shame should see and brand it。〃 〃Then；〃
Said Balen； 〃shall he give again
His blood to heal your son； and men
Shall see death blind him there。〃
〃Forth will we fare to…morrow；〃 said
His host： and forth； as sunrise led；
They rode； and fifteen days were fled
Ere toward their goal their steeds had sped。
And there alighting might they find
For Balen's host no place to rest；
Who came without a gentler guest
Beside him： and that household's hest
Bade leave his sword behind。
〃Nay；〃 Balen said； 〃that do I not：
My country's custom stands； God wot；
That none whose lot is knighthood's lot；
To ride where chance as fire is hot
With hope or promise given of fight；
Shall fail to keep； for knighthood's part；
His weapon with him as his heart；
And as I came will I depart；
Or hold herein my right。〃
Then gat he leave to wear his sword
Beside the strange king's festal board
Where feasted many a knight and lord
In seemliness of fair accord：
And Balen asked of one beside；
〃Is there not in this court； if fame
Keep faith； a knight that hath to name
Garlon？〃 and saying that word of shame；
He scanned that place of pride。
〃Yonder he goeth against the light；
He with the face as swart as night；〃
Quoth the other： 〃but he rides to fight
Hid round by charms from all men's sight；
And many a noble knight he hath slain；
Being wrapt in darkness deep as hell
And silence dark as shame。〃 〃Ah； well；〃
Said Balen； 〃is that he？ the spell
May be the sorcerer's bane。〃
Then Balen gazed upon him long；
And thought； 〃If here I wreak my wrong；
Alive I may not scape； so strong
The felon's friends about him throng；
And if I leave him here alive；
This chance perchance may life not give
Again： much evil； if he live；
He needs must do； should fear forgive
When wrongs bid strike and strive。〃
And Garlon； seeing how Balen's eye
Dwelt on him as his heart waxed high
With joy in wrath to see him nigh；
Rose wolf…like with a wolfish cry
And crossed and smote him on the face；
Saying； 〃Knight； what wouldst thou with me？ Eat；
For shame； and gaze not： eat thy meat
Do that thou art come for： stands thy seat
Next ours of royal race？〃
〃Well hast thou said： thy rede rings true；
That which I came for will I do；〃
Quoth Balen： forth his fleet sword flew；
And clove the head of Garlon through
Clean to the shoulders。 Then he cried
Loud to his lady； 〃Give me here
The truncheon of the shameful spear
Wherewith he slew your knight； when fear
Bade hate in darkness ride。〃
And gladly； bright with grief made glad；
She gave the truncheon as he bade；
For still she bare it with her； sad
And strong in hopeless hope she had；
Through all dark days of thwarting fear；
To see if doom should fall aright
And as God's fire…fraught thunder smite
That head； clothed round with hell…faced night；
Bare now before her here。
And Balen smote therewith the dead
Dark felon's body through； and said
Aloud； 〃With even this truncheon； red
With baser blood than brave men bled
Whom in thy shameful hand it slew；
Thou hast slain a nobler knight； and now
It clings and cleaves thy body： thou
Shall cleave again no brave man's brow；
Though hell would aid anew。〃
And toward his host he turned and spake；
〃Now for your son's long…suffering sake
Blood ye may fetch enough； and take
Wherewith to heal his hurt； and make
Death warm as life。〃 Then rose a cry
Loud as the wind's when stormy spring
Makes all the woodland rage and ring：
〃Thou hast slain my brother；〃 said the king；
〃And here with him shalt die。〃
〃Ay？〃 Balen laughed him answer。 〃Well；
Do it then thyself。〃 And the answer fell
Fierce as a blast of hate from hell；
〃No man of mine that with me dwell
Shall strike at thee but I their lord
For love of this my brother slain。〃
And Pellam caught and grasped amain
A grim great weapon； fierce and fain
To feed his hungering sword。
And eagerly he smote； and sped
Not well： for Balen's blade； yet red
With lifeblood of the murderous dead；
Between the swordstroke and his head
Shone； and the strength of the eager stroke
Shore it in sunder： then the knight；
Naked and weaponless for fight；
Ran seeking him a sword to smite
As hope within him woke。
And so their flight for deathward fast
From chamber forth to chamber passed
Where lay no weapon； till the last
Whose doors made way for Balen cast
Upon him as a sudden spell
Wonder that even as lightning leapt
Across his heart and eyes； and swept
As storm across his soul that kept
Wild watch； and watched not well。
For there the deed he did； being near
Death's danger； breathless as the deer
Driven hard to bay； but void of fear；
Brought sorrow down for many a year
On many a man in many a land。
All glorious shone that chamber； bright
As burns at sunrise heaven's own height：
With cloth of gold the bed was dight；
That flamed on either hand。
And one he saw within it lie：
A table of all clear gold thereby
Stood stately； fair as morning's eye；
With four strong silver pillars； high
And firm as faith and hope may be：
And on it shone the gift he sought；
A spear most marvellously wrought；
That when his eye and handgrip caught
Small fear at heart had he。
Right on King Pellam then； as fire
Turns when the thwarting winds wax higher；
He turned； and smote him down。 So dire
The stroke was； when his heart's desire
Struck； and had all its fill of hate；
That as the king fell swooning down
Fell the walls； rent from base to crown；
Prone as prone seas that break and drown
Ships fraught with doom for freight。
And there for three days' silent space
Balen and Pellam face to face
Lay dead or deathlike； and the place
Was death's blind kingdom； till the grace
That God had given the sacred seer
For counsel or for comfort led
His Merlin thither； and he said；
Standing between the quick and dead；
〃Rise up； and rest not here。〃
And Balen rose and set his eyes
Against the seer's as one that tries
His heart against the sea's and sky's
And fears not if he lives or dies；
Saying； 〃I would have my damosel；
Ere I fare forth； to fare with me。〃
And sadly Merlin answered； 〃See
Where now she lies； death knows if she
Shall now fare ill or well。
〃And in this world we meet no more；
Balen。〃 And Balen； sorrowing sore；
Though fearless yet the heart he bore
Beat toward the life that lay before；
Rode forth through many a wild waste land
Where men cried out against him； mad
With grievous faith in fear that bade
Their wrath make moan for doubt they had
Lest hell had armed his hand。
For in that chamber's wondrous shrine
Was part of Christ's own blood； the wine
Shed of the true triumphal vine
Whose growth bids earth's deep darkness shine
As heaven's deep light through the air and sea；
That mystery toward our northern shore
Arimathean Joseph bore
For healing of our sins of yore；
That grace even there might be。
And with that spear there shrined apart
Was Christ's side smitten to the heart。
And fiercer than the lightning's dart
The stroke was； and the deathlike smart
Wherewith； nigh drained of blood and breath；
The king lay stricken as one long dead：
And Joseph's was the blood there shed；
For near akin was he that bled；
Near even as life to death。
And therefore fell on all that land
Sorrow： for still on either hand；
As Balen rode alone and scanned
Bright fields and cities built to stand
Till time should break them； dead men lay；
And loud and long from all their folk
Living； one cry that cursed him broke；
Three countries had his dolorous stroke
Slain； or should surely slay。
VII
In winter； when the year burns low
As fire wherein no firebrands glow；
And winds dishevel as they blow
The lovely stormy wings of snow；
The hearts of northern men burn bright
With joy that mocks the joy of spring
To hear all heaven's keen clarions ring
Music that bids the spirit sing
And day give thanks for night。
Aloud and dark as hell or hate
Round Balen's head the wind of fate
Blew storm and cloud from death's wide gate：
But joy as grief in him was great
To face God's doom and live or die；
Sorrowing for ill wrought unaware；
Rejoicing in desire to dare
All ill that innocence might bear
With changeless heart and eye。
Yet passing fain he was when past
Those lands and woes at length and last。
Eight times； as thence he fared forth fast；
Dawn rose and even was overcast
With starry darkness dear as day；
Before his venturous quest might meet
Adventure； seeing within a sweet
Green low…lying forest； hushed in heat；
A tower that barred his way。
Strong summer； dumb with rapture； bound
With golden calm the woodlands round
Wherethrough the knight forth faring found
A knight that on the greenwood ground
Sat mourning： fair he was to see；
And moulded as for love or fight
A maiden's dreams might frame her knight；
But sad in joy's far…flowering sight
As grief's blind thrall might be。
〃God save you；〃 Balen softly said；
〃What grief bows down your heart and head
Thus； as one sorrowing for h