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Ever a good way on before； and this
I charge thee； on thy duty as a wife；
Whatever happens； not to speak to me；
No； not a word！' and Enid was aghast；
And forth they rode； but scarce three paces on；
When crying out； 'Effeminate as I am；
I will not fight my way with gilded arms；
All shall be iron；' he loosed a mighty purse；
Hung at his belt； and hurled it toward the squire。
So the last sight that Enid had of home
Was all the marble threshold flashing； strown
With gold and scattered coinage； and the squire
Chafing his shoulder： then he cried again；
'To the wilds！' and Enid leading down the tracks
Through which he bad her lead him on； they past
The marches； and by bandit…haunted holds；
Gray swamps and pools； waste places of the hern；
And wildernesses； perilous paths； they rode：
Round was their pace at first； but slackened soon：
A stranger meeting them had surely thought
They rode so slowly and they looked so pale；
That each had suffered some exceeding wrong。
For he was ever saying to himself；
'O I that wasted time to tend upon her；
To compass her with sweet observances；
To dress her beautifully and keep her true'
And there he broke the sentence in his heart
Abruptly； as a man upon his tongue
May break it； when his passion masters him。
And she was ever praying the sweet heavens
To save her dear lord whole from any wound。
And ever in her mind she cast about
For that unnoticed failing in herself；
Which made him look so cloudy and so cold；
Till the great plover's human whistle amazed
Her heart； and glancing round the waste she feared
In ever wavering brake an ambuscade。
Then thought again； 'If there be such in me；
I might amend it by the grace of Heaven；
If he would only speak and tell me of it。'
But when the fourth part of the day was gone；
Then Enid was aware of three tall knights
On horseback； wholly armed； behind a rock
In shadow； waiting for them； caitiffs all；
And heard one crying to his fellow； 'Look；
Here comes a laggard hanging down his head；
Who seems no bolder than a beaten hound；
Come； we will slay him and will have his horse
And armour； and his damsel shall be ours。'
Then Enid pondered in her heart； and said：
'I will go back a little to my lord；
And I will tell him all their caitiff talk；
For； be he wroth even to slaying me；
Far liefer by his dear hand had I die；
Than that my lord should suffer loss or shame。'
Then she went back some paces of return；
Met his full frown timidly firm； and said；
'My lord； I saw three bandits by the rock
Waiting to fall on you； and heard them boast
That they would slay you； and possess your horse
And armour； and your damsel should be theirs。'
He made a wrathful answer： 'Did I wish
Your warning or your silence？ one command
I laid upon you； not to speak to me；
And thus ye keep it！ Well then； lookfor now；
Whether ye wish me victory or defeat；
Long for my life； or hunger for my death；
Yourself shall see my vigour is not lost。'
Then Enid waited pale and sorrowful；
And down upon him bare the bandit three。
And at the midmost charging； Prince Geraint
Drave the long spear a cubit through his breast
And out beyond； and then against his brace
Of comrades； each of whom had broken on him
A lance that splintered like an icicle；
Swung from his brand a windy buffet out
Once； twice； to right； to left； and stunned the twain
Or slew them； and dismounting like a man
That skins the wild beast after slaying him；
Stript from the three dead wolves of woman born
The three gay suits of armour which they wore；
And let the bodies lie； but bound the suits
Of armour on their horses； each on each；
And tied the bridle…reins of all the three
Together； and said to her； 'Drive them on
Before you；' and she drove them through the waste。
He followed nearer； ruth began to work
Against his anger in him； while he watched
The being he loved best in all the world；
With difficulty in mild obedience
Driving them on： he fain had spoken to her；
And loosed in words of sudden fire the wrath
And smouldered wrong that burnt him all within；
But evermore it seemed an easier thing
At once without remorse to strike her dead；
Than to cry 'Halt；' and to her own bright face
Accuse her of the least immodesty：
And thus tongue…tied； it made him wroth the more
That she could speak whom his own ear had heard
Call herself false： and suffering thus he made
Minutes an age： but in scarce longer time
Than at Caerleon the full…tided Usk；
Before he turn to fall seaward again；
Pauses； did Enid； keeping watch； behold
In the first shallow shade of a deep wood；
Before a gloom of stubborn…shafted oaks；
Three other horsemen waiting； wholly armed；
Whereof one seemed far larger than her lord；
And shook her pulses； crying； 'Look； a prize！
Three horses and three goodly suits of arms；
And all in charge of whom？ a girl： set on。'
'Nay；' said the second； 'yonder comes a knight。'
The third； 'A craven； how he hangs his head。'
The giant answered merrily； 'Yea； but one？
Wait here； and when he passes fall upon him。'
And Enid pondered in her heart and said；
'I will abide the coming of my lord；
And I will tell him all their villainy。
My lord is weary with the fight before；
And they will fall upon him unawares。
I needs must disobey him for his good；
How should I dare obey him to his harm？
Needs must I speak； and though he kill me for it；
I save a life dearer to me than mine。'
And she abode his coming； and said to him
With timid firmness； 'Have I leave to speak？'
He said； 'Ye take it； speaking；' and she spoke。
'There lurk three villains yonder in the wood；
And each of them is wholly armed； and one
Is larger…limbed than you are； and they say
That they will fall upon you while ye pass。'
To which he flung a wrathful answer back：
'And if there were an hundred in the wood；
And every man were larger…limbed than I；
And all at once should sally out upon me；
I swear it would not ruffle me so much
As you that not obey me。 Stand aside；
And if I fall； cleave to the better man。'
And Enid stood aside to wait the event；
Not dare to watch the combat； only breathe
Short fits of prayer； at every stroke a breath。
And he； she dreaded most； bare down upon him。
Aimed at the helm； his lance erred； but Geraint's；
A little in the late encounter strained；
Struck through the bulky bandit's corselet home；
And then brake short； and down his enemy rolled；
And there lay still； as he that tells the tale
Saw once a great piece of a promontory；
That had a sapling growing on it； slide
From the long shore…cliff's windy walls to the beach；
And there lie still； and yet the sapling grew：
So lay the man transfixt。 His craven pair
Of comrades making slowlier at the Prince；
When now they saw their bulwark fallen； stood；
On whom the victor； to confound them more；
Spurred with his terrible war…cry； for as one；
That listens near a torrent mountain…brook；
All through the crash of the near cataract hears
The drumming thunder of the huger fall
At distance； were the soldiers wont to hear
His voice in battle； and be kindled by it；
And foemen scared； like that false pair who turned
Flying； but； overtaken； died the death
Themselves had wrought on many an innocent。
Thereon Geraint； dismounting； picked the lance
That pleased him best； and drew from those dead wolves
Their three gay suits of armour； each from each；
And bound them on their horses； each on each；
And tied the bridle…reins of all the three
Together； and said to her； 'Drive them on
Before you；' and she drove them through the wood。
He followed nearer still： the pain she had
To keep them in the wild ways of the wood；
Two sets of three laden with jingling arms；
Together； served a little to disedge
The sharpness of that pain about her heart：
And they themselves； like creatures gently born
But into bad hands fallen； and now so long
By bandits groomed； pricked their light ears； and felt
Her low firm voice and tender government。
So through the green gloom of the wood they past；
And issuing under open heavens beheld
A little town with towers； upon a rock；
And close beneath； a meadow gemlike chased
In the brown wild； and mowers mowing in it：
And down a rocky pathway from the place
There came a fair…haired youth； that in his hand
Bare victual for the mowers： and Geraint
Had ruth again on Enid looking pale：
Then； moving downward to the meadow ground；
He； when the fair…haired youth came by him； said；
'Friend； let her eat； the damsel is so faint。'
'Yea； willingly；' replied the youth； 'and thou；
My lord； eat also； though the fare is coarse；
And only meet for mowers；' then set down
His basket； and dismounting on the sward
They let the horses graze； and ate themselves。
And Enid took a little delicately；
Less having stomach for it than desire
To close with her lord's pleasure； but Geraint
Ate all the mowers' victual unawares；
And when he found all empty； was amazed；
And 'Boy；' said he； 'I have eaten all； but take
A horse and arms for guerdon； choose the best。'
He； reddening in extremity of delight；
'My lord； you overpay me fifty…fold。'
'Ye will be all the wealthier；' cried the Prince。
'I take it as free gift； then；' sai