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Nor stayed to crave permission of the King；
But； mad for strange adventure； dashed away。
He took the selfsame track as Balan； saw
The fountain where they sat together； sighed
'Was I not better there with him？' and rode
The skyless woods； but under open blue
Came on the hoarhead woodman at a bough
Wearily hewing。 'Churl； thine axe！' he cried；
Descended； and disjointed it at a blow：
To whom the woodman uttered wonderingly
'Lord； thou couldst lay the Devil of these woods
If arm of flesh could lay him。' Balin cried
'Him； or the viler devil who plays his part；
To lay that devil would lay the Devil in me。'
'Nay' said the churl； 'our devil is a truth；
I saw the flash of him but yestereven。
And some do say that our Sir Garlon too
Hath learned black magic； and to ride unseen。
Look to the cave。' But Balin answered him
'Old fabler； these be fancies of the churl；
Look to thy woodcraft；' and so leaving him；
Now with slack rein and careless of himself；
Now with dug spur and raving at himself；
Now with droopt brow down the long glades he rode；
So marked not on his right a cavern…chasm
Yawn over darkness； where； nor far within；
The whole day died； but； dying； gleamed on rocks
Roof…pendent； sharp； and others from the floor；
Tusklike； arising； made that mouth of night
Whereout the Demon issued up from Hell。
He marked not this； but blind and deaf to all
Save that chained rage； which ever yelpt within；
Past eastward from the falling sun。 At once
He felt the hollow…beaten mosses thud
And tremble； and then the shadow of a spear；
Shot from behind him； ran along the ground。
Sideways he started from the path； and saw；
With pointed lance as if to pierce； a shape；
A light of armour by him flash； and pass
And vanish in the woods； and followed this；
But all so blind in rage that unawares
He burst his lance against a forest bough；
Dishorsed himself； and rose again； and fled
Far； till the castle of a King； the hall
Of Pellam； lichen…bearded； grayly draped
With streaming grass； appeared； low…built but strong；
The ruinous donjon as a knoll of moss；
The battlement overtopt with ivytods；
A home of bats； in every tower an owl。
Then spake the men of Pellam crying 'Lord；
Why wear ye this crown…royal upon shield？'
Said Balin 'For the fairest and the best
Of ladies living gave me this to bear。'
So stalled his horse； and strode across the court；
But found the greetings both of knight and King
Faint in the low dark hall of banquet： leaves
Laid their green faces flat against the panes；
Sprays grated； and the cankered boughs without
Whined in the wood； for all was hushed within；
Till when at feast Sir Garlon likewise asked
'Why wear ye that crown…royal？' Balin said
'The Queen we worship； Lancelot； I； and all；
As fairest； best and purest； granted me
To bear it！' Such a sound （for Arthur's knights
Were hated strangers in the hall） as makes
The white swan…mother； sitting； when she hears
A strange knee rustle through her secret reeds；
Made Garlon； hissing； then he sourly smiled。
'Fairest I grant her： I have seen； but best；
Best； purest？ thou from Arthur's hall； and yet
So simple！ hast thou eyes； or if； are these
So far besotted that they fail to see
This fair wife…worship cloaks a secret shame？
Truly； ye men of Arthur be but babes。'
A goblet on the board by Balin； bossed
With holy Joseph's legend； on his right
Stood； all of massiest bronze： one side had sea
And ship and sail and angels blowing on it：
And one was rough with wattling； and the walls
Of that low church he built at Glastonbury。
This Balin graspt； but while in act to hurl；
Through memory of that token on the shield
Relaxed his hold： 'I will be gentle' he thought
'And passing gentle' caught his hand away；
Then fiercely to Sir Garlon 'Eyes have I
That saw today the shadow of a spear；
Shot from behind me； run along the ground；
Eyes too that long have watched how Lancelot draws
From homage to the best and purest； might；
Name； manhood； and a grace； but scantly thine；
Who； sitting in thine own hall； canst endure
To mouth so huge a foulnessto thy guest；
Me； me of Arthur's Table。 Felon talk！
Let be！ no more！'
But not the less by night
The scorn of Garlon； poisoning all his rest；
Stung him in dreams。 At length； and dim through leaves
Blinkt the white morn； sprays grated； and old boughs
Whined in the wood。 He rose； descended； met
The scorner in the castle court； and fain；
For hate and loathing； would have past him by；
But when Sir Garlon uttered mocking…wise；
'What； wear ye still that same crown…scandalous？'
His countenance blackened； and his forehead veins
Bloated； and branched； and tearing out of sheath
The brand； Sir Balin with a fiery 'Ha！
So thou be shadow； here I make thee ghost；'
Hard upon helm smote him； and the blade flew
Splintering in six； and clinkt upon the stones。
Then Garlon； reeling slowly backward； fell；
And Balin by the banneret of his helm
Dragged him； and struck； but from the castle a cry
Sounded across the court； andmen…at…arms；
A score with pointed lances； making at him
He dashed the pummel at the foremost face；
Beneath a low door dipt； and made his feet
Wings through a glimmering gallery； till he marked
The portal of King Pellam's chapel wide
And inward to the wall； he stept behind；
Thence in a moment heard them pass like wolves
Howling； but while he stared about the shrine；
In which he scarce could spy the Christ for Saints；
Beheld before a golden altar lie
The longest lance his eyes had ever seen；
Point…painted red； and seizing thereupon
Pushed through an open casement down； leaned on it；
Leapt in a semicircle； and lit on earth；
Then hand at ear； and harkening from what side
The blindfold rummage buried in the walls
Might echo； ran the counter path； and found
His charger； mounted on him and away。
An arrow whizzed to the right； one to the left；
One overhead； and Pellam's feeble cry
'Stay； stay him！ he defileth heavenly things
With earthly uses'made him quickly dive
Beneath the boughs； and race through many a mile
Of dense and open； till his goodly horse；
Arising wearily at a fallen oak；
Stumbled headlong； and cast him face to ground。
Half…wroth he had not ended； but all glad；
Knightlike； to find his charger yet unlamed；
Sir Balin drew the shield from off his neck；
Stared at the priceless cognizance； and thought
'I have shamed thee so that now thou shamest me；
Thee will I bear no more；' high on a branch
Hung it； and turned aside into the woods；
And there in gloom cast himself all along；
Moaning 'My violences； my violences！'
But now the wholesome music of the wood
Was dumbed by one from out the hall of Mark；
A damsel…errant； warbling； as she rode
The woodland alleys； Vivien； with her Squire。
'The fire of Heaven has killed the barren cold；
And kindled all the plain and all the wold。
The new leaf ever pushes off the old。
The fire of Heaven is not the flame of Hell。
'Old priest； who mumble worship in your quire
Old monk and nun； ye scorn the world's desire；
Yet in your frosty cells ye feel the fire！
The fire of Heaven is not the flame of Hell。
'The fire of Heaven is on the dusty ways。
The wayside blossoms open to the blaze。
The whole wood…world is one full peal of praise。
The fire of Heaven is not the flame of Hell。
'The fire of Heaven is lord of all things good；
And starve not thou this fire within thy blood；
But follow Vivien through the fiery flood！
The fire of Heaven is not the flame of Hell！'
Then turning to her Squire 'This fire of Heaven；
This old sun…worship； boy； will rise again；
And beat the cross to earth； and break the King
And all his Table。'
Then they reached a glade；
Where under one long lane of cloudless air
Before another wood； the royal crown
Sparkled； and swaying upon a restless elm
Drew the vague glance of Vivien； and her Squire；
Amazed were these； 'Lo there' she cried'a crown
Borne by some high lord…prince of Arthur's hall；
And there a horse！ the rider？ where is he？
See； yonder lies one dead within the wood。
Not dead； he stirs！but sleeping。 I will speak。
Hail； royal knight； we break on thy sweet rest；
Not； doubtless； all unearned by noble deeds。
But bounden art thou； if from Arthur's hall；
To help the weak。 Behold； I fly from shame；
A lustful King； who sought to win my love
Through evil ways： the knight； with whom I rode；
Hath suffered misadventure； and my squire
Hath in him small defence； but thou； Sir Prince；
Wilt surely guide me to the warrior King；
Arthur the blameless； pure as any maid；
To get me shelter for my maidenhood。
I charge thee by that crown upon thy shield；
And by the great Queen's name； arise and hence。'
And Balin rose； 'Thither no more！ nor Prince
Nor knight am I； but one that hath defamed
The cognizance she gave me： here I dwell
Savage among the savage woods； here die
Die： let the wolves' black maws ensepulchre
Their brother beast； whose anger was his lord。
O me； that such a name as Guinevere's；
Which our high Lancelot hath so lifted up；
And been thereby uplifted； should through me；
My violence； and my villainy； come to shame。'
Thereat she suddenly laughed and shrill；