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And never could undo it： ask no more：
For though you should not prove it upon me；
But keep that oath ye sware； ye might； perchance；
Assay it on some one of the Table Round；
And all because ye dream they babble of you。'
And Vivien； frowning in true anger； said：
'What dare the full…fed liars say of me？
They ride abroad redressing human wrongs！
They sit with knife in meat and wine in horn！
They bound to holy vows of chastity！
Were I not woman； I could tell a tale。
But you are man； you well can understand
The shame that cannot be explained for shame。
Not one of all the drove should touch me： swine！'
Then answered Merlin careless of her words：
'You breathe but accusation vast and vague；
Spleen…born； I think； and proofless。 If ye know；
Set up the charge ye know； to stand or fall！'
And Vivien answered frowning wrathfully：
'O ay； what say ye to Sir Valence； him
Whose kinsman left him watcher o'er his wife
And two fair babes； and went to distant lands；
Was one year gone； and on returning found
Not two but three？ there lay the reckling； one
But one hour old！ What said the happy sire？'
A seven…months' babe had been a truer gift。
Those twelve sweet moons confused his fatherhood。'
Then answered Merlin； 'Nay； I know the tale。
Sir Valence wedded with an outland dame：
Some cause had kept him sundered from his wife：
One child they had： it lived with her： she died：
His kinsman travelling on his own affair
Was charged by Valence to bring home the child。
He brought； not found it therefore： take the truth。'
'O ay；' said Vivien； 'overtrue a tale。
What say ye then to sweet Sir Sagramore；
That ardent man？ 〃to pluck the flower in season；〃
So says the song； 〃I trow it is no treason。〃
O Master； shall we call him overquick
To crop his own sweet rose before the hour？'
And Merlin answered； 'Overquick art thou
To catch a loathly plume fallen from the wing
Of that foul bird of rapine whose whole prey
Is man's good name： he never wronged his bride。
I know the tale。 An angry gust of wind
Puffed out his torch among the myriad…roomed
And many…corridored complexities
Of Arthur's palace： then he found a door；
And darkling felt the sculptured ornament
That wreathen round it made it seem his own；
And wearied out made for the couch and slept；
A stainless man beside a stainless maid；
And either slept； nor knew of other there；
Till the high dawn piercing the royal rose
In Arthur's casement glimmered chastely down；
Blushing upon them blushing； and at once
He rose without a word and parted from her：
But when the thing was blazed about the court；
The brute world howling forced them into bonds；
And as it chanced they are happy； being pure。'
'O ay；' said Vivien； 'that were likely too。
What say ye then to fair Sir Percivale
And of the horrid foulness that he wrought；
The saintly youth； the spotless lamb of Christ；
Or some black wether of St Satan's fold。
What； in the precincts of the chapel…yard；
Among the knightly brasses of the graves；
And by the cold Hic Jacets of the dead！'
And Merlin answered careless of her charge；
'A sober man is Percivale and pure；
But once in life was flustered with new wine；
Then paced for coolness in the chapel…yard；
Where one of Satan's shepherdesses caught
And meant to stamp him with her master's mark；
And that he sinned is not believable；
For； look upon his face！but if he sinned；
The sin that practice burns into the blood；
And not the one dark hour which brings remorse；
Will brand us； after； of whose fold we be：
Or else were he； the holy king； whose hymns
Are chanted in the minster； worse than all。
But is your spleen frothed out； or have ye more？'
And Vivien answered frowning yet in wrath：
'O ay； what say ye to Sir Lancelot； friend
Traitor or true？ that commerce with the Queen；
I ask you； is it clamoured by the child；
Or whispered in the corner？ do ye know it？'
To which he answered sadly； 'Yea； I know it。
Sir Lancelot went ambassador； at first；
To fetch her； and she watched him from her walls。
A rumour runs； she took him for the King；
So fixt her fancy on him： let them be。
But have ye no one word of loyal praise
For Arthur； blameless King and stainless man？'
She answered with a low and chuckling laugh：
'Man！ is he man at all； who knows and winks？
Sees what his fair bride is and does； and winks？
By which the good King means to blind himself；
And blinds himself and all the Table Round
To all the foulness that they work。 Myself
Could call him （were it not for womanhood）
The pretty； popular cause such manhood earns；
Could call him the main cause of all their crime；
Yea； were he not crowned King； coward； and fool。'
Then Merlin to his own heart； loathing； said：
'O true and tender！ O my liege and King！
O selfless man and stainless gentleman；
Who wouldst against thine own eye…witness fain
Have all men true and leal； all women pure；
How； in the mouths of base interpreters；
From over…fineness not intelligible
To things with every sense as false and foul
As the poached filth that floods the middle street；
Is thy white blamelessness accounted blame！'
But Vivien； deeming Merlin overborne
By instance； recommenced； and let her tongue
Rage like a fire among the noblest names；
Polluting； and imputing her whole self；
Defaming and defacing； till she left
Not even Lancelot brave； nor Galahad clean。
Her words had issue other than she willed。
He dragged his eyebrow bushes down； and made
A snowy penthouse for his hollow eyes；
And muttered in himself； 'Tell her the charm！
So； if she had it； would she rail on me
To snare the next； and if she have it not
So will she rail。 What did the wanton say？
〃Not mount as high；〃 we scarce can sink as low：
For men at most differ as Heaven and earth；
But women； worst and best； as Heaven and Hell。
I know the Table Round； my friends of old；
All brave； and many generous； and some chaste。
She cloaks the scar of some repulse with lies；
I well believe she tempted them and failed；
Being so bitter： for fine plots may fail；
Though harlots paint their talk as well as face
With colours of the heart that are not theirs。
I will not let her know： nine tithes of times
Face…flatterer and backbiter are the same。
And they； sweet soul； that most impute a crime
Are pronest to it； and impute themselves；
Wanting the mental range； or low desire
Not to feel lowest makes them level all；
Yea； they would pare the mountain to the plain；
To leave an equal baseness； and in this
Are harlots like the crowd； that if they find
Some stain or blemish in a name of note；
Not grieving that their greatest are so small；
Inflate themselves with some insane delight；
And judge all nature from her feet of clay；
Without the will to lift their eyes； and see
Her godlike head crowned with spiritual fire；
And touching other worlds。 I am weary of her。'
He spoke in words part heard； in whispers part；
Half…suffocated in the hoary fell
And many…wintered fleece of throat and chin。
But Vivien； gathering somewhat of his mood；
And hearing 'harlot' muttered twice or thrice；
Leapt from her session on his lap； and stood
Stiff as a viper frozen； loathsome sight；
How from the rosy lips of life and love；
Flashed the bare…grinning skeleton of death！
White was her cheek； sharp breaths of anger puffed
Her fairy nostril out； her hand half…clenched
Went faltering sideways downward to her belt；
And feeling； had she found a dagger there
（For in a wink the false love turns to hate）
She would have stabbed him； but she found it not：
His eye was calm； and suddenly she took
To bitter weeping like a beaten child；
A long； long weeping； not consolable。
Then her false voice made way； broken with sobs：
'O crueller than was ever told in tale；
Or sung in song！ O vainly lavished love！
O cruel； there was nothing wild or strange；
Or seeming shamefulfor what shame in love；
So love be true； and not as yours isnothing
Poor Vivien had not done to win his trust
Who called her what he called herall her crime；
Allallthe wish to prove him wholly hers。'
She mused a little； and then clapt her hands
Together with a wailing shriek； and said：
'Stabbed through the heart's affections to the heart！
Seethed like the kid in its own mother's milk！
Killed with a word worse than a life of blows！
I thought that he was gentle； being great：
O God； that I had loved a smaller man！
I should have found in him a greater heart。
O； I； that flattering my true passion； saw
The knights； the court； the King； dark in your light；
Who loved to make men darker than they are；
Because of that high pleasure which I had
To seat you sole upon my pedestal
Of worshipI am answered； and henceforth
The course of life that seemed so flowery to me
With you for guide and master； only you；
Becomes the sea…cliff pathway broken short；
And ending in a ruinnothing left；
But into some low cave to crawl； and there；
If the wolf spare me； weep my life away；
Killed with inutterable unkindliness。'
She paused； she turned away； she hung her head；
The snake of gold slid from her hair； the braid
Slipt and uncoiled itself； she wept afresh；
And the dark wood grew darker toward the storm
I