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Has Arthur spoken aught？ or would yourself；
Now weary of my service and devoir；
Henceforth be truer to your faultless lord？'
She broke into a little scornful laugh：
'Arthur； my lord； Arthur； the faultless King；
That passionate perfection； my good lord
But who can gaze upon the Sun in heaven？
He never spake word of reproach to me；
He never had a glimpse of mine untruth；
He cares not for me： only here today
There gleamed a vague suspicion in his eyes：
Some meddling rogue has tampered with himelse
Rapt in this fancy of his Table Round；
And swearing men to vows impossible；
To make them like himself： but； friend； to me
He is all fault who hath no fault at all：
For who loves me must have a touch of earth；
The low sun makes the colour： I am yours；
Not Arthur's； as ye know； save by the bond。
And therefore hear my words： go to the jousts：
The tiny…trumpeting gnat can break our dream
When sweetest； and the vermin voices here
May buzz so loudwe scorn them； but they sting。'
Then answered Lancelot； the chief of knights：
'And with what face； after my pretext made；
Shall I appear； O Queen； at Camelot； I
Before a King who honours his own word；
As if it were his God's？'
'Yea；' said the Queen；
'A moral child without the craft to rule；
Else had he not lost me： but listen to me；
If I must find you wit： we hear it said
That men go down before your spear at a touch；
But knowing you are Lancelot； your great name；
This conquers： hide it therefore； go unknown：
Win！ by this kiss you will： and our true King
Will then allow your pretext； O my knight；
As all for glory； for to speak him true；
Ye know right well； how meek soe'er he seem；
No keener hunter after glory breathes。
He loves it in his knights more than himself：
They prove to him his work： win and return。'
Then got Sir Lancelot suddenly to horse；
Wroth at himself。 Not willing to be known；
He left the barren…beaten thoroughfare；
Chose the green path that showed the rarer foot；
And there among the solitary downs；
Full often lost in fancy； lost his way；
Till as he traced a faintly…shadowed track；
That all in loops and links among the dales
Ran to the Castle of Astolat； he saw
Fired from the west； far on a hill； the towers。
Thither he made； and blew the gateway horn。
Then came an old； dumb； myriad…wrinkled man；
Who let him into lodging and disarmed。
And Lancelot marvelled at the wordless man；
And issuing found the Lord of Astolat
With two strong sons； Sir Torre and Sir Lavaine；
Moving to meet him in the castle court；
And close behind them stept the lily maid
Elaine； his daughter： mother of the house
There was not： some light jest among them rose
With laughter dying down as the great knight
Approached them： then the Lord of Astolat：
'Whence comes thou； my guest； and by what name
Livest thou between the lips？ for by thy state
And presence I might guess thee chief of those；
After the King； who eat in Arthur's halls。
Him have I seen： the rest； his Table Round；
Known as they are； to me they are unknown。'
Then answered Sir Lancelot； the chief of knights：
'Known am I； and of Arthur's hall； and known；
What I by mere mischance have brought； my shield。
But since I go to joust as one unknown
At Camelot for the diamond； ask me not；
Hereafter ye shall know meand the shield
I pray you lend me one； if such you have；
Blank； or at least with some device not mine。'
Then said the Lord of Astolat； 'Here is Torre's：
Hurt in his first tilt was my son； Sir Torre。
And so； God wot； his shield is blank enough。
His ye can have。' Then added plain Sir Torre；
'Yea； since I cannot use it； ye may have it。'
Here laughed the father saying； 'Fie； Sir Churl；
Is that answer for a noble knight？
Allow him！ but Lavaine； my younger here；
He is so full of lustihood； he will ride；
Joust for it； and win； and bring it in an hour；
And set it in this damsel's golden hair；
To make her thrice as wilful as before。'
'Nay； father； nay good father； shame me not
Before this noble knight；' said young Lavaine；
'For nothing。 Surely I but played on Torre：
He seemed so sullen； vext he could not go：
A jest； no more！ for； knight； the maiden dreamt
That some one put this diamond in her hand；
And that it was too slippery to be held；
And slipt and fell into some pool or stream；
The castle…well； belike； and then I said
That if I went and if I fought and won it
（But all was jest and joke among ourselves）
Then must she keep it safelier。 All was jest。
But； father； give me leave； an if he will；
To ride to Camelot with this noble knight：
Win shall I not； but do my best to win：
Young as I am； yet would I do my best。'
'So will ye grace me；' answered Lancelot；
Smiling a moment； 'with your fellowship
O'er these waste downs whereon I lost myself；
Then were I glad of you as guide and friend：
And you shall win this diamond；as I hear
It is a fair large diamond；if ye may；
And yield it to this maiden； if ye will。'
'A fair large diamond；' added plain Sir Torre；
'Such be for queens； and not for simple maids。'
Then she； who held her eyes upon the ground；
Elaine； and heard her name so tost about；
Flushed slightly at the slight disparagement
Before the stranger knight； who； looking at her；
Full courtly； yet not falsely； thus returned：
'If what is fair be but for what is fair；
And only queens are to be counted so；
Rash were my judgment then； who deem this maid
Might wear as fair a jewel as is on earth；
Not violating the bond of like to like。'
He spoke and ceased： the lily maid Elaine；
Won by the mellow voice before she looked；
Lifted her eyes； and read his lineaments。
The great and guilty love he bare the Queen；
In battle with the love he bare his lord；
Had marred his face； and marked it ere his time。
Another sinning on such heights with one；
The flower of all the west and all the world；
Had been the sleeker for it： but in him
His mood was often like a fiend； and rose
And drove him into wastes and solitudes
For agony； who was yet a living soul。
Marred as he was； he seemed the goodliest man
That ever among ladies ate in hall；
And noblest； when she lifted up her eyes。
However marred； of more than twice her years；
Seamed with an ancient swordcut on the cheek；
And bruised and bronzed； she lifted up her eyes
And loved him； with that love which was her doom。
Then the great knight； the darling of the court；
Loved of the loveliest； into that rude hall
Stept with all grace； and not with half disdain
Hid under grace； as in a smaller time；
But kindly man moving among his kind：
Whom they with meats and vintage of their best
And talk and minstrel melody entertained。
And much they asked of court and Table Round；
And ever well and readily answered he：
But Lancelot； when they glanced at Guinevere；
Suddenly speaking of the wordless man；
Heard from the Baron that； ten years before；
The heathen caught and reft him of his tongue。
'He learnt and warned me of their fierce design
Against my house； and him they caught and maimed；
But I； my sons； and little daughter fled
From bonds or death； and dwelt among the woods
By the great river in a boatman's hut。
Dull days were those； till our good Arthur broke
The Pagan yet once more on Badon hill。'
'O there； great lord； doubtless；' Lavaine said； rapt
By all the sweet and sudden passion of youth
Toward greatness in its elder； 'you have fought。
O tell usfor we live apartyou know
Of Arthur's glorious wars。' And Lancelot spoke
And answered him at full； as having been
With Arthur in the fight which all day long
Rang by the white mouth of the violent Glem；
And in the four loud battles by the shore
Of Duglas； that on Bassa； then the war
That thundered in and out the gloomy skirts
Of Celidon the forest； and again
By castle Gurnion； where the glorious King
Had on his cuirass worn our Lady's Head；
Carved of one emerald centered in a sun
Of silver rays； that lightened as he breathed；
And at Caerleon had he helped his lord；
When the strong neighings of the wild white Horse
Set every gilded parapet shuddering；
And up in Agned…Cathregonion too；
And down the waste sand…shores of Trath Treroit；
Where many a heathen fell； 'and on the mount
Of Badon I myself beheld the King
Charge at the head of all his Table Round；
And all his legions crying Christ and him；
And break them； and I saw him； after； stand
High on a heap of slain； from spur to plume
Red as the rising sun with heathen blood；
And seeing me； with a great voice he cried；
〃They are broken； they are broken！〃 for the King；
However mild he seems at home； nor cares
For triumph in our mimic wars； the jousts
For if his own knight cast him down； he laughs
Saying； his knights are better men than he
Yet in this heathen war the fire of God
Fills him： I never saw his like： there lives
No greater leader。'
While he uttered this；
Low to her own heart said the lily maid；
'Save your own great self； fair lord；' and when he fell
From talk of war to traits of pleasantry
Being mirthful he； but in a stately kind
She still took note that when the living smile
Died from his lips； across him came a cloud
Of melancholy severe； from which agai