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And Gareth went； and hovering round her chair
Asked； 'Mother； though ye count me still the child；
Sweet mother； do ye love the child？' She laughed；
'Thou art but a wild…goose to question it。'
'Then； mother； an ye love the child；' he said；
'Being a goose and rather tame than wild；
Hear the child's story。' 'Yea； my well…beloved；
An 'twere but of the goose and golden eggs。'
And Gareth answered her with kindling eyes；
'Nay； nay； good mother； but this egg of mine
Was finer gold than any goose can lay；
For this an Eagle； a royal Eagle； laid
Almost beyond eye…reach； on such a palm
As glitters gilded in thy Book of Hours。
And there was ever haunting round the palm
A lusty youth； but poor； who often saw
The splendour sparkling from aloft； and thought
〃An I could climb and lay my hand upon it；
Then were I wealthier than a leash of kings。〃
But ever when he reached a hand to climb；
One； that had loved him from his childhood； caught
And stayed him； 〃Climb not lest thou break thy neck；
I charge thee by my love；〃 and so the boy；
Sweet mother； neither clomb； nor brake his neck；
But brake his very heart in pining for it；
And past away。'
To whom the mother said；
'True love； sweet son； had risked himself and climbed；
And handed down the golden treasure to him。'
And Gareth answered her with kindling eyes；
'Gold？' said I gold？ay then； why he； or she；
Or whosoe'er it was； or half the world
Had venturedhad the thing I spake of been
Mere goldbut this was all of that true steel；
Whereof they forged the brand Excalibur；
And lightnings played about it in the storm；
And all the little fowl were flurried at it；
And there were cries and clashings in the nest；
That sent him from his senses： let me go。'
Then Bellicent bemoaned herself and said；
'Hast thou no pity upon my loneliness？
Lo； where thy father Lot beside the hearth
Lies like a log； and all but smouldered out！
For ever since when traitor to the King
He fought against him in the Barons' war；
And Arthur gave him back his territory；
His age hath slowly droopt； and now lies there
A yet…warm corpse； and yet unburiable；
No more； nor sees； nor hears； nor speaks； nor knows。
And both thy brethren are in Arthur's hall；
Albeit neither loved with that full love
I feel for thee； nor worthy such a love：
Stay therefore thou； red berries charm the bird；
And thee； mine innocent； the jousts； the wars；
Who never knewest finger…ache； nor pang
Of wrenched or broken limban often chance
In those brain…stunning shocks； and tourney…falls；
Frights to my heart； but stay： follow the deer
By these tall firs and our fast…falling burns；
So make thy manhood mightier day by day；
Sweet is the chase： and I will seek thee out
Some comfortable bride and fair； to grace
Thy climbing life； and cherish my prone year；
Till falling into Lot's forgetfulness
I know not thee； myself； nor anything。
Stay； my best son！ ye are yet more boy than man。'
Then Gareth； 'An ye hold me yet for child；
Hear yet once more the story of the child。
For； mother； there was once a King； like ours。
The prince his heir； when tall and marriageable；
Asked for a bride； and thereupon the King
Set two before him。 One was fair； strong； armed
But to be won by forceand many men
Desired her； one good lack； no man desired。
And these were the conditions of the King：
That save he won the first by force； he needs
Must wed that other； whom no man desired；
A red…faced bride who knew herself so vile；
That evermore she longed to hide herself；
Nor fronted man or woman； eye to eye
Yeasome she cleaved to； but they died of her。
And onethey called her Fame； and one；O Mother；
How can ye keep me tethered to youShame。
Man am I grown； a man's work must I do。
Follow the deer？ follow the Christ； the King；
Live pure； speak true； right wrong； follow the King
Else； wherefore born？'
To whom the mother said
'Sweet son； for there be many who deem him not；
Or will not deem him； wholly proven King
Albeit in mine own heart I knew him King；
When I was frequent with him in my youth；
And heard him Kingly speak； and doubted him
No more than he； himself； but felt him mine；
Of closest kin to me： yetwilt thou leave
Thine easeful biding here； and risk thine all；
Life； limbs； for one that is not proven King？
Stay； till the cloud that settles round his birth
Hath lifted but a little。 Stay； sweet son。'
And Gareth answered quickly； 'Not an hour；
So that ye yield meI will walk through fire；
Mother； to gain ityour full leave to go。
Not proven； who swept the dust of ruined Rome
From off the threshold of the realm； and crushed
The Idolaters； and made the people free？
Who should be King save him who makes us free？'
So when the Queen； who long had sought in vain
To break him from the intent to which he grew；
Found her son's will unwaveringly one；
She answered craftily； 'Will ye walk through fire？
Who walks through fire will hardly heed the smoke。
Ay； go then； an ye must： only one proof；
Before thou ask the King to make thee knight；
Of thine obedience and thy love to me；
Thy mother；I demand。
And Gareth cried；
'A hard one； or a hundred； so I go。
Nayquick！ the proof to prove me to the quick！'
But slowly spake the mother looking at him；
'Prince； thou shalt go disguised to Arthur's hall；
And hire thyself to serve for meats and drinks
Among the scullions and the kitchen…knaves；
And those that hand the dish across the bar。
Nor shalt thou tell thy name to anyone。
And thou shalt serve a twelvemonth and a day。'
For so the Queen believed that when her son
Beheld his only way to glory lead
Low down through villain kitchen…vassalage；
Her own true Gareth was too princely…proud
To pass thereby； so should he rest with her；
Closed in her castle from the sound of arms。
Silent awhile was Gareth； then replied；
'The thrall in person may be free in soul；
And I shall see the jousts。 Thy son am I；
And since thou art my mother； must obey。
I therefore yield me freely to thy will；
For hence will I； disguised； and hire myself
To serve with scullions and with kitchen…knaves；
Nor tell my name to anyno； not the King。'
Gareth awhile lingered。 The mother's eye
Full of the wistful fear that he would go；
And turning toward him wheresoe'er he turned；
Perplext his outward purpose； till an hour；
When wakened by the wind which with full voice
Swept bellowing through the darkness on to dawn；
He rose； and out of slumber calling two
That still had tended on him from his birth；
Before the wakeful mother heard him； went。
The three were clad like tillers of the soil。
Southward they set their faces。 The birds made
Melody on branch； and melody in mid air。
The damp hill…slopes were quickened into green；
And the live green had kindled into flowers；
For it was past the time of Easterday。
So； when their feet were planted on the plain
That broadened toward the base of Camelot；
Far off they saw the silver…misty morn
Rolling her smoke about the Royal mount；
That rose between the forest and the field。
At times the summit of the high city flashed；
At times the spires and turrets half…way down
Pricked through the mist； at times the great gate shone
Only； that opened on the field below：
Anon； the whole fair city had disappeared。
Then those who went with Gareth were amazed；
One crying； 'Let us go no further； lord。
Here is a city of Enchanters； built
By fairy Kings。' The second echoed him；
'Lord； we have heard from our wise man at home
To Northward； that this King is not the King；
But only changeling out of Fairyland；
Who drave the heathen hence by sorcery
And Merlin's glamour。' Then the first again；
'Lord； there is no such city anywhere；
But all a vision。'
Gareth answered them
With laughter； swearing he had glamour enow
In his own blood； his princedom； youth and hopes；
To plunge old Merlin in the Arabian sea；
So pushed them all unwilling toward the gate。
And there was no gate like it under heaven。
For barefoot on the keystone； which was lined
And rippled like an ever…fleeting wave；
The Lady of the Lake stood： all her dress
Wept from her sides as water flowing away；
But like the cross her great and goodly arms
Stretched under the cornice and upheld：
And drops of water fell from either hand；
And down from one a sword was hung； from one
A censer； either worn with wind and storm；
And o'er her breast floated the sacred fish；
And in the space to left of her； and right；
Were Arthur's wars in weird devices done；
New things and old co…twisted； as if Time
Were nothing； so inveterately； that men
Were giddy gazing there； and over all
High on the top were those three Queens； the friends
Of Arthur； who should help him at his need。
Then those with Gareth for so long a space
Stared at the figures； that at last it seemed
The dragon…boughts and elvish emblemings
Began to move； seethe； twine and curl： they called
To Gareth； 'Lord； the gateway is alive。'
And Gareth likewise on them fixt his eyes
So long； that even to him they seemed to move。
Out of the city a blast of music pealed。
Back from the gate started the three； to whom
Fro