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Out of the city a blast of music pealed。
Back from the gate started the three； to whom
From out thereunder came an ancient man；
Long…bearded； saying； 'Who be ye； my sons？'
Then Gareth； 'We be tillers of the soil；
Who leaving share in furrow come to see
The glories of our King： but these； my men；
（Your city moved so weirdly in the mist）
Doubt if the King be King at all； or come
From Fairyland； and whether this be built
By magic； and by fairy Kings and Queens；
Or whether there be any city at all；
Or all a vision： and this music now
Hath scared them both； but tell thou these the truth。'
Then that old Seer made answer playing on him
And saying； 'Son； I have seen the good ship sail
Keel upward； and mast downward； in the heavens；
And solid turrets topsy…turvy in air：
And here is truth； but an it please thee not；
Take thou the truth as thou hast told it me。
For truly as thou sayest； a Fairy King
And Fairy Queens have built the city； son；
They came from out a sacred mountain…cleft
Toward the sunrise； each with harp in hand；
And built it to the music of their harps。
And； as thou sayest； it is enchanted； son；
For there is nothing in it as it seems
Saving the King； though some there be that hold
The King a shadow； and the city real：
Yet take thou heed of him； for； so thou pass
Beneath this archway； then wilt thou become
A thrall to his enchantments； for the King
Will bind thee by such vows； as is a shame
A man should not be bound by； yet the which
No man can keep； but； so thou dread to swear；
Pass not beneath this gateway； but abide
Without； among the cattle of the field。
For an ye heard a music； like enow
They are building still； seeing the city is built
To music； therefore never built at all；
And therefore built for ever。'
Gareth spake
Angered； 'Old master； reverence thine own beard
That looks as white as utter truth； and seems
Wellnigh as long as thou art statured tall！
Why mockest thou the stranger that hath been
To thee fair…spoken？'
But the Seer replied；
'Know ye not then the Riddling of the Bards？
〃Confusion； and illusion； and relation；
Elusion； and occasion； and evasion〃？
I mock thee not but as thou mockest me；
And all that see thee； for thou art not who
Thou seemest； but I know thee who thou art。
And now thou goest up to mock the King；
Who cannot brook the shadow of any lie。'
Unmockingly the mocker ending here
Turned to the right； and past along the plain；
Whom Gareth looking after said； 'My men；
Our one white lie sits like a little ghost
Here on the threshold of our enterprise。
Let love be blamed for it； not she； nor I：
Well； we will make amends。'
With all good cheer
He spake and laughed； then entered with his twain
Camelot； a city of shadowy palaces
And stately； rich in emblem and the work
Of ancient kings who did their days in stone；
Which Merlin's hand； the Mage at Arthur's court；
Knowing all arts； had touched； and everywhere
At Arthur's ordinance； tipt with lessening peak
And pinnacle； and had made it spire to heaven。
And ever and anon a knight would pass
Outward； or inward to the hall： his arms
Clashed； and the sound was good to Gareth's ear。
And out of bower and casement shyly glanced
Eyes of pure women； wholesome stars of love；
And all about a healthful people stept
As in the presence of a gracious king。
Then into hall Gareth ascending heard
A voice； the voice of Arthur； and beheld
Far over heads in that long…vaulted hall
The splendour of the presence of the King
Throned； and delivering doomand looked no more
But felt his young heart hammering in his ears；
And thought； 'For this half…shadow of a lie
The truthful King will doom me when I speak。'
Yet pressing on； though all in fear to find
Sir Gawain or Sir Modred； saw nor one
Nor other； but in all the listening eyes
Of those tall knights； that ranged about the throne；
Clear honour shining like the dewy star
Of dawn； and faith in their great King； with pure
Affection； and the light of victory；
And glory gained； and evermore to gain。
Then came a widow crying to the King；
'A boon； Sir King！ Thy father； Uther； reft
From my dead lord a field with violence：
For howsoe'er at first he proffered gold；
Yet； for the field was pleasant in our eyes；
We yielded not； and then he reft us of it
Perforce； and left us neither gold nor field。'
Said Arthur； 'Whether would ye？ gold or field？'
To whom the woman weeping； 'Nay； my lord；
The field was pleasant in my husband's eye。'
And Arthur； 'Have thy pleasant field again；
And thrice the gold for Uther's use thereof；
According to the years。 No boon is here；
But justice； so thy say be proven true。
Accursed； who from the wrongs his father did
Would shape himself a right！'
And while she past；
Came yet another widow crying to him；
'A boon； Sir King！ Thine enemy； King； am I。
With thine own hand thou slewest my dear lord；
A knight of Uther in the Barons' war；
When Lot and many another rose and fought
Against thee； saying thou wert basely born。
I held with these； and loathe to ask thee aught。
Yet lo！ my husband's brother had my son
Thralled in his castle； and hath starved him dead；
And standeth seized of that inheritance
Which thou that slewest the sire hast left the son。
So though I scarce can ask it thee for hate；
Grant me some knight to do the battle for me；
Kill the foul thief； and wreak me for my son。'
Then strode a good knight forward； crying to him；
'A boon； Sir King！ I am her kinsman； I。
Give me to right her wrong； and slay the man。'
Then came Sir Kay； the seneschal； and cried；
'A boon； Sir King！ even that thou grant her none；
This railer； that hath mocked thee in full hall
None； or the wholesome boon of gyve and gag。'
But Arthur； 'We sit King； to help the wronged
Through all our realm。 The woman loves her lord。
Peace to thee； woman； with thy loves and hates！
The kings of old had doomed thee to the flames；
Aurelius Emrys would have scourged thee dead；
And Uther slit thy tongue： but get thee hence
Lest that rough humour of the kings of old
Return upon me！ Thou that art her kin；
Go likewise； lay him low and slay him not；
But bring him here； that I may judge the right；
According to the justice of the King：
Then； be he guilty； by that deathless King
Who lived and died for men； the man shall die。'
Then came in hall the messenger of Mark；
A name of evil savour in the land；
The Cornish king。 In either hand he bore
What dazzled all； and shone far…off as shines
A field of charlock in the sudden sun
Between two showers； a cloth of palest gold；
Which down he laid before the throne； and knelt；
Delivering； that his lord； the vassal king；
Was even upon his way to Camelot；
For having heard that Arthur of his grace
Had made his goodly cousin； Tristram； knight；
And； for himself was of the greater state；
Being a king； he trusted his liege…lord
Would yield him this large honour all the more；
So prayed him well to accept this cloth of gold；
In token of true heart and fealty。
Then Arthur cried to rend the cloth； to rend
In pieces； and so cast it on the hearth。
An oak…tree smouldered there。 'The goodly knight！
What！ shall the shield of Mark stand among these？'
For； midway down the side of that long hall
A stately pile；whereof along the front；
Some blazoned； some but carven； and some blank；
There ran a treble range of stony shields；
Rose； and high…arching overbrowed the hearth。
And under every shield a knight was named：
For this was Arthur's custom in his hall；
When some good knight had done one noble deed；
His arms were carven only； but if twain
His arms were blazoned also； but if none；
The shield was blank and bare without a sign
Saving the name beneath； and Gareth saw
The shield of Gawain blazoned rich and bright；
And Modred's blank as death； and Arthur cried
To rend the cloth and cast it on the hearth。
'More like are we to reave him of his crown
Than make him knight because men call him king。
The kings we found； ye know we stayed their hands
From war among themselves； but left them kings；
Of whom were any bounteous； merciful；
Truth…speaking； brave； good livers； them we enrolled
Among us； and they sit within our hall。
But as Mark hath tarnished the great name of king；
As Mark would sully the low state of churl：
And； seeing he hath sent us cloth of gold；
Return； and meet； and hold him from our eyes；
Lest we should lap him up in cloth of lead；
Silenced for evercravena man of plots；
Craft； poisonous counsels； wayside ambushings
No fault of thine： let Kay the seneschal
Look to thy wants； and send thee satisfied
Accursed； who strikes nor lets the hand be seen！'
And many another suppliant crying came
With noise of ravage wrought by beast and man；
And evermore a knight would ride away。
Last； Gareth leaning both hands heavily
Down on the shoulders of the twain； his men；
Approached between them toward the King； and asked；
'A boon； Sir King （his voice was all ashamed）；
For see ye not how weak and hungerworn
I seemleaning on these？ grant me to serve
For meat and drink among thy kitc