Before another wood, the royal crown Sparkled, and swaying upon a restless elm Drew the vague glance of Vivien and her squire. a crown Amazed were these; Lo there,' she cried Borne by some high lord-prince of Arthur's hall, And there a horse! the rider? where is he? 460 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 unearn'd 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 Thro' evil ways. The knight with once A year ago-nay, then I love thee not Ay, thou rememberest well- one summer dawn By the great tower - Caerleon upon Usk Nay, truly we were hidden- this fair From whence to watch the time, and 500 lord, The flower of all their vestal knight- | hood, knelt In amorous homage - knelt - what else? - O, ay, Knelt, and drew down from out his night black hair And mumbled that white hand whose ring'd caress Had wander'd from her own King's golden head, And lost itself in darkness, till she cried I thought the great tower would crash down on both "Rise, my sweet King, and kiss me on the lips, Thou art my King." This lad, whose lightest word Is mere white truth in simple nakedness, 510 Saw them embrace; he reddens, can not speak, eagle-like That weird yell, Unearthlier than all shriek of bird or beast, Thrill'd thro' the woods; and Balan lurking there— So bashful, he! but all the maiden His quest was unaccomplish'd heard Saints, The deathless mother-maidenhood of heaven, and thought "The scream of that wood-devil I came to quell !' Cry out upon her. Up then, ride Then nearing: Lo! he hath slain with me! some brother-knight, 540 As walls have ears; but thou shalt The hauberk to the flesh; and Balin's 'Live on, Sir Boy,' she cried; 'I The living dog than the dead lion. I cannot brook to gaze upon the dead.' And bounding forward, 'Leave them to the wolves.' hates thee for the tribute!" This good knight Told me that twice a wanton damsel came, And sought for Garton at the castlegates, Whom Pellam drove away with holy heat. 600 I well believe this damsel, and the one Who stood beside thee even now, the same. "She dwells among the woods," he And dallies with him in the Mouth of But when their foreheads felt the Foul are their lives, foul are their cooling air, lips; they lied. Pure as our own true mother is our 'O brother,' answer'd Balin, 'woe is me! And on his dying brother cast him- My madness all thy life has been thy self doom, |
