That victor of the Pagan throned in | Nor shall be: vows every knight Believed himself a greater than himself, And every follower eyed him as a God; Till he, being lifted up beyond himself, Did mightier deeds than elsewise he had done, And so the realm was made; but then their vows First mainly thro' that sullying of our Queen Began to gall the knighthood, asking whence Had Arthur right to bind them to himself? Dropt down from heaven? wash'd up from out the deep? They fail'd to trace him thro' the flesh and blood Of our old Kings: whence then? a doubtful lord To bind them by inviolable vows, Which flesh and blood perforce would violate : For feel this arm of mine - the tide within Red with free chase and heather-scented air, Pulsing full man; can Arthur make me pure As any maiden child? lock up my tongue From uttering freely what I freely hear? Bind me to one? The great world laughs at it. the woods, And hear the garnet-headed yaffingale Mock them: my soul, we love but while we may; And therefore is my love so large for thee, Seeing it is not bounded save by love." Here ending, he moved toward her, and she said, "Good: an I turn'd away my love for thee To some one thrice as courteous as thyself For courtesy wins woman all as well This knightliest of all knights, and cast thee back Thine own small saw 'We love but while we may,' Well then, what answer?" He that while she spake, Mindful of what he brought to adorn her with, The jewels, had let one finger lightly touch The warm white apple of her throat, replied, "Press this a little closer, sweet, untilCome, I am hunger'd and half-anger'd meat, Wine, wine and I will love thee to the death, And out beyond into the dream to come." She rose, and set before him all he will'd; And after these had comforted the blood With meats and wines, and satiated their hearts Now talking of their woodland paradise, The deer, the dews, the fern, the founts, the lawns; Now mocking at the much ungainliness, And craven shifts, and long crane legs of Mark Then Tristram laughing caught the harp, and sang: "Ay, ay, O ay-the winds that bend the brier! A star in heaven, a star within the mere ! Ay, ay, O ay - a star was my desire, And one was far apart, and one was near: Ay, ay, O ay — the winds that bow the | Claspt it; but while he bow'd himself to grass! And one was water and one star was fire, Grown on a magic oak-tree in mid-heaven, Love-offering and peace-offering unto lay Warm kisses in the hollow of her throat, Out of the dark, just as the lips had touch'd, Behind him rose a shadow and a shriek "Mark's way," said Mark, and clove him thro' the brain. A voice clung sobbing till he question'd it, "What art thou?" and the voice about his feet Sent up an answer, sobbing, "I am thy fool, He rose, he turn'd, and flinging round And I shall never make thee smile her neck, again." GARETH AND LYNETTE.* With this poem the Author concludes THE IDYLS OF THE KING. * GARETH follows THE COMING OF ARTHUR, and THE LAST TOURNAMENT precedes GUINEVERE. A knight of Arthur, working out his | And stay'd him, 'Climb not lest thou will, break thy neck, To cleanse the world. Why, Gawain, I charge thee by my love,' and so the when he came 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 splendor sparkling from aloft, and thought 'An I could climb and lay my hand upon it, Then were I wealthier than a leash of Albeit neither loved with that full love kings.' But ever when he reach'd a hand to climb, One, that had loved him from his childhood, caught 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, 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: yet— wilt 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. grew, Found her son's will unwaveringly one, She answer'd craftily, "Will ye walk thro' fire? Who walks thro' 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. Nay — quick! 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 kitchenknaves, And those that hand the dish across the bar. Nor shalt thou tell thy name to any one. And thou shalt serve a twelvemonth and a day." For so the Queen believed that when Beheld his only way to glory lead To pass thereby; so should he rest with her, Closed in her castle from the sound of |