And onward to the fortress rode the three, And enter'd, and were lost behind the walls. "So," thought Geraint, "I have track'd him to his earth." And down the long street riding wearily, Found every hostel full, and everywhere Was hammer laid to hoof, and the hot hiss And bustling whistle of the youth who scour'd His master's armor; and of such a one He ask'd, "What means the tumult in the town?" Who told him, scouring still, "The sparrow-hawk!" Ask'd yet once more what meant the hubbub here? Who, with back turn'd, and bow'd above his work, He put the self-same query, but the man Not turning round, nor looking at him, said: Whereat Geraint flash'd into sudden spleen: The murmur of the world! What is it to me? And arms, arms, arms to fight my enemy? Speak!" And seeing one so gay in purple silks, Came forward with the helmet yet in hand And answer'd, "Pardon me, O stranger knight; It may be, at Earl Yniol's, o'er the bridge. Then rode Geraint, a little spleenful yet, With all the passion of a twelve hours' fast." Then rode Geraint into the castle court, His charger trampling many a prickly star Of sprouted thistle on the broken stones. He look'd and saw that all was ruinous. Here stood a shatter'd archway plumed with fern; And here had fall'n a great part of a tower, Whole, like a crag that tumbles from the cliff, And like a crag was gay with wilding flowers: And high above a piece of turret stair, And while he waited in the castle court, Moves him to think what kind of bird it is To Britain, and in April suddenly Breaks from a coppice gemm'd with green and red, It chanced the song that Enid sang was one Of Fortune and her wheel, and Enid sang: "Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel and lower the proud; Turn thy wild wheel thro' sunshine, storm, and cloud; Thy wheel and thee we neither love nor hate. Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel with smile or frown; With that wild wheel we go not up or down ; Our hoard is little, but our hearts are great. "Smile and we smile, the lords of many lands; Frown and we smile, the lords of our own hands; For man is man and master of his fate. "Turn, turn thy wheel above the staring crowd; Thy wheel and thou are shadows in the cloud; Thy wheel and thee we neither love nor hate." "Hark, by the bird's song you may learn the nest," Said Yniol; "Enter quickly." Entering then, Right o'er a mount of newly-fallen stones, The dusky-rafter'd many-cobweb'd Hall, He found an ancient dame in dim brocade; And near her, like a blossom vermeil-white, That lightly breaks a faded flower-sheath, Moved the fair Enid, all in faded silk, Her daughter. In a moment thought Geraint, "Here by God's rood is the one maid for me." But none spake word except the hoary Earl: "Enid, the good knight's horse stands in the court; Take him to stall, and give him corn, and then Go to the town and buy us flesh and wine; And we will make us merry as we may. Our hoard is little, but our hearts are great." |