And Tristram, fondling her light | Ev'n to the swineherd's malkin in the hands, replied, "Grace, Queen, for being loved: she loved me well. Did I love her? the name at least I loved. Isolt? I fought his battles, for Isolt! The night was dark; the true star set. Isolt! The name was ruler of the dark- - Isolt? Care not for her! patient, and prayerful, meek, Pale-blooded, she will yield herself to God." mast? The greater man, the greater courtesy. But thou, thro' ever harrying thy wild beasts Save that to touch a harp, tilt with a lance Becomes thee well-art grown wild beast thyself. How darest thou, if lover, push me even In fancy from thy side, and set me far In the gray distance, half a life away, Her to be loved no more? Unsay it, unswear! Flatter me rather, seeing me so weak, Broken with Mark and hate and solitude, Thy marriage and mine own, that I should suck Lies like sweet wines: lie to me: I believe. Will ye not lie? not swear, as there ye kneel, And solemnly as when ye sware to him, The man of men, our King- My God, the power Was once in vows when men believed the King! They lied not then, who sware, and thro' their vows The King prevailing made his realm :--I say, Swear to me thou wilt love me ev'n when old, Gray-haired, and past desire, and in despair." That victor of the Pagan throned in | Nor shall be: vows hall For feel this arm of mine- the tide within the woods, "Good: an I turn'd away my love for thee To some one thrice as courteous as thy self 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." So then, when both were brought to full accord, 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, Red with free chase and heather-scented The deer, the dews, the fern, the founts, Ay, ay, O ay grass! the winds that bow the | Claspt it; but while he bow'd himself to And one was water and one star was fire, mere.' Grown on a magic oak-tree in mid-heaven, Love-offering and peace-offering unto thee.' 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, And Gareth answer'd 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 splendor sparkling from aloft, and thought 'An I could climb and lay my hand upon it, kings.' 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, 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, Then were I wealthier than a leash of Albeit neither loved with that full love I feel for thee, nor worthy such a love: Stay therefore thou; red berries charm the bird, But ever when he reach'd a hand to climb, One, that had loved him from his childhood, caught 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 Albeit in mine own heart I knew him When I was frequent with him in my 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 Life, limbs, for one that is not proven Stay, till the cloud that settles round his Hath lifted but a little. Stay, sweet son." The prince his heir, when tall and mar-So Ask'd for a bride; and thereupon the Set two before him. One was fair, strong, But to be won by force and many men And these were the conditions of the That save he won the first by force, he Must wed that other, whom no man desired, A red-faced bride who knew herself so That evermore she long'd to hide herself, And one they call'd her Fame; and one, O Mother, How can ye keep me tether'd to you Shame ! And Gareth answer'd quickly, "Not an hour, that ye yield me- I will walk thro' fire, Mother, to gain it - your full leave to Not proven, who swept the dust of ruin'd From off the threshold of the realm, and 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 answer'd craftily, "Will ye walk thro' fire? Who walks thro' fire will hardly heed the Ay, go then, an ye must: only one proof, knight, Of thine obedience and thy love to me, And Gareth cried, "A hard one, or a hundred, so I go. Nay-quick! the proof to prove me to the quick!" |