Saying, "I never yet have done so much
For any maiden living," and the blood

4 £112] how with delight:

བ། །] I

1 at yuAI 1*

Lily maid,

She answer d, "twice to-day.
Whereat Lavaine said, laughing,
For fear our people call you lily maid

That all was nature, all, perchance, for her.

༦སམ༴ སŲ པས་ པདu W1éliiilfl8 ti-t-d, And found it true, and answer'd, "True, my child. Well, I will wear it: fetch it out to me: What is it?" and she told him "A red sleeve

Broider'd with pearls," and brought it: then he bound Her token on his helmet, with a smile

Saying, "I never yet have done so much
For any maiden living," and the blood

16' her with delight.

why I waite

me th's grace
ping till I come.

She answer'd, "twice to-day.

1 duin y9au U་]་་་-.

Whereat Lavaine said, laughing, "Lily maid,

For fear our people call you lily maid

In earnest, let me bring your color back;
Once, twice, and thrice: now get you hence to bed:"
So kiss'd her, and Sir Lancelot his own hand,
And thus they moved away: she stay'd a minute,
Then made a sudden step to the gate, and there -
Her bright hair blown about the serious face
Yet rosy-kindled with her brother's kiss
Paused in the gateway, standing by the shield
In silence, while she watch'd their arms far off
Sparkle, until they dipt below the downs.

Then to her tower she climb'd, and took the shield,
There kept it, and so lived in fantasy

Meanwhile the new companions past away
Far o'er the long backs of the bushless downs,
To where Sir Lancelot knew there lived a knight
Not far from Camelot, now for forty years
A hermit, who had pray'd, labor'd, and pray'd,
And ever laboring had scoop'd himself
In the white rock a chapel and a hall
On massive columns, like a shore-cliff cave,
And cells and chambers: all were fair and dry;
The green light from the meadows underneath
Struck up and lived along the milky roofs;
And in the meadows tremulous aspen-trees
And poplars made a noise of falling showers.
And thither wending there that night they bode.

But when the next day broke from underground, And shot red fire and shadows thro' the cave, They rose, heard mass, broke fast, and rode away: Then Lancelot saying, Hear, but hold my name Hidden, you ride with Lancelot of the Lake," Abash'd Lavaine, whose instant reverence, Dearer to true young hearts than their own praise, But left him leave to stammer, "Is it indeed?" And after muttering, "The great Lancelot,” At last he got his breath and answer'd, "One, One have I seen - that other, our liege lord, The dread Pendragon, Britain's king of kings, Of whom the people talk mysteriously, He will be there then were I stricken blind That minute, I might say that I had seen."

So spake Lavaine, and when they reach'd the lists
By Camelot in the meadow, let his eyes
Run thro' the peopled gallery which half round
Lay like a rainbow fall'n upon the grass,
Until they found the clear-faced King, who sat
Robed in red samite, easily to be known,
Since to his crown the golden dragon clung,
And down his robe the dragon writhed in gold,
And from the carven-work behind him crept
Two dragons gilded, sloping down to make
Arms for his chair, while all the rest of them
Thro' knots and loops and folds innumerable
Fled ever thro' the woodwork, till they found
The new design wherein they lost themselves,
Yet with all ease, so tender was the work :
And, in the costly canopy o'er him set,
Blazed the last diamond of the nameless king.
Then Lancelot answer'd young Lavaine and said,
"Me you call great: mine is the firmer seat,
The truer lance: but there is many a youth
Now crescent, who will come to all I am
And overcome it; and in me there dwells
No greatness, save it be some far-off touch
Of greatness to know well I am not great:
There is the man." And Lavaine gaped upon him
As on a thing miraculous, and anon
The trumpets blew; and then did either side,
They that assail'd, and they that held the lists,
Set lance in rest, strike spur, suddenly move,
Meet in the midst, and there so furiously
Shock, that a man far off might well perceive,
If any man that day were left afield,

The hard earth shake, and a low thunder of arms.
And Lancelot bode a little, till he saw
Which were the weaker; then he hurl'd into it
Against the stronger: little need to speak
Of Lancelot in his glory: King, duke, earl,
Count, baron-whom he smote, he overthrew.

But in the field were Lancelot's kith and kin,
Ranged with the Table Round that held the lists,
Strong men, and wrathful that a stranger knight
Should do and almost overdo the deeds
Of Lancelot; and one said to the other, "Lo!
What is he? I do not mean the force alone,