Lot's wife, the Queen of Orkney, Bellicent; Whom . . . . . . . . the King Made feast for, as they sat at meat:

'Ye come from Arthur's court. Victor his men Report him! Yea, but ye--think ye this king-- So many those that hate him, and so strong, So few his knights, however brave they be-- Hath body enow to hold his foeman down?'

'O King,' she cried, 'and I will tell thee: few, Few, but all brave, all of one mind with him; For I was near him when the savage yells Of Uther's peerage died, and Arthur sat Crowned on the dais, and all his warriors cried, "Be thou the King, and we will work thy will Who love thee," Then the King in low deep tones, And simple words of great authority, Bound them by so straight vows to his own self That when they rose, knighted from kneeling, some Were pale as at the pa.s.sing of a ghost, Some flush'd, and others dazed, as one who wakes Half blinded at the coming of a light.

'But when he spake, and cheer'd his Table Round With large, divine, and comfortable words, Beyond my tongue to tell thee--I beheld From eye to eye thro' all their Order flash A momentary likeness of the King;

'And there I saw mage Merlin, whose vast wit And hundred winters are but as the hands Of loyal va.s.sals toiling for their liege.

'And near him stood the Lady of the Lake, Who knew a subtler magic than his own-- Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful.

She gave the King his huge cross-hilted sword, Whereby to drive the heathen out: a mist Of incense curl'd about her, and her face Wellnigh was hidden in the minster gloom; But there was heard among the holy hymns A voice as of the waters, for she dwells Down in a deep--calm, whatsoever storms May shake the world--and when the surface rolls, Hath power to walk the waters like our Lord.'

Thereat Leodogran rejoiced, but thought To sift his doubtings to the last, and ask'd, Fixing full eyes of question on her face, 'The swallow and the swift are near akin, But thou art closer to this n.o.ble prince, Being his own dear sister;'

. . . . . . . . 'What know I?

For dark my mother was in eyes and hair, And dark in hair and eyes am I; . .

. . . . yea and dark was Uther too, Wellnigh to blackness; but this king is fair Beyond the race of Britons and of men.

'But let me tell thee now another tale:

. . . . . . . . on the night When Uther in Tintagil past away Moaning and wailing for an heir, Merlin Left the still King, and pa.s.sing forth to breathe,

Beheld, so high upon the dreary deeps It seem'd in heaven, a ship, the shape thereof A dragon wing'd and all from stem to stern Bright with a shining people on the decks, And gone as soon as seen. . . . . . He . . . . . .watch'd the great sea fall, Wave after wave, each mightier than the last, Till last, a ninth one, gathering half the deep And full of voices, slowly rose and plunged Roaring, and all the wave was in a flame: And down the wave and in the flame was borne A naked babe, and rode to Merlin's feet, Who stoopt and caught the babe, and cried, "The King!"

And presently thereafter follow'd calm, Free sky and stars: "And this same child," he said, "Is he who reigns." . . . .

. . . . . . And ever since the Lords Have foughten like wild beasts among themselves, So that the realm has gone to wrack; but now, This year, when Merlin--for his hour had come-- Brought Arthur forth, and sat him in the hall, Proclaiming, "Here is Uther's heir, your King,"

A hundred voices cried: "Away with him!

No king of ours!" . . . . .

. . . . Yet Merlin thro' his craft, And while the people clamor'd for a king, Had Arthur crown'd; but after, the great lords Banded, and so brake out in open war.

. . . . and Merlin in our time Hath spoken also, . . . . .

Tho' men may wound him that he will not die, But pa.s.s, again to come, and then or now Utterly smite the heathen under foot, Till these and all men hail him for their king.'

. . . . . King Leodogran rejoiced, But musing 'Shall I answer yea or nay?'

Doubted, and drowsed, nodded and slept, and saw, Dreaming a slope of land that ever grew, Field after field, up to a height, the peak Haze-hidden, and thereon a phantom king, Now looming, and now lost; and on the slope The sword rose, the hind fell, the herd was driven, Fire glimpsed; and all the land from roof and rick, In drifts of smoke before a rolling wind, Stream'd to the peak, and mingled with the haze And made it thicker; while the phantom king Sent out at times a voice; and here or there Stood one who pointed toward the voice, the rest Slew on and burnt, crying, 'No king of ours, No son of Uther, and no king of ours;'

Till with a wink his dream was changed, the haze Descended, and the solid earth became As nothing, but the king stood out in heaven, Crown'd. And Leodogran awoke, and sent

Back to the court of Arthur answering yea.

Then Arthur charged his warrior whom he loved And honor'd most, Sir Lancelot, to ride forth And bring the Queen, and watched him from the gates: And Lancelot past away among the flowers-- For then was latter April--and return'd-- Among the flowers, in May, with Guinevere.

To whom arrived, by Dubric the high saint, Chief of the church in Britain, and before The stateliest of her altar-shrines, the King That morn was married, while in stainless white, The fair beginners of a n.o.ble time, And glorying in their vows and him, his knights Stood around him, and rejoicing in his joy.

Far shone the fields of May thro' open door, The sacred altar blossom'd white with May, The sun of May descended on their King, They gazed on all earth's beauty in their Queen, Roll'd incense, and there past along the hymns A voice as of the waters, while the two Sware at the shrine of Christ a deathless love.

And Arthur said, 'Behold, thy doom is mine.

Let chance what will, I love thee to the death!'

To whom the Queen replied with drooping eyes, 'King and my Lord, I love thee to the death!'

And holy Dubric spread his hands and spake: 'Reign ye, and live and love, and make the world Other, and may the Queen be one with thee, And all this Order of thy Table Round Fulfil the boundless purpose of their King!'

And Arthur's knighthood sang before the King:--

'_Blow trumpet, for the world is white with May!!

Blow trumpet, the long night hath roll'd away!

Blow thro' the living world--"Let the King reign_!"

'_Shall Rome or Heathen rule in Arthur's realm?

Flash brand and lance, fall battle-axe on helm, Fall battle-axe, and flash brand! Let the King reign_!

'_Strike for the King and live! his knights have heard That G.o.d hath told the King a secret word.

Fall battle-axe and flash brand! Let the King reign_!

'_Strike for the King and die! and if thou diest, The king is king, and ever wills the highest.

Clang battle-axe, and clash brand! Let the King reign_!

'_The King will follow Christ, and we the King, In whom high G.o.d hath breathed a secret thing.

Fall battle-axe, and clash brand! "Let the King reign_!"

And Arthur and his knighthood for a s.p.a.ce Were all one will, and thro' that strength the King Drew in the petty princedoms under him, Fought, and in twelve great battles overcame The heathen hordes, and made a realm and reign'd.

ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON.