The Collected Works of William Morris With Introductions by his Daughter May Morris |
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| XXI. |
 | XXIV. |
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 | The Collected Works of William Morris |  |
298
By noon of the next day did Randver stand
Upon the ship's deck looking back to where
Quick lessening lay the hillsides of his land,
Striving to think if it were foul or fair
The aspect of the days to come—nought clear
Might he behold the road his feet must tread
Or know if hope his way adown it led.
Upon the ship's deck looking back to where
Quick lessening lay the hillsides of his land,
Striving to think if it were foul or fair
The aspect of the days to come—nought clear
Might he behold the road his feet must tread
Or know if hope his way adown it led.
At least the sense of weakness and defeat
That made his life seem ruined yesterday
Was dimmed withal: he felt as he might meet
Whatever trouble round his journey lay
Without complaint, and play out all the play
Hoping for little, fearing nought at all,
Till into time's waste all he was should fall.
That made his life seem ruined yesterday
Was dimmed withal: he felt as he might meet
Whatever trouble round his journey lay
Without complaint, and play out all the play
Hoping for little, fearing nought at all,
Till into time's waste all he was should fall.
Then Bikki came to him and said: “Fair lord,
Worse than my thought went matters yesternight.
The King has fools about him and some word
Has reached his ears from these in my despite
Nor might I strive this morn the thing to right
For fear of worsening them—Let be, for time
Shall help thee yet—high shall thy fortune climb:
Worse than my thought went matters yesternight.
The King has fools about him and some word
Has reached his ears from these in my despite
Nor might I strive this morn the thing to right
For fear of worsening them—Let be, for time
Shall help thee yet—high shall thy fortune climb:
“Because methinks I know thee such an one
Who will not strive a little thing to win,
Painfully doing what must needs be done
Hour by hour; but waiting to begin
Thou standest did the sky and earth raise din,
And Gods are on the earth—and then forsooth
The world shall see thy greatness and thy truth.”
Who will not strive a little thing to win,
Painfully doing what must needs be done
Hour by hour; but waiting to begin
Thou standest did the sky and earth raise din,
And Gods are on the earth—and then forsooth
The world shall see thy greatness and thy truth.”
He turned away when he had spoken this
Not as one mocking him, and Randver stood
Wondering what in such great words was amiss
Spoken so gravely too—that scarce seemed good
Despite of that—and yet withal his mood
Was softened by that speech, and Bikki seemed
A better man than Randver erst had deemed.
Not as one mocking him, and Randver stood
Wondering what in such great words was amiss
Spoken so gravely too—that scarce seemed good
Despite of that—and yet withal his mood
299
A better man than Randver erst had deemed.
So the time passed a ship-board: neither spoke
Much of the errand they were bound upon,
And Bikki never that past tale awoke
Of dream-brought longings, but of great things done
In days past spoke regretfully as one
Who still must be a useful drudge and thrall
To those on whom the world's good word should fall.
Much of the errand they were bound upon,
And Bikki never that past tale awoke
Of dream-brought longings, but of great things done
In days past spoke regretfully as one
Who still must be a useful drudge and thrall
To those on whom the world's good word should fall.
So sailing on ere eve of the sixth day
The shipmen saw King Jonak's land ahead
And in the morning midmost of a bay
Beset by mountains blue on either hand
They saw his city and made haste to stand
Toward shore, and ever as they neared the same
On every ship raised banners of great fame,
The shipmen saw King Jonak's land ahead
And in the morning midmost of a bay
Beset by mountains blue on either hand
They saw his city and made haste to stand
Toward shore, and ever as they neared the same
On every ship raised banners of great fame,
And o'er the shield-hung sides hung cloth of gold
And made the minstrels sweet and soft tunes sing;
And all men were arrayed fair to behold
Yet without sign of any warlike thing
As toward the town they sailed forth triumphing,
Save only that Prince Randver now was clad
In all the daintiest war-gear that he had.
And made the minstrels sweet and soft tunes sing;
And all men were arrayed fair to behold
Yet without sign of any warlike thing
As toward the town they sailed forth triumphing,
Save only that Prince Randver now was clad
In all the daintiest war-gear that he had.
A rich and goodly place it seemed to be,
Ships of strange fashion thronged the haven there,
And noble houses stood anigh the sea,
And up the slopes rose wall and tower fair
Guarding the many homes that therein were
From war and wrong. Then Bikki spake and said,
“A peaceful place mid the world's drearihead!
Ships of strange fashion thronged the haven there,
And noble houses stood anigh the sea,
And up the slopes rose wall and tower fair
Guarding the many homes that therein were
From war and wrong. Then Bikki spake and said,
“A peaceful place mid the world's drearihead!
“Were it not good, fair lord, in such a place
Neath this fair sky a little while to dwell
Beholding through the long day's hours some face
Thou lovedst most of all, that loved thee well,
Letting the world go its wild ways to tell
Wild stories of the cruel hearts and strong
That weigh the world down with resistless wrong?”
Neath this fair sky a little while to dwell
300
Thou lovedst most of all, that loved thee well,
Letting the world go its wild ways to tell
Wild stories of the cruel hearts and strong
That weigh the world down with resistless wrong?”
Nought answered Randver, but with face a-glow
Went forward, for betwixt the craft that lay
Thick in the haven passed the galley now,
And he felt happy and the sunny day
Seemed rife with hope as in time past away
When each new waking up was bright and strange
And in his own right hand lay all life's change.
Went forward, for betwixt the craft that lay
Thick in the haven passed the galley now,
And he felt happy and the sunny day
Seemed rife with hope as in time past away
When each new waking up was bright and strange
And in his own right hand lay all life's change.
And now ashore with all their state they went,
And as along the much thronged street they passed
Folk wondered much what all this glory meant
And many a look on Randver maidens cast
And well nigh deemed that now belike at last
Some God long worshipped all unseen had come
To look upon his people in their home.
And as along the much thronged street they passed
Folk wondered much what all this glory meant
And many a look on Randver maidens cast
And well nigh deemed that now belike at last
Some God long worshipped all unseen had come
To look upon his people in their home.
So in the King's hall were they made good cheer
When they had named themselves and land and lord,
And word was given them that the King would hear
Their speech if they had brought him any word
Concerning peaceful dealings or the sword
The morrow morn, when rested they should be
By food and sleep from tossing on the sea.
When they had named themselves and land and lord,
And word was given them that the King would hear
Their speech if they had brought him any word
Concerning peaceful dealings or the sword
The morrow morn, when rested they should be
By food and sleep from tossing on the sea.
But the next morn in great state were they brought
Unto the King, and Bikki on the way
Spake unto Randver: “What is now thy thought
Concerning that which we shall see today?
Is not this like an old dream passed away
And half forgotten? Hark how the bells ring!
Most certainly this is a mighty King.
Unto the King, and Bikki on the way
Spake unto Randver: “What is now thy thought
Concerning that which we shall see today?
Is not this like an old dream passed away
And half forgotten? Hark how the bells ring!
Most certainly this is a mighty King.
301
“Yet is thy father mightier—she may live
A noble life, this maiden.” Red as blood
Waxed Randver as some answer he did give
Of little import; for it seemed nought good
That any man should know each changing mood
As this man knew it, and in pitying tone
Had Bikki spoken e'en as he had known
A noble life, this maiden.” Red as blood
Waxed Randver as some answer he did give
Of little import; for it seemed nought good
That any man should know each changing mood
As this man knew it, and in pitying tone
Had Bikki spoken e'en as he had known
The swelling pity in the prince's heart.
Then Bikki spake again: “Yea and thou too
Art born methinks to play a noble part
Who thinking not of that which thou wilt do
Shalt some day find thyself betwixt the two,
Sorrow and ease, and scarcely made thy choice—
Thy heart a maid great-hearted shall rejoice.”
Then Bikki spake again: “Yea and thou too
Art born methinks to play a noble part
Who thinking not of that which thou wilt do
Shalt some day find thyself betwixt the two,
Sorrow and ease, and scarcely made thy choice—
Thy heart a maid great-hearted shall rejoice.”
Then Randver would have answered, but withal
Out blared the trumpets and the street they turned
Into the square that lay before the hall,
Upon the steps whereof the bright sun burned
With steel and gold—and sorely Randver yearned
Even as one would see his lady by
When some great deed he doeth mightily.
Out blared the trumpets and the street they turned
Into the square that lay before the hall,
Upon the steps whereof the bright sun burned
With steel and gold—and sorely Randver yearned
Even as one would see his lady by
When some great deed he doeth mightily.
But in the hall deep shadowed did they wend
And as one in a dream did Randver see
A throne adown the steel grove's nether end
Whereon there sat arrayed majestically
A black-haired man not great, and by his knee
Upon the marble steps a youth there sat
Black-haired and short, and yet well-knit with that.
And as one in a dream did Randver see
A throne adown the steel grove's nether end
Whereon there sat arrayed majestically
A black-haired man not great, and by his knee
Upon the marble steps a youth there sat
Black-haired and short, and yet well-knit with that.
But by the King's right hand stood two men more,
Younger it seemed and of most mighty make,
Who with fierce grey eyes looked the Goth folk o'er
As though they had been ever fain to take
The spear and shield and deadly strife to wake
With men so well arrayed—yet did he gaze
Still as one dreaming for a woman's face.
Younger it seemed and of most mighty make,
Who with fierce grey eyes looked the Goth folk o'er
As though they had been ever fain to take
The spear and shield and deadly strife to wake
302
Still as one dreaming for a woman's face.
And on the King's left hand did there sit one
A woman crowned upon a chair of state
From whose great eyes all restless grief was gone
Whose hands were folded ever as to wait
The hands that came not from the bonds of Fate;
Kind red her lips were yet, nor grown all white
The golden hair once wrought for man's delight.
A woman crowned upon a chair of state
From whose great eyes all restless grief was gone
Whose hands were folded ever as to wait
The hands that came not from the bonds of Fate;
Kind red her lips were yet, nor grown all white
The golden hair once wrought for man's delight.
Yea kind the eyes beneath the unwrinkled brow
Above the cheeks grown hollow, colourless,
That once were like the sky of dawn aglow.
Then many a thought on Randver's dream did press,
Scarce knew he if to fear or pity or bless
For Gudrun Giuki's daughter there he knew
And all the wild days she had laboured through.
Above the cheeks grown hollow, colourless,
That once were like the sky of dawn aglow.
Then many a thought on Randver's dream did press,
Scarce knew he if to fear or pity or bless
For Gudrun Giuki's daughter there he knew
And all the wild days she had laboured through.
No other woman there he saw, and while
He pondered dreamily on many a thing
Across King Jonak's face there came the smile
That well befits the visage of a king
When all his life goes forward triumphing,
And down the hall his voice came round and fair,
Meet for the glory that was gathered there.
He pondered dreamily on many a thing
Across King Jonak's face there came the smile
That well befits the visage of a king
When all his life goes forward triumphing,
And down the hall his voice came round and fair,
Meet for the glory that was gathered there.
“Good welcome to you, Goths, and chief of all
To thee, King's Son, whether thou comest here
To pass fair days with us in festival,
Or weighty matters of goodwill dost bear!
Yea welcome still if news of war and fear
Thou carriest, since every man's last day
Awaits him unseen on his changing way.”
To thee, King's Son, whether thou comest here
To pass fair days with us in festival,
Or weighty matters of goodwill dost bear!
Yea welcome still if news of war and fear
Thou carriest, since every man's last day
Awaits him unseen on his changing way.”
Then Randver spake rather from memory still
Of things that like a dream or an old tale
Hung round him than from any present will:
“All hail, O King! no news of war or bale
We bring thee, yet are earnest to prevail
In asking a great gift of thee, that yet
Scarce shall a worthier man than this one get
Of things that like a dream or an old tale
303
“All hail, O King! no news of war or bale
We bring thee, yet are earnest to prevail
In asking a great gift of thee, that yet
Scarce shall a worthier man than this one get
“Who asketh thee thereof now. King, men say
That in thine house there dwelleth such an one
That all the world holds not so fair a may
And her we ask—Is my speech well begun?
For if not, ere this glittering morning sun
Has come to his full height our oars shall smite
The green waves of your haven into white.”
That in thine house there dwelleth such an one
That all the world holds not so fair a may
And her we ask—Is my speech well begun?
For if not, ere this glittering morning sun
Has come to his full height our oars shall smite
The green waves of your haven into white.”
Then spake King Jonak somewhat eagerly:
“Yea for thyself then askest thou this maid?”
There seemed a murmuring in the air anigh,
Why not, why not? as Randver spake and said,
“The King my father all due things has weighed
And deemeth nothing may fulfill his bliss
Or cure past trouble save the gaining this.
“Yea for thyself then askest thou this maid?”
There seemed a murmuring in the air anigh,
Why not, why not? as Randver spake and said,
“The King my father all due things has weighed
And deemeth nothing may fulfill his bliss
Or cure past trouble save the gaining this.
“He sayeth also that thy realm is great
And rich, abiding ever in good peace,
But biddeth thee take heed of wavering fate,
To look around and note the world's disease,
And how the grey wolf howls through palaces
Where once a great lord scarce might raise his voice
Unless its sound should make the king rejoice;
And rich, abiding ever in good peace,
But biddeth thee take heed of wavering fate,
To look around and note the world's disease,
And how the grey wolf howls through palaces
Where once a great lord scarce might raise his voice
Unless its sound should make the king rejoice;
“Therewith he bids thee call to mind how oft
Hermanaric's crest through doubt and fear hath shone,
The banner of the Goths been raised aloft
When some great folk must needs with day be done;
He asketh thee if thou wilt call him son
And from his restful scabbard draw his sword
If evil threats thee with thy lightest word.”
Hermanaric's crest through doubt and fear hath shone,
The banner of the Goths been raised aloft
When some great folk must needs with day be done;
He asketh thee if thou wilt call him son
And from his restful scabbard draw his sword
If evil threats thee with thy lightest word.”
304
A little space was silence now, the while
King Jonak with his exultation strove
That he might answer like a king; a smile
Somewhat the war-worn face of Bikki now did move,
And Randver's eyes met Gudrun's from above
[Bending] upon [him] with a doubtful gaze
Where fear and pity, yea e'en hate had place.
King Jonak with his exultation strove
That he might answer like a king; a smile
Somewhat the war-worn face of Bikki now did move,
And Randver's eyes met Gudrun's from above
[Bending] upon [him] with a doubtful gaze
Where fear and pity, yea e'en hate had place.
Then spake the King: “Thanks at the least we give
To thee for thy fair speech, prince; for thy sire,
Although we hope without his aid to live
And rule our folk in peace, yet we desire
Beyond all things to draw unto us nigher
So great a king whom all the world doth praise
For his great heart and life and happy days.
To thee for thy fair speech, prince; for thy sire,
Although we hope without his aid to live
And rule our folk in peace, yet we desire
Beyond all things to draw unto us nigher
So great a king whom all the world doth praise
For his great heart and life and happy days.
“Yet must we hold some counsel with our lords
This day at least, and making no delay
Give thee thine answer in all loving words
Whether we needs must answer Yea or Nay.
So with good heart take our good cheer today
And fair things for a memory of this morn.”
Then forth on both sides were the fair gifts borne,
This day at least, and making no delay
Give thee thine answer in all loving words
Whether we needs must answer Yea or Nay.
So with good heart take our good cheer today
And fair things for a memory of this morn.”
Then forth on both sides were the fair gifts borne,
And men's eyes glistened such as looked for gain.
But 'twixt the King and Queen sat Randver now
Amid fair talk, although a restless pain,
Whose seed and root no troublous search would show,
Was at his heart and still on him did grow
Craving to be alone a little while,
All things about him seemed so base and vile—
But 'twixt the King and Queen sat Randver now
Amid fair talk, although a restless pain,
Whose seed and root no troublous search would show,
Was at his heart and still on him did grow
Craving to be alone a little while,
All things about him seemed so base and vile—
All things save Gudrun who in kindly wise
Sat hearkening, whose faint smile would die away
At whiles e'en as the shimmering sunlight dies
About the noon of some wild rainy day,
At whiles she seemed as she her hand would lay
On his caressingly, then with a frown
And helpless look would let her hand fall down.
Sat hearkening, whose faint smile would die away
At whiles e'en as the shimmering sunlight dies
About the noon of some wild rainy day,
At whiles she seemed as she her hand would lay
305
And helpless look would let her hand fall down.
But howsoe'er betwixt these twain it went,
Or Bikki watching them, o'erlong it were
To tell of all the glee wherein was spent
That summer day. Joyous seemed all folk there,
Nor had the Goths seen anything more fair
Than the King's house arrayed all suddenly
For feast as if for men who need should die.
Or Bikki watching them, o'erlong it were
To tell of all the glee wherein was spent
That summer day. Joyous seemed all folk there,
Nor had the Goths seen anything more fair
Than the King's house arrayed all suddenly
For feast as if for men who need should die.
| The Collected Works of William Morris | |