 | A Legend of Camelot |  |
6
3. Part 3.
She bore her burden all that day
Half-faint; the unconverted clay
O miserie!
Half-faint; the unconverted clay
O miserie!
A burden grew, beneath the sun,
In many a manner more than one.
O miserie!
In many a manner more than one.
O miserie!
Half-faint the whitening road along
She bore it, singing (in her song)—
O miserie!
She bore it, singing (in her song)—
O miserie!
“The locks you loved, Gauwaine, Gauwaine,
Will never know the comb again! . . .
Will never know the comb again! . . .
The man you slew, Gauwaine, Gauwaine,
Will never come to life again!
Will never come to life again!
So when they do, Gauwaine, Gauwaine,
Then take me back to town again!” . . .
Then take me back to town again!” . . .
The shepherds gazed, but marvelled not;
They knew the ways of Camelot!
O miserie!
They knew the ways of Camelot!
O miserie!
She heeded neither man nor beast:
Her shadow lengthened toward the east.
O miserie!
Her shadow lengthened toward the east.
O miserie!
A little castle she drew nigh,
With seven towers twelve inches high. . . .
O miserie!
With seven towers twelve inches high. . . .
O miserie!
A baby castle, all a-flame
With many a flower that hath no name.
O miserie!
With many a flower that hath no name.
O miserie!
It had a little moat all round:
A little drawbridge too she found,
O miserie!
A little drawbridge too she found,
O miserie!
On which there stood a stately maid,
Like her in radiant locks arrayed . . .
O miserie!
Like her in radiant locks arrayed . . .
O miserie!
Save that her locks grew rank and wild,
By weaver's shuttle undefiled! . . .
O miserie!
By weaver's shuttle undefiled! . . .
O miserie!
Who held her brush and comb, as if
Her faltering hands had waxèd stiff
O miserie!
Her faltering hands had waxèd stiff
O miserie!
With baulkt endeavour! whence she sung
A chant, the burden whereof rung:
O miserie!
A chant, the burden whereof rung:
O miserie!
“These hands have striven in vain
To part
To part
These locks that won Gauwaine
His heart!”
His heart!”
All breathless, Braunighrindas stopt
To listen, and her load she dropt,
O miserie!
To listen, and her load she dropt,
O miserie!
And rolled in wonder wild and blear
The whites of her eyes grown green with fear:
O miserie!
The whites of her eyes grown green with fear:
O miserie!
—“What is your name, young person, pray?”
—“Knights call me Fidele-strynges-le-Fay.”
O miserie!
—“Knights call me Fidele-strynges-le-Fay.”
O miserie!
—“You wear a wedding-ring, I see!”
—“I do . . . Gauwaine he gave it me”. . .
O miserie!
—“I do . . . Gauwaine he gave it me”. . .
O miserie!
—“Are you Gauwaine his wedded spouse?
Is this Gauwaine his . . . country-house?”
O miserie!
Is this Gauwaine his . . . country-house?”
O miserie!
—“I am . . . it is . . . we are . . . oh who,
That you should greet me thus, are you?”
O miserie!
That you should greet me thus, are you?”
O miserie!
—“I am ANOTHER! . . . since the morn
The fourth month of the year was born!”. . .
O miserie!
The fourth month of the year was born!”. . .
O miserie!
—“What! that which followed when the last
Bleak night of bitter March had past?”. . .
O miserie!
Bleak night of bitter March had past?”. . .
O miserie!
—“The same.”—“That day for both hath done!
And you, and he, and I, are ONE!” . . .
O miserie!
And you, and he, and I, are ONE!” . . .
O miserie!
Then hand in hand, most woefully,
They went, the willows weeping nigh;
O miserie!
They went, the willows weeping nigh;
O miserie!
Left hand in left was left to cling!
On each a silver wedding-ring.
O miserie!
On each a silver wedding-ring.
O miserie!
And having walkt a little space,
They halted, each one in her place:
O miserie!
They halted, each one in her place:
O miserie!
And chanted loud a wondrous plaint
Well chosen: wild, one-noted, quaint:
O miserie!
Well chosen: wild, one-noted, quaint:
O miserie!
“Heigho! the Wind and the Rain!
The Moon's at the Full, Gauwaine, Gauwaine
The Moon's at the Full, Gauwaine, Gauwaine
Heigho! the Wind and the Rain
On gold-hair woven, and gold-hair plain!
On gold-hair woven, and gold-hair plain!
Heigho! the Wind and the Rain!
Oh when shall we Three meet again!”
Oh when shall we Three meet again!”
Atween the river and the wood,
Knee-deep 'mid whispering reeds they stood:
O miserie!
Knee-deep 'mid whispering reeds they stood:
O miserie!
The green earth oozing soft and dank
Beneath them, soakt and suckt and sank! . . .
O miserie!
Beneath them, soakt and suckt and sank! . . .
O miserie!
Yet soak-and-suck-and-sink or not,
They, chanting, craned towards Camelot. . . .
O miserie!
They, chanting, craned towards Camelot. . . .
O miserie!
| A Legend of Camelot | |