 | A Legend of Camelot |  |
4
2. Part 2.
An one-eyed Eastern past, who sold,
And bought, and bartered garments old;
O miserie!
And bought, and bartered garments old;
O miserie!
His yellow garb did show the thread,
A triple head-dress crowned his head;
O miserie!
A triple head-dress crowned his head;
O miserie!
And, ever and anon, his throat,
Thick-bearded, gave a solemn note;
O miserie!
Thick-bearded, gave a solemn note;
O miserie!
The knights were gathered in a knot;
Rapt in a trance, they heard him not;
O miserie!
Rapt in a trance, they heard him not;
O miserie!
Before them Braunighrindas stood
In native growth of gown and hood;
O miserie!
In native growth of gown and hood;
O miserie!
Fresh from a cunning weaver's hand,
She lookt, not gaudy, but so grand!
O miserie!
She lookt, not gaudy, but so grand!
O miserie!
Not gaudy, gentles, but so neat!
For chaste and knightly eyes a treat!
O miserie!
For chaste and knightly eyes a treat!
O miserie!
The Pilgrim eyed her shapely dress
With curious eye to business:
O miserie!
With curious eye to business:
O miserie!
Then whispered he to Launcelot,
“I'll give five shekels for the lot!”
O miserie!
“I'll give five shekels for the lot!”
O miserie!
Gauwaine his battle-axe he drew . . .
Once and again he clove him through!
O miserie!
Once and again he clove him through!
O miserie!
“No man of many words am I!”
Quoth he, and wope his weapon dry.
O miserie!
Quoth he, and wope his weapon dry.
O miserie!
A butcher caught the sounds and said,
“There go two cracks upon one head!”
O miserie!
“There go two cracks upon one head!”
O miserie!
A baker whispered in his fun:
“Butcher, more heads are crackt than one!”
O miserie!
“Butcher, more heads are crackt than one!”
O miserie!
“The moon is up to many tricks!”
Quoth he who made the candlesticks! . . .
O miserie!
Quoth he who made the candlesticks! . . .
O miserie!
Dead-limp, the unbeliever lay
Athwart the flags and stopt the way. . . .
O miserie!
Athwart the flags and stopt the way. . . .
O miserie!
The bold Sir Launcelot mused a bit,
And smole a bitter smile at it.
O miserie!
And smole a bitter smile at it.
O miserie!
Gauwaine, he gave his orders brief:—
“Manants: emportez-moi ce Juif!”
O miserie!
“Manants: emportez-moi ce Juif!”
O miserie!
Some heard the knight not: they that heard
Made answer to him none, nor stirred.
O miserie!
Made answer to him none, nor stirred.
O miserie!
But Braunighrindas was not dumb;
Her opportunity had come.
O miserie!
Her opportunity had come.
O miserie!
Her accents tinkled ivory-sweet—
“Je vays l'emporter tout de suite!” . . .
O miserie!
“Je vays l'emporter tout de suite!” . . .
O miserie!
She bowed her body, slenderly,
And lifted him full tenderly:
O miserie!
And lifted him full tenderly:
O miserie!
Full silverly her stretchèd throat
Intoned the wonted Hebrew note:
O miserie!
Intoned the wonted Hebrew note:
O miserie!
Right broke-in-halfenly she bent;
Jew-laden on her way she went!
O miserie!
Jew-laden on her way she went!
O miserie!
The knights all left her one by one,
And, leaving, cried in unison—
O miserie!
And, leaving, cried in unison—
O miserie!
“Voyez ce vilain Juif qui pend
Par derrière et par devant!” . . .
O miserie!
Par derrière et par devant!” . . .
O miserie!
Yet bearing it she journeyed forth,
Selecting north-north-east by north.
O miserie!
Selecting north-north-east by north.
O miserie!
The knights (most wisely) with one mouth,
Selected south-south-west by south.
O miserie!
Selected south-south-west by south.
O miserie!
The butcher, baker, and the rest,
Said, “Let them go where they like best!”
O miserie!
Said, “Let them go where they like best!”
O miserie!
And many a wink they wunk, and shook
Their heads; but furthermore they took
O miserie!
Their heads; but furthermore they took
O miserie!
No note: it was a way they had,
In Camelot, when folks went mad. . . .
O miserie!
In Camelot, when folks went mad. . . .
O miserie!
| A Legend of Camelot | |