the tale of balen-第6章

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With　sound　of　hell's　own　serpent's　hiss
Should　one　day　turn　her　life　to　death；
Stood　mourning　with　her：　　but　by　these
Seeing　Mordred　as　a　seer　that　sees；
Anguish　of　terror　bent　her　knees
And　caught　her　shuddering　breath。

The　splendour　of　her　sovereign　eyes
Flashed　darkness　deeper　than　the　skies
Feel　or　fear　when　the　sunset　dies
On　his　that　felt　as　midnight　rise
Their　doom　upon　them；　there　undone
By　faith　in　fear　ere　thought　could　yield
A　shadowy　sense　of　days　revealed；
The　ravin　of　the　final　field；
The　terror　of　their　son。

For　Arthur's；　as　they　caught　the　light
That　sought　and　durst　not　seek　his　sight；
Darkened；　and　all　his　spirit's　might
Withered　within　him　even　as　night
Withers　when　sunrise　thrills　the　sea。
But　Mordred's　lightened　as　with　fire
That　smote　his　mother　and　his　sire
With　darkling　doom　and　deep　desire
That　bade　its　darkness　be。

And　heavier　on　their　hearts　the　weight
Sank　of　the　fear　that　brings　forth　fate；
The　bitter　doubt　whose　womb　is　great
With　all　the　grief　and　love　and　hate
That　turn　to　fire　men's　days　on　earth。
And　glorious　was　the　funeral　made；
And　dark　the　deepening　dread　that　swayed
Their　darkening　souls　whose　light　grew　shade
With　sense　of　death　in　birth。



VI



In　autumn；　when　the　wind　and　sea
Rejoice　to　live　and　laugh　to　be；
And　scarce　the　blast　that　curbs　the　tree
And　bids　before　it　quail　and　flee
The　fiery　foliage；　where　its　brand
Is　radiant　as　the　seal　of　spring；
Sounds　less　delight；　and　waves　a　wing
Less　lustrous；　life's　loud　thanksgiving
Puts　life　in　sea　and　land。

High　hope　in　Balen's　heart　alight
Laughed；　as　from　all　that　clamorous　fight
He　passed　and　sought　not　Arthur's　sight；
Who　fain　had　found　his　kingliest　knight
And　made　amend　for　Balen's　wrong。
But　Merlin　gave　his　soul　to　see
Fate；　rising　as　a　shoreward　sea；
And　all　the　sorrow　that　should　be
Ere　hope　or　fear　thought　long。

〃O　where　are　they　whose　hands　upbore
My　battle；〃　Arthur　said；　〃before
The　wild　Welsh　host's　wide　rage　and　roar？
Balen　and　Balan；　Pellinore；
Where　are　they？〃　　Merlin　answered　him：
〃Balen　shall　be　not　long　away
From　sight　of　you；　but　night　nor　day
Shall　bring　his　brother　back　to　say
If　life　burn　bright　or　dim。〃

〃Now；　by　my　faith；〃　said　Arthur　then；
〃Two　marvellous　knights　are　they；　whose　ken
Toward　battle　makes　the　twain　as　ten；
And　Balen　most　of　all　born　men
Passeth　of　prowess　all　I　know
Or　ever　found　or　sought　to　see：
Would　God　he　would　abide　with　me；
To　face　the　times　foretold　of　thee
And　all　the　latter　woe。〃

For　there　had　Merlin　shown　the　king
The　doom　that　songs　unborn　should　sing；
The　gifts　that　time　should　rise　and　bring
Of　blithe　and　bitter　days　to　spring
As　weeds　and　flowers　against　the　sun。
And　on　the　king　for　fear's　sake　fell
Sickness；　and　sorrow　deep　as　hell；
Nor　even　might　sleep　bid　fear　farewell
If　grace　to　sleep　were　won。

Down　in　a　meadow　green　and　still
He　bade　the　folk　that　wrought　his　will
Pitch　his　pavilion；　where　the　chill
Soft　night　would　let　not　rest　fulfil
His　heart　wherein　dark　fears　lay　deep。
And　sharp　against　his　hearing　cast
Came　a　sound　as　of　horsehoofs　fast
Passing；　that　ere　their　sound　were　past
Aroused　him　as　from　sleep。

And　forth　he　looked　along　the　grass
And　saw　before　his　portal　pass
A　knight　that　wailed　aloud；　〃Alas
That　life　should　find　this　dolorous　pass
And　find　no　shield　from　doom　and　dole！〃
And　hearing　all　his　moan；　〃Abide；
Fair　sir；〃　the　king　arose　and　cried；
〃And　say　what　sorrow　bids　you　ride
So　sorrowful　of　soul。〃

〃My　hurt　may　no　man　heal；　God　wot；
And　help　of　man　may　speed　me　not；〃
The　sad　knight　said；　〃nor　change　my　lot。〃
And　toward　the　castle　of　Melyot
Whose　towers　arose　a　league　away
He　passed　forth　sorrowing：　　and　anon；
Ere　well　the　woful　sight　were　gone；
Came　Balen　down　the　meads　that　shone；
Strong；　bright；　and　brave　as　day。

And　seeing　the　king　there　stand；　the　knight
Drew　rein　before　his　face　to　alight
In　reverence　made　for　love's　sake　bright
With　joy　that　set　his　face　alight
As　theirs　who　see；　alive；　above；
The　sovereign　of　their　souls；　whose　name
To　them　is　even　as　love's　own　flame
To　enkindle　hope　that　heeds　not　fame
And　knows　no　lord　but　love。

And　Arthur　smiled　on　him；　and　said；
〃Right　welcome　be　thou：　　by　my　head；
I　would　not　wish　me　better　sped。
For　even　but　now　there　came　and　fled
Before　me　like　a　cloud　that　flies
A　knight　that　made　most　heavy　cheer；
I　know　not　wherefore；　nor　may　fear
Or　pity　give　my　heart　to　hear
Or　lighten　on　mine　eyes。

〃But　even　for　fear's　and　pity's　sake
Fain　were　I　thou　shouldst　overtake
And　fetch　again　this　knight　that　spake
No　word　of　answering　grace　to　make
Reply　to　mine　that　hailed　him：　　thou；
By　force　or　by　goodwill；　shalt　bring
His　face　before　me。〃　　〃Yea；　my　king；〃
Quoth　Balen；　〃and　a　greater　thing
Were　less　than　is　my　vow。

〃I　would　the　task　required　and　heard
Were　heavier　than　your　sovereign　word
Hath　laid　on　me：〃　and　thence　he　spurred
Elate　at　heart　as　youth；　and　stirred
With　hope　as　blithe　as　fires　a　boy：
And　many　a　mile　he　rode；　and　found
Far　in　a　forest's　glimmering　bound
The　man　he　sought　afar　around
And　seeing　took　fire　for　joy。

And　with　him　went　a　maiden；　fair
As　flowers　aflush　with　April　air。
And　Balen　bade　him　turn　him　there
To　tell　the　king　what　woes　they　were
That　bowed　him　down　so　sore：　　and　he
Made　woeful　answer：　　〃This　should　do
Great　scathe　to　me；　with　nought　for　you
Of　help　that　hope　might　hearken　to
For　boot　that　may　not　be。〃

And　Balen　answered：　　〃I　were　loth
To　fight　as　one　perforce　made　wroth
With　one　that　owes　by　knighthood's　oath
One　love；　one　service；　and　one　troth
With　me　to　him　whose　gracious　hand
Holds　fast　the　helm　of　knighthood　here
Whereby　man's　hope　and　heart　may　steer：
I　pray　you　let　not　sorrow　or　fear
Against　his　bidding　stand。〃

The　strange　knight　gazed　on　him；　and　spake：
〃Will　you；　for　Arthur's　royal　sake；
Be　warrant　for　me　that　I　take
No　scathe　from　strife　that　man　may　make？
Then　will　I　go　with　you。〃　　And　he
Made　joyous　answer：　　〃Yea；　for　I
Will　be　your　warrant　or　will　die。〃
And　thence　they　rode　with　hearts　as　high
As　men's　that　search　the　sea。

And　as　by　noon's　large　light　the　twain
Before　the　tented　hall　drew　rein；
Suddenly　fell　the　strange　knight；　slain
By　one　that　came　and　went　again
And　none　might　see　him；　but　his　spear
Clove　through　the　body；　swift　as　fire；
The　man　whose　doom；　forefelt　as　dire；
Had　darkened　all　his　life's　desire；
As　one　that　death　held　dear。

And　dying　he　turned　his　face　and　said；
〃Lo　now　thy　warrant　that　my　head
Should　fall　not；　following　forth　where　led
A　knight　whose　pledge　hath　left　me　dead。
This　darkling　manslayer　hath　to　name
Garlon：　　take　thou　my　goodlier　steed；
Seeing　thine　is　less　of　strength　and　speed；
And　ride；　if　thou　be　knight　indeed；
Even　thither　whence　we　came。

〃And　as　the　maiden's　fair　behest
Shall　bid　you　follow　on　my　quest；
Follow：　　and　when　God's　will　sees　best；
Revenge　my　death；　and　let　me　rest
As　one　that　lived　and　died　a　knight；
Unstained　of　shame　alive　or　dead。〃
And　Balen；　wrung　with　sorrow；　said；
〃That　shall　I　do：　　my　hand　and　head
I　pledge　to　do　you　right。〃

And　thence　with　sorrowing　heart　and　cheer
He　rode；　in　grief　that　cast　out　fear
Lest　death　in　darkness　yet　were　near；
And　bore　the　truncheon　of　the　spear
Wherewith　the　woful　knight　lay　slain
To　her　with　whom　he　rode；　and　she
Still　bare　it　with　her；　fain　to　see
What　righteous　doom　of　God's　might　be
The　darkling　manslayer's　bane。

And　down　a　dim　deep　woodland　way
They　rode　between　the　boughs　asway
With　flickering　winds　whose　flash　and　play
Made　sunlight　sunnier　where　the　day
Laughed；　leapt；　and　fluttered　like　a　bird
Caught　in　a　light　loose　leafy　net
That　earth　for　amorous　heaven　had　set
To　hold　and　see　the　sundawn　yet
And　hear　what　morning　heard。

There　in　the　sweet　soft　shifting　light
Across　their　passage　rode　a　knight
Flushed　hot　from　hunting　as　from　fight；
And　seeing　the　sorrow…stricken　sight
Made　question　of　them　why　they　rode
As　mourners　sick　at　heart　and　sad；
When　all　alive　about　them　bade
Sweet　earth　for　heaven's　sweet　sake　be　glad
As　heaven　for　earth's　love　glowed。

〃Me　lists　not　tell　you；〃　Balen　said。
The　strange　knight's　face　grew　keen　and