alfred tennyson-第24章

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trying　to　restore　Balin's　faith　in　Guinevere；　who　is　merely　slandered
by　Garlon　and　Vivien。　　Balin　acknowledges　that　his　wildness　has　been
their　common　bane；　and　they　die；　〃either　locked　in　either's　arms。〃

There　is　nothing　in　Malory；　nor　in　any　other　source；　so　far　as　I　am
aware；　which　suggested　to　Tennyson　the　clou　of　the　situationthe　use
of　Guinevere's　crown　as　a　cognisance　by　Balin。　　This　device　enables
the　poet　to　weave　the　rather　confused　and　unintelligible　adventures
of　Balin　and　Balan　into　the　scheme；　and　to　make　it　a　stage　in　the
progress　of　his　fable。　　That　Balin　was　reckless　and　wild　Malory　bears
witness；　but　his　endeavours　to　conquer　himself　and　reach　the　ideal
set　by　Lancelot　are　Tennyson's　addition；　with　all　the　tragedy　of
Balin's　disenchantment　and　despair。　　The　strange　fantastic　house　of
Pellam；　full　of　the　most　sacred　things；


〃In　which　he　scarce　could　spy　the　Christ　for　Saints；〃


yet　sheltering　the　human　fiend　Garlon；　is　supplied　by　Malory；　whose
predecessors　probably　blended　more　than　one　myth　of　the　old　Cymry
into　the　romance；　washed　over　with　Christian　colouring。　　As　Malory
tells　this　part　of　the　tale　it　is　perhaps　more　strange　and　effective
than　in　the　Idyll。　　The　introduction　of　Vivien　into　this　adventure　is
wholly　due　to　Tennyson：　　her　appearance　here　leads　up　to　her　triumph
in　the　poem　which　follows；　Merlin　and　Vivien。

The　nature　and　origin　of　Merlin　are　something　of　a　mystery。　　Hints
and　rumours　of　Merlin；　as　of　Arthur；　stream　from　hill　and　grave　as
far　north　as　Tweedside。　　If　he　was　a　historical　person；　myths　of
magic　might　crystallise　round　him；　as　round　Virgil　in　Italy。　　The
process　would　be　the　easier　in　a　country　where　the　practices　of
Druidry　still　lingered；　and　revived　after　the　retreat　of　the　Romans。
The　mediaeval　romancers　invented　a　legend　that　Merlin　was　a　virgin…
born　child　of　Satan。　　In　Tennyson　he　may　be　guessed　to　represent　the
fabled　esoteric　lore　of　old　religions；　with　their　vague　pantheisms；
and　such　magic　as　the　tapas　of　Brahmanic　legends。　　He　is　wise　with　a
riddling　evasive　wisdom：　　the　builder　of　Camelot；　the　prophet；　a
shadow　of　Druidry　clinging　to　the　Christian　king。　　His　wisdom　cannot
avail　him：　　if　he　beholds　〃his　own　mischance　with　a　glassy
countenance；〃　he　cannot　avoid　his　shapen　fate。　　He　becomes　assotted
of　Vivien；　and　goes　open…eyed　to　his　doom。

The　enchantress；　Vivien；　is　one　of　that　dubious　company　of　Ladies　of
the　Lake；　now　friendly；　now　treacherous。　　Probably　these　ladies　are
the　fairies　of　popular　Celtic　tradition；　taken　up　into　the　more
elaborate　poetry　of　Cymric　literature　and　mediaeval　romance。　　Mr　Rhys
traces　Vivien；　or　Nimue；　or　Nyneue；　back；　through　a　series　of
palaeographic　changes　and　errors；　to　Rhiannon；　wife　of　Pwyll；　a　kind
of　lady　of　the　lake　he　thinks；　but　the　identification　is　not　very
satisfactory。　　Vivien　is　certainly　〃one　of　the　damsels　of　the　lake〃
in　Malory；　and　the　damsels　of　the　lake　seem　to　be　lake　fairies；　with
all　their　beguilements　and　strange　unstable　loves。　　〃And　always
Merlin　lay　about　the　lady　to　have　her　maidenhood；　and　she　was　ever
passing　weary　of　him；　and　fain　would　have　been　delivered　of　him；　for
she　was　afraid　of　him　because　he　was　a　devil's　son。　。　。　。　　So　by　her
subtle　working　she　made　Merlin　to　go　under　that　stone　to　let　her　wit
of　the　marvels　there；　but　she　wrought　so　there　for　him　that　he　came
never　out　for　all　the　craft　he　could　do。　　And　so　she　departed　and
left　Merlin。〃　　The　sympathy　of　Malory　is　not　with　the　enchanter。　　In
the　Idylls；　as　finally　published；　Vivien　is　born　on　a　battlefield　of
death；　with　a　nature　perverted；　and　an　instinctive　hatred　of　the
good。　　Wherefore　she　leaves　the　Court　of　King　Mark　to　make　mischief
in　Camelot。　　She　is；　in　fact；　the　ideal　minx；　a　character　not
elsewhere　treated　by　Tennyson：…


　　　〃She　hated　all　the　knights；　and　heard　in　thought
Their　lavish　comment　when　her　name　was　named。
For　once；　when　Arthur　walking　all　alone；
Vext　at　a　rumour　issued　from　herself
Of　some　corruption　crept　among　his　knights；
Had　met　her；　Vivien；　being　greeted　fair；
Would　fain　have　wrought　upon　his　cloudy　mood
With　reverent　eyes　mock…loyal；　shaken　voice；
And　flutter'd　adoration；　and　at　last
With　dark　sweet　hints　of　some　who　prized　him　more
Than　who　should　prize　him　most；　at　which　the　King
Had　gazed　upon　her　blankly　and　gone　by：
But　one　had　watch'd；　and　had　not　held　his　peace：
It　made　the　laughter　of　an　afternoon
That　Vivien　should　attempt　the　blameless　King。
And　after　that；　she　set　herself　to　gain
Him；　the　most　famous　man　of　all　those　times；
Merlin；　who　knew　the　range　of　all　their　arts；
Had　built　the　King　his　havens；　ships；　and　halls；
Was　also　Bard；　and　knew　the　starry　heavens；
The　people　call'd　him　Wizard；　whom　at　first
She　play'd　about　with　slight　and　sprightly　talk；
And　vivid　smiles；　and　faintly…venom'd　points
Of　slander；　glancing　here　and　grazing　there；
And　yielding　to　his　kindlier　moods；　the　Seer
Would　watch　her　at　her　petulance；　and　play；
Ev'n　when　they　seem'd　unloveable；　and　laugh
As　those　that　watch　a　kitten；　thus　he　grew
Tolerant　of　what　he　half　disdain'd；　and　she；
Perceiving　that　she　was　but　half　disdain'd；
Began　to　break　her　sports　with　graver　fits；
Turn　red　or　pale；　would　often　when　they　met
Sigh　fully；　or　all…silent　gaze　upon　him
With　such　a　fixt　devotion；　that　the　old　man；
Tho'　doubtful；　felt　the　flattery；　and　at　times
Would　flatter　his　own　wish　in　age　for　love；
And　half　believe　her　true：　　for　thus　at　times
He　waver'd；　but　that　other　clung　to　him；
Fixt　in　her　will；　and　so　the　seasons　went。〃


Vivien　is　modern　enoughif　any　type　of　character　is　modern：　　at　all
events　there　is　no　such　Blanche　Amory　of　a　girl　in　the　old　legends
and　romances。　　In　these　Merlin　fatigues　the　lady　by　his　love；　she
learns　his　arts；　and　gets　rid　of　him　as　she　can。　　His　forebodings　in
the　Idyll　contain　a　magnificent　image：…


　　　〃There　lay　she　all　her　length　and　kiss'd　his　feet；
As　if　in　deepest　reverence　and　in　love。
A　twist　of　gold　was　round　her　hair；　a　robe
Of　samite　without　price；　that　more　exprest
Than　hid　her；　clung　about　her　lissome　limbs；
In　colour　like　the　satin…shining　palm
On　sallows　in　the　windy　gleams　of　March：
And　while　she　kiss'd　them；　crying；　'Trample　me；
Dear　feet；　that　I　have　follow'd　thro'　the　world；
And　I　will　pay　you　worship；　tread　me　down
And　I　will　kiss　you　for　it'；　he　was　mute：
So　dark　a　forethought　roll'd　about　his　brain；
As　on　a　dull　day　in　an　Ocean　cave
The　blind　wave　feeling　round　his　long　sea…hall
In　silence。〃


We　think　of　the　blinded　Cyclops　groping　round　his　cave；　like　〃the
blind　wave　feeling　round　his　long　sea…hall。〃

The　richness；　the　many　shining　contrasts　and　immortal　lines　in
Vivien；　seem　almost　too　noble　for　a　subject　not　easily　redeemed；　and
the　picture　of　the　ideal　Court　lying　in　full　corruption。　　Next　to
Elaine；　Jowett　wrote　that　he　〃admired　Vivien　the　most　（the　naughty
one）；　which　seems　to　me　a　work　of　wonderful　power　and　skill。　　It　is
most　elegant　and　fanciful。　　I　am　not　surprised　at　your　Delilah
beguiling　the　wise　man；　she　is　quite　equal　to　it。〃　　The　dramatic
versatility　of　Tennyson's　genius；　his　power　of　creating　the　most
various　characters；　is　nowhere　better　displayed　than　in　the　contrast
between　the　Vivien　and　the　Elaine。　　Vivien　is　a　type；　her　adventure
is　of　a　nature；　which　he　has　not　elsewhere　handled。　　Thackeray；　who
admired　the　Idylls　so　enthusiastically；　might　have　recognised　in
Vivien　a　character　not　unlike　some　of　his　own；　as　dark　as　Becky
Sharp；　more　terrible　in　her　selfishness　than　that　Beatrix　Esmond　who
is　still　a　paragon；　and；　in　her　creator's　despite；　a　queen　of　hearts。
In　Elaine；　on　the　other　hand；　Tennyson　has　drawn　a　girl　so　innocently
passionate；　and　told　a　tale　of　love　that　never　found　his　earthly
close；　so　delicately　beautiful；　that　we　may　perhaps　place　this　Idyll
the　highest　of　his　poems　on　love；　and　reckon　it　the　gem　of　the
Idylls；　the　central　diamond　in　the　diamond　crown。　　Reading　Elaine
once　more；　after　an　interval　of　years；　one　is　captivated　by　its
grace；　its　pathos；　its　nobility。　　The　poet　had　touched　on　some
unidentified　form　of　the　story；　long　before；　in　The　Lady　of　Shalott。
That　poem　had　the　mystery　of　romance