I took you for a bandit knight of Doorm; And fear not, Enid, I should fall upon him,

Who love you, prince, with something of the love

Wherewith we love the Heaven that chastens us. 788

For once, when I was up so high in pride
That I was halfway down the slope to hell,
By overthrowing me you threw me higher.
Now, made a knight of Arthur's Table
Round,

And since I knew this earl when I myself
Was half a bandit in my lawless hour,
I come the mouthpiece of our King to
Doorm-

The King is close behind me — bidding

Until I overturn'd him; then set up -
With one main purpose ever at my heart
My haughty jousts, and took a paramour;
Did her mock-honor as the fairest fair,
And, toppling over all antagonism,
So wax'd in pride that I believed myself
Unconquerable, for I was wellnigh mad;
And, but for my main purpose in these
jousts,

I should have slain your father, seized yourself.

His work was neither great nor wonderful,
And past to Enid's tent; and thither came
The King's own leech to look into his hurt;
And Enid tended on him there; and there
Her constant motion round him, and the
breath

Of her sweet tendance hovering over him,
Fill'd all the genial courses of his blood
With deeper and with ever deeper love,
As the Southwest that blowing Bala lake
Fills all the sacred Dee. So past the days.

But while Geraint lay healing of his hurt, The blameless King went forth and cast his eyes

931

On each of all whom Uther left in charge Long since, to guard the justice of the King.

He look'd and found them wanting; and as

Then Balin rose, and Balan, and beside The carolling water set themselves again, And spake no word until the shadow turn'd;

When from the fringe of coppice round them burst

A spangled pursuivant, and crying, 'Sirs, Rise, follow ye be sent for by the King,' They follow'd; whom when Arthur seeing ask'd,

'Tell me your names; why sat ye by the well?'

Balin the stillness of a minute broke Saying, 'An unmelodious name to thee, 50 Balin," the Savage that addition

And cup clash'd cup; they drank, and some one sang,

Sweet-voiced, a song of welcome, whereupon

Their common shout in chorus, mounting, made

Those banners of twelve battles overhead Stir as they stirr'd of old, when Arthur's host

Proclaim'd him victor and the day was won.

Then Balan added to their Order lived A wealthier life than heretofore with these And Balin, till their embassage return'd. 90

'Sir King,' they brought report, 'we

hardly found,

So bush'd about it is with gloom, the hall