"To drown you in your blood; see my breast rise, Like waves of purple sea, as here I stand; And how my arms are moved in wonderful wise, "Yea also at my full heart's strong command, See through my long throat how the words go up In ripples to my mouth; how in my hand "The shadow lies like wine within a cup Of marvellously colour'd gold; yea now This little wind is rising, look you up, "And wonder how the light is falling so Within my moving tresses: will you dare When you have looked a little on my brow, "To say this thing is vile? or will you care For any plausible lies of cunning woof, When you can see my face with no lie there "For ever? am I not a gracious proof-- 'But in your chamber Launcelot was found'-- Is there a good knight then would stand aloof, "When a queen says with gentle queenly sound: 'O true as steel come now and talk with me, I love to see your step upon the ground "'Unwavering, also well I love to see That gracious smile light up your face, and hear Your wonderful words, that all mean verily "'The thing they seem to mean: good friend, so dear To me in everything, come here to-night, Or else the hours will pass most dull and drear; "'If you come not, I fear this time I might Get thinking over much of times gone by, When I was young, and green hope was in sight: "'For no man cares now to know why I sigh; And no man comes to sing me pleasant songs, Nor any brings me the sweet flowers that lie "'So thick in the gardens; therefore one so longs To see you, Launcelot; that we may be Like children once again, free from all wrongs "'Just for one night.' Did he not come to me? What thing could keep true Launcelot away If I said 'Come?' there was one less than three "In my quiet room that night, and we were gay; Till sudden I rose up, weak, pale, and sick, Because a bawling broke our dream up, yea "I looked at Launcelot's face and could not speak, For he looked helpless too, for a little while; Then I remember how I tried to shriek, "And could not, but fell down; from tile to tile The stones they threw up rattled o'er my head And made me dizzier; till within a while "My maids were all about me, and my head On Launcelot's breast was being soothed away From its white chattering, until Launcelot said-- "By God! I will not tell you more to-day, Judge any way you will--what matters it? You know quite well the story of that fray, "How Launcelot still'd their bawling, the mad fit That caught up Gauwaine--all, all, verily, But just that which would save me; these things flit. "Nevertheless you, O Sir Gauwaine, lie, Whatever may have happen'd these long years, God knows I speak truth, saying that you lie! "All I have said is truth, by Christ's dear tears." She would not speak another word, but stood Turn'd sideways; listening, like a man who hears