And Merlin loosed his hand from hers and said, “I never was less wise, however wise, Too curious Vivien, though you talk of trust, Than when I told you first of such a charm. Yea, if ye talk of trust I tell you this, Too much I trusted when I told you that, And stirred this vice in you which ruined man Through woman the first hour; for howsoe’er In children a great curiousness be well, Who have to learn themselves and all the world, In you, that are no child, for still I find Your face is practised when I spell the lines, I call it,—well, I will not call it vice: But since you name yourself the summer fly, I well could wish a cobweb for the gnat, That settles, beaten back, and beaten back Settles, till one could yield for weariness: But since I will not yield to give you power Upon my life and use and name and fame, Why will ye never ask some other boon? Yea, by God’s rood, I trusted you too much.” And Vivien, like the tenderest-hearted maid That ever bided tryst at village stile, Made answer, either eyelid wet with tears: “Nay, Master, be not wrathful with your maid; Caress her: let her feel herself forgiven Who feels no heart to ask another boon. I think ye hardly know the tender rhyme Of ‘trust me not at all or all in all.’ I heard the great Sir Lancelot sing it once, And it shall answer for me. Listen to it. ‘In Love, if Love be Love, if Love be ours, Faith and unfaith can ne’er be equal powers: Unfaith in aught is want of faith in all. ‘It is the little rift within the lute, That by and by will make the music mute, And ever widening slowly silence all. ‘The little rift within the lover’s lute Or little pitted speck in garnered fruit, That rotting inward slowly moulders all. ‘It is not worth the keeping: let it go: But shall it? answer, darling, answer, no. And trust me not at all or all in all.’ O Master, do ye love my tender rhyme?” And Merlin looked and half believed her true, So tender was her voice, so fair her face, So sweetly gleamed her eyes behind her tears Like sunlight on the plain behind a shower: And yet he answered half indignantly: