And Enid fell in longing for a dress 630 All branch’d and flower’d with gold, a costly gift Of her good mother, given her on the night Before her birthday, three sad years ago, That night of fire, when Edyrn sack’d their house, And scatter’d all they had to all the winds: 635 For while the mother show’d it, and the two Were turning and admiring it, the work To both appear’d so costly, rose a cry That Edyrn’s men were on them, and they fled With little save the jewels they had on, 640 Which being sold and sold had bought them bread: And Edyrn’s men had caught them in their flight, And placed them in this ruin; and she wish’d The Prince had found her in her ancient home; Then let her fancy flit across the past, 645 And roam the goodly places that she knew; And last bethought her how she used to watch, Near that old home, a pool of golden carp; And one was patch’d and blurr’d and lustreless Among his burnish’d brethren of the pool; 650 And half asleep she made comparison Of that and these to her own faded self And the gay court, and fell asleep again; And dreamt herself was such a faded form Among her burnish’d sisters of the pool; 655 But this was in the garden of a king; And though she lay dark in the pool, she knew That all was bright; that all about were birds Of sunny plume in gilded trellis-work; That all the turf was rich in plots that look’d 660 Each like a garnet or a turkis in it; And lords and ladies of the high court went In silver tissue talking things of state; And children of the King in cloth of gold Glanced at the doors or gamboll’d down the walks; 665 And while she thought, “They will not see me,” came A stately queen whose name was Guinevere, And all the children in their cloth of gold Ran to her, crying, “If we have fish at all Let them be gold; and charge the gardeners now 670 To pick the faded creature from the pool. And cast it on the mixen that it die.” And therewithal one came and seized on her, And Enid started, waking, with her heart All overshadow’d by the foolish dream, 675 And lo! it was her mother grasping her To get her well awake: and in her hand A suit of bright apparel, which she laid Flat on the couch, and spoke exultingly: “See here, my child, how fresh the colours look, 680 How fast they hold like colours of a shell That keeps the wear and polish of the wave! Why not? It never yet was worn, I trow: Look on it, child, and tell me if you know it.”