Lancelot and Elaine
Tennyson, Alfred Lord
LANCELOT AND ELAINE.
Page 221
1: ELAINE the fair, Elaine the loveable,
2: Elaine, the lily maid of Astolat,
3: High in her chamber up a tower to the east
4: Guarded the sacred shield of Lancelot;
5: Which first she placed where morning's earliest ray
6: Might strike it, and awake her with the gleam;
7: Then fearing rust or soilure fashion'd for it
8: A case of silk, and braided thereupon
9: All the devices blazon'd on the shield
10: In their own tinct, and added, of her wit,
11: A border fantasy of branch and flower,
12: And yellow-throated nestling in the nest.
13: Nor rested thus content, but day by day,
14: Ieaving her household and good father, climb'd
15: That eastern tower, and entering barr'd her door
16: Stript off the case, and read the naked shield,
17: Now guess'd a hidden meaning in his arms,
18: Now made a pretty history to herself
19: Of every dint a sword had beaten in it,
Page 222
20: And every scratch a lance had made upon it,
21: Conjecturing when and where: this cut is fresh;
22: That ten years back; this dealt him at Caerlyle;
23: That at Caerleon; this at Camelot:
24: And ah God's mercy, what a stroke was there!
25: And here a thrust that might have kill'd, but God
26: Broke the strong lance, and roll'd his enemy down,
27: And saved him: so she lived in fantasy.
28: How came the lily maid by that good shield
29: Of Lancelot, she that knew not ev'n his name?
30: He left it with her, when he rode to tilt
31: For the great diamond in the diamond jousts,
32: Which Arthur had ordain'd, and ...
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