Sweet lord, ye do right well to whisper this. Fools prate, and perish traitors. Woods have tongues, As walls have ears; but thou shalt go with me, And we will speak at first exceeding low. Meet is it the good King be not deceived. See now, I set thee high on vantage ground, From whence to watch the time, and eaglelike Stoop at thy will on Lancelot and the Queen.' She ceased; his evil spirit upon him leapt, He ground his teeth together, sprang with a yell, 530 Tore from the branch and cast on earth the shield, Who never sawest Caerleon upon Usk And yet hast often pleaded for my loveSee what I see, be thou where I have been, Or else, Sir Chick dismount and loose their casques; Drove his mail'd heel athwart the royal I fain would know what manner of men crown, they be.' But when their foreheads felt the cooling air, 580 Balin first woke, and seeing that true face, Familiar up from cradle-time, so wan, Crawl'd slowly with low moans to where he lay, And on his dying brother cast himself Dying; and he lifted faint eyes; he felt One near him; all at once they found the world, Staring wild-wide; then with a childlike wail, And drawing down the dim disastrous brow That o'er him hung, he kiss'd it, moan'd, and spake: 'O Balin, Balin, I that fain had died To save thy life, have brought thee to thy death. Good night! for we shall never bid again Good morrow — - Dark my doom was here, and dark It will be there. I see thee now no more. I would not mine again should darken thine; Good night, true brother.' Balan answer'd low, 'Good night, true brother, here! good morrow there! We two were born together, and we die Together by one doom:' and while he spoke Closed his death-drowsing eyes, and slept the sleep With Balin, either lock'd in either's arm. MERLIN AND VIVIEN 619 A STORM was coming, but the winds were still, And in the wild woods of Broceliande, For he that always bare in bitter grudge The slights of Arthur and his Table, Mark The Cornish King, had heard a wandering voice, A minstrel of Caerleon by strong storm 10 |