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Page 1 of 11912 · PDF PAGE 60
… hovel, lies a wench Bearing a baby at her breast, Drunk and debauched, one solid stench, But carrying a silver lute. ’Boardeth her, nor doth baulk nor blench, And long abideth brute by brute Amid the unsavoury denizens, Until his melodies uproot The oaks, lure lions from their dens, Turn rivers back, and still the spleen Of serpents and of Saracens. Thus then equipped, he quits the quean, And in a city fair and wide Calls up with music wild and keen The Questing Marvel to his side. Then do the sportful city folk About his lonely stance abide: …
1912 · PDF PAGE 28
…old. At last he cometh to a den Perched high upon the savage scaur, Remote from every haunt of men, From every haunt of life afar. There doth he find Sir Palamede Sitting as steadfast as a star. Scarcely he knew the knight indeed, For he was compassed in a beard White as the streams of snow that feed The lake of Gods and men revered That sitteth upon Caucasus. So muttered he a darkling weird,
1912 · PDF PAGE 24
…all He bears, and on his head a crown ; But on his shoulders drapes a pall Of velvet flowing sably down Above his vest of cramoisie. Now doth the king of high renown Demand him of his dignity. Whereat the dwarf begins to tell A quest of loftiest chivalry.
1912 · PDF PAGE 58
…lated ass’s skin. She raves, and reels, and yells, and whirls So that the tears of toil begin To dew her breasts with ardent pearls. Nor doth she mitigate her dance , The bagpipe ever louder skirls,
1912 · PDF PAGE 67
XXII Sir PaLaMebE his wits doth rally, Nursing his wound beside a lake Within an admirable valley, Whose walls their thirst on heaven slake, And in the moonlight mystical Their countless spears of silver shake. Thus reasons he: “ In each and all Fyttes of this quest the quarry’s track Is wondrous geometrical. In spire and whorl twists out and back The hart with fair symmetric line. And lo! the grain of wit I lack— This Beast is Master of Design. So studying each twisted print In this mirific mind of mine, My heart may happen on a hint.” Thus as…
1912 · PDF PAGE 64
58 XXI Now doth Sir Palamede advance The lord of many a sword and lance. In merrie England’s summer sun Their shields and arms a-glittering glance And laugh upon the mossy mead. Now winds the horn of Palamede, As far upon the horizon He spies the Questing Beast a-feed. With loyal craft and honest guile They spread their ranks for many a mile. For when the Beast hath heard the horn He practiseth his ancient wile, And many a myriad beasts invade The stillness of that arméd glade. Now every knight to rest hath borne His lance, and given the accola…
1912 · PDF PAGE 39
…f ghosts and virgins, doves and wombs, Of roods and prophecies and tombs— Old pagan fables run to seed! Sir Palamede with fury fumes. So doth the Head that jabbers fast Against that woman’s tangled tale. (God’s patience at the end must fail !) Out sweeps the sword—the blade hath passed Through all her scraggy farthingale. “This chatter lends to Thought a zest ” (Quod he), “but I am all for Act. Sit here, until your Talk hath cracked The addled egg in Nature’s nest!” With that he fled the dismal tract. c 33
1912 · PDF PAGE 62
…he tracks of herds that run Into the forest he discards, And only turns his dark regards On single prints, on marks unique. Sir Palamede doth now attain Unto a wide and grassy plain, Whereon he spies the thing to seek. Thereat he putteth spur to horse And runneth him a random course, The Beast a-questing aye before. But praise to good Sir Palamede! *Hath gotten him a fairy steed Alike for venery and for war, So that in little drawing near The quarry, lifteth up his spear To run him of his malice through.
1912 · PDF PAGE 84
78 XXX STARRED is the blackness of the sky; Wide is the sweep of the cold plain Where good Sir Palamede doth lie, Keen on the Beast-slot once again. All day he rode; all night he lay With eyes wide open to the stars, Seeking in many a secret way The key to unlock his prison bars. Beneath him, hark! the marvel sounds! The Beast that questeth horribly. As if a thirty couple hounds Are in his belly questeth he. Beneath him? Heareth he aright? He leaps to’s feet—a wonder shews: Steep dips a stairway from the light To what obscurity God knows. Still…
1912 · PDF PAGE 90
…ts vigilance, come close, then dart Its death upon it. Brave my heart! Do thus!” And so the knight disguises Himself, on hands and knees doth start His hunt, goes questing up and down. So in the fields the peasant clown Flies, shrieking, from that dreadful figure. But when he came to any town They caged him for a lunatic. Quod he: ‘‘ Would God I had the trick! The beast escaped from my devices ; I will the same. The bars are thick, But I am strong.” He wrenched in vain; Then—what is this? What wild, sharp strain Smites on the air? The prison sm…
1912 · PDF PAGE 42
36 But plucking up his will, doth launch A mighty poison-dippéd dart : It fareth ever sure and staunch, And smiteth him upon the haunch. Then as Sir Palamede overhauls The stricken quarry, slack it droops, Staggers, and final down it falls. Triumph! Gape wide, ye golden walls! Lift up your everlasting doors, O gates of Camelot! See, he swoops Down on the prey! The life-blood pours: The poison works : the breath implores Its livelong debt from heart and brain. Alas! poor stag, thy day is done! The gallant lungs gasp loud in vain: Thy life is spi…
1912 · PDF PAGE 59
… apes, they gather close, Till, like the horror of a cloud Wrapping the flaming sun with rose, They hide her from the hero’s sight. Then doth he muse thereat morose, When in one wild cascade of light The pageant breaks, and thunder roars: Down flaps the loathly wing of night. He sees the lonely Breton shores Lapped in the levin: then his eyes See how she shrieking soars and soars Into the starless, stormy skies. Well! well! this lesson will he learn, How music’s mellowing artifice May bid the breast of nature burn And call the gods from star an…
1912 · PDF PAGE 56
…“let me find the quest!” The Beast sterte up. Sir Knight, alas! Day after day they race, nor rest Till seven days were fairly done. Then doth the Questing Marvel crest The ridge: the knight is well outrun. Now, adding laughter to its din, Like some lewd comet at the sun, Around the panting paladin It runs with all its splendid speed. Yet, knowing that he may not win,
1912 · PDF PAGE 25
… quest.” Then Arthur sterte up from his place, And sterte up boldly all the rest, And sware to seek this goodly thing. But now the dwarf doth beat his breast, And speak on this wise to the king, That he should worthy knight be found Who with his hands the dwarf should bring By might one span from off the ground. Whereat they jeer, the dwarf so small, The knights so strong: the walls resound