Under King Constantine | Page 5

love, and fling the gauntlet down As challenge for a
tournament of speech.
"And pray, Sanpeur," she said one eve to him, When they were at a
feast at Camelot, "Why is your life so lone and incomplete, When any
lovely maiden of the court Would follow you most gladly at your call?"
"You know full well, my Lady Gwendolaine."
"By your kind grace, I cannot guess," she said, Repenting as she said it,
instantly.
"Because I love you only, evermore; You long have felt it, known it;
and I thought Cared not to hear me say it with my voice; But, as you
wish it, I have said it now, My Lady Gwendolaine."
They stood among The knights and ladies, therefore he spoke low, In
quiet dignity, as he might say "How well the colour of your robe
beseems Your beauty";--not a trace of passionate Intensity, save in his
lucent eyes. No passion nor embrace could so have moved her, As this
calm telling her in quiet words The secret of all secrets in God's world,

As though it were a part of daily life; This power to hold a passion in
his hand,-- Which his true eyes declared was measureless,-- As though
he were its master, utterly. True women are like Nature, their great
mother, Stirred on the surface by each passing wind, But ruled by silent
forces at the heart. She caught her breath a moment in surprise,-- For
naught has to the mind more of surprise Than the sweet long-expected,
if it come When one expects it not,--and paused a space, With
downcast eyes; and then her woman-soul Went out in sudden impulse,
graciously, In boundless thought for him who gave her all. "O Sanpeur,
love one worthier than I, And where your love will not be
guerdonless!"
"To love you is a guerdon of itself, You are so well worth loving,
Gwendolaine."
He passed with knightly bow, and joined the court, And left her with a
glory in her eyes. Never was Gwendolaine so radiant As on that
evening; courtiers one by one Drew near, and marvelled at her
loveliness. When the great feast was ended, she was well Content to
leave the court for Tormalot; For, in the quiet of her chamber, when Sir
Torm had slept, she lived in thought again The sure triumphant moment
when she knew, Beyond all peradventure, of a love That her heart told
her was above all love Of other men in strength and purity. And on the
morrow, when she woke, her joy Woke with her, and encompassed her
soul.
In strides Sir Torm, equipped for tournament. The Lady Gwendolaine
goes not to-day, For it will be a savage tournament, "Unfit for ladies,"
Torm had said to her, "Unworthy men," she thought, but did not say.
"Come, Gwendolaine, my beauty, ere I go, I wait to have you buckle on
my sword."
Smiling, she does his bidding.
"Ah! my Torm, How heavy, and how mighty is your sword; I revel in
the glory of your strength, And in your prowess. Well I mind me, dear,
When first I saw you, on your charger black, Riding in knightly state to

my old home. 'By our King Arthur's soul,' my father said, 'There is a
knight of valour and of strength!' And then you wooed me to become
your bride, Me, scarce a maiden, naught but wilful child So prone, alas
to mischief and mistake, Of humble fortune, with but whims for dower
You were so kind, so generous, you flashed My low estate with
splendour. I recall How my heart laughed with girlish pride and glee At
the surpassing bounty of your gifts."
"Ha! Gwendolaine, by the great Holy Grail I caught an eagle when I
caught that dove, For now you are the queen of all the dames, Even
King Constantine, who seldom marks A lady of the court, comes to
your side And flatters you with royal courtesies, Which you receive
with far too proud a grace; For, wit ye well, I would not let it slip, This
honour of his preference for you."
"My lord, save that I reverence him as man, I do not care for favour of
the King."
"I care, that is enough for you," said Torm. "No knight has charger like
my Roanault, No knight has castle like my Tormalot, And none has
mistress like my Gwendolaine-- I choose that none approach her but the
King."
He laughed a loud and taunting laugh, and turned And kissed her with a
loud resounding kiss.
"I think the King is safe for you, and well For me in my advancement.
Other knights May serve you at a distance, but had best Not seek your
side too often."
Her sweet head Lay like a lily on