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And pure nobility of temperament；
Wroth to be wroth at such a worm； refrain'd
From ev'n a word。〃
The self…restraint of Geraint； who does not slay the dwarf；
〃From his exceeding manfulness
And pure nobility of temperament；〃
may appear 〃too polite；〃 and too much in accord with the still
undiscovered idea of 〃leading sweet lives。〃 However； the uninvented
idea does occur in the Welsh original： 〃Then Geraint put his hand
upon the hilt of his sword； but he took counsel with himself； and
considered that it would be no vengeance for him to slay the dwarf；〃
while he also reflects that he would be 〃attacked unarmed by the
armed knight。〃 Perhaps Tennyson may be blamed for omitting this
obvious motive for self…restraint。 Geraint therefore follows the
knight in hope of finding arms； and arrives at the town all busy with
preparations for the tournament of the sparrow…hawk。 This was a
challenge sparrow…hawk： the knight had won it twice； and if he won
it thrice it would be his to keep。 The rest； in the tale； is exactly
followed in the Idyll。 Geraint is entertained by the ruined Yniol。
The youth bears the 〃costrel〃 full of 〃good purchased mead〃 （the
ruined Earl not brewing for himself）； and Enid carries the manchet
bread in her veil； 〃old； and beginning to be worn out。〃 All
Tennyson's own is the beautiful passage …
〃And while he waited in the castle court；
The voice of Enid； Yniol's daughter； rang
Clear thro' the open casement of the hall；
Singing； and as the sweet voice of a bird；
Heard by the lander in a lonely isle；
Moves him to think what kind of bird it is
That sings so delicately clear； and make
Conjecture of the plumage and the form；
So the sweet voice of Enid moved Geraint；
And made him like a man abroad at morn
When first the liquid note beloved of men
Comes flying over many a windy wave
To Britain； and in April suddenly
Breaks from a coppice gemm'd with green and red；
And he suspends his converse with a friend；
Or it may be the labour of his hands；
To think or say； 'There is the nightingale'；
So fared it with Geraint； who thought and said；
'Here； by God's grace； is the one voice for me。'〃
Yniol frankly admits in the tale that he was in the wrong in the
quarrel with his nephew。 The poet； however； gives him the right； as
is natural。 The combat is exactly followed in the Idyll； as is
Geraint's insistence in carrying his bride to Court in her faded
silks。 Geraint； however； leaves Court with Enid； not because of the
scandal about Lancelot； but to do his duty in his own country。 He
becomes indolent and uxorious； and Enid deplores his weakness； and
awakes his suspicions； thus：…
And one morning in the summer time they were upon their couch； and
Geraint lay upon the edge of it。 And Enid was without sleep in the
apartment which had windows of glass。 And the sun shone upon the
couch。 And the clothes had slipped from off his arms and his breast；
and he was asleep。 Then she gazed upon the marvellous beauty of his
appearance； and she said； 〃Alas； and am I the cause that these arms
and this breast have lost their glory and the warlike fame which they
once so richly enjoyed！〃 And as she said this； the tears dropped
from her eyes； and they fell upon his breast。 And the tears she
shed； and the words she had spoken； awoke him； and another thing
contributed to awaken him； and that was the idea that it was not in
thinking of him that she spoke thus； but that it was because she
loved some other man more than him； and that she wished for other
society； and thereupon Geraint was troubled in his mind； and he
called his squire； and when he came to him； 〃Go quickly；〃 said he；
〃and prepare my horse and my arms； and make them ready。 And do thou
arise；〃 said he to Enid； 〃and apparel thyself； and cause thy horse to
be accoutred； and clothe thee in the worst riding…dress that thou
hast in thy possession。 And evil betide me；〃 said he； 〃if thou
returnest here until thou knowest whether I have lost my strength so
completely as thou didst say。 And if it be so； it will then be easy
for thee to seek the society thou didst wish for of him of whom thou
wast thinking。〃 So she arose； and clothed herself in her meanest
garments。 〃I know nothing； Lord；〃 said she； 〃of thy meaning。〃
〃Neither wilt thou know at this time；〃 said he。
〃At last； it chanced that on a summer morn
（They sleeping each by either） the new sun
Beat thro' the blindless casement of the room；
And heated the strong warrior in his dreams；
Who； moving； cast the coverlet aside；
And bared the knotted column of his throat；
The massive square of his heroic breast；
And arms on which the standing muscle sloped；
As slopes a wild brook o'er a little stone；
Running too vehemently to break upon it。
And Enid woke and sat beside the couch；
Admiring him； and thought within herself；
Was ever man so grandly made as he？
Then； like a shadow； past the people's talk
And accusation of uxoriousness
Across her mind； and bowing over him；
Low to her own heart piteously she said：
'O noble breast and all…puissant arms；
Am I the cause； I the poor cause that men
Reproach you； saying all your force is gone？
I AM the cause； because I dare not speak
And tell him what I think and what they say。
And yet I hate that he should linger here；
I cannot love my lord and not his name。
Far liefer had I gird his harness on him；
And ride with him to battle and stand by；
And watch his mightful hand striking great blows
At caitiffs and at wrongers of the world。
Far better were I laid in the dark earth；
Not hearing any more his noble voice；
Not to be folded more in these dear arms；
And darken'd from the high light in his eyes；
Than that my lord thro' me should suffer shame。
Am I so bold； and could I so stand by；
And see my dear lord wounded in the strife；
Or maybe pierced to death before mine eyes；
And yet not dare to tell him what I think；
And how men slur him； saying all his force
Is melted into mere effeminacy？
O me； I fear that I am no true wife。'
Half inwardly； half audibly she spoke；
And the strong passion in her made her weep
True tears upon his broad and naked breast；
And these awoke him； and by great mischance
He heard but fragments of her later words；
And that she fear'd she was not a true wife。
And then he thought； 'In spite of all my care；
For all my pains； poor man； for all my pains；
She is not faithful to me； and I see her
Weeping for some gay knight in Arthur's hall。'
Then tho' he loved and reverenced her too much
To dream she could be guilty of foul act；
Right thro' his manful breast darted the pang
That makes a man； in the sweet face of her
Whom he loves most； lonely and miserable。
At this he hurl'd his huge limbs out of bed；
And shook his drowsy squire awake and cried；
'My charger and her palfrey'； then to her；
'I will ride forth into the wilderness；
For tho' it seems my spurs are yet to win；
I have not fall'n so low as some would wish。
And thou； put on thy worst and meanest dress
And ride with me。' And Enid ask'd； amazed；
'If Enid errs； let Enid learn her fault。'
But he； 'I charge thee； ask not； but obey。'
Then she bethought her of a fad