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That she should ask some goodly gift of him
For her own self or hers； 'and do not shun
To speak the wish most near to your true heart；
Such service have ye done me； that I make
My will of yours； and Prince and Lord am I
In mine own land； and what I will I can。'
Then like a ghost she lifted up her face；
But like a ghost without the power to speak。
And Lancelot saw that she withheld her wish；
And bode among them yet a little space
Till he should learn it； and one morn it chanced
He found her in among the garden yews；
And said； 'Delay no longer； speak your wish；
Seeing I go to…day'： then out she brake：
'Going？ and we shall never see you more。
And I must die for want of one bold word。'
'Speak： that I live to hear；' he said； 'is yours。'
Then suddenly and passionately she spoke：
'I have gone mad。 I love you： let me die。'
'Ah； sister；' answer'd Lancelot； 'what is this？'
And innocently extending her white arms；
'Your love；' she said； 'your loveto be your wife。'
And Lancelot answer'd； 'Had I chosen to wed；
I had been wedded earlier； sweet Elaine：
But now there never will be wife of mine。'
'No； no' she cried； 'I care not to be wife；
But to be with you still； to see your face；
To serve you； and to follow you thro' the world。'
And Lancelot answer'd； 'Nay； the world； the world；
All ear and eye； with such a stupid heart
To interpret ear and eye； and such a tongue
To blare its own interpretationnay；
Full ill then should I quit your brother's love；
And your good father's kindness。' And she said；
'Not to be with you； not to see your face …
Alas for me then； my good days are done。'〃
So she dies； and is borne down Thames to London； the fairest corpse；
〃and she lay as though she had smiled。〃 Her letter is read。 〃Ye
might have showed her；〃 said the Queen； 〃some courtesy and gentleness
that might have preserved her life；〃 and so the two are reconciled。
Such； in brief； is the tender old tale of true love； with the shining
courtesy of Lavaine and the father of the maid； who speak no word of
anger against Lancelot。 〃For since first I saw my lord； Sir
Lancelot；〃 says Lavaine； 〃I could never depart from him； nor nought I
will； if I may follow him： she doth as I do。〃 To the simple and
moving story Tennyson adds； by way of ornament； the diamonds； the
prize of the tourney； and the manner of their finding：…
〃For Arthur； long before they crown'd him King；
Roving the trackless realms of Lyonnesse；
Had found a glen； gray boulder and black tarn。
A horror lived about the tarn； and clave
Like its own mists to all the mountain side：
For here two brothers； one a king； had met
And fought together； but their names were lost；
And each had slain his brother at a blow；
And down they fell and made the glen abhorr'd：
And there they lay till all their bones were bleach'd；
And lichen'd into colour with the crags：
And he； that once was king； had on a crown
Of diamonds； one in front； and four aside。
And Arthur came； and labouring up the pass；
All in a misty moonshine； unawares
Had trodden that crown'd skeleton； and the skull
Brake from the nape； and from the skull the crown
Roll'd into light； and turning on its rims
Fled like a glittering rivulet to the tarn：
And down the shingly scaur he plunged； and caught；
And set it on his head； and in his heart
Heard murmurs； 'Lo； thou likewise shalt be King。'〃
The diamonds reappear in the scene of Guinevere's jealousy：…
〃All in an oriel on the summer side；
Vine…clad； of Arthur's palace toward the stream；
They met； and Lancelot kneeling utter'd； 'Queen；
Lady； my liege； in whom I have my joy；
Take； what I had not won except for you；
These jewels； and make me happy； making them
An armlet for the roundest arm on earth；
Or necklace for a neck to which the swan's
Is tawnier than her cygnet's： these are words：
Your beauty is your beauty； and I sin
In speaking； yet O grant my worship of it
Words； as we grant grief tears。 Such sin in words；
Perchance； we both can pardon： but； my Queen；
I hear of rumours flying thro' your court。
Our bond； as not the bond of man and wife；
Should have in it an absoluter trust
To make up that defect： let rumours be：
When did not rumours fly？ these； as I trust
That you trust me in your own nobleness；
I may not well believe that you believe。'
While thus he spoke； half turn'd away； the Queen
Brake from the vast oriel…embowering vine
Leaf after leaf； and tore； and cast them off；
Till all the place whereon she stood was green；
Then； when he ceased； in one cold passive hand
Received at once and laid aside the gems
There on a table near her； and replied：
'It may be； I am quicker of belief
Than you believe me； Lancelot of the Lake。
Our bond is not the bond of man and wife。
This good is in it； whatsoe'er of ill；
It can be broken easier。 I for you
This many a year have done despite and wrong
To one whom ever in my heart of hearts
I did acknowledge nobler。 What are these？
Diamonds for me！ they had been thrice their worth
Being your gift； had you not lost your own。
To loyal hearts the value of all gifts
Must vary as the giver's。 Not for me！
For her！ for your new fancy。 Only this
Grant me； I pray you： have your joys apart。
I doubt not that however changed； you keep
So much of what is graceful： and myself
Would shun to break those bounds of courtesy
In which as Arthur's Queen I move and rule：
So cannot speak my mind。 An end to this！
A strange one！ yet I take it with Amen。
So pray you； add my diamonds to her pearls；
Deck her with these； tell her； she shines me down：
An armlet for an arm to which the Queen's
Is haggard； or a necklace for a neck
O as much faireras a faith once fair
Was richer than these diamondshers not mine …
Nay； by the mother of our Lord himself；
Or hers or mine； mine now to work my will …
She shall not have them。'
Saying which she seized；
And； thro' the casement standing wide for heat；
Flung them； and down they flash'd； and smote the stream。
Then from the smitten surface flash'd； as it were；
Diamonds to meet them； and they past away。
Then while Sir Lancelot leant； in half disdain
At love； life； all things； on the window ledge；
Close underneath his eyes； and right across
Where these had fallen； slowly past the barge
Whereon the lily maid of Astolat
Lay smiling； like a star in blackest night。〃
This affair of the diamonds is the chief addition to the old tale； in
which we already see the curse of lawless love； fallen upon the
jealous Queen and the long…enduring Lancelot。 〃This is not the first
time；〃 said Sir Lancelot； 〃that ye have been displeased with me
causeless； but； madame； ever I must suffer you； but what sorrow I
endure I take no force〃 （that is； 〃I disregard〃）。
The romance； and the poet； in his own despite； cannot but make
Lancelot the man we love； not Arthur or another。 Human nature
perversely sides with Guinevere against the Blameless King：…
〃She broke into a little scornful laugh：
'Arthur； my lord； Arthur； the faultless King；
That passionate perfection； my good lord …
But who can gaze upon the Sun in heaven？
He never spake word of reproach to me；
He never had a glimpse of mine untru