Pellam； of old leagued with Lot against Arthur； has taken to
religion； collects relics； claims descent from Joseph of Arimathea；
and owns the sacred spear that pierced the side of Christ。 But
Garlon is with him； the knight invisible； who appears to come from an
Irish source； or at least has a parallel in Irish legend。 This
Garlon has an unknightly way of killing men by viewless blows from
the rear。 Balan goes to encounter Garlon。 Balin remains； learning
courtesy； modelling himself on Lancelot； and gaining leave to bear
Guinevere's Crown Matrimonial for his cognisance；which； of course；
Balan does not know； …
〃As golden earnest of a better life。〃
But Balin sees reason to think that Lancelot and Guinevere love even
too well。
〃Then chanced； one morning； that Sir Balin sat
Close…bower'd in that garden nigh the hall。
A walk of roses ran from door to door；
A walk of lilies crost it to the bower：
And down that range of roses the great Queen
Came with slow steps； the morning on her face；
And all in shadow from the counter door
Sir Lancelot as to meet her； then at once；
As if he saw not； glanced aside； and paced
The long white walk of lilies toward the bower。
Follow'd the Queen； Sir Balin heard her 'Prince；
Art thou so little loyal to thy Queen；
As pass without good morrow to thy Queen？'
To whom Sir Lancelot with his eyes on earth；
'Fain would I still be loyal to the Queen。'
'Yea so；' she said； 'but so to pass me by …
So loyal scarce is loyal to thyself；
Whom all men rate the king of courtesy。
Let be： ye stand； fair lord； as in a dream。'
Then Lancelot with his hand among the flowers；
'Yeafor a dream。 Last night methought I saw
That maiden Saint who stands with lily in hand
In yonder shrine。 All round her prest the dark；
And all the light upon her silver face
Flow'd from the spiritual lily that she held。
Lo！ these her emblems drew mine eyesaway：
For see； how perfect…pure！ As light a flush
As hardly tints the blossom of the quince
Would mar their charm of stainless maidenhood。'
'Sweeter to me；' she said； 'this garden rose
Deep…hued and many…folded sweeter still
The wild…wood hyacinth and the bloom of May。
Prince； we have ridd'n before among the flowers
In those fair daysnot all as cool as these；
Tho' season…earlier。 Art thou sad？ or sick？
Our noble King will send thee his own leech …
Sick？ or for any matter anger'd at me？'
Then Lancelot lifted his large eyes； they dwelt
Deep…tranced on hers； and could not fall： her hue
Changed at his gaze： so turning side by side
They past； and Balin started from his bower。
'Queen？ subject？ but I see not what I see。
Damsel and lover？ hear not what I hear。
My father hath begotten me in his wrath。
I suffer from the things before me； know；
Learn nothing； am not worthy to be knight；
A churl； a clown！' and in him gloom on gloom
Deepen'd： he sharply caught his lance and shield；
Nor stay'd to crave permission of the King；
But； mad for strange adventure； dash'd away。〃
Balin is 〃disillusioned；〃 his faith in the Ideal is shaken if not
shattered。 He rides at adventure。 Arriving at the half…ruined
castle of Pellam； that dubious devotee； he hears Garlon insult
Guinevere； but restrains himself。 Next day； again insulted for
bearing 〃the crown scandalous〃 on his shield； he strikes Garlon down；
is pursued； seizes the sacred spear； and escapes。 Vivien meets him
in the woods； drops scandal in his ears； and so maddens him that he
defaces his shield with the crown of Guinevere。 Her song； and her
words；
〃This fire of Heaven；
This old sun…worship； boy； will rise again；
And beat the cross to earth； and break the King
And all his Table；〃
might be forced into an allegory of the revived pride of life； at the
Renaissance and after。 The maddened yells of Balin strike the ear of
Balan； who thinks he has met the foul knight Garlon； that
〃Tramples on the goodly shield to show
His loathing of our Order and the Queen。〃
They fight； fatally wound； and finally recognise each other： Balan
trying to restore Balin's faith in Guinevere； who is merely slandered
by Garlon and Vivien。 Balin acknowledges that his wildness has been
their common bane； and they die； 〃either locked in either's arms。〃
There is nothing in Malory； nor in any other source； so far as I am
aware； which suggested to Tennyson the clou of the situationthe use
of Guinevere's crown as a cognisance by Balin。 This device enables
the poet to weave the rather confused and unintelligible adventures
of Balin and Balan into the scheme； and to make it a stage in the
progress of his fable。 That Balin was reckless and wild Malory bears
witness； but his endeavours to conquer himself and reach the ideal
set by Lancelot are Tennyson's addition； with all the tragedy of
Balin's disenchantment and despair。 The strange fantastic house of
Pellam； full of the most sacred things；
〃In which he scarce could spy the Christ for Saints；〃
yet sheltering the human fiend Garlon； is supplied by Malory； whose
predecessors probably blended more than one myth of the old Cymry
into the romance； washed over with Christian colouring。 As Malory
tells this part of the tale it is perhaps more strange and effective
than in the Idyll。 The introduction of Vivien into this adventure is
wholly due to Tennyson： her appearance here leads up to her triumph
in the poem which follows； Merlin and Vivien。
The nature and origin of Merlin are something of a mystery。 Hints
and rumours of Merlin； as of Arthur； stream from hill and grave as
far north as Tweedside。 If he was a historical person； myths of
magic might crystallise round him； as round Virgil in Italy。 The
process would be the easier in a country where the practices of
Druidry still lingered； and revived after the retreat of the Romans。
The mediaeval romancers invented a legend that Merlin was a virgin…
born child of Satan。 In Tennyson he may be guessed to represent the
fabled esoteric lore of old religions； with their vague pantheisms；
and such magic as the tapas of Brahmanic legends。 He is wise with a
riddling evasive wisdom： the builder of Camelot； the prophet； a
shadow of Druidry clinging to the Christian king。 His wisdom cannot
avail him： if he beholds 〃his own mischance with a glassy
countenance；〃 he cannot avoid his shapen fate。 He becomes assotted
of Vivien； and goes open…eyed to his doom。
The enchantress； Vivien； is one of that dubious company of Ladies of
the Lake； now friendly； now treacherous。 Probably these ladies are
the fairies of popular Celtic tradition； taken up into the more
elaborate poetry of Cymric literature and mediaeval romance。 Mr Rhys
traces Vivien； or Nimue； or Nyneue； back； through a series of
palaeographic changes and errors； to Rhiannon； wife of Pwyll； a kind
of lady of the lake he thinks； but the identification is not very
satisfactory。 Vivien is certainly 〃one of the damsels of the lake〃
in Malory； and the damsels of the lake seem to be lake fairies； with
all their beguilements and strange unstable loves。 〃And always
Merlin lay about the lady to have her maidenhood； and she was ever
passing weary of him； and fain would have been delivered of him； for
she was afraid of him because he was a devil's son。 。 。 。 So by her
subtle working she made Merlin to go under that stone to let her wit
of the marvels there； but she wrought so there for him that he came
never out for all the craft he could do。 And so she departed and
left Merlin。〃 The sympathy of Malory is not with the enchanter。 In
the Idylls； as finally published； Vivien is born on a battlefield of
death； with a nature perverted； and an instinctive hatred of the
good。 Wherefore she leaves the Court of King Mark to make mischief
in Camelot。 She is； in fact； the ideal minx； a character not
elsewhere treated by Tennyson：…
〃She hated all the knights； and heard in thought
Their lavish comment when her name was named。
For once； when Arthur walking all alone；
Vext at a rumour issued from herself
Of some corruption crept among his knights；
Had met her； Vivien； being greeted fair；
Would fain have wrought upon his cloudy mood
With reverent eyes mock…loyal； shaken voice；
And flutter'd adoration； and at last
With dark sweet hints of some who prized him more
Than who should prize him most； at which the King
Had gazed upon her blankly and gone by：
But one had watch'd； and had not held his peace：
It made the laughter of an afternoon
That Vivien should attempt the blameless King。
And after that； she set herself to gain
Him； the most famous man of all those times；
Merlin； who knew the range of all their arts；
Had built the King his havens； ships； and halls；
Was also Bard； and knew the starry heavens；
The people call'd him Wizard； whom at first
She play'd about with slight and sprightly talk；
And vivid smiles； and faintly…venom'd points
Of slander； glancing here and grazing there；
And yielding to his kindlier moods； the Seer
Would watch her at her petulance； and play；
Ev'n when they seem'd unloveable； and laugh
As those that watch a kitten； thus he grew
Tolerant of what he half disdain'd； and she；
Perceiving that she was but half disdain'd；
Began to break her sports with graver fits；
Turn red or pale； would often when they met
Sigh fully； or all…silent gaze upon him
With such a fixt devotion； that the old man；
Tho' doubtful； felt the flattery； and at times
Would flatter his own wish in age for love；
And half believe her true： for thus at times
He waver'd； but that other clung to him；
Fixt in her will； and so the seasons went。〃
Vivien is modern enoughif any type of character is modern： at all
events there is no such Blanche Amory of a girl in the old legends
and romances。 In these Merlin fatigues the lady by his love； she
learns his arts； and gets rid of him as she can。 His forebodings in
the Idyll contain a magnificent image：…
〃There lay she all her length and kiss'd his feet；
As if in deepest reverence and in love。
A twist of gold was round her hair； a robe
Of samite without price； that more exprest
Than hid her； clung about her lissome limbs；
In colour like the satin…shining palm
On sallows in the