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 untruth；
He cares not for me： only here to…day
There gleam'd a vague suspicion in his eyes：
Some meddling rogue has tamper'd with himelse
Rapt in this fancy of his Table Round；
And swearing men to vows impossible；
To make them like himself： but； friend； to me
He is all fault who hath no fault at all：
For who loves me must have a touch of earth；
The low sun makes the colour： I am yours；
Not Arthur's； as ye know； save by the bond。〃
It is not the beautiful Queen who wins us； our hearts are with 〃the
innocence of love〃 in Elaine。 But Lancelot has the charm that
captivated Lavaine； and Tennyson's Arthur remains
〃The moral child without the craft to rule；
Else had he not lost me。〃
Indeed the romance of Malory makes Arthur deserve 〃the pretty popular
name such manhood earns〃 by his conduct as regards Guinevere when she
is accused by her enemies in the later chapters。 Yet Malory does not
finally condone the sin which baffles Lancelot's quest of the Holy
Grail。
Tennyson at first was in doubt as to writing on the Grail； for
certain respects of reverence。 When he did approach the theme it was
in a method of extreme condensation。 The romances on the Grail
outrun the length even of mediaeval poetry and prose。 They are
exceedingly confused； as was natural； if that hypothesis which
regards the story as a Christianised form of obscure Celtic myth be
correct。 Sir Percivale's sister； in the Idyll； has the first vision
of the Grail：…
〃Sweet brother； I have seen the Holy Grail：
For； waked at dead of night； I heard a sound
As of a silver horn from o'er the hills
Blown； and I thought； 'It is not Arthur's use
To hunt by moonlight'； and the slender sound
As from a distance beyond distance grew
Coming upon meO never harp nor horn；
Nor aught we blow with breath； or touch with hand；
Was like that music as it came； and then
Stream'd thro' my cell a cold and silver beam；
And down the long beam stole the Holy Grail；
Rose…red with beatings in it； as if alive；
Till all the white walls of my cell were dyed
With rosy colours leaping on the wall；
And then the music faded； and the Grail
Past； and the beam decay'd； and from the walls
The rosy quiverings died into the night。
So now the Holy Thing is here again
Among us； brother； fast thou too and pray；
And tell thy brother knights to fast and pray；
That so perchance the vision may be seen
By thee and those； and all the world be heal'd。〃
Galahad； son of Lancelot and the first Elaine （who became Lancelot's
mistress by art magic）； then vows himself to the Quest； and； after
the vision in hall at Camelot； the knights； except Arthur； follow his
example； to Arthur's grief。 〃Ye follow wandering fires！〃 Probably；
or perhaps； the poet indicates dislike of hasty spiritual
enthusiasms； of 〃seeking for a sign；〃 and of the mysticism which
betokens want of faith。 The Middle Ages； more than many readers
know； were ages of doubt。 Men desired the witness of the senses to
the truth of what the Church taught； they wished to see that naked
child of the romance 〃smite himself into〃 the wafer of the Sacrament。
The author of the Imitatio Christi discourages such vain and too
curious inquiries as helped to rend the Church； and divided
Christendom into hostile camps。 The Quest of the actual Grail was a
knightly form of theological research into the unsearchable；
undertaken； often in a secular spirit of adventure； by sinful men。
The poet's heart is rather with human things：…
〃'O brother；' ask'd Ambrosius；'for in sooth
These ancient booksand they would win theeteem；
Only I find not there this Holy Grail；
With miracles and marvels like to these；
Not all unlike； which oftentime I read；
Who read but on my breviary with ease；
Till my head swims； and then go forth and pass
Down to the little thorpe that lies so close；
And almost plaster'd like a martin's nest
To these old wallsand mingle with our folk；
And knowing every honest face of theirs
As well as ever shepherd knew his sheep；
And every homely secret in their hearts；
Delight myself with gossip and old wives；
And ills and aches； and teethings； lyings…in；
And mirthful sayings； children of the place；
That have no meaning half a league away：
Or lulling random squabbles when they rise；
Chafferings and chatterings at the market…cross；
Rejoice； small man； in this small world of mine；
Yea； even in their hens and in their eggs。〃'
This appears to be Tennyson's original reading of the Quest of the
Grail。 His own mysticism； which did not strive； or cry； or seek
after marvels； though marvels might come unsought； is expressed in
Arthur's words：…
〃'〃And spake I not too truly； O my knights？
Was I too dark a prophet when I said
To those who went upon the Holy Quest；
That most of them would follow wandering fires；
Lost in the quagmire？lost to me and gone；
And left me gazing at a barren board；
And a lean Orderscarce return'd a tithe …
And out of those to whom the vision came
My greatest hardly will believe he saw；
Another hath beheld it afar off；
And leaving human wrongs to right themselves；
Cares but to pass into the silent life。
And one hath had the vision face to face；
And now his chair desires him here in vain；
However they may crown him otherwhere。
'〃And some among you held； that if the King
Had seen the sight he would have sworn the vow：
Not easily； seeing that the King must guard
That which he rules； and is but as the hind
To whom a space of land is given to plow
Who may not wander from the allotted field
Before his work be done； but； being done；
Let visions of the night or of the day
Come； as they will； and many a time they come；
Until this earth he walks on seems not earth；
This light that strikes his eyeball is not light；
This air that smites his forehead is not air
But visionyea； his very hand and foot …
In moments when he feels he cannot die；
And knows himself no vision to himself；
Nor the high God a vision； nor that One
Who rose again： ye have seen what ye have seen。〃
'So spake the King： I knew not all he meant。'〃
The closing lines declare； as far as the poet could declare them；
these subjective experiences of his which； in a manner rarely
parallelled； coloured and formed his thought on the highest things。
He introduces them even into this poem on a topic which； because of
its sacred associations； he for long did not venture to touch。
In Pelleas and Ettarrewhich deals with the sorrows of one of the
young knights who fill up the gaps left at the Round Table by the
mischances of the Questit would be difficult to trace a Celtic
original。 For Malory； not Celtic legend； supplied Tennyson with the
germinal idea of a poem which； in the romance； has no bearing on the
final catastrophe。 Pelleas； a King of the Isles； loves the beautiful
Ettarre； 〃a great lady；〃 and for her wins at a tourney the prize of
the golden circlet。 But she hates and despises him； and Sir Gawain
is a spectator when； as in the poem； the felon knights of Ettarre
bind and insult their conqueror； Pelleas。 Gawain promises to win the
love of Ett