And he dismounted. And in clanking mail Strode down the hall. And in the hall beheld Youths, lean and auburn-haired, around the hearth; Some eighteen of an equal height, and clad Alike in dingy garments that looked worn And old. And these were like to him who first Had bid him welcome. And they greeted him And took his arms; and bade him to a seat. And then an inner door flung wide; and, lo, Five maidens, like five forest flowers, came; Dark-eyed, dark-haired. Behold, the queen of these Was Angharad. Clad in a ragged robe Of faded satin that had once been rich. She looked at Peredur, and he at her: And with glad eyes once more his soul beheld The hair far blacker than the bird that wings Athwart the milk-white moon: the matchless skin, Inviolably white as wind-flowers blown Among the mighty gospels of the trees: And in her cheeks, the rose of maidenhood Red as round berries winter bushes dot The dimpled drift with under loaded boughs. She knew him not, or seemed to; or forgot To speak his name whenas she looked at him And, blushing, welcomed.
And they sat and talked Until the night waxed late. And as they talked He marked that hunger had made hollow haunts Of all their eyes; and so he longed to ask, But courtesy forbade him. Late it grew, And late and later; and at last there came A knocking, and, as shadowy as two ghosts, Two nuns came gliding; sandalled silence in Frail footsteps, and pale caution on pale lips. One brought a jar of wine, and one brought bread, Six loaves of wheaten flour. And these said, "God bear us witness, Lady, this is all! Now is our Convent barren as thy board;" And so departed. And they sat and ate.
The wind upon the forest and the rain Upon the turrets. Had he heard a sigh Or was it but the echo of his own, Born of great weariness, that broke his rest?-- A dream! a dream!--The autumn storm is on, And sows the wood with witchcraft, and the leaves Are chased by imps of darkness through the hail And hurling rain. The wind is wild with leaves. Again he slept.
The rain among the trees, The wind upon the turrets. Had he moaned, Now that he lay awake and heard the wind Hoot on the towers like a green-eyed owl? The rain and wind. The night is black with rain. Within the forest like a voice the wind; And on the turrets, like swift feet, the rain. Now was he sure 'twas weeping; and arose, And found her at his door; and took her hand, That like a soft persuasion lay in his. He felt long sobbings shake it. And he said, "Tell me, my sister, wherefore dost thou weep?" And Angharad, "Yea; I will tell it thee.-- My name is Angharad. My father held An Earldom under Arthur, yea, the first In all his Kingdom: and this Castle, too, Was his with cantrevs to the west and east. When I was but a girl Earl Addanc met And loved me. Once, when hunting, he came here And sought my father and demanded me. He said he loved me, and would have but me To grace his bed and board, this Earl! But I-- I did not love him, being but a child, My father's only child; I could not love. And so my father said this should not be. The Earl was wroth. I heard his furious stride Beneath my casement; double demons pinched His evil eyes and twenty gnarled his face. He cursed us ere he rode beyond our walls Then to Caerleon was I sent; and there Became a woman of young Gwenhwyvar, Until my father's death two years agone, When I returned, a Countess, to find war And Addanc here around beleaguered walls. So hath he stripped me of my appanage; Save this one keep, whose strength hath held out long, Manned by my foster brothers, brave and young, Strong to endure, but lacking still in arms; No match for knights like Addanc. Thou hast met The eighteen youths whose valor will not yield. But what avail their valor and their will Against hard hunger, now our larder lacks, And lacks the Convent, too, whereon we leaned? And Addanc comes to-morrow morn; the truce For our one day's deliberation done. If he prevail--the thought is like hot hands Here on my brain!--his oath is 'that the night Shall see me given over to his grooms.'" She wept with tremblings. Then said Peredur: "Go, dry thy tears, my sister. And this Earl-- If he be early, call me not too late. Fear not. I will not go until my sword Hath crossed the sword of so much wickedness, And proved this base ambition. Go and sleep."