Then thought Sir Accolon: "One might suppose, So soon this follows on her message, those Same things befall through Morgane's arts--who knows?-- Howe'er it be, as 'twere for her own sake, This battle I myself will undertake." Then said to those, "I know the good Ontzlake. If he be so conditioned, harried of Estate and life,--in knighthood and for love Of justice I his quarrel will assume. My limbs are keen for armor. Let the groom Prepare my steed. Right good 'twill be again To feel him under me."--Then, of that train, Asked that one gentleman with him remain, And men to squire his horse and arms. And then, When this was granted, mounted with his men And thence departed. And, ere noontide, they Came to a lone, dismantled priory Hard by a castle 'gainst whose square, grey towers, Machicolated, mossed, in forest bowers, Full many a siege had beat and onset rushed: A forest fortress, old and deep-imbushed In wild and woody hills. And then one wound A hoarse slug-horn, and at the savage sound The drawbridge rumbled moatward, clanking, and Into a paved court rode that little band.
When all the world was morning, gleam and glare Of autumn glory; and the frost-touched air Rang with the rooks as rings a silver lyre Swept swift of minstrel fingers, wire on wire; Ere that fixed hour of prime, came Arthur, armed For battle royally. A black steed warmed A keen impatience 'neath him, cased in mail Of foreign make; accoutered head and tail In costly sendal; rearward, wine-dark red, Amber as sunlight to his fretful head. Blue armor of linked steel had Arthur on, Beneath a robe of honor made of drawn, Ribbed satin, diapered and purfled deep With lordly gold and purple; whence did sweep Two acorn-tufted bangles of fine gold: And at his thigh a falchion, battle-old And triple-edged; its rune-stamped scabbard, of Cordovan leather, baldric'd rich above With new-cut deer-skin, that, laborious wrought, And curiously, with slides of gold was fraught, And buckled with a buckle white, that shone, Tongued red with gold, and carved of walrus' bone. And, sapphire-set, a burgonet of gold,-- Whereon a wyvern sprawled, whose jaws unrolled A tongue of garnet agate, of great prize; Its orbs of glaring ruby, great in size,-- Incased his head and visor-barred his eyes. And in his hand a wiry lance of ash, Lattened with sapphire silver, like a flash, A splinter of sunlight, in the morning's zeal Glittered, its point, as 'twere, a star of steel.-- A squire attended him; a youth, whose head Waved many a jaunty curl; whereon a red Cock-feathered cap shone brave: 'neath which, as keen As some wild hawk's, his green-gray eyes were seen: And parti-colored leather shoes he had Upon his feet; his legs were silken clad In hose of rarest Totness: and a spear, Bannered and bronzen, dappled as a deer, One hand upheld, like some bright beam of morn; And round his neck was hung a bugle-horn. So with his following, while, bar on bar, The blue mist lay on woodside and on scar, Through mist and dew, through shadow and through ray, Joustward Earl Damas led the forest way. Then to King Arthur, when arrived were these Where bright the lists shone, bannered, through the trees, A wimpled damsel with a falchion came, Mounted upon a palfrey, all aflame With sweat and heat of hurry; and, "From her, Your sister, Morgane, your Excalibur! With tender greeting. For you well may need Its aid in this adventure. So, God speed!" Said and departed suddenly: nor knew The King that this was not his weapon true: A brittle forgery, in likeness of That blade, of baser metal;--in unlove And treason made by her, of all his kin The nearest, Morgane; who, her end to win, Stopped at no thing; thinking, with Arthur dead, The crown would grace her own and Accolon's head. Then, heralded, into the lists he rode. Opposed flashed Accolon, whose strength bestrode, Exultant, strong in talisman of that sword, A dun horse lofty as a haughty lord, White-pasterned, and of small, impatient hoof: Both knight and steed shone armed in mail of proof, Of yellow-dappled, variegated plate Of Spanish laton. And of sovereign state His surcoat robe of honor,--white and black, Of satin, crimson-orphreyed,--at his back The wind made billow: and, from forth this robe, Excalibur,--a throbbing golden globe Of vicious jewels,--thrust its splendid hilt; Its broad belt, tawny and with goldwork gilt, An eyelid clasped, black, of the black sea-horse, Tongued red with rosy gold. And pride and force Sat on his wingéd helmet, plumed, of rich Bronze-hammered laton; blazing upon which A hundred brilliants glittered, thick as on A silver web bright-studding dews of dawn: Its crest, a taloned griffin, high that ramped; In whose horned brow one blood-red gem was stamped.