Merlin

down, and the

s new abode wit

ving candle,

izard, mirrore

him a strange

ed, of a ne

gh to look up

rrior born, nor

mor resting

now stirred, a

in purple, to

snowy lace.-The

e time before fr

iment of a r

th a long mist

ian would be

ested in thes

nd death; fo

all its hue

ng argument, a

gs that apperta

stening, to hi

as a freedom,

: "I trust you

ith a temp

candid eye m

ring. Let them

ith a sort

never look

ur lady frown

in black, for G

in scarlet or

me to pass t

rple, even th

as he pinched i

arful of it

at and scanned

reful Blaise,

that in his p

lid word of h

be done. "The

ith a last loo

when there's

hun thereby t

illusions a

us that our wo

eeds to crawl s

two heights, w

d or follow, r

us anyhow," B

s. Meanwhile,

u are here, a

will assure

iligence an

ou hear singing

r attention and

his fellow, ye

and he rose t

vian in a f

immed and vei

haken gloom wh

she moved, hea

if to make h

ll a triumph;

ingling of mo

ive and twenty

this triumph

new and felt t

advance amon

haven of un

in it as a t

oth red fish, he

h a creeping

ng that was i

ve, and mice. W

at him in a

s in childhoo

royal mounteb

shift of th

ens would laugh an

slowly on he

eature lifted,

hands as if to

zed them. "Go

you in my l

uth," he answer

r ago, my wor

man you see f

If otherwis

igious and rem

r lions to an

ther lion th

since you canno

ely woman, wh

tree than an

imination, th

her a small ki

like a tree,-o

wer to-night."

en small fingers

if each had

eart was leapi

othing save a s

mering arms. "Mo

said, as now h

ial meaning

earer to his

wonder with

g slowly an

l-a flower of c

inging blosso

with a tyra

wayward fragr

by deliri

face and yoked

ight; and with h

with only

n or for

meet them and

o surrender

anything tha

ow their beard

she began to

lowly Merli

im as his out

fingers while h

the woodland

the fireligh

r a queen a

llness and im

let me go ag

re I starve to

ave to bite th

oar. He cannot

lion has no

ly knows hims

as no face, but

ad no face un

. And there's a

ge old tune. Yo

the Lady are

hunger-tempe

some devout m

any failures

had for deca

rave been slo

eard, dream-wea

s and viols, mad

ic hautboys blo

not so leisu

's inexting

hining silver

ch a trembling

her a dusk

nk of shadow

e was able w

sion of the

uty, albeit mor

odds with

oo long the g

nvention in

over-taxed in

th her chin prop

flashing blin

out cruelly

that, forget

image of me

for when al

rd-pie that yo

at you call it

forget your n

eat; and if

out of ship

er 'tis that'

rrow for you

ve, which you h

you a lie; a

e some sinew

away to Go

n a fearsome

e of this ins

mstance. My d

not another

ou are as I

k at you too

at, or be un

ight of your

fear me, for

solemn dust

likened once,

at now is

you s

illing Merlin'

sorry for th

this and you m

e me sure tha

ove is what y

ry that my l

ir to make you

Since I have

and say ov

ions of tha

rror for my ni

s. I've seen it

ys at once and

men screaming f

woven into sh

t of sight and

white ghosts wi

,-and there were

bing, climbing

ime that I wa

w far above

lways what his

, as a child,

time when I shou

oice, and have

care no more

o found anoth

id; and, sighing,

for one Merli

for one Vivi

you care much,

d knows how

ntertaining ey

ly well and

at hand. Praise h

the world-praise

erlin's ente

, there might b

no eye to s

Vivian who

eauty, Beau

ivian, and

on't see two of

whole world yet

d say to me

reature that

for a little m

man, I can wa

ming are for th

ather gave t

lways. You are

fore I give

u to spare n

ckle-shell wou

love and mine i

ee tonight t

living remnan

until it fad

herishing; fo

s on our faces

d ruins, and

d of slow un

to dust the lif

see, but I sa

s to live a t

late a los

nk it while i

I are not un

your own, and I

hter scattere

sdom. He smiled

the dark where

this than I have

see it."-"Drink,

this much in t

ar to givin

e so great and

dling gaze that

me, and with a

kingdom, Merli

that for a

n air with he

im across their

t made a fuel

her, shot gl

their cups touche

knowing what,

ht have cared les

all the darkne

ogether to

ore them then

ing crimson in

er of their loos

k, and he cur

touched her eve

ngs to such as h

totter-for th

e world would?

n-to make hi

ng should have

Vivian fill

red for nothi

omparable f

on to Merlin,

"I fear there

d, whereat she

golden cup a

it with a s

ce likewise, an

concern for s

e specks? Are yo

lowly, with a

ks everywhere.

ing in Came

specks. But now

range a lady t

ong time at t

he drank no m

nd the world

rimson, with a

ar off town o

shaken, till at

nothing but

into nothing

d with it, c

woman, and all

w light of

open casement

s of an exo

d with a dim

in the sound

he lay there

ccupation

d they shared

ing child wit

ew the breath

ternoon around

ining day of

was alive wit

Merlin a more

ed in dreams, an

all the morning

harps and star

and sang and

n echoes of her

oming. Sudden

he was coming

she came and

le she talked a

d up he though

than once he h

been left yet

t was hereto

lf he must ha

the face at

Many men have c

you are wiser

t you are."-"I

you and I are

have known f

d be almost a

; and now that

you are no

ell me that

ike fishes, fer

I liked them

you and I we

cool place no

ferns that are l

h away. Come n

hey do-neve

ne, some others,

place, but nev

r silky finger

erlin, also,

place-and neve

laid a finge

ead at him befo

other Merlin

never goin

a world tha

gend, and a

more comman

ule a kingdom

he queen Vivia

hout the blem

ough than honey

t adumbrati

ght-wild fire t

oky friendli

ing care for m

and miles for y

ce: "Your priso

ather take my

to the fishes

ike an inco

und yours, and

for some day th

phic rage wo

st, and your h

And what wou

ars and years

, and be the

rse, and suf

l day long, y

ted head and

your fist the

nt on saying

I have killed

that buzzed he

ade me crazy,

stance and w

two of us in

bow your uno

that should be

led me on

ieked and jumped, a

way when a man

n me if I lo

I could ever

of all th

out of nothin

ers. I'll wand

ung the noose

ck and kissed

wisest man

yer to make: M

a part of w

urse of her

houlder, as y

for knowing be

only one who

see how f

I have seen an

only thing t

as I am a

s a dream. You

ow to you th

aw too much;

ngdom out of

is one here tha

u are ruled.

. Time's way w

in that we a

with Time. We

hold us in

ow and say i

not; for my

t of mine. I

n; and I shall

uiet soul i

, where souls

first and l

say so often

remember th

g for Today.

n accord here

wisdom, I h

ngs-and you. An

Vivian is y

gs of men who

ine, by the s

ut of Time a

ng but you.

say so much

to you. And y

at him till hi

he familia

love made for

andered as he

also in his

found her com

with her ow

on her with a

ime in the ol

rk of silence

ughed, not alw

lly glad, that

s the wizard

only Merlin

ht. "Our lyres h

w them all, for

s, till ten of

seasons, or t

roceliande

vaded, unt

dant, awkward

rthur's messag

leaving to

his love a qui

ld affection

vain, relucta

the knight who

because he pl

eves today, as

te; and I ca

n what in his

to himself

go because I

e a mirror f

go, but neve

no more tha

no more than

lowly in his

bing like a bi

go; I go be

orning, when

d Blaise throug

langed as if to

even asked h

en that in hi

love and s

gleam of his i

hheld; and, p

fond Merlin s

lin who had cha