Merlin
oming on their
horses or i
away from
winding aroun
black hair. "Ki
e with kings, a
rafty language.
only languag
I must never
ow too well. Wh
l only out of
, the doer ma
omplement of
ore words
tell
and a singu
thin question
far away f
re, even of
the wrong th
ght on what I
eek is here
s that you have
? The eyes y
old; and I co
remembered
and wished hi
vian, to mak
world again in
no bigger t
ys, and wonder
ough to make
back. Am I a
n her toes and
against his, a
me has come fo
my prison-ya
verything that
ne, and seen don
erted me. And
hinks of me."-"
most what you a
all ages that
the wonder of
ted me. What
have seen and
ch, would make
art of it woul
Merlin had hi
ore about your
If Blaise wer
his ponderi
is unshielding
l of him. I'd
ake his fist at
as long as the
I forgot mys
love may do so
ghtning are no
wly, "more than
e nearer to
ame than I car
ervice to th
service you
orld a kingdom
hand, smiling:
them will not
he smile faded
celess and ungr
eased, for she
new fear. "The
"and we'll have
ndered rather
d come agai
, Merlin fou
new lonelin
rk, and woodl
n and a cha
ason, with
ke a child wit
before him,
hat, although
felt the pictu
t the nearness
w there was no
soul-consumin
only tenant o
when she was
ging injure
Arthur's kingdo
ng, for new ag
themselves and
hours a martyr
ike an empty ho
n was a pri
n himself by t
n unending
litary sil
a way reme
ir very solit
magic of
ow he doubted-th
, were founde
Merlin, in
unseen angel
uch of which w
orrow that h
e compelled it
y in autumn a
de the radianc
ight when he
ist between h
Vivian. On h
ll in green a
llow leaves, an
nd the fountai
ate the bread,
hing today
for a minute h
always all in
had much to s
crumbs away an
up my bones wi
ry on them wit
ed them all-or m
ked them if you
ighing; "but t
the day I sa
wonderful" ..
with a mel
mile.-"Why paus
een yourself si
where that u
t you have neve
n her with a
nothing that I
en?" she asked
ds and miracles
head and tore
need of askin
or I may choo
is Fate, who
yes to read o
n I have read.
esterday, bu
not the ways
go forward
we were not in
ho said it."-"
en who said it
Merlin was y
ne with him and
ith the world;
re alone, even
I who said
my inmost thoug
den pain aro
not much laugh
d for a season
hat you mean by
told me. Here's
ace that fits m
sit there. I've
ave spoiled you
ll my finger
ce, as if they
nimal with n
ory now abou
in it, what
they do it a
u every story
d.-"O, don't be
on a time ther
more commend
ell me all a
ing had warts
wrong in his
sh that Adam h
ed her slowly
der. She laughe
art he felt a
a long fear fo
on a time ther
n, but now i
and betraye
would have he
in him that
terance that hi
ing child ob
e richer fo
the child: "T
e made his re
peoples of t
nd remember, a
and won,
ory of, a ne
with her smile
heir sin, wha
of mongrel so
ecious reptil
his court an
y to be the
the king, wh
de of life and
orld and his
ther woman-
e made Queen,
orn allegianc
ved the best o
bring along t
honor and of
ingdom build
n,-so founde
unsellor who l
orld and theref
for it,-the k
ears, awaitin
ars he waved a
ner with a
very land fe
s it were th
the livi
ose a
lm yawn, she l
new insisten
I wonder if
rs, with all his
t like him." A
es than he ha
ame the will
ade of him; an
colder lin
rs or nightmares
: "What reas
ten to this k
has a man of
man be Merlin
l for you to l
, driven ru
ctive urging
ll for you to
ve him, knowing
ere is no man
story of th
story of th
story was t
recognition
ave no more of
not so commo
gs and pits and
w that we have
you missed th
have it in wit
bristles on t
h shouts and hor
ith a most u
other story
of a man tha
l for the sp
long ago, if
trange a lady
you said, who
look at me
ring at you and
to spring at yo
e. And you, i
fear to wande
me has come for
come a time
think it is th
his Brocelia
heartened sin
as today no pl
ly wave of
erlin like a
nwillingly an
had seen, but
bitterness of
at, and all the
nd around hi
memories tha
, although he
ere-for what hi
rs had heard an
him not knowi
w that his col
that a mightie
d ordained tha
e could not
had no more o
of peace: "I me
d," he groaned;
frozen lin
th. He looked
y-too fearfu
could hear no
slowly into
cy water: "Thi
the end of us
afraid we'r
uild walls up
ron that make u
oming when they
ll me that you
ever cared f
em. I was too
urn is now a
that you cal
an uninvited
hout a welcom
founder
What ar
er in a forlo
y: "You said, 'I
ing in Camel
e than specks.' H
Merlin, you a
make somehow
f the world? I'
ign, with you to
any king th
me is that
forgets that
dered misery
Vivian's face,
common mercy th
anguage that w
t my wits. Wh
est of opp
hat I said a
eason could ha
y? Why do you
rom me, when
your word a
where no fea
ever dwell? Wh
wise a mir
s, and of imm
y the roots out
and torture it
g that has a ra
f an ingeni
makes of what
remote as hel
," Vivian sai
f in pain; "I
and leave you
kings and sin
and bury the
king; he liv
ver like him.
er him. Long
king who liv
Lancelot, a
speckled like
together. You
ved the world
a mirror for
see itself in
ay its prayers a
ome new king a
King!... But n
e to shudder
s-and so bec
ake out walking
e way to lon
ay have lost wh
y light mind.
for this fo
tting. Tell me,
ame than Eden
man in it fo
s, we have a Tre
p at the bra
r shoulders. Th
left of Merli
yal phantom,
ord of his col
n his heart,
xt, but the co
and left h
w and eyes. "T
ar, and he ma
kes unseen," h
hought again. "
ing till the
lures him folds
what there was
f inhospi
hate alike m
till be charte
ng, where the
passing of a
to flower in
not somewher
owers, and glim
rt where the
slow defeats
f a nameless
see too much-
eath, to the
he Grail. For
s to throw,
d the wise ar
ure all wise
rays than men.
ch, and was to
play too ligh
and flowers, h
way out; and
shadows lead
adow save his
no complaint,
on, with death
t that guides hi
pty thought o
l put a matto
hile he digs h
the pallet a
ndering bones.
have an eye
rked the clay; an
and may slacke
hout a metho
delving that
d, for man. I
fall before
. I was youn
hat I have he
on my shoulde
shall say
d and gaunt
one more stor
g hours for Me
wandering in h
progress of
tillness of i
farewell. T
r many days n
's iteratio
arture from
ill remained. I
uiet kindness
lash of i
o pain. Was th
rnation o
supplicati
d reverential
reams and he
erlin who for
d him had so ma
princes, thro
men who drow
less to her tha
erlin whom her
to come ringi
her love wit
was to be a
erlin who had
d then left i
est, oldest, we
nd sometimes
en of her co
man who had m
ary as a
erlin who came
untain where s
een? Trembling,
em fondly, one
een
ong that
ne more stor
ke one hungr
she found in h
as a candle
pon the sea
ve gone down. "To
I shall go
and I shall
nd I may com
nd I shall g
re is now no
; and I shal
uch when I
rther backwa
than a man ma
rthur king. I
as this. Fate
d with Time; an
ate, will have on
s no vengeance,
slowly int
ere, but when h
ld as leaves an
en him then, to
ment of a w
he next morni
ilgrim robe t
iting where the
te fell on him
Vivian at th
ash of a swif
came with it.
ith her lips tha
"I am going
wn together
coming back. F
to spare him,
w, as once I
e no more th
no more than
told me that I
ff to wander.
or another
that all be w
e was a whini
els departing.
he gate agai
uld have heard