Poems (Van Vorst)/In the Joint of his Armour
IN THE JOINT OF HIS ARMOURI
Then said the king:—"Stand here, Sir Guldemar, Beside me, where the arras falleth close. Now, down this marble stair the princess goes. And thou shalt mark her, hidden here with me:—And thou shalt tell me, on thine honour's oath, If any woman is as fair as she. (Giving thy guerdon, no fear hanging loath!")
II
"For, when thou sayest,—"She's more fair Than the queen's sister!'—straight that woman shall, Guldemar, to thy have and hold befall. The hour thou didst so knightly lift thy lance To shield our life, we gave our royal word—For Guldemar! the fairest in all France!". . . (Guldemar stood beside his king and heard.)
III
He held his head-gear downward in his hands; The white plume kissed along the gleaming steel Of his gray armour, close from head to heel. High around his throat's column, lay the fine, Steel, tinkling little links, that rose and fell To mark his breath. (Nor did the king divine The hot heart beating in the mailed shell!)
IV
"To women he is as the heart of ice," The women laughed: and held it for a wage That none could Baron Guldemar engage In sport of love, or earnest: his straight gaze Was like the falcon's on the hand held high, Above the hunter and the under-maze,Toward a goal cloud hidden in the sky.
V
"The king" (he said) "is as God's bread,—above The hope of any save the lips absolved: Yet my lips touch his garment! If involved My heart, Sire, can I find another fair But her I love? Even though the king's sister Were born of Venus? My liege lord must spare My finding any beauty like to Her."
VI
And the king smiled as one in kindly wise Surprising a dear secret. "Friend," (he said,)"Fear not to say thy ladye's lips are red And her eyes heaven! We demand the truth From a brave knight, who knows not how to lie! He shall wed but perfection, by God's Ruth, Whose voice cried,—'I, and not the king, shall die!'"
VII
(And Guldemar) "My liege," (here his head bowed,) "Or the king's sister, or the fairer she, That woman, my dear lord will give to me?" . . . "By the cross!"swore the monarch; "though she prove Ice! Though her hate thy passion's warmth excels." Said Guldemar: "And if I have her love?"The king: "Ourself shall ring the marriage bells."
VIII
The knight had thrown his gauntlets to the ground. His silken sleeves clung down unto his wrists. The foremost in the wars and in the lists His breast blazed with the stars of victory. He wore a signet such as nobles wear; He wore, beneath his mail, where none could see, A bright chain woven of his ladye's hair!
IX
"Hark!" said the king, "the princess comes! And hark,Those are her pages singing!" Guldemar, His soul high lifted, trembling like a star, Flashed his quick speech like light upon the king. "Sire, what if my life were wholly given To love a woman with a marriage ring? Her hell and mine, another's rightful heaven!"
X
"The holy cross," the king said, "and our word Are linked promise! This same night shall stir A great host for the holy sepulchre. The man who keeps thy souls and loves apart,—As a cursed spirit, banished from a shrine, Must bind the crusade cross upon his heart,And wind a pilgrim way from thee and thine."
XI
Guldemar heard. There went a tinkling Like little heavenly bells, and soft singing, A pleasant smell like violet-woods in spring Was wafted from the princess' silks astir. First came the mincing pages, finely dressed,Then walking all alone the king's sister,And in her beauty one forgot the rest.
XII
And every knight and every troubadour Had given to Isobel great beauty's palm. Only the queen her sister, pale and calm,Could claim a beauty near to Isobel's. She came entrancing down the marble stair,Her glad wide eyes as blue as asphodels,And the imprisoned sunlight in her hair.
XIII
The king and knight the arras held apart. "Now by God's rood," the king cried, "if there is A fairer woman in my court than this,To-night thine arms clasp her,—or Isobel!"Guldemar bent his bright bold look serene,Upon his liege—and held his body well—"Sire," he said, "one is more fair—the queen,"
XIV
The monarch dropped the arras and stood close, His eyes on Guldemar's, and pride, and hate,—Sudden for love and gifts,—rode hot, elate. Guldemar's sword and gloves lay on the floor. The king snapped his own sword in two, then pale Cursed Guldemar, . . . who felt the chain he wore Prick him to fire beneath his coat of mail.
XV ······Without, the stony courts rang with the feet Of steel-shod men, and horses' clanging shoe. And yellow torches flashed their brilliance through Dim corridor, and winding way remote. High in the belfry rang a faint peal sweet,As silver bells spelt out a marriage note. The red cross blazed on breast and banner white. Shouted the warder at the castle moat—"To arms! The king rides to the wars to-night!"