Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere: 
  The sequel of to-day unsolders all
  The goodliest fellowship of famous knights 15
  Whereof this world holds record.  Such a sleep
  They sleep—­the men I loved.  I think that we
  Shall never more, at any future time,
  Delight our souls with talk of knightly deeds,
  Walking about the gardens and the halls 20
  Of Camelot, as in the days that were. 
  I perish by this people which I made,—­
  Tho’ Merlin sware that I should come again
  To rule once more—­but let what will be, be,
  I am so deeply smitten thro’ the helm 25
  That without help I cannot last till morn. 
  Thou therefore take my brand Excalibur,
  Which was my pride:  for thou rememberest how
  In those old days, one summer noon, an arm
  Rose up from out the bosom of the lake, 30
  Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful,
  Holding the sword—­and how I row’d across
  And took it, and have worn it, like a king: 
  And, wheresoever I am sung or told
  In aftertime, this also shall be known:  35
  But now delay not:  take Excalibur,
  And fling him far into the middle mere: 
  Watch what thou seest, and lightly being me word.’

  To him replied the bold Sir Bedivere: 
  ’It is not meet, Sir King, to leave thee thus, 40
  Aidless, alone, and smitten thro’ the helm. 
  A little thing may harm a wounded man. 
  Yet I thy hest will all perform at full,
  Watch what I see, and lightly bring thee word.’

  So saying, from the ruin’d shrine he stept 45
  And in the moon athwart the place of tombs,
  Where lay the mighty bones of ancient men,
  Old knights, and over them the sea-wind sang
  Shrill, chill, with flakes of foam.  He, stepping down
  By zig-zag paths and juts of pointed rock, 50
  Came on the shining levels of the lake.

  There drew he forth the brand Excalibur,
  And o’er him, drawing it, the winter moon,
  Brightening the skirts of a long cloud, ran forth
  And sparkled keen with frost against the hilt:  55
  For all the haft twinkled with diamond sparks,
  Myriads of topaz-lights and jacinth-work
  Of subtlest jewellery.  He gazed so long
  That both his eyes were dazzled, as he stood,
  This way and that dividing the swift mind, 60
  In act to throw:  but at the last it seem’d
  Better to leave Excalibur conceal’d
  There in the many-knotted waterflags,
  That whistled stiff and dry about the marge. 
  So strode he back slow to the wounded King 65

  Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere: 
  ’Hast thou performed my mission which I gave? 
  What is it thou hast seen? or what hast heard?’

  And answer made the bold Sir Bedivere: 
  ’I heard the ripple washing in the reeds, 70
  And the wild water lapping on the crag.’