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[LANCELOT, who does not see the barge, turns away in disgust and slowly leaves the stage. The barge slowly approaches in the foreground. LORENZO is standing in the stern with an oar in his hand. ELAINE, dressed in white and covered with lilies, is lying on a bier. At this moment LAVAINE, crowned with a wreath of bay leaves, and followed by a cheering crowd of Knights and Ladies, enters, R. He is about to kneel to the QUEEN when he sees ELAINE. At first he stares incredulously, then he runs to the barge.

Lavaine. Elaine! Elaine!

Guenevere.                    Elaine? What can this mean?

Lavaine. Ah, sister, what is this? 

[Starting.

                                                   Her hands are cold!

[Glancing wildly round, then turning to LORENZO.

What does this mean? Oh, though you cannot speak

Show me some sign! Why have you brought her thus?

[LORENZO gesticulates furiously, pointing first away to the left, then at the crowd surrounding the QUEEN.

First Lady. It is a fairy!

Second Lady.                 See how pale she looks!

Third Lady. Maybe she comes to take our king away

As Merlin prophesied.

First Lady.                   True, Merlin said

That Arthur could not die as others die,

But that he would return to reign again.

Second Lady. Nay, is it not the Lady of the Lake

Come back for Lancelot? She brought him here,

And thus but claims her own.

A Voice. (From the back.)      Way for the king!

[The crowd makes way for ARTHUR and GAWAIN.

Arthur. (To GUENEVERE.)

What does this mean?

Guenevere.                    I too would gladly know.

As I stood here, this barge came drifting by

In ghostly silence. At that moment came

Lavaine to claim his prize; but when he saw

The white face of the maid he gave a cry,

And running to her side called out, "Elaine!

Elaine!" 

Arthur.    'Tis very strange indeed!—Gawain.

Gawain. My lord?

Arthur.                   Go, ask Lavaine who the maid is,

And why she comes in this strange guise to us.—

Where is Sir Lancelot?

A Voice.                        He comes, my lord.

[Way is made for LANCELOT. When he sees ELAINE he looks curiously at her, then starts back on recognising who it is. GUENEVERE watches him closely. ARTHUR converses with him, pointing from time to time at the barge.

Lavaine. (Kneeling and kissing ELAINE.)

Elaine! Elaine! . . . No, no! it cannot be

That these dear lips will never speak again! . . .

Elaine! . . . It is Lavaine who calls to you!

Lavaine! your brother!—Speak! . . . no sound?—why then

'Tis Death, not I, who is triumphant here!

[Taking the wreath from his head and crowning her with it.

Death will I crown!

Gawain. (To LAVAINE.) Come, sir, she cannot speak,

Yet may we learn what her sweet lips would say;

For see, she clasps a letter in her hand.

This should explain. I'll take it to the king.

Lavaine. Do as you will. For me, I can translate

Her message from her face. She comes to tell

How Love and Death have mutually conspired

Against her. 

[Turning to the bier again.

                        Ah, dear sister! sweet Elaine!

Had I but known you were so hard beset

I would have saved you—yes, or Death had fought

A bitter fight with me ere he had won

So loved a prize!

Gawain. (Giving letter to the KING.)

                              She brings this letter, sire.

Arthur. (Reading amidst breathless silence.)

"To the most noble knight, Sir Lancelot.—

You left me taking no farewell, so I,

Elaine, the maid of Astolat, have come

To take my last and sad farewell of you.

I loved you, Lancelot; but as my love

Had no return, I could not choose but die.

Pray for my soul, as I have prayed for yours,

And yield me Christian burial.—Farewell."

[Turning to LANCELOT.

How is this, Lancelot?

Lancelot.                     Alas! my lord,

I scarce may tell you. This am I sure,

That I was never wittingly the cause

Of this maid's death, nor of the fatal love

That led to it. It was her father's wish

That I, by some discourtesy, should try

To break her passion. Thus I came away

Without so much as wishing her farewell.

God knows I am full heavy for her death!

Arthur. Surely you might have saved her from herself!

Guenevere. A little tact—

Lancelot.                          Queen, if I had but thought

Her life lay in my hands; had I but known

All that I know this hour, I would have stayed:

Yes, and for so sweet a maid, so true a love,

Have feigned a love myself; until, maybe,

Deceit had later lost itself in truth,

And I had loved as faithfully as she.

Arthur. (To those about him.)

Come, take her up.

[Four Knights take up the bier. ARTHUR stops them, C, to look more closely at ELAINE.

                              Ah, Lancelot, God made

This girl for you! Surely until this hour

I never looked upon so sweet a face!

Would that you could have loved her! she had made

This earth a heaven for you. 

[To Bearers.

                                             Now take her up.

She shall be buried here, in holy ground;

And on a costly tomb there shall be carved

Her image and the story of her love.—

Come, follow me.

[Exit ARTHUR, followed by Bearers. All the others, with the exception of LANCELOT and GUENEVERE, follow slowly. Many are seen to be weeping. LANCELOT stands looking sorrowfully after the bier. GUENEVERE goes softly and hesitatingly to him.

Guenevere.                 Forgive me, Lancelot!