憧憬的夢幻

Then Merlin, as if it were a magic thing that would please her, brought out his thought about the Island of the White Tower. Away beyond the Western Island, in a sea that is never sailed on, that island lies. Only on Midsummer Day does it come near to the Western Island so that men may see it. There, said Merlin, they might go. Those who would search for him could never come to him there. He told her more and more about the Island of the White Tower, and Vivien listened in delight to all he told her. And when he had sworn he would take her to it she unsaid the spell with which she had bespelled him, and he rose up from where he had been held, and he sprang across the magic figure that was drawn[Pg 140] upon the ground. And with Vivien Merlin went through the forest.

who cast their nets by the shores of the Western Ocean have this story of Merlin and Vivien. They tell how in a boat of crystal twelve creatures sailed to the Island of the White Tower. And two were Merlin and Vivien, and nine were the nine prime bards of the Isle of Britain who went with Merlin, and one was the tame wolf that was Merlin’s servant. They sailed out upon a Midsummer’s Day, and from that good day to this no hint or hair of the Enchanter has been seen by King nor clown in all the Isle of Britain　threat of vengeance she passed by in contempt. .

“O Merlin,” said she, “I would leave you here enchanted, for fear you should leave me and go amongst the maidens and the ladies who are so lovely.” And when she said that her face was so hard that he knew she would hold him there.

But Merlin smiled, and he said to her, “I would stay always where you are, Vivien, blossom of the furze.”

“Nay,” said she, “you would go from me. Why should you not? You have great works to do for the King of the land. And when you see again the ladies and the maidens who are the loveliest in the world you will not come back again to Vivien. I shall hate the castle and the garden that you made for me, and I shall hate every one who will come near me. I shall hold you, Merlin,[Pg 139] here, even until the wolves come out at night and devour you and me.”