Gawaine said, with a shrug of helplessness,
“But all the same, with Mark and his resource
In England, your best way’s away from there
As early and expeditiously as may be.
Mark’s arm is not the only arm he uses;
My fear for you is not my only fear.
Fear for yourself in you may be as nothing,
Which is commendable and rather common
In Camelot, as fellows who read and write
Are not so rare there that we crown them for it.
But there’s a fear more worthy than no fear,
And it may be the best inheritance
Of luckless ones with surer sight than yours,
And with perception more prophetical
Than yours. I say this hoping it will hurt,
But not offend. You see how lax I am
When I’m away from royal discipline,
And how forgetful of unspoken caution
I am when I’m afraid to be afraid.
I thrust my head into the lion’s mouth,
And if my head comes off, it will have done,
For once if only once, the best it might.
I doubt if there’s a man with eyes and ears
“But all the same, with Mark and his resource
In England, your best way’s away from there
As early and expeditiously as may be.
Mark’s arm is not the only arm he uses;
My fear for you is not my only fear.
Fear for yourself in you may be as nothing,
Which is commendable and rather common
In Camelot, as fellows who read and write
Are not so rare there that we crown them for it.
But there’s a fear more worthy than no fear,
And it may be the best inheritance
Of luckless ones with surer sight than yours,
And with perception more prophetical
Than yours. I say this hoping it will hurt,
But not offend. You see how lax I am
When I’m away from royal discipline,
And how forgetful of unspoken caution
I am when I’m afraid to be afraid.
I thrust my head into the lion’s mouth,
And if my head comes off, it will have done,
For once if only once, the best it might.
I doubt if there’s a man with eyes and ears
[ 112 ]
