The Story of King Arthur and his Knights
“Very well; let us go down into it.” So they went down and, as they
descended, the night fell apace and the round moon arose into the sky
and it was hard to tell whether that valley was the more beautiful in
the daytime or whether it was the more beautiful when the moon shone
down upon it in that wise.
So they all came at last unto the borders of the lake and they perceived
that there was neither house nor castle at that place.
Now upon this the followers of Merlin murmured amongst themselves,
saying, “This enchanter hath brought us hitherward, but how will he now
provide for us that we may find a resting-place that may shelter us from
the inclement changes of the weather. For the beauty of this spot cannot
alone shelter us from rain and storm.” And Merlin overheard their
murmurings and he said, “Peace! take ye no trouble upon that matter, for
I will very soon provide ye a good resting-place.” Then he said to them,
“Stand ye a little distance aside till I show ye what I shall do.” So
they withdrew a little, as he commanded them, and he and Vivien remained
where they were. And Vivien said, “Master, what wilt thou do?” And
Merlin said, “Wait a little and thou shalt see.”
Therewith he began a certain very powerful conjuration so that the earth
began for to tremble and to shake and an appearance as of a great red
dust arose into the air. And in this dust there began to appear sundry
shapes and forms, and these shapes and forms arose very high into the
air and by and by those who gazed thereon perceived that there was a
great structure apparent in the midst of the cloud of red dust.
[Sidenote: _Merlin buildeth a castle by the means of his magic._]
Then, after a while, all became quiet and the dust slowly disappeared
from the air, and, behold! there was the appearance of a marvellous
castle such as no one there had ever beheld before, even in a dream. For
the walls thereof were of ultramarine and vermilion and they were
embellished and adorned with figures of gold, wherefore that castle
showed in the moonlight like as it were a pure vision of great glory.
Now Vivien beheld all that Merlin had accomplished and she went unto him
and kneeled down upon the ground before him and took his hand and set it
to her lips. And while she kneeled thus, she said, “Master, this is
assuredly the most wonderful thing in the world. Wilt thou then teach me
such magic that I may be able to build a castle like this castle out of
the elements?” And Merlin said, “Yea; all this will I teach thee and
more besides; for I will teach thee not only how thou mayst create such
a structure as this out of invisible things, but will also teach thee
how thou mayst, with a single touch of thy wand, dissipate that castle
instantly into the air; even as a child, with a stroke of a straw, may
dissipate a beautiful shining bubble, which, upon an instant is, and
upon another instant is not. And I will teach thee more than that, for I
will teach thee how to change and transform a thing into the semblance
of a different thing; and I will teach thee spells and charms such as
thou didst never hear tell of before.”
Then Vivien cried out, “Master, thou art the most wonderful man in all
of the world!” And Merlin looked upon Vivien and her face was very
beautiful in the moonlight and he loved her a very great deal. Wherefore
he smiled upon her and said, “Vivien, dost thou still hate me?” And she
said, “Nay, master.”
But she spake not the truth, for in her heart she was evil and the heart
of Merlin was good, and that which is evil will always hate that which
is good. Wherefore, though Vivien lusted for the knowledge of
necromancy, and though she spake so lovingly with her lips, yet in her
spirit she both feared and hated Merlin because of his wisdom. For she
wist right well that, except for the enchantment of that ring which he
wore, Merlin would not love her any longer in that wise. Wherefore she
said in her heart, “If Merlin teaches me all of his wisdom, then the
world cannot contain both him and me.”
* * * * *
[Sidenote: _Merlin teacheth magic to Vivien._]
Now Merlin abided with Vivien in that place for a year and a little
more, and in that time he taught her all of magic that he was able to
impart. So at the end of that time he said unto her, “Vivien, I have now
taught thee so much that I believe there is no one in all of the world
who knoweth more than thou dost of these things of magic which thou hast
studied in this time. For not only hast thou such power of sorcery that
thou canst make the invisible elements take form at thy will, and not
only canst thou transform at thy will one thing into the appearance of
an altogether different thing, but thou hast such potent magic in thy
possession that thou mayst entangle any living soul into the meshes
thereof, unless that one hath some very good talisman to defend himself
from thy wiles. Nor have I myself very much more power than this that I
have given to thee.”
So said Merlin, and Vivien was filled with great joy. And she said in
her heart, “Now, Merlin, if I have the good fortune to entangle thee in
my spells, then shalt thou never behold the world again.”
[Sidenote: _Vivien setteth a feast for Merlin._]
Now, when the next day had come, Vivien caused a very noble feast to be
prepared for herself and Merlin. And by means of the knowledge which
Merlin had imparted to her she produced a certain very potent
sleeping-potion which was altogether without taste. This potion she
herself infused into a certain noble wine, and the wine she poured into
a golden chalice of extraordinary beauty.
So when that feast was ended, and whiles she and Merlin sat together,
Vivien said, “Master, I have a mind to do thee a great honor.” And
Merlin said, “What is it?” “Thou shalt see,” said Vivien. Therewith she
smote her hands together and there immediately came a young page unto
where they were, and he bare that chalice of wine in his hand and gave
it unto Vivien. Then Vivien took the chalice and she went to where
Merlin sat and kneeled down before him and said, “Sir, I beseech thee to
take this chalice and to drink the wine that is within it. For as that
wine is both very noble and very precious, so is thy wisdom both very
noble and very precious; and as the wine is contained within a chalice
of priceless cost, so is thy wisdom contained within a life that hath
been beyond all value to the world.” Therewith she set her lips to the
chalice and kissed the wine that was in it.
Then Merlin suspected no evil, but he took the chalice and quaffed of
the wine with great cheerfulness.
[Sidenote: _Merlin is overcome by the wine that Vivien giveth him._]
After that, in a little, the fumes of that potent draught began to arise
into the brains of Merlin and it was as though a cloud descended upon
his sight, and when this came upon him he was presently aware that he
was betrayed, wherefore he cried out thrice in a voice, very bitter and
full of agony, “Woe! Woe! Woe!” And then he cried out, “I am betrayed!”
And therewith he strove to arise from where he sat but he could not.
That while Vivien sat with her chin upon her hands and regarded him very
steadily, smiling strangely upon him. So presently Merlin ceased his
struggles and sank into a sleep so deep that it was almost as though he
had gone dead. And when that had happened Vivien arose and leaned over
him and set a very powerful spell upon him. And she stretched out her
forefinger and wove an enchantment all about him so that it was as
though he was entirely encompassed with a silver web of enchantment. And
when she had ended, Merlin could move neither hand nor foot nor even so
much as a finger-tip, but was altogether like some great insect that a
cunning and beautiful spider had enmeshed in a net-work of fine, strong
web.
[Sidenote: _Vivien bewitches Merlin._]
Now, when the next morning had come, Merlin awoke from his sleep and he
beheld that Vivien sat over against him regarding him very narrowly. And
they were in the same room in which he had fallen asleep. And when
Vivien perceived that Merlin was awake, she laughed and said, “Merlin,
how is it with thee?” And Merlin groaned with great passion, saying,
“Vivien, thou hast betrayed me.”
At this Vivien laughed again very shrilly and piercingly, and she said,
“Behold! Merlin, thou art altogether in my power; for thou art utterly
inwoven in those enchantments which thou, thyself, hast taught me. For
lo! thou canst not move a single hair without my will. And when I leave
thee, the world shall see thee no more and all thy wisdom shall be my
wisdom and all thy power shall be my power, and there shall be no other
in the whole world who shall possess the wisdom which I possess.”
Then Merlin groaned with such fervor that it was as though his heart
would burst asunder. And he said, “Vivien, thou hast brought me to such
shame that even were I released from this spell I could not endure that
any man should ever see my face again. For I grieve not for my undoings
so much as I grieve at the folly that hath turned mine own wisdom
against me to my destruction. So I forgive thee all things that thou
hast done to me to betray me; yet there is one thing alone which I crave
of thee.”
And Vivien said, “Does it concern thee?” And Merlin said, “No, it
concerns another.” Thereupon Vivien said, “What is it?”
[Sidenote: _Merlin maketh one request of Vivien._]
Then Merlin said, “It is this: Now I have received my gift of foresight
again, and I perceive that King Arthur is presently in great peril of
his life. So I beseech thee Vivien that thou wilt straightway go to
where he is in danger, and that thou wilt use thy powers of sorcery for
to save him. Thus, by fulfilling this one good deed, thou shalt haply
lessen the sin of this that thou hast done to betray me.”
Now at that time Vivien was not altogether bad as she afterward became,
for she still felt some small pity for Merlin and some small reverence
for King Arthur. Wherefore now she laughed and said, “Very well, I will
do thy desire in this matter. Whither shall I go to save that King?”
Then Merlin replied, “Go into the West country and unto the castle of a
certain knight hight Sir Domas de Noir, and when thou comest there then
thou shalt immediately see how thou mayst be of aid to the good King.”
Upon this Vivien said, “I will do this thing for thee, for it is the
last favor that anyone may ever render unto thee in this world.”
Therewith Vivien smote her hands together and summoned many of her
attendants. And when these had come in she presented Merlin before them,
and she said, “Behold how I have bewitched him. Go! See for yourselves!
Feel of his hands and his face and see if there be any life in him.” And
they went to Merlin and felt of him; his hands and arms and his face,
and even they plucked at his beard, and Merlin could not move in any
wise but only groan with great dolor. So they all laughed and made them
merry at his woful state.
[Sidenote: _Vivien places Merlin beneath the stone._]
Then Vivien caused it by means of her magic that there should be in that
place a great coffer of stone. And she commanded those who were there
that they should lift Merlin up and lay him therein and they did as she
commanded. Then she caused it that, by means of her magic, there should
be placed a huge slab of stone upon that coffer such as ten men could
hardly lift, and Merlin lay beneath that stone like one who was dead.
Then Vivien caused it to be that the magic castle should instantly
disappear and so it befell as she willed. Then she caused it that a mist
should arise at that place, and the mist was of such a sort that no one
could penetrate into it, or sever it asunder, nor could any human eye