"Guenevere mournful year" "Saw the men she held so dear" "Go to war for Guenevere" "Your Majesty." "Let us attack now while they sleep." "at dawn." "Merlyn why is Jenny in that castle behind walls I cannot enter?" "How did I blunder into this agonizing absurdity?" "When did I stumble?" "Where did I go wrong?" "Should I not have loved her?" "Then I should not have been born." "Merlyn how did it happen?" "I haven't got much time." "A thin inch of sunlight the arrows begin to fly." "Merlyn if I am to die in battle please do not let me die bewildered." "Arthur." "Think back." "Think back." "Think back!" "Merlyn!" "Think back." "Think back!" "Think back." "Back!" "To one of the most important days of your life." "yes!" "Hello." "My name is Arthur." "I think I'll call you Wart." ""I think I'll call you Wart."" "no!" "Now you've gone too far back." "Not the day you met me!" "The day you met Guenevere." "The day she came to Camelot." "That's the beginning." "Yes." "I know what my people are thinking tonight." "I know what my people are thinking tonight" "As home through the shadows they wander" "Everyone smiling in secret delight" "As they stare at the castle and ponder" "Whenever the wind blows this way" "You can almost hear everyone say I wonder what the king is doing tonight" "What merriment is the king pursuing tonight?" "The candles at the court They never burned as bright" "I wonder what the King is up to tonight." "How goes the final hour As he sees the bridal bower" "Being legally and regally prepared?" "I'll tell you what the king is doing tonight he's scared" "You mean that a king who fought a dragon Whacked him in two and fixed his wagon" "Goes to wed in terror and distress?" "yes!" "A warrior who's so calm in battle Even his armor doesn't rattle" "Faces a woman petrified with fright?" "Right!" "You mean the appalling clamoring That sounds like a blacksmith hammering" "Is merely the banging of his royal knees?" "Please!" "You wonder what the King is wishing tonight?" "He's wishing he were in Scotland fishing tonight" "What occupies his time While waiting for his bride?" "He's searching high and low For some place to hide" "The sublime anticipation" "He must feel about the wedding night to come" "I'll tell you what the King is feeling tonight" "He's numb!" "He shakes!" "He quails!" "He quakes!" "And that's what the King is doing" "Tonight!" "How long before we get to Camelot?" "it's a ghastly forest." "savage terrifying forest I've ever seen." "I simply adore it." "Does Your Ladyship not realize that this forest is crawling with outlaws and brigands?" "Clary!" "You think there's a chance of meeting one?" "Ma'am." "It would be marvelous." "soon you will not only meet the man you will marry..." "King Arthur of england." "And one is the other." "What have you to say to that?" "Was there ever a more inconvenient marriage of convenience?" "and is my fate sealed with a kiss?" "sealed with a seal!" "Where are all the simple joys of maidenhood?" "daring boys?" "Where's the knight pining so for me?" "He leaps to death in woe for me" "Oh where are a maiden's simple joys?" "Shan't I have the normal life a maiden should?" "Shall I never be rescued in the wood?" "Shall two knights never tilt for me" "And let their blood be spilt for me?" "where are the simple joys" "Of maidenhood?" "Shall I never be disputed for" "Or on any minstrel's lips?" "Never have my face recruited for" "Launching countless ships?" "Where are the simple joys of maidenhood?" "gentle pleasures gone for good?" "Shall a feud not begin for me?" "Shall kith not kill their kin for me?" "Oh where are the trivial joys?" "convivial joys?" "Where are the simple joys" "Of maidenhood?" "Halt!" "Her Highness will rest here while the Royal Hairdresser attends her." "Can someone help with this canopy?" "I should like some tea while I'm being coifed." "St. Genevieve" "It's Guenevere" "Remember me?" "St. Genevieve" "beneath this tree!" "You know how faithful and devout I am" "You must admit I've always been a lamb" "St. Genevieve." "I won't obey you any more You've gone a bit too far" "I won't be bid and bargained for Like beads at a bazaar" "I've run away Eluded them and fled" "And from now on I intend To pray to someone else instead" "St. Genevieve" "Where were you when my youth was sold?" "Dear Genevieve" "Sweet Genevieve" "Shan't I be young before I'm old?" "my lady." "I won't harm you." "You lie!" "You'll leap on me and throw me down!" "I'll do no such thing." "You'll carry me off on your shoulder!" "I swear by the sword Excalibur I won't touch you." "Why not?" "How dare you insult me in this fashion?" "Do my looks repel you?" "you're beautiful!" "Did you hear me praying?" "I couldn't help it." "You did pray loudly." "So you know who I am?" "you're Guenevere." "despicable behavior?" "Why isn't Merlyn here?" "Who?" "Merlyn." "He's my teacher." "He's the wisest man alive." "He'd know what to do." "He lives backwards." "Beg your pardon?" "He lives backwards." "He doesn't age." "He youthens?" "He can remember the future so he can tell you what you'll do in it." "Come here." "close your eyes." "please." "gently." "open them." "Do you see that castle?" "It used to light up in a sort of pink glow." "everything looked a little pink to me." "he took all the pink with him." "Don't stare." "It's rude." "Who are you?" "actually." "You sure you heard them properly?" "It's a nickname." "Merlyn gave it to me." "Is it really Wart?" "Why don't you run away with me?" "defend me all over the world..." "Scotland." "What a wonderful dream you spin." "And how easy it would be for me to be caught up in it." "But I must decline." "You forcing me to stay?" "My Lady!" "I'll find somebody brave to accompany you." "Then do so at once before your wretched king finds me." "My Lady!" "Reconsider." "Camelot is unique." "the most equable climate in all england." "Ordained by decree." "come now!" "It's true." "It's true!" "The Crown has made it clear" "The climate must be perfect" "All the year" "A law was made a distant moon ago here" "July and August cannot be too hot" "And there's a legal limit to the snow here" "In Camelot" "The winter is forbidden till December" "And exits March the second on the dot summer lingers through September" "In Camelot" "Camelot" "I know it sounds a bit bizarre" "But in Camelot" "That's how conditions are" "The rain may never fall till after sundown" "By eight the morning fog must disappear there's simply not A more congenial spot" "For happily-ever-aftering" "Than here in Camelot" "And I suppose the autumn leaves fall into neat little piles?" "My Lady." "They blow away completely." "of course." "I know it gives a person pause" "But in Camelot" "Those are the legal laws" "The snow may never slush upon the hillside" "By nine p.m. the moonlight must appear there's simply not" "A more congenial spot" "For happily-ever-aftering" "Than here in Camelot" "on the hill!" "but... on account of me you may be hanged!" "Or burnt at the stake for abducting me!" "That uncivilized king of yours will...." "Defend yourself!" "There she is!" "But who's that peasant with her?" "The king!" "it's the king!" "forgive me." "I did not know it was you." "The king." "When I was a young lad of 18 years of age... leaving no one to succeed him but a sword stuck through an anvil that stood on a stone." "it said ""Who so pulleth this sword from this stone is rightwise born King of all England."" "but they failed." "a great tournament was proclaimed for New Year's Day." "AII the mightiest knights in england were assembled at one time to have a go at the sword." "Sir Kay." "Sir Kay found he had left his sword at home and he gave me a shilling to fetch it." "I passed a square and saw a sword rising out of a stone." "Not thinking very clearly I thought it was a war memorial." "So I decided to borrow it and to save myself the trip." "So I took the sword and and I failed." "So I tried again." "And I failed again." "I closed my eyes and I tried one last time." "lo!" "The sword moved in my hand." "And slowly it slid out of the stone." "I heard a great roar." "I opened my eyes." "The square was full of people saying:" ""..." "Long live the king!" "Long live the king."" "That's how I became king." "I never knew I would be." "I never wanted to be." "I've been ill at ease in my crown." "Until I dropped from the tree and my eyes beheld you." "for the first time I felt like a king." "I was glad to be king." "I wanted to be the most heroic... the most splendid king ever to sit on any throne." "If My Lady will follow me I'll find a proper companion to accompany you." "I hear it never rains" "Till after sundown" "By eight the morning fog must disappear there's simply not" "A more congenial spot" "For happily-ever-aftering" "...than here In Camelot" "The map of England." "indeed." "A fishnet of ill-begotten kingdoms ruled by immoral lords battling with their own unlawful armies over illegal border lines." "And who is king of this jungle?" "The man who 4 years ago pledged he would become the greatest king who ever sat on any throne." "I Arthur of England." "Yes." "The greatest warrior in the land." "For what purpose?" "Might doesn't always mean right." "What are you saying?" "To be right and lose couldn't possibly be right." "Merlyn used to frown on battles." "Yet he always helped me win them." "Why?" "Proposition:" "Is it far better to be alive than dead?" "far better." "If that is so then why do we have wars in which people can get killed?" "do you?" "Yes." "Because somebody attacks." "Why do they attack?" "Did I ever tell you how Merlyn taught me how to think?" "No." "By changing me into animals." "really!" "Arthur!" "I mean by making me believe he had changed me into animals." "when a hawk is up there looking down at the world there are no boundaries." "Right?" "Yet boundaries are what somebody always attacks about." "And you win by pushing them back across something that that doesn't exist." "why?" "Because ladies love knights." "To see your knight in armor...." "Jenny." "that is it!" "It's the armor!" "Jenny." "The armor." "only the knights are rich enough to have armor." "The foot soldiers.... they have nothing." "all that can happen to a knight is an occasional dent." "Proposition:" "Right or wrong... they're always right." "That's wrong." "Right?" "I'm here." "Suppose we create a new order of chivalry?" "A new order where might is only used for right." "To improve instead of to destroy." "We'II invite all knights and kings of all kingdoms to lay down their arms to come and join us." "Jenny." "And we'II take one of the large rooms in the castle put a table in it and all the knights will gather at it." "And do what?" "talk across it." "Debate." "Make laws." "plan improvements." "do you think all the knights will ever want to to do such a ridiculously peaceful thing?" "We'II make it a great honor." "Very fashionable." "Everyone will want to join." "only now the knights will whack only for good." "Might for right." "Might for right." "Might for right!" "Jenny!" "Might.... not might is right!" "Might for right!" "It's very original." "Jenny." "It will have to be an awfully large table." "What of jealousy?" "AII will claim superiority and want to sit at the head." "We'II make it a round table." "So there is no head." "A round table!" "My father's got one that would be perfect." "It seats 150." "He had it as a wedding present and he never used it." "We'II send the heralds Riding through the country" "tell every living person far and near" "That there is simply not" "In all the world a spot" "Where rules a more resplendent king" "Than here" "In CameIot" "CameIot" "In far off France I hear you call" "To you alone I'II give my all" "I know in my soul what you expect of me" "And all that and more I shall be" "A knight of the table round should be invincible" "Succeed where a less fantastic man would fall" "climb a wall no one else can climb cleave a dragon in record time" "Swim a moat In a coat of heavy iron mail" "No matter the pain He ought to be unwinceabIe" "impossible deeds should be his daily fare" "But where in the world" "Is there in the world" "A man so extraordinaire?" "c'est moi I'm forced to admit" "'Tis I I humbly reply" "That mortal who these marvels can do c'est moi 'Tis I" "I've never lost In battle or game" "I'm simply the best by far" "When swords are crossed 'Tis always the same" "One blow and au revoir c'est moi So admirably fit" "A French Prometheus Unbound" "And here am I With valor untold" "exceptionally brave" "amazingly bold" "To serve at the table round" "The soul of a knight should be a thing remarkable" "His heart and his mind As pure as morning dew" "With a will and a seIf-restraint That's the envy of every saint" "He could easily work a miracle or two" "To love and desire He ought to be unsparkabIe" "The ways of the flesh should offer no allure" "But where in the world Is there in the world" "A man so untouched" "And pure?" "C'est moi I blush to disclose" "I'm far too noble to lie" "That man in whom These qualities bloom" "C'est moi 'Tis I" "I've never strayed From all I believe" "I'm blessed with an iron will" "Had I been made The partner of Eve" "We'd be in Eden still c'est moi The angels have chosen" "To fight their battles below" "And here am I As pure as a prayer" "incredibly clean" "With virtue to spare" "The godIiest man I know C'est moi!" "King Arthur!" "What caliber of man you must be to have envisioned a new order of Iife." "I worship you before knowing you." "coward!" "Come back and fight!" "The swine!" "Your Majesty?" "Fine." "please!" "The next time you traffic with me... you challenge the right arm of King Arthur." "really?" "I am King Arthur." "What?" "You are the king!" "almost the late king." "And I struck you?" "Your Majesty!" "I'm LanceIot du Lac." "In France I heard of your new order and came to join." "I beg Your Majesty to forgive me." "Not because I deserve it but because by forgiving me I'II suffer more." "dear chap I don't want you to suffer at all." "squire." "mon roi." "then I command you." "I have never felt a bash in my chest quite like it." "It was most spectacular." "Where did you learn to do it?" "mon Roi." "My strength from purity." "that's a unique recipe." "Your Majesty." "At the age of fourteen he could defeat any jouster in France." "made me his squire." "King Ban?" "In France?" "What did you say your name was?" "Your Majesty." "You're LanceIot?" "I was told you were coming." "You were told?" "the court magician." "He said to me one day ""Keep your eye out for a Frenchman called LanceIot du Lac." "He will come to the court of camelot and he will be...."" "What was it now?" ""He will be...."" "if you'II take me." "who asks no friendship." "Your defender when you need one whose body is your sword to brandish." "Your Majesty?" "I am." "my dear fellow this is far more than I couId wish for or even ask." "Then you will accept me?" "Without hesitation." "thank you!" "We must arrange for your knighthood immediately." "Your Majesty." "AII you know of me is words." "sire." "Give me an order." "Now?" "This moment." "Send me on a mission." "Is there some wrong I can right?" "Some enemy I can battle?" "Some peril I can undertake?" "there's not much going on today." "It's the first of May." "The Queen and some of the court have gone a-Maying." "Gone a-Maying?" "it's a sort of picnic?" "They eat berries and chase young girls around" "It's a custom we have here." "you know." "And this is the season for gathering flowers." "Knights gathering flowers?" "someone has to do it!" "it's...." "It's civilized." "And civilization should have a few gentle hobbies." "Come." "I want you to meet the queen." "take the horses and feed them." "By George!" "I suddenly remembered what MerIyn said of you." "How strange!" "He said that you would be the greatest knight ever to sit at my table." "That was long before I thought of a table." "So he knew it wouId exist." "dear!" "I thought he meant a dining table." "But he meant this." "The Round table!" "And I have stumbled on my future." "I've done the right thing." "Your Majesty?" "Of course." "only fools never doubt." "LanceIot." "bless you for coming." "welcome to my table." "It's May" "It's May" "The lusty month of May" "That lovely month" "When everyone goes" "BIissfuIIy astray it's here" "That shocking time of year" "When tons of wicked little thoughts" "MerriIy appear" "It's May!" "That gorgeous holiday" "When every maiden itches for fun" "wholesome or ""un"" "It's mad!" "Depraved in every way" "Those dreary vows that everyone takes Everyone breaks" "Everyone makes divine mistakes" "The lusty month of May" "The lusty month of May" "That darling month when everyone throws" "SeIf-controI away" "It's time to do" "A wretched thing or two" "And try to make each precious day" "One you'II always rue" "you may."" "A time for every" "frivolous whim" "Proper or ""im."" "It's wild!" "It's wild!" "It's gay!" "A libelous display" "The birds and bees" "will all of their vast Amorous past" "Gaze at the human race Aghast!" "The lusty" "Month of May!" "Now then which way to go?" "North." "that's north." "that's north." "I'm completely lost." "Who's that rusty old fellow?" "Your Majesty." "Offer him assistance." "That mountain seems familiar." "Let's see." "my lord." "young man." "The name of King PeIIinore here." "sire?" "Of what country?" "I don't know." "I lost my kingdom." "To whom?" "I mislaid it." "I Ieft it somewhere and I...." "I can't find my way back." "I believe him." "Your Majesty!" "Your Majesty?" "the Queen of england." "why!" "How do you do?" "Ma'am." "The beastly hinges need oiling." "my lord." "welcome to camelot." "Haven't I been here before?" "years ago." "I spent a jolly fortnight with a fine little fellow..." "Ma'am?" "constantly." "He's my husband." "King Arthur of england." "The King?" "Is he?" "good for him!" "That's what I call well done." "Imagine." "The king!" "And he knows the name of what he's king of." "Arthur would be pleased to see you." "would you care to spend the night?" "in a bed?" "In a real bed?" "I'd Iike that." "I haven't put spine to feathers since I Ieft...." "Since I Ieft.... one of you." "Escort His Majesty to the castle." "Ma'am." "very much." "I want to present to you LanceIot du Lac." "He's come all the way from France to join our table." "This is the LanceIot that MerIyn used to speak of." "You're most welcome." "miIady." "And allow me to pledge my eternal dedication to this noble cause." "I met this strange man" "This splendid dream must become a universal reality." "What?" "absolutely." "It really must." "I have assured the king he may call upon me... no matter the danger." "monsieur." "That's most comforting." "I'm always on duty." "I can see that." "I would love to come to lunch but I want to listen to the plans that we have been discussing." "explain it." "of course." "would not Madame find it tedious?" "I have never found chivalry tedious." "So far." "May I remind you that the Round table happens to be the idea of my husband." "My husband's idea." "miIady... could be improved." "really?" "Of course." "I've suggested that we create a training program for knights." "Jenny?" "A training program?" "The Round table must have a standard." "A standard physical and a standard moral." "monsieur?" "miIady." "It would not be fair." "Not fair?" "In what way?" "miIady." "To devote your life to the tortured quest for perfection in body and spirit." "I would not ask that of anyone." "nor would I." "monsieur?" "miIady." "But the refining of the soul is an endless struggle." "I dare say." "I do daresay." "Do you mean you've never been defeated in battle or in a tournament?" "Your Majesty." "And I gather you consider it unlikely ever to happen in the future?" "Your Majesty!" "LanceIot?" "Was it a good crossing?" "tell me a little of your struggle for the perfection of the spirit." "Have you jousted with humility lately?" "" milady?" "HumiIité." "Or isn't it fashionable in France this year?" "We had best discuss the program elsewhere." "You look too beautiful to have anything on your mind other than frolic and flowers." "Have a lovely day." "Same to all of you." "LanceIot." "Come quickly." "my queen." "he's unpleasant." "And so poisonousIy good." "He probably walked across the channel." "Sir Dinadan?" "When is the next tournament?" "Your Majesty." "And who are the 3 best jousters we have?" "Sir Sagramore and with all humiIitay..." "Your Majesty." "really?" "Sir lionel?" "Do you recall the other night That I distinctly said you might" "Serve as my escort At the next town fair?" "I'm afraid there's someone Who I must invite in place of you" "Someone who plainly is Beyond compare" "The Frenchman's power is more tremendous" "Than I have ever seen anywhere" "And when a man is that stupendous should take me To the fair" "let me tilt with him And smite him" "Don't refuse me so abruptly I implore give me the opportunity To fight him" "And GauI will be divided Once more" "You will bash and thrash him?" "I will smash and mash him!" "You'II give him trouble?" "He will be rubble." "A mighty whack?" "His skull will crack!" "Then you may" "Take me to the fair" "If you do all the things You promise my heart will break should you not take me" "To the fair" "Sir Sagramore?" "I have some rather painful news relative to the subject who's" "To be beside me at the next court bail" "I know But it's tradition it should go" "To the unquestioned champion In the hall" "And I'm convinced That splendid Frenchman" "Can easily conquer one and all he" "should sit beside me At the ball" "Ma'am withhold your invitation" "I swear to you this challenge will be met" "And when I have finished up The operation" "I shall serve him to Your Highness En brochette" "You'II pierce right through him?" "I'II barbecue him!" "A wicked thrust?" "It will be dust to dust." "From fore to aft?" "He'II feel a draft." "My goodness!" "You may sit" "By me at the ball" "If you demolish him In battle" "I know I'd cry Were you not by me" "At the ball" "Sir Dinadan?" "Didn't I promise that you may Guide me to London on the day" "That I go up to judge The cattle show" "As it is quite a nasty ride There must be someone by my side" "Who'II be defending me From beast and foe" "So when I choose whom I prefer go" "I take the strongest knight I know" "And young du Lac seems strongest Ergo" "He should" "Take me to the cattle show" "Your Majesty can't believe This bIustering prattIe" "Let him prove it With a sword or lance instead" "I promise you when I'm done This gory battle" "His shoulders will be lonesome For his head" "You'II disconnect him?" "I'II vivisect him!" "You'II open wide him?" "I'II subdivide him!" "Then you may guide me To the show" "If you can carry out Your program" "I'd grieve inside should you not guide me" "To the show" "We shall put an end to" "That GaIIic bag of noise And nerve" "When we do all that we Intend to" "He'II be a plate of French Hors d'oeuvres" "I do applaud your noble goals" "Now let us see if you Achieve them" "And if you do Then you will be the three" "Who will go to the ball To the show" "And take me" "To the fair" "My lords!" "Have you seen the latest edict?" "Tis the final straw." "Knights who refuse to lay down their arms will be attacked as if they were serfs." "but knights as well." "Dinadan." "But these other knights if they fight back we could be killed." "What's the sense of being born in the upper class if you can get killed like the lower class?" "It has the stink of French cooking." "After Saturday we shall be back on Yorkshire pudding." "why don't you give up searching for your kingdom and come settle down with us for good?" "Arthur." "I Iove the bed and all that but the truth is I don't find things too restful around here." "I can't help wishing that you'd stop thinking and leave well enough alone." "I'm all against these new ideas of yours." "Any new ideas." "Best people whacking best people." "That's not right." "That's not." "they're gnashing mad." "Gnashing." "you know." "Emperor CharIemagne there." "that's his trouble." "No secular pleasures." "PeIIy!" "But do you not have any activities?" "Any hobbies?" "Any chambre à coucher?" "PeIIinore." "you see." "Do you see?" "Now why can't he be like the other chaps instead of like himself?" "hang up his shield and do something that he can be ashamed of?" "You sure he's French?" "I'm afraid my lord is right." "PeIIinore." "And I am a fanatic." "And I don't enjoy it any more than you do." "Didn't you have a change to suggest?" "We can discuss my idea tomorrow." "If you will excuse me." "did I miss any improvements in chivalry?" "miIady." "If you will excuse me-- when you're arranging things with God tonight do be sure to give us fine weather tomorrow." "sire." "PeIIinore." "Good night." "Heard the latest?" "He believes his purity gives him miraculous powers." "He was undoubtedly referring to his physical prowess." "indeed." "We'II see about that tomorrow." "lionel and Dinadan have all challenged him to a joust." "Three damn strong men!" "exactly." "Isn't it marvelous?" "marvelous!" "yes!" "Arthur." "I've never met anyone like him." "I mean he has no lady." "talks to no one but you and God... an aII-around unpleasant fellow." "I can't wait until tomorrow." "It'II be a jolly massacre." "Ma'am." "I'm really looking forward to it." "It's going to be marvelous." "A note of thanks from Sir lionel." "I've promised he can carry my kerchief in the joust tomorrow." "I would be most grateful if you would withdraw your permission from Sir lionel." "I don't think I couId." "It would be rather awkward." "Then allow LanceIot to carry it against Sagramore." "I've promised my kerchief to him." "Then against Dinadan?" "I couldn't refuse." "This is appalling!" "It will seem to the court that you are championing his defeat." "Perhaps he won't be." "He knocked you unconscious." "You became friends." "and they'II all take a house together." "I realize he's having a difficult time adjusting." "But he's a stranger." "He's not even english." "He's French." "he suffers in translation." "I ask you" "I believe you're jealous of the knights and their attentions to me." "jealous?" "What absolute rubbish!" "You know I am delighted the court adores you so." "I trust you as God above." "You have dragged me off the subject and I want you back on it." "will you withdraw those kerchiefs?" "only if you command me as king." "If I do will you forgive me?" "Never." "will you as a favor?" "I find him overbearing and pretentious." "The knights are against him." "Can we not stay on the subject?" "There's nothing more to be said." "If the king wishes me to withdraw what I have given let him command me and Yours humbly will graciously obey." "MerIyn!" "This is all your fault!" "You swore that you had taught me Everything from A to Z" "With nary an omission in between" "I shall tell you what You obviously forgot" "That's how a ruler rules a queen" "And what of teaching me By turning me to animal and bird" "From beaver To the smallest boboIink?" "I should have had a whirl At changing to a girl" "To learn the way the creatures think" "But wasn't there a night" "On a summer long gone by" "We passed a couple wrangling away" "And did I not say" "MerIyn What if that chap were I" "And did he not give counsel And say" "What was it now?" "my mind's a wall yes!" "By Jove!" "Now I recall" "How to handle a woman" "There's a way Said the wise old man" "A way known by every woman" "Since the whole rigmarole began" "Do I flatter her I begged him answer" "Do I threaten or cajole or plead" "Do I brood or play the gay romancer indeed!" "How to handle a woman sir" "The way to handle a woman" "Is to love her" "simply" "Love her" "merely love her" "Love her" "Jenny?" "Where are you these days?" "What are you thinking?" "I don't understand you." "But no matter." "MerIyn told me once ""Never be disturbed if you don't understand what a woman is thinking."" ""They don't do it very often."" "But what do you do while they're doing it?" "How to handle a woman sir" "The way to handle a woman" "Is to love her" "simply" "Love her" "merely love her" "Love her" "Just Iove her." "Here comes Sir lionel." "One." "Watch the way Sir Sagramore maneuvers his horse." "It's extraordinary." "You see how he drives to the right?" "And then suddenly...." "How clever!" "He maneuvered his horse right out from under himself." "What control!" "Jenny." "Jenny." "please!" "Live!" "Live!" "I beg you." "He lives!" "I'm trembling with fear." "And the strength has left my arms." "And terrible feelings burn within me." "tell me." "You're older than I." "You know this earth better than I." "I only fell upon it a few hours ago." "What are you talking about?" "Guenevere." "PeIIy." "You've never been in love..." "PeIIy?" "Once." "But not lately." "Now I'm not young enough." "Or not old enough." "And I'm too young and too old." "Too old not to know that fears can be imaginary." "And too young not to be tormented by them." "for disturbing you." "CIarinda told me Arthur was expected here." "he is." "I Iove you." "God forgive me but I do!" "Lance." "What a glorious day!" "Lance." "And at last you shall receive your earned and proper knighthood." "sainthood is not in my power." "we three will have a nice quiet drink together." "It was on such a day as this that the idea of the Round table was given birth." "Jenny?" "To the Round table!" "To be invested Knight of the Round table of england of the castle of Joyous Gard LanceIot du Lac." "excalibur." "Arise Sir LanceIot." "Proposition:" "If I couId choose from every woman who breathes on this earth the face I would most love... the heart... the soul itself every detail and feature to the Iast strand of the hair they would all be Jenny's." "Proposition:" "If I couId choose from every man who breathes on this earth a man for my brother a man for my son and a man for my friend they would all be Lance." "I Iove them." "I Iove them and they answer me with pain and torment." "Be it sin or not sin they have betrayed me in their hearts and that's far sin enough." "I can see it in their eyes." "I can feel it when they speak." "And they must pay for it and be punished." "I shall not be wounded and not return it in kind." "I'm through with feeble hoping." "I demand a man's vengeance!" "Proposition:" "I'm a king not a man." "And a very civilized king." "could it possibly be civilized to destroy the thing I Iove?" "could it possibly be civilized to love myself above all?" "What about their pain and their torment?" "Did they ask for this calamity?" "Can passion be selected?" "Is there any doubt... and to our table?" "By God I shall be a king!" "This is the time of King Arthur when we shall reach for the stars!" "This is the time of King Arthur... and compassion is not weakness." "We are civilized!" "resolved:" "We shall live through this together!" "excalibur!" "They you and I." "And may God have mercy on us all." "Your Majesty!" "I come as an emissary from the village of GIenfieId." "We have 23 shops and not one door with a bolt." "And not a chain on a stable... a latch with a lock." "And our children walk free on the roads." "Because we live in the england of King Arthur." "Your Majesty." "We need them no more." "You have been the queen's lover for years." "Get on your feet and defend your slander!" "Does killing me kill the truth?" "There's a poison in this court that will kill us all!" "Get up and fight!" "I give you this." "And I'II use dagger alone." "I take it back." "If the king grants you clemency you shall be banished." "you hang." "clemency is granted." "Is he dead?" "Bruce has withdrawn the accusation." "And Arthur?" "clemency." "What an agony for him." "Seven of his knights banished." "If those charges had not been withdrawn what would I have done?" "Commit murder?" "I don't know." "At least he's still spared the anguish of the truth." "He knows." "I'm certain." "He couldn't." "Arthur would never banish the knights so unjustly." "It's your conscience talking." "It's impatient for you to be punished." "He knows!" "why would he change the Iaw?" "rule out the use of swords to settle disputes and replace it with a court and judge?" "He hasn't done that." "He's preparing to!" "And if no evidence can be produced then the matters cannot be disputed at all." "And there will be no evidence." "He'II see to that." "How?" "He will never leave this castle unless one of us is with him." "He will never leave us alone again." "Never!" "God!" "What will become of us?" "What will become of me?" "How long can I go on asking the same question and not lose my mind?" "Or is my mind gone from me now?" "What shall we do?" "I know what I should do." "Leave and never come back." "Today." "This minute." "But to leave so abruptly it wouId seem a confession." "Better in a week or two." "Or a month." "Jenny." "Look at you." "When would I?" "If ever I would leave you" "It wouldn't be in summer" "Seeing you in summer" "I never would go" "Your hair streaked with sunlight" "Your lips red as flame" "Your face with a luster" "That puts gold to shame" "But if I'd ever leave you" "It couldn't be in autumn" "How I'd leave in autumn" "I never would know" "I've seen how you sparkle" "When fall nips the air" "I know you in autumn" "And I must be there" "And I couId leave you" "Running merrily through the snow" "Or on a wintery evening" "When you catch the fire's glow" "If ever I would leave you" "How could it be in springtime" "Knowing how in spring" "I'm bewitched by you so no Not in springtime" "winter or faII" "never could I leave you" "At all" "Lance." "I do." "I don't worry about the future." "We have none." "But if anything happened to the past any more shame and any more guilt could make ruin of it." "The past is all I have." "If ever I would leave you" "How could it be in springtime" "Knowing how in spring" "I'm bewitched by you so no Not in springtime" "winter or faII" "never could I leave you" "At all" "damn it." "But damn it!" "If this banishing goes on there'II be more out there than there are in here." "There's a young man from scotland who brings you royal greetings." "His Majesty is occupied." "Ask him to return in the afternoon." "the truer the friend that tells you and unless you are told the truth your Round table is doomed." "Guenevere and LanceIot have betrayed you." "And because you don't know it innocent men are being punished." "You will either withdraw that treasonous allegation at once or defend it with your life!" "Now speak up!" "PeIIinore?" "The sword or withdrawal?" "Guard!" "Wait!" "Sir." "Under this new civil law of mine you can make that accusation again without fear of your life... of course." "is not evidence." "Your Majesty!" "Not only wise but clever." "How dare you enter unannounced?" "But I was announced." "And were you not informed to return this afternoon?" "I'm busy this afternoon." "By Jove!" "What presumption!" "Don't touch me." "I'm unarmed." "call the guard and have this pompous young ass thrown out." "do." "tell them His Majesty wants Mordred evicted." "Your Majesty." "I'm Mordred." "PeIIy." "I know this boy." "He's the brother the haIf-brother...." "He's the son of the Princess Margause of Orkny." "please." "King of england." "really." "marvelous for parties." "I had lost track of the time." "You've grown to manhood." "How is your mother?" "As ravishing as ever." "Which is hardly surprising." "vigilant selfishness is wonderful for the skin." "And Prince CIaudius?" "I haven't seen him in a while." "He locked himself in a tower 4 years ago to get away from Mother." "or do you sometimes switch with Guenevere?" "protocol intrigues me." "And where is the famous LanceIot?" "Or does he stand in between?" "What brings you to camelot?" "Your Majesty." "My brothers are here." "HaIf-brothers." "very miserable to see me." "Mother had a potion which took off 10 years and they gave it to me when I was 9 to make me minus one." "whom you detest?" "That's hardly reason for such a Iong journey." "Your Majesty." "I always wondered why old CIaudius detested me so." "Then one day Mother told me the marvelous news." "He's not my father." "How once when she was visiting england she met an attractive young lad called Arthur invited him to her room so on." "Is that how the story goes?" "that's how the story goes." "Imagine her surprise when that young man became King of all england." "what are your plans?" "Your Majesty." "Then you are to remain in camelot and become a knight of the Round table." "I admit you're not very promising material... youth and a proper heritage." "Much could be done if you applied yourself." "I a knight?" "Your Majesty!" "Look at me!" "and I detest horses." "I've been taught to place needs ahead of conscience..." "I find charity offensive and kindness a trap." "I Iike my ladies married... my wine strong and my saints fallen." "Come." "What kind of knight could you make of me?" "it wouId take a miracle." "And I'm told there's a shortage of miracles at camelot these days." "Mordred that I am a civilized man with occasional lapses." "And far more seasoned rascaIs than you have polished their souls." "I advise you get out the wax." "Better be rubbed clean than rubbed out?" "You will dine with the queen and me and try to get to know each other better." "I shall look forward to meeting the queen." "You will leave when you are dismissed." "And remember that I and I alone shall decide when you may address me by the name that your kinship allows." "But it shall remain unspoken till you have earned the right by proper deeds." "The adage ""blood is thicker than water"" was invented by undeserving relatives." "I Iook forward to seeing you tonight." "PeIIinore." "Once you get it into that armored head of yours that all disputes will be settled by law and not by bloodshed." "I understand that perfectly." "I do not understand how it works." "Let us see." "Supposing you are accused of burning down a stable." "Whose?" "Let us say a farmer named william." "but get along." "you claim you haven't." "What does he do?" "He holds his tongue if he knows what's good for him or he'II get a sword through his chest." "he takes you to court." "And we fight there." "there is a prosecutor for Farmer william and a defender for you." "I see!" "I see." "And they fight." "A jury decides." "That is why it is called ""trial by jury."" "The jury?" "Who in thunderation are they?" "It's none of their damn business." "PeIIy." "And they don't know you." "If they don't know me and they don't know Farmer william how can you expect them to care a fig who wins?" "How can you get a fair decision from people so impartial?" "PeIIy." "They are impartial and there will be no bloodshed." "there'II be plenty of bloodshed." "I'II have a whack at every last one of them." "PeIIy." "The ruddy thing's endless!" "and I'II have to whack them and so on and so on and whacking and" "Forget it!" "You will never burn down a stable you will never know a farmer named william and you will never ever be found in a court." "I won't." "I'm getting old." "It's true." "I thought about it this morning." "I walked to the stables as briskly as ever and arrived much later than I expected to." "You've been closeted far too long with the civil court." "I'm glad it's finally opening." "10:00 tomorrow morning." "The first english court." "May I attend the ceremony?" "Jenny?" "Everyone would love it." "of course." "It may be our greatest achievement." "miIady." "Lance." "it's about Mordred." "Must we talk about Mordred?" "This is the first day in a month he'II not be here for dinner and that makes it seem like a party." "Get rid of him." "He's bent on the destruction of the table." "He's setting knight against knight." "Making them yearn for their own lands." "Every evening like a witch over a cauldron he mixes wine and disloyalty." "Lance." "Do you also know he is in constant touch with the knights you banished?" "And they're raising an army." "I know." "And it is my own fault." "I should have officially recognized him when I took the throne." "It is the proper procedure." "I intended to do it and I should have done it." "But I didn't." "I couldn't." "I hadn't counted on caring for Jenny as much and I had hoped that one day our child would sit on the throne of england." "The fates have not been kind." "The fates..." "Lance." "we three." "we will go through this." "trying to destroy those I Iove and trying to make his inheritance come faster." "But we must not give him the opportunity." "We must not let our passions destroy our dreams." "Let him cross my path." "I'II run him through." "Lance." "He's your mortal enemy!" "He's my son." "He's all there is of me." "The only child I will ever have." "but somehow I hope that there is something of me in him that I can reach." "Lance?" "You have my word." "Arthur?" "please." "please don't go." "Jenny?" "Just trivial things." "That's exactly what I want to hear about." "Tempests and tea cups... anything." "Anything you can think of that is not fit for a king." "What do the simple folk do" "To help them escape when they're blue" "The shepherd who is ailing The milkmaid who is glum" "The cobbler who is wailing From nailing his thumb" "When they're beset and besieged" "The folks not nobIesse-Iy obliged" "However do they manage To shed their weary lot what" "Do simple folk do" "We do not" "I have been informed By those who know them well" "They find relief in quite a clever way" "When they're sorely pressed They whistle for a spell" "And whistling seems To brighten up their day" "And that's what" "simple folk do" "So they say" "They just whistle?" "So they say" "What else do the simple folk do" "To perk up the heart and get through?" "The wee folk and the grown folk Who wander to and fro" "Have ways known to their own folk We throne-foIk don't know" "When all the doldrums begin" "What keeps each of them in his skin" "What ancient native custom Provides the needed glow what" "Do simple folk do?" "Do you know?" "Once along the road I came upon a lad" "Singing in a voice Three times his size" "And when I asked him why He told me he was sad" "And singing always made his spirits rise" "So that's" "What simple folk do" "I surmise my love" "The meadows shine with coIumbine And daffodils blossom away" "Hear Venus call to one and all Come taste delight while you may and all is right And life is merry and gay" "What else do the simple folk do?" "They must have a system or two" "They obviously outshine us At turning tears to mirth" "Have tricks a royal highness Is minus from birth" "I wonder Do they" "To chase all the goblins away" "They have some tribal sorcery You haven't mentioned yet what" "Do simple folk do" "To forget?" "I am told They dance a fiery dance" "And whirl till they're completely uncontrolled" "Soon the mind is blank And all are in a trance" "A violent trance astounding to behold" "And that's" "What simple folk do" "So I'm told" "really?" "I have it on the best authority." "Stop it!" "stop it!" "Through the clouds gray with years" "Over hills wet with tears" "To a world young and free" "We will fly follow me" "april green everywhere" "april's song always there" "Come and hear Come and see" "follow me" "MerIyn's schoolhouse." "To a tree" "Where our hopes hang high" "To a dream that should never die" "Where our long lost tomorrows" "still are in the sweet bye and bye" "Time goes by Or do we" "close your eyes And you'II see" "As we were We can be" "Weep no more follow me" "hello!" "hello Wart!" "hello Wart." "What's the best thing for being sad?" "You taught me once." "The best thing for being sad is to Iearn something." "Learn something?" "that never fails." "You may grow old and trembling in your arteries." "You may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins." "your mother your dog your only love." "My love." "There's only one thing for all of it." "Learn. ...why the world wags and what wags it." "How could I learn if I couldn't think?" "so I couldn't learn." "I thought." """I'm not thinking a thought""... isn't it?" "Thinking is something to get into the habit of making use of as often as possible." "that is." "Love is a sort of seventh day." "So thinking can rest." "so look down." "Wart." "tell me what you see." "Water fish and us." "Forget the water." "and think of the fish." "Think yourself a fish." "feel yourself a fish." "Breathe with your gills." "Be a fish." "how do you Iike it?" "How big a fish am I?" "I just saw a big fish chasing a smaller fish." "Am I the dinner or the diner?" "Work it out." "Think!" "What are you learning as a fish?" "just like everywhere else." "does it?" "Why couldn't I be a bird?" "I would really enjoy being...." "What am I?" "You're a hawk!" "Has the hunting season started?" "I believe it has!" "I'm flying higher!" "Look down." "tell me what you see." "I see lakes... forests." "Can you see CameIot?" "I can." "Can you see the next county?" "Yes!" "I can see the middle of it." "but I can't see the edges of it." "You see the edges when you're down here?" "Of course I can." "The boundaries are clearly marked." "Then what do you know as a hawk that you don't know as Arthur?" "Think!" "I'm not thinking." "I'm just gliding!" "Are you alone?" "Not now." "Mordred?" "I wanted to see this legendary forest you've told me so much about." "is it not?" "it is." "There are times when the only vacation spot in the world is the past." "but I do remember this." "That happiness is a virtue." "No one can be happy and wicked." "but not happy." "If I couId teach you that and make you believe it... you could be my son." "Your Majesty?" "Yes." "Is the queen?" "Yes." "And LanceIot?" "What are you implying?" "Your Majesty." "simply that I did not realize that deception and infidelity were candidates for the badge of virtue." "Whom are you accusing?" "And of what crime?" "And with what proof?" "Isn't your civil Law marvelous?" "no crime." "Ergo:" "happiness." "You want me to be your son." "No more than I." "Then prove to me I'm wrong." "Stay in the forest tonight." "Give your son the lesson of this life." "Show him how virtue can triumph without the help of fear?" "Return to the palace and inform the court that His Majesty will be hunting all through the night and will return in the midmorning." "Yes my lord." "MerIyn." "Where are you?" "MerIyn...." "Get to them." "Warn them." "tell them to be wise." "My lords!" "Both of you!" "Are you drunk or mad!" "directly under the king's window!" "The king's not there." "He's away for the night." "Where?" "Hunting." "He'II be back at midmorning." "I must get back to the castle myself." "I must get back!" "come away with me." "To Joyous Gard." "Let's have it open and aboveboard." "I cannot live like this another day." "And this man we both love... force him to declare war on you?" "Where either you or he or both would be killed?" "And hundreds of others?" "I never wanted to love you." "Your God arranged it." "Your God must solve it." "Arthur is my husband." "I must stay with him as long as he wants me." "Jenny." "I will never ask you again." "Nor shall I come to you again." "I swear it." "And I will never come to you again." "I Ioved you" "Once in silence" "And misery was all I knew" "Trying so" "To keep my love from showing" "AII the while not knowing" "You loved me too" "loved me" "In Ionesome silence" "Your heart" "filled with dark despair" "Thinking love" "would flame in you forever never" "Know the flame was there" "Then one day we cast away Our secret longing" "The raging tide we held inside would hold no more" "The silence" "At last was broken" "We flung wide" "Our prison door" "Every joyous word of love" "Was spoken" "And now there's Twice as much grief" "Twice the strain for us" "Twice the despair Twice the pain" "For us" "As we had known before" "The silence" "At last was broken" "We flung wide Our prison door" "Every joyous word of love" "Was spoken" "And after all had been said my love" "silent once more" "And not far" "My love!" "From where we were before" "Don't reach for your dagger." "I accuse you of treason and order you both to stand trial for your crime." "Surrender in the king's name." "Take him!" "Take him!" "You cowards!" "Guard!" "That man!" "no!" "Guenevere" "Oh they found Guenevere" "In the dying candle's gleam" "Came the sundown Of a dream" "On a day dark and drear" "Came to trial Guenevere" "ruled the jury For her shame" "She will be sentenced To the flame" "Verdict:" "guilty of treason against king and country." "Sentence:" "To be burned At the stake until death!" "Guenevere" "Lance will save Guenevere" "Any moment he'II appear" "And he'II rescue Guenevere it's near" "Not a sound do I hear" "And the bells will soon ring clear" "Won't he rescue" "Guenevere?" "hurry There isn't too much time or soon those evil bells In the tower will chime the guard will soon Be gathering around the stake" "And soon they will come To take Guenevere" "Where is the King?" "He's supposed to watch the execution." "isn't it?" "Do you think for one moment LanceIot will not rescue her?" "But if he tries... won't he?" "Is there no rescue in sight?" "Sir." "why not ignore the verdict and pardon her?" "can you?" "your life is over." "your life's a fraud." "kill the queen or the Iaw." "Wart!" "I'm afraid you must come to the window." "The executioner is waiting for your signal." "Is it LanceIot?" "I don't know." "PeIIy?" "It is!" "my dear fellow it is!" "what a sight!" "Arthur?" "Can you see your goodly LanceIot murdering your goodly knights?" "Sire most of the guard is killed." "And over 80 knights." "They must be heading for the channel." "We'II make ready the army to follow." "We want revenge!" "Revenge!" "Arthur." "shall I save the timbers for her next stake?" "MerIyn make me a hawk." "Let me fly away from here." "We want to return with you." "Let us pay for what we've done." "At the stake?" "For what end?" "Justice?" "They've forgotten justice." "They want revenge." "Revenge the most worthless of causes." "It's too late." "The table is dead." "It exists no more." "half my knights were killed in the yard." "Mordred is organizing an army against me." "The rest of the knights are in their tents... cheerful." "cheerful to be at war." "It's those old unciviIized days..." "Those days those dreadful days that we tried to put asleep forever." "It is your wish that this dread battle go on?" "It is not my wish!" "I can think no Ionger of what to do except to ride the tide of events." "what folly!" "AII we've been through for nothing except an idea." "Something that you cannot taste... smell or feel." "Without... without life reality memory." "The charade will soon begin." "go back to Joyous Gard." "Jenny is not at Joyous Gard." "She is with the holy Sisters." "Is there nothing to be done?" "There's nothing to be done but to play out the game and leave the decisions to God." "Lance." "Jenny." "I know." "in the past I would look in your eyes and I would find there forgiveness." "in the future it shall be there again." "But I won't be with you." "I won't see it." "Goodbye my love." "My dearest love." "Who's there?" "Who's there?" "I say!" "Your Majesty." "I was searching for the Sergeant of Arms and got lost." "I did not wish to disturb you." "Who are you?" "Where did you come from?" "You ought to be in bed." "Are you a page?" "Your Majesty." "I came to fight for the Round table." "I'm very good with a bow." "And do you intend to kill people with this bow of yours?" "I hope!" "But supposing that they killed you?" "my lord." "But I don't intend to be dead." "I intend to be a knight!" "A knight?" "my lord." "Of the Round table." "And when did you decide upon this extinct profession?" "Was your village once protected by knights?" "Did your father serve a knight?" "Was your mother once saved by a knight?" "my lord!" "I'd never even seen a knight until I stowed away." "I only know of them the stories people tell!" "From the stories people tell you wish to become a knight?" "what do you think you know of the Knights of the Round table?" "miIord." "Might for right!" "Right for right!" "Justice for all!" "A Round table where all knights would sit." "Everything!" "Come." "my lord." "my lord." "Tom of Warwick." "understand?" "my lord." "You will run behind the lines and hide until it is over." "And then you will return home to england alive." "To grow up and grow old." "You understand?" "You will remember... tell you and do as I command." "Each evening" "From December to December" "Before you drift to sleep Upon your cot" "Think back on all the tales That you remember" "Of CameIot" "Ask every person If he's heard the story" "And tell it strong and clear If he has not" "That once there was A fleeting wisp of glory" "called CameIot" "Now say it out With love and joy" "CameIot my boy." "Where once it never rained till after sundown" "By eight a.m. the morning fog had flown" "Don't let it be forgot" "That once there was a spot" "For one brief shining moment" "That was known as" "CameIot!" "Give me that sword." "Tom." "With this sword excalibur I knight you Sir Tom of Warwick." "And I command you to return home and carry out my orders." "my lord!" "What are you doing?" "You have a battle to fight." "PeIIy." "And here is my victory!" "What we did will be remembered." "You'II see." "Sir Tom." "Behind the lines!" "Who was that?" "PeIIy." "Less than a drop in the great blue motion of the sunlit sea." "But it seems that some of the drops sparkle!" "Some of them do sparkle!" "boy!" "run my boy!"