ns Arthur that he must rise and conquer Modred;
Arthur hesitates to make war against his people.

4. He moves his host to Lyonnesse: the last weird battle is fought.

5. Arthur thinks himself king only among the dead.

6. Bedivere professes affection, and calls Arthur's attention to the
traitor, Modred.

7. The king promises one last act of kinghood.

8. Modred wounds the king; the king kills Modred.

9. Bedivere carries the wounded Arthur to the ruined chapel.

10. The dying Arthur directs Bedivere to throw Excalibur into the
mere; Bedivere twice deceives Arthur and is twice reproved.

11. Bedivere throws Excalibur into the mere, and tells King Arthur
what happened.

12. Bedivere bears Arthur to the margin of the mere.

13. The three black-hooded queens with crowns of gold come in the
dusky barge.

14. Arthur is placed in the barge and speaks his last words to
Bedivere; the barge moves swan-like from the brink.

15. Bedivere watches the speck that bears the king move down the long
water opening on the deep.

c. _Scenes._
1. Arthur in his tent among the slumbering host.

2. The march to the sunset bound of Lyonnesse, and the moving
pageant to the battlefield.

3. The dark strait of barren land with the ocean on one side and on
the other the great water; the ruined chapel with its broken
chancel and broken cross, and, near at hand, the place of tombs
with its bones of ancient mighty men; athwart all shines the
moon, and over all the chill wind with flakes of foam sings
shrilly. Zigzag paths lead around jutting points of rock down to
the shining levels of the lake, where the ripple washes softly in
the reeds, the wild water laps the crags, and many-knotted
water-flags whistle stiff and dry. Frozen hills, barren chasms
with icy caves, the bare black cliff and slippery crag wall, and
the level lake gleaming in the glories of the winter moon.

d. _Descriptive Passages._ Besides those passages which relate
especially to the scenes, there are other beautiful and powerful bits of
description that will well repay examination. For instance:

1. Of King Arthur's dream the poet says,

"And fainter onward, like wild birds that change
Their season in the night and wail their way
From cloud to cloud, down the long wind the dream
Shrill'd.