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The Quest Of The Saint Graal
Michael West
Now Sir Renand had been long wed to the Lady Yvain, for when they were children they loved, and when she was a maiden and he a squire they loved, and yet it was not well with them, for never had they a child to bless their house, that they might see the superfluity of their kindness growing up beside them to bless them withal.
For her husband was a very holy man, albeit he was young, and he had a dream in his heart that he should find the chalice of the dear Lord, wherein He drank His last cupful. For he weened that should set all right, and when he had looked on it, it would be well with him evermore. Therefore he prayed night and day.
And oft times the Lady prayed also in her chamber that God would bless her, and looked from her window over the silent country side, and at the stars, and mused how each was a little soul that God kept there ere He sent it into a human heart to let it out into the world. And as she saw a star fall she would say, 'There goes a light for some one, and little eyes to gaze into withal, and little hands to clasp her withal, but never a tiny candle to lighten my life, and yet I ween that I worship God as well as she.'
SOURNFUL seemed the sound of the organ
from the chapel and of the monks singing their nocturne. And she
said, 'It is of no avail to worship God.' And so it was that Sir
Renand stayed at vespers after the rest were gone. And he knelt a
long time till it was almost morning and the saints were pale,
and the candles were guttering on to the altar cloth that the
Lady Yvain had worked with her own hands. And as the morning came
in at the chinks and key- holes and he was faint with praying,
there was a voice at his ear that said, 'Go to-morrow,' and he
fell down on the altar steps. And Brother Thomas, the Chaplain,
found him there when he came to ring the bell in the morning.
And when he had drunk wine he said, ' God sent His angel into my ear last night and said, "Go to-morrow," and it is now day.' And he sent for a horse and put on his armour and he rode out of the castle gate early in the morning. And the Lady Yvain watched him from her window and said, ' Yethe never bade me good rest last night, nor good-bye this morning.'
And he came to many villages and he said, 'Have ye seen the Holy Graal?' And they said, 'What is it?' And he said, 'It is a cup made of pure crystal.' And they said, ' How should we have a jewelled cup, for what the lords have not carried off we have sold to the Jews.' And he said, 'Have not your grandfathers told you of it? 'And they said, 'What grandfathers? for those that the lords have not killed the plague has carried away; for God's hand is heavy on us, and we are no more His people and our Priest is dead because the House of Our Lady of the Sorrows took away his lands and he had not wherewith to live, and we had not wherewith to give him.' And they said, 'God is an evil thing, and we are weary of godliness for it brings no profit but only takes it away.'
And he rode far afield to where the villages stopped and there was no more tilled land, neither corn land nor pasture, and he lay down in a cave, for he was very weary and his brain was heavy, and he fell asleep.
And the Lady Yvain went down to the Chapel and she prayed God to give her back her husband.
And there came to her Sir Vaux of Belle Towers and said, 'Sweet Lady, we have loved long time, wilt thou not give up thy Sir Renand, for he is a dreamer and is gone out seeking the moon?'
She said, 'It is indeed so, and I am very lonely. But wilt thou not begone, for I will make Christ my husband, as do all lonely women, and may be He will not despise me because I have no man whereby I may worship Him.'
And she went again to the chapel, and it was afternoon, and a thought came to her and she prayed, 'O God, give him Thy cup, so that he shall return home to me, and then, O God, bless us.'
And far away as he slept there came to him One in the cave and said, ' Take the cup and bear it home with thee.' And he awoke and, lo, there was a cup in his hand, and he knew not how it came there ; and all the cave was filled with light.
And the Lady Yvain looked out into the court- yard, and he rode in at the gate, holding the cup in his hand. And Brother Thomas and the other Brothers met him, and they said, 'It is indeed the cup.' And they bore it into the chapel, and he prayed to it and worshipped it all night. Yet never went he nigh to the Lady Yvain.
But toward morning as he knelt there
the light began to fade. And the Lady Yvain stood in the hall,
and the fire was out and the dogs were shivering; and she stood
in the darkness and wept for very loneliness, for the Graal had
brought her no love but rather taken away.
The chapel door opened, and lo, it was all dark within. And he came out to her and he said, 'I have lost my Graal. For but now it was taken away.'
And she said, 'Is it so? Yet am I here, and what is a cup to thee? 'And he said, 'Sweet wife, I ween that I have been wandering in darkness, for I have not loved thee as thou wert worthy to be loved; and now thy love is gone from me. And God is gone from me, and I am alone.'
And she said, 'Sweet lord, come near me.'
And the dogs stirred on the hearth.
Thus did Brother Thomas show how that tbe love of God is of no avail unless we love also those that he has given us.
But Brother Thomas is dead and I am but a poor storyteller, and I know them not as he knew them. God give rest to him and let him sleep in peace, and lead me where I may meet him at the last; and bring tdis world to right, for God only knowth the end.
To whom be glory and praise for ever
And ever
Amen.
