Camelot

“Camelot—Camelot,” said I to myself. “I don’t seem to remember hearing of it before. Name of the asylum, likely.”

“Camelot, Camelot,” I said to myself. “I don’t remember hearing of it before. Probably the name of the asylum.”

It was a soft, reposeful summer landscape, as lovely as a dream, and as lonesome as Sunday. The air was full of the smell of flowers, and the buzzing of insects, and the twittering of birds, and there were no people, no wagons, there was no stir of life, nothing going on. The road was mainly a winding path with hoof-prints in it, and now and then a faint trace of wheels on either side in the grass—wheels that apparently had a tire as broad as one’s hand.

It was a gentle, peaceful summer landscape, as lovely as a dream and as lonely as Sunday. The air was full of the scent of flowers, the buzzing of insects, and the chirping of birds. There were no people or wagons, no sign of activity, nothing going on. The road was mostly a winding path marked with hoofprints. Here and there, faint wheel tracks showed in the grass on either side. The wheels apparently had tires as wide as a hand.

Presently a fair slip of a girl, about ten years old, with a cataract of golden hair streaming down over her shoulders, came along. Around her head she wore a hoop of flame-red poppies. It was as sweet an outfit as ever I saw, what there was of it. She walked indolently along, with a mind at rest, its peace reflected in her innocent face. The circus man paid no attention to her; didn’t even seem to see her. And she—she was no more startled at his fantastic make-up than if she was used to his like every day of her life. She was going by as indifferently as she might have gone by a couple of cows; but when she happened to notice me, then there was a change! Up went her hands, and she was turned to stone; her mouth dropped open, her eyes stared wide and timorously, she was the picture of astonished curiosity touched with fear. And there she stood gazing, in a sort of stupefied fascination, till we turned a corner of the wood and were lost to her view. That she should be startled at me instead of at the other man, was too many for me; I couldn’t make head or tail of it. And that she should seem to consider me a spectacle, and totally overlook her own merits in that respect, was another puzzling thing, and a display of magnanimity, too, that was surprising in one so young. There was food for thought here. I moved along as one in a dream.

Soon, a pretty, slender girl of about ten came along. A waterfall of golden hair streamed over her shoulders. She wore a ring of flame-red poppies around her head. It was as sweet an outfit as I ever saw, such as it was. She walked along lazily, her mind at ease, its peace reflected in her innocent face. The circus man paid no attention to her. He didn't even seem to see her. And she was no more startled by his fantastic costume than if she saw people like him every day. She was passing him as casually as she might have passed a couple of cows. But when she happened to notice me, then things changed! Her hands flew up, and she froze. Her mouth fell open, and her eyes stared wide with fear. She was the picture of astonished curiosity touched with fear. She stood there gazing in stunned fascination until we turned a corner of the woods and disappeared from view. I couldn't understand why she was startled by me instead of the other man. I couldn't make any sense of it. It was also puzzling that she seemed to consider me a spectacle while completely overlooking her own merits in that respect. It showed a generosity of spirit surprising in one so young. There was food for thought here. I walked on as if in a dream.

As we approached the town, signs of life began to appear. At intervals we passed a wretched cabin, with a thatched roof, and about it small fields and garden patches in an indifferent state of cultivation. There were people, too; brawny men, with long, coarse, uncombed hair that hung down over their faces and made them look like animals. They and the women, as a rule, wore a coarse tow-linen robe that came well below the knee, and a rude sort of sandal, and many wore an iron collar. The small boys and girls were always naked; but nobody seemed to know it. All of these people stared at me, talked about me, ran into the huts and fetched out their families to gape at me; but nobody ever noticed that other fellow, except to make him humble salutation and get no response for their pains.

As we approached the town, signs of life began to appear. Now and then, we passed a miserable cabin with a thatched roof. Around each cabin were small fields and garden patches that were poorly tended. There were people, too. The muscular men had long, coarse, uncombed hair that hung over their faces and made them look like animals. The men and women generally wore rough linen robes that reached well below the knee, along with crude sandals. Many wore iron collars. The little boys and girls were always naked, but nobody seemed to know it. All these people stared at me and talked about me. They ran into the huts and brought out their families to gape at me. But nobody ever noticed the other fellow, except to greet him humbly and get no response for their trouble.

In the town were some substantial windowless houses of stone scattered among a wilderness of thatched cabins; the streets were mere crooked alleys, and unpaved; troops of dogs and nude children played in the sun and made life and noise; hogs roamed and rooted contentedly about, and one of them lay in a reeking wallow in the middle of the main thoroughfare and suckled her family. Presently there was a distant blare of military music; it came nearer, still nearer, and soon a noble cavalcade wound into view, glorious with plumed helmets and flashing mail and flaunting banners and rich doublets and horse-cloths and gilded spearheads; and through the muck and swine, and naked brats, and joyous dogs, and shabby huts, it took its gallant way, and in its wake we followed.

In the town, a few sturdy stone houses without windows stood among a wilderness of thatched cabins. The streets were nothing more than crooked, unpaved alleys. Packs of dogs and naked children played in the sun, bringing life and noise to the place. Pigs wandered about, rooting contentedly. One lay in a stinking mud hole in the middle of the main street, nursing her young. Soon, military music blared in the distance. It came closer and closer, and a splendid procession of riders wound into view. Plumed helmets, gleaming armor, waving banners, fine doublets, horse-cloths, and gilded spearheads made a glorious display. The procession made its grand way through the muck, pigs, naked brats, happy dogs, and shabby huts. We followed behind.

Followed through one winding alley and then another,—and climbing, always climbing—till at last we gained the breezy height where the huge castle stood. There was an exchange of bugle blasts; then a parley from the walls, where men-at-arms, in hauberk and morion, marched back and forth with halberd at shoulder under flapping banners with the rude figure of a dragon displayed upon them; and then the great gates were flung open, the drawbridge was lowered, and the head of the cavalcade swept forward under the frowning arches; and we, following, soon found ourselves in a great paved court, with towers and turrets stretching up into the blue air on all the four sides; and all about us the dismount was going on, and much greeting and ceremony, and running to and fro, and a gay display of moving and intermingling colors, and an altogether pleasant stir and noise and confusion.

We followed one winding alley after another, climbing all the while. At last we reached the breezy height where the huge castle stood. Bugle calls sounded back and forth, and then there was a discussion from the walls. Armed guards in chain mail and helmets marched back and forth along the walls, carrying halberds on their shoulders. Banners flapped above them, each bearing a rough image of a dragon. Then the great gates were thrown open, and the drawbridge was lowered. The head of the procession swept forward under the forbidding arches, and we followed. Soon we found ourselves in a great paved courtyard, with towers and turrets rising into the blue sky on all four sides. All around us, people were dismounting, exchanging greetings, and observing ceremonies. People ran back and forth, their bright colors moving and mingling. The whole scene was a pleasant bustle of noise and confusion.