by John Steinbeck

" I THINK MY SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG, MY FEELING OF NOBLESSE OBLIGE AND ANY THOUGHT I MAY HAVE AGAINST THE OPPRESSOR AND FOR THE OPPRESSED CAME FROM [ Le Morte D'Arthur ] .... IT DID NOT SEEM STRANGE TO ME THAT UTHER PENDRAGON WANTED THE WIFE OF HIS VASSAL AND TOOK HER BY TRICKERY. I WAS NOT FRIGHTENED TO FIND THAT THERE WERE EVIL KNIGHTS, AS WELL AS NOBLE ONES. IN MY OWN TOWN THERE WERE MEN WHO WORE THE CLOTHES OF VIRTUE WHOM I KNEW TO BE BAD .... IF I COULD NOT CHOOSE MY WAY AT THE CROSSROADS OF LOVE AND LOYALTY, NEITHER COULD LANCELOT. I COULD UNDERSTAND THE DARKNESS OF MORDRED BECAUSE HE WAS IN ME TOO; AND THERE WAS SOME GALAHAD IN ME , BUT PERHAPS NOT ENOUGH. THE GRAIL FEELING WAS THERE, HOWEVER, DEEP-PLANTED. AND PERHAPS ALWAYS WILL BE."