four arthurian romances-第22部分

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shall　see　it　quenched。　　Tomorrow　thy　death　is　come；　to…morrow　thou　shalt　surely　die　if　God　does　not　guard　and　defend　thee。〃　　Erec　hears　and　understands　that　they　are　speaking　of　him　through　the　lower　town：　more　than　two　thousand　pitied　him；　but　nothing　causes　him　dismay。　　He　passes　on　without　delay；　bowing　gaily　to　men　and　women　alike。　　And　they　all　salute　him　too；　and　most　of　them　swear　with　anxiety；　fearing　more　than　he　does　himself；　for　his　shame　and　for　his　hurt。　　The　mere　sight　of　his　countenance；　his　great　beauty　and　his　bearing；　has　so　won　to　him　the　hearts　of　all；　that　knights；　ladies；　and　maids　alike　fear　his　harm。　　King　Evrain　hears　the　news　that　men　were　arriving　at　his　court　who　brought　with　them　a　numerous　train；　and　by　his　harness　it　appeared　that　their　leader　was　a　count　or　king。　　King　Evrain　comes　down　the　street　to　meet　them；　and　saluting　them　he　cries：　〃Welcome　to　this　company；　both　to　the　master　and　all　his　suite。　　Welcome；　gentlemen！　　Dismount。〃　　They　dismounted；　and　there　were　plenty　to　receive　and　take　their　horses。　　Nor　was　King　Evrain　backward　when　he　saw　Enide　coming；　but　he　straightway　saluted　her　and　ran　to　help　her　to　dismount。　　Taking　her　white　and　tender　hand；　he　led　her　up　into　the　palace；　as　was　required　by　courtesy；　and　honoured　her　in　every　way　he　could；　for　he　knew　right　well　what　he　ought　to　do；　without　nonsense　and　without　malice。　　He　ordered　a　chamber　to　be　scented　with　incense；　myrrh；　and　aloes。　　When　they　entered；　they　all　complimented　King　Evrain　on　its　fine　appearance。　　Hand　in　hand　they　enter　the　room；　the　King　escorting　them　and　taking　great　pleasure　in　them。　　But　why　should　I　describe　to　you　the　paintings　and　the　silken　draperies　with　which　the　room　was　decorated？　　I　should　only　waste　time　in　folly；　and　I　do　not　wish　to　waste　it；　but　rather　to　hasten　on　a　little；　for　he　who　travels　the　straight　road　passes　him　who　turns　aside；　therefore　I　do　not　wish　to　tarry。　　When　the　time　and　hour　arrived；　the　King　orders　supper　to　be　prepared；　but　I　do　not　wish　to　stop　over　that　if　I　can　find　some　more　direct　way。　　That　night　they　had　in　abundance　all　that　heart　desires　and　craves：　birds；　venison；　and　fruit；　and　wines　of　different　sorts。　　But　better　than　all　is　a　happy　cheer！　　For　of　all　dishes　the　sweetest　is　a　joyful　countenance　and　a　happy　face。　　They　were　very　richly　served　until　Erec　suddenly　left　off　eating　and　drinking；　and　began　speaking　of　what　rested　most　upon　his　heart：　he　remembered　‘the　Joy'；　and　began　a　conversation　about　it　in　which　King　Evrain　joined。　　〃Sire〃　says　he；　〃it　is　time　now　to　tell　you　what　I　intend；　and　why　I　have　come　here。　　Too　long　I　have　refrained　from　speech；　and　now　can　no　longer　conceal　my　object。　　I　ask　you　for　‘the　Joy'　of　the　Court；　for　I　covet　nothing　else　so　much。　　Grant　it　to　me；　whatever　it　be；　if　you　are　in　control　of　it。〃　　〃In　truth；　fair　friend。〃　the　King　replies；　〃I　hear　you　speak　great　nonsense。　　This　is　a　very　parlous　thing；　which　has　caused　sorrow　to　many　a　worthy　man；　you　yourself　will　eventually　be　killed　and　undone　if　you　will　not　heed　my　counsel。　　But　if　you　were　willing　to　take　my　word；　I　should　advise　you　to　desist　from　soliciting　so　grievous　a　thing　in　which　you　would　never　succeed。　　Speak　of　it　no　more！　　Hold　your　peace！　　It　would　be　imprudent　on　your　part　not　to　follow　my　advice。　　I　am　not　at　all　surprised　that　you　desire　honour　and　fame；　but　if　I　should　see　you　harmed　or　injured　in　your　body　I　should　be　distressed　at　heart。　　And　know　well　that　I　have　seen　many　a　man　ruined　who　solicited　this　joy。　　They　were　never　any　the　better　for　it；　but　rather　did　they　all　die　and　perish。　　Before　to…morrow's　evening　come　you　may　expect　a　like　reward。　　If　you　wish　to　strive　for　the　Joy；　you　shall　do　so；　though　it　grieve　me　sore。　　It　is　something　from　which　you　are　free　to　retreat　and　draw　back　if　you　wish　to　work　your　welfare。　　Therefore　I　tell　you；　for　I　should　commit　treachery　and　do　you　wrong　were　I　not　to　tell　you　all　the　truth。〃　　Erec　hears　him　and　admits　that　the　King　with　reason　counsels　him。　　But　the　greater　the　wonder　and　the　more　perilous　the　adventure；　the　more　he　covets　it　and　yearns　for　it；　saying：　〃Sire；　I　can　tell　you　that　I　find　you　a　worthy　and　a　loyal　man；　and　I　can　put　no　blame　on　you。　　I　wish　to　undertake　｛his　boon；　however　it　may　fall　out　with　me。　　The　die　is　cast；　for　I　shall　never　draw　back　from　anything　I　have　undertaken　without　exerting　all　my　strength　before　I　quit　the　field。〃　　〃I　know　that　well；〃　the　King　replied；　〃you　are　acting　against　my　will。　　You　shall　have　the　Joy　which　you　desire。　　But　I　am　in　great　despair；　for　I　greatly　fear　you　will　be　undone。　　But　now　be　assured　that　you　shall　have　what　you　desire。　　If　you　come　out　of　it　happily；　you　will　have　won　such　great　honour　that　never　did　man　win　greater；　and　may　God；　as　I　desire；　grant　you　a　joyous　deliverance。〃

（Vv。　5669…5738。）　　All　that　night　they　talked　of　it；　until　the　beds　were　prepared　and　they　went　to　rest。　　In　the　morning；　when　it　was　daylight；　Erec；　who　was　on　the　watch；　saw　the　clear　dawn　and　the　sun；　and　quickly　rising；　clothed　himself。　　Enide　again　is　in　distress；　very　sad　and　ill　at　ease；　all　night　she　is　greatly　disquieted　with　the　solicitude　and　fear　which　she　felt　for　her　lord；　who　is　about　to　expose　himself　to　great　peril。　　But　nevertheless　he　equips　himself；　for　no　one　can　make　him　change　his　mind。　　For　his　equipment　the　King　sent　him；　when　he　arose；　arms　which　he　put　to　good　use。　　Erec　did　not　refuse　them；　for　his　own　were　worn　and　impaired　and　in　bad　state。　　He　gladly　accepted　the　arms　and　had　himself　equipped　with　them　in　the　hall。　　When　he　was　armed；　he　descends　the　steps　and　finds　his　horse　saddled　and　the　King　who　had　mounted。　　Every　one　in　the　castle　and　in　the　houses　of　the　town　hastened　to　mount。　　In　all　the　town　there　remained　neither　man　nor　woman；　erect　or　deformed；　great　or　small；　weak　or　strong；　who　is　able　to　go　and　does　not　do　so。　　When　they　start；　there　is　a　great　noise　and　clamour　in　all　the　streets；　for　those　of　high　and　low　degree　alike　cry　out：　〃Alas；　alas！　　oh　knight；　the　Joy　that　thou　wishest　to　win　has　betrayed　thee；　and　thou　goest　to　win　but　grief　and　death。〃　　And　there　is　not　one　but　says：　〃God　curse　this　joy！　　which　has　been　the　death　of　so　many　gentlemen。　　To…day　it　will　wreak　the　worst　woe　that　it　has　ever　yet　wrought。〃　　Erec　hears　well　and　notes　that　up　and　down　they　said　of　him：　〃Alas；　alas；　ill…starred　wert　thou；　fair；　gentle；　skilful　knight！　　Surely　it　would　not　be　just　that　thy　life　should　end　so　soon；　or　that　harm　should　come　to　wound　and　injure　thee。〃　　He　hears　clearly　the　words　and　what　they　said；　but　notwithstanding；　he　passes　on　without　lowering　his　head；　and　without　the　bearing　of　a　craven。　　Whoever　may　speak；　he　longs　to　see　and　know　and　understand　why　they　are　all　in　such　distress；　anxiety；　and　woe。　　The　King　leads　him　without　the　town　into　a　garden　that　stood　near　by；　and　all　the　people　follow　after；　praying　that　from　this　trial　God　may　grant　him　a　happy　issue。　　But　it　is　not　meet　that　I　should　pass　on；　from　weariness　and　exhaustion　of　tongue；　without　telling　you　the　whole　truth　about　the　garden；　according　as　the　story　runs。

（Vv。　5739…5826。）　（38）　The　garden　had　around　it　no　wall　or　fence　except　of　air：　yet；　by　a　spell；　the　garden　was　on　all　sides　so　shut　in　by　the　air　that　nothing　could　enter　there　any　more　than　if　the　garden　were　enclosed　in　iron；　unless　it　flew　in　over　the　top。　　And　all　through　the　summer　and　the　winter；　too；　there　were　flowers　and　ripe　fruits　there；　and　the　fruit　was　of　such　a　nature　that　it　could　be　eaten　inside；　the　danger　consisted　in　carrying　it　out；　for　whoever　should　wish　to　carry　out　a　little　would　never　be　able　to　find　the　gate；　and　never　could　issue　from　the　garden　until　he　had　restored　the　fruit　to　its　place。　　And　there　is　no　flying　bird　under　heaven；　pleasing　to　man；　but　it　sings　there　to　delight　and　to　gladden　him；　and　can　be　heard　there　in　numbers　of　every　kind。　　And　the　earth；　however　far　it　stretch；　bears　no　spice　or　root　of　use　in　making　medicine；　but　it　had　been　planted　there；　and　was　to　be　found　in　abundance。　　Through　a　narrow　entrance　the　people　enteredKing　Evrain　and　all　the　rest。　　Erec　went　riding；　lance　in　rest；　into　the　middle　of　the　garden；　greatly　delighting　in　the　song　of　the　birds　which　were　singing　there；　they　put　him　in　mind　of　his　Joy　the　thing　he　most　was　longing　for。　　But　he　saw　a　wondrous　thing；　which　might　arouse　fear　in　the　bravest　warrior　of　all　whom　we　know；　be　it　Thiebaut　the　Esclavon；　（39）　or　Ospinel；　or　Fernagu。　　For　before　them；　on　sharpened　stakes；　there　stood　bright　and　shining　helmets；　and　each　one　had　beneath　the　rim　a　man's　head。　　But　at　the　end　there　stood　a　stake　where　as　yet　there　was　nothing　but　a　horn。　（40）　　He　knows　not　what　this　signifies；　yet　draws　not　back　a　step　for　that；　rather　does　he　ask　the　King；　who　was　beside　him　at　the　right；　what　this　can　be。　　The　King　speaks　and　explains　to　him：　〃Friend；〃　he　says；　〃do　you　know　the　meaning　of　this　thing　that　you　see　here？　　You　must　be　in　great　terror　of　it；　if　you　care　at　all　for　your　own　body；　for　this　single　stake　which　stands　apart；　where　you　see　this　horn　hung　up；　has　been　waiting　a　very　long　time；　but　we　know　not　for　whom；　whether　for　you　or　someone　else。　Take　care　lest　thy　head　be　set　up　there；　for　such　is　the　purpose　of　the　stake。　　I　had　warned　you　well　of　that　before　you　came　here。　　I　do　not　expect　that　you　will　escape　hence；　but　that　you　will　be　killed　and　rent　apart。　　For　this　much　we　know；　that　the　stake　awaits　your　head。　　And　if　it　turns　out　that　it　be　placed　there；　as　the　matter　stands　agreed；　as　soon　as　thy　head　is　fixed　upon　it　another　stake　will　be　set　up　beside　it　which　will　await　the　arrival　of　some　one　elseI　know　not　when　or　whom。　　I　will　tell　you　nothing　of　the　horn；　but　never　has　any　one　been　able　to　blow　it。　（41）　　However；　he　who　shall　succeed　in　blowing　it　his　fame　and　honour　will　grow　until　it　distance　all　those　of　his　country；　and　he　shall　find　such　renown　that　all　will　come　to　do　him　honour；　and　will　hold　him　to　be　the　best　of　them　all。　　Now　there　is　no　more　of　this　matter。　　Have　your　men　withdraw；　for　‘the　Joy'　will　soon　arrive；　and　will　make　you　sorry；　I　suspect。〃

（Vv。　5827…6410。）　　Meanwhile　King　Evrain　leaves　his　side；　and　Erec　stoops　over　before　Enide；　whose　heart　was　in　grea