four arthurian romances-第25部分

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es。　　When　they　were　completely　decked　out；　they　took　their　way　to　the　court。　　They　come　to　court；　where　the　King　sees　them；　and　the　Queen；　who　is　beside　herself　with　impatience　to　see　Erec　and　Enide。　　The　King　makes　them　take　seats　beside　him；　kisses　Erec　and　Guivret；　about　Enide's　neck　he　throws　his　arms　and　kisses　her　repeatedly；　in　his　great　joy。　　Nor　is　the　Queen　slow　in　embracing　Erec　and　Enide。　One　might　well　rejoice　to　see　her　now　so　full　of　joy。　　Every　one　enters　with　spirit　into　the　merry…making。　　Then　the　King　causes　silence　to　be　made；　and　appeals　to　Erec　and　asks　news　of　his　adventures。　　When　the　noise　had　ceased；　Erec　began　his　story；　telling　him　of　his　adventures；　without　forgetting　any　detail。　　Do　you　think　now　that　I　shall　tell　you　what　motive　he　had　had　in　starting　out？　　Nay；　for　you　know　the　whole　truth　about　this　and　the　rest；　as　I　have　revealed　it　to　you。　　To　tell　the　story　again　would　burden　me；　for　the　tale　is　not　short；　that　any　one　should　wish　to　begin　it　afresh　and　re…embelish　it；　as　he　told　and　related　it：　of　the　three　knights　whom　he　defeated；　and　then　of　the　five；　and　then　of　the　Count　who　strove　to　do　him　harm；　and　then　of　the　two　giantsall　in　order；　one　after　the　other；　he　told　him　of　his　adventures　up　to　the　point　where　he　met　Count　Oringle　of　Limors。　　〃Many　a　danger　have　you　gone　through；　fair　gentle　friend；〃　said　the　King　to　him；　〃now　tarry　in　this　country　at　my　court；　as　you　are　wont　to　do。〃　　〃Sire；　since　you　wish　it；　I　shall　remain　very　gladly　three　or　four　years　entire。　　But　ask　Guivret　to　remain　here　too　a　request　in　which　I　would　fain　join。〃　The　King　prays　him　to　remain；　and　he　consents　to　stay。　　So　they　both　stay：　the　King　kept　them　with　him；　and　held　them　dear　and　honoured　them。

（Vv。　6510…6712。）　　Erec　stayed　at　court；　together　with　Guivret　and　Enide；　until　the　death　of　his　father；　the　king；　who　was　an　old　man　and　full　of　years。　　The　messengers　then　started　out：　the　nobles　who　went　to　seek　him；　and　who　were　the　greatest　men　of　the　land；　sought　and　searched　for　him　until　they　found　him　at　Tintagel　three　weeks　before　Christmas；　they　told　him　the　truth　what　had　happened　to　his　old；　white…haired　father；　and　how　he　now　was　dead　and　gone。　　This　grieved　Erec　much　more　than　he　showed　before　the　people。　　But　sorrow　is　not　seemly　in　a　king；　nor　does　it　become　a　king　to　mourn。　　There　at　Tintagel　where　he　was；　he　caused　vigils　for　the　dead　and　Masses　to　be　sung；　he　promised　and　kept　his　promises；　as　he　had　vowed　to　the　religious　houses　and　churches；　he　did　well　all　that　he　ought　to　do：　he　chose　out　more　than　one　hundred　and　sixty…nine　of　the　wretched　poor；　and　clothed　them　all　in　new　garments。　　To　the　poor　clerks　and　priors　he　gave；　as　was　right；　black　copes　and　warm　linings　to　wear　beneath。　　For　God's　sake　he　did　great　good　to　all：　to　those　who　were　in　need　he　distributed　more　than　a　barrel　of　small　coins。　　When　he　had　shared　his　wealth；　he　then　did　a　very　wise　thing　in　receiving　his　land　from　the　King's　hand；　and　then　he　begged　the　King　to　crown　him　at　his　court。　　The　King　bade　him　quickly　be　prepared；　for　they　shall　both　be　crowned；　he　together　with　his　wife；　at　the　approaching　Christmastide；　and　he　added：　〃You　must　go　hence　to　Nantes　in　Brittany；　there　you　shall　carry　a　royal　ensign　with　crown　on　head　and　sceptre　in　hand；　this　gift　and　privilege　I　bestow　upon　you。〃　　Erec　thanked　the　King；　and　said　that　that　was　a　noble　gift。　　At　Christmas　the　King　assembles　all　his　nobles；　summoning　them　individually　and　commanding　them　to　come　to　Nantes。　　He　summoned　them　all；　and　none　stayed　behind。　　Erec；　too；　sent　word　to　many　of　his　followers；　and　summoned　them　to　come　thither；　but　more　came　than　he　had　bidden；　to　serve　him　and　do　him　honour。　　I　cannot　tell　you　or　relate　who　each　one　was；　and　what　his　name；　but　whoever　came　or　did　not　come；　the　father　and　mother　of　my　lady　Enide　were　not　forgotten。　　Her　father　was　sent　for　first　of　all；　and　he　came　to　court　in　handsome　style；　like　a　great　lord　and　a　chatelain。　　There　was　no　great　crowd　of　chaplains　or　of　silly；　gaping　yokels；　but　of　excellent　knights　and　of　people　well　equipped。　　Each　day　they　made　a　long　day's　journey；　and　rode　on　each　day　with　great　joy　and　great　display；　until　on　Christmas　eve　they　came　to　the　city　of　Nantes。　　They　made　no　halt　until　they　entered　the　great　hall　where　the　King　and　his　courtiers　were。　　Erec　and　Enide　see　them；　and　you　may　know　how　glad　they　were。　　To　meet　them　they　quickly　make　their　way；　and　salute　and　embrace　them；　speaking　to　them　tenderly　and　showing　their　delight　as　they　should。　　When　they　had　rejoiced　together；　taking　each　other　by　the　hand；　they　all　four　came　before　the　King；　saluting　him　and　likewise　the　Queen；　who　was　sitting　by　his　side。　　Taking　his　host　by　the　hand；　Erec　said：　〃Sire；　behold　my　good　host；　my　kind　friend；　who　did　me　such　honour　that　he　made　me　master　in　his　own　house。　　Before　he　knew　anything　about　me；　he　lodged　me　well　and　handsomely。　　All　that　he　had　he　made　over　to　me；　and　even　his　daughter　he　bestowed　upon　me；　without　the　advice　or　counsel　of　any　one。〃　　〃And　this　lady　with　him；〃　the　King　inquires；　〃who　is　she？〃　　Erec　does　not　conceal　the　truth：　〃Sire；〃　says　he；　〃of　this　lady　I　may　say　that　she　is　the　mother　of　my　wife。〃　　〃Is　she　her　mother？〃　　〃Yes；　truly；　sire。〃　　〃Certainly；　I　may　then　well　say　that　fair　and　comely　should　be　the　flower　born　of　so　fair　a　stem；　and　better　the　fruit　one　picks；　for　sweet　is　the　smell　of　what　springs　from　good。　　Fair　is　Enide　and　fair　she　should　be　in　all　reason　and　by　right；　for　her　mother　is　a　very　handsome　lady；　and　her　father　is　a　goodly　knight。　　Nor　does　she　in　aught　belie　them；　for　she　descends　and　inherits　directly　from　them　both　in　many　respects。〃　Then　the　King　ceases　and　sits　down；　bidding　them　be　seated　too。　They　do　not　disobey　his　command；　but　straightway　take　seats。　　Now　is　Enide　filled　with　joy　when　she　sees　her　father　and　mother；　for　a　very　long　time　had　passed　since　she　had　seen　them。　　Her　happiness　now　is　greatly　increased；　for　she　was　delighted　and　happy；　and　she　showed　it　all　she　could；　but　she　could　not　make　such　demonstration　but　that　her　joy　was　yet　greater。　　But　I　wish　to　say　no　more　of　that；　for　my　heart　draws　me　toward　the　court　which　was　now　assembled　in　force。　　From　many　a　different　country　there　were　counts　and　dukes　and　kings；　Normans；　Bretons。　Scotch；　and　Irish：　from　England　and　Cornwall　there　was　a　very　rich　gathering　of　nobles；　for　from　Wales　to　Anjou；　in　Maine　and　in　Poitou；　there　was　no　knight　of　importance；　nor　lady　of　quality；　but　the　best　and　the　most　elegant　were　at　the　court　at　Nantes；　as　the　King　had　bidden　them。　　Now　hear；　if　you　will；　the　great　joy　and　grandeur；　the　display　and　the　wealth；　that　was　exhibited　at　the　court。　　Before　the　hour　of　nones　had　sounded；　King　Arthur　dubbed　four　hundred　knights　or　more　all　sons　of　counts　and　of　kings。　　To　each　one　he　gave　three　horses　and　two　pairs　of　suits；　in　order　that　his　court　may　make　a　better　showing。　　Puissant　and　lavish　was　the　King；　for　the　mantles　he　bestowed　were　not　of　serge；　nor　of　rabbit…skins；　nor　of　cheap　brown　fur；　but　of　heavy　silk　and　ermine；　of　spotted　fur　and　flowered　silks；　bordered　with　heavy　and　stiff　gold　braid。　　Alexander；　who　conquered　so　much　that　he　subdued　the　whole　world；　and　who　was　so　lavish　and　rich；　compared　with　him　was　poor　and　mean。　　Caesar；　the　Emperor　of　Rome；　and　all　the　kings　whose　names　you　hear　in　stories　and　in　epic　songs；　did　not　distribute　at　any　feast　so　much　as　Arthur　gave　on　the　day　that　he　crowned　Erec；　nor　would　Caesar　and　Alexander　dare　to　spend　so　much　as　he　spent　at　the　court。　　The　raiment　was　taken　from　the　chests　and　spread　about　freely　through　the　halls；　one　could　take　what　he　would；　without　restraint。　　In　the　midst　of　the　court；　upon　a　rug；　stood　thirty　bushels　of　bright　sterlings；　（43）　for　since　the　time　of　Merlin　until　that　day　sterlings　had　currency　throughout　Britain。　There　all　helped　themselves；　each　one　carrying　away　that　night　all　that　he　wanted　to　his　lodging…place。　　At　nine　o'clock　on　Christmas　day；　all　came　together　again　at　court。　　The　great　joy　that　is　drawing　near　for　him　had　completely　filched　Erec's　heart　away。　　The　tongue　and　the　mouth　of　no　man；　however　skilful；　could　describe　the　third；　or　the　fourth；　or　the　fifth　part　of　the　display　which　marked　his　coronation。　　So　it　is　a　mad　enterprise　I　undertake　in　wishing　to　attempt　to　describe　it。　　But　since　I　must　make　the　effort；　come　what　may；　I　shall　not　fail　to　relate　a　part　of　it；　as　best　I　may。

（Vv。　6713…6809。）　　The　King　had　two　thrones　of　white　ivory；　well　constructed　and　new；　of　one　pattern　and　style。　　He　who　made　them　beyond　a　doubt　was　a　very　skilled　and　cunning　craftsman。　　For　so　precisely　did　he　make　the　two　alike　in　height；　in　breadth；　and　in　ornamentation；　that　you　could　nor　look　at　them　from　every　side　to　distinguish　one　from　the　other　and　find　in　one　aught　that　was　not　in　the　other。　　There　was　no　part　of　wood；　but　all　of　gold　and　fine　ivory。　　Well　were　they　carved　with　great　skill；　for　the　two　corresponding　sides　of　each　bore　the　representation　of　a　leopard；　and　the　other　two　a　dragon's　shape。　　A　knight　named　Bruiant　of　the　Isles　had　made　a　gift　and　present　of　them　to　King　Arthur　and　the　Queen。　　King　Arthur　sat　upon　the　one；　and　upon　the　other　he　made　Erec　sit；　who　was　robed　in　watered　silk。　　As　we　read　in　the　story；　we　find　the　description　of　the　robe；　and　in　order　that　no　one　may　say　that　I　lie；　I　quote　as　my　authority　Macrobius；　（44）　who　devoted　himself　to　the　description　of　it。　　Macrobius　instructs　me　how　to　describe；　according　as　I　have　found　it　in　the　book；　the　workmanship　and　the　figures　of　the　cloth。　　Four　fairies　had　made　it　with　great　skill　and　mastery。　（45）　　One　represented　there　geometry；　how　it　estimates　and　measures　the　extent　of　the　heavens　and　the　earth；　so　that　nothing　is　lacking　there；　and　then　the　depth　and　the　height；　and　the　width；　and　the　length；　then　it　estimates；　besides；　how　broad　and　deep　the　sea　is；　and　thus　measures　the　whole　world。　　Such　was　the　work　of　the　first　fairy。　　And　the　second　devoted　her　effort　to　the　portrayal　of　arithmetic；　and　she　strove　hard　to　represent　clearly　how　it　wisely　enumerates　the　days　and　the　hours　of　time；　and　the　water　of　the　sea　drop　by　drop；　and　then　all　the　sand；　and　the　stars　one　by　one；　knowing　well　how