four arthurian romances-第31部分

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　so　close　together；　when　carefully　examined；　that　the　line　of　separation　is　as　fine　as　a　hair's　breadth；　but　the　notch　is　so　smooth　and　straight　that　in　it　surely　no　improvement　could　be　made。　　The　feathers　are　coloured　as　if　they　were　of　gold　or　gilt；　but　gilt　is　here　beside　the　mark；　for　I　know　these　feathers　were　more　brilliant　than　any　gilt。　　This　dart　is　barbed　with　the　golden　tresses　that　I　saw　the　other　day　at　sea。　　That　is　the　dart　which　awakes　my　love。　　God！　　What　a　treasure　to　possess！　　Would　he　who　could　gain　such　a　prize　crave　other　riches　his　whole　life　long？　　For　my　part　I　could　swear　that　I　should　desire　nothing　else；　I　would　not　give　up　even　the　barb　and　the　notch　for　all　the　gold　of　Antioch。　　And　if　I　prize　so　highly　these　two　things；　who　could　estimate　the　value　of　what　remains？　　That　is　so　fair　and　full　of　charm；　so　dear　and　precious；　that　I　yearn　and　long　to　gaze　again　upon　her　brow；　which　God's　hand　has　made　so　clear　that　it　were　vain　to　compare　with　it　any　mirror；　emerald；　or　topaz。　But　all　this　is　of　little　worth　to　him　who　sees　her　flashing　eyes；　to　all　who　gaze　on　them　they　seem　like　twin　candles　burning。　　And　whose　tongue　is　so　expert　as　to　describe　the　fashion　of　her　well…shaped　nose　and　radiant　face；　in　which　the　rose　suffuses　the　lily　so　as　to　efface　it　somewhat；　and　thus　enhance　the　glory　of　her　visage？　　And　who　shall　speak　of　her　laughing　mouth；　which　God　shaped　with　such　great　skill　that　none　might　see　it　and　not　suppose　that　she　was　laughing？　　And　what　about　her　teeth？　　They　are　so　close　to　one　another　that　it　seems　they　are　all　of　one　solid　piece；　and　in　order　that　the　effect　might　still　be　enhanced　Nature　added　her　handiwork；　for　any　one；　to　see　her　part　her　lips；　would　suppose　that　the　teeth　were　of　ivory　or　of　silver。　　There　is　so　much　to　be　said　were　I　to　portray　each　detailed　charm　of　chin　and　ears；　that　it　would　not　be　strange　were　I　to　pass　over　some　little　thing。　　Of　her　throat　I　shall　only　say　that　crystal　beside　it　looks　opaque。　　And　her　neck　beneath　her　hair　is　four　times　as　white　as　ivory。　　Between　the　border　of　her　gown　and　the　buckle　at　the　parted　throat；　I　saw　her　bosom　left　exposed　and　whiter　than　new…fallen　snow。　　My　pain　would　be　indeed　assuaged；　if　I　had　seen　the　dart　entire。　　Gladly　would　I　tell；　if　I　but　knew；　what　was　the　nature　of　the　shaft。　　But　I　did　nor　see　it；　and　it　is　not　my　fault　if　I　do　not　attempt　to　describe　something　I　have　never　seen。　　At　that　time　Love　showed　me　only　the　notch　and　the　barb；　for　the　shaft　was　hidden　in　the　quiver；　to　wit；　in　the　robe　and　shift　in　which　the　damsel　was　arrayed。　　Upon　my　faith；　malady　which　tortures　me　is　the　arrowit　is　the　dart　at　which　I　am　a　wretch　to　be　enraged。　　I　am　ungrateful　to　be　incensed。　　Never　shall　a　straw　be　broken　because　of　any　distrust　or　quarrel　that　may　arise　between　Love　and　me。　　Now　let　Love　do　what　he　will　with　me　as　with　one　who　belongs　to　him；　for　I　wish　it；　and　so　it　pleases　me。　　I　hope　that　this　malady　may　never　leave　me；　but　that　it　may　thus　always　maintain　its　hold；　and　that　health　may　never　come　to　me　except　from　the　source　of　my　illness。〃

（Vv。　873…1046。）　　Alexander's　complaint　is　long　enough；　but　that　of　the　maiden　is　nothing　less。　　All　night　she　lies　in　such　distress　that　she　cannot　sleep　or　get　repose。　　Love　has　confined　within　her　heart　a　struggle　and　conflict　which　disturbs　her　breast；　and　which　causes　her　such　pain　and　anguish　that　she　weeps　and　moans　all　night；　and　tosses　about　with　sudden　starts；　so　that　she　is　almost　beside　herself。　　And　when　she　has　tossed　and　sobbed　and　groaned　and　started　up　and　sighed　again　then　she　looked　within　her　heart　to　see　who　and　what　manner　of　man　it　was　for　whom　Love　was　tormenting　her。　　And　when　she　has　refreshed　herself　somewhat　with　thinking　to　her　heart's　content；　she　stretches　and　tosses　about　again；　and　ridicules　all　the　thoughts　she　has　had。　Then　she　takes　another　course；　and　says：　〃Silly　one；　what　matters　it　to　me　if　this　youth　is　of　good　birth　and　wise　and　courteous　and　valorous？　　All　this　is　simply　to　his　honour　and　credit。　　And　as　for　his　beauty；　what　care　I？　　Let　his　beauty　be　gone　with　him！　But　if　so；　it　will　be　against　my　will；　for　it　is　not　my　wish　to　deprive　him　of　anything。　　Deprive？　　No；　indeed！　　That　I　surely　will　not　do。　　If　he　had　the　wisdom　of　Solomon；　and　if　Nature　had　bestowed　on　him　all　the　beauty　she　can　place　in　human　form；　and　if　God　had　put　in　my　power　to　undo　it　all；　yet　would　I　not　injure　him；　but　I　would　gladly；　if　I　could；　make　him　still　more　wise　and　fair。　　In　faith；　then；　I　do　not　hate　him！　　And　am　I　for　that　reason　his　friend？　　Nay；　I　am　not　his　any　more　than　any　other　man's。　　Then　what　do　I　think　of　him　so　much；　if　he　pleases　me　no　more　than　other　men？　　I　do　not　know；　I　am　all　confused；　for　I　never　thought　so　much　about　any　man　in　the　world；　and　if　I　had　my　will；　I　should　see　him　all　the　time；　and　never　take　my　eyes　from　him。　　I　feel　such　joy　at　the　sight　of　him！　　Is　this　love？　　Yes；　I　believe　it　is。　　I　should　not　appeal　to　him　so　often；　if　I　did　not　love　him　above　all　others。　　So　I　love　him；　then；　let　it　be　agreed。　　Then　shall　I　not　do　what　I　please？　　Yes；　provided　he　does　not　refuse。　　This　intention　of　mine　is　wrong；　but　Love　has　so　filled　my　heart　that　I　am　mad　and　beside　myself；　nor　will　any　defence　avail　me　now；　if　I　must　endure　the　assault　of　Love。　　I　have　demeaned　myself　prudently　toward　Love　so　long；　and　would　never　accede　to　his　will；　but　now　I　am　more　than　kindly　disposed　toward　him。　　And　what　thanks　will　he　owe　to　me；　if　he　cannot　have　my　loving　service　and　good…will？　　By　force　he　has　humbled　my　pride；　and　now　I　must　follow　his　pleasure。　　Now　I　am　ready　to　love；　and　I　have　a　master；　and　Love　will　teach　mebut　what？　How　I　am　to　serve　his　will。　　But　of　that　I　am　very　well　informed；　and　am　so　expert　in　serving　him　that　no　one　could　find　fault　with　me。　　I　need　learn　no　more　of　that。　　Love　would　have　it；　and　so　would　I；　that　I　should　be　sensible　and　modest　and　kind　and　approachable　to　all　for　the　sake　of　one　I　love。　　Shall　I　love　all　men；　then；　for　the　sake　of　one？　　I　should　be　pleasant　to　every　one；　but　Love　does　not　bid　me　be　the　true　friend　of　every　one。　Love's　lessons　are　only　good。　　It　is　not　without　significance　that　I　am　called　by　the　name　of　Soredamors。　（14）　　I　am　destined　to　love　and　be　loved　in　turn；　and　I　intend　to　prove　it　by　my　name；　if　I　can　find　the　explanation　there。　　There　is　some　significance　in　the　fact　that　the　first　part　of　my　name　is　of　golden　colour；　for　what　is　golden　is　the　best。　　For　this　reason　I　highly　esteem　my　name；　because　it　begins　with　that　colour　with　which　the　purest　gold　harmonises。　　And　the　end　of　the　name　calls　Love　to　my　mind；　for　whoever　calls　me　by　my　right　name　always　refreshes　me　with　love。　　And　one　half　gilds　the　other　with　a　bright　coat　of　yellow　gold；　for　Soredamors　has　the　meaning　of　‘one　gilded　over　with　Love。'　　Love　has　highly　honoured　me　in　gilding　me　over　with　himself。　　A　gilding　of　real　gold　is　not　so　fine　as　that　which　makes　me　radiant。　　And　I　shall　henceforth　do　my　best　to　be　his　gilding；　and　shall　never　again　complain　of　it。　　Now　I　love　and　ever　more　shall　love。　　Whom？　　Truly；　that　is　a　fine　question！　　Him　whom　Love　bids　me　love；　for　no　other　shall　ever　have　my　love。　　What　will　he　care　in　his　ignorance；　unless　I　tell　him　of　it　myself？　　What　shall　I　do；　if　l　do　not　make　to　him　my　prayer？　　Whoever　desires　anything　ought　to　ask　for　it　and　make　request。　　What？　　Shall　I　beseech　him；　then？　　Nay。　　Why？　　Did　ever　such　a　thing　come　about　that　a　woman　should　be　so　forward　as　to　make　love　to　any　man；　unless　she　were　clean　beside　herself。　　I　should　be　mad　beyond　question　if　I　uttered　anything　for　which　I　might　be　reproached。　　If　he　should　know　the　truth　through　word　of　mine　I　think　he　would　hold　me　in　slight　esteem；　and　would　often　reproach　me　with　having　solicited　his　love。　　May　love　never　be　so　base　that　I　should　be　the　first　to　prefer　a　request　which　would　lower　me　in　his　eyes！　　Alas；　God！　　How　will　he　ever　know　the　truth；　since　I　shall　not　tell　him　of　it？　　As　yet　I　have　very　little　cause　to　complain。　　I　will　wait　until　his　attention　is　aroused；　if　ever　it　is　to　be　aroused。　　He　will　surely　guess　the　truth；　I　think；　if　ever　he　has　had　commerce　with　Love；　or　has　heard　of　it　by　word　of　mouth。　　Heard　of　it？　　That　is　a　foolish　thing　to　say。　　Love　is　not　of　such　easy　access　that　any　one　may　claim　acquaintance　by　hear…say　only　and　without　personal　experience。　　I　have　come　to　know　that　well　enough　myself；　for　I　could　never　learn　anything　of　love　through　flattery　and　wooing　words；　though　I　have　often　been　in　the　school　of　experience；　and　have　been　flattered　many　a　time。　　But　I　have　always　stood　aloof；　and　now　he　makes　me　pay　a　heavy　penalty：　now　I　know　more　about　it　than　does　the　ox　of　ploughing。　　But　one　thing　causes　me　despair：　I　fear　he　has　never　been　in　love。　　And　if　he　is　not　in　love；　and　never　has　been　so；　then　I　have　sowed　in　the　sea　where　no　seed　can　take　root。　　So　there　is　nothing　to　do　but　wait　and　suffer；　until　I　see　whether　I　can　lead　him　on　by　hints　and　covered　words。　　I　shall　continue　this　until　he　is　sure　of　my　love　and　dares　to　ask　me　for　it。　　So　there　is　nothing　more　about　the　matter；　but　that　I　love　him　and　am　his。　　If　he　loves　me　not；　yet　will　I　love　him。〃

（Vv。　1047…1066。）　　Thus　he　and　she　utter　their　complaint；　unhappy　at　night　and　worse　by　day；　each　hiding　the　truth　from　the　other's　eyes。　　In　such　distress　they　remained　a　long　time　in　Brittany；　I　believe；　until　the　end　of　the　summer　came。　　At　the　beginning　of　October　there　came　messengers　by　Dover　from　London　and　Canterbury；　bearing　to　the　King　news　which　troubled　him。　　The　messengers　told　him　that　he　might　be　tarrying　too　long　in　Brittany；　for；　he　to　whom　he　had　entrusted　the　kingdom　was　intending　to　withstand　him；　and　had　already　summoned　a　great　army　of　his　vassals　and　friends；　and　had　established　himself　in　London　for　the　purpose　of　defending　the　city　against　Arthur　when　he　should　return。

（Vv。　1067…1092。）　　When　the　King　heard　this　news；　angry　and　sore　displeased　he　summons　all　his　knights。　　In　order　the　better　to　spur　them　on　to　punish　the　traitor；　he　tells　them　that　they　are　entirely　to　blame　for　his　trouble　and　strife；　for　on　their　advice　he　entrusted　his　land　to　the　hands　of　the　traitor；　who　is　worse　than　Ganelon