four arthurian romances-第34部分

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ve　been　such　slaughter　done　that　posterity　will　always　speak　of　the　battle　of　that　night。　Having　no　further　confidence　in　life；　the　traitors　as　a　last　resort　all　subscribe　to　this　design。　　Despair　emboldened　them　to　fight；　whatever　the　result　might　be；　for　they　see　nothing　sure　in　store　for　them　save　death　or　imprisonment。　　Such　an　outcome　is　not　attractive；　nor　do　they　see　any　use　in　flight；　for　they　see　no　place　where　they　could　find　refuge　should　they　betake　themselves　to　flight；　being　completely　surrounded　by　the　water　and　their　enemies。　　So　they　spend　no　more　time　in　talk；　but　arm　and　equip　themselves　and　make　a　sally　by　an　old　postern　gate　（20）　toward　the　north…west；　that　being　the　side　where　they　thought　the　camp　would　least　expect　attack。　　In　serried　ranks　they　sallied　forth；　and　divided　their　force　into　five　companies；　each　consisting　of　two　thousand　well　armed　foot；　in　addition　to　a　thousand　knights。　　That　night　neither　star　nor　moon　had　shed　a　ray　across　the　sky。　　But　before　they　reached　the　tents；　the　moon　began　to　show　itself；　and　I　think　it　was　to　work　them　woe　that　it　rose　sooner　than　was　its　wont。　　Thus　God；　who　opposed　their　enterprise；　illumined　the　darkness　of　the　night；　having　no　love　for　these　evil　men；　but　rather　hating　them　for　their　sin。　　For　God　hates　traitors　and　treachery　more　than　any　other　sin。　　So　the　moon　began　to　shine　in　order　to　hamper　their　enterprise。

（Vv。　1713…1858。）　　They　are　much　hampered　by　the　moon；　as　it　shines　upon　their　shields；　and　they　are　handicapped　by　their　helmets；　too；　as　they　glitter　in　the　moonlight。　　They　are

detected　by　the　pickets　keeping　watch　over　the　host；　who　now　shout　throughout　the　camp：　〃Up。　knights；　up！　　Rise　quickly；　take　your　arms　and　arm　yourselves！　　The　traitors　are　upon　us。〃　　Through　all　the　camp　they　run　to　arms；　and　hastily　strive　to　equip　themselves　in　the　urgent　need；　but　not　a　single　one　of　them　left　his　place　until　they　were　all　comfortably　armed　and　mounted　upon　their　steeds。　　While　they　are　arming　themselves；　the　attacking　forces　are　eager　for　battle　and　press　forward；　hoping　to　catch　them　off　their　guard　and　find　them　disarmed。　　They　bring　up　from　different　directions　the　five　companies　into　which　they　had　divided　their　troops：　some　hug　the　woods；　others　follow　the　river；　the　third　company　deploys　upon　the　plain；　while　the　fourth　enters　a　valley；　and　the　fifth　proceeds　beside　a　rocky　cliff。　　For　they　planned　to　fall　upon　the　tents　suddenly　with　great　fury。　But　they　did　not　find　the　path　clear。　　For　the　King's　men　resist　them；　defying　them　courageously　and　reproaching　them　for　their　treason。　　Their　iron　lance…tips　are　splintered　and　shattered　as　they　meet；　they　come　together　with　swords　drawn；　striking　each　other　and　casting　each　other　down　upon　the　face。　　They　rush　upon　each　other　with　the　fury　of　lions；　which　devour　whatever　they　capture。　　In　this　first　rush　there　was　heavy　slaughter　on　both　sides。　　When　they　can　no　longer　maintain　themselves；　help　comes　to　the　traitors；　who　are　defending　themselves　bravely　and　selling　their　lives　dearly。　　They　see　their　troops　from　four　sides　arrive　to　succour　them。　　And　the　King's　men　ride　hard　with　spur　to　attack　them。　　They　deal　such　blows　upon　their　shields　that；　beside　the　wounded；　they　unhorse　more　than　five　hundred　of　them。　Alexander；　with　his　Greeks；　has　no　thought　of　sparing　them；　making　every　effort　to　prevail　into　the　thickest　of　the　fight　he　goes　to　strike　a　knave　whose　shield　and　hauberk　are　of　no　avail　to　keep　him　from　falling　to　the　earth。　　When　he　has　finished　with　him；　he　offers　his　service　to　another　freely　and　without　stint；　and　serves　him；　too；　so　savagely　that　he　drives　the　soul　from　his　body　quite；　and　leaves　the　apartment　without　a　tenant。　　After　these　two；　he　addresses　himself　to　another；　piercing　a　noble　and　courteous　knight　clean　through　and　through；　so　that　the　blood　spurts　out　on　the　other　side；　and　his　expiring　soul　takes　leave　of　the　body。　　Many　he　killed　and　many　stunned；　for　like　a　flying　thunderbolt　he　blasts　all　those　whom　he　seeks　out。　　Neither　coat　of　mail　nor　shield　can　protect　him　whom　he　strikes　with　lance　or　sword。　　His　companions；　too；　are　generous　in　the　spilling　of　blood　and　brains；　for　they；　too；　know　well　how　to　deal　their　blows。　　And　the　royal　troops　butcher　so　many　of　them　that　they　break　them　up　and　scatter　them　like　low…born　folk　who　have　lost　their　heads。　　So　many　dead　lay　about　the　fields；　and　so　long　did　the　battle　rage；　that　long　before　the　day　dawned　the　ranks　were　so　cut　in　pieces　that　the　rows　of　dead　stretched　for　five　leagues　along　the　stream。　　Count　Angres　leaves　his　banner　on　the　field　and　steals　away；　accompanied　by　only　seven　of　his　men。　　Towards　his　town　he　made　his　way　by　a　secret　path；　thinking　that　no　one　could　see　him。　　But　Alexander　notices　this；　and　sees　them　escaping　from　the　troops；　and　he　thinks　that　if　he　can　slip　away　without　the　knowledge　of　any　one；　he　will　go　to　catch　up　with　them。　　But　before　he　got　down　into　the　valley；　he　saw　thirty　knights　following　him　down　the　path；　of　whom　six　were　Greeks；　and　twenty…four　were　men　of　Wales。　　These　intended　to　follow　him　at　a　distance　until　he　should　stand　in　need　of　them。　　When　Alexander　saw　them　coming；　he　stopped　to　wait　for　them；　without　failing　to　observe　what　course　was　taken　by　those　who　were　making　their　way　back　to　the　town。　　Finally；　he　saw　them　enter　it。　　Then　he　began　to　plan　a　very　daring　deed　and　a　very　marvellous　design。　　And　when　he　had　made　up　his　mind；　he　turned　toward　his　companions　and　thus　addressed　them：　〃My　lords；〃　says　he；　〃whether　it　be　folly　or　wisdom；　frankly　grant　me　my　desire　if　you　care　for　my　good…will。〃　And　they　promised　him　never　to　oppose　his　will　in　aught。　　Then　he　says：　〃Let　us　change　our　outer　gear；　by　taking　the　shields　and　lances　from　the　traitors　whom　we　have　killed。　　Thus；　when　we　approach　the　town；　the　traitors　within　will　suppose　that　we　are　of　their　party；　and　regardless　of　the　fate　in　store　for　them；　they　will　throw　open　the　gates　for　us。　　And　do　you　know　what　reward　we　shall　offer　them？　　If　God　so　will　we　shall　take　them　all　dead　or　alive。　　Now；　if　any　of　you　repents　of　his　promise；　be　sure　that；　so　long　as　I　live；　I　shall　never　hold　him　dear。〃

（Vv。　1859…1954。）　　All　the　others　grant　his　boon；　and；　despoiling　the　corpses　of　their　shields；　they　arm　themselves　with　them　instead。　　The　men　within　the　town　had　mounted　to　the　battlements；　and；　recognising　the　shields；　suppose　that　they　belong　to　their　party；　never　dreaming　of　the　ruse　hidden　beneath　the　shields。　　The　gatekeeper　opens　the　gate　for　them　and　admits　them　to　the　town。　　He　is　beguiled　and　deceived　in　not　addressing　them　a　word；　for　no　one　of　them　speaks　to　him；　but　silently　and　mute　they　pass；　making　such　a　show　of　grief　that　they　trail　their　lances　after　them　and　support　themselves　upon　their　shields。　　Thus　it　seems　that　they　are　in　great　distress；　as　they　pass　on　at　their　own　sweet　will　until　they　are　within　the　triple　walls。　　Inside　they　find　a　number　of　men…at…arms　and　knights　with　the　Count。　　I　cannot　tell　you　just　how　many；　but　they　were　unarmed；　except　eight　of　them　who　had　just　returned　from　the　fight；　and　even　they　were　preparing　to　remove　their　arms。　　But　their　haste　was　ill　considered；　for　now　the　other　party　make　no　further　pretence；　but　without　any　challenge　by　way　of　warning；　they　brace　themselves　in　the　stirrups；　and　let　their　horses　charge　straight　at　them；　attacking　them　with　such　rigour　that　they　lay　low　more　than　thirty…one　of　them。　　The　traitors　in　great　dismay　shout　out：　〃We　are　betrayed；　betrayed！〃　　But　the　assailants　take　no　heed　of　this；　and　let　those　whom　they　find　unarmed　feel　the　temper　of　their　swords。　　Indeed；　three　of　those　whom　they　found　still　armed　were　so　roughly　handled　that　but　five　remained　alive。　　Count　Angres　rushed　at　Calcedor；　and　in　the　sight　of　all　struck　him　upon　his　golden　shield　with　such　violence　that　he　stretched　him　dead　upon　the　ground。　　Alexander　is　greatly　troubled；　and　is　almost　beside　himself　with　rage　when　he　sees　his　companion　dead；　his　blood　boils　with　anger；　but　his　strength　and　courage　are　doubled　as　he　strikes　the　Count　with　such　fury　that　he　breaks　his　lance。　　If　possible；　he　would　avenge　his　friend。　　But　the　Count　was　a　powerful　man　and　a　good　and　hardy　knight；　whose　match　it　would　have　been　hard　to　find；　had　he　not　been　a　base　traitor。　　He　now　returns　the　blow；　making　his　lance　double　up　so　that　it　splits　and　breaks；　but　the　other's　shield　holds　firm；　and　neither　gives　way　before　the　other　any　more　than　a　rock　would　do；　for　both　men　were　passing　strong。　　But　the　fact　that　the　Count　was　in　the　wrong　disturbs　him　greatly　and　troubles　him。　（21）　　The　anger　of　each　rises　higher　as　they　both　draw　their　swords　after　their　lances　had　been　broken。　　No　escape　would　have　been　possible　if　these　two　swordsmen　had　persisted　in　continuing　the　fight。　　But　at　last　one　or　the　other　must　die。　　The　Count　dares　not　longer　hold　his　ground；　when　he　sees　lying　dead　about　him　his　men　who　had　been　caught　unarmed。　　Meanwhile　the　others　press　them　hard；　cutting；　slashing；　and　carving　them；　spilling　their　brains；　and　reproaching　the　Count　for　his　treachery。　　When　he　hears　himself　accused　of　treason；　he　flees　for　safety　to　his　tower；　followed　by　his　men。　　And　their　enemies　follow　after　them；　fiercely　charging　them　from　the　rear；　and　not　letting　a　single　one　escape　of　all　upon　whom　they　lay　their　hands。　　They　kill　and　slay　so　many　of　them　that　I　guess　not　more　than　seven　made　good　their　escape。

（Vv。　1955…2056。）　　When　they　had　got　inside　the　tower；　they　made　a　stand　at　the　gate；　for　those　who　were　coming　close　behind　had　followed　so　closely　after　them　that　they　too　would　have　pressed　in　had　the　gateway　been　left　exposed。　　The　traitors　make　a　brave　defence；　waiting　for　succour　from　their　friends；　who　were　arming　themselves　down　in　the　town。　　But　upon　the　advice　of　Nabunal；　who　was　a　Greek　of　great　wisdom；　the　approach　was　blocked　so　that　relief　could　not　arrive　in　time；　for　those　below　had　tarried　too　long；　either　from　cowardice　or　sloth。　　Now　there　was　only　one　entrance　to　the　stronghold；　so　that；　if　they　stop　that　entrance…　way；　they　need　have　no　fear　that　any　force　shall　approach　to　do　them　harm。　　Nabunal　bids　and　exhorts　twenty　of　them　to　hold　the　gate；　for　soon　such　a　co