four arthurian romances-第35部分

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roach　to　do　them　harm。　　Nabunal　bids　and　exhorts　twenty　of　them　to　hold　the　gate；　for　soon　such　a　company　might　arrive　with　force　as　would　do　them　harm　by　their　assault　and　attack。　　While　these　twenty　hold　the　gate；　the　remaining　ten　should　attack　the　tower　and　prevent　the　Count　from　barricading　himself　inside。　　Nabunal's　advice　is　taken：　ten　remain　to　continue　the　assault　at　the　entrance　of　the　tower；　while　twenty　go　to　defend　the　gate。　　In　doing　so；　they　delay　almost　too　long；　for　they　see　approaching；　furious　and　keen　for　the　fight；　a　company　containing　many　cross…bow　men　and　foot　soldiers　of　different　grades　who　carried　arms　of　divers　sorts。　Some　carried　light　missiles；　and　others　Danish　axes；　lances　and　Turkish　swords；　bolts　for　cross…bows；　arrows　and　javelins。　　The　Greeks　would　have　had　to　pay　a　heavy　score；　if　this　crowd　had　actually　fallen　upon　them；　but　they　did　not　reach　the　place　in　time。　　Nabunal　by　his　foresight　and　counsel　had　blocked　their　plans；　and　they　were　forced　to　remain　outside。　　When　they　see　that　they　are　shut　out；　they　pause　in　their　advance；　as　it　is　evident　they　can　gain　nothing　by　making　an　assault。　　Then　there　begins　such　weeping　and　wailing　of　women　and　young　children；　of　old　men　and　youths；　that　those　in　the　town　could　not　have　heard　a　thunder…clap　from　heaven。　　At　this　the　Greeks　are　overjoyed；　for　now　they　know　of　a　certainty　that　the　Count　by　no　good　luck　can　escape　capture。　　Four　of　them　mount　the　walls　to　keep　watch　lest　those　outside　by　any　means　or　ruse　should　enter　the　stronghold　and　fall　upon　them。　　The　remaining　sixteen　returned　to　where　the　ten　were　fighting。　　The　day　was　already　breaking；　and　the　ten　had　fought　so　well　that　they　had　forced　their　way　within　the　tower。　The　Count　took　his　stand　against　a　post；　and；　armed　with　a　battleaxe；　defended　himself　with　great　bravery。　　Those　whom　he　reaches；　he　splits　in　half。　　And　his　men　line　up　about　him；　and　are　not　slow　to　avenge　themselves　in　this　last　stand　of　the　day；　Alexander's　men　have　reason　to　complain；　for　of　the　original　sixteen　there　remain　now　but　thirteen。　　Alexander　is　almost　beside　himself　when　he　sees　the　havoc　wrought　among　his　dead　or　exhausted　followers。　　Yet　his　thoughts　are　fixed　on　vengeance：　finding　at　hand　a　long　heavy　club；　he　struck　one　of　the　rascals　with　it　so　fiercely　that　neither　shield　nor　hauberk　was　worth　a　button　in　preventing　him　from　failing　to　the　ground。　　After　finishing　with　him；　he　pursues　the　Count；　and　raising　his　club　to　strike　him　he　deals　him　such　a　blow　with　his　square　club　that　the　axe　falls　from　his　hands；　and　he　was　so　stunned　and　bewildered　that　he　could　not　have　stood　up　unless　he　had　leaned　against　the　wall。

（Vv。　2057…2146。）　　After　this　blow　the　battle　ceases。　　Alexander　　leaps　at　the　Count　and　holds　him　so　that　he　cannot　move。　　Of　the　others　nothing　need　be　said；　for　they　were　easily　mastered　when　they　saw　the　capture　of　their　lord。　　All　are　made　prisoners　with　the　Count　and　led　away　in　disgrace；　in　accordance　with　their　deserts。　　Of　all　this　the　men　outside　knew　nothing。　　But　when　morning　came　they　found　their　companions　shields　lying　among　the　slain　when　the　battle　was　over。　　Then　the　Greeks；　misled；　made　a　great　lament　for　their　lord。　　Recognising　his　shield；　all　are　in　an　agony　of　grief；　swooning　at　sight　of　his　shield　and　saying　that　now　they　have　lived　too　long。　　Cornix　and　Nerius　first　swoon；　then；　recovering　their　senses；　wish　they　were　dead。　　So　do　Torin　and　Acorionde。　　The　tears　run　down　in　floods　from　their　eyes　upon　their　breasts。　　Life　and　joy　seem　hateful　now。　　And　Parmenides　more　than　the　rest　tore　his　hair　in　dire　distress。　　No　greater　grief　could　be　shown　than　that　of　these　five　for　their　lord。　　Yet；　their　dismay　is　groundless；　for　it　is　another's　body　which　they　bear　away　when　they　think　to　have　their　lord。　　Their　distress　is　further　increased　by　the　sight　of　the　other　shields；　which　cause　them　to　mistake　these　corpses　for　their　companions。　So　over　them　they　lament　and　swoon。　　But　they　are　deceived　by　all　these　shields；　for　of　their　men　only　one　was　killed；　whose　name　was　Neriolis。　　Him；　indeed；　they　would　have　borne　away　had　they　known　the　truth。　　But　they　are　in　as　great　anxiety　for　the　others　as　for　him；　so　they　bore　them　all　away。　　In　every　case　but　one　they　were　misled。　　But　like　the　man　who　dreams　and　takes　a　fiction　for　the　truth；　so　the　shields　cause　them　to　suppose　this　illusion　to　be　a　reality。　　It　is　the　shields；　then；　that　cause　this　mistake。　（22）　　Carrying　the　corpses；　they　move　away　and　come　to　their　tents；　where　there　was　a　sorrowing　troop。　　Upon　hearing　the　lament　raised　by　the　Greeks；　soon　all　the　others　gathered；　until　there　was　but　one　great　outcry。　　Now　Saredamors　thinks　of　her　wretched　estate　when　she　hears　the　cry　and　lament　over　her　lover。　　Their　anguish　and　distress　cause　her　to　lose　her　senses　and　her　colour；　and　her　grief　and　sorrow　are　increased　because　she　dares　not　openly　show　a　trace　of　her　distress。　　She　shut　up　her　grief　within　her　heart。　　Had　any　one　looked　at　her；　he　could　have　seen　by　the　expression　of　her　face　what　agony　she　was　in；　but　every　one　was　so　engrossed　with　his　own　sorrow　that　he　had　no　care　for　another's　grief。　　Each　one　lamented　his　own　loss。　　For　they　find　the　river　bank　covered　with　their　relatives　and　friends；　who　had　been　wounded　or　roughly　treated。　　Each　one　wept　for　his　own　heavy　and　bitter　loss：　here　is　a　son　weeping　for　a　father；　there　a　father　for　a　son；　one　swoons　at　the　sight　of　his　cousin；　another　over　his　nephew。　　Thus　fathers；　brothers；　and　relatives　bemoan　their　loss　on　every　side。　　But　above　all　is　noticeable　the　sorrow　of　the　Greeks；　and　yet　they　might　have　anticipated　great　joy；　for　the　deepest　grief　of　all　the　camp　will　soon　be　changed　into　rejoicing。

（Vv。　2147…2200。）　　The　Greeks　outside　continue　their　lament；　while　those　inside　strive　to　let　them　know　the　news　which　will　cause　them　to　rejoice。　　They　disarm　and　bind　their　prisoners；　who　pray　and　beg　of　them　to　strike　off　their　heads　straightway。　　But　the　Greeks　are　unwilling；　and　disdain　their　entreaties；　saying　that　them　will　keep　then　under　guard　and　hand　them　over　to　the　King；　who　will　grant　them　such　recompense　as　shall　require　their　services。　　When　they　had　disarmed　them　all　they　made　them　go　up　on　the　wall　that　they　might　be　seen　by　the　troops　below。　　This　privilege　is　not　to　their　liking；　and　when　they　saw　their　lord　bound　as　a　prisoner；　they　were　unhappy　men。　　Alexander　upon　the　walls　swears　to　God　and　all　the　saints　that　he　will　not　let　one　of　them　live；　but　will　kill　them　all　speedily；　unless　they　will　go　to　surrender　to　the　King　before　he　can　seize　them。　　〃Go；〃　says　he；　〃confidently　to　the　King　at　my　command；　and　cast　yourselves　upon　his　mercy。　　None　of　you；　except　the　Count；　has　deserved　to　die。　　You　shall　not　lose　either　life　or　limb　if　you　surrender　to　the　King。　　If　you　do　not　deliver　yourselves　from　death　by　crying　for　mercy；　you　need　have　little　hope　of　saving　your　lives　or　bodies。　　Go　forth　disarmed　to　meet　the　King；　and　tell　him　from　me　that　Alexander　sends　you　to　him。　　Your　action　will　not　be　in　vain；　for　my　lord　the　King　is　so　gentle　and　courteous　that　he　will　lay　aside　his　wrath　and　anger。　　But　if　you　wish　to　act　otherwise；　you　must　expect　to　die；　for　his　heart　will　be　closed　to　pity。〃　　All　agree　in　accepting　this　advice；　and　do　not　hesitate　until　they　come　to　the　King's　tent；　where　they　all　fall　at　his　feet。　　The　story　they　told　was　soon　known　throughout　the　camp。　　The　King　and　all　his　men　mounted　and　spurred　their　horses　to　the　town　without　delay。

（Vv。　2201…2248。）　　Alexander　goes　out　from　the　town　to　meet　the　King；　who　was　greatly　pleased；　and　to　surrender　to　him　the　Count。　The　King　did　not　delay　in　fitly　punishing　him。　　But　Alexander　is　congratulated　and　praised　by　the　King　and　all　the　others　who　esteem　him　highly。　　Their　joy　drives　away　the　grief　which　they　had　felt　not　long　before。　　But　no　joy　of　the　others　can　compare　with　the　exultation　of　the　Greeks。　　The　King　presents　him　with　the　precious　cup；　weighing　fifteen　marks；　and　tells　him　confidently　that　there　is　nothing　in　his　possession　so　valuable　that　he　would　not　place　it　in　his　hands　upon　requestsave　only　the　crown　and　the　Queen。　　Alexander　dares　not　mention　his　heart's　desire；　though　he　knows　well　that　he　would　not　be　refused　in　asking　for　his　sweetheart's　hand。　　But　he　fears　so　much　lest　he　might　displease　her；　whose　heart　would　have　been　made　glad；　that　he　prefers　to　suffer　without　her　rather　than　to　win　her　against　her　will。　　Therefore；　he　asks　for　a　little　time；　not　wishing　to　prefer　his　request　until　he　is　sure　of　her　pleasure。　　But　he　asked　for　no　respite　or　delay　in　accepting　the　cup　of　gold。　　He　takes　the　cup；　and　courteously　begs　my　lord　Gawain　to　accept　this　cup　as　a　gift　from　him；　which　Gawain　did　most　reluctantly。　　When　Soredamors　learned　the　truth　about　Alexander　she　was　greatly　pleased　and　delighted。　　When　she　heard　that　he　was　alive；　she　was　so　happy　that　it　seemed　to　her　as　though　she　could　never　be　sad　again。　　But　she　reflects　that　he　is　slower　in　coming　than　is　his　wont。　　Yet　in　good　time　she　will　have　her　wish；　for　both　of　them　in　rivalry　are　occupied　with　one　common　thought。

（Vv。　2249…2278。）　　It　seemed　to　Alexander　an　age　before　he　could　feast　his　eyes　with　even　one　soft　glance　from　her。　　Long　ago　he　would　fain　have　gone　to　the　Queen's　tent；　if　he　had　not　been　detained　elsewhere。　　He　was　much　put　out　by　this　delay；　and　as　soon　as　he　could；　he　betook　himself　to　the　Queen　in　her　tent。　　The　Queen　went　to　greet　him；　and；　without　his　having　confided　in　her；　she　had　already　read　his　thoughts；　and　knew　what　was　passing　in　his　mind。　　She　greets　him　at　the　entrance　of　the　tent；　and　strives　to　make　him　welcome；　well　knowing　for　what　purpose　he　has　come。　　Desirous　of　according　him　a　favour；　she　beckons　Soredamors　to　join　them；　and　they　three　engage　in　conversation　at　some　distance　from　the　rest。　　The　Queen　first　speaks；　in　whose　mind　there　was　no　doubt　that　this　couple　were　in　love。　　Of　this　fact　she　is　quite　sure；　and　is　persuaded　moreover　that　Soredamors　could　not　have　a　better　lover。　　She　took　her　place　between　the　two　and　began　to　say　what　was　appropriate。

（Vv。　2279…2310。）　　〃Alexander；〃　says　the　Queen；　〃any　love　is　worse　than　hate；　when　it　torments　and　distresses