four arthurian romances-第44部分

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f　any　monk　or　prior。〃　　While　thus　they　talk；　the　two　contestants　give　their　horses　rein　without　delay；　for　they　are　very　eager　and　keen　to　come　together　in　the　fight。　　Cliges　strikes　him　so　that　he　crushes　the　shield　against　his　arm；　and　the　arm　against　his　body；　whereupon　Sagremor　falls　full　length。　　Cliges　goes　unerringly　and　　bids　him　declare　himself　his　prisoner；　which　Sagremor　does　at　once。　　Now　the　tourney　is　fairly　begun；　and　adversaries　meet　in　rivalry。　　Cliges　rushes　about　the　field；　seeking　adversaries　with　whom　to　joust；　but　not　a　knight　presents　himself　whom　he　does　not　cast　down　or　take　prisoner。　　He　excels　in　glory；　all　the　knights　on　either　side；　for　wherever　he　goes　to　battle；　there　the　fight　is　quickly　ended。　　That　man　may　be　considered　brave　who　holds　his　ground　to　joust　with　him；　for　it　is　more　credit　to　dare　face　him　than　it　is　to　defeat　another　knight。　　And　if　Cliges　leads　him　away　prisoner；　for　this　at　least　he　gains　renown　that　he　dared　to　wait　and　fight　with　him。　　Cliges　wins　the　fame　and　glory　of　all　the　tournament。　　When　evening　came；　he　secretly　repaired　to　his　lodging…place　in　order　that　none　might　have　any　words　with　him。　　And　lest　any　one　should　seek　the　house　where　the　black　arms　are　displayed；　he　puts　them　away　in　a　room　in　order　that　no　one　may　find　them　or　see　them；　and　he　hangs　up　his　green　arms　at　the　street…door；　where　they　will　be　in　evidence；　and　where　passers…by　will　see　them。　　And　if　any　one　asks　and　inquires　where　his　lodging　is；　he　cannot　learn　when　he　sees　no　sign　of　the　black　shield　for　which　he　seeks。

（Vv。　4727…4758。）　　By　this　ruse　Cliges　remains　hidden　in　the　town。　And　those　who　were　his　prisoners　went　from　one　end　of　the　town　to　the　other　asking　for　the　black　knight；　but　none　could　give　them　any　information。　　Even　King　Arthur　himself　has　search　made　up　and　down　for　him；　but　there　is　only　one　answer：　〃We　have　not　seen　him　since　we　left　the　lists；　and　do　not　know　what　became　of　him。〃　More　than　twenty　young　men　seek　him；　whom　the　King　sent　out；　but　Cliges　so　successfully　concealed　himself　that　they　cannot　find　a　trace　of　him。　　King　Arthur　is　filled　with　astonishment　when　he　is　informed　that　no　one　of　high　or　low　degree　can　point　out　his　lodging…place；　any　more　than　if　he　were　in　Caesarea；　Toledo；　or　Crete。　　〃Upon　my　word；〃　he　says；　〃I　know　not　what　they　may　say；　but　to　me　this　seems　a　marvellous　thing。　　Perchance　it　was　a　phantom　that　appeared　in　our　midst。　　Many　a　knight　has　been　unhorsed；　and　noble　men　have　pledged　faith　to　one　whose　house　they　cannot　find；　or　even　his　country　or　locality；　each　of　these　men　perforce　must　fail　to　keep　his　pledge。〃　　Thus　the　King　spoke　his　mind；　but　he　might　as　well　have　held　his　peace。

（Vv。　4759…4950。）　　That　evening　among　all　the　barons　there　was　much　talk　of　the　black　knight；　for　indeed　they　spoke　of　nothing　else。　　The　next　day　they　armed　themselves　again　without　summons　and　without　request。　　Lancelot　of　the　Lake；　in　whom　there　is　no　lack　of　courage；　rides　forth　with　lance　upright　to　await　a　contestant　in　the　first　joust。　　Here　comes　Cliges　tiding　fast；　greener　than　the　grass　of　the　field；　and　mounted　on　a　fallow　red　steed；　carrying　its　mane　on　the　right…hand　side。　　Wherever　Cliges　spurs　the　horse；　there　is　no　one；　either　with　hair　or　without；　who　does　not　look　at　him　amazed　and　exclaim　to　his　neighbour　on　either　side：　〃This　knight　is　in　all　respects　more　graceful　and　skilful　than　the　one　who　yesterday　wore　the　black　arms；　just　as　a　pine　is　more　beautiful　than　a　white　beech；　and　the　laurel　than　the　elder…bush。　　As　yet　we　know　not　who　yesterday's　victor　was；　but　we　shall　know　to…night　who　this　man　is。〃　　Each　one　makes　reply：　〃I　don't　know　him；　nor　did　I　ever　see　him；　that　I　am　aware。　　But　he　is　fairer　than　he　who　fought　yesterday；　and　fairer　than　Lancelot　of　the　Lake。　　If　this　man　rode　armed　in　a　bag　and　Lancelot　in　silver　and　gold；　this　man　would　still　be　fairer　than　he。〃　　Thus　they　all　take　Cliges'　part。　　And　the　two　champions　drive　their　steeds　together　with　all　the　force　of　spur。　　Cliges　gives　him　such　a　blow　upon　the　golden　shield　with　the　lion　portrayed　thereon　that　he　knocks　him　down　from　his　saddle　and　stands　over　him　to　receive　his　surrender。　　For　Lancelot　there　was　no　help；　so　he　admitted　himself　his　prisoner。　　Then　the　noise　began　afresh　with　the　shock　of　breaking　lances。　　Those　who　are　on　Cliges'　side　place　all　their　confidence　in　him。　　For　of　those　whom　he　challenges　and　strikes；　there　is　none　so　strong　but　must　fall　from　his　horse　to　earth。　　That　day　Cliges　did　so　well；　and　unhorsed　and　took　captive　so　many　knights；　that　he　gave　double　the　satisfaction　to　his　side；　and　won　for　himself　twice　the　glory　that　he　had　gained　on　the　preceding　day。　　When　evening　came；　he　betook　himself　as　fast　as　he　could　to　his　lodging…place；　and　quickly　ordered　out　the　vermilion　shield　and　his　other　arms；　while　he　ordered　the　arms　which　he　had　worn　that　day　to　be　laid　away：　the　host　carefully　put　them　aside。　　Again　that　evening　the　knights　whom　he　had　captured　sought　for　him；　but　without　hearing　any　news　of　him。　　In　their　lodging…places；　most　of　those　who　speak　of　him　do　so　with　praise　and　admiration。　　The　next　day　the　gay　and　doughty　knights　return　to　the　contest。　　From　the　Oxford　side　comes　forth　a　vassal　of　great　renownhis　name　was　Perceval　of　Wales。　　As　soon　as　Cliges　saw　him　start；　and　learned　certainly　who　it　was；　when　he　had　heard　the　name　of　Perceval　he　was　very　anxious　to　contest　with　him。　　He　issued　straightway　from　the　ranks　upon　a　Spanish　sorrel　steed；　and　completely　clad　in　vermilion　armour。　　Then　all　gaze　at　him；　wondering　more　than　ever　before；　and　saying　that　they　had　never　seen　so　perfect　a　knight。　And　the　contestants　without　delay　spur　forward　until　their　mighty　blows　land　upon　their　shields。　　The　lances；　though　they　were　short　and　stout；　bend　until　they　look　like　hoops。　　In　the　sight　of　all　who　were　looking　on；　Cliges　struck　Perceval　so　hard　that　he　knocked　him　from　his　horse　and　made　him　surrender　without　a　long　struggle　or　much　ado。　　When　Perceval　had　pledged　his　word　then　the　joust　began　again；　and　the　engagement　became　general。　Every　knight　whom　Cliges　meets　he　forces　to　earth。　　He　did　not　quit　the　lists　that　day　even　for　a　single　hour；　while　all　the　others　struck　at　him　as　at　a　towerindividually；　of　course；　and　not　in　groups　of　two　or　three；　for　such　was　not　the　custom　then。　　Upon　his　shield；　as　upon　an　anvil；　the　others　strike　and　pound；　splitting　and　hewing　it　to　bits。　　But　every　one　who　strikes　him　there；　he　pays　back　by　casting　him　from　his　stirrups　and　saddle；　and　no　one；　unless　he　wished　to　lie；　could　fail　to　say　when　the　jousting　ceased　that　the　knight　with　the　red　shield　had　won　all　the　glory　on　that　day。　　And　all　the　best　and　most　courtly　knights　would　fain　have　made　his　acquaintance。　　But　their　desire　was　not　felt　before　he　had　departed　secretly；　seeing　the　sun　already　set；　and　he　had　his　vermilion　shield　and　all　his　other　harness　removed；　and　ordered　his　white　arms　to　be　brought　out；　in　which　he　had　first　been　dubbed　a　knight；　while　the　other　arms　and　the　steeds　were　fastened　outside　by　the　door。　　Those　who　notice　this　realise　and　exclaim　that　they　have　all　been　defeated　and　undone　by　one　single　man；　for　each　day　he　has　disguised　himself　with　a　different　horse　and　set　of　armour；　thus　seeming　to　change　his　identity；　for　the　first　time　now　they　noticed　this。　And　my　lord　Gawain　proclaimed　that　he　never　saw　such　a　champion；　and　therefore　he　wished　to　make　his　acquaintance　and　learn　his　name；　announcing　that　on　the　morrow　he　himself　will　be　the　first　at　the　rally　of　the　knights。　　Yet；　withal；　he　makes　no　boast；　on　the　other　hand；　he　says　that　he　fully　expects　the　stranger　knight　will　have　all　the　advantage　with　the　lance；　but　it　may　be　that　with　the　sword　he　will　not　be　his　superior　（for　with　the　sword　Gawain　had　no　master）。　　Now　it　is　Gawain's　desire　to　measure　his　strength　on　the　morrow　with　this　strange　knight　who　changes　every　day　his　arms；　as　well　as　his　horse　and　harness。　　His　moultings　will　soon　be　numerous　if　he　continues　thus　each　day；　as　is　his　custom；　to　discard　his　old　and　assume　new　plumage。　　Thus；　when　he　thought　of　the　sword　and　the　lance　respectively。　Gawain　disparaged　and　esteemed　highly　the　prowess　of　his　foe。　　The　next　day　he　sees　Cliges　come　back　whiter　than　the　fleur…delis；　his　shield　grasped　tight　by　the　inside　straps　and　seated　on　his　white　Arab　steed；　as　he　had　planned　the　night　before。　　Gawain；　brave　and　illustrious；　seeks　no　repose　on　the　battleground；　but　spurs　and　rides　forward；　endeavouring　as　best　he　may　to　win　honour　in　the　fray；　if　he　can　find　an　opponent。　　In　a　moment　they　will　both　be　on　the　field。　　For　Cliges　had　no　desire　to　hold　back　when　he　overheard　the　words　of　the　men　who　said：　〃There　goes　Gawain；　who　is　no　weakling　either　on　foot　or　ahorse。　　He　is　a　man　whom　no　one　will　attack。〃　　When　Cliges　hears　these　words；　he　rushes　toward　him　in　mid…field；　they　both　advance　and　come　together　with　a　swifter　leap　than　that　of　the　stag　who　hears　the　sound　of　the　dogs　as　they　come　baying　after　him。　　The　lances　are　thrust　at　the　shields；　and　the　blows　produce　such　havoc　that　the　lances　split；　crack　and　break　clear　down　to　the　butt…end；　and　the　saddle…bows　behind　give　away；　and　the　girths　and　breast…straps　snap。　　Both　come　to　earth　at　once　and　draw　their　naked　swords；　while　the　others　gather　round　to　watch　the　battle。　　Then　King　Arthur　stepped　forward　to　separate　them　and　establish　peace。　　But　before　the　truce　was　sworn；　the　white　hauberks　were　badly　torn　and　rent　apart；　the　shields　were　cracked　and　hewed　to　bits；　and　the　helmets　crushed。

（Vv。　4951…5040。）　　The　King　viewed　them　with　pleasure　for　a　while；　as　did　many　others　who　said　that　they　esteemed　the　white　knight's　deeds　of　arms　no　less　than　those　of　my　lord　Gawain；　and　they　were　not　ready　yet　to　say　which　was　the　better　and　which　the　worse；　nor　which　was　likely　to　win；　if　they　had　been　allowed　to　fight　to　a　finish；　but　it　did　not　please　the　King　to　let　them　do　more　than　they　had　done。　　So　he　stepped　forward　to　separate　them；　saying：　〃Stop　now！　　Woe　if　another　blow　be　struck！　　Make　peace　now；　and　be　good　friends。　　Fair　nephew　Gawain；　I　make　this　request　of　you；　for　without　resentment　and　hate　it　is　not　becoming　for　a　gentleman　to　continue　to　fight　and　defy　h