four arthurian romances-第57部分

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o　well　to　stay。　　This　is　the　way　Love　ought　to　act；　being　such　a　noble　creature　that　it　is　marvellous　how　he　dares　shamefully　to　descend　to　such　low　estate。　　He　is　like　him　who　spreads　his　balm　upon　the　ashes　and　dust；　who　mingles　sugar　with　gall；　and　suet　with　honey。　　However；　he　did　not　act　so　this　time；　but　rather　lodged　in　a　noble　place；　for　which　no　one　can　reproach　him。　　When　the　dead　man　had　been　buried；　all　the　people　dispersed；　leaving　no　clerks　or　knights　or　ladies；　excepting　only　her　who　makes　no　secret　of　her　grief。　　She　alone　remains　behind；　often　clutching　at　her　throat；　wringing　her　hands；　and　beating　her　palms；　as　she　reads　her　psalms　in　her　gilt　lettered　psalter。　　All　this　while　my　lord　Yvain　is　at　the　window　gazing　at　her；　and　the　more　he　looks　at　her　the　more　he　loves　her　and　is　enthralled　by　her。　　He　would　have　wished　that　she　should　cease　her　weeping　and　reading；　and　that　she　should　feel　inclined　to　converse　with　him。　　Love；　who　caught　him　at　the　window；　filled　him　with　this　desire。　　But　he　despairs　of　realising　his　wish；　for　he　cannot　imagine　or　believe　that　his　desire　can　be　gratified。　　So　he　says：　〃I　may　consider　myself　a　fool　to　wish　for　what　I　cannot　have。　　Her　lord　it　was　whom　I　wounded　mortally；　and　yet　do　I　think　I　can　be　reconciled　with　her？　　Upon　my　word；　such　thoughts　are　folly；　for　at　present　she　has　good　reason　to　hate　me　more　bitterly　than　anything。　　I　am　right　in　saying　‘at　present'；　for　a　woman　has　more　than　one　mind。　That　mind　in　which　she　is　just　now　I　trust　she　will　soon　change；　indeed；　she　will　change　it　certainly；　and　I　am　mad　thus　to　despair。　　God　grant　that　she　change　it　soon！　　For　I　am　doomed　to　be　her　slave；　since　such　is　the　will　of　Love。　　Whoever　does　not　welcome　Love　gladly；　when　he　comes　to　him；　commits　treason　and　a　felony。　　I　admit　（and　let　whosoever　will；　heed　what　I　say）　that　such　an　one　deserves　no　happiness　or　joy。　　But　if　I　lose；　it　will　not　be　for　such　a　reason；　rather　will　I　love　my　enemy。　　For　I　ought　not　to　feel　any　hate　for　her　unless　I　wish　to　betray　Love。　I　must　love　in　accordance　with　Love's　desire。　　And　ought　she　to　regard　me　as　a　friend？　　Yes；　surely；　since　it　is　she　whom　I　love。　And　I　call　her　my　enemy；　for　she　hates　me；　though　with　good　reason；　for　I　killed　the　object　of　her　love。　　So；　then；　am　I　her　enemy？　　Surely　no；　but　her　true　friend；　for　I　never　so　loved　any　one　before。　　I　grieve　for　her　fair　tresses；　surpassing　gold　in　their　radiance；　I　feel　the　pangs　of　anguish　and　torment　when　I　see　her　tear　and　cut　them；　nor　can　her　tears　e'er　be　dried　which　I　see　falling　from　her　eyes；　by　all　these　things　I　am　distressed。　Although　they　are　full　of　ceaseless；　ever…flowing　tears；　yet　never　were　there　such　lovely　eves。　　The　sight　of　her　weeping　causes　me　agony；　but　nothing　pains　me　so　much　as　the　sight　of　her　face；　which　she　lacerates　without　its　having　merited　such　treatment。　　I　never　saw　such　a　face　so　perfectly　formed；　nor　so　fresh　and　delicately　coloured。　　And　then　it　has　pierced　my　heart　to　see　her　clutch　her　throat。　　Surely；　it　is　all　too　true　that　she　is　doing　the　worst　she　can。　　And　yet　no　crystal　nor　any　mirror　is　so　bright　and　smooth。　　God！　　why　is　she　thus　possessed；　and　why　does　she　not　spare　herself？　　Why　does　she　wring　her　lovely　hands　and　beat　and　tear　her　breast？　　Would　she　not　be　marvellously　fair　to　look　upon　when　in　happy　mood；　seeing　that　she　is　so　fair　in　her　displeasure？　　Surely　yes；　I　can　take　my　oath　on　that。　　Never　before　in　a　work　of　beauty　was　Nature　thus　able　to　outdo　herself；　for　I　am　sure　she　has　gone　beyond　the　limits　of　any　previous　attempt。　　How　could　it　ever　have　happened　then？　　Whence　came　beauty　so　marvellous？　　God　must　have　made　her　with　His　naked　hand　that　Nature　might　rest　from　further　toil。　　If　she　should　try　to　make　a　replica；　she　might　spend　her　time　in　vain　without　succeeding　in　her　task。　　Even　God　Himself；　were　He　to　try；　could　not　succeed；　I　guess；　in　ever　making　such　another；　whatever　effort　He　might　put　forth。〃

（Vv。　1507…1588。）　　Thus　my　lord　Yvain　considers　her　who　is　broken　with　her　grief；　and　I　suppose　it　would　never　happen　again　that　any　man　in　prison；　like　my　lord　Yvain　in　fear　for　his　life；　would　ever　be　so　madly　in　love　as　to　make　no　request　on　his　own　behalf；　when　perhaps　no　one　else　will　speak　for　him。　　He　stayed　at　the　window　until　he　saw　the　lady　go　away；　and　both　the　portcullises　were　lowered　again。　　Another　might　have　grieved　at　this；　who　would　prefer　a　free　escape　to　tarrying　longer　where　he　was。　　But　to　him　it　is　quite　indifferent　whether　they　be　shut　or　opened。　　If　they　were　open　he　surely　would　not　go　away；　no；　even　were　the　lady　to　give　him　leave　and　pardon　him　freely　for　the　death　of　her　lord。　　For　he　is　detained　by　Love　and　Shame　which　rise　up　before　him　on　either　hand：　he　is　ashamed　to　go　away；　for　no　one　would　believe　in　the　success　of　his　exploit；　on　the　other　hand；　he　has　such　a　strong　desire　to　see　the　lady　at　least；　if　he　cannot　obtain　any　other　favour；　that　he　feels　little　concern　about　his　imprisonment。　　He　would　rather　die　than　go　away。　　And　now　the　damsel　returns；　wishing　to　bear　him　company　with　her　solace　and　gaiety；　and　to　go　and　fetch　for　him　whatever　he　may　desire。　　But　she　found　him　pensive　and　quite　worn　out　with　the　love　which　had　laid　hold　of　him；　whereupon　she　addressed　him　thus：　〃My　lord　Yvain；　what　sort　of　a　time　have　you　had　to…day？〃　　〃I　have　been　pleasantly　occupied；〃　was　his　reply。　〃Pleasantly？　　In　God's　name；　is　that　the　truth？　　What？　　How　can　one　enjoy　himself　seeing　that　he　is　hunted　to　death；　unless　he　courts　and　wishes　it？〃　　〃Of　a　truth；〃　he　says；　〃my　gentle　friend；　I　should　by　no　means　wish　to　die；　and　yet；　as　God　beholds　me；　I　was　pleased；　am　pleased　now；　and　always　shall　be　pleased　by　what　I　saw。〃　　〃Well；　let　us　say　no　more　of　that；〃　she　makes　reply；　〃for　I　can　understand　well　enough　what　is　the　meaning　of　such　words。　　I　am　not　so　foolish　or　inexperienced　that　I　cannot　understand　such　words　as　those；　but　come　now　after　me；　for　I　shall　find　some　speedy　means　to　release　you　from　your　confinement。　　I　shall　surely　set　you　free　to…night　or　to…morrow；　if　you　please。　　Come　now；　I　will　lead　you　away。〃　And　he　thus　makes　reply：　〃You　may　be　sure　that　I　will　never　escape　secretly　and　like　a　thief。　　When　the　people　are　all　gathered　out　there　in　the　streets；　I　can　go　forth　more　honourably　than　if　I　did　so　surreptitiously。〃　　Then　he　followed　her　into　the　little　room。　　The　damsel；　who　was　kind；　secured　and　bestowed　upon　him　all　that　he　desired。　　And　when　the　opportunity　arose；　she　remembered　what　he　had　said　to　her　how　he　had　been　pleased　by　what　he　saw　when　they　were　seeking　him　in　the　room　with　intent　to　kill　him。

（Vv。　1589…1652。）　　The　damsel　stood　in　such　favour　with　her　lady　that　she　had　no　fear　of　telling　her　anything；　regardless　of　the　consequences；　for　she　was　her　confidante　and　companion。　　Then；　why　should　she　be　backward　in　comforting　her　lady　and　in　giving　her　advice　which　should　redound　to　her　honour？　　The　first　time　she　said　to　her　privily：　〃My　lady；　I　greatly　marvel　to　see　you　act　so　extravagantly。　　Do　you　think　you　can　recover　your　lord　by　giving　away　thus　to　your　grief？〃　　〃Nay；　rather；　if　I　had　my　wish；〃　says　she；　〃I　would　now　be　dead　of　grief。〃　　〃And　why？〃　　〃In　order　to　follow　after　him。〃　　〃After　him？　　God　forbid；　and　give　you　again　as　good　a　lord；　as　is　consistent　with　His　might。〃　　〃Thou　didst　never　speak　such　a　lie　as　that；　for　He　could　never　give　me　so　good　a　lord　again。〃　　〃He　will　give　you　a　better　one；　if　you　will　accept　him；　and　I　can　prove　it。〃　　〃Begone！　　Peace！　　I　shall　never　find　such　a　one。〃　　〃Indeed　you　shall；　my　lady；　if　you　will　consent。　　Just　tell　me；　if　you　will；　who　is　going　to　defend　your　land　when　King　Arthur　comes　next　week　to　the　margin　of　the　spring？　　You　have　already　been　apprised　of　this　by　letters　sent　you　by　the　Dameisele　Sauvage。　　Alas；　what　a　kind　service　she　did　for　you！　　you　ought　to　be　considering　how　you　will　defend　your　spring；　and　yet　you　cease　not　to　weep！　　If　it　please　you；　my　dear　lady；　you　ought　not　to　delay。　　For　surely；　all　the　knights　you　have　are　not　worth；　as　you　well　know；　so　much　as　a　single　chamber…maid。　　Neither　shield　nor　lance　will　ever　be　taken　in　hand　by　the　best　of　them。　　You　have　plenty　of　craven　servants；　but　there　is　not　one　of　them　brave　enough　to　dare　to　mount　a　steed。　　And　the　King　is　coming　with　such　a　host　that　his　victory　will　be　inevitable。〃　　The　lady；　upon　reflection；　knows　very　well　that　she　is　giving　her　sincere　advice；　but　she　is　unreasonable　in　one　respect；　as　also　are　other　women　who　are；　almost　without　exception；　guilty　of　their　own　folly；　and　refuse　to　accept　what　they　really　wish。　　〃Begone；〃　she　says；　〃leave　me　alone。　　If　I　ever　hear　thee　speak　of　this　again　it　will　go　hard　with　thee；　unless　thou　flee。　　Thou　weariest　me　with　thy　idle　words。〃　　〃Very　well；　my　lady；〃　she　says；　〃that　you　are　a　woman　is　evident；　for　woman　will　grow　irate　when　she　hears　any　one　give　her　good　advice。〃

（Vv。　1653…1726。）　　Then　she　went　away　and　left　her　alone。　　And　the　lady　reflected　that　she　had　been　in　the　wrong。　　She　would　have　been　very　glad　to　know　how　the　damsel　could　ever　prove　that　it　would　be　possible　to　find　a　better　knight　than　her　lord　had　ever　been。　　She　would　be　very　glad　to　hear　her　speak；　but　now　she　has　forbidden　her。　　With　this　desire　in　mind；　she　waited　until　she　returned。　　But　the　warning　was　of　no　avail；　for　she　began　to　say　to　her　at　once：　〃My　lady；　is　it　seemly　that　you　should　thus　torment　yourself　with　grief？　　For　God's　sake　now　control　yourself；　and　for　shame；　at　least；　cease　your　lament。　　It　is　not　fitting　that　so　great　a　lady　should　keep　up　her　grief　so　long。　Remember　your　honourable　estate　and　your　very　gentle　birth！　　Think　you　that　all　virtue　ceased　with　the　death　of　your　lord？　　There　are　in　the　world　a　hundred　as　good　or　better　men。〃　　〃May　God　confound　me；　if　thou　dost　not　lie！　　Just　name　to　me　a　single　one　who　is　reputed　to　be　so　excellent　as　my　lord　was　all　his　life。〃　　〃If　I　did　so　you　would　be　angry　with　me；　and　would　fly　into　a　passion　and　you　would　esteem　me　less。〃　　〃No；　I　will　not；　I　assure　thee。〃　　〃Then　may　it　all　be　for　your　future　welfare　if　you　would　but　consent；　and　may　God　so　incline　your　will！　　I　see　no　reason　for　holding　my　peace；　for　no　one　hears　or　heeds　what　we　say。　　Doubtless　you　will　thi