four arthurian romances-第61部分

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　keep　mine。　　If　you　wish　to　possess　my　love；　and　if　you　have　any　regard　for　me；　remember　to　come　back　again　at　the　latest　a　year　from　the　present　date　a　week　after　St。　John's　day；　for　to…day　is　the　eighth　day　since　that　feast。　　You　will　be　checkmated　of　my　love　if　you　are　not　restored　to　me　on　that　day。〃

（Vv。　2579…2635。）　　My　lord　Yvain　weeps　and　sighs　so　bitterly　that　he　can　hardly　find　words　to　say：　〃My　lady；　this　date　is　indeed　a　long　way　off。　　If　I　could　be　a　dove；　whenever　the　fancy　came　to　me；　I　should　often　rejoin　you　here。　　And　I　pray　God　that　in　His　pleasure　He　may　not　detain　me　so　long　away。　　But　sometimes　a　man　intends　speedily　to　return　who　knows　not　what　the　future　has　in　store　for　him。　　And　I　know　not　what　will　be　my　fateperhaps　some　urgency　of　sickness　or　imprisonment　may　keep　me　back：　you　are　unjust　in　not　making　an　exception　at　least　of　actual　hindrance。〃　　〃My　lord；〃　says　she；　〃I　will　make　that　exception。　And　yet　I　dare　to　promise　you　that；　if　God　deliver　you　from　death；　no　hindrance　will　stand　in　your　way　so　long　as　you　remember　me。　　So　put　on　your　finger　now　this　ring　of　mine；　which　I　lend　to　you。　　And　I　will　tell　you　all　about　the　stone：　no　true　and　loyal　lover　can　be　imprisoned　or　lose　any　blood；　nor　can　any　harm　befall　him；　provided　he　carry　it　and　hold　it　dear；　and　keep　his　sweetheart　in　mind。　　You　will　become　as　hard　as　iron；　and　it　will　serve　you　as　shield　and　hauberk。　　I　have　never　before　been　willing　to　lend　or　entrust　it　to　any　knight；　but　to　you　I　give　it　because　of　my　affection　for　you。〃　　Now　my　lord　Yvain　is　free　to　go；　but　he　weeps　bitterly　on　taking　leave。　　The　King；　however；　would　not　tarry　longer　for　anything　that　might　be　said：　rather　was　he　anxious　to　have　the　palfreys　brought　all　equipped　and　bridled。　　They　acceded　at　once　to　his　desire；　bringing　the　palfreys　forth；　so　that　it　remained　only　to　mount。　　I　do　not　know　whether　I　ought　to　tell　you　how　my　lord　Yvain　took　his　leave；　and　of　the　kisses　bestowed　on　him；　mingled　with　tears　and　steeped　in　sweetness。　　And　what　shall　I　tell　you　about　the　King　how　the　lady　escorts　him；　accompanied　by　her　damsels　and　seneschal？　　All　this　would　require　too　much　time。　　When　he　sees　the　lady's　tears；　the　King　implores　her　to　come　no　farther；　but　to　return　to　her　abode。　He　begged　her　with　such　urgency　that；　heavy　at　heart；　she　turned　about　followed　by　her　company。

（Vv。　2639…2773。）　　My　lord　Yvain　is　so　distressed　to　leave　his　lady　that　his　heart　remains　behind。　　The　King　may　take　his　body　off；　but　he　cannot　lead　his　heart　away。　　She　who　stays　behind　clings　so　tightly　to　his　heart　that　the　King　has　not　the　power　to　take　it　away　with　him。　　When　the　body　is　left　without　the　heart　it　cannot　possibly　live　on。　　For　such　a　marvel　was　never　seen　as　the　body　alive　without　the　heart。　　Yet　this　marvel　now　came　about：　for　he　kept　his　body　without　the　heart；　which　was　wont　to　be　enclosed　in　it；　but　which　would　not　follow　the　body　now。　　The　heart　has　a　good　abiding…place；　while　the　body；　hoping　for　a　safe　return　to　its　heart；　in　strange　fashion　takes　a　new　heart　of　hope；　which　is　so　often　deceitful　and　treacherous。　　He　will　never　know　in　advance；　I　think；　the　hour　when　this　hope　will　play　him　false；　for　if　he　overstays　by　single　day　the　term　which　he　has　agreed　upon；　it　will　be　hard　for　him　to　gain　again　his　lady's　pardon　and　goodwill。　　Yet　I　think　he　will　overstay　the　term；　for　my　lord　Gawain　will　not　allow　him　to　part　from　him；　as　together　they　go　to　joust　wherever　tournaments　are　held。　　And　as　the　year　passes　by　my　lord　Yvain　had　such　success　that　my　lord　Gawain　strove　to　honour　him；　and　caused　him　to　delay　so　long　that　all　the　first　year　slipped　by；　and　it　came　to　the　middle　of　August　of　the　ensuing　year；　when　the　King　held　court　at　Chester；　whither　they　had　returned　the　day　before　from　a　tournament　where　my　lord　Yvain　had　been　and　where　he　had　won　the　glory　and　the　story　tells　how　the　two　companions　were　unwilling　to　lodge　in　the　town；　but　had　their　tents　set　up　outside　the　city；　and　held　court　there。　For　they　never　went　to　the　royal　court；　but　the　King　came　rather　to　join　in　theirs；　for　they　had　the　best　knights；　and　the　greatest　number；　in　their　company。　　Now　King　Arthur　was　seated　in　their　midst；　when　Yvain　suddenly　had　a　thought　which　surprised　him　more　than　any　that　had　occurred　to　him　since　he　had　taken　leave　of　his　lady；　for　he　realised　that　he　had　broken　his　word；　and　that　the　limit　of　his　leave　was　already　exceeded。　　He　could　hardly　keep　back　his　tears；　but　he　succeeded　in　doing　so　from　shame。　　He　was　still　deep　in　thought　when　he　saw　a　damsel　approaching　rapidly　upon　a　black　palfrey　with　white　forefeet。　　As　she　got　down　before　the　tent　no　one　helped　her　to　dismount；　and　no　one　went　to　take　her　horse。　　As　soon　as　she　made　out　the　King；　she　let　her　mantle　fall；　and　thus　displayed　she　entered　the　tent　and　came　before　the　King；　announcing　that　her　mistress　sent　greetings　to　the　King；　and　to　my　lord　Gawain　and　all　the　other　knights；　except　Yvain；　that　disloyal　traitor；　liar；　hypocrite；　who　had　deserted　her　deceitfully。　　〃She　has　seen　clearly　the　treachery　of　him　who　pretended　he　was　a　faithful　lover　while　he　was　a　false　and　treacherous　thief。　　This　thief　has　traduced　my　lady；　who　was　all　unprepared　for　any　evil；　and　to　whom　it　never　occurred　that　he　would　steal　her　heart　away。　　Those　who　love　truly　do　not　steal　hearts　away；　there　are；　however；　some　men；　by　whom　these　former　are　called　thieves；　who　themselves　go　about　deceitfully　making　love；　but　in　whom　there　is　no　real　knowledge　of　the　matter。　　The　lover　takes　his　lady's　heart；　of　course；　but　he　does　not　run　away　with　it；　rather　does　he　treasure　it　against　those　thieves　who；　in　the　guise　of　honourable　men；　would　steal　it　from　him。　　But　those　are　deceitful　and　treacherous　thieves　who　vie　with　one　another　in　stealing　hearts　for　which　they　care　nothing。　　The　true　lover；　wherever　he　may　go；　holds　the　heart　dear　and　brings　it　back　again。　　But　Yvain　has　caused　my　lady's　death；　for　she　supposed　that　he　would　guard　her　heart　for　her；　and　would　bring　it　back　again　before　the　year　elapsed。　　Yvain；　thou　wast　of　short　memory　when　thou　couldst　not　remember　to　return　to　thy　mistress　within　a　year。　　She　gave　thee　thy　liberty　until　St。　John's　day；　and　thou　settest　so　little　store　by　her　that　never　since　has　a　thought　of　her　crossed　thy　mind。　　My　lady　had　marked　every　day　in　her　chamber；　as　the　seasons　passed：　for　when　one　is　in　love；　one　is　ill　at　ease　and　cannot　get　any　restful　sleep；　but　all　night　long　must　needs　count　and　reckon　up　the　days　as　they　come　and　go。　　Dost　thou　know　how　lovers　spend　their　time？　　They　keep　count　of　the　time　and　the　season。　　Her　complaint　is　not　presented　prematurely　or　without　cause；　and　I　am　not　accusing　him　in　any　way；　but　I　simply　say　that　we　have　been　~　betrayed　by　him　who　married　my　lady。　　Yvain；　my　mistress　has　no　further　care　for　thee；　but　sends　thee　word　by　me　never　to　come　back　to　her；　and　no　longer　to　keep　her　ring。　　She　bids　thee　send　it　back　to　her　by　me；　whom　thou　seest　present　here。　　Surrender　it　now；　as　thou　art　bound　to　do。〃

（Vv。　2774…3230。）　　Senseless　and　deprived　of　speech；　Yvain　is　unable　to　reply。　　And　the　damsel　steps　forth　and　takes　the　ring　from　his　finger；　commending　to　God　the　King　and　all　the　others　except　him；　whom　she　leaves　in　deep　distress。　　And　his　sorrow　grows　on　him：　he　feels　oppressed　by　what　he　hears；　and　is　tormented　by　what　he　sees。　　He　would　rather　be　banished　alone　in　some　wild　land；　where　no　one　would　know　where　to　seek　for　him；　and　where　no　man　or　woman　would　know　of　his　whereabouts　any　more　than　if　he　were　in　some　deep　abyss。　　He　hates　nothing　so　much　as　he　hates　himself；　nor　does　he　know　to　whom　to　go　for　comfort　in　the　death　he　has　brought　upon　himself。　　But　he　would　rather　go　insane　than　not　take　vengeance　upon　himself；　deprived；　as　he　is；　of　joy　through　his　own　fault。　　He　rises　from　his　place　among　the　knights；　fearing　he　will　lose　his　mind　if　he　stays　longer　in　their　midst。　　On　their　part；　they　pay　no　heed　to　him；　but　let　him　take　his　departure　alone。　　They　know　well　enough　that　he　cares　nothing　for　their　talk　or　their　society。　　And　he　goes　away　until　he　is　far　from　the　tents　and　pavilions。　　Then　such　a　storm　broke　loose　in　his　brain　that　he　loses　his　senses；　he　tears　his　flesh　and；　stripping　off　his　clothes；　he　flees　across　the　meadows　and　fields；　leaving　his　men　quite　at　a　loss；　and　wondering　what　has　become　of　him。　（18）　　They　go　in　search　of　him　through　all　the　country　aroundin　the　lodgings　of　the　knights；　by　the　hedgerows；　and　in　the　gardensbut　they　seek　him　where　he　is　not　to　be　found。　　Still　fleeing；　he　rapidly　pursued　his　way　until　he　met　close　by　a　park　a　lad　who　had　in　his　hand　a　bow　and　five　barbed　arrows；　which　were　very　sharp　and　broad。　　He　had　sense　enough　to　go　and　take　the　bow　and　arrows　which　he　held。　　However；　he　had　no　recollection　of　anything　that　he　had　done。　　He　lies　in　wait　for　the　beasts　in　the　woods；　killing　them；　and　then　eating　the　venison　raw。　　Thus　he　dwelt　in　the　forest　like　a　madman　or　a　savage；　until　he　came　upon　a　little；　low…lying　house　belonging　to　a　hermit；　who　was　at　work　clearing　his　ground。　　When　he　saw　him　coming　with　nothing　on；　he　could　easily　perceive　that　he　was　not　in　his　right　mind；　and　such　was　the　case；　as　the　hermit　very　well　knew。　　So；　in　fear；　he　shut　himself　up　in　his　little　house；　and　taking　some　bread　and　fresh　water；　he　charitably　set　it　outside　the　house　on　a　narrow　window…ledge。　　And　thither　the　other　comes；　hungry　for　the　bread　which　he　takes　and　eats。　　I　do　not　believe　that　he　ever　before　had　tasted　such　hard　and　bitter　bread。　　The　measure　of　barley　kneaded　with　the　straw；　of　which　the　bread；　sourer　than　yeast；　was　made；　had　not　cost　more　than　five　sous；　and　the　bread　was　musty　and　as　dry　as　bark。　　But　hunger　torments　and　whets　his　appetite；　so　that　the　bread　tasted　to　him　like　sauce。　　For　hunger　is　itself　a　well　mixed　and　concocted　sauce　for　any　food。　　My　lord　Yvain　soon　ate　the　hermit's　bread；　which　tasted　good　to　him；　and　drank　the　cool　water　from　the　jar。　　When　he　had　eaten；　he　betook　himself　again　to　the　woods　in　search　of　stags　and　does。　　And　when　he　sees　him　going　away；　the　good　man　beneath　his　roof　prays　God　to　defend　him　and　guard　him　lest　he　ever　pass　that　way　again。　　But　there　is　no　creature；