four arthurian romances-第62部分

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　prays　God　to　defend　him　and　guard　him　lest　he　ever　pass　that　way　again。　　But　there　is　no　creature；　with　howsoever　little　sense；　that　will　not　gladly　return　to　a　place　where　he　is　kindly　treated。　　So；　not　a　day　passed　while　he　was　in　this　mad　fit　that　he　did　not　bring　to　his　door　some　wild　game。　Such　was　the　life　he　led；　and　the　good　man　took　it　upon　himself　to　remove　the　skin　and　set　a　good　quantity　of　the　venison　to　cook；　and　the　bread　and　the　water　in　the　jug　was　always　standing　on　the　window…ledge　for　the　madman　to　make　a　meal。　　Thus　he　had　something　to　eat　and　drink：　venison　without　salt　or　pepper；　and　good　cool　water　from　the　spring。　　And　the　good　man　exerted　himself　to　sell　the　hide　and　buy　bread　made　of　barley；　or　oats；　or　of　some　other　grain；　so；　after　that；　Yvain　had　a　plentiful　supply　of　bread　and　venison；　which　sufficed　him　for　a　long　time；　until　one　day　he　was　found　asleep　in　the　forest　by　two　damsels　and　their　mistress；　in　whose　service　they　were。　　When　they　saw　the　naked　man；　one　of　the　three　ran　and　dismounted　and　examined　him　closely；　before　she　saw　anything　about　him　which　would　serve　to　identify　him。　　If　he　had　only　been　richly　attired；　as　he　had　been　many　a　time；　and　if　she　could　have　seen　him　then　she　would　have　known　him　quickly　enough。　　But　she　was　slow　to　recognise　him；　and　continued　to　look　at　him　until　at　last　she　noticed　a　scar　which　he　had　on　his　face；　and　she　recollected　that　my　lord　Yvain's　face　was　scarred　in　this　same　way；　she　was　sure　of　it；　for　she　had　often　seen　it。　　Because　of　the　scar　she　saw　that　it　was　he　beyond　any　doubt；　but　she　marvelled　greatly　how　it　came　about　that　she　found　him　thus　poor　and　stripped。　　Often　she　crosses　herself　in　amazement；　but　she　does　not　touch　him　or　wake　him　up；　rather　does　she　mount　her　horse　again；　and　going　back　to　the　others；　tells　them　tearfully　of　her　adventure。　　I　do　not　know　if　I　ought　to　delay　to　tell　you　of　the　grief　she　showed；　but　thus　she　spoke　weeping　to　her　mistress：　〃My　lady；　I　have　found　Yvain；　who　has　proved　himself　to　be　the　best　knight　in　the　world；　and　the　most　virtuous。　　I　cannot　imagine　what　sin　has　reduced　the　gentleman　to　such　a　plight。　　I　think　he　must　have　had　some　misfortune；　which　causes　him　thus　to　demean　himself；　for　one　may　lose　his　wits　through　grief。　　And　any　one　can　see　that　he　is　not　in　his　right　mind；　for　it　would　surely　never　be　like　him　to　conduct　himself　thus　indecently　unless　he　had　lost　his　mind。　Would　that　God　had　restored　to　him　the　best　sense　he　ever　had；　and　would　that　he　might　then　consent　to　render　assistance　to　your　cause！　　For　Count　Alier；　who　is　at　war　with　you；　has　made　upon　you　a　fierce　attack。　　I　should　see　the　strife　between　you　two　quickly　settled　in　your　favour　if　God　favoured　your　fortunes　so　that　he　should　return　to　his　senses　and　undertake　to　aid　you　in　this　stress。〃　　To　this　the　lady　made　reply：　〃Take　care　now！　　For　surely；　if　he　does　not　escape；　with　God's　help　I　think　we　can　clear　his　head　of　all　the　madness　and　insanity。　　But　we　must　be　on　our　way　at　once！　　For　I　recall　a　certain　ointment　with　which　Morgan　the　Wise　presented　me；　saying　there　was　no　delirium　of　the　head　which　it　would　not　cure。〃　　Thereupon；　they　go　off　at　once　toward　the　town；　which　was　hard　by；　for　it　was　not　any　more　than　half　a　league　of　the　kind　they　have　in　that　country；　and；　as　compared　with　ours；　two　of　their　leagues　make　one　and　four　make　two。　　And　he　remains　sleeping　all　alone；　while　the　lady　goes　to　fetch　the　ointment。　　The　lady　opens　a　case　of　hers；　and；　taking　out　a　box；　gives　it　to　the　damsel；　and　charges　her　not　to　be　too　prodigal　in　its　use：　she　should　rub　only　his　temples　with　it；　for　there　is　no　use　of　applying　it　elsewhere；　she　should　anoint　only　his　temples　with　it；　and　the　remainder　she　should　carefully　keep；　for　there　is　nothing　the　matter　with　him　except　in　his　brain。　　She　sends　him　also　a　robe　of　spotted　fur；　a　coat；　and　a　mantle　of　scarlet　silk。　　The　damsel　takes　them；　and　leads　in　her　right　hand　an　excellent　palfrey。　　And　she　added　to　these；　of　her　own　store；　a　shirt；　some　soft　hose；　and　some　new　drawers　of　proper　cut。　　With　all　these　things　she　quickly　set　out；　and　found　him　still　asleep　where　she　had　left　him。　　After　putting　her　horse　in　an　enclosure　where　she　tied　him　fast；　she　came　with　the　clothes　and　the　ointment　to　the　place　where　he　was　asleep。　　Then　she　made　so　bold　as　to　approach　the　madman；　so　that　she　could　touch　and　handle　him：　then　taking　the　ointment　she　rubbed　him　with　it　until　none　remained　in　the　box；　being　so　solicitous　for　his　recovery　that　she　proceeded　to　anoint　him　all　over　with　it；　and　she　used　it　so　freely　that　she　heeded　not　the　warning　of　her　mistress；　nor　indeed　did　she　remember　it。　　She　put　more　on　than　was　needed；　but　in　her　opinion　it　was　well　employed。　　She　rubbed　his　temples　and　forehead；　and　his　whole　body　down　to　the　ankles。　　She　rubbed　his　temples　and　his　whole　body　so　much　there　in　the　hot　sunshine　that　the　madness　and　the　depressing　gloom　passed　completely　out　of　his　brain。　　But　she　was　foolish　to　anoint　his　body；　for　of　that　there　was　no　need。　　If　she　had　had　five　measures　of　it　she　would　doubtless　have　done　the　same　thing。　　She　carries　off　the　box；　and　takes　hidden　refuge　by　her　horse。　　But　she　leaves　the　robe　behind；　wishing　that；　if　God　calls　him　back　to　life；　he　may　see　it　all　laid　out；　and　may　take　it　and　put　it　on。　　She　posts　herself　behind　an　oak　tree　until　he　had　slept　enough；　and　was　cured　and　quite　restored；　having　regained　his　wits　and　memory。　Then　he　sees　that　he　is　as　naked　as　ivory；　and　feels　much　ashamed；　but　he　would　have　been　yet　more　ashamed　had　he　known　what　had　happened。　　As　it　is；　he　knows　nothing　but　that　he　is　naked。　　He　sees　the　new　robe　lying　before　him；　and　marvels　greatly　how　and　by　what　adventure　it　had　come　there。　　But　he　is　ashamed　and　concerned；　because　of　his　nakedness；　and　says　that　he　is　dead　and　utterly　undone　if　any　one　has　come　upon　him　there　and　recognised　him。　　Meanwhile；　he　clothes　himself　and　looks　out　into　the　forest　to　see　if　any　one　was　approaching。　　He　tries　to　stand　up　and　support　himself；　but　cannot　summon　the　strength　to　walk　away；　for　his　sickness　has　so　affected　him　that　he　can　scarcely　stand　upon　his　feet。　　Thereupon；　the　damsel　resolves　to　wait　no　longer；　but；　mounting；　she　passed　close　by　him；　as　if　unaware　of　his　presence。　　Quite　indifferent　as　to　whence　might　come　the　help；　which　he　needed　so　much　to　lead　him　away　to　some　lodging…　place；　where　he　might　recruit　his　strength；　he　calls　out　to　her　with　all　his　might。　　And　the　damsel；　for　her　part；　looks　about　her　as　if　not　knowing　what　the　trouble　is。　　Confused；　she　goes　hither　and　thither；　not　wishing　to　go　straight　up　to　him。　　Then　he　begins　to　call　again：　〃Damsel；　come　this　way；　here！〃　　And　the　damsel　guided　toward　him　her　soft…stepping　palfrey。　　By　this　ruse　she　made　him　think　that　she　knew　nothing　of　him　and　had　never　seen　him　before；　in　so　doing　she　was　wise　and　courteous。　　When　she　had　come　before　him；　she　said：　〃Sir　knight；　what　do　you　desire　that　you　call　me　so　insistently？〃　　〃Ah；〃　said　he。　〃prudent　damsel；　I　have　found　myself　in　this　wood　by　some　mishapI　know　not　what。　　For　God's　sake　and　your　belief　in　Him；　I　pray　you　to　lend　me；　taking　my　word　as　pledge；　or　else　to　give　me　outright；　that　palfrey　you　are　leading　in　your　hand。〃　　〃Gladly；　sire：　but　you　must　accompany　me　whither　I　am　going。〃　　〃Which　way？〃　says　he。　〃To　a　town　that　stands　near　by；　beyond　the　forest。〃　〃Tell　me；　damsel；　if　you　stand　in　need　of　me。〃　　〃Yes；〃　she　says；　〃I　do；　but　I　think　you　are　not　very　well。　　For　the　next　two　weeks　at　least　you　ought　to　rest。　　Take　this　horse；　which　I　hold　in　my　right　hand；　and　we　shall　go　to　our　lodging…place。〃　　And　he；　who　had　no　other　desire；　takes　it　and　mounts；　and　they　proceed　until　they　come　to　a　bridge　over　a　swift　and　turbulent　stream。　　And　the　damsel　throws　into　the　water　the　empty　box　she　is　carrying；　thinking　to　excuse　herself　to　her　mistress　for　her　ointment　by　saying　that　she　was　so　unlucky　as　to　let　the　box　fall　into　the　water　for；　when　her　palfrey　stumbled　under　her；　the　box　slipped　from　her　gasp；　and　she　came　near　falling　in　too；　which　would　have　been　still　worse　luck。　　It　is　her　intention　to　invent　this　story　when　she　comes　into　her　mistress'　presence。　　Together　they　held　their　way　until　they　came　to　the　town；　where　the　lady　detained　my　lord　Yvain　and　asked　her　damsel　in　private　for　her　box　and　ointment：　and　the　damsel　repeated　to　her　the　lie　as　she　had　invented　it；　not　daring　to　tell　her　the　truth。　　Then　the　lady　was　greatly　enraged；　and　said：　〃This　is　certainly　a　very　serious　loss；　and　I　am　sure　and　certain　that　the　box　will　never　be　found　again。　　But　since　it　has　happened　so；　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　done　about　it。　　One　often　desires　a　blessing　which　turns　out　to　be　a　curse；　thus　I；　who　looked　for　a　blessing　and　joy　from　this　knight；　have　lost　the　dearest　and　most　precious　of　my　possessions。　　However；　I　beg　you　to　serve　him　in　all　respects。〃　〃Ah；　lady；　how　wisely　now　you　speak！　　For　it　would　be　too　bad　to　convert　one　misfortune　into　two。〃

（Vv。　3131…3254。）　　Then　they　say　no　more　about　the　box；　but　minister　in　every　way　they　can　to　the　comfort　of　my　lord　Yvain；　bathing　him　and　washing　his　hair；　having　him　shaved　and　clipped；　for　one　could　have　taken　up　a　fist　full　of　hair　upon　his　face。　His　every　want　is　satisfied：　if　he　asks　for　arms；　they　are　furnished　him：　if　he　wants　a　horse；　they　provide　him　with　one　that　is　large　and　handsome；　strong　and　spirited。　　He　stayed　there　until；　upon　a　Tuesday；　Count　Alier　came　to　the　town　with　his　men　and　knights；　who　started　fires　and　took　plunder。　　Those　in　the　town　at　once　rose　up　and　equipped　themselves　with　arms。　　Some　armed　and　some　unarmed；　they　issued　forth　to　meet　the　plunderers；　who　did　not　deign　to　retreat　before　them；　but　awaited　them　in　a　narrow　pass。　　My　lord　Yvain　struck　at　the　crowd；　he　had　had　so　long　a　rest　that　his　strength　was　quite　restored；　and　he　struck　a　knight　upon　his　shield　with　such　force　that　he　sent　down　in　a　heap；　I　think；　the　knight　together　with　his　horse。　　The　knight　never　rose　again；　for　his　backbone　was　broken　and　his　heart　burst　within　his　breast。　　My　lord　Yvain　drew　back　a　little　to　recover。　Then　protecting　himself　completely　with　his　shield；　he　spurred　forward　to　clear　the　pass。　　One　co