four arthurian romances-第63部分

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r。　Then　protecting　himself　completely　with　his　shield；　he　spurred　forward　to　clear　the　pass。　　One　could　not　have　counted　up　to　four　before　one　would　have　seen　him　cast　down　speedily　four　knights。　Whereupon；　those　who　were　with　him　waxed　more　brave；　for　many　a　man　of　poor　and　timid　heart；　at　the　sight　of　some　brave　man　who　attacks　a　dangerous　task　before　his　eves；　will　be　overwhelmed　by　confusion　and　shame；　which　will　drive　out　the　poor　heart　in　his　body　and　give　him　another　like　to　a　hero's　for　courage。　　So　these　men　grew　brave　and　each　stood　his　ground　in　the　fight　and　attack。　And　the　lady　was　up　in　the　tower；　whence　she　saw　the　fighting　and　the　rush　to　win　and　gain　possession　of　the　pass；　and　she　saw　lying　upon　the　ground　many　who　were　wounded　and　many　killed；　both　of　her　own　party　and　of　the　enemy；　but　more　of　the　enemy　than　of　her　own。　　For　my　courteous；　bold；　and　excellent　lord　Yvain　made　them　yield　just　as　a　falcon　does　the　teal。　　And　the　men　and　women　who　had　remained　within　the　town　declared　as　they　watched　the　strife：　〃Ah；　what　a　valiant　knight！　　How　he　makes　his　enemies　yield；　and　how　fierce　is　his　attack！　　He　was　about　him　as　a　lion　among　the　fallow　deer；　when　he　is　impelled　by　need　and　hunger。　Then；　too；　all　our　other　knights　are　more　brave　and　daring　because　of　him；　for；　were　it　not　for　him　alone；　not　a　lance　would　have　been　splintered　nor　a　sword　drawn　to　strike。　　When　such　an　excellent　man　is　found　he　ought　to　be　loved　and　dearly　prized。　See　now　how　he　proves　himself；　see　how　he　maintains　his　place；　see　how　he　stains　with　blood　his　lance　and　bare　sword；　see　how　he　presses　the　enemy　and　follows　them　up；　how　he　comes　boldly　to　attack　them；　then　gives　away　and　turns　about；　but　he　spends　little　time　in　giving　away；　and　soon　returns　to　the　attack。　　See　him　in　the　fray　again；　how　lightly　he　esteems　his　shield；　which　he　allows　to　be　cut　in　pieces　mercilessly。　　Just　see　how　keen　he　is　to　avenge　the　blows　which　are　dealt　at　him。　　For；　if　some　one　should　use　all　the　forest　of　Argone　（19）　to　make　lances　for　him；　I　guess　he　would　have　none　left　by　night。　　For　he　breaks　all　the　lances　that　they　place　in　his　socket；　and　calls　for　more。　　And　see　how　he　wields　the　sword　when　he　draws　it！　　Roland　never　wrought　such　havoc　with　Durendal　against　the　Turks　at　Ronceval　or　in　Spain！　（20）　　If　he　had　in　his　company　some　good　companions　like　himself；　the　traitor；　whose　attack　we　are　suffering；　would　retreat　today　discomfited；　or　would　stand　his　ground　only　to　find　defeat。〃　　Then　they　say　that　the　woman　would　be　blessed　who　should　be　loved　by　one　who　is　so　powerful　in　arms；　and　who　above　all　others　may　be　recognised　as　a　taper　among　candles；　as　a　moon　among　the　stars；　and　as　the　sun　above　the　moon。　　He　so　won　the　hearts　of　all　that　the　prowess　which　they　see　in　him　made　them　wish　that　he　had　taken　their　lady　to　wife；　and　that　he　were　master　of　the　land。

（Vv。　3255…3340。）　　Thus　men　and　women　alike　praised　him；　and　in　doing　so　they　but　told　the　truth。　　For　his　attack　on　his　adversaries　was　such　that　they　vie　with　one　another　in　flight。　But　he　presses　hard　upon　their　heels；　and　all　his　companions　follow　him；　for　by　his　side　they　feel　as　safe　as　if　they　were　enclosed　in　a　high　and　thick　stone　wall。　　The　pursuit　continues　until　those　who　flee　become　exhausted；　and　the　pursuers　slash　at　them　and　disembowel　their　steeds。　　The　living　roll　over　upon　the　dead　as　they　wound　and　kill　each　other。　　They　work　dreadful　destruction　upon　each　other；　and　meanwhile　the　Count　flees　with　my　lord　Yvain　after　him；　until　he　comes　up　with　him　at　the　foot　of　a　steep　ascent；　near　the　entrance　of　a　strong　place　which　belonged　to　the　Count。　　There　the　Count　was　stopped；　with　no　one　near　to　lend　him　aid；　and　without　any　excessive　parley　my　lord　Yvain　received　his　surrender。　　For　as　soon　as　he　held　him　in　his　hands；　and　they　were　left　just　man　to　man；　there　was　no　further　possibility　of　escape；　or　of　yielding；　or　of　self…defence；　so　the　Count　pledged　his　word　to　go　to　surrender　to　the　lady　of　Noroison　as　her　prisoner；　and　to　make　such　peace　as　she　might　dictate。　　And　when　he　had　accepted　his　word　he　made　him　disarm　his　head　and　remove　the　shield　from　about　his　neck；　and　the　Count　surrendered　to　him　his　sword。　　Thus　he　won　the　honour　of　leading　off　the　Count　as　his　prisoner；　and　of　giving　him　over　to　his　enemies；　who　make　no　secret　of　their　joy。　　But　the　news　was　carried　to　the　town　before　they　themselves　arrived。　　While　all　come　forth　to　meet　them；　the　lady　herself　leads　the　way。　　My　lord　Yvain　holds　his　prisoner　by　the　hand；　and　presents　him　to　her。　　The　Count　gladly　acceded　to　her　wishes　and　demands；　and　secured　her　by　his　word；　oath；　and　pledges。　　Giving　her　pledges；　he　swears　to　her　that　he　will　always　live　on　peaceful　terms　with　her；　and　will　make　good　to　her　all　the　loss　which　she　can　prove；　and　will　build　up　again　the　houses　which　he　had　destroyed。　　When　these　things　were　agreed　upon　in　accordance　with　the　lady's　wish；　my　lord　Yvain　asked　leave　to　depart。　　But　she　would　not　have　granted　him　this　permission　had　he　been　willing　to　take　her　as　his　mistress。　or　to　marry　her。　　But　he　would　not　allow　himself　to　be　followed　or　escorted　a　single　step；　but　rather　departed　hastily：　in　this　case　entreaty　was　of　no　avail。　　So　he　started　out　to　retrace　his　path；　leaving　the　lady　much　chagrined；　whose　joy　he　had　caused　a　while　before。　　When　he　will　not　tarry　longer　she　is　the　more　distressed　and　ill　at　ease　in　proportion　to　the　happiness　he　had　brought　to　her；　for　she　would　have　wished　to　honour　him；　and　would　have　made　him；　with　his　consent；　lord　of　all　her　possessions；　or　else　she　would　have　paid　him　for　his　services　whatever　sum　he　might　have　named。　　But　he　would　not　heed　any　word　of　man　or　woman。　　Despite　their　grief　he　left　the　knights　and　the　lady　who　vainly　tried　to　detain　him　longer。

（Vv。　3341…3484。）　　Pensively　my　lord　Yvain　proceeded　through　a　deep　wood；　until　he　heard　among　the　trees　a　very　loud　and　dismal　cry；　and　he　turned　in　the　direction　whence　it　seemed　to　come。　　And　when　he　had　arrived　upon　the　spot　he　saw　in　a　cleared　space　a　lion；　and　a　serpent　which　held　him　by　the　tail；　burning　his　hind…　quarters　with　flames　of　fire。　　My　lord　Yvain　did　not　gape　at　this

strange　spectacle；　but　took　counsel　with　himself　as　to　which　of　the　two　he　should　aid。　　Then　he　says　that　he　will　succour　the　lion；　for　a　treacherous　and　venomous　creature　deserves　to　be　harmed。　　Now　the　serpent　is　poisonous；　and　fire　bursts　forth　from　its　mouthso　full　of　wickedness　is　the　creature。　　So　my　lord　Yvain　decides　that　he　will　kill　the　serpent　first。　　Drawing　his　sword　he　steps　forward；　holding　the　shield　before　his　face　in　order　not　to　be　harmed　by　the　flame　emerging　from　the　creature's　throat；　which　was　larger　than　a　pot。　　If　the　lion　attacks　him　next；　he　too　shall　have　all　the　fight　he　wishes；　but　whatever　may　happen　afterwards　he　makes　up　his　mind　to　help　him　now。　　For　pity　urges　him　and　makes　request　that　he　should　bear　succour　and　aid　to　the　gentle　and　noble　beast。　　With　his　sword；　which　cuts　so　clean；　he　attacks　the　wicked　serpent；　first　cleaving　him　through　to　the　earth　and　cutting　him　in　two；　then　continuing　his　blows　until　he　reduces　him　to　tiny　bits。　　But　he　had　to　cut　off　a　piece　of　the　lion's　tail　to　get　at　the　serpent's　head；　which　held　the　lion　by　the　tail。　　He　cut　off　only　so　much　as　was　necessary　and　unavoidable。　　When　he　had　set　the　lion　free；　he　supposed　that　he　would　have　to　fight　with　him；　and　that　the　lion　would　come　at　him；　but　the　lion　was　not　minded　so。　　Just　hear　now　what　the　lion　did！　　He　acted　nobly　and　as　one　well…bred；　for　he　began　to　make　it　evident　that　he　yielded　himself　to　him；　by　standing　upon　his　two　hind…feet　and　bowing　his　face　to　the　earth；　with　his　fore…feet　joined　and　stretched　out　toward　him。　　Then　he　fell　on　his　knees　again；　and　all　his　face　was　wet　with　the　tears　of　humility。　My　lord　Yvain　knows　for　a　truth　that　the　lion　is　thanking　him　and　doing　him　homage　because　of　the　serpent　which　he　had　killed；　thereby　delivering　him　from　death。　　He　was　greatly　pleased　by　this　episode。　　He　cleaned　his　sword　of　the　serpent's　poison　and　filth；　then　he　replaced　it　in　its　scabbard；　and　resumed　his　way。　And　the　lion　walks　close　by　his　side；　unwilling　henceforth　to　part　from　him：　he　will　always　in　future　accompany　him；　eager　to　serve　and　protect　him。　（21）　　He　goes　ahead　until　he　scents　in　the　wind　upon　his　way　some　wild　beasts　feeding；　then　hunger　and　his　nature　prompt　him　to　seek　his　prey　and　to　secure　his　sustenance。　　It　is　his　nature　so　to　do。　　He　started　ahead　a　little　on　the　trail；　thus　showing　his　master　that　he　had　come　upon　and　detected　the　odour　and　scent　of　some　wild　game。　　Then　he　looks　at　him　and　halts；　wishing　to　serve　his　every　wish；　and　unwilling　to　proceed　against　his　will。　　Yvain　understands　by　his　attitude　that　he　is　showing　that　he　awaits　his　pleasure。　　He　perceives　this　and　understands　that　if　he　holds　back　he　will　hold　back　too；　and　that　if　he　follows　him　he　will　seize　the　game　which　he　has　scented。　Then　he　incites　and　cries　to　him；　as　he　would　do　to　hunting…dogs。　At　once　the　lion　directed　his　nose　to　the　scent　which　he　had　detected；　and　by　which　he　was　not　deceived；　for　he　had　not　gone　a　bow…shot　when　he　saw　in　a　valley　a　deer　grazing　all　alone。　　This　deer　he　will　seize；　if　he　has　his　way。　　And　so　he　did；　at　the　first　spring；　and　then　drank　its　blood　still　warm。　　When　he　had　killed　it　he　laid　it　upon　his　back　and　carried　it　back　to　his　master；　who　thereupon　conceived　a　greater　affection　for　him；　and　chose　him　as　a　companion　for　all　his　life；　because　of　the　great　devotion　he　found　in　him。　　It　was　near　nightfall　now；　and　it　seemed　good　to　him　to　spend　the　night　there；　and　strip　from　the　deer　as　much　as　he　cared　to　eat。　　Beginning　to　carve　it　he　splits　the　skin　along　the　rib；　and　taking　a　steak　from　the　loin　he　strikes　from　a　flint　a　spark；　which　he　catches　in　some　dry　brush…　wood；　then　he　quickly　puts　his　steak　upon　a　roasting　spit　to　cook　before　the　fire；　and　roasts　it　until　it　is　quite　cooked　through。　But　there　was　no　pleasure　in　the　meal；　for　there　was　no　bread；　or　wine；　or　salt；　or　cloth；　or　knife；　or　anything　else。　　While　he　was　eating；　the　lion　lay　at　his　feet；　nor　a　movement　did　he　make；　but　watched　him　steadily　until　he　had　eaten　all　that　he　could　eat