four arthurian romances-第65部分

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ood　shelter　and　good　night；　and　protect　you　as　I　desire　from　everything　that　might　do　you　harm！〃　Then　my　lord　Yvain　departs；　and　the　lion　as　usual　after　him。　　They　journeyed　until　they　came　to　a　baron's　fortified　place；　which　was　completely　surrounded　by　a　massive；　strong；　and　high　wall。　　The　castle；　being　extraordinarily　well　protected；　feared　no　assault　of　catapult　or　storming…machine；　but　outside　the　walls　the　ground　was　so　completely　cleared　that　not　a　single　hut　or　dwelling　remained　standing。　　You　will　learn　the　cause　of　this　a　little　later；　when　the　time　comes。　　My　lord　Yvain　made　his　way　directly　toward　the　fortified　place；　and　seven　varlets　came　out　who　lowered　the　bridge　and　advanced　to　meet　him。　　But　they　were　terrified　at　sight　of　the　lion；　which　they　saw　with　him；　and　asked　him　kindly　to　leave　the　lion　at　the　gate　lest　he　should　wound　or　kill　them。　　And　he　replies：　〃Say　no　more　of　that！　　For　I　shall　not　enter　without　him。　　Either　we　shall　both　find　shelter　here　or　else　I　shall　stay　outside；　he　is　as　dear　to　me　as　I　am　myself。　　Yet　you　need　have　no　fear　of　him！　　For　I　shall　keep　him　so　well　in　hand　that　you　may　be　quite　confident。〃　　They　made　answer：　〃Very　well！〃　　Then　they　entered　the　town；　and　passed　on　until　they　met　knights　and　ladies　and　charming　damsels　coming　down　the　street；　who　salute　him　and　wait　to　remove　his　armour　as　they　say：　〃Welcome　to　our　midst；　fair　sire！　　And　may　God　grant　that　you　tarry　here　until　you　may　leave　with　great　honour　and　satisfaction！〃　　High　and　low　alike　extend　to　him　a　glad　welcome；　and　do　all　they　can　for　him；　as　they　joyfully　escort　him　into　the　town。　　But　after　they　had　expressed　their　gladness　they　are　overwhelmed　by　grief；　which　makes　them　quickly　forget　their　joy；　as　they　begin　to　lament　and　weep　and　beat　themselves。　　Thus；　for　a　long　space　of　time；　they　cease　not　to　rejoice　or　make　lament：　it　is　to　honour　their　guest　that　they　rejoice；　but　their　heart　is　not　in　what　they　do；　for　they　are　greatly　worried　over　an　event　which　they　expect　to　take　place　on　the　following　day；　and　they　feel　very　sure　and　certain　that　it　will　come　to　pass　before　midday。　　My　lord　Yvain　was　so　surprised　that　they　so　often　changed　their　mood；　and　mingled　grief　with　their　happiness；　that　he　addressed　the　lord　of　the　place　on　the　subject。　　〃For　God's　sake；〃　he　said；　〃fair　gentle　sir；　will　you　kindly　inform　me　why　you　have　thus　honoured　me；　and　shown　at　once　such　joy　and　such　heaviness？〃　　〃Yes；　if　you　desire　to　know；　but　it　would　be　better　for　you　to　desire　ignorance　and　silence。　　I　will　never　tell　you　willingly　anything　to　cause　you　grief。　　Allow　us　to　continue　to　lament；　and　do　you　pay　no　attention　to　what　we　do！〃　　〃It　would　be　quite　impossible　for　me　to　see　you　sad　and　nor　take　it　upon　my　heart；　so　I　desire　to　know　the　truth；　whatever　chagrin　may　result　to　me。〃　　〃Well；　then；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　tell　you　all。　　I　have　suffered　much　from　a　giant；　who　has　insisted　that　I　should　give　him　my　daughter；　who　surpasses　in　beauty　all　the　maidens　in　the　world。　　This　evil　giant；　whom　may　God　confound；　is　named　Harpin　of　the　Mountain。　　Not　a　day　passes　without　his　taking　all　of　my　possessions　upon　which　he　can　lay　his　hands。　　No　one　has　a　better　right　than　I　to　complain；　and　to　be　sorrowful；　and　to　make　lament。　　I　might　well　lose　my　senses　from　very　grief；　for　I　had　six　sons　who　were　knights；　fairer　than　any　I　knew　in　the　world；　and　the　giant　has　taken　all　six　of　them。　　Before　my　eyes　he　killed　two　of　them；　and　to…morrow　he　will　kill　the　other　four；　unless　I　find　some　one　who　will　dare　to　fight　him　for　the　deliverance　of　my　sons；　or　unless　I　consent　to　surrender　my　daughter　to　him；　and　he　says　that　when　he　has　her　in　his　possession　he　will　give　her　over　to　be　the　sport　of　the　vilest　and　lewdest　fellows　in　his　house；　for　he　would　scorn　to　take　her　now　for　himself。　　That　is　the　disaster　which　awaits　me　to…morrow；　unless　the　Lord　God　grant　me　His　aid。　　So　it　is　no　wonder；　fair　sir；　if　we　are　all　in　tears。　　But　for　your　sake　we　strive　for　the　moment　to　assume　as　cheerful　a　countenance　as　we　can。　　For　he　is　a　fool　who　attracts　a　gentleman　to　his　presence　and　then　does　not　honour　him；　and　you　seem　to　be　a　very　perfect　gentleman。　　Now　I　have　told　you　the　entire　story　of　our　great　distress。　　Neither　in　town　nor　in　fortress　has　the　giant　left　us　anything；　except　what　we　have　here。　　If　you　had　noticed；　you　must　have　seen　this　evening　that　he　has　not　left　us　so　much　as　an　egg；　except　these　walls　which　are　new；　for　he　has　razed　the　entire　town。　　When　he　had　plundered　all　he　wished；　he　set　fire　to　what　remained。　　In　this　way　he　has　done　me　many　an　evil　turn。〃

（Vv。　3899…3956。）　　My　lord　Yvain　listened　to　all　that　his　host　told　him；　and　when　he　had　heard　it　all　he　was　pleased　to　answer　him：　〃Sire；　I　am　sorry　and　distressed　about　this　trouble　of　yours；　but　I　marvel　greatly　that　you　have　not　asked　assistance　at　good　King　Arthur's　court。　　There　is　no　man　so　mighty　that　he　could　not　find　at　his　court　some　who　would　be　glad　to　try　their　strength　with　his。〃　　Then　the　wealthy　man　reveals　and　explains　to　him　that　he　would　have　had　efficient　help　if　he　had　known　where　to　find　my　lord　Gawain。　　〃He　would　not　have　failed　me　upon　this　occasion；　for　my　wife　is　his　own　sister；　but　a　knight　from　a　strange　land；　who　went　to　court　to　seek　the　King's　wife；　has　led　her　away。　　However；　he　could　not　have　gotten　possession　of　her　by　any　means　of　his　own　invention；　had　it　not　been　for　Kay；　who　so　befooled　the　King　that　he　gave　the　Queen　into　his　charge　and　placed　her　under　his　protection。　　He　was　a　fool；　and　she　imprudent　to　entrust　herself　to　his　escort。　　And　I　am　the　one　who　suffers　and　loses　in　all　this；　for　it　is　certain　that　my　excellent　lord　Gawain　would　have　made　haste　to　come　here；　had　he　known　the　facts；　for　the　sake　of　his　nephews　and　his　niece。　　But　he　knows　nothing　of　it；　wherefore　I　am　so　distressed　that　my　heart　is　almost　breaking；　for　he　is　gone　in　pursuit　of　him；　to　whom　may　God　bring　shame　and　woe　for　having　led　the　Queen　away。〃　While　listening　to　this　recital　my　lord　Yvain　does　not　cease　to　sigh。　　Inspired　by　the　pity　which　he　feels；　he　makes　this　reply：　〃Fair　gentle　sire；　I　would　gladly　undertake　this　perilous　adventure；　if　the　giant　and　your　sons　should　arrive　to…morrow　in　time　to　cause　me　no　delay；　for　tomorrow　at　noon　I　shall　be　somewhere　else；　in　accordance　with　a　promise　I　have　made。〃　　〃Once　for　all；　fair　sire；〃　the　good　man　said；　〃I　thank　you　a　hundred　thousand　times　for　your　willingness。〃　　And　all　the　people　of　the　house　likewise　expressed　their　gratitude。

（Vv。　3957…4384。）　　Just　then　the　damsel　came　out　of　a　room；　with　her　graceful　body　and　her　face　so　fair　and　pleasing　to　look　upon。　She　was　very　simple　and　sad　and　quiet　as　she　came；　for　there　was　no　end　to　the　grief　she　felt：　she　walked　with　her　head　bowed　to　the　ground。　　And　her　mother；　too；　came　in　from　an　adjoining　room；　for　the　gentleman　had　sent　for　them　to　meet　his　guest。　　They　entered　with　their　mantles　wrapped　about　them　to　conceal　their　tears；　and　he　bid　them　throw　back　their　mantles；　and　hold　up　their　heads；　saying：　〃You　ought　not　to　hesitate　to　obey　my　behests；　for　God　and　good　fortune　have　given　us　here　a　very　well…　born　gentleman　who　assures　me　that　he　will　fight　against　the　giant。　　Delay　no　longer　now　to　throw　yourselves　at　his　feet！〃　〃May　God　never　let　me　see　that！〃　　my　lord　Yvain　hastens　to　exclaim；　〃surely　it　would　not　be　proper　under　any　circumstances　for　the　sister　and　the　niece　of　my　lord　Gawain　to　prostrate　themselves　at　my　feet。　　May　God　defend　me　from　ever　giving　place　to　such　pride　as　to　let　them　fall　at　my　feet！　　Indeed；　I　should　never　forget　the　shame　which　I　should　feel；　but　I　should　be　very　glad　if　they　would　take　comfort　until　to…morrow；　when　they　may　see　whether　God　will　consent　to　aid　them。　　I　have　no　other　request　to　make；　except　that　the　giant　may　come　in　such　good　time　that　I　be　not　compelled　to　break　my　engagement　elsewhere；　for　I　would　not　fail　for　anything　to　be　present　to…morrow　noon　at　the　greatest　business　I　could　ever　undertake。〃　　Thus　he　is　unwilling　to　reassure　them　completely；　for　he　fears　that　the　giant　may　not　come　early　enough　to　allow　him　to　reach　in　time　the　damsel　who　is　imprisoned　in　the　chapel。　　Nevertheless；　he　promises　them　enough　to　arouse　good　hope　in　them。　　They　all　alike　join　in　thanking　him；　for　they　place　great　confidence　in　his　prowess；　and　they　think　he　must　be　a　very　good　man；　when　they　see　the　lion　by　his　side　as　confident　as　a　lamb　would　be。　　They　take　comfort　and　rejoice　because　of　the　hope　they　stake　on　him；　and　they　indulge　their　grief　no　more。　　When　the　time　came　they　led　him　off　to　bed　in　a　brightly　lighted　room；　both　the　damsel　and　her　mother　escorted　him；　for　they　prized　him　dearly；　and　would　have　done　so　a　hundred　thousand　times　more　had　they　been　informed　of　his　prowess　and　courtesy。　　He　and　the　lion　together　lay　down　there　and　took　their　rest。　　The　others　dared　not　sleep　in　the　room；　but　they　closed　the　door　so　tight　that　they　could　not　come　out　until　the　next　day　at　dawn。　　When　the　room　was　thrown　open　he　got　up　and　heard　Mass；　and　then；　because　of　the　promise　he　had　made；　he　waited　until　the　hour　of　prime。　　Then　in　the　hearing　of　all　he　summoned　the　lord　of　the　town　and　said：　〃My　lord；　I　have　no　more　time　to　wait；　but　must　ask　your　permission　to　leave　at　once；　I　cannot　tarry　longer　here。　　But　believe　truly　that　I　would　gladly　and　willingly　stay　here　yet　awhile　for　the　sake　of　the　nephews　and　the　niece　of　my　beloved　lord　Gawain；　if　I　did　not　have　a　great　business　on　hand；　and　if　it　were　not　so　far　away。〃　　At　this　the　damsel's　blood　quivered　and　boiled　with　fear；　as　well　as　the　lady's　and　the　lord's。　　They　were　so　afraid　he　would　go　away　that　they　were　on　the　point　of　humbling　themselves　and　casting　themselves　at　his　feet；　when　they　recalled　that　he　would　not　approve　or　permit　their　action。　　Then　the　lord　makes　him　an　offer　of　all　he　will　take　of　his　lands　or　wealth；　if　only　he　will　wait　a　little　longer。　　And　he　replied：　〃God　forbid　that　ever　I　should　take　anything　of　yours！〃　　Then　the　damsel；　who　is　in　dismay；　begins　to　weep　aloud；　and　beseeches　him　to　stay。　　Like　one　distracted　and　prey　to　dread；　she　begs　him　by　the　glorious　queen　of　heaven　and　of　the　angels；　and　by　the　Lord；　not　to　go　but　to　wait　a　little　while；　an