four arthurian romances-第66部分

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lorious　queen　of　heaven　and　of　the　angels；　and　by　the　Lord；　not　to　go　but　to　wait　a　little　while；　and　then；　too；　for　her　uncle's　sake；　whom　he　says　he　knows；　and　loves；　and　esteems。　　Then　his　heart　is　touched　with　deep　pity　when　he　hears　her　adjuring　him　in　the　name　of　him　whom　he　loves　the　most；　and　by　the　mistress　of　heaven；　and　by　the　Lord；　who　is　the　very　honey　and　sweet　savour　of　pity。　　Filled　with　anguish　he　heaved　a　sigh；　for　were　the　kingdom　of　Tarsus　at　stake　he　would　not　see　her　burned　to　whom　he　had　pledged　his　aid。　If　he　could　not　reach　her　in　time；　he　would　be　unable　to　endure　his　life；　or　would　live　on　without　his　wits　on　the　other　hand；　the　kindness　of　his　friend；　my　lord　Gawain；　only　increased　his　distress；　his　heart　almost　bursts　in　half　at　the　thought　that　he　cannot　delay。　　Nevertheless；　he　does　not　stir；　but　delays　and　waits　so　long　that　the　giant　came　suddenly；　bringing　with　him　the　knights：　and　hanging　from　his　neck　he　carried　a　big　square　stake　with　a　pointed　end；　and　with　this　he　frequently　spurred　them　on。　For　their　part　they　had　no　clothing　on　that　was　worth　a　straw；　except　some　soiled　and　filthy　shirts：　and　their　feet　and　hands　were　bound　with　cords；　as　they　came　riding　upon　four　limping　jades；　which　were　weak；　and　thin；　and　miserable。　　As　they　came　riding　along　beside　a　wood；　a　dwarf；　who　was　puffed　up　like　a　toad；　had　tied　the　horses'　tails　together；　and　walked　beside　them；　beating　them　remorselessly　with　a　four…knotted　scourge　until　they　bled；　thinking　thereby　to　be　doing　something　wonderful。　　Thus　they　were　brought　along　in　shame　by　the　giant　and　the　dwarf。　　Stopping　in　the　plain　in　front　of　the　city　gate；　the　giant　shouts　out　to　the　noble　lord　that　he　will　kill　his　sons　unless　he　delivers　to　him　his　daughter；　whom　he　will　surrender　to　his　vile　fellows　to　become　their　sport。　　For　he　no　longer　loves　her　nor　esteems　her；　that　he　should　deign　to　abase　himself　to　her。　　She　shall　be　constantly　beset　by　a　thousand　lousy　and　ragged　knaves；　vacant　wretches；　and　scullery　boys；　who　all　shall　lay　hands　on　her。　　The　worthy　man　is　well…nigh　beside　himself　when　he　hears　how　his　daughter　will　be　made　a　bawd；　or　else；　before　his　very　eyes；　his　four　sons　will　be　put　to　a　speedy　death。　　His　agony　is　like　that　of　one　who　would　rather　be　dead　than　alive。　　Again　and　again　he　bemoans　his　fate；　and　weeps　aloud　and　sighs。　　Then　my　frank　and　gentle　lord　Yvain　thus　began　to　speak　to　him：　〃Sire；　very　vile　and　impudent　is　that　giant　who　vaunts　himself　out　there。　　But　may　God　never　grant　that　he　should　have　your　daughter　in　his　power！　　He　despises　her　and　insults　her　openly。　　It　would　be　too　great　a　calamity　if　so　lovely　a　creature　of　such　high　birth　were　handed　over　to　become　the　sport　of　boys。　Give　me　now　my　arms　and　horse！　　Have　the　drawbridge　lowered；　and　let　me　pass。　　One　or　the　other　must　be　cast　down；　either　I　or　he；　I　know　not　which。　　If　I　could　only　humiliate　the　cruel　wretch　who　is　thus　oppressing　you；　so　that　he　would　release　your　sons　and　should　come　and　make　amends　for　the　insulting　words　he　has　spoken　to　you；　then　I　would　commend　you　to　God　and　go　about　my　business。〃　　Then　they　go　to　get　his　horse；　and　hand　over　to　him　his　arms；　striving　so　expeditiously　that　they　soon　have　him　quite　equipped。　　They　delayed　as　little　as　they　could　in　arming　him。　When　his　equipment　was　complete；　there　remained　nothing　but　to　lower　the　bridge　and　let　him　go。　　They　lowered　it　for　him；　and　he　went　out。　　But　the　lion　would　by　no　means　stay　behind。　　All　those　who　were　left　behind　commended　the　knight　to　the　Saviour；　for　they　fear　exceedingly　lest　their　devilish　enemy；　who　already　had　slain　so　many　good　men　on　the　same　field　before　their　eyes；　would　do　the　same　with　him。　　So　they　pray　God　to　defend　him　from　death；　and　return　him　to　them　safe　and　sound；　and　that　He　may　give　him　strength　to　slay　the　giant。　　Each　one　softly　prays　to　God　in　accordance　with　his　wish。　　And　the　giant　fiercely　came　at　him；　and　with　threatening　words　thus　spake　to　him：　〃By　my　eyes；　the　man　who　sent　thee　here　surely　had　no　love　for　thee！　　No　better　way　could　he　have　taken　to　avenge　himself　on　thee。　　He　has　chosen　well　his　vengeance　for　whatever　wrong　thou　hast　done　to　him。〃　　But　the　other；　fearing　naught；　replies：　〃Thou　treatest　of　what　matters　not。　　Now　do　thy　best；　and　I'll　do　mine。　　Idle　parley　wearies　me。〃　　Thereupon　my　lord　Yvain；　who　was　anxious　to　depart；　rides　at　him。　　He　goes　to　strike　him　on　the　breast；　which　was　protected　by　a　bear's　skin；　and　the　giant　runs　at　him　with　his　stake　raised　in　air。　　My　lord　Yvain　deals　him　such　a　blow　upon　the　chest　that　he　thrusts　through　the　skin　and　wets　the　tip　of　his　lance　in　his　body's　blood　by　way　of　sauce。　　And　the　giant　belabours　him　with　the　stake；　and　makes　him　bend　beneath　the　blows。　　My　lord　Yvain　then　draws　the　sword　with　which　he　knew　how　to　deal　fierce　blows。　　He　found　the　giant　unprotected；　for　he　trusted　in　his　strength　so　much　that　he　disdained　to　arm　himself。　And　he　who　had　drawn　his　blade　gave　him　such　a　slash　with　the　cutting　edge；　and　not　with　the　flat　side；　that　he　cut　from　his　cheek　a　slice　fit　to　roast。　　Then　the　other　in　turn　gave　him　such　a　blow　with　the　stake　that　it　made　him　sing　in　a　heap　upon　his　horse's　neck。　　Thereupon　the　lion　bristles　up；　ready　to　lend　his　master　aid；　and　leaps　up　in　his　anger　and　strength；　and　strikes　and　tears　like　so　much　bark　the　heavy　bearskin　the　giant　wore；　and　he　tore　away　beneath　the　skin　a　large　piece　of　his　thigh；　together　with　the　nerves　and　flesh。　　The　giant　escaped　his　clutches；　roaring　and　bellowing　like　a　bull；　for　the　lion　had　badly　wounded　him。　　Then　raising　his　stake　in　both　hands；　he　thought　to　strike　him；　but　missed　his　aim；　when　the　lion　leaded　backward　so　he　missed　his　blow；　and　fell　exhausted　beside　my　lord　Yvain；　but　without　either　of　them　touching　the　other。　　Then　my　lord　Yvain　took　aim　and　landed　two　blows　on　him。　　Before　he　could　recover　himself　he　had　severed　with　the　edge　of　his　sword　the　giant's　shoulder　from　his　body。　　With　the　next　blow　he　ran　the　whole　blade　of　his　sword　through　his　liver　beneath　his　chest；　the　giant　falls　in　death's　embrace。　　And　if　a　great　oak　tree　should　fall；　I　think　it　would　make　no　greater　noise　than　the　giant　made　when　he　tumbled　down。　　All　those　who　were　on　the　wall　would　fain　have　witnessed　such　a　blow。　　Then　it　became　evident　who　was　the　most　fleet　of　foot；　for　all　ran　to　see　the　game；　just　like　hounds　which　have　followed　the　beast　until　they　finally　come　up　with　him。　　So　men　and　women　in　rivalry　ran　forward　without　delay　to　where　the　giant　lay　face　downward。　　The　daughter　comes　running；　and　her　mother　too。　　And　the　four　brothers　rejoice　after　the　woes　they　have　endured。　　As　for　my　lord　Yvain　they　are　very　sure　that　they　could　not　detain　him　for　any　reason　they　might　allege；　but　they　beseech　him　to　return　and　stay　to　enjoy　himself　as　soon　as　he　shall　have　completed　the　business　which　calls　him　away。　　And　he　replies　that　he　cannot　promise　them　anything；　for　as　yet　he　cannot　guess　whether　it　will　fare　well　or　ill　with　him。　　But　thus　much　did　he　say　to　his　host：　that　he　wished　that　his　four　sons　and　his　daughter　should　take　the　dwarf　and　go　to　my　lord　Gawain　when　they　hear　of　his　return；　and　should　tell　and　relate　to　him　how　he　has　conducted　himself。　　For　kind　actions　are　of　no　use　if　you　are　not　willing　that　they　be　known。　　And　they　reply：　〃It　is　not　right　that　such　kindness　as　this　should　be　kept　hid：　we　shall　do　whatever　you　desire。　　But　tell　us　what　we　can　say　when　we　come　before　him。　　Whose　praises　can　we　speak；　when　we　know　not　what　your　name　may　be？〃　　And　he　answers　them：　〃When　you　come　before　him；　you　may　say　thus　much：　that　I　told　you　‘The　Knight　with　the　Lion'　was　my　name。　　And　at　the　same　time　I　must　beg　you　to　tell　him　from　me　that；　if　he　does　not　recognise　who　I　am；　yet　he　knows　me　well　and　I　know　him。　　Now　I　must　be　gone　from　here；　and　the　thing　which　most　alarms　me　is　that　I　may　too　long　have　tarried　here；　for　before　the　hour　of　noon　be　passed　I　shall　have　plenty　to　do　elsewhere；　if　indeed　I　can　arrive　there　in　time。〃　　Then；　without　further　delay；　he　starts。　　But　first　his　host　begged　him　insistently　that　he　would　take　with　him　his　four　sons：　for　there　was　none　of　them　who　would　not　strive　to　serve　him；　if　he　would　allow　it。　　But　it　did　not　please　or　suit　him　that　any　one　should　accompany　him；　so　he　left　the　place　to　them；　and　went　away　alone。　And　as　soon　as　he　starts；　riding　as　fast　as　his　steed　can　carry　him；　he　heads　toward　the　chapel。　　The　path　was　good　and　straight；　and　he　knew　well　how　to　keep　the　road。　　But　before　he　could　reach　the　chapel；　the　damsel　had　been　dragged　out　and　the　pyre　prepared　upon　which　she　was　to　be　placed。　　Clad　only　in　a　shift；　she　was　held　bound　before　the　fire　by　those　who　wrongly　attributed　to　her　an　intention　she　had　never　had。　　My　lord　Yvain　arrived；　and；　seeing　her　beside　the　fire　into　which　she　was　about　to　be　cast；　he　was　naturally　incensed。　　He　would　be　neither　courteous　nor　sensible　who　had　any　doubt　about　that　fact。　　So　it　is　true　that　he　was　much　incensed；　but　he　cherishes　within　himself　the　hope　that　God　and　the　Right　will　be　on　his　side。　　In　such　helpers　he　confides；　nor　does　he　scorn　his　lion's　aid。　　Rushing　quickly　toward　the　crowd；　he　shouts：　〃Let　the　damsel　be；　you　wicked　folk！　Having　committed　no　crime；　it　is　not　right　that　she　should　be　cast　upon　a　pyre　or　into　a　furnace。〃　　And　they　draw　off　on　either　side；　leaving　a　passage…way　for　him。　　But　he　yearns　to　see　with　his　own　eyes　her　whom　his　heart　beholds　in　whatever　place　she　may　be。　　His　eyes　seek　her　until　he　finds　her；　while　he　subdues　and　holds　in　check　his　heart；　just　as　one　holds　in　check　with　a　strong　curb　a　horse　that　pulls。　　Nevertheless；　he　gladly　gazes　at　her；　and　sighs　the　while；　but　he　does　not　sigh　so　openly　that　his　action　is　detected；　rather　does　he　stifle　his　sighs；　though　with　difficulty。　　And　he　is　seized　with　pity　at　hearing；　seeing；　and　perceiving　the　grief　of　the　poor　ladies；　who　cried：　〃Ah；　God；　how　hast　Thou　forgotten　us！　　How　desolate　we　shall　now　remain　when　we　lose　so　kind　a　friend；　who　gave　us　such　counsel　and　such　aid；　and　interceded　for　us　at　court！　　It　was　she　who　prompted　madame　to　clothe　us　with　her　clothes　of　vair。　　Henceforth　the　situation　will　change；　for　there　will　be　no　one　to　spe