four arthurian romances-第67部分

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　us　with　her　clothes　of　vair。　　Henceforth　the　situation　will　change；　for　there　will　be　no　one　to　speak　for　us！　　Cursed　be　he　who　is　the　cause　of　our　loss！　　For　we　shall　fare　badly　in　all　this。　　There　will　be　no　one　to　utter　such　advice　as　this：　‘My　lady；　give　this　vair　mantle；　this　cloak；　and　this　garment　to　such　and　such　an　honest　dame！　　Truly；　such　charity　will　be　well　employed；　for　she　is　in　very　dire　need　of　them。'　　No　such　words　as　these　shall　be　uttered　henceforth；　for　there　is　no　one　else　who　is　frank　and　courteous；　but　every　one　solicits　for　himself　rather　than　for　some　one　else；　even　though　he　have　no　need。〃

（Vv。　4385…4474。）　　Thus　they　were　bemoaning　their　fate；　and　my　lord　Yvain　who　was　in　their　midst；　heard　their　complaints；　which　were　neither　groundless　nor　assumed。　　He　saw　Lunete　on　her　knees　and　stripped　to　her　shift；　having　already　made　confession；　and　besought　God's　mercy　for　her　sins。　　Then　he　who　had　loved　her　deeply　once　came　to　her　and　raised　her　up；　saying：　〃My　damsel；　where　are　those　who　blame　and　accuse　you？　　Upon　the　spot；　unless　they　refuse；　battle　will　be　offered　them。〃　　And　she；　who　had　neither　seen　nor　looked　at　him　before；　said：　〃Sire。　you　come　from　God　in　this　time　of　my　great　need！　　The　men　who　falsely　accuse　me　are　all　ready　before　me　here；　if　you　had　been　a　little　later　I　should　soon　have　been　reduced　to　fuel　and　ashes。　　You　have　come　here　in　my　defence；　and　may　God　give　you　the　power　to　accomplish　it　in　proportion　as　I　am　guiltless　of　the　accusation　which　is　made　against　me！〃　　The　seneschal　and　his　two　brothers　heard　these　words。　　〃Ah！〃　they　exclaim；　〃woman；　chary　of　uttering　truth　but　generous　with　lies！　　He　indeed　is　mad　who　for　thy　words　assumes　so　great　a　task。　　The　knight　must　be　simple…minded　who　has　come　here　to　die　for　thee；　for　he　is　alone　and　there　are　three　of　us。　My　advice　to　him　is　that　he　turn　back　before　any　harm　shall　come　to　him。〃　　Then　he　replies；　as　one　impatient　to　begin：　〃Whoever　is　afraid；　let　him　run　away！　　I　am　not　so　afraid　of　your　three　shields　that　I　should　go　off　defeated　without　a　blow。　　I　should　be　indeed　discourteous；　if；　while　yet　unscathed　and　in　perfect　case；　I　should　leave　the　place　and　field　to　you。　　Never；　so　long　as　I　am　alive　and　sound；　will　I　run　away　before　such　threats。　　But　I　advise　thee　to　set　free　the　damsel　whom　thou　hast　unjustly　accused；　for　she　tells　me；　and　I　believe　her　word；　and　she　has　assured　me　upon　the　salvation　of　her　soul；　that　she　never　committed；　or　spoke；　or　conceived　any　treason　against　her　mistress。　　I　believe　implicitly　what　she　has　told　me；　and　will　defend　her　as　best　I　can；　for　I　consider　the　righteousness　of　her　cause　to　be　in　my　favour。　　For；　if　the　truth　be　known；　God　always　sides　with　the　righteous　cause；　for　God　and　the　Right　are　one；　and　if　they　are　both　upon　my　side；　then　I　have　better　company　and　better　aid　than　thou。〃　（23）　　Then　the　other　responds　imprudently　that　he　may　make　every　effort　that　pleases　him　and　is　convenient　to　do　him　injury；　provided　that　his　lion　shall　not　do　him　harm。　　And　he　replies　that　he　never　brought　the　lion　to　champion　his　cause；　nor　does　he　wish　any　but　himself　to　take　a　hand：　but　if　the　lion　attacks　him；　let　him　defend　himself　against　him　as　best　he　can；　for　concerning　him　he　will　give　no　guarantee。　　Then　the　other　answers：　〃Whatever　thou　mayst　say；　unless　thou　now　warn　thy　lion；　and　make　him　stand　quietly　to　one　side；　there　is　no　use　of　thy　longer　staying　here；　but　begone　at　once；　and　so　shalt　thou　be　wise；　for　throughout　this　country　every　one　is　aware　how　this　girl　betrayed　her　lady；　and　it　is　right　that　she　receive　her　due　reward　in　fire　and　flame。〃　　〃May　the　Holy　Spirit　forbid！〃　says　he　who　knows　the　truth；　〃may　God　not　let　me　stir　from　here　until　I　have　delivered　her！〃　　Then　he　tells　the　lion　to　withdraw　and　to　lie　down　quietly；　and　he　does　so　obediently。

（Vv。　4475…4532。）　　The　lion　now　withdrew；　and　the　parley　and　quarrel　being　ended　between　them　two；　they　all　took　their　distance　for　the　charge。　　The　three　together　spurred　toward　him；　and　he　went　to　meet　them　at　a　walk。　　He　did　not　wish　to　be　overturned　or　hurt　at　this　first　encounter。　　So　he　let　them　split　their　lances；　while　keeping　his　entire；　making　for　them　a　target　of　his　shield；　whereon　each　one　broke　his　lance。　　Then　he　galloped　off　until　he　was　separated　from　them　by　the　space　of　an　acre；　but　he　soon　returned　to　the　business　in　hand；　having　no　desire　to　delay。　　On　his　coming　up　the　second　time；　he　reached　the　seneschal　before　his　two　brothers；　and　breaking　his　lance　upon　his　body；　he　carried　him　to　earth　in　spite　of　himself；　and　he　gave　him　such　a　powerful　blow　that　for　a　long　while　he　lay　stunned；　incapable　of　doing　him　any　harm。　　And　then　the　other　two　came　at　him　with　their　swords　bared；　and　both　deal　him　great　blows；　but　they　receive　still　heavier　blows　from　him。　　For　a　single　one　of　the　blows　he　deals　is　more　than　a　match　for　two　of　theirs；　thus　he　defends　himself　so　well　that　they　have　no

advantage　over　him；　until　the　seneschal　gets　up　and　does　his　best　to　injure　him；　in　which　attempt　the　others　join；　until　they　begin　to　press　him　and　get　the　upper　hand。　　Then　the　lion；　who　is　looking　on；　delays　no　longer　to　lend　him　aid；　for　it　seems　to　him　that　he　needs　it　now。　　And　all　the　ladies；　who　are　devoted　to　the　damsel；　beseech　God　repeatedly　and　pray　to　Him　earnestly　not　to　allow　the　death　or　the　defeat　of　him　who　has　entered　the　fray　on　her　account。　　The　ladies；　having　no　other　weapons；　thus　assist　him　with　their　prayers。　　And　the　lion　brings　him　such　effective　aid；　that　at　his　first　attack；　he　strikes　so　fiercely　the　seneschal；　who　was　now　on　his　feet；　that　he　makes　the　meshes　fly　from　the　hauberk　like　straw；　and　he　drags　him　down　with　such　violence　that　he　tears　the　soft　flesh　from　his　shoulder　and　all　down　his　side。　　He　strips　whatever　he　touches；　so　that　the　entrails　lie　exposed。　　The　other　two　avenge　this　blow。

（Vv。　4533…4634。）　　Now　they　are　all　even　on　the　field。　　The　seneschal　is　marked　for　death；　as　he　turns　and　welters　in　the　red　stream　of　warm　blood　pouring　from　his　body。　　The　lion　attacks　the　others；　for　my　lord　Yvain　is　quite　unable；　though　he　did　his　best　by　beating　or　by　threatening　him；　to　drive　him　back；　but　the　lion　doubtless　feels　confident　that　his　master　does　not　dislike　his　aid；　but　rather　loves　him　the　more　for　it：　so　he　fiercely　attacks　them；　until　they　have　reason　to　complain　of　his　blows；　and　they　wound　him　in　turn　and　use　him　badly。　　When　my　lord　Yvain　sees　his　lion　wounded；　his　heart　is　wroth　within　his　breast；　and　rightly　so；　but　he　makes　such　efforts　to　avenge　him；　and　presses　them　so　hard；　that　he　completely　reduces　them；　they　no　longer　resist　him；　but　surrender　to　him　at　discretion；　because　of　the　lion's　help；　who　is　now　in　great　distress；　for　he　was　wounded　everywhere；　and　had　good　cause　to　be　in　pain。　　For　his　part；　my　lord　Yvain　was　by　no　means　in　a　healthy　state；　for　his　body　bore　many　a　wound。　　But　he　is　not　so　anxious　about　himself　as　about　his　lion；　which　is　in　distress。　　Now　he　has　delivered　the　damsel　exactly　in　accordance　with　his　wish；　and　the　lady　has　very　willingly　dismissed　the　grudge　that　she　bore　her。　　And　those　men　were　burned　upon　the　pyre　which　had　been　kindled　for　the　damsel's　death；　for　it　is　right　and　just　that　he　who　has　misjudged　another；　should　suffer　the　same　manner　of　death　as　that　to　which　he　had　condemned　the　other。　　Now　Lunete　is　joyous　and　glad　at　being　reconciled　with　her　mistress；　and　together　they　were　more　happy　than　any　one　ever　was　before。　　Without　recognising　him；　all　present　offered　to　him；　who　was　their　lord；　their　service　so　long　as　life　should　last；　even　the　lady；　who　possessed　unknowingly　his　heart；　begged　him　insistently　to　tarry　there　until　his　lion　and　he　had　quite　recovered。　　And　he　replied：　〃Lady；　I　shall　not　now　tarry　here　until　my　lady　removes　from　me　her　displeasure　and　anger：　then　the　end　of　all　my　labours　will　come。〃　　〃Indeed；〃　she　said；　〃that　grieves　me。　　I　think　the　lady　cannot　be　very　courteous　who　cherishes　ill…will　against　you。　　She　ought　not　to　close　her　door　against　so　valorous　a　knight　as　you；　unless　he　had　done　her　some　great　wrong。〃　　〃Lady；'　he　replies；　〃however　great　the　hardship　be；　I　am　pleased　by　what　ever　may　be　her　will。　　But　speak　to　me　no　more　of　that；　for　I　shall　say　nothing　of　the　cause　or　crime；　except　to　those　who　are　informed　of　it。〃　　〃Does　any　one　know　it；　then；　beside　you　two？〃　　〃Yes；　truly；　lady。〃　　〃Well；　tell　us　at　least　your　name；　fair　sir；　then　you　will　be　free　to　go。〃　　〃Quite　free；　my　lady？　　No；　I　shall　not　be　free。　　I　owe　more　than　I　can　pay。　　Yet；　I　ought　not　to　conceal　from　you　my　name。　　You　will　never　hear　of　‘The　Knight　with　the　Lion'　without　hearing　of　me；　for　I　wish　to　be　known　by　that　name。〃　　〃For　God's　sake；　sir；　what　does　that　name　mean？　　For　we　never　saw　you　before；　nor　have　we　ever　heard　mentioned　this　name　of　yours。〃　　〃My　lady；　you　may　from　that　infer　that　my　fame　is　not　widespread。〃　　Then　the　lady　says：　〃Once　more；　if　it　did　not　oppose　your　will；　I　would　pray　you　to　tarry　here。〃　　〃Really；　my　lady；　I　should　not　dare；　until　I　knew　certainly　that　I　had　regained　my　lady's　good…will。〃　　〃Well；　then；　go　in　God's　name；　fair　sir；　and；　if　it　be　His　will；　may　He　convert　your　grief　and　sorrow　into　joy。〃　　〃Lady；〃　says　he；　〃may　God　hear　your　prayer。〃　　Then　he　added　softly　under　his　breath：　〃Lady；　it　is　you　who　hold　the　key；　and；　though　you　know　it　not；　you　hold　the　casket　in　which　my　happiness　is　kept　under　lock。〃

（Vv。　4635…4674。）　　Then　he　goes　away　in　great　distress；　and　there　is　no　one　who　recognises　him　save　Lunete；　who　accompanied　him　a　long　distance。　　Lunete　alone　keeps　him　company；　and　he　begs　her　insistently　never　to　reveal　the　name　of　her　champion。　　〃Sire；〃　says　she；　〃I　will　never　do　so。〃　　Then　he　further　requested　her　that　she　should　not　forget　him；　and　that　she　should　keep　a　place　for　him　in　his　mistress'　heart；　whenever　the　chance　arose。　　She　tells　him　to　be　at　ease　on　that　score；　for　she　will　never　be　forgetful；　nor　unfaithful；　nor　idle。　　Then　he　thanks　her　a　thousand　times；　and　he　departs　pensive　and　oppressed；　because　of　his　lion　that　he　must　needs　carry；　being　unable　to　follow　him　on　foot。　　He　makes　for　him　a　litter　of　moss　and　ferns　in　his　shield。　When　he　has　made　a　bed　for　him　there；　he　lays　him　in