four arthurian romances-第72部分

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s　over　all　that；　until　they　mounted　next　morning　and　went　away。　　They　rode　until　they　saw　the　town　where　King　Arthur　had　been　staying　for　a　fortnight　or　more。　　And　there；　too；　was　the　damsel　who　had　deprived　her　sister　of　her　heritage；　for　she　had　kept　close　to　the　court；　waiting　for　the　arrival　of　her　sister；　who　now　draws　near。　　But　she　does　not　worry　much；　for　she　does　not　think　that　her　sister　can　find　any　knight　who　can　withstand　my　lord　Gawain's　attack；　and　only　one　day　of　the　forty　yet　remains。　　If　this　single　day　had　passed；　she　would　have　had　the　reasonable　and　legal　right　to　claim　the　heritage　for　herself　alone。　　But　more　stands　in　the　way　than　she　thinks　or　believes。　That　night　they　spent　outside　the　town　in　a　small　and　humble　house；　where；　in　accordance　with　their　desire；　they　were　not　recognised。　　At　the　first　sign　of　dawn　the　next　morning　they　necessarily　issue　forth；　but　ensconce　themselves　in　hiding　until　broad　daylight。

（Vv。　5872…5924。）　　I　know　not　how　many　days　had　passed　since　my　lord　Gawain　had　so　completely　disappeared　that　no　one　at　court　knew　anything　about　him；　except　only　the　damsel　in　whose　cause　he　was　to　fight。　　He　had　concealed　himself　three　or　four　leagues　from　the　court；　and　when　he　returned　he　was　so　equipped　that　even　those　who　knew　him　perfectly　could　not　recognise　him　by　the　arms　he　bore。　　The　damsel；　whose　injustice　toward　her　sister　was　evident；　presented　him　at　court　in　the　sight　of　all；　for　she　intended　with　his　help　to　triumph　in　the　dispute　where　she　had　no　rights。　　So　she　said　to　the　King：　〃My　lord；　time　passes。　　The　noon　hour　will　soon　be　gone；　and　this　is　the　last　day。　　As　you　see；　I　am　prepared　to　defend　my　claim。　　If　my　sister　were　going　to　return；　there　would　be　nothing　to　do　but　await　her　arrival。　But　I　may　praise　God　that　she　is　not　coming　back　again。　　It　is　evident　that　she　cannot　better　her　affairs；　and　that　her　trouble　has　been　for　naught。　　For　my　part；　I　have　been　ready　all　the　time　up　to　this　last　day；　to　prove　my　claim　to　what　is　mine。　　I　have　proved　my　point　entirely　without　a　fight；　and　now　I　may　rightfully　go　to　accept　my　heritage　in　peace；　for　I　shall　render　no　accounting　for　it　to　my　sister　as　long　as　I　live；　and　she　will　lead　a　wretched　and　miserable　existence。〃　　Then　the　King；　who　well　knew　that　the　damsel　was　disloyally　unjust　toward　her　sister；　said　to　her：　〃My　dear；　upon　my　word；　in　a　royal　court　one　must　wait　as　long　as　the　king's　justice　sits　and　deliberates　upon　the　verdict。　　It　is　not　yet　time　to　pack　up；　for　it　is　my　belief　that　your　sister　will　yet　arrive　in　time。〃　　Before　the　King　had　finished；　he　saw　the　Knight　with　the　Lion　and　the　damsel　with　him。　　They　two　were　advancing　alone；　having　slipped　away　from　the　lion；　who　had　stayed　where　they　spent　the　night。

（Vv。　5925…5990。）　　The　King　saw　the　damsel　whom　he　did　not　fail　to　recognise；　and　he　was　greatly　pleased　and　delighted　to　see　her；　for　he　was　on　her　side　of　the　quarrel；　because　he　had　regard　for　what　was　right。　　Joyfully　he　cried　out　to　her　as　soon　as　he　could：　〃Come　forward；　fair　one：　may　God　save　you！〃　　When　the　other　sister　hears　these　words；　she　turns　trembling；　and　sees　her　with　the　knight　whom　she　had　brought　to　defend　in　her　claim：　then　she　turned　blacker　than　the　earth。　　The　damsel；　after　being　kindly　welcomed　by　all；　went　to　where　the　King　was　sitting。　　When　she　had　come　before　him；　she　spoke　to　him　thus：　〃God　save　the　King　and　his　household。　　If　my　rights　in　this　dispute　can　be　settled　by　a　champion；　then　it　will　be　done　by　this　knight　who　has　followed　me　hither。　　This　frank　and　courteous　knight　had　many　other　things　to　do　elsewhere；　but　he　felt　such　pity　for　me　that　he　cast　aside　all　his　other　affairs　for　the　sake　of　mine。　　Now；　madame；　my　very　dear　sister；　whom　I　love　as　much　as　my　own　heart；　would　do　the　right　and　courteous　thing　if　she　would　let　me　have　so　much　of　what　is　mine　by　right　that　there　might　be　peace　between　me　and　her；　for　I　ask　for　nothing　that　is　hers。〃　　〃Nor　do　I　ask　for　anything　that　is　thine；〃　the　other　replied；　〃for　thou　hast　nothing；　and　nothing　shalt　thou　have。　　Thou　canst　never　talk　so　much　as　to　gain　anything　by　thy　words。　　Thou　mayest　dry　up　with　grief。〃　　Then　the　other；　who　was　very　polite　and　sensible　and　courteous；　replied　with　the　words：　〃Certainly　I　am　sorry　that　two　such　gentlemen　as　these　should　fight　on　our　behalf　over　so　small　a　disagreement。　　But　I　cannot　disregard　my　claim；　for　I　am　in　too　great　need　of　it。　　So　I　should　be　much　obliged　to　you　if　you　would　give　me　what　is　rightly　mine。〃　　〃Surely；〃　the　other　said；　〃any　one　would　be　a　fool　to　consider　thy　demands。　　May　I　burn　in　evil　fire　and　flame　if　I　give　thee　anything　to　ease　thy　life！　　The　banks　of　the　Seine　will　meet；　and　the　hour　of　prime　will　be　called　noon；　before　I　refuse　to　carry　out　the　fight。〃　〃May　God　and　the　right；　which　I　have　in　this　cause；　and　in　which　I　trust　and　have　trusted　till　the　present　time；　aid　him；　who　in　charity　and　courtesy　has　offered　himself　in　my　service；　though　he　knows　not　who　I　am；　and　though　we　are　ignorant　of　each　other's　identity。〃

（Vv。　5991…6148。）　　So　they　talked　until　their　conversation　ceased；　and　then　produced　the　knights　in　the　middle　of　the　court。　　Then　all　the　people　crowd　about；　as　people　are　wont　to　do　when　they　wish　to　witness　blows　in　battle　or　in　joust。　　But　those　who　were　about　to　fight　did　not　recognise　each　other；　though　their　relations　were　wont　to　be　very　affectionate。　　Then　do　they　not　love　each　other　now？　　I　would　answer　you　both　〃yes〃　and　〃no。〃　　And　I　shall　prove　that　each　answer　is　correct。　　In　truth；　my　lord　Gawain　loves　Yvain　and　regards　him　as　his　companion；　and　so　does　Yvain　regard　him；　wherever　he　may　be。　　Even　here；　if　he　knew　who　he　was；　he　would　make　much　of　him；　and　either　one　of　them　would　lay　down　his　head　for　the　other　before　he　would　allow　any　harm　to　come　to　him。　　Is　not　that　a　perfect　and　lofty　love？　　Yes；　surely。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　is　not　their　hate　equally　manifest？　　Yes；　for　it　is　a　certain　thing　that　doubtless　each　would　be　glad　to　have　broken　the　other's　head；　and　so　to　have　injured　him　as　to　cause　his　humiliation。　　Upon　my　word；　it　is　a　wondrous　thing；　that　Love　and　mortal　Hate　should　dwell　together。　　God！　　How　can　two　things　so　opposed　find　lodging　in　the　same　dwelling…place？　　It　seems　to　me　they　cannot　live　together；　for　one　could　not　dwell　with　the　other；　without　giving　rise　to　noise　and　contention；　as　soon　as　each　knew　of　the　other's　presence。　　But　upon　the　ground…　floor　there　may　be　several　apartments：　for　there　are　halls　and　sleeping…rooms。　　It　may　be　the　same　in　this　case：　I　think　Love　had　ensconced　himself　in　some　hidden　room；　while　Hate　had　betaken　herself　to　the　balconies　looking　on　the　high…road；　because　she　wishes　to　be　seen。　　Just　now　Hate　is　in　the　saddle；　and　spurs　and　pricks　forward　as　she　can；　to　get　ahead　of　Love　who　is　indisposed　to　move。　　Ah！　　Love；　what　has　become　of　thee？　　Come　out　now；　and　thou　shalt　see　what　a　host　has　been　brought　up　and　opposed　to　thee　by　the　enemies　of　thy　friends。　　The　enemies　are　these　very　men　who　love　each　other　with　such　a　holy　love　for　love；　which　is　neither　false　nor　feigned；　is　a　precious　and　a　holy　thing。　　In　this　case　Love　is　completely　blind；　and　Hate；　too；　is　deprived　of　sight。　　For　if　Love　had　recognised　these　two　men；　he　must　have　forbidden　each　to　attack　the　other；　or　to　do　any　thing　to　cause　him　harm。　　In　this　respect；　then；　Love　is　blind　and　discomfited　and　beguiled；　for；　though　he　sees　them；　he　fails　to　recognise　those　who　rightly　belong　to　him。　　And　though　Hate　is　unable　to　tell　why　one　of　them　should　hate　the　other；　yet　she　tries　to　engage　them　wrongfully；　so　that　each　hates　the　other　mortally。　You　know；　of　course；　that　he　cannot　be　said　to　love　a　man　who　would　wish　to　harm　him　and　see　him　dead。　　How　then？　　Does　Yvain　wish　to　kill　his　friend；　my　lord　Gawain？　　Yes；　and　the　desire　is　mutual。　　Would；　then；　my　lord　Gawain　desire　to　kill　Yvain　with　his　own　hands；　or　do　even　worse　than　I　have　said？　　Nay；　not　really；　I　swear　and　protest。　　One　would　not　wish　to　injure　or　harm　the　other；　in　return　for　all　that　God　has　done　for　man；　or　for　all　the　empire　of　Rome。　　But　this；　in　turn；　is　a　lie　of　mine；　for　it　is　plainly　to　be　seen　that；　with　lance　raised　high　in　rest；　each　is　ready　to　attack　the　other；　and　there　will　be　no　restraint　of　the　desire　of　each　to　wound　the　other　with　intent　to　injure　him　and　work　him　woe。　　Now　tell　me！　　When　one　will　have　defeated　the　other；　of　whom　can　he　complain　who　has　the　worst　of　it？　　For　if　they　go　so　far　as　to　come　to　blows；　I　am　very　much　afraid　that　they　will　continue　the　battle　and　the　strife　until　victory　be　definitely　decided。　　If　he　is　defeated；　will　Yvain　be　justified　in　saying　that　he　has　been　harmed　and　wronged　by　a　man　who　counts　him　among　his　friends；　and　who　has　never　mentioned　him　but　by　the　name　of　friend　or　companion？　　Or；　if　it　comes　about　perchance　that　Yvain　should　hurt　him　in　turn；　or　defeat　him　in　any　way；　will　Gawain　have　the　right　to　complain？　　Nay；　for　he　will　not　know　whose　fault　it　is。　　In　ignorance　of　each　other's　identity；　they　both　drew　off　and　took　their　distance。　　At　this　first　shock；　their　lances　break；　though　they　were　stout；　and　made　of　ash。　　Not　a　word　do　they　exchange；　for　if　they　had　stopped　to　converse　their　meeting　would　have　been　different。　　In　that　case；　no　blow　would　have　been　dealt　with　lance　or　sword；　they　would　have　kissed　and　embraced　each　other　rather　than　sought　each　other's　harm。　　For　now　they　attack　each　other　with　injurious　intent。　　The　condition　of　the　swords　is　not　improved；　nor　that　of　the　helmets　and　shields；　which　are　dented　and　split；　and　the　edges　of　the　swords　are　nicked　and　dulled。　　For　they　strike　each　other　violently；　not　with　the　fiat　of　the　swords；　but　with　the　edge；　and　they　deal　such　blows　with　the　pommels　upon　the　nose…　guards　and　upon　the　neck；　forehead　and　cheeks；　that　they　are　all　marked　black　and　blue　where　the　blood　collects　beneath　the　skin。　And　their　hauberks　are　so　torn；　and　their　shields　so　broken　in　pieces；　that　neither　one　escaped　without　wounds。　　Their　breath　is　almost　exhausted　with　the　labour　of　the　strife；　they　hammer　away　at　each　other　so　lustily　that　every　hyacinth　and　emerald　set　in　　their　helmets　is　crushed　and　smashed。　　For　they　give　each　other　such　a　batterin