four arthurian romances-第82部分

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　passionately。　　But　may　God　never　give　me　joy　if　I　renounce　my　purpose　because　of　you；　rather　will　I　fight　in　spite　of　you！〃　　〃By　the　faith　I　bear　the　Apostle　St。　Peter；〃　his　father　says；　〃now　I　see　that　my　request　is　of　no　avail。　　I　waste　my　time　in　rebuking　thee；　but　I　shall　soon　devise　such　means　as　shall　compel　thee　against　thy　will　to　obey　my　commands　and　submit　to　them。〃　Straightway　summoning　all　the　knights　to　approach；　he　bids　them　lay　hands　upon　his　son　whom　he　cannot　correct；　saying：　〃I　will　have　him　bound　rather　than　let　him　fight。　　You　here　are　all　my　men；　and　you　owe　me　your　devotion　and　service：　by　all　the　fiefs　you　hold　from　me；　I　hold　you　responsible；　and　I　add　my　prayer。　　It　seems　to　me　that　he　must　be　mad；　and　that　he　shows　excessive　pride；　when　he　refuses　to　respect　my　will。〃　　Then　they　promise　to　take　care　of　him；　and　say　that　never；　while　he　is　in　their　charge；　shall　he　wish　to　fight；　but　that　he　must　renounce　the　damsel　in　spite　of　himself。　　Then　they　all　join　and　seize　him　by　the　arms　and　neck。　　〃Dost　thou　not　think　thyself　foolish　now？〃　his　father　asks；　〃confess　the　truth：　thou　hast　not　the　strength　or　power　to　fight　or　joust；　however　distasteful　and　hard　it　may　be　for　thee　to　admit　it。　　Thou　wilt　be　wise　to　consent　to　my　will　and　pleasure。　　Dost　thou　know　what　my　intention　is？　　In　order　somewhat　to　mitigate　thy　disappointment；　I　am　willing　to　join　thee；　if　thou　wilt；　in　following　the　knight　to…day　and　to…morrow；　through　wood　and　plain；　each　one　mounted　on　his　horse。　　Perhaps　we　shall　soon　find　him　to　be　of　such　a　character　and　bearing　that　I　might　let　thee　have　thy　way　and　fight　with　him。〃　　To　this　proposal　the　other　must　perforce　consent。　　Like　the　man　who　has　no　alternative；　he　says　that　he　will　give　in；　provided　they　both　shall　follow　him。　　And　when　the　people　in　the　field　see　how　this　adventure　has　turned　out；　they　all　exclaim：　〃Did　you　see？　　He　who　was　mounted　on　the　cart　has　gained　such　honour　here　that　he　is　leading　away　the　mistress　of　the　son　of　my　lord；　and　he　himself　is　allowing　it。　　We　may　well　suppose　that　he　finds　in　him　some　merit；　when　he　lets　him　take　her　off。　　Now　cursed　a　hundred　times　be　he　who　ceases　longer　his　sport　on　his　account！　　Come；　let　us　go　back　to　our　games　again。〃　　Then　they　resume　their　games　and　dances。

（Vv。　1841…1966。）　　Thereupon　the　knight　turns　away；　without　longer　remaining　in　the　field；　and　the　damsel　accompanies　him。　　They　leave　in　haste；　while　the　father　and　his　son　ride　after　them　through　the　mown　fields　until　toward　three　o'clock；　when　in　a　very　pleasant　spot　they　come　upon　a　church；　beside　the　chancel　there　was　a　cemetery　enclosed　by　a　wall。　　The　knight　was　both　courteous　and　wise　to　enter　the　church　on　foot　and　make　his　prayer　to　God；　while　the　damsel　held　his　horse　for　him　until　he　returned。　　When　he　had　made　his　prayer；　and　while　he　was　coming　back；　a　very　old　monk　suddenly　presented　himself；　whereupon　the　knight　politely　requests　him　to　tell　him　what　this　place　is；　for　he　does　not　know。　　And　he　tells　him　it　is　a　cemetery。　　And　the　other　says：　〃Take　me　in；　so　help　you　God！〃　　〃Gladly；　sire；〃　and　he　takes　him　in。　　Following　the　monk's　lead；　the　knight　beholds　the　most　beautiful　tombs　that　one　could　find　as　far　as　Dombes　（13）　or　Pampelune；　and　on　each　tomb　there　were　letters　cut；　telling　the　names　of　those　who　were　destined　to　be　buried　there。　　And　he　began　in　order　to　read　the　names；　and　came　upon　some　which　said：　〃Here　Gawain　is　to　lie；　here　Louis；　and　here　Yvain。〃　　After　these　three；　he　read　the　names　of　many　others　among　the　most　famed　and　cherished　knights　of　this　or　any　other　land。　　Among　the　others；　he　finds　one　of　marble；　which　appears　to　be　new；　and　is　more　rich　and　handsome　than　all　the　rest。　　Calling　the　monk；　the　knight　inquired：　〃Of　what　use　are　these　tombs　here？〃　　And　the　monk　replied：　〃You　have　already　read　the　inscriptions；　if　you　have　understood；　you　must　know　what　they　say；　and　what　is　the　meaning　of　the　tombs。〃　　〃Now　tell　me；　what　is　this　large　one　for？〃　　And　the　hermit　answered：　〃I　will　tell　you。　　That　is　a　very　large　sarcophagus；　larger　than　any　that　ever　was　made；　one　so　rich　and　well…carved　was　never　seen。　　It　is　magnificent　without；　and　still　more　so　within。　　But　you　need　not　be　concerned　with　that；　for　it　can　never　do　you　any　good；　you　will　never　see　inside　of　it；　for　it　would　require　seven　strong　men　to　raise　the　lid　of　stone；　if　any　one　wished　to　open　it。　　And　you　may　be　sure　that　to　raise　it　would　require　seven　men　stronger　than　you　and　I。　　There　is　an　inscription　on　it　which　says　that　any　one　who　can　lift　this　stone　of　his　own　unaided　strength　will　set　free　all　the　men　and　women　who　are　captives　in　the　land；　whence　no　slave　or　noble　can　issue　forth；　unless　he　is　a　native　of　that　land。　　No　one　has　ever　come　back　from　there；　but　they　are　detained　in　foreign　prisons；　whereas　they　of　the　country　go　and　come　in　and　out　as　they　please。〃　　At　once　the　knight　goes　to　grasp　the　stone；　and　raises　it　without　the　slightest　trouble；　more　easily　than　ten　men　would　do　who　exerted　all　their　strength。　　And　the　monk　was　amazed；　and　nearly　fell　down　at　the　sight　of　this　marvellous　thing；　for　he　thought　he　would　never　see　the　like　again；　and　said：　〃Sire；　I　am　very　anxious　to　know　your　name。　　Will　you　tell　me　what　it　is？〃　〃Not　I；〃　says　the　knight；　〃upon　my　word。〃　　〃I　am　certainly　sorry；　for　that；〃　he　says；　〃but　if　you　would　tell　me；　you　would　do　me　a　great　favour；　and　might　benefit　yourself。　　Who　are　you；　and　where　do　you　come　from？〃　　〃I　am　a　knight；　as　you　may　see；　and　I　was　born　in　the　kingdom　of　Logre。　　After　so　much　information；　I　should　prefer　to　be　excused。　　Now　please　tell　me；　for　your　part；　who　is　to　lie　within　this　tomb。〃　　〃Sire；　he　who　shall　deliver　all　those　who　are　held　captive　in　the　kingdom　whence　none　escapes。〃　And　when　he　had　told　him　all　this；　the　knight　commended　him　to　God　and　all　His　saints。　　And　then；　for　the　first　time；　he　felt　free　to　return　to　the　damsel。　　The　old　white…haired　monk　escorts　him　out　of　the　church；　and　they　resume　their　way。　　While　the　damsel　is　mounting；　however；　the　hermit　relates　to　her　all　that　the　knight　had　done　inside；　and　then　he　begged　her　to　tell　him。　if　she　knew；　what　his　name　was；　but　she　assured　him　that　she　did　not　know；　but　that　there　was　one　sure　thing　she　could　say；　namely；　that　there　was　not　such　a　knight　alive　where　the　four　winds　of　heaven　blow。

（Vv。　1967…2022。）　　Then　the　damsel　takes　leave　of　him；　and　rides　swiftly　after　the　knight。　　Then　those　who　were　following　them　come　up　and　see　the　hermit　standing　alone　before　the　church。　　The　old　knight　in　his　shirt　sleeves　said：　〃Sire；　tell　us；　have　you　seen　a　knight　with　a　damsel　in　his　company？〃　　And　he　replies：　〃I　shall　not　be　loath　to　tell　you　all　I　know；　for　they　have　just　passed　on　from　here。　　The　knight　was　inside　yonder；　and　did　a　very　marvellous　thing　in　raising　the　stone　from　the　huge　marble　tomb；　quite　unaided　and　without　the　least　effort。　　He　is　bent　upon　the　rescue　of　the　Queen；　and　doubtless　he　will　rescue　her；　as　well　as　all　the　other　people。　　You　know　well　that　this　must　be　so；　for　you　have　often　read　the　inscription　upon　the　stone。　　No　knight　was　ever　born　of　man　and　woman；　and　no　knight　ever　sat　in　a　saddle；　who　was　the　equal　of　this　man。〃　　Then　the　father　turns　to　his　son；　and　says：　〃Son；　what　dost　thou　think　about　him　now？　Is　he　not　a　man　to　be　respected　who　has　performed　such　a　feat？　Now　thou　knowest　who　was　wrong；　and　whether　it　was　thou　or　I。　　I　would　not　have　thee　fight　with　him　for　all　the　town　of　Amiens；　and　yet　thou　didst　struggle　hard；　before　any　one　could　dissuade　thee　from　thy　purpose。　　Now　we　may　as　well　go　back；　for　we　should　be　very　foolish　to　follow　him　any　farther。〃　　And　he　replies：　〃I　agree　to　that。　　It　would　be　useless　to　follow　him。　　Since　it　is　your　pleasure；　let　us　return。〃　　They　were　very　wise　to　retrace　their　steps。　　And　all　the　time　the　damsel　rides　close　beside　the　knight；　wishing　to　compel　him　to　give　heed　to　her。　　She　is　anxious　to　learn　his　name；　and　she　begs　and　beseeches　him　again　and　again　to　tell　her；　until　in　his　annoyance　he　answers　her：　〃Have　I　not　already　told　you　that　I　belong　in　King　Arthur's　realm？　　I　swear　by　God　and　His　goodness　that　you　shall　not　learn　my　name。〃　　Then　she　bids　him　give　her　leave　to　go；　and　she　will　turn　back；　which　request　he　gladly　grants。

（Vv。　2023…2198。）　　Thereupon　the　damsel　departs；　and　he　rides　on　alone　until　it　grew　very　late。　　After　vespers；　about　compline；　as　he　pursued　his　way；　he　saw　a　knight　returning　from　the　wood　where　he　had　been　hunting。　　With　helmet　unlaced；　he　rode　along　upon　his　big　grey　hunter；　to　which　he　had　tied　the　game　which　God　had　permitted　him　to　take。　　This　gentleman　came　quickly　to　meet　the　knight；　offering　him　hospitality。　　〃Sire；〃　he　says；　〃night　will　soon　be　here。　　It　is　time　for　you　to　be　reasonable　and　seek　a　place　to　spend　the　night。　　I　have　a　house　of　mine　near　at　hand；　whither　I　shall　take　you。　　No　one　ever　lodged　you　better　than　I　shall　do；　to　the　extent　of　my　resources：　I　shall　be　very　glad；　if　you　consent。〃　　〃For　my　part；　I　gladly　accept；〃　he　says。　　The　gentleman　at　once　sends　his　son　ahead；　to　prepare　the　house　and　start　the　preparations　for　supper。　　The　lad　willingly　executes　his　command　forthwith；　and　goes　off　at　a　rapid　pace；　while　the　others；　who　are　in　no　haste；　follow　the　road　leisurely　until　they　arrive　at　the　house。　　The　gentleman's　wife　was　a　very　accomplished　lady；　and　he　had　five　sons；　whom　he　dearly　loved；　three　of　them　mere　lads；　and　two　already　knights；　and　he　had　two　fair　and　charming　daughters；　who　were　still　unmarried。　　They　were　not　natives　of　the　land；　but　were　there　in　durance；　having　been　long　kept　there　as　prisoners　away　from　their　native　land　of　Logres。　　When　the　gentleman　led　the　knight　into　his　yard；　the　lady　with　her　sons　and　daughters　jumped　up　and　ran　to　meet　them；　vying　in　their　efforts　to　do　him　honour；　as　they　greeted　him　and　helped　him　to　dismount。　　Neither　the　sisters　nor　the　five　brothers　paid　much　attention　to　their　father；　for　they　knew　well　enough　that　he　would　have　it　so。　They　honoured　the　knight　and　welcomed　him；　and　when　they　had　relieved　him　of　his　armour；　one　of　his　host's　two　daughters　threw　her　own　mantle　about　him；　taking　it　from　her　own　shoulders　and　throwing　it　about　his　neck。　I　do　not　need　to　te