four arthurian romances-第91部分

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d　guarded　well。　　When　you　come；　take　care　to　let　no　spy　catch　sight　of　you。〃　　〃Lady；〃　says　he；　〃if　I　can　help　it；　no　spy　shall　see　me　who　might　think　or　speak　evil　of　us。〃　　Then；　having　agreed　upon　this　plan；　they　separate　very　joyfully。

（Vv。　4551…4650。）　　Lancelot　leaves　the　room　in　such　a　happy　frame　that　all　his　past　troubles　are　forgotten。　　But　he　was　so　impatient　for　the　night　to　come　that　his　restlessness　made　the　day　seem　longer　than　a　hundred　ordinary　days　or　than　an　entire　year。　　If　night　had　only　come；　he　would　gladly　have　gone　to　the　trysting　place。　　Dark　and　sombre　night　at　last　won　its　struggle　with　the　day；　and　wrapped　it　up　in　its　covering；　and　laid　it　away　beneath　its　cloak。　　When　he　saw　the　light　of　day　obscured；　he　pretended　to　be　tired　and　worn；　and　said　that；　in　view　of　his　protracted　vigils；　he　needed　rest。　　You；　who　have　ever　done　the　same；　may　well　understand　and　guess　that　he　pretends　to　be　tired　and　goes　to　bed　in　order　to　deceive　the　people　of　the　house；　but　he　cared　nothing　about　his　bed；　nor　would　he　have　sought　rest　there　for　anything；　for　he　could　not　have　done　so　and　would　not　have　dared；　and　furthermore　he　would　not　have　cared　to　possess　the　courage　or　the　power　to　do　so。　　Soon　he　softly　rose；　and　was　pleased　to　find　that　no　moon　or　star　was　shining；　and　that　in　the　house　there　was　no　candle；　lamp；　or　lantern　burning。　　Thus　he　went　out　and　looked　about；　but　there　was　no　one　on　the　watch　for　him；　for　all　thought　that　he　would　sleep　in　his　bed　all　night。　Without　escort　or　company　he　quickly　went　out　into　the　garden；　meeting　no　one　on　the　way；　and　he　was　so　fortunate　as　to　find　that　a　part　of　the　garden…wall　had　recently　fallen　down。　　Through　this　break　he　passes　quickly　and　proceeds　to　the　window；　where　he　stands；　taking　good　care　not　to　cough　or　sneeze；　until　the　Queen　arrives　clad　in　a　very　white　chemise。　　She　wore　no　cloak　or　coat；　but　had　thrown　over　her　a　short　cape　of　scarlet　cloth　and　shrew…mouse　fur。　　As　soon　as　Lancelot　saw　the　Queen　leaning　on　the　window…sill　behind　the　great　iron　bars；　he　honoured　her　with　a　gentle　salute。　　She　promptly　returned　his　greeting；　for　he　was　desirous　of　her；　and　she　of　him。　　Their　talk　and　conversation　are　not　of　vulgar；　tiresome　affairs。　　They　draw　close　to　one　another；　until　each　holds　the　other's　hand。　　But　they　are　so　distressed　at　not　being　able　to　come　together　more　completely；　that　they　curse　the　iron　bars。　　Then　Lancelot　asserts　that；　with　the　Queen's　consent；　he　will　come　inside　to　be　with　her；　and　that　the　bars　cannot　keep　him　out。　　And　the　Queen　replies：　〃Do　you　not　see　how　the　bars　are　stiff　to　bend　and　hard　to　break？　　You　could　never　so　twist；　pull　or　drag　at　them　as　to　dislodge　one　of　them。〃　　〃Lady；〃　says　he；　〃have　no　fear　of　that。　　It　would　take　more　than　these　bars　to　keep　me　out。　　Nothing　but　your　command　could　thwart　my　power　to　come　to　you。　　If　you　will　but　grant　me　your　permission；　the　way　will　open　before　me。　　But　if　it　is　not　your　pleasure；　then　the　way　is　so　obstructed　that　I　could　not　possibly　pass　through。〃　　〃Certainly；〃　she　says；　〃I　consent。　　My　will　need　not　stand　in　your　way；　but　you　must　wait　until　I　retire　to　my　bed　again；　so　that　no　harm　may　come　to　you；　for　it　would　be　no　joke　or　jest　if　the　seneschal；　who　is　sleeping　here；　should　wake　up　on　hearing　you。　　So　it　is　best　for　me　to　withdraw；　for　no　good　could　come　of　it；　if　he　should　see　me　standing　here。〃　　〃Go　then；　lady；〃　he　replies；　〃but　have　no　fear　that　I　shall　make　any　noise。　　I　think　I　can　draw　out　the　bars　so　softly　and　with　so　little　effort　that　no　one　shall　be　aroused。〃

（Vv。　4651…4754。）　　Then　the　Queen　retires；　and　he　prepares　to　loosen　the　window。　　Seizing　the　bars；　he　pulls　and　wrenches　them　until　he　makes　them　bend　and　drags　them　from　their　places。　　But　the　iron　was　so　sharp　that　the　end　of　his　little　finger　was　cut　to　the　nerve；　and　the　first　joint　of　the　next　finger　was　torn；　but　he　who　is　intent　upon　something　else　paid　no　heed　to　any　of　his　wounds　or　to　the　blood　which　trickled　down。　　Though　the　window　is　not　low；　Lancelot　gets　through　it　quickly　and　easily。　First　he　finds　Kay　asleep　in　his　bed；　then　he　comes　to　the　bed　of　the　Queen；　whom　he　adores　and　before　whom　he　kneels；　holding　her　more　dear　than　the　relic　of　any　saint。　　And　the　Queen　extends　her　arms　to　him　and；　embracing　him；　presses　him　tightly　against　her　bosom；　drawing　him　into　the　bed　beside　her　and　showing　him　every　possible　satisfaction；　her　love　and　her　heart　go　out　to　him。　　It　is　love　that　prompts　her　to　treat　him　so；　and　if　she　feels　great　love　for　him；　he　feels　a　hundred　thousand　times　as　much　for　her。　For　there　is　no　love　at　all　in　other　hearts　compared　with　what　there　is　in　his；　in　his　heart　love　was　so　completely　embodied　that　it　was　niggardly　toward　all　other　hearts。　　Now　Lancelot　possesses　all　he　wants；　when　the　Queen　voluntarily　seeks　his　company　and　love；　and　when　he　holds　her　in　his　arms；　and　she　holds　him　in　hers。　　Their　sport　is　so　agreeable　and　sweet；　as　they　kiss　and　fondle　each　other；　that　in　truth　such　a　marvellous　joy　comes　over　them　as　was　never　heard　or　known。　　But　their　joy　will　not　be　revealed　by　me；　for　in　a　story；　it　has　no　place。　　Yet；　the　most　choice　and　delightful　satisfaction　was　precisely　that　of　which　our　story　must　not　speak。　　That　night　Lancelot's　joy　and　pleasure　were　very　great。　　But；　to　his　sorrow；　day　comes　when　he　must　leave　his　mistress'　side。　　It　cost　him　such　pain　to　leave　her　that　he　suffered　a　real　martyr's　agony。　　His　heart　now　stays　where　the　Queen　remains；　he　has　not　the　power　to　lead　it　away；　for　it　finds　such　pleasure　in　the　Queen　that　it　has　no　desire　to　leave　her：　so　his　body　goes；　and　his　heart　remains。　　But　enough　of　his　body　stays　behind　to　spot　and　stain　the　sheets　with　the　blood　which　has　fallen　from　his　fingers。　　Full　of　sighs　and　tears；　Lancelot　leaves　in　great　distress。　　He　grieves　that　no　time　is　fixed　for　another　meeting；　but　it　cannot　be。　　Regretfully　he　leaves　by　the　window　through　which　he　had　entered　so　happily。　He　was　so　badly　wounded　in　the　fingers　that　they　were　in　sorry；　state；　yet　he　straightened　the　bars　and　set　them　in　their　place　again；　so　that　from　neither　side；　either　before　or　behind；　was　it　evident　that　any　one　had　drawn　out　or　bent　any　of　the　bars。　　When　he　leaves　the　room；　he　bows　and　acts　precisely　as　if　he　were　before　a　shrine；　then　he　goes　with　a　heavy　heart；　and　reaches　his　lodgings　without　being　recognised　by　any　one。　　He　throws　himself　naked　upon　his　bed　without　awaking　any　one；　and　then　for　the　first　time　he　is　surprised　to　notice　the　cuts　in　his　fingers；　but　he　is　not　at　all　concerned；　for　he　is　very　sure　that　the　wound　was　caused　by　dragging　the　window　bars　from　the　wall。　　Therefore　he　was　not　at　all　worried；　for　he　would　rather　have　had　both　arms　dragged　from　his　body　than　not　enter　through　the　window。　　But　he　would　have　been　very　angry　and　distressed；　if　he　had　thus　injured　and　wounded　himself　under　any　other　circumstances。

（Vv。　4755…5006。）　　In　the　morning；　within　her　curtained　room；　the　Queen　had　fallen　into　a　gentle　sleep；　she　had　not　noticed　that　her　sheets　were　spotted　with　blood；　but　she　supposed　them　to　be　perfectly　white　and　clean　and　presentable。　　Now　Meleagant；　as　soon　as　he　was　dressed　and　ready；　went　to　the　room　where　the　Queen　lay。　　He　finds　her　awake；　and　he　sees　the　sheets　spotted　with　fresh　drops　of　blood；　whereupon　he　nudges　his　companions　and；　suspicious　of　some　mischief；　looks　at　the　bed　of　Kay　the　seneschal；　and　sees　that　his　sheets　are　blood…stained　too；　for　you　must　know　that　in　the　night　his　wounds　had　begun　to　bleed　afresh。　　Then　he　said：　〃Lady；　now　I　have　found　the　evidence　that　I　desired。　　It　is　very　true　that　any　man　is　a　fool　to　try　to　confine　a　woman：　he　wastes　his　efforts　and　his　pains。　　He　who　tries　to　keep　her　under　guard　loses　her　sooner　than　the　man　who　takes　no　thought　of　her。　　A　fine　watch；　indeed；　has　been　kept　by　my　father；　who　is　guarding　you　on　my　behalf！　　He　has　succeeded　in　keeping　you　from　me；　but；　in　spite　of　him；　Kay　the　seneschal　has　looked　upon　you　last　night；　and　has　done　what　he　pleased　with　you；　as　can　readily　be　proved。〃　　〃What　is　that？〃　she　asks。　　〃Since　I　must　speak；　I　find　blood　on　your　sheets；　which　proves　the　fact。　　I　know　it　and　can　prove　it；　because　I　find　on　both　your　sheets　and　his　the　blood　which　issued　from　his　wounds：　the　evidence　is　very　strong。〃　　Then　the　Queen　saw　on　both　beds　the　bloody　sheets；　and　marvelling；　she　blushed　with　shame　and　said：　〃So　help　me　God；　this　blood　which　I　see　upon　my　sheets　was　never　brought　here　by　Kay；　but　my　nose　bled　during　the　night；　and　I　suppose　it　must　be　from　my　nose。〃　　In　saying　so；　she　thinks　she　tells　the　truth。　　〃By　my　head；〃　says　Meleagant；　〃there　is　nothing　in　what　you　say。　　Swearing　is　of　no　avail；　for　you　are　taken　in　your　guilt；　and　the　truth　will　soon　be　proved。〃　　Then　he　said　to　the　guards　who　were　present：　〃Gentlemen；　do　not　move；　and　see　to　it　that　the　sheets　are　not　taken　from　the　bed　until　I　return。　　I　wish　the　king　to　do　me　justice；　as　soon　as　he　has　seen　the　truth。〃　　Then　he　searched　until　he　found　him；　and　failing　at　his　feet；　he　said：　〃Sire；　come　to　see　what　you　have　failed　to　guard。　Come　to　see　the　Queen；　and　you　shall　see　the　certain　marvels　which　I　have　already　seen　and　tested。　　But；　before　you　go；　I　beg　you　not　to　fail　to　be　just　and　upright　toward　me。　　You　know　well　to　what　danger　I　have　exposed　myself　for　the　Queen；　yet；　you　are　no　friend　of　mine　and　keep　her　from　me　under　guard。　　This　morning　I　went　to　see　her　in　her　bed；　and　I　remarked　that　Kay　lies　with　her　every　night。　　Sire；　for　God's　sake；　be　not　angry；　if　I　am　disgruntled　and　if　I　complain。　　For　it　is　very　humiliating　for　me　to　be　hated　and　despised　by　one　with　whom　Kay　is　allowed　to　lie。〃　〃Silence！〃　says　the　king；　〃I　don't　believe　it。〃　　〃Then　come；　my　lord；　and　see　the　sheets　and　the　state　in　which　Kay　has　left　them。　　Since　you　will　not　believe　my　words；　and　since　you　think　I　am　lying；　I　will　show　you　the　sheets　and　the　quilt　covered　with　blood　from　Kay's　wounds。〃　　〃Come　now；〃　says　the　king；　〃I　wish　to　see　for　myself；　and　my　eyes　will　judge　of　the　truth。〃　　Then　the　king　goes　directly　to　the　room；　where　the　Queen　got　up　at　his　approach。　　He　sees　that　the　sheets　are　blood…stained　on　her　bed　and　on　Kay's　alike　and　he　says：　〃Lady；　it　is　going　bad