four arthurian romances-第93部分

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nswer　him：　〃Yes；　indeed。〃　　〃Who？〃　　〃Lancelot　of　the　Lake；〃　they　say；　〃who　crossed　the　sword…bridge；　and　rescued　and　delivered　her　as　well　as　all　the　rest　of　us。　　But　we　have　been　betrayed　by　a　pot…bellied；　humpbacked；　and　crabbed　dwarf。　　He　has　deceived　us　shamefully　in　seducing　Lancelot　from　us；　and　we　do　not　know　what　he　has　done　with　him。〃　　〃When　was　that？〃　my　lord　Gawain　inquires。　　〃Sire；　near　here　this　very　day　this　trick　was　played　on　us；　while　he　was　coming　with　us　to　meet　you。〃　　〃And　how　has　Lancelot　been　occupied　since　he　entered　this　land？〃　　Then　they　begin　to　tell　him　all　about　him　in　detail；　and　then　they　tell　him　about　the　Queen；　how　she　is　waiting　for　him　and　asserting　that　nothing　could　induce　her　to　leave　the　country；　until　she　sees　him　or　hears　some　credible　news　of　him。　　To　them　my　lord　Gawain　replies：　〃When　we　leave　this　bridge；　we　shall　go　to　search　for　Lancelot。〃　　There　is　not　one　who　does　not　advise　rather　that　they　go　to　the　Queen　at　once；　and　have　the　king　seek　Lancelot；　for　it　is　their　opinion　that　his　son　Meleagant　has　shown　his　enmity　by　having　him　cast　into　prison。　　But　if　the　king　can　learn　where　he　is；　he　will　certainly　make　him　surrender　him：　they　can　rely　upon　this　with　confidence。

（Vv。　5199…5256。）　　They　all　agreed　upon　this　plan；　and　started　at　once　upon　their　way　until　they　drew　near　the　court　where　the　Queen　and　king　were。　　There；　too；　was　Kay　the　seneschal；　and　that　disloyal　man；　full　to　overflowing　of　treachery；　who　has　aroused　the　greatest　anxiety　for　Lancelot　on　the　part　of　the　party　which　now　arrives。　　They　feel　they　have　been　discomfited　and　betrayed；　and　they　make　great　lament　in　their　misery。　　It　is　not　a　gracious　message　which　reports　this　mourning　to　the　Queen。　　Nevertheless；　she　deports　herself　with　as　good　a　grace　as　possible。　　She　resolves　to　endure　it；　as　she　must；　for　the　sake　of　my　lord　Gawain。　　However；　she　does　not　so　conceal　her　grief　that　it　does　not　somewhat　appear。　　She　has　to　show　both　joy　and　grief　at　once：　her　heart　is　empty　for　Lancelot；　and　to　my　lord　Gawain　she　shows　excessive　joy。　　Every　one　who　hears　of　the　loss　of　Lancelot　is　grief…stricken　and　distracted。　　The　king　would　have　rejoiced　at　the　coming　of　my　lord　Gawain　and　would　have　been　delighted　with　his　acquaintance；　but　he　is　so　sorrowful　and　distressed　over　the　betrayal　of　Lancelot　that　he　is　prostrated　and　full　of　grief。　　And　the　Queen　beseeches　him　insistently　to　have　him　searched　for；　up　and　down　throughout　the　land；　without　postponement　or　delay。　My　lord　Gawain　and　Kay　and　all　the　others　join　in　this　prayer　and　request。　　〃Leave　this　care　to　me；　and　speak　no　more　of　it；〃　the　king　replies；　〃for　I　have　been　ready　to　do　so　for　some　time。　Without　need　of　request　or　prayer　this　search　shall　be　made　with　thoroughness。〃　　Everyone　bows　in　sign　of　gratitude；　and　the　king　at　once　sends　messengers　through　his　realm；　sagacious　and　prudent　men…at…arms；　who　inquired　for　him　throughout　the　land。　　They　made　inquiry　for　him　everywhere；　but　gained　no　certain　news　of　him。　Not　finding　any；　they　come　back　to　the　place　where　the　knights　remain；　then　Gawain　and　Kay　and　all　the　others　say　that　they　will　go　in　search　of　him；　fully　armed　and　lance　in　rest；　they　will　not　trust　to　sending　some　one　else。

（Vv。　5257…5378。）　　One　day　after　dinner　they　were　all　in　the　hall　putting　on　their　arms；　and　the　point　had　been　reached　where　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　start；　when　a　valet　entered　and　passed　by　them　all　until　he　came　before　the　Queen；　whose　cheeks　were　by　no　means　rosy！　　For　she　was　in　such　mourning　for　Lancelot；　of　whom　she　had　no　news；　that　she　had　lost　all　her　colour。　　The　valet　greeted　her　as　well　as　the　king；　who　was　by　her　side；　and　then　all　the　others　and　Kay　and　my　lord　Gawain。　　He　held　a　letter　in　his　hand　which　he　gave　to　the　king；　who　took　it。　　The　king　had　it　read　in　the　hearing　of　all　by　one　who　made　no　mistake　in　reading　it。　　The　reader　knew　full　well　how　to　communicate　to　them　what　was　written　in　the　parchment：　he　says　that　Lancelot　sends　greetings　to　the　king　as　his　kind　lord；　and　thanks　him　for　the　honour　and　kindness　he　has　shown　him；　and　that　he　now　places　himself　at　the　king's　orders。　　And　know　that　he　is　now　hale　and　hearty　at　King　Arthur's　court；　and　he　bids　him　tell　the　Queen　to　come　thither；　if　she　will　consent；　in　company　with　my　lord　Gawain　and　Kay。　　In　proof　of　which；　he　affixed　his　signature　which　they　should　recognise；　as　indeed　they　did。　　At　this　they　were　very　happy　and　glad；　the　whole　court　resounds　with　their　jubilation；　and　they　say　they　will　start　next　day　as　soon　as　it　is　light。　　So；　when　the　day　broke；　they　make　ready　and　prepare：　they　rise　and　mount　and　start。　　With　great　joy　and　jubilee　the　king　escorts　them　for　a　long　distance　on　their　way。　　When　he　has　conducted　them　to　the　frontier　and　has　seen　them　safely　across　the　border；　he　takes　leave　of　the　Queen；　and　likewise　of　all　the　rest。　　And　when　he　comes　to　take　his　leave；　the　Queen　is　careful　to　express　her　gratitude　for　all　the　kindness　he　has　shown　to　her；　and　throwing　her　arms　about　his　neck；　she　offers　and　promises　him　her　own　service　and　that　of　her　lord：　no　greater　promise　can　she　make。　　And　my　lord　Gawain　promises　his　service　to　him；　as　to　his　lord　and　friend；　and　then　Kay　does　likewise；　and　all　the　rest。　Then　the　king　commends　them　to　God　as　they　start　upon　their　way。　After　these　three；　he　bids　the　rest　farewell；　and　then　turns　his　face　toward　home。　　The　Queen　and　her　company　do　not　tarry　a　single　day　until　news　of　them　reaches　the　court。　　King　Arthur　was　delighted　at　the　news　of　the　Queen's　approach；　and　he　is　happy　and　pleased　at　the　thought　that　his　nephew　had　brought　about　the　Queen's　return；　as　well　as　that　of　Kay　and　of　the　lesser　folk。　But　the　truth　is　quite　different　from　what　he　thinks。　　All　the　town　is　cleared　as　they　go　to　meet　them；　and　knights　and　vassals　join　in　shouting　as　they　approach：　〃Welcome　to　my　lord　Gawain；　who　has　brought　back　the　Queen　and　many　another　captive　lady；　and　has　freed　for　us　many　prisoners！〃　　Then　Gawain　answered　them：　〃Gentlemen；　I　do　not　deserve　your　praise。　　Do　not　trouble　ever　to　say　this　again；　for　the　compliment　does　not　apply　to　me。　　This　honour　causes　me　only　shame；　for　I　did　not　reach　the　Queen　in　time；　my　detention　made　me　late。　　But　Lancelot　reached　there　in　time；　and　won　such　honour　as　was　never　won　by　any　other　knight。〃　〃Where　is　he；　then；　fair　dear　sire；　for　we　do　not　see　him　here？〃　〃Where？〃　echoes　my　lord　Gawain；　〃at　the　court　of　my　lord　the　King；　to　be　sure。　　Is　he　not？〃　　〃No；　he　is　not　here；　or　anywhere　else　in　this　country。　　Since　my　lady　was　taken　away；　we　have　had　no　news　of　him。〃　　Then　for　the　first　time　my　lord　Gawain　realised　that　the　letter　had　been　forged；　and　that　they　had　been　betrayed　and　deceived：　by　the　letter　they　had　been　misled。　　Then　they　all　begin　to　lament；　and　they　come　thus　weeping　to　the　court；　where　the　King　at　once　asks　for　information　about　the　affair。　　There　were　plenty　who　could　tell　him　how　much　Lancelot　had　done；　how　the　Queen　and　all　the　captives　were　delivered　from　durance　by　him；　and　by　what　treachery　the　dwarf　had　stolen　him　and　drawn　him　away　from　them。　　This　news　is　not　pleasing　to　the　King；　and　he　is　very　sorry　and　full　of　grief；　but　his　heart　is　so　lightened　by　the　pleasure　he　takes　in　the　Queen's　return；　that　his　grief　concludes　in　joy。　　When　he　has　what　he　most　desires；　he　cares　little　for　the　rest。

（Vv。　5379…5514。）　　While　the　Queen　was　out　of　the　country；　I　believe；　the　ladies　and　the　damsels　who　were　disconsolate；　decided　among　themselves　that　they　would　marry；　soon；　and　they　organised　a　contest　and　a　tournament。　　The　lady　of　Noauz　was　patroness　of　it；　with　the　lady　of　Pomelegloi。　　They　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　those　who　fare　ill；　but　they　assert　that　they　will　accept　those　who　comport　themselves　well　in　the　tournament。　And　they　had　the　date　of　the　contest　proclaimed　s　long　while　in　advance　in　all　the　countries　near　and　far；　in　order　that　there　might　be　more　participants。　　Now　the　Queen　arrived　before　the　date　they　had　set；　and　as　soon　as　the　ladies　heard　of　the　Queen's　return；　most　of　them　came　at　once　to　the　King　and　besought　him　to　grant　them　a　favour　and　boon；　which　he　did。　　He　promised　to　do　whatever　they　wished；　before　he　knew　what　their　desire　might　be。　Then　they　told　him　that　they　wished　him　to　let　the　Queen　come　to　be　present　at　their　contest。　　And　he　who　was　not　accustomed　to　forbid；　said　he　was　willing；　if　she　wished　ir　so。　　In　happy　mood　they　go　to　the　Queen　and　say　to　her：　〃Lady；　do　not　deprive　us　of　the　boon　which　the　King　has　granted　us。〃　　Then　she　asks　them：　〃What　is　that？　　Don't　fail　to　tell！〃　　Then　they　say　to　her：　〃If　you　will　come　to　our　tournament；　he　will　not　gainsay　you　nor　stand　in　the　way。〃　　Then　she　said　that　she　would　come；　since　he　was　willing　that　she　should。　　Promptly　the　dames　send　word　throughout　the　realm　that　they　are　going　to　bring　the　Queen　on　the　day　set　for　the　tournament。　　The　news　spread　far　and　near；　here　and　there；　until　it　reached　the　kingdom　whence　no　one　used　to　returnbut　now　whoever　wished　might　enter　or　pass　out　unopposed。　　The　news　travelled　in　this　kingdom　until　it　came　to　a　seneschal　of　the　faithless　Meleagant　　　may　an　evil　fire　burn　him！　　This　seneschal　had　Lancelot　in　his　keeping；　for　to　him　he　had　been　entrusted　by　his　enemy　Meleagant；　who　hated　him　with　deadly　hate。　　Lancelot　learned　the　hour　and　date　of　the　tournament；　and　as　soon　as　he　heard　of　it；　his　eyes　were　not　tearless　nor　was　his　heart　glad。　　The　lady　of　the　house；　seeing　Lancelot　sad　and　pensive；　thus　spoke　to　him：　〃Sire；　for　God's　sake　and　for　your　own　soul's　good；　tell　me　truly；〃　the　lady　said；　〃why　you　are　so　changed。　　You　won't　eat　or　drink　anything；　and　I　see　that　you　do　not　make　merry　or　laugh。　　You　can　tell　me　with　confidence　why　you　are　so　sad　and　troubled。〃　　〃Ah；　lady；　for　God's　sake；　do　not　be　surprised　that　I　am　sad！　　Truly；　I　am　very　much　downcast；　since　I　cannot　be　present　where　all　that　is　good　in　the　world　will　be　assembled：　that　is；　at　the　tournament　where　there　will　be　a　gathering　of　the　people　who　make　the　earth　tremble。　　Nevertheless；　if　it　pleased　you；　and　if　God　should　incline　your　heart　to　let　me　go　thither；　you　might　rest　assured　that　I　should　be　careful　to　return　to　my　captivity　here。〃　　〃I　would　gladly　do　it；