four arthurian romances-第94部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


might　rest　assured　that　I　should　be　careful　to　return　to　my　captivity　here。〃　　〃I　would　gladly　do　it；〃　she　replied；　〃if　I　did　not　see　that　my　death　and　destruction　would　result。　　But　I　am　in　such　terror　of　my　lord；　the　despicable　Meleagant；　that　I　would　not　dare　to　do　it；　for　he　would　kill　my　husband　at　once。　　It　is　not　strange　that　I　am　afraid　of　him；　for；　as　you　know；　he　is　very　bad。〃　　〃Lady；　if　you　are　afraid　that　I　may　not　return　to　you　at　once　after　the　tournament；　I　will　take　an　oath　which　I　will　never　break；　that　nothing　will　detain　me　from　returning　at　once　to　my　prison　here　immediately　after　the　tournament。〃　　Upon　my　word；〃　said　she；　〃I　will　allow　it　upon　one　condition。〃　　〃Lady；　what　condition　is　that？〃　　Then　she　replies：　〃Sire；　upon　condition　that　you　wilt　swear　to　return　to　me；　and　promise　that　I　shall　have　your　love。〃　〃Lady；　I　give　you　all　the　love　I　have；　and　swear　to　come　back。〃　Then　the　lady　laughs　and　says：　〃I　have　no　cause　to　boast　of　such　a　gift；　for　I　know　you　have　bestowed　upon　some　one　else　the　love　for　which　I　have　just　made　request。　　However；　I　do　not　disdain　to　take　so　much　of　it　as　I　can　get。　　I　shall　be　satisfied　with　what　I　can　have；　and　will　accept　your　oath　that　you　will　be　so　considerate　of　me　as　to　return　hither　a　prisoner。〃

（Vv。　5515…5594。）　　In　accordance　with　her　wish；　Lancelot　swears　by　Holy　Church　that　he　will　return　without　fail。　　And　the　lady　at　once　gives　him　the　vermilion　arms　of　her　lord；　and　his　horse　which　was　marvellously　good　and　strong　and　brave。　　He　mounts　and　leaves；　armed　with　handsome；　new　arms；　and　proceeds　until　he　comes　to　Noauz。　　He　espoused　this　side　in　the　tournament；　and　took　his　lodging　outside　the　town。　　Never　did　such　a　noble　man　choose　such　a　small　and　lowly　lodging…place；　but　he　did　not　wish　to　lodge　where　he　might　be　recognised。　　There　were　many　good　and　excellent　knights　gathered　within　the　town。　　But　there　were　many　more　outside；　for　so　many　had　come　on　account　of　the　presence　of　the　Queen　that　the　fifth　part　could　not　be　accommodated　inside。　For　every　one　who　would　have　been　there　under　ordinary　circumstances；　there　were　seven　who　would　not　have　come　excepting　on　the　Queen's　account。　　The　barons　were　quartered　in　tents；　lodges；　and　pavilions　for　five　leagues　around。　　Moreover；　it　was　wonderful　how　many　gentle　ladies　and　damsels　were　there。　　Lancelot　placed　his　shield　outside　the　door　of　his　lodging…place；　and　then；　to　make　himself　more　comfortable；　he　took　off　his　arms　and　lay　down　upon　a　bed　which　he　held　in　slight　esteem；　for　it　was　narrow　and　had　a　thin　mattress；　and　was　covered　with　a　coarse　hempen　cloth。　　Lancelot　had　thrown　himself　upon　the　bed　all　disarmed；　and　as　he　lay　there　in　such　poor　estate；　behold！　a　fellow　came　in　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　he　was　a　herald…at…arms；　and　had　left　his　coat　and　shoes　in　the　tavern　as　a　pledge；　so　he　came　running　barefoot　and　exposed　to　the　wind。　　He　saw　the　shield　hanging　outside　the　door；　and　looked　at　it：　but　naturally　he　did　not　recognise　it　or　know　to　whom　it　belonged；　or　who　was　the　bearer　of　it。　　He　sees　the　door　of　the　house　standing　open；　and　upon　entering；　he　sees　Lancelot　upon　the　bed；　and　as　soon　as　he　saw　him；　he　recognised　him　and　crossed　himself。　　And　Lancelot　made　a　sign　to　him；　and　ordered　him　not　to　speak　of　him　wherever　he　might　go；　for　if　he　should　tell　that　he　knew　him；　it　would　be　better　for　him　to　have　his　eyes　put　out　or　his　neck　broken。　〃Sire；〃　the　herald　says；　〃I　have　always　held　you　in　high　esteem；　and　so　long　as　I　live；　I　shall　never　do　anything　to　cause　you　displeasure。〃　　Then　he　runs　from　the　house　and　cries　aloud：　〃Now　there　has　come　one　who　will　take　the　measure！　（23）　　Now　there　has　come　one　who　will　take　the　measure！〃　　The　fellow　shouts　this　everywhere；　and　the　people　come　from　every　side　and　ask　him　what　is　the　meaning　of　his　cry。　　He　is　not　so　rash　as　to　answer　them；　but　goes　on　shouting　the　same　words：　〃Now　there　has　come　one　who　will　take　the　measure！〃　　This　herald　was　the　master　of　us　all；　when　he　taught　us　to　use　the　phrase；　for　he　was　the　first　to　make　use　of　it。

（Vv。　5595…5640。）　　Now　the　crowd　was　assembled；　including　the　Queen　and　all　the　ladies；　the　knights　and　the　other　people；　and　there　were　many　men…at…arms　everywhere；　to　the　right　and　left。　　At　the　place　where　the　tournament　was　to　be；　there　were　some　large　wooden　stands　for　the　use　of　the　Queen　with　her　ladies　and　damsels。　　Such　fine　stands　were　never　seen　before　they　were　so　long　and　well　constructed。　　Thither　the　ladies　betook　themselves　with　the　Queen；　wishing　to　see　who　would　fare　better　or　worse　in　the　combat。　　Knights　arrive　by　tens；　twenties；　and　thirties；　here　eighty　and　there　ninety；　here　a　hundred；　there　still　more；　and　yonder　twice　as　many　yet；　so　that　the　press　is　so　great　in　front　of　the　stands　and　all　around　that　they　decide　to　begin　the　joust。　As　they　assemble；　armed　and　unarmed；　their　lances　suggest　the　appearance　of　a　wood；　for　those　who　have　come　to　the　sport　brought　so　many　lances　that　there　is　nothing　in　sight　but　lances；　banners；　and　standards。　　Those　who　are　going　to　take　part　begin　to　joust；　and　they　find　plenty　of　their　companions　who　had　come　with　similar　intent。　　Still　others　prepare　to　perform　other　feats　of　chivalry。　　The　fields；　meadows；　and　fallow　lands　are　so　full　of　knights　that　it　is　impossible　to　estimate　how　many　of　them　are　there。　　But　there　was　no　sign　of　Lancelot　at　this　first　gathering　of　the　knights；　but　later；　when　he　entered　the　middle　of　the　field；　the　herald　saw　him　and　could　not　refrain　from　crying　out：　〃Behold　him　who　will　take　the　measure！　　Behold　him　who　will　take　the　measure！〃　　And　the　people　ask　him　who　he　is；　but　he　will　not　tell　them　anything。

（Vv。　5641…6104。）　　When　Lancelot　entered　the　tournament；　he　was　as　good　as　twenty　of　the　best；　and　he　began　to　fight　so　doughtily　that　no　one　could　take　his　eyes　from　him；　wherever　he　was。　　On　the　Pomelegloi　side　there　was　a　brave　and　valorous　knight；　and　his　horse　was　spirited　and　swifter　than　a　wild　stag。　　He　was　the　son　of　the　Irish　king；　and　fought　well　and　handsomely。　　But　the　unknown　knight　pleased　them　all　more　a　hundred　times。　　In　wonder　they　all　make　haste　to　ask：　〃Who　is　this　knight　who　fights　so　well？〃　　And　the　Queen　privily　called　a　clever　and　wise　damsel　to　her　and　said：　〃Damsel；　you　must　carry　a　message；　and　do　it　quickly　and　with　few　words。　　Go　down　from　the　stand；　and　approach　yonder　knight　with　the　vermilion　shield；　and　tell　him　privately　that　I　bid　him　do　his　‘worst'。〃　　She　goes　quickly；　and　with　intelligence　executes　the　Queen's　command。　　She　sought　the　knight　until　she　came　up　close　to　him；　then　she　said　to　him　prudently　and　in　a　voice　so　low　that　no　one　standing　by　might　hear：　〃Sire；　my　lady　the　Queen　sends　you　word　by　me　that　you　shall　do　your　‘worst'。〃　　When　he　heard　this；　he　replied：　〃Very　willingly；〃　like　one　who　is　altogether　hers。　　Then　he　rides　at　another　knight　as　hard　as　his　horse　can　carry　him；　and　misses　his　thrust　which　should　have　struck　him。　　From　that　time　till　evening　fell　he　continued　to　do　as　badly　as　possible　in　accordance　with　the　Queen's　desire。　　But　the　other；　who　fought　with　him；　did　not　miss　his　thrust；　but　struck　him　with　such　violence　that　he　was　roughly　handled。　　Thereupon　he　took　to　flight；　and　after　that　he　never　turned　his　horse's　head　toward　any　knight；　and　were　he　to　die　for　it；　he　would　never　do　anything　unless　he　saw　in　it　his　shame；　disgrace；　and　dishonour；　he　even　pretends　to　be　afraid　of　all　the　knights　who　pass　to　and　fro。　　And　the　very　knights　who　formerly　esteemed　him　now　hurled　jests　and　jibes　at　him。　　And　the　herald　who　had　been　saying：　〃He　will　beat　them　all　in　turn！〃　is　greatly　dejected　and　discomfited　when　he　hears　the　scornful　jokes　of　those　who　shout：　〃Friend；　say　no　more！　　This　fellow　will　not　take　any　one's　measure　again。　　He　has　measured　so　much　that　his　yardstick　is　broken；　of　which　thou　hast　boasted　to　us　so　much。〃　Many　say：　〃What　is　he　going　to　do？　　He　was　so　brave　just　now；　but　now　he　is　so　cowardly　that　there　is　not　a　knight　whom　he　dares　to　face。　　The　cause　of　his　first　success　must　have　been　that　he　never　engaged　at　arms　before；　and　he　was　so　brave　at　his　first　attack　that　the　most　skilled　knight　dared　not　withstand　him；　for　he　fought　like　a　wild　man。　　But　now　he　has　learned　so　much　of　arms　that　he　will　never　wish　to　bear　them　again　his　whole　life　long。　　His　heart　cannot　longer　endure　the　thought；　for　there　is　nothing　more　cowardly　than　his　heart。〃　　And　the　Queen；　as　she　watches　him；　is　happy　and　well…pleased；　for　she　knows　full　well；　though　she　does　not　say　it；　that　this　is　surely　Lancelot。　　Thus　all　day　long　till　evening　he　played　his　coward's　part；　and　late　in　the　afternoon　they　separated。　　At　parting　there　was　a　great　discussion　as　to　who　had　done　the　best。　　The　son　of　the　Irish　king　thinks　that　without　doubt　or　contradiction　he　has　all　the　glory　and　renown。　　But　he　is　grievously　mistaken；　for　there　were　plenty　of　others　as　good　as　he。　　Even　the　vermilion　knight　so　pleased　the　fairest　and　gentlest　of　the　ladies　and　damsels　that　they　had　gazed　at　him　more　than　at　any　other　knight；　for　they　had　remarked　how　well　he　fought　at　first；　and　how　excellent　and　brave　he　was；　then　he　had　become　so　cowardly　that　he　dared　not　face　a　single　knight；　and　even　the　worst　of　them　could　defeat　and　capture　him　at　will。　　But　knights　and　ladies　all　agreed　that　on　the　morrow　they　should　return　to　the　list；　and　the　damsels　should　choose　as　their　lords　those　who　should　win　honour　in　that　day's　fight：　on　this　arrangement　they　all　agree。　　Then　they　turn　toward　their　lodgings；　and　when　they　had　returned；　here　and　there　men　began　to　say：　〃What　has　become　of　the　worst；　the　most　craven　and　despised　of　knights？　　Whither　did　he　go？　　Where　is　he　concealed？　Where　is　he　to　be　found？　　Where　shall　we　search　for　him？　　We　shall　probably　never　see　him　again。　　For　he　has　been　driven　off　by　cowardice；　with　which　he　is　so　filled　that　there　is　no　greater　craven　in　the　world　than　he。　　And　he　is　not　wrong；　for　a　coward　is　a　hundred　times　more　at　ease　than　a　valorous　fighting　man。　Cowardice　is　easy　of　entreaty；　and　that　is　the　reason　he　has　given　her　the　kiss　of　peace　and　has　taken　from　her　all　she　has　to　give。　　Courage　never　so　debased　herself　as　to　lodge　in　his　breast　or　take　quarters　near　him。　　But　cowardice　is