four arthurian romances-第95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！


rage　never　so　debased　herself　as　to　lodge　in　his　breast　or　take　quarters　near　him。　　But　cowardice　is　altogether　lodged　with　him；　and　she　has　found　a　host　who　will　honour　her　and　serve　her　so　faithfully　that　he　is　willing　to　resign　his　own　fair　name　for　hers。〃　　Thus　they　wrangle　all　night；　vying　with　each　other　in　slander。　　But　often　one　man　maligns　another；　and　yet　is　much　worse　himself　than　the　object　of　his　blame　and　scorn。　　Thus；　every　one　said　what　he　pleased　about　him。　　And　when　the　next　day　dawned；　all　the　people　prepared　and　came　again　to　the　jousting　place。　　The　Queen　was　in　the　stand　again；　accompanied　by　her　ladies　and　damsels　and　many　knights　without　their　arms；　who　had　been　captured　or　defeated；　and　these　explained　to　them　the　armorial　bearings　of　the　knights　whom　they　most　esteem。　　Thus　they　talk　among　themselves：　（24）　〃Do　you　see　that　knight　yonder　with　a　golden　band　across　the　middle　of　his　red　shield？　　That　is　Governauz　of　Roberdic。　　And　do　you　see　that　other　one；　who　has　an　eagle　and　a　dragon　painted　side　by　side　upon　his　shield？　　That　is　the　son　of　the　King　of　Aragon；　who　has　come　to　this　land　in　search　of　glory　and　renown。　　And　do　you　see　that　one　beside　him；　who　thrusts　and　jousts　so　well；　bearing　a　shield　with　a　leopard　painted　on　a　green　ground　on　one　part；　and　the　other　half　is　azure　blue？　　That　is　Ignaures　the　well…beloved；　a　lover　himself　and　jovial。　　And　he　who　bears　the　shield　with　the　pheasants　portrayed　beak　to　beak　is　Coguillanz　of　Mautirec。　　Do　you　see　those　two　side　by　side；　with　their　dappled　steeds；　and　golden　shields　showing　black　lions？　　One　is　named　Semiramis；　and　the　other　is　his　companion；　their　shields　are　painted　alike。　　And　do　you　see　the　one　who　has　a　shield　with　a　gate　painted　on　it；　through　which　a　stag　appears　to　be　passing　out？　　That　is　King　Ider；　in　truth。〃　　Thus　they　talk　up　in　the　stand。　　〃That　shield　was　made　at　Limoges；　whence　it　was　brought　by　Pilades；　who　is　very　ardent　and　keen　to　be　always　in　the　fight。　　That　shield；　bridle；　and　breast…strap　were　made　at　Toulouse；　and　were　brought　here　by　Kay　of　Estraus。　　The　other　came　from　Lyons　on　the　Rhone；　and　there　is　no　better　under　heaven；　for　his　great　merit　it　was　presented　to　Taulas　of　the　Desert；　who　bears　it　well　and　protects　himself　with　it　skilfully。　　Yonder　shield　is　of　English　workmanship　and　was　made　at　London；　you　see　on　it　two　swallows　which　appear　as　if　about　to　fly；　yet　they　do　not　move；　but　receive　many　blows　from　the　Poitevin　lances　of　steel；　he　who　has　it　is　poor　Thoas。〃　　Thus　they　point　out　and　describe　the　arms　of　those　they　know；　but　they　see　nothing　of　him　whom　they　had　held　in　such　contempt；　and；　not　remarking　him　in　the　fray；　they　suppose　that　he　has　slipped　away。　　When　the　Queen　sees　that　he　is　not　there；　she　feels　inclined　to　send　some　one　to　search　for　him　in　the　crowd　until　he　be　found。　　She　knows　of　no　one　better　to　send　in　search　of　him　than　she　who　yesterday　performed　her　errand。　　So；　straightway　calling　her；　she　said　to　her：　〃Damsel；　go　and　mount　your　palfrey！　　I　send　you　to　the　same　knight　as　I　sent　you　yesterday；　and　do　you　seek　him　until　you　find　him。　　Do　not　delay　for　any　cause；　and　tell　him　again　to　do　his　‘worst'。　And　when　you　have　given　him　this　message；　mark　well　what　reply　he　makes。〃　　The　damsel　makes　no　delay；　for　she　had　carefully　noticed　the　direction　he　took　the　night　before；　knowing　well　that　she　would　be　sent　to　him　again。　　She　made　her　way　through　the　ranks　until　she　saw　the　knight；　whom　she　instructs　at　once　to　do　his　〃worst〃　again；　if　he　desires　the　love　and　favour　of　the　Queen　which　she　sends　him。　　And　he　makes　answer：　〃My　thanks　to　her；　since　such　is　her　will。〃　　Then　the　damsel　went　away；　and　the　valets；　sergeants；　and　squires　begin　to　shout：　〃See　this　marvellous　thing！　　He　of　yesterday　with　the　vermilion　arms　is　back　again。　　What　can　he　want？　　Never　in　the　world　was　there　such　a　vile；　despicable；　and　craven　wretch！　　He　is　so　in　the　power　of　cowardice　that　resistance　is　useless　on　his　part。〃　　And　the　damsel　returns　to　the　Queen；　who　detained　her　and　would　not　let　her　go　until　she　heard　what　his　response　had　been；　then　she　heartily　rejoiced；　feeling　no　longer　any　doubt　that　this　is　he　to　whom　she　altogether　belongs；　and　he　is　hers　in　like　manner。　　Then　she　bids　the　damsel　quickly　return　and　tell　him　that　it　is　her　command　and　prayer　that　he　shall　do　his　〃best　〃；　and　she　says　she　will　go　at　once　without　delay。　　She　came　down　from　the　stand　to　where　her　valet　with　the　palfrey　was　awaiting　her。　　She　mounted　and　rode　until　she　found　the　knight；　to　whom　she　said　at　once：　〃Sire；　my　lady　now　sends　word　that　you　shall　do　the　‘best'　you　can！〃　　And　he　replies：　〃Tell　her　now　that　it　is　never　a　hardship　to　do　her　will；　for　whatever　pleases　her　is　my　delight。〃　　The　maiden　was　not　slow　in　bearing　back　this　message；　for　she　thinks　it　will　greatly　please　and　delight　the　Queen。　　She　made　her　way　as　directly　as　possible　to　the　stand；　where　the　Queen　rose　and　started　to　meet　her；　however；　she　did　not　go　down；　but　waited　for　her　at　the　top　of　the　steps。　　And　the　damsel　came　happy　in　the　message　she　had　to　bear。　　When　she　had　climbed　the　steps　and　reached　her　side；　she　said：　〃Lady；　I　never　saw　so　courteous　g　knight；　for　he　is　more　than　ready　to　obey　every　command　you　send　to　him；　for；　if　the　truth　be　known；　he　accepts　good　and　evil　with　the　same　countenance。　　〃Indeed；〃　says　the　Queen；　〃that　may　well　be　so。〃　　Then　she　returns　to　the　balcony　to　watch　the　knights。　And　Lancelot　without　delay　seizes　his　shield　by　the　leather　straps；　for　he　is　kindled　and　consumed　by　the　desire　to　show　his　prowess。　　Guiding　his　horse's　head；　he　lets　him　run　between　two　lines。　　All　those　mistaken　and　deluded　men；　who　have　spent　a　large　part　of　the　day　and　night　in　heaping　him　with　ridicule；　will　soon　be　disconcerted。　　For　a　long　time　they　have　had　their　sport　and　joke　and　fun。　　The　son　of　the　King　of　Ireland　held　his　shield　closely　gripped　by　the　leather　straps；　as　he　spurs　fiercely　to　meet　him　from　the　opposite　direction。　　They　come　together　with　such　violence　that　the　son　of　the　Irish　king　having　broken　and　splintered　his　lance；　wishes　no　more　of　the　tournament；　for　it　was　not　moss　he　struck；　but　hard；　dry　boards。　In　this　encounter　Lancelot　taught　him　one　of　his　thrusts；　when　he　pinned　his　shield　to　his　arm；　and　his　arm　to　his　side；　and　brought　him　down　from　his　horse　to　earth。　　Like　arrows　the　knights　at　once　fly　out；　spurring　and　pricking　from　either　side；　some　to　relieve　this　knight；　others　to　add　to　his　distress。　　While　some　thus　try　to　aid　their　lords；　many　a　saddle　is　left　empty　in　the　strife　and　fray。　　But　all　that　day　Gawain　took　no　hand　at　arms；　though　he　was　with　the　others　there；　for　he　took　such　pleasure　in　watching　the　deeds　of　him　with　the　red　painted　arms　that　what　the　others　did　seemed　to　him　pale　in　comparison。　And　the　herald　cheered　up　again；　as　he　shouted　aloud　so　that　all　could　hear：　〃Here　there　has　one　come　who　will　take　the　measure！　To…day　you　shall　see　what　he　can　do。　　To…day　his　prowess　shall　appear。〃　　Then　the　knight　directs　his　steed　and　makes　a　very　skilful　thrust　against　a　certain　knight；　whom　he　strikes　so　hard　that　he　carries　him　a　hundred　feet　or　more　from　his　horse。　　His　feats　with　sword　and　lance　are　so　well　performed　that　there　is　none　of　the　onlookers　who　does　not　find　pleasure　in　watching　him。　Many　even　of　those　who　bear　arms　find　pleasure　and　satisfaction　in　what　he　does；　for　it　is　great　sport　to　see　how　he　makes　horses　and　knights　tumble　and　fall。　　He　encounters　hardly　a　single　knight　who　is　able　to　keep　his　seat；　and　he　gives　the　horses　he　wins　to　those　who　want　them。　　Then　those　who　had　been　making　game　of　him　said：　〃Now　we　are　disgraced　and　mortified。　　It　was　a　great　mistake　for　us　to　deride　and　vilify　this　man；　for　he　is　surely　worth　a　thousand　such　as　we　are　on　this　field；　for　he　has　defeated　and　outdone　all　the　knights　in　the　world；　so　that　there　is　no　one　now　that　opposes　him。〃　　And　the　damsels；　who　amazed　were　watching　him；　all　said　that　he　might　take　them　to　wife；　but　they　did　not　dare　to　trust　in　their　beauty　or　wealth；　or　power　or　highness；　for　not　for　her　beauty　or　wealth　would　this　peerless　knight　deign　to　choose　any　one　of　them。　　Yet；　most　of　them　are　so　enamoured　of　him　that　they　say　that；　unless　they　marry　him；　they　will　not　be　bestowed　upon　any　man　this　year。　　And　the　Queen；　who　hears　them　boast；　laughs　to　herself　and　enjoy　the　fun；　for　well　she　knows　that　if　all　the　gold　of　Arabia　should　be　set　before　him；　yet　he　who　is　beloved　by　them　all　would　not　select　the　best；　the　fairest；　or　the　most　charming　of　the　group。　　One　wish　is　common　to　them　alleach　wishes　to　have　him　as　her　spouse。　　One　is　jealous　of　another；　as　if　she　were　already　his　wife；　and　all　this　is　because　they　see　him　so　adroit　that　in　their　opinion　no　mortal　man　could　perform　such　deeds　as　he　had　done。　　He　did　so　well　that　when　the　time　came　to　leave　the　list；　they　admitted　freely　on　both　sides　that　no　one　had　equalled　the　knight　with　the　vermilion　shield。　　All　said　this；　and　it　was　true。　　But　when　he　left；　he　allowed　his　shield　and　lance　and　trappings　to　fall　where　he　saw　the　thickest　press；　then　he　rode　off　hastily　with　such　secrecy　that　no　one　of　all　the　host　noticed　that　he　had　disappeared。　　But　he　went　straight　back　to　the　place　whence　he　had　come；　to　keep　his　oath。　　When　the　tournament　broke　up；　they　all　searched　and　asked　for　him；　but　without　success；　for　he　fled　away；　having　no　desire　to　be　recognised。　　The　knights　are　disappointed　and　distressed；　for　they　would　have　rejoiced　to　have　him　there。　　But　if　the　knights　were　grieved　to　have　been　deserted　thus；　still　greater　was　the　damsels'　grief　when　they　learned　the　truth；　and　they　asserted　by　St。　John　that　they　would　not　marry　at　all　that　year。　　If　they　can't　have　him　whom　they　truly　love；　then　all　the　others　may　be　dismissed。　　Thus　the　tourney　was　adjourned　without　any　of　them　choosing　a　husband。　　Meanwhile　Lancelot　without　delay　repairs　to　his　prison。　　But　the　seneschal　arrived　two　or　three　days　before　Lancelot；　and　inquired　where　he　was。　　And　his　wife；　who　had　given　to　Lancelot　his　fair　and　well…　equipped　vermilion　arms；　as　well　as　his　harness　and　his　horse；　told　the　truth　to　the　seneschalhow　she　had　sent　him　where　there　had　been　jousting　at　the　tourney　of　Noauz。　　〃