four arthurian romances-第98部分

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or　leave　to　go；　then；　with　your　consent；　I　should　feel　free　to　go。〃　　〃Lancelot；　fair；　sweet　dear　friend；　I　am　quite　willing；〃　the　damsel　says；　〃I　desire　your　honour　and　welfare　above　everything　everywhere。〃　　Then　she　gives　him　a　wonderful　horse　she　has；　the　best　horse　that　ever　was　seen；　and　he　leaps　up　without　so　much　as　saying　to　the　stirrups　〃by　your　leave〃：　he　was　up　without　considering　them。　　Then　to　God；　who　never　lies；　they　commend　each　other　with　good　intent。

（Vv。　6729…7004。）　　Lancelot　was　so　glad　to　be　on　the　road　that；　if　I　should　take　an　oath；　I　could　not　possibly　describe　the　joy　he　felt　at　having　escaped　from　his　trap。　　But　he　said　to　himself　repeatedly　that　woe　was　the　traitor；　the　reprobate；　whom　now　he　has　tricked　and　ridiculed；　〃for　in　spite　of　him　I　have　escaped。〃　Then　he　swears　by　the　heart　and　body　of　Him　who　made　the　world　that　not　for　all　the　riches　and　wealth　from　Babylon　to　Ghent　would　he　let　Meleagant　escape；　if　he　once　got　him　in　his　power：　for　he　has　him　to　thank　for　too　much　harm　and　shame！　　But　events　will　soon　turn　out　so　as　to　make　this　possible；　for　this　very　Meleagant；　whom　he　threatens　and　presses　hard；　had　already　come　to　court　that　day　without　being　summoned　by　any　one；　and　the　first　thing　he　did　was　to　search　until　he　found　my　lord　Gawain。　Then　the　rascally　proven　traitor　asks　him　about　Lancelot；　whether　he　had　been　seen　or　found；　as　if　he　himself　did　not　know　the　truth。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　did　not　know　the　truth；　although　he　thought　he　knew　it　well　enough。　　And　Gawain　told　him；　as　was　true；　that　he　had　not　been　seen；　and　that　he　had　not　come。　　〃Well；　since　I　don't　find　him；〃　says　Meleagant；　〃do　you　come　and　keep　the　promise　you　made　me：　I　shall　not　longer　wait　for　you。〃　Then　Gawain　makes　answer：　〃I　will　keep　presently　my　word　with　you；　if　it　please　God　in　whom　I　place　my　trust。　　I　expect　to　discharge　my　debt　to　you。　　But　if　it　comes　to　throwing　dice　for　points；　and　I　should　throw　a　higher　number　than　you；　so　help　me　God　and　the　holy　faith；　I'll　not　withdraw；　but　will　keep　on　until　I　pocket　all　the　stakes。〃　（28）　　Then　without　delay　Gawain　orders　a　rug　to　be　thrown　down　and　spread　before　him。　　There　was　no　snivelling　or　attempt　to　run　away　when　the　squires　heard　this　command；　but　without　grumbling　or　complaint　they　execute　what　he　commands。　　They　bring　the　rug　and　spread　it　out　in　the　place　indicated；　then　he　who　had　sent　for　it　takes　his　seat　upon　it　and　gives　orders　to　be　armed　by　the　young　men　who　were　standing　unarmed　before　him。　　There　were　two　of　them；　his　cousins　or　nephews；　I　know　not　which；　but　they　were　accomplished　and　knew　what　to　do。　　They　arm　him　so　skilfully　and　well　that　no　one　could　find　any　fault　in　the　world　with　them　for　any　mistake　in　what　they　did。　　When　they　finished　arming　him；　one　of　them　went　to　fetch　a　Spanish　steed　able　to　cross　the　fields；　woods；　hills；　and　valleys　more　swiftly　than　the　good　Bucephalus。　（29）　　Upon　a　horse　such　as　you　have　heard　Gawain　took　his　seatthe　admired　and　most　accomplished　knight　upon　whom　the　sign　of　the　Cross　was　ever　made。　　Already　he　was　about　to　seize　his　shield；　when　he　saw　Lancelot　dismount　before　him；　whom　he　was　not　expecting　to　see。　　He　looked　at　him　in　amazement；　because　he　had　come　so　unexpectedly；　and；　if　I　am　not　wrong；　he　was　as　much　surprised　as　if　he　had　fallen　from　the　clouds。　　However；　no　business　of　his　own　can　detain　him；　as　soon　as　he　sees　Lancelot；　from　dismounting　and　extending　his　arms　to　him；　as　he　embraces；　salutes　and　kisses　him。　　Now　he　is　happy　and　at　ease；　when　he　has　found　his　companion。　　Now　I　will　tell　you　the　truth；　and　you　must　not　think　I　lie；　that　Gawain　would　not　wish　to　be　chosen　king；　unless　he　had　Lancelot　with　him。　　The　King　and　all　the　rest　now　learn　that；　in　spite　of　all；　Lancelot；　for　whom　they　so　long　have　watched；　has　come　back　quite　safe　and　sound。　　Therefore　they　all　rejoice；　and　the　court；　which　so　long　has　looked　for　him；　comes　together　to　honour　him。　　Their　happiness　dispels　and　drives　away　the　sorrow　which　formerly　was　theirs。　　Grief　takes　flight　and　is　replaced　by　an　awakening　joy。　　And　how　about　the　Queen？　　Does　she　not　share　in　the　general　jubilee？　　Yes；　verily；　she　first　of　all。　　How　so？　　For　God's　sake；　where；　then；　could　she　be　keeping　herself？　　She　was　never　so　glad　in　her　life　as　she　was　for　his　return。　　And　did　she　not　even　go　to　him？　　Certainly　she　did；　she　is　so　close　to　him　that　her　body　came　near　following　her　heart。　　Where　is　her　heart；　then？　　It　was　kissing　and　welcoming　Lancelot。　　And　why　did　the　body　conceal　itself？　　Why　is　not　her　joy　complete？　　Is　it　mingled　with　anger　or　hate？　　No；　certainly；　not　at　all；　but　it　may　be　that　the　King　or　some　of　the　others　who　are　there；　and　who　are　watching　what　takes　place；　would　have　taken　the　whole　situation　in；　if；　while　all　were　looking　on；　she　had　followed　the　dictates　of　her　heart。　　If　common…sense　had　not　banished　this　mad　impulse　and　rash　desire；　her　heart　would　have　been　revealed　and　her　folly　would　have　been　complete。　　Therefore　reason　closes　up　and　binds　her　fond　heart　and　her　rash　intent；　and　made　it　more　reasonable；　postponing　the　greeting　until　it　shall　see　and　espy　a　suitable　and　more　private　place　where　they　would　fare　better　than　here　and　now。　　The　King　highly　honoured　Lancelot；　and　after　welcoming　him；　thus　spoke：　〃I　have　not　heard　for　a　long　time　news　of　any　man　which　were　so　welcome　as　news　of　you；　yet　I　am　much　concerned　to　learn　in　what　region　and　in　what　land　you　have　tarried　so　long　a　time。　　I　have　had　search　made　for　you　up　and　down；　all　the　winter　and　summer　through；　but　no　one　could　find　a　trace　of　you。〃　　〃Indeed；　fair　sire；〃　says　Lancelot；　〃I　can　inform　you　in　a　few　words　exactly　how　it　has　fared　with　me。　　The　miserable　traitor　Meleagant　has　kept　me　in　prison　ever　since　the　hour　of　the　deliverance　of　the　prisoners　in　his　land；　and　has　condemned　me　to　a　life　of　shame　in　a　tower　of　his　beside　the　sea。　　There　he　put　me　and　shut　me　in；　and　there　I　should　still　be　dragging　out　my　weary　life；　if　it　were　not　for　a　friend　of　mine；　a　damsel　for　whom　I　once　performed　a　slight　service。　　In　return　for　the　little　favour　I　did　her；　she　has　repaid　me　liberally：　she　has　bestowed　upon　me　great　honour　and　blessing。　　But　I　wish　to　repay　without　delay　him　for　whom　I　have　no　love；　who　has　sought　out　and　devised　for　me　this　shame　and　injury。　　He　need　not　wait；　for　the　sum　is　all　ready；　principal　and　interest；　but　God　forbid　that　he　find　in　it　cause　to　rejoice！〃　　Then　Gawain　said　to　Lancelot：　〃Friend；　it　will　be　only　a　slight　favour　for　me；　who　am　in　your　debt；　to　make　this　payment　for　you。　　Moreover；　I　am　all　ready　and　mounted；　as　you　see。　　Fair；　sweet　friend；　do　not　deny　me　the　boon　I　desire　and　request。〃　　But　Lancelot　replies　that　he　would　rather　have　his　eye　plucked　out；　or　even　both　of　them；　than　be　persuaded　to　do　this：　he　swears　it　shall　never　be　so。　　He　owes　the　debt　and　he　will　pay　it　himself：　for　with　his　own　hand　he　promised　it。　　Gawain　plainly　sees　that　nothing　he　can　say　is　of　any　avail；　so　he　loosens　and　takes　off　his　hauberk　from　his　back；　and　completely　disarms　himself。　　Lancelot　at　once　arms　himself　without　delay；　for　he　is　impatient　to　settle　and　discharge　his　debt。　　Meleagant；　who　is　amazed　beyond　measure　at　what　he　sees；　has　reached　the　end　of　his　good　fortunes；　and　is　about　to　receive　what　is　owing　him。　　He　is　almost　beside　himself　and　comes　near　fainting。　　〃Surely　I　was　a　fool；〃　he　says；　〃not　to　go；　before　coming　here；　to　see　if　I　still　held　imprisoned　in　my　tower　him　who　now　has　played　this　trick　on　me。　　But；　God；　why　should　I　have　gone？　　What　cause　had　I　to　think　that　he　could　possibly　escape？　　Is　not　the　wall　built　strong　enough；　and　is　not　the　tower　sufficiently　strong　and　high？　　There　was　no　hole　or　crevice　in　it；　through　which　he　could　pass；　unless　he　was　aided　from　outside。　　I　am　sure　his　hiding…place　was　revealed。　　If　the　wall　were　worn　away　and　had　fallen　into　decay；　would　he　not　have　been　caught　and　injured　or　killed　at　the　same　time？　　Yes；　so　help　me　God；　if　it　had　fallen　down；　he　would　certainly　have　been　killed。　　But　I　guess；　before　that　wall　gives　away　without　being　torn　down；　that　all　the　water　in　the　sea　will　dry　up　without　leaving　a　drop　and　the　world　will　come　to　an　end。　　No；　that　is　not　it：　it　happened　otherwise：　he　was　helped　to　escape；　and　could　not　have　got　out　otherwise：　I　have　been　outwitted　through　some　trickery。　　At　any　rate；　he　has　escaped；　but　if　I　had　been　on　my　guard；　all　this　would　never　have　happened；　and　he　would　never　have　come　to　court。　　But　it's　too　late　now　to　repent。　　The　rustic；　who　seldom　errs；　pertinently　remarks　that　it　is　too　late　to　close　the　stable　when　the　horse　is　out。　　I　know　I　shall　now　be　exposed　to　great　shame　and　humiliation；　if　indeed　I　do　not　suffer　and　endure　something　worse。　　What　shall　I　suffer　and　endure？　　Rather；　so　long　as　I　live；　I　will　give　him　full　measure；　if　it　please　God；　in　whom　I　trust。〃　　Thus　he　consoles　himself；　and　has　no　other　desire　than　to　meet　his　antagonist　on　the　field。　　And　he　will　not　have　long　to　wait；　I　think；　for　Lancelot　goes　in　search　of　him；　expecting　soon　to　conquer　him。　　But　before　the　assault　begins；　the　King　bids　them　go　down　into　the　plain　where　the　tower　stands；　the　prettiest　place　this　side　of　Ireland　for　a　fight。　　So　they　did；　and　soon　found　themselves　on　the　plain　below。　　The　King　goes　down　too；　and　all　the　rest；　men　and　women　in　crowds。　　No　one　stays　behind；　but　many　go　up　to　the　windows　of　the　tower；　among　them　the　Queen；　her　ladies　and　damsels；　of　whom　she　had　many　with　her　who　were　fair。

（Vv。　7005…7119。）　　In　the　field　there　stood　a　sycamore　as　fair　as　any　tree　could　be；　it　was　wide…spread　and　covered　a　large　area；　and　around　it　grew　a　fine　border　of　thick　fresh　grass　which　was　green　at　all　seasons　of　the　year。　　Under　this　fair　and　stately　sycamore；　which　was　planted　back　in　Abel's　time；　there　rises　a　clear　spring　of　water　which　flows　away　hurriedly。　　The　bed　of　the　spring　is　beautiful　and　as　bright　as　silver；　and　the　channel　through　which　the　water　flows　is　formed；　I　think；　of　refined　and　tested　gold；　and　it　stretches　away　across　the　field　down　into　a　valley　between　the　woods。　　There　it　pleases　the　King　to　take　his　seat　where　nothing　unpleasant　is　in　sight。　　After　the　crowd　has　drawn　back　at　the　King's　command；　Lanc