首页 >出版文学> Le Mort d’Arthur>第130章

第130章

  X
  Howtherewasapartymadeofanhundredknghtsaganstanhundredknghts,andofothermattersTHENArthurmadeapartyofhundredknghtstobeaganstanhundredknghts。Andsouponthemorntheyjoustedforadamond,buttherejoustednoneofthedangerousknghts;andsofortoshortenthstale,SrUrreandSrLavanejoustedbestthatday,fortherewasnoneofthembutheoverthrewandpulleddownthrtyknghts;andthenbytheassentofallthekngsandlords,SrUrreandSrLavaneweremadeknghtsoftheTableRound。AndSrLavanecasthsloveuntoDameFelelole,SrUrre’ssster,andthentheywereweddedtogetherwthgreatjoy,andKngArthurgavetoeverychofthemabaronyoflands。AndthsSrUrrewouldnevergofromSrLauncelot,butheandSrLavaneawatedevermoreuponhm;andtheywerenallthecourtaccountedforgoodknghts,andfulldesrousnarms;andmanynobledeedstheydd,fortheywouldhavenorest,buteversoughtadventures。
  Thustheylvednallthatcourtwthgreatnoblesseandjoylongtme。ButeverynghtanddaySrAgravane,SrGawane’sbrother,awatedQueenGueneverandSrLauncelotduLaketoputthemtoarebukeandshame。
  Andsoleavehereofthstale,andoverskpgreatbooksofSrLauncelotduLake,whatgreatadventuresheddwhenhewascalledLeChevalerduCharot。ForastheFrenchbooksath,becauseofdesptethatknghtsandladescalledhmtheknghtthatrodenthecharotlkeashewerejudgedtothegallows,thereforendespteofallthemthatnamedhmso,hewascarrednacharotatwelvemonth,for,butlttleafterthathehadslanSrMelagrancenthequeen’squarrel,henevernatwelvemonthcameonhorseback。AndastheFrenchbooksath,heddthattwelvemonthmorethanfortybattles。
  AndbecausehavelosttheverymatterofLeChevaerduCharot,departfromthetaleofSrLauncelot,andheregountothemorteofKngArthur;andthatcausedSrAgravane。
  Explctlber。
  AndhereafterfolloweththemostpteoushstoryofthemorteofKngArthur,thewhchsthetwentethbook。
  BOOK
  HowSrAgravaneandSrMordredwerebusyuponSrGawanefortodsclosethelovebetweenSrLauncelotandQueenGueneverNMaywheneverylustyheartflourshethandbourgeoneth,forastheseasonslustytobeholdandcomfortable,somanandwomanrejoceandgladdenofsummercomngwthhsfreshflowers:forwnterwthhsroughwndsandblastscausethalustymanandwomantocowerandstfastbythefre。Sonthsseason,asnthemonthofMay,tbefellagreatangerandunhapthatstntednottlltheflowerofchvalryofalltheworldwasdestroyedandslan;andallwaslongupontwounhappyknghtsthewhchwerenamedAgravaneandSrMordred,thatwerebrethrenuntoSrGawane。ForthsSrAgravaneandSrMordredhadeveraprvyhateuntothequeenDameGueneverandtoSrLauncelot,anddalyandnghtlytheyeverwatcheduponSrLauncelot。
  Sotmshapped,SrGawaneandallhsbrethrenwerenKngArthur’schamber;andthenSrAgravanesadthusopenly,andnotnnocounsel,thatmanyknghtsmghtheart:marvelthatweallbenotashamedbothtoseeandtoknowhowSrLauncelotlethdalyandnghtlybythequeen,andallweknowtso;andtsshamefullysufferedofusall,thatweallshouldsuffersonobleakngasKngArthurssotobeshamed。
  ThenspakeSrGawane,andsad:BrotherSrAgravane,prayyouandchargeyoumovenosuchmattersnomoreaforeme,forwtyouwell,sadSrGawane,
  wllnotbeofyourcounsel。SoGodmehelp,sadSrGahersandSrGareth,wewllnotbeknowng,brotherAgravane,ofyourdeeds。Thenwll,sadSrMordred。
  levewellthat,sadSrGawane,foreveruntoallunhappness,brotherSrMordred,theretowllyegrant;
  andwouldthatyeleftallths,andmadeyounotsobusy,forknow,sadSrGawane,whatwllfalloft。
  Falloftwhatfallmay,sadSrAgravane,wlldsclosettothekng。Notbymycounsel,sadSrGawane,forantherersewarandwrackbetwxtSrLauncelotandus,wtyouwellbrother,therewllmanykngsandgreatlordsholdwthSrLauncelot。Also,brotherSrAgravane,sadSrGawane,yemustrememberhowofttmesSrLauncelothathrescuedthekngandthequeen;andthebestofusallhadbeenfullcoldattheheart-roothadnotSrLauncelotbeenbetterthanwe,andthathathheprovedhmselffulloft。Andasformypart,sadSrGawane,
  wllneverbeaganstSrLauncelotforoneday’sdeed,whenherescuedmefromKngCaradosoftheDolorousTower,andslewhm,andsavedmylfe。Also,brotherSrAgravaneandSrMordred,nlkewseSrLauncelotrescuedyouboth,andthreescoreandtwo,fromSrTurqun。Methnkethbrother,suchknddeedsandkndnessshouldberemembered。Doasyelst,sadSrAgravane,forwlllantnolonger。WththesewordscametothemKngArthur。Nowbrother,stntyournose,sadSrGawane。Wewllnot,sadSrAgravaneandSrMordred。Wllyeso?sadSrGawane;thenGodspeedyou,forwllnothearyourtalesnebeofyourcounsel。Nomorewll,sadSrGarethandSrGahers,forwewllneversayevlbythatman;forbecause,sadSrGareth,SrLauncelotmademeknght,bynomannerowetosayllofhm:andtherewthaltheythreedeparted,maknggreatdole。Alas,sadSrGawaneandSrGareth,nowsthsrealmwhollymscheved,andthenoblefellowshpoftheRoundTableshallbedsparpled:
  sotheydeparted。
  HowSrAgravanedsclosedtherlovetoKngArthur,andhowKngArthurgavethemlcencetotakehmANDthenSrArthuraskedthemwhatnosetheymade。
  Mylord,sadAgravane,shalltellyouthatmaykeepnolonger。Heres,andmybrotherSrMordred,brakeuntomybrothersSrGawane,SrGahers,andtoSrGareth,howthsweknowall,thatSrLauncelotholdethyourqueen,andhathdonelong;andwebeyoursster’ssons,andwemaysuffertnolonger,andallwewotthatyeshouldbeaboveSrLauncelot;andyearethekngthatmadehmknght,andthereforewewllprovet,thathesatratortoyourperson。
  ftbeso,sadSrArthur,wtyouwellhesnoneother,butwouldbeloathtobegnsuchathngbut
  mghthaveproofsupont;forSrLauncelotsanhardyknght,andallyeknowhesthebestknghtamongusall;andbutfhebetakenwththedeed,hewllfghtwthhmthatbrngethupthenose,andknownoknghtthatsabletomatchhm。Thereforeantbesoothasyesay,wouldheweretakenwththedeed。
  ForastheFrenchbooksath,thekngwasfullloaththereto,thatanynoseshouldbeuponSrLauncelotandhsqueen;fortheknghadadeemng,buthewouldnothearoft,forSrLauncelothaddonesomuchforhmandthequeensomanytmes,thatwtyewelltheknglovedhmpassnglywell。Mylord,sadSrAgravane,yeshallrdeto-morna-huntng,anddoubtyenotSrLauncelotwllnotgowthyou。Thenwhentdrawethtowardnght,yemaysendthequeenwordthatyewllleoutallthatnght,andsomayyesendforyourcooks,andthenuponpanofdeathweshalltakehmthatnghtwththequeen,andoutherweshallbrnghmtoyoudeadorquck。wllwell,sadthekng;thencounselyou,sadthekng,takewthyousurefellowshp。Sr,sadAgravane,mybrother,SrMordred,and,wlltakewthustwelveknghtsoftheRoundTable。Beware,sadKngArthur,forwarnyouyeshallfndhmwght。
  Letusdeal,sadSrAgravaneandSrMordred。
  SoonthemornKngArthurrodea-huntng,andsentwordtothequeenthathewouldbeoutallthatnght。
  ThenSrAgravaneandSrMordredgattothemtwelveknghts,andhdthemselfnachamberntheCastleofCarlsle,andthesewerethernames:SrColgrevance,SrMadordelaPorte,SrGngalne,SrMelotdeLogrs,SrPetpaseofWnchelsea,SrGalleronofGalway,SrMelonoftheMountan,SrAstamore,SrGromoreSomrJoure,SrCurselane,SrFlorence,SrLovel。SothesetwelveknghtswerewthSrMordredandSrAgravane,andalltheywereofScotland,outherofSrGawane’skn,etherwell-wllerstohsbrethren。
  Sowhenthenghtcame,SrLauncelottoldSrBorshowhewouldgothatnghtandspeakwththequeen。
  Sr,sadSrBors,yeshallnotgothsnghtbymycounsel。
  Why?sadSrLauncelot。Sr,sadSrBors,dreadmeeverofSrAgravane,thatwatethyoudalytodoyoushameandusall;andnevergavemyheartaganstnogong,thateveryewenttothequeen,somuchasnow;
  formstrustthatthekngsoutthsnghtfromthequeenbecauseperadventurehehathlansomewatchforyouandthequeen,andthereforedreadmesoreoftreason。Haveyenodread,sadSrLauncelot,for
  shallgoandcomeagan,andmakenotarryng。Sr,sadSrBors,thatmerepenteth,fordreadmesorethatyourgongoutthsnghtshallwrathusall。Farnephew,sadSrLauncelot,marvelmuchwhyyesaythus,sthenthequeenhathsentforme;andwtyewellwllnotbesomuchacoward,butsheshallunderstandwllseehergoodgrace。Godspeedyouwell,sadSrBors,andsendyousoundandsafeagan。
  llHowSrLauncelotwasespednthequeen’schamber,andhowSrAgravaneandSrMordredcamewthtwelveknghtstoslayhmSOSrLauncelotdeparted,andtookhsswordunderhsarm,andsonhsmantlethatnobleknghtputhmselfngreatJeopardy;andsohepassedtllhecametothequeen’schamber,andthenSrLauncelotwaslghtlyputntothechamber。Andthen,astheFrenchbooksath,thequeenandLauncelotweretogether。Andwhethertheywereabedoratothermannerofdsports,melstnothereofmakenomenton,forlovethattmewasnotassnow-a-days。
  Butthusastheyweretogether,therecameSrAgravaneandSrMordred,wthtwelveknghtswththemoftheRoundTable,andtheysadwthcryngvoce:Trator-knght,SrLauncelotduLake,nowartthoutaken。Andthustheycredwthaloudvoce,thatallthecourtmghtheart;andtheyallfourteenwerearmedatallpontsastheyshouldfghtnabattle。AlassadQueenGuenever,nowarewemschevedbothMadam,sadSrLauncelot,stherehereanyarmourwthnyourchamber,thatmghtcovermypoorbodywthal?Anftherebeanygvetme,andshallsoonstntthermalce,bythegraceofGod。Truly,sadthequeen,havenonearmour,sheld,sword,norspear;
  whereforedreadmesoreourlonglovescometoamschevousend,forhearbythernosetherebemanynobleknghts,andwellwottheybesurelyarmed,andaganstthemyemaymakenoresstance。Whereforeyearelkelytobeslan,andthenshallbebrent。Foranyemghtescapethem,sadthequeen,wouldnotdoubtbutthatyewouldrescuemenwhatdangerthatever
  stoodn。Alas,sadSrLauncelot,nallmylfethuswasneverbestead,thatshouldbethusshamefullyslanforlackofmnearmour。
  ButevernoneSrAgravaneandSrMordredcred:
  Trator-knght,comeoutofthequeen’schamber,forwtthouwellthouartsobesetthatthoushaltnotescape。
  OJesumercy,sadSrLauncelot,thsshamefulcryandnosemaynotsuffer,forbetterweredeathatoncethanthustoendurethspan。Thenhetookthequeennhsarms,andkssedher,andsad:MostnobleChrstanqueen,beseechyouasyehavebeenevermyspecalgoodlady,andatalltmesyourtruepoorknghtuntomypower,andasneverfaledyounrghtnornwrongsthenthefrstdayKngArthurmademeknght,thatyewllprayformysoulfthatherebeslan;forwell
  amassuredthatSrBors,mynephew,andalltheremnantofmykn,wthSrLavaneandSrUrre,thattheywllnotfalyoutorescueyoufromthefre;andtherefore,mneownlady,recomfortyourself,whatsomevercomeofme,thatyegowthSrBors,mynephew,andSrUrre,andtheyallwlldoyouallthepleasurethattheycanormay,thatyeshalllvelkeaqueenuponmylands。Nay,Launcelot,sadthequeen,wtthouwellwllneverlveafterthydays,butanthoubeslanwlltakemydeathasmeeklyforJesuChrst’ssakeaseverddanyChrstanqueen。Well,madam,sad-auncelot,sthtssothatthedayscomethatourlovemustdepart,wtyouwell
  shallsellmylfeasdearasmay;andathousandfold,sadSrLauncelot,ammoreheaverforyouthanformyself。AndnowhadleferthantobelordofallChrstendom,thathadsurearmouruponme,thatmenmghtspeakofmydeedsoreverwereslan。Truly,sadthequeen,wouldantmghtpleaseGodthattheywouldtakemeandslayme,andsufferyoutoescape。
  Thatshallneverbe,sadSrLauncelot,Goddefendmefromsuchashame,butJesubeThoumysheldandmnearmour!
  V
  HowSrLauncelotslewSrColgrevance,andarmedhmnhsharness,andafterslewSrAgravane,andtwelveofhsfellowsANDtherewthSrLauncelotwrappedhsmantleabouthsarmwellandsurely;andbythentheyhadgottenagreatformoutofthehall,andtherewthaltheyrashedatthedoor。Farlords,sadSrLauncelot,leaveyournoseandyourrashng,andshallsetopenthsdoor,andthenmayyedowthmewhattlkethyou。Comeoffthen,sadtheyall,anddot,fortavaleththeenottostrveaganstusall;andthereforeletusntothschamber,andweshallsavethylfeuntlthoucometoKngArthur。ThenLauncelotunbarredthedoor,andwthhslefthandheheldtopenalttle,sothatbutonemanmghtcomenatonce;andsotherecamestrdngagoodknght,amuchmanandlarge,andhsnamewasColgrevanceofGore,andhewthaswordstruckatSrLauncelotmghtly;andheputasdethestroke,andgavehmsuchabuffetuponthehelmet,thathefellgrovellngdeadwthnthechamberdoor。AndthenSrLauncelotwthgreatmghtdrewthatdeadknghtwthnthechamberdoor;andSrLauncelotwthhelpofthequeenandherladeswaslghtlyarmednSrColgrevance’sarmour。
  AndeverstoodSrAgravaneandSrMordredcryng:Trator-knght,comeoutofthequeen’schamber。