首页 >出版文学> Le Mort d’Arthur>第30章
  ThenSrLauncelotwentntothehall,andtherecameaforehmthreescoreladesanddamosels,andallkneeleduntohm,andthankedGodandhmoftherdelverance;Forsr,sadthey,themostpartyofushavebeenherethssevenyeartherprsoners,andwehaveworkedallmannerofslkworksforourmeat,andweareallgreatgentlewomenborn;andblessedbethetme,knght,thateverthoubeborn,forthouhastdonethemostworshpthateverddknghtnthsworld,thatwllwebearrecord,andweallprayyoutotellusyourname,thatwemaytellourfrendswhodelveredusoutofprson。Fardamosel,hesad,mynamesSrLauncelotduLake。Ah,sr,sadtheyall,wellmayestthoubehe,forelsesaveyourself,aswedeemed,theremghtneverknghthavethebetterofthesetwogants;formanyfarknghtshaveassayedt,andherehaveended,andmanytmeshavewewshedafteryou,andthesetwogantsdreadneverknghtbutyou。Nowmayyesay,sadSrLauncelot,untoyourfrendshowandwhohathdelveredyou,andgreetthemallfromme,andfthatcomenanyofyourmarches,showmesuchcheerasyehavecause,andwhattreasurethattherenthscastlesgvetyouforarewardforyourgrevance,andthelordthatsownerofthscastlewouldherecevedtassrght。Farsr,sadthey,thenameofthscastlesTntagl,andadukeoughttsometmethathadweddedfargrane,andafterweddedherUtherPendragon,andgatonherArthur。Well,sadSrLauncelot,understandtowhomthscastlelongeth;andsohedepartedfromthem,andbetaughtthemuntoGod。
  Andthenhemounteduponhshorse,androdentomanystrangeandwldcountres,andthroughmanywatersandvalleys,andevlwashelodged。Andatthelastbyfortunehmhappened,aganstanght,tocometoafarcourtelage,andtherenhefoundanoldgentlewomanthatlodgedhmwthgoodwll,andtherehehadgoodcheerforhmandhshorse。Andwhentmewas,hshostbroughthmntoafargarret,overthegate,tohsbed。
  ThereSrLauncelotunarmedhm,andsethsharnessbyhm,andwenttobed,andanonhefellasleep。So,soonafter,therecameoneonhorseback,andknockedatthegatengreathaste,andwhenSrLauncelotheardths,hearoseupandlookedoutatthewndow,andsawbythemoonlghtthreeknghtscamerdngafterthatoneman,andallthreelashedonhmatoncewthswords,andthatoneknghtturnedonthemknghtlyagan,anddefendedhm。Truly,sadSrLauncelot,yonderoneknghtshallhelp,fortwereshameformetoseethreeknghtsonone,andfhebeslanampartnerofhsdeath;andtherewthhetookhsharness,andwentoutatawndowbyasheetdowntothefourknghts,andthenSrLauncelotsadonhgh,Turnyouknghtsuntome,andleaveyourfghtngwththatknght。AndthentheyallthreeleftSrKay,andturneduntoSrLauncelot,andtherebegangreatbattle,fortheyalghtedallthree,andstruckmanygreatstrokesatSrLauncelot,andassaledhmoneverysde。
  ThenSrKaydressedhmfortohaveholpenSrLauncelot。Nay,sr,sadhe,wllnoneofyourhelp;thereforeasyewllhavemyhelp,letmealonewththem。SrKay,forthepleasureoftheknght,sufferedhmfortodohswll,andsostoodasde。
  Andthenanonwthnsstrokes,SrLauncelothadstrckenthemtotheearth。
  Andthentheyallthreecred:Srknght,weyeldusuntoyouasamanofmghtmakeless。Astothat,sadSrLauncelot,
  wllnottakeyouryeldnguntome。ButsothatyewllyeldyouuntoSrKaytheSeneschal,onthatcovenantwllsaveyourlves,andelsenot。Farknght,sadthey,thatwereweloathtodo;forasforSrKay,wechasedhmhther,andhadovercomehmhadnotyebeen,thereforetoyeldusuntohmtwerenoreason。Well,astothat,sadLauncelot,advseyouwell,foryemaychoosewhetheryewlldeorlve,foranyebeyoldentshallbeuntoSrKay。Farknght,thentheysad,nsavngofourlveswewlldoasthoucommandestus。Thenshallye,sadSrLauncelot,onWhtsundaynextcomng,gountothecourtofKngArthur,andthereshallyeyeldyouuntoQueenGuenever,andputyouallthreenhergraceandmercy,andsaythatSrKaysentyouththertobeherprsoners。Sr,theysad,tshallbedonebythefathofourbodes,anwebelvng,andtheretheysworeeveryknghtuponhssword。AndsoSrLauncelotsufferedthemsotodepart。AndthenSrLauncelotknockedatthegatewththepommelofhssword,andwththatcamehshost,andntheyenteredSrKayandhe。Sr,sadhshost,weenedyehadbeennyourbed。Sowas,sadSrLauncelot,butroseandleaptoutatmywndowfortohelpanoldfellowofmne。Andsowhentheycamenghthelght,SrKayknewwellthattwasSrLauncelot,andtherewthhekneeleddownandthankedhmofallhskndnessthathehadholpenhmtwcefromthedeath。Sr,hesad,havenothngdonebutthatmeoughtfortodo,andyearewelcome,andhereshallyereposeyouandtakeyourrest。
  SowhenSrKaywasunarmed,heaskedaftermeat;sotherewasmeatfetchedhm,andheatestrongly。Andwhenhehadsuppedtheywenttotherbedsandwerelodgedtogethernonebed。OnthemornSrLauncelotaroseearly,andleftSrKaysleepng,andSrLauncelottookSrKay’sarmourandhssheld,andarmedhm,andsohewenttothestable,andtookhshorse,andtookhsleaveofhshost,andsohedeparted。ThensoonafteraroseSrKayandmssedSrLauncelot。Andthenheespedthathehadhsarmourandhshorse。NowbymyfathknowwellthathewllgrevesomeofthecourtofKngArthur;foronhmknghtswllbebold,anddeemthatts,andthatwllbegulethem。
  Andbecauseofhsarmourandsheldamsureshallrdenpeace。AndthensoonafterdepartedSrKayandthankedhshost。
  HowSrLauncelotrodedsgusednSrKay’sharness,andhowhesmotedownaknght。
  NOWturnweuntoSrLauncelotthathadrddenlongnagreatforest,andatthelasthecamentoalowcountry,fulloffarrversandmeadows。Andaforehmhesawalongbrdge,andthreepavlonsstoodthereon,ofslkandsendalofdvershue。
  Andwthoutthepavlonshungthreewhtesheldsontruncheonsofspears,andgreatlongspearsstooduprghtbythepavlons,andateverypavlon’sdoorstoodthreefreshsqures,andsoSrLauncelotpassedbythemandspakenoword。WhenhewaspassedthethreeknghtssadthemthattwastheproudKay;Heweenethnoknghtsogoodashe,andthecontrarysofttmeproved。Bymyfath,sadoneoftheknghts,hsnamewasSrGaunter,wllrdeafterhmandassayhmforallhsprde,andyemaybeholdhowthatspeed。Sothsknght,SrGaunter,armedhm,andhunghsshelduponhsshoulder,andmounteduponagreathorse,andgathsspearnhshand,andwallopedafterSrLauncelot。Andwhenhecamenghhm,hecred,Abde,thouproudknghtSrKay,forthoushaltnotpassqut。SoSrLauncelotturnedhm,andetherfeutredtherspears,andcametogetherwthallthermghts,andSrGaunter’sspearbrake,butSrLauncelotsmotehmdownhorseandman。AndwhenSrGaunterwasattheearthhsbrethrensadeachonetoother,YonderknghtsnotSrKay,forhesbggerthanhe。darelaymyhead,sadSrGlmere,yonderknghthathslanSrKayandhathtakenhshorseandhsharness。Whethertbesoorno,sadSrRaynold,thethrdbrother,letusnowgomountuponourhorsesandrescueourbrotherSrGaunter,uponpanofdeath。Weallshallhaveworkenoughtomatchthatknght,forevermeseemethbyhspersontsSrLauncelot,orSrTrstram,orSrPelleas,thegoodknght。
  ThenanontheytooktherhorsesandovertookSrLauncelot,andSrGlmereputforthhsspear,andrantoSrLauncelot,andSrLauncelotsmotehmdownthathelaynaswoon。Srknght,sadSrRaynold,thouartastrongman,andassupposethouhastslanmytwobrethren,forthewhchrasethmyheartsoreaganstthee,andfmghtwthmyworshpwouldnothaveadowthyou,butneedsmusttakepartastheydo,andtherefore,knght,hesad,keepthyself。Andsotheyhurtledtogetherwthallthermghts,andallto-shveredboththerspears。Andthentheydrewtherswordsandlashedtogethereagerly。AnontherewtharoseSrGaunter,andcameuntohsbrotherSrGlmere,andbadehm,Arse,andhelpweourbrotherSrRaynold,thatyondermarvellouslymatchedyondergoodknght。
  Therewthal,theyleaptontherhorsesandhurtleduntoSrLauncelot。
  AndwhenhesawthemcomehesmoteasorestrokeuntoSrRaynold,thathefelloffhshorsetotheground,andthenhestrucktotheothertwobrethren,andattwostrokeshestruckthemdowntotheearth。WththatSrRaynoldbegantostartupwthhsheadallbloody,andcamestraghtuntoSrLauncelot。
  Nowletbe,sadSrLauncelot,wasnotfarfromtheewhenthouwertmadeknght,SrRaynold,andalsoknowthouartagoodknght,andloathweretoslaythee。Gramercy,sadSrRaynold,asforyourgoodness;anddaresayasformeandmybrethren,wewllnotbeloathtoyeldusuntoyou,wththatweknewyourname,forwellweknowyearenotSrKay。Asforthatbetastbemay,foryeshallyeldyouuntodameGuenever,andlookthatyebewthheronWhtsunday,andyeldyouuntoherasprsoners,andsaythatSrKaysentyouuntoher。Thentheysworetshouldbedone,andsopassedforthSrLauncelot,andeachoneofthebrethrenholpotheraswellastheymght。
  HowSrLauncelotjoustedaganstfourknghtsoftheRoundTableandoverthrewthem。
  SOSrLauncelotrodentoadeepforest,andtherebynaslade,hesawfourknghtshovngunderanoak,andtheywereofArthur’scourt,onewasSrSagramourleDesrous,andEctordeMars,andSrGawane,andSrUwane。AnonasthesefourknghtshadespedSrLauncelot,theyweenedbyhsarmsthadbeenSrKay。Nowbymyfath,sadSrSagramour,wllproveSrKay’smght,andgathsspearnhshand,andcametowardSrLauncelot。TherewthSrLauncelotwaswareandknewhmwell,andfeutredhsspearagansthm,andsmoteSrSagramoursosorethathorseandmanfellbothtotheearth。Lo,myfellows,sadhe,yonderyemayseewhatabuffethehath;thatknghtsmuchbggerthaneverwasSrKay。Nowshallyeseewhatmaydotohm。SoSrEctorgathsspearnhshandandwallopedtowardSrLauncelot,andSrLauncelotsmotehmthroughthesheldandshoulder,thatmanandhorsewenttotheearth,andeverhsspearheld。
  Bymyfath,sadSrUwane,yondersastrongknght,andamsurehehathslanSrKay;andseebyhsgreatstrengthtwllbehardtomatchhm。Andtherewthal,SrUwanegathsspearnhshandandrodetowardSrLauncelot,andSrLauncelotknewhmwell,andsohemethmontheplan,andgavehmsuchabuffetthathewasastoned,thatlonghewstnotwherehewas。Nowseewell,sadSrGawane,mustencounterwththatknght。Thenhedressedhssheldandgatagoodspearnhshand,andSrLauncelotknewhmwell;andthentheyletruntherhorseswthallthermghts,andetherknghtsmoteothernmdstofthesheld。ButSrGawane’sspearto-
  brast,andSrLauncelotchargedsosoreuponhmthathshorsereversedup-so-down。AndmuchsorrowhadSrGawanetoavodhshorse,andsoSrLauncelotpassedonapaceandsmled,andsad,Godgvehmjoythatthsspearmade,fortherecameneverabetternmyhand。
  Thenthefourknghtswenteachonetootherandcomfortedeachother。Whatsayyebythsguest?sadSrGawane,thatonespearhathfelledusallfour。Wecommendhmuntothedevl,theysadall,forhesamanofgreatmght。Yemaywellsayt,sadSrGawane,thathesamanofmght,fordarelaymyheadtsSrLauncelot,knowtbyhsrdng。Lethmgo,sadSrGawane,forwhenwecometothecourtthenshallwewt;andthenhadtheymuchsorrowtogettherhorsesagan。
  HowSrLauncelotfollowedabrachetntoacastle,wherehefoundadeadknght,andhowheafterwasrequredofadamoseltohealherbrother。
  NOWleavewethereandspeakofSrLauncelotthatrodeagreatwhlenadeepforest,wherehesawablackbrachet,seekngnmannerasthadbeennthefeuteofanhurtdeer。Andtherewthherodeafterthebrachet,andhesawleonthegroundalargefeuteofblood。AndthenSrLauncelotrodeafter。Andeverthebrachetlookedbehndher,andsoshewentthroughagreatmarsh,andeverSrLauncelotfollowed。Andthenwashewareofanoldmanor,andththerranthebrachet,andsooverthebrdge。SoSrLauncelotrodeoverthatbrdgethatwasoldandfeeble;andwhenhecamenmdstofagreathall,therehesawleadeadknghtthatwasaseemlyman,andthatbrachetlckedhswounds。Andtherewthalcameoutaladyweepngandwrngngherhands;andthenshesad,Oknght,toomuchsorrowhastthoubroughtme。Whysayyeso?sadSrLauncelot,ddneverthsknghtnoharm,forhtherbyfeuteofbloodthsbrachetbroughtme;andtherefore,farlady,benotdspleasedwthme,foramfullsoreaggrevedofyourgrevance。Truly,sr,shesad,trowtbenotyethathathslanmyhusband,forhethatddthatdeedssorewounded,andhesneverlkelytorecover,thatshallensurehm。Whatwasyourhusband’sname?sadSrLauncelot。Sr,sadshe,hsnamewascalledSrGlberttheBastard,oneofthebestknghtsoftheworld,andhethathathslanhmknownothsname。NowGodsendyoubettercomfort,sadSrLauncelot;andsohedepartedandwentntotheforestagan,andtherehemetwthadamosel,thewhchknewhmwell,andshesadaloud,Wellbeyefound,mylord;andnow