HowSrBleobersdemandedthefarestladynKngMark’scourt,whomhetookaway,andhowhewasfoughtwth。
THENtbefelluponadaythatthegoodknghtBleobersdeGans,brothertoBlamoredeGans,andnghcousnuntothegoodknghtSrLauncelotduLake,thsBleoberscameuntothecourtofKngMark,andthereheaskedofKngMarkaboon,togvehmwhatgftthathewouldasknhscourt。Whenthekngheardhmaskso,hemarvelledofhsaskng,butbecausehewasaknghtoftheRoundTable,andofagreatrenown,KngMarkgrantedhmhswholeaskng。Then,sadSrBleobers,wllhavethefarestladynyourcourtthatmelsttochoose。
maynotsaynay,sadKngMark;nowchooseatyouradventure。
AndsoSrBleobersddchooseSrSegwardes’wfe,andtookherbythehand,andsowenthswaywthher;andsohetookhshorseandgartsetherbehndhssqure,androdeuponhsway。
WhenSrSegwardesheardtellthathsladywasgonewthaknghtofKngArthur’scourt,thenhearmedhmandrodeafterthatknghtfortorescuehslady。SowhenBleoberswasgonewththslady,KngMarkandallthecourtwaswroththatshewasaway。ThenweretherecertanladesthatknewthatthereweregreatlovebetweenSrTrstramandher,andalsothatladylovedSrTrstramaboveallotherknghts。ThentherewasoneladythatrebukedSrTrstramnthehorrblestwse,andcalledhmcowardknght,thathewouldforshameofhsknghthoodseealadysoshamefullybetakenawayfromhsuncle’scourt。Butshemeantthatetherofthemhadlovedotherwthentreheart。
ButSrTrstramansweredherthus:Farlady,tsnotmyparttohaveadonsuchmatterswhleherlordandhusbandspresenthere;andfthadbeenthatherlordhadnotbeenherenthscourt,thenfortheworshpofthscourtperadventure
wouldhavebeenherchampon,andfsobeSrSegwardesspeednotwell,tmayhappenthatwllspeakwththatgoodknghtoreverhepassfromthscountry。
ThenwthnawhlecameoneofSrSegwardes’squres,andtoldnthecourtthatSrSegwardeswasbeatensoreandwoundedtothepontofdeath;ashewouldhaverescuedhsladySrBleobersoverthrewhmandsorehathwoundedhm。ThenwasKngMarkheavythereof,andallthecourt。WhenSrTrstramheardofthshewasashamedandsoregreved;andthenwashesoonarmedandonhorseback,andGouvernal,hsservant,barehssheldandspear。AndsoasSrTrstramrodefasthemetwthSrAndredhscousn,thatbythecommandmentofKngMarkwassenttobrngforth,anevertlaynhspower,twoknghtsofArthur’scourt,thatrodebythecountrytoseektheradventures。WhenSrTrstramsawSrAndredheaskedhmwhattdngs。SoGodmehelp,sadSrAndred,therewasneverworsewthme,forherebythecommandmentofKngMarkwassenttofetchtwoknghtsofKngArthur’scourt,andthatonebeatmeandwoundedme,andsetnoughtbymymessage。Farcousn,sadSrTrstram,rdeonyourway,andfmaymeetthemtmayhappenshallrevengeyou。SoSrAndredrodentoCornwall,andSrTrstramrodeafterthetwoknghts,thewhchonehghtSagramoreleDesrous,andtheotherhghtDodnasleSavage。
HowSrTrstramfoughtwthtwoknghtsoftheRoundTable。
THENwthnawhleSrTrstramsawthemaforehm,twolkelyknghts。Sr,sadGouvernaluntohsmaster,Sr,wouldcounselyounottohaveadowththem,fortheybetwoprovedknghtsofArthur’scourt。Asforthat,sadSrTrstram,haveyenodoubtbutwllhaveadowththemtoncreasemyworshp,fortsmanydaysthenddanydeedsofarms。Doasyelst,sadGouvernal。AndtherewthalanonSrTrstramaskedthemfromwhencetheycame,andwhthertheywould,andwhattheyddnthosemarches。SrSagramorelookeduponSrTrstram,andhadscornofhswords,andaskedhmagan,Farknght,beyeaknghtofCornwall?Wherebyaskyet?sadSrTrstram。
Fortsseldomseen,sadSrSagramore,thatyeCornshknghtsbevalantmenofarms;forwthnthesetwohourstheremetusoneofyourCornshknghts,andgreatwordshespake,andanonwthlttlemghthewasladtotheearth。And,astrow,sadSrSagramore,yeshallhavethesamehandselthathehad。
Farlords,sadSrTrstram,tmaysohappenthatmaybetterwthstandthanhedd,andwhetheryewllornllwllhaveadowthyou,becausehewasmycousnthatyebeat。Andthereforeheredoyourbest,andwtyewellbutfyequtyouthebetterhereuponthsground,oneknghtofCornwallshallbeatyouboth。
WhenSrDodnasleSavageheardhmsaysohegataspearnhshand,andsad,Srknght,keepwellthyself:Andthentheydepartedandcametogetherasthadbeenthunder。AndSrDodnas’spearbrastn-sunder,butSrTrstramsmotehmwthamoremght,thathesmotehmcleanoverthehorse-croup,thatnghhehadbrokenhsneck。WhenSrSagramoresawhsfellowhavesuchafallhemarvelledwhatknghthemghtbe。Andhedressedhsspearwthallhsmght,andSrTrstramagansthm,andtheycametogetherasthethunder,andthereSrTrstramsmoteSrSagramoreastrongbuffet,thathebarehshorseandhmtotheearth,andnthefallnghebrakehsthgh。
WhenthswasdoneSrTrstramaskedthem:Farknghts,wllyeanymore?BetherenobggerknghtsnthecourtofKngArthur?tstoyoushametosayofusknghtsofCornwalldshonour,fortmayhappenaCornshknghtmaymatchyou。
Thatstruth,sadSrSagramore,thathavewewellproved;butrequrethee,sadSrSagramore,tellusyourrghtname,bythefathandtroththatyeowetothehghorderofknghthood。
Yechargemewthagreatthng,sadSrTrstram,andsthenyelsttowtt,yeshallknowandunderstandthatmynamesSrTrstramdeLones,KngMelodas’son,andnephewuntoKngMark。ThenweretheytwoknghtsfanthattheyhadmetwthTrstram,andsotheyprayedhmtoabdentherfellowshp。
Nay,sadSrTrstram,formusthaveadowthoneofyourfellows,hsnamesSrBleobersdeGans。Godspeedyouwell,sadSrSagramoreandDodnas。SrTrstramdepartedandrodeonwardonhsway。AndthenwashewarebeforehmnavalleywhererodeSrBleobers,wthSrSegwardes’lady,thatrodebehndhssqureuponapalfrey。
HowSrTrstramfoughtwthSrBleobersforalady,andhowtheladywasputtochocetowhomshewouldgo。
THENSrTrstramrodemorethanapaceuntlthathehadovertakenhm。ThenspakeSrTrstram:Abde,hesad,KnghtofArthur’scourt,brngaganthatlady,ordelverhertome。
wlldonether,sadBleobers,fordreadnoCornshknghtsosorethatmelsttodelverher。Why,sadSrTrstram,maynotaCornshknghtdoaswellasanotherknght?
thssamedaytwoknghtsofyourcourtwthnthsthreemlemetwthme,andoreverwedepartedtheyfoundaCornshknghtgoodenoughforthemboth。Whatwerethernames?sadBleobers。Theytoldme,sadSrTrstram,thattheoneofthemhghtSrSagramoreleDesrous,andtheotherhghtDodnasleSavage。Ah,sadSrBleobers,haveyemetwththem?soGodmehelp,theyweretwogoodknghtsandmenofgreatworshp,andfyehavebeatthembothyemustneedsbeagoodknght;butftsobeyehavebeatthemboth,yetshallyenotfearme,butyeshallbeatmeoreveryehavethslady。Thendefendyou,sadSrTrstram。Sotheydepartedandcametogetherlkethunder,andetherbareotherdown,horseandall,totheearth。
Thentheyavodedtherhorses,andlashedtogethereagerlywthswords,andmghtly,nowtracngandtraversngontherghthandandonthelefthandmorethantwohours。Andsometmetheyrushedtogetherwthsuchamghtthattheylaybothgrovellngontheground。ThenSrBleobersdeGansstertaback,andsadthus:Now,gentlegoodknght,awhleholdyourhands,andletusspeaktogether。Saywhatyewll,sadTrstram,andwllansweryou。Sr,sadBleobers,wouldwtofwhenceyebe,andofwhomyebecome,andwhatsyourname?SoGodmehelp,sadSrTrstram,fearnottotellyoumyname。Wtyewell
amKngMelodas’son,andmymothersKngMark’ssster,andmynamesSrTrstramdeLones,andKngMarksmneuncle。
Truly,sadBleobers,amrghtgladofyou,foryearehethatslewMarhaustheknght,handforhandnansland,forthetruageofCornwall;alsoyeovercameSrPalamdesthegoodknght,atatournamentnansland,whereyebeatSrGawaneandhsnnefellows。SoGodmehelp,sadSrTrstram,wtyewellthatamthesameknght;nowhavetoldyoumyname,tellmeyourswthgoodwll。WtyewellthatmynamesSrBleobersdeGans,andmybrotherhghtSrBlamoredeGans,thatscalledagoodknght,andwebesster’schldrenuntomylordSrLauncelotduLake,thatwecalloneofthebestknghtsoftheworld。Thatstruth,sadSrTrstram,SrLauncelotscalledpeerlessofcourtesyandofknghthood;andforhssake,sadSrTrstram,wllnotwthmygoodwllfghtnomorewthyou,forthegreatlovehavetoSrLauncelotduLake。ngoodfath,sadBleobers,asforme
wllbeloathtofghtwthyou;butsthenyefollowmeheretohavethslady,shallprofferyoukndness,courtesy,andgentlenessrghthereuponthsground。Thsladyshallbebetwxtusboth,andtowhomthatshewllgo,lethmhavehernpeace。wllwell,sadTrstram,for,asdeem,shewllleaveyouandcometome。Yeshallprovetanon,sadBleobers。
HowtheladyforsookSrTrstramandabodewthSrBleobers,andhowshedesredtogotoherhusband。
SowhenshewassetbetwxtthembothshesadthesewordsuntoSrTrstram:Wtyewell,SrTrstramdeLones,thatbutlatethouwastthemanntheworldthatmostlovedandtrusted,andweenedthouhadstlovedmeaganabovealllades;butwhenthousawestthsknghtleadmeawaythoumadestnocheertorescueme,butsufferedmylordSegwardesrdeafterme;butuntlthattmeweenedthouhaddestlovedme,andthereforenowwllleavethee,andneverlovetheemore。AndtherewthalshewentuntoSrBleobers。
WhenSrTrstramsawherdosohewaswonderlywrothwththatlady,andashamedtocometothecourt。SrTrstram,sadSrBleobers,yearenthedefault,forhearbythslady’swordsshebeforethsdaytrustedyouaboveallearthlyknghts,and,asshesath,yehavedecevedher,thereforewtyewell,theremaynomanholdthatwllaway;andratherthanyeshouldbeheartlydspleasedwthmewouldyehadher,anshewouldabdewthyou。Nay,sadthelady,soGodmehelpwllnevergowthhm;forhethatlovedmostweenedhehadlovedme。
Andtherefore,SrTrstram,shesad,rdeasthoucame,forthoughthouhaddestovercomethsknght,asyewaslkely,wththeeneverwouldhavegone。Andshallpraythsknghtsofarofhsknghthood,thatoreverhepassthscountry,thathewllleadmetotheabbeywheremylordSrSegwardesleth。
SoGodmehelp,sadBleobers,letyouwt,goodknghtSrTrstram,becauseKngMarkgavemethechoceofagftnthscourt,andsothsladylkedmebest——notwthstandng,shesweddedandhathalord,andhavefulflledmyquest,sheshallbesentuntoherhusbandagan,andnespecalmostforyoursake,SrTrstram;andfshewouldgowthyouwouldyehadher。thankyou,sadSrTrstram,butforherloveshallbewarewhatmanneraladyshallloveortrust;forhadherlord,SrSegwardes,beenawayfromthecourt,shouldhavebeenthefrstthatshouldhavefollowedyou;butsthenthatyehaverefusedme,asamtrueknghtshallherknowpassnglywellthatshallloveortrust。Andsotheytooktherleaveonefromtheotheranddeparted。
AndsoSrTrstramrodeuntoTntagl,andSrBleobersrodeuntotheabbeywhereSrSegwardeslaysorewounded,andtherehedelveredhslady,anddepartedasanobleknght;andwhenSrSegwardessawhslady,hewasgreatlycomforted;andthenshetoldhmthatSrTrstramhaddonegreatbattlewthSrBleobers,andcausedhmtobrngheragan。ThesewordspleasedSrSegwardesrghtwell,thatSrTrstramwoulddosomuch;andsothatladytoldallthebattleuntoKngMarkbetwxtSrTrstramandSrBleobers。
第46章