首页 >出版文学> Le Mort d’Arthur>第54章
  AndwthnshorttmebythegraceofGod,sadSrTrstram,thathewouldspeakwthLaBealesoud,andwthhmrghthastly。ThenSrLauncelotdepartedfromthedamoselandfromSrLaCoteMaleTale,fortooverseethatletter,andtowrteanotherletteruntoSrTrstramdeLones。
  AndnthemeanwhleLaCoteMaleTalerodewththedamoseluntltheycametoacastlethathghtPendragon;andthereweresknghtsstoodaforehm,andoneofthemprofferedtojoustwthLaCoteMaleTale。AndthereLaCoteMaleTalesmotehmoverhshorse’scroup。Andthenthefveknghtssetuponhmallatoncewththerspears,andtheretheysmoteLaCoteMaleTaledown,horseandman。Andthentheyalghtedsuddenly,andsettherhandsuponhmallatonce,andtookhmprsoner,andsoledhmuntothecastleandkepthmasprsoner。
  AndonthemornSrLauncelotarose,anddelveredthedamoselwthlettersuntoSrTrstram,andthenhetookhswayafterLaCoteMaleTale;andbythewayuponabrdgetherewasaknghtprofferedSrLauncelottojoust,andSrLauncelotsmotehmdown,andthentheyfoughtuponfootanoblebattletogether,andamghty;andatthelastSrLauncelotsmotehmdowngrovellnguponhshandsandhsknees。Andthenthatknghtyeldedhm,andSrLauncelotrecevedhmfar。Sr,sadtheknght,requretheetellmeyourname,formuchmyheartgvethuntoyou。Nay,sadSrLauncelot,asatthstmewllnottellyoumyname,unlessthenthatyetellmeyourname。Certanly,sadtheknght,mynamesSrNerovens,thatwasmadeknghtofmylordSrLauncelotduLake。Ah,NerovensdeLle,sadSrLauncelot,amrghtgladthatyeareprovedagoodknght,fornowwtyewellmynamesSrLauncelotduLake。Alas,sadSrNerovensdeLle,whathavedone!Andtherewthalflatlnghefelltohsfeet,andwouldhavekssedthem,butSrLauncelotwouldnotlethm;andthenethermadegreatjoyofother。AndthenSrNerovenstoldSrLauncelotthatheshouldnotgobytheCastleofPendragon:Fortheresalord,amghtyknght,andmanyknghtswthhm,andthsnghtheardsaythattheytookaknghtprsoneryesterdaythatrodewthadamosel,andtheysayhesaKnghtoftheRoundTable。
  HowSrLauncelotfoughtwthsknghts,andafterwthSrBran,andhowhedelveredtheprsoners。
  AH,sadSrLauncelot,thatknghtsmyfellow,andhmshall
  rescueorelseshalllosemylfetherefore。AndtherewthalherodefasttllhecamebeforetheCastleofPendragon;andanontherewthaltherecamesknghts,andallmadethemreadytosetuponSrLauncelotatonce;thenSrLauncelotfeutredhsspear,andsmotetheforemostthathebrakehsbackn-
  sunder,andthreeofthemhtandthreefaled。AndthenSrLauncelotpassedthroughthem,andlghtlyheturnednagan,andsmoteanotherknghtthroughthebreastandthroughoutthebackmorethananell,andtherewthalhsspearbrake。SothenalltheremnantofthefourknghtsdrewtherswordsandlashedatSrLauncelot。AndateverystrokeSrLauncelotbestowedsohsstrokesthatatfourstrokessundrytheyavodedthersaddles,passngsorewounded;andforthwthalherodehurlngntothatcastle。
  Andanonthelordofthecastle,thatwasthattmeclepedSrBrandelessles,thewhchwasanoblemanandagreatenemyuntoKngArthur,wthnawhlehewasarmedanduponhorseback。
  Andthentheyfeutredtherspearsandhurledtogethersostronglythatboththerhorsesrashedtotheearth。Andthentheyavodedthersaddles,anddressedthershelds,anddrewtherswords,andflangtogetheraswoodmen,andthereweremanystrokesgvennawhle。AtthelastSrLauncelotgavetoSrBransuchabuffetthathekneeleduponhsknees,andthenSrLauncelotrasheduponhm,andwthgreatforcehepulledoffhshelm;andwhenSrBransawthatheshouldbeslanheyeldedhm,andputhmnhsmercyandnhsgrace。ThenSrLauncelotmadehmtodelverallhsprsonersthathehadwthnhscastle,andtherenSrLauncelotfoundofArthur’sknghtsthrty,andfortylades,andsohedelveredthem;andthenherodehsway。AndanonasLaCoteMaleTalewasdelveredhegathshorse,andhsharness,andhsdamoselMaledsant。
  ThemeanwhleSrNerovens,thatSrLauncelothadfoughtenwthalaforeatthebrdge,hesentadamoselafterSrLauncelottowthowhespedattheCastleofPendragon。Andthentheywthnthecastlemarvelledwhatknghthewas,whenSrBranandhsknghtsdelveredallthoseprsoners。Haveyenomarvel,sadthedamosel,forthebestknghtnthsworldwashere,andddthsjourney,andwtyewell,shesad,twasSrLauncelot。ThenwasSrBranfullglad,andsowashslady,andallhsknghts,thatsuchamanshouldwnthem。
  AndwhenthedamoselandLaCoteMaleTaleunderstoodthattwasSrLauncelotduLakethathadrddenwththemnfellowshp,andthatsherememberedherhowshehadrebukedhmandcalledhmcoward,thenwasshepassngheavy。
  HowSrLauncelotmetwththedamoselnamedMaledsant,andnamedhertheDamoselBenpensant。
  SOthentheytooktherhorsesandrodeforthapaceafterSrLauncelot。Andwthntwomletheyovertookhm,andsalutedhm,andthankedhm,andthedamoselcredSrLauncelotmercyofherevldeedandsayng:FornowknowtheflowerofallknghthoodsdepartedevenbetweenSrTrstramandyou。ForGodknoweth,sadthedamosel,thathavesoughtyoumylord,SrLauncelot,andSrTrstramlong,andnowthankGodhavemetwthyou;andonceatCamelotmetwthSrTrstram,andthereherescuedthsblacksheldwththewhtehandholdnganakedswordthatSrBreuseSauncePtehadtakenfromme。Now,fardamosel,sadSrLauncelot,whotoldyoumyname?Sr,sadshe,therecameadamoselfromaknghtthatyefoughtwthalatthebrdge,andshetoldmeyournamewasSrLauncelotduLake。Blamehaveshethen,sadSrLauncelot,butherlord,SrNerovens,hathtoldher。But,damosel,sadSrLauncelot,uponthscovenantwllrdewthyou,sothatyewllnotrebukethsknghtSrLaCoteMaleTalenomore;forhesagoodknght,anddoubtnotheshallproveanobleknght,andforhssakeandptythatheshouldnotbedestroyedfollowedhmtosuccourhmnthsgreatneed。Ah,Jesuthankyou,sadthedamosel,fornowwllsayuntoyouandtohmboth,
  rebukedhmneverfornohatethathatedhm,butforgreatlovethathadtohm。Foreversupposedthathehadbeentooyoungandtootendertotakeuponhmtheseadventures。
  Andthereforebymywllwouldhavedrvenhmawayforjealousythathadofhslfe,fortmaybenoyoungknght’sdeedthatshallenchevethsadventuretotheend。Pardeu,sadSrLauncelot,tswellsad,andwhereyearecalledtheDamoselMaledsantwllcallyoutheDamoselBenpensant。
  AndsotheyrodeforthagreatwhleuntotheycametotheborderofthecountryofSurluse,andtheretheyfoundafarvllagewthastrongbrdgelkeafortress。AndwhenSrLauncelotandtheywereatthebrdgetherestertforthaforethemofgentlemenandyeomenmany,thatsad:Farlords,yemaynotpassthsbrdgeandthsfortressbecauseofthatblacksheldthatseeoneofyoubear,andthereforethereshallnotpassbutoneofyouatonce;thereforechooseyouwhchofyoushallenterwthnthsbrdgefrst。ThenSrLauncelotprofferedhmselffrsttoenterwthnthsbrdge。Sr,sadLaCoteMaleTale,
  beseechyouletmeenterwthnthsfortress,andfmayspeedwellwllsendforyou,andfthappenedthatbeslan,theretgoeth。Andfsobethatamaprsonertaken,thenmayyerescueme。amloath,sadSrLauncelot,toletyoupassthspassage。Sr,sadLaCoteMaleTale,prayyouletmeputmybodynthsadventure。Nowgoyourway,sadSrLauncelot,andJesubeyourspeed。
  Soheentered,andanontheremetwthhmtwobrethren,theonehghtSrPlanedeForce,andtheotherhghtSrPlanedeAmours。AndanontheymetwthSrLaCoteMaleTale;andfrstLaCoteMaleTalesmotedownPlanedeForce,andafterhesmotedownPlanedeAmours;andthentheydressedthemtothersheldsandswords,andbadeLaCoteMaleTalealght,andsohedd;andtherewasdashngandfonngwthswords,andsotheybegantoassalfullhardLaCoteMaleTale,andmanygreatwoundstheygavehmuponhshead,anduponhsbreast,anduponhsshoulders。Andashemghteveramonghegavesadstrokesagan。AndthenthetwobrethrentracedandtraversedfortobeofbothhandsofSrLaCoteMaleTale,buthebyfneforceandknghtlyprowessgatthemaforehm。Andthenwhenhefelthmselfsowounded,thenhedoubledhsstrokes,andgavethemsomanywoundsthathefelledthemtotheearth,andwouldhaveslanthemhadtheynotyeldedthem。AndrghtsoSrLaCoteMaleTaletookthebesthorsethattherewasofthemthree,andsorodeforthhswaytotheotherfortressandbrdge;andtherehemetwththethrdbrotherwhosenamewasSrPlenorus,afullnobleknght,andtheretheyjoustedtogether,andethersmoteotherdown,horseandman,totheearth。Andthentheyavodedtherhorses,anddressedthershelds,anddrewtherswords,andgavemanysadstrokes,andonewhletheoneknghtwasaforeonthebrdge,andanotherwhletheother。Andthustheyfoughttwohoursandmore,andneverrested。AndeverSrLauncelotandthedamoselbeheldthem。Alas,sadthedamosel,myknghtfghtethpassngsoreandoverlong。Nowmayyesee,sadSrLauncelot,thathesanobleknght,fortoconsderhsfrstbattle,andhsgrevouswounds;andevenforthwthalsowoundedashes,tsmarvelthathemayendurethslongbattlewththatgoodknght。
  HowLaCoteMaleTalewastakenprsoner,andafterrescuedbySrLauncelot,andhowSrLauncelotovercamefourbrethren。
  THSmeanwhleSrLaCoteMaleTalesankrghtdownupontheearth,whatfor-woundedandwhatfor-bledhemghtnotstand。
  Thentheotherknghthadptyofhm,andsad:Faryoungknght,dsmayyounot,forhadyebeenfreshwhenyemetwthme,aswas,wotwellthatshouldnothaveenduredsolongasyehavedone;andthereforeforyournobledeedsofarmsshallshowtoyoukndnessandgentlenessnallthatmay。
  Andforthwthalthsnobleknght,SrPlenorus,tookhmupnhsarms,andledhmntohstower。Andthenhecommandedhmthewne,andmadetosearchhmandtostophsbleedngwounds。
  Sr,sadLaCoteMaleTale,wthdrawyoufromme,andheyoutoyonderbrdgeagan,fortherewllmeetwthyouanothermannerknghtthaneverwas。Why,sadPlenorus,sthereanothermannerknghtbehndofyourfellowshp?Yea,sadLaCoteMaleTale,theresamuchbetterknghtthanam。Whatshsname?sadPlenorus。Yeshallnotknowforme,sadLaCoteMaleTale。Well,sadtheknght,heshallbeencounteredwthalwhatsomeverhebe。
  ThenSrPlenorusheardaknghtcallthatsad:SrPlenorus,whereartthou?etherthoumustdelvermetheprsonerthatthouhastleduntothytower,orelsecomeanddobattlewthme。
  ThenPlenorusgathshorse,andcamewthaspearnhshandwallopngtowardSrLauncelot;andthentheybegantofeutretherspears,andcametogetherasthunder,andsmoteetherothersomghtlythattherhorsesfelldownunderthem。Andthentheyavodedtherhorses,andpulledouttherswords,andlketwobullstheylashedtogetherwthgreatstrokesandfons;
  buteverSrLauncelotrecoveredgrounduponhm,andSrPlenorustracedtohavegoneabouthm。ButSrLauncelotwouldnotsufferthat,butbarehmbackerandbacker,tllhecamenghhstowergate。AndthensadSrLauncelot:knowtheewellforagoodknght,butwtthouwellthylfeanddeathsnmyhand,andthereforeyeldtheetome,andthyprsoner。
  Theotheranswerednoword,butstruckmghtlyuponSrLauncelot’shelm,thatthefresprangoutofhseyes。ThenSrLauncelotdoubledhsstrokessothck,andsmoteathmsomghtly,thathemadehmkneeluponhsknees。AndtherewthSrLauncelotleaptuponhm,andpulledhmgrovellngdown。
  ThenSrPlenorusyeldedhm,andhstower,andallhsprsonersathswll。
  ThenSrLauncelotrecevedhmandtookhstroth;andthenherodetotheotherbrdge,andthereSrLauncelotjoustedwthotherthreeofhsbrethren,theonehghtPllounes,andtheotherhghtPellogrs,andthethrdSrPellandrs。AndfrstuponhorsebackSrLauncelotsmotethemdown,andafterwardhebeatthemonfoot,andmadethemtoyeldthemuntohm;andthenhereturneduntoSrPlenorus,andtherehefoundnhsprsonKngCaradosofScotland,andmanyotherknghts,andalltheyweredelvered。AndthenSrLaCoteMaleTalecametoSrLauncelot,andthenSrLauncelotwouldhavegvenhmallthesefortressesandthesebrdges。Nay,sadLaCoteMaleTale,
  wllnothaveSrPlenorus’lvelhood;wththathewllgrantyou,mylordSrLauncelot,tocomeuntoKngArthur’scourt,andtobehsknght,andallhsbrethren,wllprayyou,mylord,tolethmhavehslvelhood。wllwell,sadSrLauncelot,wththsthathewllcometothecourtofKngArthurandbecomehsman,andhsbrethrenfve。Andasforyou,SrPlenorus,wllundertake,sadSrLauncelot,atthenextfeast,sotherebeaplacevoded,thatyeshallbeKnghtoftheRoundTable。Sr,sadPlenorus,atthenextfeastofPentecostwllbeatArthur’scourt,andatthattmewllbegudedandruledasKngArthurandyewllhaveme。ThenSrLauncelotandSrLaCoteMaleTalereposedthemthere,untothetmethatSrLaCoteMaleTalewaswholeofhswounds,andtheretheyhadmerrycheer,andgoodrest,andmanygoodgames,andthereweremanyfarlades。