首页 >出版文学> Le Mort d’Arthur>第55章
  HowSrLauncelotmadeLaCoteMaleTalelordoftheCastleofPendragon,andafterwasmadeknghtoftheRoundTable。
  ANDnthemeanwhlecameSrKay,theSeneschal,andSrBrandles,andanontheyfellowshppedwththem。Andthenwthntendays,thendepartedthoseknghtsofArthur’scourtfromthesefortresses。AndasSrLauncelotcamebytheCastleofPendragonthereheputSrBrandelesslesfromhslands,forcausehewouldneverbewthholdwthKngArthur;andallthatCastleofPendragonandallthelandsthereofhegavetoSrLaCoteMaleTale。AndthenSrLauncelotsentforNerovensthathemadeonceknght,andhemadehmtohavealltheruleofthatcastleandofthatcountry,underLaCoteMaleTale;andsotheyrodetoArthur’scourtallwhollytogether。AndatPentecostnextfollowngtherewasSrPlenorusandSrLaCoteMaleTale,calledotherwsebyrghtSrBreunorleNore,bothmadeKnghtsoftheTableRound;andgreatlandsKngArthurgavethem,andthereBreunorleNoreweddedthatdamoselMaledsant。
  AndaftershewascalledBeauvvante,buteverafterforthemoreparthewascalledLaCoteMaleTale;andheprovedapassngnobleknght,andmghty;andmanyworshpfuldeedsheddafternhslfe;andSrPlenorusprovedanobleknghtandfullofprowess,andallthedaysoftherlfeforthemostparttheyawateduponSrLauncelot;andSrPlenorus’brethrenwereeverknghtsofKngArthur。Andalso,astheFrenchbookmakethmenton,SrLaCoteMaleTaleavengedhsfather’sdeath。
  HowLaBealesoudsentletterstoSrTrstrambyhermadBragwane,andofdversadventuresofSrTrstram。
  NOWleavewehereSrLaCoteMaleTale,andturnweuntoSrTrstramdeLonesthatwasnBrttany。WhenLaBealesoudunderstoodthathewasweddedshesenttohmbyhermadenBragwaneaspteouslettersascouldbethoughtandmade,andherconclusonwasthat,antpleasedSrTrstram,thathewouldcometohercourt,andbrngwthhmsoudlaBlancheMans,andtheyshouldbekeptaswellassheherself。ThenSrTrstramcalleduntohmSrKehydus,andaskedhmwhetherhewouldgowthhmntoCornwallsecretly。Heansweredhmthathewasreadyatalltmes。Andthenheletordanprvlyalttlevessel,andtherentheywent,SrTrstram,Kehydus,DameBragwane,andGouvernal,SrTrstram’ssqure。SowhentheywerentheseaacontrarouswndblewthemonthecoastsofNorthWales,nghtheCastlePerlous。ThensadSrTrstram:Hereshallyeabdemethesetendays,andGouvernal,mysqure,wthyou。AndfsobecomenotaganbythatdaytakethenextwayntoCornwall;fornthsforestaremanystrangeadventures,ashaveheardsay,andsomeofthemcastmetoproveordepart。Andwhenmayshallhemeafteryou。
  ThenSrTrstramandKehydustooktherhorsesanddepartedfromtherfellowshp。Andsotheyrodewthnthatforestamleandmore;andatthelastSrTrstramsawaforehmalkelyknght,armed,sttngbyawell,andastrongmghtyhorsepassngnghhmtedtoanoak,andamanhovngandrdngbyhmleadnganhorseladenwthspears。Andthsknghtthatsatatthewellseemedbyhscountenancetobepassngheavy。ThenSrTrstramrodenearhmandsad:Farknght,whystyesodroopng?yeseemtobeaknght-errantbyyourarmsandharness,andthereforedressyoutojoustwthoneofus,orwthboth。Therewthalthatknghtmadenowords,buttookhssheldandbuckledtabouthsneck,andlghtlyhetookhshorseandleaptuponhm。Andthenhetookagreatspearofhssqure,anddepartedhswayafurlong。SrKehydusaskedleaveofSrTrstramtojoustfrst。Doyourbest,sadSrTrstram。Sotheymettogether,andthereSrKehydushadafall,andwassorewoundedonhghabovethepaps。
  ThenSrTrstramsad:Knght,thatswelljousted,nowmakeyoureadyuntome。amready,sadtheknght。Andthenthatknghttookagreaterspearnhshand,andencounteredwthSrTrstram,andtherebygreatforcethatknghtsmotedownSrTrstramfromhshorseandhadagreatfall。ThenSrTrstramwassoreashamed,andlghtlyheavodedhshorse,andputhssheldaforehsshoulder,anddrewhssword。AndthenSrTrstramrequredthatknghtofhsknghthoodtoalghtuponfootandfghtwthhm。wllwell,sadtheknght;andsohealghteduponfoot,andavodedhshorse,andcasthsshelduponhsshoulder,anddrewhssword,andtheretheyfoughtalongbattletogetherfullnghtwohours。ThenSrTrstramsad:Farknght,holdthnehand,andtellmeofwhencethouart,andwhatsthyname。Asforthat,sadtheknght,wllbeavsed;butanthouwlttellmethynameperadventurewlltelltheemne。
  HowSrTrstrammetwthSrLamorakdeGals,andhowtheyfought,andafteraccordednevertofghttogether。
  NOWfarknght,hesad,mynamesSrTrstramdeLones。
  Sr,sadtheotherknght,andmynamesSrLamorakdeGals。
  Ah,SrLamorak,sadSrTrstram,wellbewemet,andbethnktheenowofthedesptethouddstmeofthesendngofthehornuntoKngMark’scourt,tothententtohaveslanordshonouredmyladythequeen,LaBealesoud;andthereforewtthouwell,sadSrTrstram,theoneofusshalldeorwedepart。Sr,sadSrLamorak,rememberthatweweretogethernthesleofServage,andatthattmeyepromsedmegreatfrendshp。ThenSrTrstramwouldmakenolongerdelays,butlashedatSrLamorak;andthustheyfoughtlongtlletherwerewearyofother。ThenSrTrstramsadtoSrLamorak:nallmylfemetneverwthsuchaknghtthatwassobgandwellbreathedasyebe,therefore,sadSrTrstram,twereptythatanyofusbothshouldherebemscheved。SrsadSrLamorak,foryourrenownandnamewllthatyehavetheworshpofthsbattle,andthereforewllyeldmeuntoyou。Andtherewthhetookthepontofhsswordtoyeldhm。Nay,sadSrTrstram,yeshallnotdoso,forwellknowyourproffers,andmoreofyourgentlenessthanforanyfearordreadyehaveofme。AndtherewthalSrTrstramprofferedhmhsswordandsad:SrLamorak,asanovercomeknghtyeldmeuntoyouastoamanofthemostnobleprowessthatevermetwthal。Nay,sadSrLamorak,wlldoyougentleness;requreyouletusbesworntogetherthatnevernoneofusshallafterthsdayhaveadowthother。AndtherewthalSrTrstramandSrLamorakswarethatnevernoneofthemshouldfghtaganstother,norforwealnorforwoe。
  HowSrPalomdesfollowedtheQuestngBeast,andsmotedownSrTrstramandSrLamorakwthonespear。
  ANDthsmeanwhletherecameSrPalomdes,thegoodknght,followngtheQuestngBeastthathadnshapeaheadlkeaserpent’shead,andabodylkealeopard,buttockslkealon,andfootedlkeanhart;andnhsbodytherewassuchanoseasthadbeenthenoseofthrtycoupleofhoundsquestng,andsuchanosethatbeastmadewheresomeverhewent;andthsbeastevermoreSrPalomdesfollowed,fortwascalledhsquest。
  AndrghtsoashefollowedthsbeasttcamebySrTrstram,andsoonaftercamePalomdes。AndtobrefthsmatterhesmotedownSrTrstramandSrLamorakbothwthonespear;andsohedepartedafterthebeastGaltsant,thatwascalledtheQuestngBeast;whereforethesetwoknghtswerepassngwroththatSrPalomdeswouldnotfghtonfootwththem。Heremenmayunderstandthatbeofworshp,thathewasneverformedthatalltmesmghtstand,butsometmehewasputtotheworsebymal-fortune;andatsometmetheworseknghtputthebetterknghttoarebuke。
  ThenSrTrstramandSrLamorakgatSrKehydusuponasheldbetwxtthemboth,andledhmtoaforester’slodge,andtheretheygavehmnchargetokeephmwell,andwthhmtheyabodethreedays。Thenthetwoknghtstooktherhorsesandatthecrosstheydeparted。AndthensadSrTrstramtoSrLamorak:
  requreyoufyehaptomeetwthSrPalomdes,sayhmthatheshallfndmeatthesamewellwheremethm,andthere,SrTrstram,shallprovewhetherhebebetterknghtthan。
  Andsoetherdepartedfromotherasundryway,andSrTrstramrodenghthereaswasSrKehydus;andSrLamorakrodeuntlhecametoachapel,andthereheputhshorseuntopasture。AndanontherecameSrMelagaunce,thatwasKngBagdemagus’son,andhethereputhshorsetopasture,andwasnotwareofSrLamorak;andthenthsknghtSrMelagauncemadehsmoanofthelovethathehadtoQueenGuenever,andtherehemadeawofulcomplant。AllthsheardSrLamorak,andonthemornSrLamoraktookhshorseandrodeuntotheforest,andtherehemetwthtwoknghtshovngunderthewood-shaw。Farknghts,sadSrLamorak,whatdoyehovnghereandwatchng?andfyebeknghts-errantthatwlljoust,loamready。Nay,srknght,theysad,notso,weabdenotheretojoustwthyou,butweleherenawatofaknghtthatslewourbrother。Whatknghtwasthat,sadSrLamorak,thatyouwouldfanmeetwthal?
  Sr,theysad,tsSrLauncelotthatslewourbrother,andfeverwemaymeetwthhmheshallnotescape,butweshallslayhm。Yetakeuponyouagreatcharge,sadSrLamorak,forSrLauncelotsanobleprovedknght。Asforthatwedoubtnot,fortherensnoneofusbutwearegoodenoughforhm。wllnotbelevethat,sadSrLamorak,forheardneveryetofnoknghtthedaysofmylfebutSrLauncelotwastoobgforhm。
  HowSrLamorakmetwthSrMelagaunce,andfoughttogetherforthebeautyofDameGuenever。
  RGHTsoastheystoodtalkngthusSrLamorakwaswarehowSrLauncelotcamerdngstraghttowardthem;thenSrLamoraksalutedhm,andhehmagan。AndthenSrLamorakaskedSrLauncelotftherewereanythngthathemghtdoforhmnthesemarches。Nay,sadSrLauncelot,notatthstmethankyou。Thenetherdepartedfromother,andSrLamorakrodeaganthereasheleftthetwoknghts,andthenhefoundthemhdntheleavedwood。Feonyou,sadSrLamorak,falsecowards,ptyandshametsthatanyofyoushouldtakethehghorderofknghthood。SoSrLamorakdepartedfromthem,andwthnawhlehemetwthSrMelagaunce。AndthenSrLamorakaskedhmwhyhelovedQueenGueneverashedd:Forwasnotfarfromyouwhenyemadeyourcomplantbythechapel。Ddyeso?
  sadSrMelagaunce,thenwllabdebyt:loveQueenGuenever,whatwllyewtht?wllproveandmakegoodthatshesthefarestladyandmostofbeautyntheworld。Astothat,sadSrLamorak,saynaythereto,forQueenMorgawseofOrkney,mothertoSrGawane,andhsmothersthefarestqueenandladythatbeareththelfe。Thatsnotso,sadSrMelagaunce,andthatwllprovewthmyhandsuponthybody。
  Wllyeso?sadSrLamorak,andnabetterquarrelkeepnottofght。Thentheydepartedetherfromotherngreatwrath。
  Andthentheycamerdngtogetherasthadbeenthunder,andethersmoteothersosorethattherhorsesfellbackwardtotheearth。Andthentheyavodedtherhorses,anddressedthershelds,anddrewtherswords。Andthentheyhurtledtogetheraswldboars,andthustheyfoughtagreatwhle。ForMelagauncewasagoodmanandofgreatmght,butSrLamorakwashardbgforhm,andputhmalwaysaback,butetherhadwoundedothersore。
  Andastheystoodthusfghtng,byfortunecameSrLauncelotandSrBleobersrdng。AndthenSrLauncelotrodebetwxtthem,andaskedthemforwhatcausetheyfoughtsotogether:AndyearebothknghtsofKngArthur!
  HowSrMelagauncetoldforwhatcausetheyfought,andhowSrLamorakjoustedwthKngArthur。
  SR,sadMelagaunce,shalltellyouforwhatcausewedothsbattle。prasedmylady,QueenGuenever,andsadshewasthefarestladyoftheworld,andSrLamoraksadnaythereto,forhesadQueenMorgawseofOrkneywasfarerthansheandmoreofbeauty。Ah,SrLamorak,whysayestthouso?tsnotthyparttodsprasethyprncessthatthouartunderherobessance,andweall。Andtherewthhealghtedonfoot,andsad:Forthsquarrel,maketheeready,forwllproveupontheethatQueenGueneversthefarestladyandmostofbountyntheworld。