首页 >出版文学> Le Mort d’Arthur>第77章
  HowSrElasandSrTrstramfoughttogetherforthetruage,andhowSrTrstramslewElasnthefeld。
  NOTforthenwhenallthswassad,theycouldfndnoknghtthatwoulddobattlewthhm。Srkng,sadtheyall,heresnoknghtthatdarefghtwthElas。Alas,sadKngMark,thenamutterlyashamedandutterlydestroyed,unlessthatmynephewSrTrstramwlltakethebattleuponhm。Wtyouwell,theysadall,hehadyesterdayovermuchonhand,andheswearyfortraval,andsorewounded。Whereshe?sadKngMark。Sr,sadthey,hesnhsbedtoreposehm。Alas,sadKngMark,buthavethesuccourofmynephewSrTrstram,amutterlydestroyedforever。
  TherewthonewenttoSrTrstramwherehelay,andtoldhmwhatKngMarkhadsad。AndtherewthSrTrstramaroselghtly,andputonhmalonggown,andcameaforethekngandallthelords。Andwhenhesawthemallsodsmayedheaskedthekngandthelordswhattdngswerewththem。Neverworse,sadthekng。Andtherewthhetoldhmall,howhehadwordofElastofndaknghttofghtforthetruageofCornwall,andnonecanfnd。Andasforyou,sadthekngandallthelords,wemayasknomoreofyouforshame;
  forthroughyourhardnessyesterdayyesavedallourlves。
  Sr,sadSrTrstram,nowunderstandyewouldhavemysuccour,reasonwouldthatshoulddoallthatlethnmypowertodo,savngmyworshpandmylfe,howbet
  amsorebrusedandhurt。AndsthenSrElasprofferethsolargely,shallfghtwthhm,orelsewllbeslannthefeld,orelsewlldelverCornwallfromtheoldtruage。Andthereforelghtlycallhsmessengerandheshallbeanswered,forasyetmywoundsbegreen,andtheywllbesorerasevennghtafterthantheybenow;
  andthereforeheshallhavehsanswerthatwlldobattleto-mornwthhm。
  ThenwasthemessengerdepartedbroughtbeforeKngMark。Hark,myfellow,sadSrTrstram,gofastuntothylord,andbdhmmaketrueassuranceonhspartforthetruage,astheknghereshallmakeonhspart;andthentellthylord,SrElas,that,SrTrstram,KngArthur’sknght,andknghtoftheTableRound,wllasto-mornmeetwththylordonhorseback,todobattleaslongasmyhorsemayendure,andafterthattodobattlewthhmonfoottotheutterance。ThemessengerbeheldSrTrstramfromthetoptothetoe;andtherewthalhedepartedandcametohslord,andtoldhmhowhewasansweredofSrTrstram。Andtherewthalwasmadehostageonbothpartes,andmadetassureastmghtbe,thatwhetherpartyhadthevctory,sotoend。Andthenwerebothhostsassembledonbothpartsofthefeld,wthouttheCastleofTntagl,andtherewasnonebutSrTrstramandSrElasarmed。
  Sowhentheappontmentwasmade,theydepartedn-sunder,andtheycametogetherwthallthemghtthattherhorsesmghtrun。Andetherknghtsmoteothersohardthatbothhorsesandknghtswenttotheearth。
  Notforthentheybothlghtlyaroseanddressedthersheldsonthershoulders,wthnakedswordsntherhands,andtheydashedtogetherthattseemedaflamngfreaboutthem。Thustheytraced,andtraversed,andhewedonhelmsandhauberks,andcutawaymanycantelsofthershelds,andetherwoundedotherpassngsore,sothatthehotbloodfellfreshlyupontheearth。AndbythentheyhadfoughtenthemountenanceofanhourSrTrstramwaxedfantandfor-bled,andgavesoreaback。
  ThatsawSrElas,andfollowedfercelyuponhm,andwoundedhmnmanyplaces。AndeverSrTrstramtracedandtraversed,andwentfrowardhmhereandthere,andcoveredhmwthhssheldashemghtallweakly,thatallmensadhewasovercome;forSrElashadgvenhmtwentystrokesaganstone。
  ThenwastherelaughngoftheSessons’party,andgreatdoleonKngMark’sparty。Alas,sadthekng,weareashamedanddestroyedallforever:forasthebooksath,SrTrstramwasneversomatched,butftwereSrLauncelot。Thusastheystoodandbeheldbothpartes,thatonepartylaughngandtheotherpartyweepng,SrTrstramrememberedhmofhslady,LaBealesoud,thatlookeduponhm,andhowhewaslkelynevertocomenherpresence。Thenhepulleduphssheldthatersthungfulllow。AndthenhedresseduphsshelduntoElas,andgavehmmanysadstrokes,twentyaganstone,andallto-brakehssheldandhshauberk,thatthehotbloodrandowntotheearth。ThenbeganKngMarktolaugh,andallCornshmen,andthatotherpartytoweep。AndeverSrTrstramsadtoSrElas:Yeldthee。
  ThenwhenSrTrstramsawhmsostaggerngontheground,hesad:SrElas,amrghtsorryforthee,forthouartapassnggoodknghtasevermetwthal,exceptSrLauncelot。TherewthalSrElasfelltotheearth,andthereded。Whatshalldo,sadSrTrstramuntoKngMark,forthsbattlesatanend?ThentheyofElas’
  partydeparted,andKngMarktookofthemmanyprsoners,toredresstheharmsandthescathesthathehadofthem;andtheremnanthesentntothercountrytoborrowouttherfellows。ThenwasSrTrstramsearchedandwellhealed。YetforallthsKngMarkwouldfanhaveslanSrTrstram。ButforallthateverSrTrstramsaworheardbyKngMark,yetwouldheneverbewareofhstreason,buteverhewouldbethereasLaBealesoudwas。
  HowatagreatfeastthatKngMarkmadeanharpercameandsangthelaythatDnadanhadmade。
  NOWwllwepassofthsmatter,andspeakweoftheharpersthatSrLauncelotandSrDnadanhadsentntoCornwall。AndatthegreatfeastthatKngMarkmadeforjoythattheSessonswereputoutofhscountry,thencameElottheharperwththelaythatDnadanhadmadeandsecretlybroughttuntoSrTrstram,andtoldhmthelaythatDnadanhadmadebyKngMark。AndwhenSrTrstramheardt,hesad:OLordJesu,thatDnadancanmakewonderlywellandll,thereastshallbe。Sr,sadElot,daresngthssongaforeKngMark?
  Yea,onmyperl,sadSrTrstram,forshallbethywarrant。ThenatthemeatcamenElottheharper,andbecausehewasacurousharpermenheardhmsngthesamelaythatDnadanhadmade,thewhchspakethemostvllanybyKngMarkofhstreasonthatevermanheard。
  WhentheharperhadsunghssongtotheendKngMarkwaswonderlywroth,andsad:Thouharper,howdurstthoubesoboldonthyheadtosngthssongaforeme。Sr,sadElot,wtyouwellamamnstrel,and
  mustdoasamcommandedoftheselordsthatbearthearmsof。Andsr,wtyewellthatSrDnadan,aknghtoftheTableRound,madethssong,andmademetosngtaforeyou。Thousayestwell,sadKngMark,andbecausethouartamnstrelthoushaltgoqut,but
  chargetheehetheefastoutofmysght。SotheharperdepartedandwenttoSrTrstram,andtoldhmhowhehadsped。ThenSrTrstramletmakelettersasgoodlyashecouldtoLauncelotandtoSrDnadan。Andsoheletconducttheharperoutofthecountry。ButtosaythatKngMarkwaswonderlywroth,hewas,forhedeemedthatthelaythatwassungaforehmwasmadebySrTrstram’scounsel,whereforehethoughttoslayhmandallhswell-wllersnthatcountry。
  HowKngMarkslewbytreasonhsbrotherBoudwn,forgoodservcethathehaddonetohm。
  NOWturnwetoanothermatterthatfellbetweenKngMarkandhsbrother,thatwascalledthegoodPrnceBoudwn,thatallthepeopleofthecountrylovedpassngwell。SotbefellonatmethatthemscreantSaracenslandednthecountryofCornwallsoonaftertheseSessonsweregone。AndthenthegoodPrnceBoudwn,atthelandng,herasedthecountryprvlyandhastly。Andortweredayheletputwldfrenthreeofhsownshps,andsuddenlyhepulledupthesal,andwththewndhemadethoseshpstobedrvenamongthenavyoftheSaracens。Andtomakeshorttale,thosethreeshpssetonfrealltheshps,thatnoneweresaved。
  AndatpontofthedaythegoodPrnceBoudwnwthallhsfellowshpsetonthemscreantswthshoutsandcres,andslewtothenumberoffortythousand,andleftnonealve。
  WhenKngMarkwstthshewaswonderlywroththathsbrothershouldwnsuchworshp。Andbecausethsprncewasbetterbelovedthanhenallthatcountry,andthatalsoBoudwnlovedwellSrTrstram,thereforehethoughttoslayhm。Andthus,hastly,asamanoutofhswt,hesentforPrnceBoudwnandAngldeshswfe,andbadethembrngtheryoungsonwththem,thathemghtseehm。Allthsheddtothententtoslaythechldaswellashsfather,forhewasthefalsesttratorthateverwasborn。Alas,forhsgoodnessandforhsgooddeedsthsgentlePrnceBoudwnwasslan。
  SowhenhecamewthhswfeAngldes,thekngmadethemfarsemblanttlltheyhaddned。AndwhentheyhaddnedKngMarksentforhsbrotherandsadthus:
  Brother,howspedyouwhenthemscreantsarrvedbyyou?meseemeththadbeenyourparttohavesentmeword,thatmghthavebeenatthatjourney,forthadbeenreasonthathadhadthehonourandnotyou。
  Sr,sadthePrnceBoudwn,twassothatanhadtarredtllthathadsentforyouthosemscreantshaddestroyedmycountry。Thoulest,falsetrator,sadKngMark,forthouarteveraboutfortownworshpfromme,andputmetodshonour,andthouchershestthathate。Andtherewthhestruckhmtotheheartwthadagger,thatheneverafterspakeword。ThentheLadyAngldesmadegreatdole,andswooned,forshesawherlordslanaforeherface。ThenwastherenomoretodobutPrnceBoudwnwasdespoledandbroughttobural。ButAngldesprvlygatherhusband’sdoubletandhsshrt,andthatshekeptsecretly。
  Thenwastheremuchsorrowandcryng,andgreatdolemadeSrTrstram,SrDnas,SrFergus,andsoddallknghtsthatwerethere;forthatprncewaspassnglywellbeloved。SoLaBealesoudsentuntoAngldes,thePrnceBoudwn’swfe,andbadeheravodlghtlyorelseheryoungson,AlsanderleOrpheln,shouldbeslanWhensheheardths,shetookherhorseandherchld;
  androdewthsuchpoormenasdurstrdewthher。
  X
  HowAngldes,Boudwn’swfe,escapedwthheryoungson,AlsanderleOrpheln,andcametotheCastleofArundel。
  NOTWTHSTANDNG,whenKngMarkhaddonethsdeed,yethethoughttodomorevengeance;andwthhsswordnhshand,hesoughtfromchambertochamber,toseekAngldesandheryoungson。AndwhenshewasmssedhecalledagoodknghtthathghtSadok,andchargedhmbypanofdeathtofetchAngldesaganandheryoungson。SoSrSadokdepartedandrodeafterAngldes。Andwthntenmleheovertookher,andbadeherturnaganandrdewthhmtoKngMark。
  Alas,farknght,shesad,whatshallyewnbymyson’sdeathorbymne?havehadovermuchharmandtoogreataloss。Madam,sadSadok,ofyourlosssdoleandpty;butmadam,sadSadok,wouldyedepartoutofthscountrywthyourson,andkeephmtllhebeofage,thathemayrevengehsfather’sdeath,thenwouldsufferyoutodepartfromme,soyoupromsemetorevengethedeathofPrnceBoudwn。Ah,gentleknght,Jesuthankthee,andfevermyson,AlsanderleOrpheln,lvetobeaknght,heshallhavehsfather’sdoubletandhsshrtwththebloodymarks,andshallgvehmsuchachargethatheshallremembertwhlehelveth。AndtherewthalSadokdepartedfromher,andetherbetookothertoGod。AndwhenSadokcametoKngMarkhetoldhmfathfullythathehaddrownedyoungAlsanderherson;andthereofKngMarkwasfullglad。
  NowturnweuntoAngldes,thatrodebothnghtanddaybyadventureoutofCornwall,andlttleandnfewplacessherested;butevershedrewsouthwardtotheseasde,tllbyfortuneshecametoacastlethatscalledMagouns,andnowtscalledArundel,nSussex。AndtheConstableofthecastlewelcomedher,andsadshewaswelcometoherowncastle;andtherewasAngldes2tworshpfullyreceved,fortheConstable’swfewasnghhercousn,andtheConstable’snamewasBellangere;andthatsameConstabletoldAngldesthatthesamecastlewashersbyrghtnhertance。ThusAngldesenduredyearsandwnters,tllAlsanderwasbgandstrong;
  therewasnonesowghtnallthatcountry,nethertherewasnonethatmghtdonomannerofmasteryaforehm。
  HowAngldesgavethebloodydoublettoAlsander,herson,thesamedaythathewasmadeknght,andthechargewthal。
  THENuponadayBellangeretheConstablecametoAngldesandsad:Madam,tweretmemylordAlsanderweremadeknght,forhesapassngstrongyoungman。Sr,sadshe,wouldheweremadeknght;