ThenSrAglovalecalleduntohmSrPercvale,andbadehmalghtlghtly;andsotheyalghtedboth,andbetooktherhorsestothermen,andsotheyyedeonfootntothecastle。AndallsosoonastheywerewthnthecastlegateSrAglovalebadetheporter:GothouuntothylordandtellhmthatamSrAglovaleforwhomthssqurewasslanthsnght。Anontheportertoldthstohslord,whosenamewasGoodewn。Anonhearmedhm,andthenhecamentothecourtandsad:WhchofyousSrAglovale?Heream,sadAglovale:forwhatcauseslewestthouthsnghtmymother’ssqure?slewhm,sadSrGoodewn,becauseofthee,forthouslewestmybrother,SrGawdeln。Asforthybrother,sadSrAglovale,avowtslewhm,forhewasafalseknghtandabetrayerofladesandofgoodknghts;andforthedeathofmysqurethoushaltde。defythee,sadSrGoodewn。Thentheylashedtogetheraseagerlyasthadbeentwolons,andSrPercvalehefoughtwthalltheremnantthatwouldfght。AndwthnawhleSrPercvalehadslanallthatwouldwthstandhm;forSrPercvaledealtsohsstrokesthatweresorudethattheredurstnomanabdehm。AndwthnawhleSrAglovalehadSrGoodewnattheearth,andthereheunlacedhshelm,andstruckoffhshead。Andthentheydepartedandtooktherhorses;andthentheyletcarrythedeadsqureuntoaprory,andtheretheynterredhm。
HowSrPervvaledepartedsecretlyfromhsbrother,andhowheloosedaknghtboundwthachan,andofotherdongs。
ANDwhenthswasdonetheyrodentomanycountres,evernqurngafterSrLauncelot,butnevertheycouldhearofhm;andatthelasttheycametoacastlethathghtCardcan,andthereSrPercvaleandSrAglovalewerelodgedtogether。AndprvlyaboutmdnghtSrPercvalecametoAglovale’ssqureandsad:Arseandmaketheeready,foryeandwllrdeawaysecretly。
Sr,sadthesqure,wouldfullfanrdewthyouwhereyewouldhaveme,butanmylord,yourbrother,takemehewllslayme。Asforthatcarethounot,forshallbethywarrant。
AndsoSrPercvalerodetlltwasafternoon,andthenhecameuponabrdgeofstone,andtherehefoundaknghtthatwasboundwthachanfastaboutthewastuntoapllarofstone。Ofarknght,sadthatboundknght,requretheeloosemeofmybonds。Whatknghtareye,sadSrPercvale,andforwhatcauseareyesobound?Sr,shalltellyou,sadthatknght:
amaknghtoftheTableRound,andmynamesSrPersdes;andthusbyadventurecamethsway,andherelodgednthscastleatthebrdgefoot,andtherendwellethanuncourteouslady;andbecausesheprofferedmetobeherparamour,andrefusedher,shesethermenuponmesuddenlyorevermghtcometomyweapon;
andthustheyboundme,andherewotwellshalldebutfsomemanofworshpbreakmybands。Beyeofgoodcheer,sadSrPercvale,andbecauseyeareaknghtoftheRoundTableaswellas,trusttoGodtobreakyourbands。AndtherewthSrPercvalepulledouthsswordandstruckatthechanwthsuchamghtthathecuta-twothechan,andthroughSrPersdes’hauberkandhurthmalttle。OJesu,sadSrPersdes,thatwasamghtystrokeaseverfeltone,forhadnotthechanbeenyehadslanme。
AndtherewthalSrPersdessawaknghtcomngoutofacastleallthateverhemghtflng。Beware,sr,sadSrPersdes,yondercomethamanthatwllhaveadowthyou。Lethmcome,sadSrPercvale。Andsohemetwththatknghtnmdstofthebrdge;andSrPercvalegavehmsuchabuffetthathesmotehmqutefromhshorseandoverapartofthebrdge,that,hadnotbeenalttlevesselunderthebrdge,thatknghthadbeendrowned。AndthenSrPercvaletooktheknght’shorseandmadeSrPersdestomountuphm;andsotheyrodeuntothecastle,andbadetheladydelverSrPersdes’
servants,orelsehewouldslayallthateverhefound;
andsoforfearshedelveredthemall。ThenwasSrPercvalewareofaladythatstoodnthattower。Ah,madam,sadSrPercvale,whatuseandcustomsthatnaladytodestroygoodknghtsbutftheywllbeyourparamour?Forsooththssashamefulcustomofalady,andfhadnotagreatmatternmyhandshouldfordoyourevlcustoms。
AndsoSrPersdesbroughtSrPercvaleuntohsowncastle,andtherehemadehmgreatcheerallthatnght。
Andonthemorn,whenSrPercvalehadheardmassandbrokenhsfast,hebadeSrPersdesrdeuntoKngArthur:Andtelltheknghowthatyemetwthme;andtellmybrother,SrAglovale,howrescuedyou;andbdhmseeknotafterme,foramnthequesttoseekSrLauncelotduLake,andthoughheseekmeheshallnotfndme;andtellhmwllneverseehm,northecourt,tllhavefoundSrLauncelot。AlsotellSrKaytheSeneschal,andtoSrMordred,thattrusttoJesutobeofasgreatworthnessasetherofthem,fortellthemshallneverforgetthermocksandscornsthattheyddtomethatdaythatwasmadeknght;andtellthem
wllneverseethatcourttllmenspeakmoreworshpofmethanevermenddofanyofthemboth。AndsoSrPersdesdepartedfromSrPercvale,andthenherodeuntoKngArthur,andtoldthereofSrPercvale。AndwhenSrAglovaleheardhmspeakofhsbrotherSrPercvale,hesad:Hedepartedfrommeunkndly。
HowSrPercvalemetwthSrEctor,andhowtheyfoughtlong,andeachhadalmostslanother。
SR,sadSrPersdes,onmylfeheshallproveanobleknghtasanynowslvng。AndwhenhesawSrKayandSrMordred,SrPersdessadthus:Myfarlordsboth,SrPercvalegreetethyouwellboth,andhesentyouwordbymethathetrustethtoGodoreverhecometothecourtagantobeofasgreatnoblesseaseverwereyeboth,andmomentospeakofhsnoblessethanevertheyddofyou。tmaywellbe,sadSrKayandSrMordred,butatthattmewhenhewasmadeknghthewasfullunlketoproveagoodknght。Asforthat,sadKngArthur,hemustneedsproveagoodknght,forhsfatherandhsbrethrenwerenobleknghtsAndnowwllweturnuntoSrPercvalethatrodelong;andnaforesthemetaknghtwthabrokensheldandabrokenhelm;andassoonasethersawotherreadlytheymadethemreadytojoust,andsohurtledtogetherwthallthemghtoftherhorses,andmettogethersohard,thatSrPercvalewassmttentotheearth。AndthenSrPercvalearoselghtly,andcasthssheldonhsshoulderanddrewhssword,andbadetheotherknghtAlght,anddowebattleuntotheuttermost。Wllyemore?sadthatknght。Andtherewthhealghted,andputhshorsefromhm;andthentheycametogetheraneasypace,andtheretheylashedtogetherwthnobleswords,andsometmetheystruckandsometmetheyfoned,andethergaveothermanygreatwounds。Thustheyfoughtnearhalfaday,andneverrestedbutrghtlttle,andtherewasnoneofthemboththathadlesswoundsthanffteen,andtheybledsomuchthattwasmarveltheystoodontherfeet。ButthsknghtthatfoughtwthSrPercvalewasaprovedknghtandawse-fghtngknght,andSrPercvalewasyoungandstrong,notknowngnfghtngastheotherwas。
ThenSrPercvalespokefrst,andsad:Srknght,holdthyhandawhlestll,forwehavefoughtforasmplematterandquarreloverlong,andthereforerequretheetellmethyname,forwasneverorthstmematched。
SoGodmehelp,sadthatknght,andneverorthstmewasthereneverknghtthatwoundedmesosoreasthouhastdone,andyethavefoughtnmanybattles;andnowshaltthouwtthatamaknghtoftheTableRound,andmynamesSrEctordeMars,brotheruntothegoodknght,SrLauncelotduLake。Alas,sadSrPercvale,andmynamesSrPercvaledeGalsthathathmademyquesttoseekSrLauncelot,andnowamskerthatshallneverfnshmyquest,foryehaveslanmewthyourhands。tsnotso,sadSrEctor,foramslanbyyourhands,andmaynotlve。Therefore
requreyou,sadSrEctoruntoSrPercvale,rdeyeherebytoaprory,andbrngmeaprestthatmayrecevemySavour,formaynotlve。AndwhenyecometothecourtofKngArthurtellnotmybrother,SrLauncelot,howthatyeslewme,forthenhewouldbeyourmortalenemy,butyemaysaythatwasslannmyquestas
soughthm。Alas,sadSrPercvale,yesaythatneverwllbe,foramsofantforbleedngthatmayunnethestand,howshouldthentakemyhorse?
HowbymracletheywerebothmadewholebythecomngoftheholyvesselofSangreal。
THENtheymadebothgreatdoleoutofmeasure。Thswllnotaval,sadSrPercvale。AndthenhekneeleddownandmadehsprayerdevoutlyuntoAlmghtyJesu,forhewasoneofthebestknghtsoftheworldthatatthattmewas,nwhomtheveryfathstoodmostn。
RghtsotherecamebytheholyvesseloftheSangrealwthallmannerofsweetnessandsavour;buttheycouldnotreadlyseewhothatbarethatvessel,butSrPercvalehadaglmmerngofthevesselandofthemadenthatbaret,forhewasaperfectcleanmaden;andforthwthaltheybothwereaswholeofhdeandlmbasevertheywerentherlfe-days:thentheygavethankngstoGodwthgreatmldness。OJesu,sadSrPercvale,whatmaythsmean,thatwebethushealed,andrghtnowwewereatthepontofdyng?wotfullwell,sadSrEctor,whatts;tsanholyvesselthatsbornebyamaden,andtherenspartoftheholybloodofourLordJesuChrst,blessedmotehebe。Buttmaynotbeseen,sadSrEctor,butftbebyaperfectman。SoGodmehelp,sadSrPercvale,sawadamosel,asmethought,allnwhte,wthavesselnbothherhands,andforthwthalwaswhole。
Sothentheytooktherhorsesandtherharness,andamendedtherharnessaswellastheymghtthatwasbroken;andsotheymountedupontherhorses,androdetalkngtogether。AndthereSrEctordeMarstoldSrPercvalehowhehadsoughthsbrother,SrLauncelot,long,andnevercouldhearwttngofhm:nmanystrangeadventureshavebeennthsquest。Andsoethertoldotheroftheradventures。
Hereendeththeeleventhbook。Andherefolloweththetwelfthbook。
HowSrLauncelotnhsmadnesstookaswordandfoughtwthaknght,andleaptnabed。
ANDnowleaveweofawhleofSrEctorandofSrPercvale,andspeakweofSrLauncelotthatsufferedandenduredmanysharpshowers,thateverranwldwoodfromplacetoplace,andlvedbyfrutandsuchashemghtget,anddrankwatertwoyear;andotherclothnghadhebutlttlebuthsshrtandhsbreech。ThusasSrLauncelotwanderedhereandtherehecamenafarmeadowwherehefoundapavlon;andthereby,uponatree,therehungawhtesheld,andtwoswordshungthereby,andtwospearsleanedtherebyatree。AndwhenSrLauncelotsawtheswords,anonheleapttotheonesword,andtooktnhshand,anddrewtout。Andthenhelashedatthesheld,thatallthemeadowrangofthednts,thathegavesuchanoseastenknghtshadfoughtentogether。
Thencameforthadwarf,andleaptuntoSrLauncelot,andwouldhavehadtheswordoutofhshand。AndthenSrLauncelottookhmbythebothshouldersandthrewhmtothegrounduponhsneck,thathehadalmostbrokenhsneck;andtherewthalthedwarfcredhelp。Thencameforthalkelyknght,andwellapparellednscarletfurredwthmnever。AndanonashesawSrLauncelothedeemedthatheshouldbeoutofhswt。Andthenhesadwthfarspeech:Goodman,laydownthatsword,forasmeseemeththouhadstmoreneedofsleepandofwarmclothesthantoweldthatsword。Asforthat,sadSrLauncelot,comenottoongh,foranthoudo,wtthouwellwllslaythee。
Andwhentheknghtofthepavlonsawthat,hestertbackwardwthnthepavlon。Andthenthedwarfarmedhmlghtly;andsotheknghtthoughtbyforceandmghttotaketheswordfromSrLauncelot,andsohecamesteppngout;andwhenSrLauncelotsawhmcomesoallarmedwthhsswordnhshand,thenSrLauncelotflewtohmwthsuchamght,andhthmuponthehelmsuchabuffet,thatthestroketroubledhsbrans,andtherewththeswordbrakenthree。Andtheknghtfelltotheearthashehadbeendead,thebloodbrastngoutofhsmouth,thenose,andtheears。AndthenSrLauncelotranntothepavlon,andrushedevenntothewarmbed;andtherewasaladynthatbed,andshegathersmock,andranoutofthepavlon。Andwhenshesawherlordleatthegroundlketobedead,thenshecredandweptasshehadbeenmad。Thenwthhernosetheknghtawakedoutofhsswoon,andlookedupweaklywthhseyes;andthenheaskedher,wherewasthatmadmanthathadgvenhmsuchabuffet:Forsuchabuffethadneverofman’shand。Sr,sadthedwarf,tsnotworshptohurthm,forhesamanoutofhswt;anddoubtyenothehathbeenamanofgreatworshp,andforsomeheartlysorrowthathehathtaken,hesfallenmad;andmebeseemeth,sadthedwarf,heresemblethmuchuntoSrLauncelot,forhmsawatthegreattournamentbesdeLonazep。Jesudefend,sadthatknght,thateverthatnobleknght,SrLauncelot,shouldbensuchaplght;butwhatsomeverhebe,sadthatknght,harmwllnonedohm:andthsknght’snamewasBlant。Thenhesaduntothedwarf:Gothoufastonhorseback,untomybrotherSrSelvant,thatsattheCastleBlank,andtellhmofmneadventure,andbdhmbrngwthhmanhorseltter,andthenwllwebearthsknghtuntomycastle。
第97章