four arthurian romances-第70部分

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m　you　have　addressed　your　prayer。　　It　shall　not　be　concealed　from　you　who　we　are；　and　from　what　land：　I　suppose　that　is　what　you　wish　to　know。〃　　〃For　no　other　purpose　came　I　here；〃　says　he。　（26）　　〃Sire；　it　happened　a　long　while　ago　that　the　king　of　the　Isle　of　Damsels　went　seeking　news　through　divers　courts　and　countries；　and　he　kept　on　his　travels　like　a　dunce　until　he　encountered　this　perilous　place。　　It　was　an　unlucky　hour　when　he　first　came　here；　for　we　wretched　captives　who　are　here　receive　all　the　shame　and　misery　which　we　have　in　no　wise　deserved。　　And　rest　assured　that　you　yourself　may　expect　great　shame；　unless　a　ransom　for　you　be　accepted。　　But；　at　any　rate；　so　it　came　about　that　my　lord　came　to　this　town；　where　there　are　two　sons　of　the　devil　（do　not　take　it　as　a　jest）　who　were　born　of　a　woman　and　an　imp。　　These　two　were　about　to　fight　with　the　king；　whose　terror　was　great；　for　he　was　not　yet　eighteen　years　old；　and　they　would　have　been　able　to　cleave　him　through　like　a　tender　lamb。　　So　the　king；　in　his　terror；　escaped　his　fate　as　best　he　could；　by　swearing　that　he　would　send　hither　each　year；　as　required；　thirty　of　his　damsels；　and　with　this　rent　he　freed　himself。　　And　when　he　swore；　it　was　agreed　that　this　arrangement　should　remain　in　force　as　long　as　the　two　devils　lived。　　But　upon　the　day　when　they　should　be　conquered　and　defeated　in　battle；　he　would　be　relieved　from　this　tribute；　and　we　should　be　delivered　who　are　now　shamefully　given　over　to　distress　and　misery。　　Never　again　shall　we　know　what　pleasure　is。　　But　I　spoke　folly　just　now　in　referring　to　our　deliverance；　for　we　shall　never　more　leave　this　place。　　We　shall　spend　our　days　weaving　cloths　of　silk；　without　ever　being　better　clad。　　We　shall　always　be　poor　and　naked；　and　shall　always　suffer　from　hunger　and　thirst；　for　we　shall　never　be　able　to　earn　enough　to　procure　for　ourselves　any　better　food。　　Our　bread　supply　is　very　scarcea　little　in　the　morning　and　less　at　night；　for　none　of　us　can　gain　by　her　handiwork　more　than　fourpence　a　day　for　her　daily　bread。　　And　with　this　we　cannot　provide　ourselves　with　sufficient　food　and　clothes。　　For　though　there　is　not　one　of　us　who　does　not　earn　as　much　as　twenty　sous　（27）　a　week；　yet　we　cannot　live　without　hardship。　　Now　you　must　know　that　there　is　not　a　single　one　of　us　who　does　not　do　twenty　sous　worth　of　work　or　more；　and　with　such　a　sum　even　a　duke　would　be　considered　rich。　　So　while　we　are　reduced　to　such　poverty；　he；　for　whom　we　work；　is　rich　with　the　product　of　our　toil。　　We　sit　up　many　nights；　as　well　as　every　day；　to　earn　the　more；　for　they　threaten　to　do　us　injury；　when　we　seek　some　rest；　so　we　do　not　dare　to　rest　ourselves。　　But　why　should　I　tell　you　more？　　We　are　so　shamefully　treated　and　insulted　that　I　cannot　tell　you　the　fifth　part　of　it　all。　　But　what　makes　us　almost　wild　with　rage　is　that　we　very　often　see　rich　and　excellent　knights；　who　fight　with　the　two　devils；　lose　their　lives　on　our　account。　　They　pay　dearly　for　the　lodging　they　receive；　as　you　will　do　to…morrow。　　For；　whether　you　wish　to　do　so　or　not；　you　will　have　to　fight　singlehanded　and　lose　your　fair　renown　with　these　two　devils。〃　　〃May　God；　the　true　and　spiritual；　protect　me；〃　said　my　lord　Yvain；　〃and　give　you　back　your　honour　and　happiness；　if　it　be　His　will。　　I　must　go　now　and　see　the　people　inside　there；　and　find　out　what　sort　of　entertainment　they　will　offer　me。〃　　〃Go　now；　sire；　and　may　He　protect　you　who　gives　and　distributes　all　good　things。〃

（Vv。　5347…5456。）　　Then　he　went　until　he　came　to　the　hall　where　he　found　no　one；　good　or　bad；　to　address　him。　　Then　he　and　his　companion　passed　through　the　house　until　they　came　to　a　garden。　They　never　spoke　of；　or　mentioned；　stabling　their　horses。　　But　what　matters　it？　　For　those　who　considered　them　already　as　their　own　had　stabled　them　carefully。　　I　do　not　know　whether　their　expectation　was　wise；　for　the　horses'　owners　are　still　perfectly　hale。　　The　horses；　however；　have　oats　and　hay；　and　stand　in　litter　up　to　their　belly。　　My　lord　Yvain　and　his　company　enter　the　garden。　　There　he　sees；　reclining　upon　his　elbow　upon　a　silken　rug；　a　gentleman；　to　whom　a　maiden　was　reading　from　a　romance　about　I　know　not　whom。　　There　had　come　to　recline　there　with　them　and　listen　to　the　romance　a　lady；　who　was　the　mother　of　the　damsel；　as　the　gentleman　was　her　father；　they　had　good　reason　to　enjoy　seeing　and　hearing　her；　for　they　had　no　other　children。　She　was　not　yet　sixteen　years　old；　and　was　so　fair　and　full　of　grace　that　the　god　of　Love　would　have　devoted　himself　entirely　to　her　service；　if　he　had　seen　her；　and　would　never　have　made　her　fall　in　love　with　anybody　except　himself。　　For　her　sake　he　would　have　become　a　man；　and　would　lay　aside　his　deity；　and　would　smite　his　own　body　with　that　dart　whose　wound　never　heals　unless　some　base　physician　attends　to　it。　　It　is　not　fitting　that　any　one　should　recover　until　he　meets　with　faithlessness。　　Any　one　who　is　cured　by　other　means　is　not　honestly　in　love。　　I　could　tell　you　so　much　about　this　wound；　if　you　were　pleased　to　listen　to　it；　that　I　would　not　get　through　my　tale　to…day。　　But　there　would　be　some　one　who　would　promptly　say　that　I　was　telling　you　but　an　idle　tale；　for　people　don't　fall　in　love　nowadays；　nor　do　they　love　as　they　used　to　do；　so　they　do　not　care　to　hear　of　it。　（28）　　But　hear　now　in　what　fashion　and　with　what　manner　of　hospitality　my　lord　Yvain　was　received。　　All　those　who　were　in　the　garden　leaped　to　their　feet　when　they　saw　him　come；　and　cried　out：　〃This　way；　fair　sire。　　May　you　and　all　you　love　be　blessed　with　all　that　God　can　do　or　say。〃　　I　know　not　if　they　were　deceiving　him；　but　they　receive　him　joyfully　and　act　as　if　they　are　pleased　that　he　should　be　comfortably　lodged。　　Even　the　lord's　daughter　serves　him　very　honourably；　as　one　should　treat　a　worthy　guest。　　She　relieves　him　of　all　his　arms；　nor　was　it　the　least　attention　she　bestowed　on　him　when　she　herself　washed　his　neck　and　face。　　The　lord　wishes　that　all　honour　should　be　shown　him；　as　indeed　they　do。　　She　gets　out　from　her　wardrobe　a　folded　shirt；　white　drawers；　needle　and　thread　for　his　sleeves；　which　she　sews　on；　thus　clothing　him。　（29）　　May　God　want　now　that　this　attention　and　service　may　not　prove　too　costly　to　him！　　She　gave　him　a　handsome　jacket　to　put　on　over　his　shirt；　and　about　his　neck　she　placed　a　brand　new　spotted　mantle　of　scarlet　stuff。　　She　takes　such　pains　to　serve　him　well　that　he　feels　ashamed　and　embarrassed。　　But　the　damsel　is　so　courteous　and　open…hearted　and　polite　that　she　feels　she　is　doing　very　little。　　And　she　knows　well　that　it　is　her　mother's　will　that　she　shall　leave　nothing　undone　for　him　which　she　thinks　may　win　his　gratitude。　　That　night　at　table　he　was　so　well　served　with　so　many　dishes　that　there　were　too　many。　　The　servants　who　brought　in　the　dishes　might　well　have　been　wearied　by　serving　them。　　That　night　they　did　him　all　manner　of　honour；　putting　him　comfortably　to　bed；　and　not　once　going　near　him　again　after　he　had　retired。　　His　lion　lay　at　his　feet；　as　his　custom　was。　　In　the　morning；　when　God　lighted　His　great　light　for　the　world；　as　early　as　was　consistent　in　one　who　was　always　considerate；　my　lord　Yvain　quickly　arose；　as　did　his　damsel　too。　They　heard　Mass　in　a　chapel；　where　it　was　promptly　said　for　them　in　honour　of　the　Holy　Spirit。

（Vv。　5457…5770。）　　After　the　Mass　my　lord　Yvain　heard　bad　news；　when　he　thought　the　time　had　come　for　him　to　leave　and　that　nothing　would　stand　in　his　way；　but　it　could　not　be　in　accordance　with　his　wish。　　When　he　said：　〃Sire；　if　it　be　your　will；　and　with　your　permission；　I　am　going　now；〃　the　master　of　the　house　replied：　〃Friend；　I　will　not　grant　you　permission　yet。　　There　is　a　reason　why　I　cannot　do　so；　for　there　is　established　in　this　castle　a　very　terrible　practice　which　I　am　bound　to　observe。　　I　shall　now　cause　to　approach　two　great；　strong　fellows　of　mine；　against　whom；　whether　right　or　wrong；　you　must　take　arms。　　If　you　can　defend　yourself　against　them；　and　conquer　and　slay　them　both；　my　daughter　desires　you　as　her　lord；　and　the　suzerainty　of　this　town　and　all　its　dependencies　awaits　you。〃　　〃Sire；〃　said　he；　〃for　all　this　I　have　no　desire。　　So　may　God　never　bestow　your　daughter　upon　me；　but　may　she　remain　with　you；　for　she　is　so　fair　and　so　elegant　that　the　Emperor　of　Germany　would　be　fortunate　to　win　her　as　his　wife。〃　　〃No　more；　fair　guest；〃　the　lord　replied：　〃there　is　no　need　of　my　listening　to　your　refusal；　for　you　cannot　escape。　He　who　can　defeat　the　two；　who　are　about　to　attack　you；　must　by　right　receive　my　castle；　and　all　my　land；　and　my　daughter　as　his　wife。　　There　is　no　way　of　avoiding　or　renouncing　the　battle。　　But　I　feel　sure　that　your　refusal　of　my　daughter　is　due　to　cowardice；　for　you　think　that　in　this　manner　you　can　completely　avoid　the　battle。　　Know；　however；　without　fail　that　you　must　surely　fight。　No　knight　who　lodges　here　can　possibly　escape。　　This　is　a　settled　custom　and　statute；　which　will　endure　yet　for　many　a　year；　for　my　daughter　will　never　be　married　until　I　see　them　dead　or　defeated。〃　　〃Then　I　must　fight　them　in　spite　of　myself。　　But　I　assure　you　that　I　should　very　gladly　give　it　up。　　In　spite　of　my　reluctance；　however；　I　shall　accept　the　battle；　since　it　is　inevitable。〃　　Thereupon；　the　two　hideous；　black　sons　of　the　devil　come　in；　both　armed　with　a　crooked　club　of　a　cornelian　cherry…　tree；　which　they　had　covered　with　copper　and　wound　with　brass。　They　were　armed　from　the　shoulders　to　the　knees；　but　their　head　and　face　were　bare；　as　well　as　their　brawny　legs。　　Thus　armed；　they　advanced；　bearing　in　their　hands　round　shields；　stout　and　light　for　fighting。　　The　lion　begins　to　quiver　as　soon　as　he　sees　them；　for　he　sees　the　arms　they　have；　and　perceives　that　they　come　to　fight　his　master。　　He　is　aroused；　and　bristles　up　at　once；　and；　trembling　with　rage　and　bold　impulse；　he　thrashes　the　earth　with　his　tail；　desiring　to　rescue　his　master　before　they　kill　him。　　And　when　they　see　him　they　say：　〃Vassal；　remove　the　lion　from　here　that　he　may　not　do　us　harm。　　Either　surrender　to　us　at　once；　or　else；　we　adjure　you；　that　lion　must　be　put　where　he　can　take　no　part　in　aiding　you　or　in　harming　us。　　You　must　come　alone　to　enjoy　our　sport；　for　the　lion　would　gladly　help　you；　if　he　could。〃　　My　lord　Yvain　then　r