song and legend from the middle ages-第4部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


he　midst　of　the　lake　Arthur　was　ware　of　an　arm　clothed　in　white　samite；　that　held　a　fair　sword　in　that　hand。　Lo；　said　Merlin；　yonder　is　that　sword　that　I　spake　of。　With　that　they　saw　a　damsel　going　upon　the　lake：　What　damsel　is　that？　said　Arthur。　That　is　the　Lady　of　the　lake；　said　Merlin；　and　within　that　lake　is　a　rock；　and　therein　is　as　fair　a　place　as　any　on　earth；　and　richly　beseen；　and　this　damsel　will　come　to　you　anon；　and　then　speak　ye　fair　to　her　that　she　will　give　you　that　sword。　Anon　withal　came　the　damsel　unto　Arthur　and　saluted　him；　and　he　her　again。　Damsel；　said　Arthur；　what　sword　is　that；　that　yonder　the　arm　holdeth　above　the　water？　I　would　it　were　mine'　for　I　have　no　sword。　Sir　Arthur　king；　said　the　damsel；　that　sword　is　mine；　and　if　ye　will　give　me　a　gift　when　I　ask　it　you；　ye　shall　have　it。　By　my　faith；　said　Arthur；　I　will　give　you　what　gift　ye　will　ask。　Well；　said　the　damsel；　go　ye　into　yonder　barge　and　row　yourself　to　the　sword；　and　take　it　and　the　scabbard　with　you；　and　I　will　ask　my　gift　when　I　see　my　time。　So　Sir　Arthur　and　Merlin　alight；　and　tied　their　horses　to　two　trees；　and　so　they　went　into　the　ship；　and　when　they　came　to　the　sword　that　the　hand　held；　Sir　Arthur　took　it　up　by　the　handles；　and　took　it　with　him。　And　the　arm　and　the　hand　went　under　the　water；　and　so　they　came　unto　the　land　and　rode　forth。

Book　III。　Chapter　1。

How　king　Arthur　took　a　wife；　and　wedded　Guenever　daughter　to　Leodegrance；　king　of　the　land　of　Cameliard；　with　whom　he　had　the　Round　Table。

In　the　beginning　of　Arthur；　after　he　was　chosen　king　by　adventure　and　by　gracefor　the　most　part　of　the　barons　knew　not　that　he　was　Uther　Pendragon's　son；　but　as　Merlin　made　it　openly　known；many　kings　and　lords　made　great　war　against　him　for　that　cause；　but　well　Arthur　overcame　them　all；　for　the　most　part　of　the　days　of　his　life　he　was　ruled　much　by　the　council　of　Merlin。　So　it　fell　on　a　time　king　Arthur　said　unto　Merlin；　My　barons　will　let　me　have　no　rest；　but　needs　I　must　take　a　wife；　and　I　will　none　take　but　by　thy　council　and　by　thine　advice。　It　is　well　done；　said　Merlin；　that　ye　take　a　wife；　for　a　man　of　your　bounty　and　nobleness　should　not　be　without　a　wife。　Now　is　there　any　that　ye　love　more　than　another？　Yea；　said　king　Arthur；　I　love　Guenever；　the　daughter　of　king　Leodegrance；　of　the　land　of　Cameliard；　which　Leodegrance　holdeth　in　his　house　the　Table　Round；　that　ye　told　he　had　of　my　father；　Uther。　And　this　damsel　is　the　most　valiant　and　fairest　lady　that　I　know　living；　or　yet　that　ever　I　could　find。　Sir；　said　Merlin；　as　of　her　beauty　and　fairness　she　is　one　of　the　fairest　on　live。　But　and　ye　loved　her　not　so　well　as　ye　do；　I　could　find　you　a　damsel　of　beauty　and　of　goodness　that　ghould　like　you　and　plea…se　you；　and　your　heart　were　not　set；　but　there　as　a　man's　heart　is　set；　he　will　be　loth　to　return。　That　is　truth；　said　king　Arthur。　But　Merlin　warned　the　king　covertly　that　Guenever　was　not　wholesome　for　him　to　take　to　wife；　for　he　warned　him　that　Launcelot　should　love　her；　and　she　him　again；　and　so　he　turned　his　tale　to　the　adventures　of　the　Sangreal。　Then　Merlin　desired　of　the　king　to　have　men　with　him　that　should　enquire　of　Guenever；　and　so　the　king　granted　him。　And　Merlin　went　forth　to　king　Leodegrance　of　Cameliard；　and　told　him　of　the　desire　of　the　king　that　he　would　have　unto　his　wife　Guenever　his　daughter。　That　is　to　me；　said　king　Leodegrance；　the　best　tidings　that　ever　I　heard；　that　so　worthy　a　king　of　prowess　and　noblesse　will　wed　my　daughter。　And　as　for　my　lands　I　will　give　him　wist　I　it　might　please　him；　but　he　hath　lands　enough；　him　needeth　none；　but　I　shall　send　him　a　gift　shall　please　him　much　more；　for　I　shall　give　him　the　Table　Round；　the　which　Uther　Pendragon　gave　me；　and　when　it　is　full　complete　there　is　an　hundred　knights　and　fifty。　And　as　for　an　hundred　good　knights　I　have　myself；　but　I　lack　fifty；　for　so　many　have　been　slain　in　my　days。　And　so　king　Leodegrance　delivered　his　daughter　Guenever　unto　Merlin；　and　the　Table　Round；　with　the　hundred　knights；　and　so　they　rode　freshly；　with　great　royalty；　what　by　water　and　what　by　land；　till　that　they　came　nigh　unto　London。

Book　III。　Chapter　2。

How　the　knights　of　the　Round　Table　were　ordained；　and　their　sieges　blessed　by　the　bishop　of　Canterbury。

When　king　Arthur　heard　Of　the　coming　of　Guenever　and　the　hundred　knights　with　the　Table　Round；　then　king　Arthur　made　great　joy　for　their　coming；　and　that　rich　present；　and　said　openly；　This　fair　lady　is　passing　welcome　unto　me；　for　I　have　loved　her　long；　and　therefore　there　is　nothing　so　lief　to　me。　And　these　knights　with　the　Round　Table　please　me　more　than　right　great　riches。　And　in　all　haste　the　king　let　ordain　for　the　marriage　and　the　coronation　in　the　most　honourablest　wise　that　could　be　devised。　Now　Merlin；　said　king　Arthur；　go　thou　and　espy　me　in　all　this　land　fifty　knights　which　be　of　most　prowess　and　worship。　Within　short　time　Merlin　had　found　such　knights　that　should　fulfil　twenty　and　eight　knights；　but　no　more　he　could　find。　Then　the　bishop　of　Canterbury　was　fetched；　and　he　blessed　the　sieges　with　great　royalty　and　devotion；　and　there　set　the　eight　and　twenty　knights　in　their　sieges。　And　when　this　was　done　Merlin　said；　Fair　sirs；　ye　must　all　arise　and　come　to　king　Arthur　for　to　do　him　homage；　he　will　have　the　better　will　to　maintain　you。　And　so　they　arose　and　did　their　homage。　And　when　they　were　gone　Merlin　found　in　every　siege　letters　of　gold　that　told　the　knights'　names　that　had　sitten　therein。　But　two　sieges　were　void：　And　so　anon　came　young　Gawaine；　and　asked　the　king　a　gift。　Ask；　said　the　king；　and　I　shall　grant　it　you。　Sir；　I　ask　that　ye　will　make　me　knight　that　same　day　ye　shall　wed　fair　Guenever。　I　will　do　it　with　a　good　will；　said　king　Arthur；　and　do　unto　you　all　the　worship　that　I　may；　for　I　must　by　reason　you　are　my　nephew；　my　sister's　son。

It　is　now　the　Vigil　of　the　feast　of　Pentecost；　and　the　knights　are　all　at　Arthur's　court。　Sir　Launcelot　is　suddenly　desired　to　go　on　a　mission　by　a　fair　damsel　who　takes　him　to　a　forest　and　an　abbey。

Book　XIII。　Chapter　1。

Truly；　said　Sir　Launcelot；　a　gentlewoman　brought　me　hither；　but　I　know　not　the　cause。　In　the　meanwhile；　as　they　thus　stood　talking　together；　there　came　twelve　nuns　which　brought　with　them　Galahad；　the　which　was　passing　fair　and　well　made；　that　unneth　in　the　world　men　might　not　find　his　match；　and　all　those　ladies　wept。　Sir；　said　the　ladies；　we　bring　you　here　this　child；　the　which　we　have　nourished；　and　we　pray　you　to　make　him　a　knight；　for　of　a　more　worthier　man's　hand　may　he　not　receive　the　order　of　knighthood。　Sir　Launcelot　beheld　that　young　squire；　and　saw　him　seemly　and　demure　as　a　dove；　with　all　manner　of　good　features；　that　he　wend　of　his　age　never　to　have　seen　so　fair　a　man　of　form。　Then　said　Sir　Launcelot；　Cometh　this　desire　of　himself？　He　and　all　they　said；　Yea。　Then　shall　he；　said　Sir　Launcelot；　receive　the　high　order　of　knighthood　as　tomorrow　at　the　reverence　of　the　high　feast。　That　night　Sir　Launcelot　had　passing　good　cheer；　and　on　the　morn　at　the　hour　of　prime；　at　Galahad's　desire；　he　made　him　knight；　and　said；　God　make　him　a　good　man；　For　beauty　faileth　you　not　as　any　that　liveth。

Sir　Launcelot　returns　to　court。　It　is　noticed　that　the　back　of　the　〃siege　（seat）　perilous；〃　at　the　Round　Table　has　a　new　inscription　saying　that　this　day　this　long　unfilled　seat　should　be　filled。　Before　sitting　down　to　feast　on　this　day；　it　was　an　old　custom　to　see　〃some　adventure。〃

Book　XIII。　Chapter　2。

So　as　they　stood　speaking；　in　came　a　squire；　and　said　unto　the　king；　Sir；　I　bring　unto　you　marvellous　tidings。　What　be　they？　said　the　king。　Sir；　there　is　here　beneath　at　the　river　a　great　stone；　which　I　saw　fleet　above　the　water；　and　therein　saw　I　sticking　a　sword。　The　king　said；　I　will　see　that　marvel。　So　all　the　knights　went　with　him；　and　when　they　came　unto　the　river；　they　found　there　a　stone　fleeting；　as　it　were　of　red　marble；　and　therein　stack　a　fair　and　a　rich　sword；　and　in　the　pomell　thereof　were　precious　stones；　wrought　with　subtil　letters　of　gold。　Then　the　barons　read　the　letters；　which　said　in　this　wise：　Never　shall　man　take　me　hence　but　only　he　by　whose　side　I　ought　to　hang；　and　he　shall　be　the　best　knight　of　the　world。　When　the　king　had　seen　these　letters；　he　said　unto　Sir　Launcelot；　Fair　sir；　this　sword　ought　to　be　yours；　for　I　am　sure　ye　be　the　best　knight　of　the　world。　Then　Sir　Launcelot　answered　full　soberly：　Certes；　sir；　it　is　not　my　sword：　also；　sir；　wit　ye　well　I　have　no　hardiness　to　set　my　hand　to；　for　it　longed　not　to　hang　by　my　side。　Also　who　that　assayeth　to　take　that　sword；　and　falleth　of　it；　he　shall　receive　a　wound　by　that　sword；　that　he　shall　not　be　whole　long　after。　And　I　will　that　ye　wit　that　this　same　day　will　the　adventures　of　the　Sancgreal；　that　is　called　the　holy　vessel；　begin。

Sir　Gawaine　tries　to　draw　out　the　sword　but　fails。　They　sit　at　table　and　an　old　man　brings　in　the　young　knight；　Sir　Galahad。

Book　XIII。　Chapter　4。

Then　the　old　man　made　the　young　man　to　unarm　him；　and　he　was　in　a　coat　of　red　sendel；　and　bare　a　mantle　upon　his　shoulder　that　was　furred　with　ermine；　and　put　that　upon　him。　And　the　old　knight　said　unto　the　young　knight；　Sir；　follow　me。　And　anon　he　led　him　unto　the　siege　perilous；　where　beside　sat　Sir　Launcelot；　and　the　good　man　lift　up　the　cloth；　and　found　there　letters　that　said　thus：　This　is　the　siege　of　Galahad　the　haut　prince。　Sir；　said　the　old　knight；　wit　ye　well　that　place　is　yours。　And　then　he　set　him　down　surely　in　that　siege　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　Then　all　the　knights　of　the　Table　Round　marvelled　them　greatly　of　Sir　Galahad；　that　he　durst　sit　there　in　that　siege　perilous；　and　was　so　tender　of　age；　and　wist　not　from　whence　he　came；　but　all　only　by　God；　and　said；　This　is　he　by　whom　the　Sancgreal　shall　be　achieved；　for　there　sat　never　none　but　he；　but　he　were　mischieved。

King　Arthur　showed　the　stone　with　the　sword　in　it　to　Sir　Galahad。　He　lightly　drew　out　the　sword　and　put　it　in　his　sheath。　Then　the　king　had　all　his　knights　come　together　to　joust　ere　they　departed。


Book　XIII。　Chapter　6。

Now；　said　the　king；　I　am　sure　at　this　quest　of　the　Sancgreal　shall　all　ye　of　the　Table　Round　depart；　and　never　shall　I　see　you　again　whole　together；　therefore　I　will　see　you　all　whole　together　in　th