alfred tennyson-第23节

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anger　against　Lancelot。　　〃For　since　first　I　saw　my　lord；　Sir
Lancelot；〃　says　Lavaine；　〃I　could　never　depart　from　him；　nor　nought　I
will；　if　I　may　follow　him：　　she　doth　as　I　do。〃　　To　the　simple　and
moving　story　Tennyson　adds；　by　way　of　ornament；　the　diamonds；　the
prize　of　the　tourney；　and　the　manner　of　their　finding：…


　　　〃For　Arthur；　long　before　they　crown'd　him　King；
Roving　the　trackless　realms　of　Lyonnesse；
Had　found　a　glen；　gray　boulder　and　black　tarn。
A　horror　lived　about　the　tarn；　and　clave
Like　its　own　mists　to　all　the　mountain　side：
For　here　two　brothers；　one　a　king；　had　met
And　fought　together；　but　their　names　were　lost；
And　each　had　slain　his　brother　at　a　blow；
And　down　they　fell　and　made　the　glen　abhorr'd：
And　there　they　lay　till　all　their　bones　were　bleach'd；
And　lichen'd　into　colour　with　the　crags：
And　he；　that　once　was　king；　had　on　a　crown
Of　diamonds；　one　in　front；　and　four　aside。
And　Arthur　came；　and　labouring　up　the　pass；
All　in　a　misty　moonshine；　unawares
Had　trodden　that　crown'd　skeleton；　and　the　skull
Brake　from　the　nape；　and　from　the　skull　the　crown
Roll'd　into　light；　and　turning　on　its　rims
Fled　like　a　glittering　rivulet　to　the　tarn：
And　down　the　shingly　scaur　he　plunged；　and　caught；
And　set　it　on　his　head；　and　in　his　heart
Heard　murmurs；　'Lo；　thou　likewise　shalt　be　King。'〃


The　diamonds　reappear　in　the　scene　of　Guinevere's　jealousy：…


　　　〃All　in　an　oriel　on　the　summer　side；
Vine…clad；　of　Arthur's　palace　toward　the　stream；
They　met；　and　Lancelot　kneeling　utter'd；　'Queen；
Lady；　my　liege；　in　whom　I　have　my　joy；
Take；　what　I　had　not　won　except　for　you；
These　jewels；　and　make　me　happy；　making　them
An　armlet　for　the　roundest　arm　on　earth；
Or　necklace　for　a　neck　to　which　the　swan's
Is　tawnier　than　her　cygnet's：　　these　are　words：
Your　beauty　is　your　beauty；　and　I　sin
In　speaking；　yet　O　grant　my　worship　of　it
Words；　as　we　grant　grief　tears。　　Such　sin　in　words；
Perchance；　we　both　can　pardon：　　but；　my　Queen；
I　hear　of　rumours　flying　thro'　your　court。
Our　bond；　as　not　the　bond　of　man　and　wife；
Should　have　in　it　an　absoluter　trust
To　make　up　that　defect：　　let　rumours　be：
When　did　not　rumours　fly？　these；　as　I　trust
That　you　trust　me　in　your　own　nobleness；
I　may　not　well　believe　that　you　believe。'

　　　While　thus　he　spoke；　half　turn'd　away；　the　Queen
Brake　from　the　vast　oriel…embowering　vine
Leaf　after　leaf；　and　tore；　and　cast　them　off；
Till　all　the　place　whereon　she　stood　was　green；
Then；　when　he　ceased；　in　one　cold　passive　hand
Received　at　once　and　laid　aside　the　gems
There　on　a　table　near　her；　and　replied：

　　　'It　may　be；　I　am　quicker　of　belief
Than　you　believe　me；　Lancelot　of　the　Lake。
Our　bond　is　not　the　bond　of　man　and　wife。
This　good　is　in　it；　whatsoe'er　of　ill；
It　can　be　broken　easier。　　I　for　you
This　many　a　year　have　done　despite　and　wrong
To　one　whom　ever　in　my　heart　of　hearts
I　did　acknowledge　nobler。　　What　are　these？
Diamonds　for　me！　they　had　been　thrice　their　worth
Being　your　gift；　had　you　not　lost　your　own。
To　loyal　hearts　the　value　of　all　gifts
Must　vary　as　the　giver's。　　Not　for　me！
For　her！　for　your　new　fancy。　　Only　this
Grant　me；　I　pray　you：　　have　your　joys　apart。
I　doubt　not　that　however　changed；　you　keep
So　much　of　what　is　graceful：　　and　myself
Would　shun　to　break　those　bounds　of　courtesy
In　which　as　Arthur's　Queen　I　move　and　rule：
So　cannot　speak　my　mind。　　An　end　to　this！
A　strange　one！　yet　I　take　it　with　Amen。
So　pray　you；　add　my　diamonds　to　her　pearls；
Deck　her　with　these；　tell　her；　she　shines　me　down：
An　armlet　for　an　arm　to　which　the　Queen's
Is　haggard；　or　a　necklace　for　a　neck
O　as　much　faireras　a　faith　once　fair
Was　richer　than　these　diamondshers　not　mine　…
Nay；　by　the　mother　of　our　Lord　himself；
Or　hers　or　mine；　mine　now　to　work　my　will　…
She　shall　not　have　them。'

　　　　　　Saying　which　she　seized；
And；　thro'　the　casement　standing　wide　for　heat；
Flung　them；　and　down　they　flash'd；　and　smote　the　stream。
Then　from　the　smitten　surface　flash'd；　as　it　were；
Diamonds　to　meet　them；　and　they　past　away。
Then　while　Sir　Lancelot　leant；　in　half　disdain
At　love；　life；　all　things；　on　the　window　ledge；
Close　underneath　his　eyes；　and　right　across
Where　these　had　fallen；　slowly　past　the　barge
Whereon　the　lily　maid　of　Astolat
Lay　smiling；　like　a　star　in　blackest　night。〃


This　affair　of　the　diamonds　is　the　chief　addition　to　the　old　tale；　in
which　we　already　see　the　curse　of　lawless　love；　fallen　upon　the
jealous　Queen　and　the　long…enduring　Lancelot。　　〃This　is　not　the　first
time；〃　said　Sir　Lancelot；　〃that　ye　have　been　displeased　with　me
causeless；　but；　madame；　ever　I　must　suffer　you；　but　what　sorrow　I
endure　I　take　no　force〃　（that　is；　〃I　disregard〃）。

The　romance；　and　the　poet；　in　his　own　despite；　cannot　but　make
Lancelot　the　man　we　love；　not　Arthur　or　another。　　Human　nature
perversely　sides　with　Guinevere　against　the　Blameless　King：…


　　　〃She　broke　into　a　little　scornful　laugh：
'Arthur；　my　lord；　Arthur；　the　faultless　King；
That　passionate　perfection；　my　good　lord　…
But　who　can　gaze　upon　the　Sun　in　heaven？
He　never　spake　word　of　reproach　to　me；
He　never　had　a　glimpse　of　mine　untruth；
He　cares　not　for　me：　　only　here　to…day
There　gleam'd　a　vague　suspicion　in　his　eyes：
Some　meddling　rogue　has　tamper'd　with　himelse
Rapt　in　this　fancy　of　his　Table　Round；
And　swearing　men　to　vows　impossible；
To　make　them　like　himself：　　but；　friend；　to　me
He　is　all　fault　who　hath　no　fault　at　all：
For　who　loves　me　must　have　a　touch　of　earth；
The　low　sun　makes　the　colour：　　I　am　yours；
Not　Arthur's；　as　ye　know；　save　by　the　bond。〃


It　is　not　the　beautiful　Queen　who　wins　us；　our　hearts　are　with　〃the
innocence　of　love〃　in　Elaine。　　But　Lancelot　has　the　charm　that
captivated　Lavaine；　and　Tennyson's　Arthur　remains


〃The　moral　child　without　the　craft　to　rule；
Else　had　he　not　lost　me。〃


Indeed　the　romance　of　Malory　makes　Arthur　deserve　〃the　pretty　popular
name　such　manhood　earns〃　by　his　conduct　as　regards　Guinevere　when　she
is　accused　by　her　enemies　in　the　later　chapters。　　Yet　Malory　does　not
finally　condone　the　sin　which　baffles　Lancelot's　quest　of　the　Holy
Grail。

Tennyson　at　first　was　in　doubt　as　to　writing　on　the　Grail；　for
certain　respects　of　reverence。　　When　he　did　approach　the　theme　it　was
in　a　method　of　extreme　condensation。　　The　romances　on　the　Grail
outrun　the　length　even　of　mediaeval　poetry　and　prose。　　They　are
exceedingly　confused；　as　was　natural；　if　that　hypothesis　which
regards　the　story　as　a　Christianised　form　of　obscure　Celtic　myth　be
correct。　　Sir　Percivale's　sister；　in　the　Idyll；　has　the　first　vision
of　the　Grail：…


〃Sweet　brother；　I　have　seen　the　Holy　Grail：
For；　waked　at　dead　of　night；　I　heard　a　sound
As　of　a　silver　horn　from　o'er　the　hills
Blown；　and　I　thought；　'It　is　not　Arthur's　use
To　hunt　by　moonlight'；　and　the　slender　sound
As　from　a　distance　beyond　distance　grew
Coming　upon　meO　never　harp　nor　horn；
Nor　aught　we　blow　with　breath；　or　touch　with　hand；
Was　like　that　music　as　it　came；　and　then
Stream'd　thro'　my　cell　a　cold　and　silver　beam；
And　down　the　long　beam　stole　the　Holy　Grail；
Rose…red　with　beatings　in　it；　as　if　alive；
Till　all　the　white　walls　of　my　cell　were　dyed
With　rosy　colours　leaping　on　the　wall；
And　then　the　music　faded；　and　the　Grail
Past；　and　the　beam　decay'd；　and　from　the　walls
The　rosy　quiverings　died　into　the　night。
So　now　the　Holy　Thing　is　here　again
Among　us；　brother；　fast　thou　too　and　pray；
And　tell　thy　brother　knights　to　fast　and　pray；
That　so　perchance　the　vision　may　be　seen
By　thee　and　those；　and　all　the　world　be　heal'd。〃


Galahad；　son　of　Lancelot　and　the　first　Elaine　（who　became　Lancelot's
mistress　by　art　magic）；　then　vows　himself　to　the　Quest；　and；　after
the　vision　in　hall　at　Camelot；　the　knights；　except　Arthur；　follow　his
example；　to　Arthur's　grief。　　〃Ye　follow　wandering　fires！〃　　Probably；
or　perhaps；　the　poet　indicates　dislike　of　hasty　spiritual
enthusiasms；　of　〃seeking　for　a　sign；〃　and　of　the　mysticism　which
betokens　want　of　faith。　　The　Middle　Ages；　more　than　many　readers
know；　were　ages　of　doubt。　　Men　desired　the　witness　of　the　senses　to
the　truth　of　what　the　Church　taught；　they　wished　to　see　that　naked
child　of　the　romance　〃smite　himself　into〃　the　wafer　of　the　Sacrament。
The　author　of　the　Imitatio　Christi　discourages　such　vain　and　too
curious　inquiries　as　helped　to　rend　the　Church；　and　divided
Christendom　into　hostile　camps。　　The　Quest　of　the　actual　Grail　was　a
knightly　form　of　theological　research　into　the　unsearchable；
undertaken；　often　in　a　secular　spirit　of　adventure；　by　sinful　men。
The　poet's　heart　is　rather　with　human　things：…


　　　〃'O　brother；'　ask'd　Ambrosius；'for　in　sooth
These　ancient　booksand　they　would　win　theeteem；
Only　I　find　not　there　this　Holy　Grail；
With　miracles　and　marvels　like　to　these；
Not　all　unlike；　which　oftentime　I　read；
Who　read　but　on　my　breviary　with　ease；
Till　my　head　swims；　and　then　go　forth　and　pass
Down　to　the　little　thorpe　that　lies　so　close；
And　almost　plaster'd　like　a　martin's　nest
To　these　old　wallsand　mingle　with　our　folk；
And　knowing　every　honest　face　of　theirs
As　well　as　ever　shepherd　knew　his　sheep；
And　every　homely　secret　in　their　hearts；
Delight　mys