cliges-第19节

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as　cowardly　as　a　hare；　niggardly　and　foolish　and　malformed；
worthless　in　deeds　and　in　words；　yet　many　a　man　who　mocks　at　him
behind　his　back；　extols　and　praises　him　to　his　face；　thus　then
the　courtier　praises　him　in　his　hearing　when　he　speaks　of　him　to
another；　and　yet　he　pretends　that　the　lord　does　not　hear　what
they　are　speaking　about　together；　whereas　if　he　really　thought
that　the　lord　did　not　hear；　he　would　never　say　aught　whereat　his
master　would　rejoice。　And　if　his　lord　wishes　to　lie；　he　is　quite
ready　with　his　assent；　and　whatever　his　lord　says；　he　asserts　to
be　true；　never　will　he　who　associates　with　courts　and　lords　be
tongue…tied；　his　tongue　must　serve　them　with　falsehood。　My　heart
must　needs　do　likewise　if　it　wishes　to　have　grace　of　its　lord；
let　it　be　a　flatterer　and　cajoler。　But　Cliges　is　such　a　brave
knight；　so　handsome；　so　noble；　and　so　loyal；　that　never　will　my
heart　be　lying　or　false；　however　much　it　may　praise　him；　for　in
him　is　nothing　that　can　be　mended。　Therefore；　I　will　that　my
heart　serve　him；　for　the　peasant　says　in　his　proverb：　'He　who
commends　himself　to　a　good　man　is　base　if　he　does　not　become
better　in　his　service'。〃　Thus　Love　works　on　Fenice。　But　this
torment　is　delight　to　her；　for　she　cannot　be　wearied　by　it。

And　Cliges　has　crossed　the　sea　and　has　come　to　Wallingford。　There
he　has　demeaned　himself　in　lordly　fashion　in　a　fine　lodging　at　a
great　cost；　but　he　thinks　ever　of　Fenice；　never　does　he　forget
her　for　an　hour。　In　the　place　where　he　sojourns　and　tarries；　his
retinue；　as　he　had　commanded；　have　inquired　and　questioned
persistently　till　they　heard　told　and　related　that　the　barons　of
King　Arthur　and　the　king；　himself；　in　person；　had　set　on　foot　a
tournament　in　the　plains　before　Oxford　which　is　near　Wallingford。
In　such　wise　was　the　joust　arranged　that　it　was　to　last　four
days。　But　Cliges　will　be　able　to　take　time　to　arm　his　body　if　he
lacks　anything　meanwhile；　for　there　were　more　than　fifteen　whole
days　to　the　tournament。　He　speedily　sends　three　of　his　squires　to
London；　and　bids　them　buy　three　different　sets　of　armour：　one
black；　another　red；　the　third　green；　and　as　they　return　he　bids
that　each　set　of　arms　be　covered　with　new　canvas；　so　that　if
anyone　meets　them　on　the　way　he　may　not　know　what　will　be　the　hue
of　the　arms　which　they　will　bring。　The　squires　now　set　out；　90　to
London；　and　find　ready　all　such　equipment　as　they　seek。　Soon　had
they　finished；　soon　did　they　return；　they　have　come　back　as　soon
as　they　could。　They　show　to　Cliges　the　arms　that　they　had
brought；　and　he　praises　them　much。　With　these　that　the　emperor
gave　him　on　the　Danube　when　he　dubbed　him　knight；　he　has　them
stored　away　and　hidden。　If　anyone　now　were　to　ask　me　why　he　had
them　stored　away；　I　would　not　answer　him；　for　in　due　time　it　will
be　told　and　related　to　you；　when　all　the　high　barons　of　the　land
who　will　come　there　to　gain　fame　will　be　mounted　on　their　steeds。
On　the　day　that　was　devised　and　appointed；　the　barons　of　renown
assemble。　King　Arthur；　together　with　the　lords　whom　he　had　chosen
from　out　the　good　knights；　lay　before　Oxford。　Towards　Wallingford
went　the　greater　part　of　his　chivalry。　Think　not　that　I　tell　you
in　order　to　spin　out　my　tale：　such　and　such　kings　were　there；
such　and　such　counts；　and　such　and　such　others。　When　the　barons
were　to　meet；　a　knight　of　great　prowess　of　King　Arthur's　peers
rode　out　all　alone　between　the　two　ranks　to　begin　the　tourney；　as
was　the　custom　at　that　time。　But　none　dares　ride　forward　to　come
and　joust　against　him。　There　is　none　who　does　not　stay　where　he
is；　and　yet　there　are　some　who　ask：　〃Why　do　these　knights　wait？
Why　does　none　ride　forth　from　the　ranks？　Surely　someone　will
straightway　begin。〃　And　on　the　other　side　they　say：　〃See　ye　not
what　a　champion　our　adversaries　have　sent　us　from　their　side？　Let
him　who　has　not　yet　known　it　know　that；　of　the　four　bravest
known；　this　is　a　pillar　equal　to　the　rest。〃　〃Who　is　he；　then？〃
〃See　ye　him　not？　It　is　Sagremors　the　Lawless。〃　〃Is　it　he？〃
〃Truly；　without　doubt。〃　Cliges；　who　hears　and　hearkens　to　this；
sat　on　Morel；　and　had　armour　blacker　than　a　ripe　mulberry：　his
whole　armour　was　black。　He　separates　himself　from　the　others　in
the　rank　and　spurs　Morel　who　comes　out　of　the　row；　not　one　is
there　who　sees　him　but　says　to　his　neighbour：　〃This　man　rides
well　with　feutred　lance；　here　have　we　a　very　skilful　knight；　he
bears　his　arms　in　the　right　fashion；　well　does　the　shield　at　his
neck　become　him。　But　one　cannot　but　hold　him　mad　as　regards　the
joust　he　has　undertaken　of　his　own　accord　against　one　of　the
bravest　known　in　all　this　land。　But　who　is　he？　Of　what　land　is　he
a　native？　Who　knows　him？〃　〃Not　I！〃　〃Nor　I！〃　〃But　no　snow　has
fallen　on　him！　Rather　is　his　armour　blacker　than　monk's　or
priest's　cape。〃　Thus　they　engage　in　gossip；　and　the　two　champions
let　their　horses　go；　for　no　longer　do　they　delay　because　right
eager　and　aflame　are　they　for　the　encounter　and　the　shock。　Cliges
strikes　so　that　he　presses　Sagremors'　shield　to　his　arm；　and　his
arm　to　his　body。　Sagremors　falls　at　full　length；　Cliges　acts
irreproachably；　and　makes　him　declare　himself　prisoner：　Sagremors
gives　his　parole。　Now　the　fight　begins；　and　they　charge　in
rivalry。　Cliges　has　rushed　to　the　combat；　and　goes　seeking　joust
and　encounter。　He　encounters　no　knight　whom　he　does　not　take　or
lay　low。　On　both　sides　he　wins　the　highest　distinction；　for　where
he　rides　to　joust；　he　brings　the　whole　tourney　to　a　standstill。
Yet　he　who　gallops　up　to　joust　with　him　is　not　without　great
prowess；　but　he　wins　more　renown　for　standing　his　ground　against
Cliges　than　for　taking　prisoner　another　knight；　and　if　Cliges
leads　him　away　captive；　yet　he　enjoys　great　distinction　for
merely　daring　to　withstand　him　in　the　joust。　Cliges　has　the
praise　and　distinction　of　the　whole　tournament。　And　even　secretly
he　has　returned　to　his　lodging　so　that　none　of　them　might　accost
him　about　one　thing　or　another。　And　in　case　any　one　should　have
search　made　for　the　lodging　marked　by　the　black　arms；　he　locks
them　up　in　a　room　so　that　they　may　neither　be　found　nor　seen；　and
he　has　the　green　arms　openly　displayed　at　the　door；　fronting　the
road　so　that　the　passers　by　shall　see　them。　And　if　any　asks　for
him　and　seeks　him；　he　will　not　know　where　his　lodging　will　be；
since　he　will　see　no　sign　of　the　black　shield　that　he　seeks。　Thus
Cliges　is　in　the　town　and　hides　himself　by　such　a　device。　And
those　who　were　his　prisoners　went　from　end　to　end　of　the　town
asking　for　the　black　knight；　but　none　could　tell　them　where　he
was。　And　even　King　Arthur　sends　up　and　down　to　seek　him；　but　all
say：　〃We　did　not　see　him　after　we　left　the　tourney　and　know　not
what　became　of　him。〃　More　than　twenty　youths　whom　the　king　has
sent　seek　him；　but　Cliges　has　so　utterly　blotted　out　his　tracks
that　they　find　no　sign　of　him。　King　Arthur　crosses　himself　when
it　was　recounted　and　told　him；　that　neither　great　nor　small　is
found　who　can　point　out　his　dwelling　any　more　than　if　he　were　at
Qesarea；　or　at　Toledo；　or　in　Candia。　〃Faith！〃　quoth　he；　〃I　know
not　what　to　say　in　the　matter；　but　I　marvel　greatly　thereat。　It
was　perhaps　a　ghost　that　has　moved　among　us。　Many　a　knight　has　he
overthrown　today；　and　he　bears　away　the　parole　of　the　noblest　men
who　will　not　this　year　see　home　or　land　or　country；　and　each　of
whom　will　have　broken　his　oath。〃　Thus　the　king　spake　his　pleasure
though　he　might　very　well　have　kept　silence　in　the　matter。

Much　have　all　the　barons　spoken　that　night　of　the　black　knight；
for　they　spoke　of　nought　else。　On　the　morrow　they　returned　to
arms；　all　without　summons　and　without　entreaty。　Lancelot　of　the
Lake　has　dashed　forth　to　make　the　first　joust；　for　no　coward　is
he；　with　upright　lance　he　awaits　the　joust。　Lo！　Cliges；　greener
than　meadow　grass；　galloping　on　a　dun；　long…maned　steed。　Where
Cliges　pricks　on　the　tawny　steed；　there　is　none；　whether　decked
with　youth's　luxuriant　locks　or　bald；　who　does　not　behold　him
with　wonder；　and　they　say　on　both　sides：　〃This　man　is　in　all
respects　much　nobler　and　more　skilful　than　he　of　yesterday　with
the　black　arms；　just　as　the　pine　is　fairer　than　the　beech；　and
the　laurel　than　the　elder。　But　not　yet　have　we　learned　who　he　of
yesterday　was；　but　we　will　learn　this　very　day　who　this　one　is。
If　anyone　know　it；　let　him　tell　us。〃　Each　said：　〃I　know　him　not；
never　did　I　see　him　before　to　my　thinking。　But　he　is　fairer　than
the　knight　of　yesterday　and　fairer　than　Lancelot　of　the　Lake。　If
he　were　arrayed　in　a　sack　and　Lancelot　in　silver　and　gold；　yet
this　man　would　still　be　fairer。〃　Thus　all　side　with　Cliges；　and
the　two　prick　their　steeds　as　fast　as　they　can　spur　and　encounter
one　another。　Cliges　proceeds　to　deal　such　a　blow　on　the　golden
shield　with　the　painted　lion；　that　he　hurls　its　bearer　from　the
saddle　and　fell　on　him　in　order　to　receive　his　submission。
Lancelot　could　not　defend　himself　and　has　given　his　parole。　Then
the　noise　and　the　din　and　the　crash　of　lances　has　begun。　Those
who　were　on　Cliges'　side　have　all　their　trust　in　him；　for　he　whom
he　strikes　after　due　challenge　given　will　never　be　so　strong　but
that　he　must　needs　fall　from　his　horse　to　the　ground。　Cliges；
this　day；　w