the blue flower-第5节

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〃Not　so；　dear　friend；　for　who　can　tell　whether　life　or
death　will　come　to　the　city；　whether　its　people　will　remember
at　last；　or　whether　they　will　forget　forever。　　Its　lot　is
mine；　for　I　was　born　here；　and　here　my　life　is　rooted。　　But
you　are　of　the　Children　of　the　Unquiet　Heart；　whose　feet　can
never　rest　until　their　task　of　errors　is　completed　and　their
lesson　of　wandering　is　learned　to　the　end。　　Until　then　go
forth；　and　do　not　forget　that　I　shall　remember　always。〃

Behind　her　quiet　voice　I　heard　the　silent　call　that
compels　us；　and　passed　down　the　street　as　one　walking　in　a
dream。　　At　the　place　where　the　path　turned　aside　to　the　ruined
vineyards　I　looked　back。　　The　low　sunset　made　a　circle　of
golden　rays　about　her　head　and　a　strange　twin　blossom　of
celestial　blue　seemed　to　shine　in　her　tranquil　eyes。

Since　then　I　know　not　what　has　befallen　the　city；　nor
whether　it　is　still　called　Saloma；　or　once　more　Ablis；　which
is　Forsaken。　　But　if　it　lives　at　all；　I　know　that　it　is
because　there　is　one　there　who　remembers；　and　keeps　the　hour　of
visitation；　and　treads　the　steep　way；　and　breathes　the　beautiful
name　over　the　spring；　and　sometimes　I　think　that　long　before　my
seeking　and　journeying　brings　me　to　the　Blue　Flower；　it　will
bloom　for　Ruamie　beside　the　still　waters　of　the　Source。



THE　　MILL

I

How　the　Young　Martimor　would　Become　a　Knight
and　Assay　Great　Adventure

When　Sir　Lancelot　was　come　out　of　the　Red　Launds　where　he　did
many　deeds　of　arms；　he　rested　him　long　with　play　and　game　in
a　land　that　is；　called　Beausejour。　　For　in　that　land　there　are
neither　castles　nor　enchantments；　but　many　fair　manors；　with
orchards　and　fields　lying　about　them；　and　the　people　that
dwell　therein　have　good　cheer　continually。

Of　the　wars　and　of　the　strange　quests　that　are　ever　afoot
in　Northgalis　and　Lionesse　and　the　Out　Isles；　they　hear
nothing；　but　are　well　content　to　till　the　earth　in　summer　when
the　world　is　green；　and　when　the　autumn　changes　green　to　gold
they　pitch　pavilions　among　the　fruit…trees　and　the　vineyards；
making　merry　with　song　and　dance　while　they　gather　harvest　of
corn　and　apples　and　grapes；　and　in　the　white　days　of　winter　for
pastime　they　have　music　of　divers　instruments　and　the　playing　of
pleasant　games。

But　of　the　telling　of　tales　in　that　land　there　is　little
skill；　neither　do　men　rightly　understand　the　singing　of
ballads　and　romaunts。　　For　one　year　there　is　like　another；　and
so　their　life　runs　away；　and　they　leave　the　world　to　God。

Then　Sir　Lancelot　had　great　ease　for　a　time　in　this　quiet
land；　and　often　he　lay　under　the　apple…trees　sleeping；　and
again　he　taught　the　people　new　games　and　feats　of　skill。　　For
into　what　place　soever　he　came　he　was　welcome；　though　the
inhabitants　knew　not　his　name　and　great　renown；　nor　the　famous
deeds　that　he　had　done　in　tournament　and　battle。　　Yet　for　his
own　sake；　because　he　was　a　very　gentle　knight；　fair…spoken　and
full　of　courtesy　and　a　good　man　of　his　hands　withal；　they
doted　upon　him。

So　he　began　to　tell　them　tales　of　many　things　that　have
been　done　in　the　world　by　clean　knights　and　faithful　squires。
Of　the　wars　against　the　Saracens　and　misbelieving　men；　of　the
discomfiture　of　the　Romans　when　they　came　to　take　truage　of　King
Arthur；　of　the　strife　with　the　eleven　kings　and　the　battle　that
was　ended　but　never　finished；　of　the　Questing　Beast　and　how　King
Pellinore　and　then　Sir　Palamides　followed　it；　of　Balin　that
gave　the　dolourous　stroke　unto　King　Pellam；　of　Sir　Tor　that
sought　the　lady's　brachet　and　by　the　way　overcame　two　knights
and　smote　off　the　head　of　the　outrageous　caitiff　Abelleus；of
these　and　many　like　matters　of　pith　and　moment；　full　of　blood
and　honour；　told　Sir　Lancelot；　and　the　people　had　marvel　of
his　words。

Now；　among　them　that　listened　to　him　gladly；　was　a　youth
of　good　blood　and　breeding；　very　fair　in　the　face　and　of　great
stature。　　His　name　was　Martimor。　　Strong　of　arm　was　he；　and
his　neck　was　like　a　pillar。　　His　legs　were　as　tough　as　beams
of　ash…wood；　and　in　his　heart　was　the　hunger　of　noble　tatches
and　deeds。　　So　when　he　heard　of　Sir　Lancelot　these　redoubtable
histories　he　was　taken　with　desire　to　assay　his　strength。　　And
he　besought　the　knight　that　they　might　joust　together。

But　in　the　land　of　Beausejour　there　were　no　arms　of　war　save
such　as　Sir　Lancelot　had　brought　with　him。　　Wherefore　they　made
shift　to　fashion　a　harness　out　of　kitchen　gear；　with　a　brazen
platter　for　a　breast…plate；　and　the　cover　of　the　greatest　of　all
kettles　for　a　shield；　and　for　a　helmet　a　round　pot　of　iron；
whereof　the　handle　stuck　down　at　Martimor's　back　like　a　tail。
And　for　spear　he　got　him　a　stout　young　fir…tree；　the　point
hardened　in　the　fire；　and　Sir　Lancelot　lent　to　him　the　sword　that
he　had　taken　from　the　false　knight　that　distressed　all　ladies。

Thus　was　Martimor　accoutred　for　the　jousting；　and　when　he
had　climbed　upon　his　horse；　there　arose　much　laughter　and
mockage。　Sir　Lancelot　laughed　a　little；　though　he　was
ever　a　grave　man；　and　said；　〃Now　must　we　call　this　knight；　La
Queue　de　Fer；　by　reason　of　the　tail　at　his　back。〃

But　Martimor　was　half　merry　and　half　wroth；　and　crying
〃'Ware！〃　he　dressed　his　spear　beneath　his　arm。　　Right　so　he
rushed　upon　Sir　Lancelot；　and　so　marvellously　did　his　harness
jangle　and　smite　together　as　he　came；　that　the　horse　of　Sir
Lancelot　was　frighted　and　turned　aside。　　Thus　the　point　of
the　fir…tree　caught　him　upon　the　shoulder　and　came　near　to
unhorse　him。　　Then　Martimor　drew　rein　and　shouted：　　〃Ha！　ha！
has　Iron…Tail　done　well？〃

〃Nobly　hast　thou　done；〃　said　Lancelot；　laughing；　the　while
he　amended　his　horse；　〃but　let　not　the　first　stroke　turn　thy
head；　else　will　the　tail　of　thy　helmet　hang　down　afore　thee
and　mar　the　second　stroke！〃

So　he　kept　his　horse　in　hand　and　guided　him　warily；　making
feint　now　on　this　side　and　now　on　that；　until　he　was　aware
that　the　youth　grew　hot　with　the　joy　of　fighting　and　sought　to
deal　with　him　roughly　and　bigly。　　Then　he　cast　aside　his　spear
and　drew　sword；　and　as　Martimor　walloped　toward　him；　he
lightly　swerved；　and　with　one　stroke　cut　in　twain　the　young
fir…tree；　so　that　not　above　an　ell　was　left　in　the　youth's
hand。

Then　was　the　youth　full　of　fire；　and　he　also　drew　sword
and　made　at　Sir　Lancelot；　lashing　heavily　as；　he　would　hew
down　a　tree。　　But　the　knight　guarded　and　warded　without
distress；　until　the　other　breathed　hard　and　was　blind　with
sweat。　　Then　Lancelot　smote　him　with　a　mighty　stroke　upon　the
head；　but　with　the　flat　of　his　sword；　so　that　Martimor's　breath
went　clean　out　of　him；　and　the　blood　gushed　from　his　mouth；　and
he　fell　over　the　croup　of　his　horse　as　he　were　a　man　slain。

Then　Sir　Lancelot　laughed　no　more；　but　grieved；　for　he
weened　that　he　had　harmed　the　youth；　and　he　liked　him　passing
well。　　So　he　ran　to　him　and　held　him　in　his　arms　fast　and
tended　him。　　And　when　the　breath　came　again　into　his　body；
Lancelot　was　glad；　and　desired　the　youth　that　he　would　pardon
him　of　that　unequal　joust　and　of　the　stroke　too　heavy。

At　this　Martimor　sat　up　and　took　him　by　the　hand。
〃Pardon？〃　he　cried。　　〃No　talk　of　pardon　between　thee　and　me；
my　Lord　Lancelot！　　Thou　hast　given　me　such　joy　of　my　life　as
never　I　had　before。　　It　made　me　glad　to　feel　thy　might。　　And
now　am　I　delibred　and　fully　concluded　that　I　also　will　become
a　knight；　and　thou　shalt　instruct　me　how　and　in　what　land　I
shall　seek　great　adventure。〃



II

How　Martimor　was　Instructed　of　Sir　Lancelot　to
Set　Forth　Upon　His　Quest

So　right　gladly　did　Sir　Lancelot　advise　the　young　Martimor　of
all　the　customs　and　vows　of　the　noble　order　of　knighthood；　and
shew　how　he　might　become　a　well…ruled　and　a　hardy　knight　to
win　good　fame　and　renown。　　For　between　these　two　from　the
first　there　was　close　brotherhood　and　affiance；　though　in
years　and　in　breeding　they　were　so　far　apart；　and　this
brotherhood　endured　until　the　last；　as　ye　shall　see；　nor　was
the　affiance　broken。

Thus　willingly　learned　the　youth　of　his　master；　being
instructed　first　in　the　art　and　craft　to　manage　and　guide　a
horse；　then　to　handle　the　shield　and　the　spear；　and　both　to
cut　and　to　foin　with　the　sword；　and　last　of　all　in　the　laws　of
honour　and　courtesy；　whereby　a　man　may　rule　his　own　spirit　and
so　obtain　grace　of　God；　praise　of　princes；　and　favour　of　fair
ladies。

〃For　this　I　tell　thee；〃　said　Sir　Lancelot；　as　they　sat
together　under　an　apple…tree；　〃there　be　many　good　fighters
that　are　false　knights；　breaking　faith　with　man　and　woman；
envious；　lustful　and　orgulous。　　In　them　courage　is　cruel；　and
love　is　lecherous。　　And　in　the　end　they　shall　come　to　shame
and　shall　be　overcome　by　a　simpler　knight　than　themselves；　or
else　they　shall　win　sorrow　and　despite　by　the　slaying　of
better　men　than　they　be；　and　with　their　paramours　they　shall
have　weary　dole　and　distress　of　soul　and　body；　for　he　that　is
false；　to　him　shall　none　be　true；　but　all　things　shall　be
unhappy　about　him。〃

〃But　how　and　if　a　man　be　true　in　heart；〃　said　Martimor；
〃yet　by　some　enchantment；　or　evil　fortune；　he　may　do　an　ill
deed　and　one　that　is　harmful　to　his　lord　or　to　his　friend；
even　as　Balin　and　his　brother　Balan　slew　each　the　other
unknown？〃

〃That　is　in　God's