the blue flower-第6节

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even　as　Balin　and　his　brother　Balan　slew　each　the　other
unknown？〃

〃That　is　in　God's　hand；〃　said　Lancelot。　　〃Doubtless　he　may
pardon　and　assoil　all　such　in　their　unhappiness；　forasmuch　as
the　secret　of　it　is　with　him。〃

〃And　how　if　a　man　be　entangled　in　love；〃　said　Martimor；　〃Yet
his　love　be　set　upon　one　that　is　not　lawful　for　him　to　have？　　For
either　he　must　deny　his　love；　which　is　great　shame；　or　else　he
must　do　dishonour　to　the　law。　　What　shall　he　then　do？〃

At　this　Sir　Lancelot　was　silent；　and　heaved　a　great　sigh。
Then　said　he：　　〃Rest　assured　that　this　man　shall　have　sorrow
enough。　　For　out　of　this　net　he　may　not　escape；　save　by
falsehood　on　the　one　side；　or　by　treachery　on　the　other。
Therefore　say　I　that　he　shall　not　assay　to　escape；　but　rather
right　manfully　to　bear　the　bonds　with　which　he　is　bound；　and
to　do　honour　to　them。〃'

〃How　may　this　be？〃　said　Martimor。

〃By　clean　living；〃　said　Lancelot；　〃and　by　keeping　himself
from　wine　which　heats　the　blood；　and　by　quests　and　labours　and
combats　wherein　the　fierceness　of　the　heart　is　spent　and
overcome；　and　by　inward　joy　in　the　pure　worship　of　his　lady；
whereat　none　may　take　offence。〃

〃How　then　shall　a　man　bear　himself　in　the　following　of　a
quest？〃　said　Martimor。　　〃Shall　he　set　his　face　ever　forward；
and　turn　not　to　right；　or　left；　whatever　meet　him　by　the　way？
Or　shall　he　hold　himself　ready　to　answer　them　that　call　to　him；
and　to　succour　them　that　ask　help　of　him；　and　to　turn　aside　from
his　path　for　rescue　and　good　service？〃

〃Enough　of　questions！〃　said　Lancelot。　　〃These　are　things
whereto　each　man　must　answer　for　himself；　and　not　for　other。
True　knight　taketh　counsel　of　the　time。　　Every　day　his　own
deed。　　And　the　winning　of　a　quest　is　not　by　haste；　nor　by　hap；
but　what　needs　to　be　done；　that　must　ye　do　while　ye　are　in　the
way。〃

Then　because　of　the　love　that　Sir　Lancelot　bore　to
Martimor　he　gave　him　his　own　armour；　and　the　good　spear
wherewith　he　had　unhorsed　many　knights；　and　the　sword　that　he
took　from　Sir　Peris　de　Forest　Savage　that　distressed　all
ladies；　but　his　shield　he　gave　not；　for　therein　his　own
remembrance　was　blazoned。　　So　he　let　make　a　new　shield；　and　in
the　corner　was　painted　a　Blue　Flower　that　was　nameless；　and　this
he　gave　to　Martimor；　saying：　　〃Thou　shalt　name　it　when　thou
hast　found　it；　and　so　shalt　thou　have　both　crest　and　motto。〃

〃Now　am　I　well　beseen；〃　cried　Martimor；　〃and　my　adventures　are
before　me。　　Which　way　shall　I　ride；　and　where　shall　I　find　them？〃

〃Ride　into　the　wind；〃　said　Lancelot；　〃and　what　chance
soever　it　blows　thee；　thereby　do　thy　best；　as　it　were　the
first　and　the　last。　　Take　not　thy　hand　from　it　until　it　be
fulfilled。　　So　shalt　thou　most　quickly　and　worthily　achieve
knighthood。〃

Then　they　embraced　like　brothers；　and　each　bade　other　keep
him　well；　and　Sir　Lancelot　in　leather　jerkin；　with　naked　head；
but　with　his　shield　and　sword；　rode　to　the　south　toward
Camelot；　and　Martimor　rode　into　the　wind；　westward；　over　the
hill。



III

How　Martimor　Came　to　the　Mill　a
Stayed　in　a　Delay

So　by　wildsome　ways　in　strange　countries　and　through　many
waters　and　valleys　rode　Martimor　forty　days；　but　adventure　met
him　none；　blow　the　wind　never　so　fierce　or　fickle。　　Neither
dragons；　nor　giants；　nor　false　knights；　nor　distressed　ladies；
nor　fays；　nor　kings　imprisoned　could　he　find。

〃These　are　ill　times　for　adventure；〃　said　he；　〃the　world
is　full　of　meat　and　sleepy。　　Now　must　I　ride　farther　afield
and　undertake　some　ancient；　famous　quest　wherein　other　knights
have　failed　and　fallen。　　Either　I　shall　follow　the　Questing
Beast　with　Sir　Palamides；　or　I　shall　find　Merlin　at　the　great
stone　whereunder　the　Lady　of　the　Lake　enchanted　him　and
deliver　him　from　that　enchantment；　or　I　shall　assay　the
cleansing　of　the　Forest　Perilous；　or　I　shall　win　the　favour　of
La　Belle　Dame　Sans　Merci；　or　mayhap　I　shall　adventure　the
quest　of　the　Sangreal。　　One　or　other　of　these　will　I　achieve；
or　bleed　the　best　blood　of　my　body。〃　　Thus　pondering　and
dreaming　he　came　by　the　road　down　a　gentle　hill　with　close
woods　on　either　hand；　and　so　into　a　valley　with　a　swift　river
flowing　through　it；　and　on　the　river　a　Mill。

So　white　it　stood　among　the　trees；　and　so　merrily　whirred
the　wheel　as　the　water　turned　it；　and　so　bright　blossomed　the
flowers　in　the　garden；　that　Martimor　had　joy　of　the　sight；　for
it　minded　him　of　his　own　country。　　〃But　here　is　no　adventure；〃
thought　he；　and　made　to　ride　by。

Even　then　came　a　young　maid　suddenly　through　the　garden
crying　and　wringing　her　hands。　　And　when　she　saw　him　she　cried
him　help。　　At　this　Martimor　alighted　quickly　and　ran　into　the
garden；　where　the　young　maid　soon　led　him　to　the　millpond；
which　was　great　and　deep；　and　made　him　understand　that　her
little　hound　was　swept　away　by　the　water　and　was　near　to
perishing。

There　saw　he　a　red　and　white　brachet；　caught　by　the　swift
stream　that　ran　into　the　race；　fast　swimming　as　ever　he　could
swim；　yet　by　no　means　able　to　escape。　　Then　Martimor　stripped
off　his　harness　and　leaped　into　the　water　and　did　marvellously
to　rescue　the　little　hound。　　But　the　fierce　river　dragged　his
legs；　and　buffeted　him；　and　hurtled　at　him；　and　drew　him　down；
as　it　were　an　enemy　wrestling　with　him；　so　that　he　had　much
ado　to　come　where　the　brachet　was；　and　more　to　win　back　again；
with　the　brachet　in　his　arm；　to　the　dry　land。

Which　when　he　had　done　he　was　clean　for…spent　and　fell
upon　the　ground　as　a　dead　man。　　At　this　the　young　maid　wept
yet　more　bitterly　than　she　had　wept　for　her　hound；　and　cried
aloud；　〃Alas；　if　so　goodly　a　man　should　spend　his　life　for　my
little　brachet！〃　　So　she　took　his　head　upon　her　knee　and
cherished　him　and　beat　the　palms　of　his　hands；　and　the　hound
licked　his　face。　　And　when　Martimor　opened　his　eyes　he　saw　the
face　of　the　maid　that　it　was　fair　as　any　flower。

Then　was　she　shamed；　and　put　him　gently　from　her　knee；　and
began　to　thank　him　and　to　ask　with　what　she　might　reward　him
for　the　saving　of　the　brachet。

〃A　night's　lodging　and　a　day's　cheer；〃　quoth　Martimor。

〃As　long　as　thee　liketh；〃　said　she；　〃for　my　father；　the
miller；　will　return　ere　sundown；　and　right　gladly　will　he　have
a　guest　so　brave。〃

〃Longer　might　I　like；〃　said　he；　〃but　longer　may　I　not
stay；　for　I　ride　in　a　quest　and　seek　great　adventures　to
become　a　knight。〃

So　they　bestowed　the　horse　in　the　stable；　and　went　into
the　Mill；　and　when　the　miller　was　come　home　they　had　such　good
cheer　with　eating　of　venison　and　pan…cakes；　and　drinking　of
hydromel；　and　singing　of　pleasant　ballads；　that　Martimor　clean
forgot　he　was　in　a　delay。　　And　going　to　his　bed　in　a　fair
garret　he　dreamed　of　the　Maid　of　the　Mill；　whose　name　was
Lirette。



IV

How　the　Mill　was　in　Danger　and　the　Delay　Endured


In　the　morning　Martimor　lay　late　and　thought　large　thoughts　of
his　quest；　and　whither　it　might　lead　him；　and　to　what　honour
it　should　bring　him。　　As　he　dreamed　thus；　suddenly　he　heard　in
the　hall　below　a　trampling　of　feet　and　a　shouting；　with　the
voice　of　Lirette　crying　and　shrieking。　　With　that　he　sprang
out　of　his　bed；　and　caught　up　his　sword　and　dagger；　leaping
lightly　and　fiercely　down　the　stair。

There　he　saw　three　foul　churls；　whereof　two　strove　with
the　miller；　beating　him　with　great　clubs；　while　the　third
would　master　the　Maid　and　drag　her　away　to　do　her　shame；　but
she　fought　shrewdly。　　Then　Martimor　rushed　upon　the　churls；
shouting　for　joy；　and　there　was　a　great　medley　of　　breaking
chairs　and　tables　and　cursing　and　smiting；　and　with　his　sword　he
gave　horrible　strokes。

One　of　the　knaves　that　fought　with　the　miller；　he　smote
upon　the　shoulder　and　clave　him　to　the　navel。　　And　at　the
other　he　foined　fiercely　so　that　the　point　of　the　sword　went
through　his　back　and　stuck　fast　in　the　wall。　　But　the　third
knave；　that　was　the　biggest　and　the　blackest；　and　strove　to
bear　away　the　Maid；　left　bold　of　her；　and　leaped　upon　Martimor
and　caught　him　by　the　middle　and　crushed　him　so　that　his　ribs
cracked。

Thus　they　weltered　and　wrung　together；　and　now　one　of　them
was　above　and　now　the　other；　and　ever　as　they　wallowed
Martimor　smote　him　with　his　dagger；　but　there　came　forth　no
blood；　only　water。

Then　the　black　churl　broke　away　from　him　and　ran　out　at
the　door　of　the　mill；　and　Martimor　after。　　So　they　ran　through
the　garden　to　the　river；　and　there　the　churl　sprang　into　the
water；　and　swept　away　raging　and　foaming。　　And　as　he　went　he
shouted；　〃Yet　will　I　put　thee　to　the　worse；　and　mar　the　Mill；
and　have　the　Maid！〃'

Then　Martimor　cried；　〃Never　while　I　live　shalt
thou　mar　the　Mill　or　have　the　Maid；　thou　foul；　black；
misbegotten　churl！〃　So　he　returned　to　the　Mill；　and　there　the
damsel　Lirette　made　him　to　understand　that　these　three　churls
were　long　time　enemies　of　the　Mill；　and　sought　ever　to　destroy
it　and　to　do　despite　to　her　and　her　father。　　One　of　them　was
Ignis；　and　another　was　Ventus；　and　these　were　the　twain　that
he　had　smitten。　　But　the　third；　that　fled　down　the　river　（and
he　was　ever　the　fiercest　and　the　most　outrageous）；　his　name
was　Flumen；　for　he　dwelt　in　the　caves　of　the　stream；　and　was
the　master　of　it　before　the　Mill　was　built。

〃And　now；〃　wept　the　Maid；　〃he　must　have