alfred tennyson-第21章

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the　mediaeval　romancers　disguised　that　form　of　the　story；　and　the
process　of　idealising　Arthur　reached　such　heights　in　the　middle　ages
that　Tennyson　thought　himself　at　liberty　to　paint　the　Flos　Regum；
〃the　blameless　King。〃　　He　followed　the　Brut　ab　Arthur。　　〃In　short；
God　has　not　made　since　Adam　was；　the　man　more　perfect　than　Arthur。〃
This　is　remote　from　the　Arthur　of　the　oldest　Celtic　legends；　but
justifies　the　poet　in　adapting　Arthur　to　the　ideal　hero　of　the
Idylls：…


〃Ideal　manhood　closed　in　real　man；
Rather　than　that　grey　king；　whose　name；　a　ghost；
Streams　like　a　cloud；　man…shaped；　from　mountain…peak；
And　cleaves　to　cairn　and　cromlech　still；　or　him
Of　Geoffrey's　book；　or　him　of　Malleor's；　one
Touched　by　the　adulterous　finger　of　a　time
That　hovered　between　war　and　wantonness；
And　crownings　and　dethronements。〃


The　poetical　beauties　of　The　Coming　of　Arthur　excel　those　of　Gareth
and　Lynette。　　The　sons　of　Lot　and　Bellicent　seem　to　have　been
originally　regarded　as　the　incestuous　offspring　of　Arthur　and　his
sister；　the　wife　of　King　Lot。　　Next　it　was　represented　that　Arthur
was　ignorant　of　the　relationship。　　Mr　Rhys　supposes　that　the　mythical
scandal　（still　present　in　Malory　as　a　sin　of　ignorance）　arose　from
blending　the　Celtic　Arthur　（as　Culture　Hero）　with　an　older　divine
personage；　such　as　Zeus；　who　marries　his　sister　Hera。　　Marriages　of
brother　and　sister　are　familiar　in　the　Egyptian　royal　house；　and　that
of　the　Incas。　　But　the　poet　has　a　perfect　right　to　disregard　a
scandalous　myth　which；　obviously　crystallised　later　about　the　figure
of　the　mythical　Celtic　Arthur；　was　an　incongruous　accretion　to　his
legend。　　Gareth；　therefore；　is　merely　Arthur's　nephew；　not　son；　in
the　poem；　as　are　Gawain　and　the　traitor　Modred。　　The　story　seems　to
be　rather　mediaeval　French　than　Celtica　mingling　of　the　spirit　of
fabliau　and　popular　fairy　tale。　　The　poet　has　added　to　its　lightness；
almost　frivolity；　the　description　of　the　unreal　city　of　Camelot；
built　to　music；　as　when


〃Ilion；　like　a　mist；　rose　into　towers。〃


He　has　also　brought　in　the　allegory　of　Death；　which；　when　faced；
proves　to　be　〃a　blooming　boy〃　behind　the　mask。　　The　courtesy　and
prowess　of　Lancelot　lead　up　to　the　later　development　of　his
character。

In　The　Marriage　of　Geraint；　a　rumour　has　already　risen　about　Lancelot
and　the　Queen；　darkening　the　Court；　and　presaging


〃The　world's　loud　whisper　breaking　into　storm。〃


For　this　reason　Geraint　removes　Enid　from　Camelot　to　his　own　land
the　poet　thus　early　leading　up　to　the　sin　and　the　doom　of　Lancelot。
But　this　motive　does　not　occur　in　the　Welsh　story　of　Enid　and
Geraint；　which　Tennyson　has　otherwise　followed　with　unwonted
closeness。　　The　tale　occurs　in　French　romances　in　various　forms；　but
it　appears　to　have　returned；　by　way　of　France　and　coloured　with
French　influences；　to　Wales；　where　it　is　one　of　the　later　Mabinogion。
The　characters　are　Celtic；　and　Nud；　father　of　Edyrn；　Geraint's
defeated　antagonist；　appears　to　be　recognised　by　Mr　Rhys　as　〃the
Celtic　Zeus。〃　　The　manners　and　the　tournaments　are　French。　　In　the
Welsh　tale　Geraint　and　Enid　are　bedded　in　Arthur's　own　chamber；　which
seems　to　be　a　symbolic　commutation　of　the　jus　primae　noctis　a　custom
of　which　the　very　existence　is　disputed。　　This　unseemly　antiquarian
detail；　of　course；　is　omitted　in　the　Idyll。

An　abstract　of　the　Welsh　tale　will　show　how　closely　Tennyson　here
follows　his　original。　　News　is　brought　into　Arthur's　Court　of　the
appearance　of　a　white　stag。　　The　king　arranges　a　hunt；　and　Guinevere
asks　leave　to　go　and　watch　the　sport。　　Next　morning　she　cannot　be
wakened；　though　the　tale　does　not　aver；　like　the　Idyll；　that　she　was


〃Lost　in　sweet　dreams；　and　dreaming　of　her　love
For　Lancelot。〃


Guinevere　wakes　late；　and　rides　through　a　ford　of　Usk　to　the　hunt。
Geraint　follows；　〃a　golden…hilted　sword　was　at　his　side；　and　a　robe
and　a　surcoat　of　satin　were　upon　him；　and　two　shoes　of　leather　upon
his　feet；　and　around　him　was　a　scarf　of　blue　purple；　at　each　corner
of　which　was　a　golden　apple〃：…


〃But　Guinevere　lay　late　into　the　morn；
Lost　in　sweet　dreams；　and　dreaming　of　her　love
For　Lancelot；　and　forgetful　of　the　hunt；
But　rose　at　last；　a　single　maiden　with　her；
Took　horse；　and　forded　Usk；　and　gain'd　the　wood；
There；　on　a　little　knoll　beside　it；　stay'd
Waiting　to　hear　the　hounds；　but　heard　instead
A　sudden　sound　of　hoofs；　for　Prince　Geraint；
Late　also；　wearing　neither　hunting…dress
Nor　weapon；　save　a　golden…hilted　brand；
Came　quickly　flashing　thro'　the　shallow　ford
Behind　them；　and　so　gallop'd　up　the　knoll。
A　purple　scarf；　at　either　end　whereof
There　swung　an　apple　of　the　purest　gold；
Sway'd　round　about　him；　as　he　gallop'd　up
To　join　them；　glancing　like　a　dragon…fly
In　summer　suit　and　silks　of　holiday。〃


The　encounter　with　the　dwarf；　the　lady；　and　the　knight　follows。　　The
prose　of　the　Mabinogi　may　be　compared　with　the　verse　of　Tennyson：…


〃Geraint；〃　said　Gwenhwyvar；　〃knowest　thou　the　name　of　that　tall
knight　yonder？〃　　〃I　know　him　not；〃　said　he；　〃and　the　strange　armour
that　he　wears　prevents　my　either　seeing　his　face　or　his　features。〃
〃Go；　maiden；〃　said　Gwenhwyvar；　〃and　ask　the　dwarf　who　that　knight
is。〃　　Then　the　maiden　went　up　to　the　dwarf；　and　the　dwarf　waited　for
the　maiden；　when　he　saw　her　coming　towards　him。　　And　the　maiden
inquired　of　the　dwarf　who　the　knight　was。　　〃I　will　not　tell　thee；〃　he
answered。　　〃Since　thou　art　so　churlish　as　not　to　tell　me；〃　said　she；
〃I　will　ask　him　himself。〃　　〃Thou　shalt　not　ask　him；　by　my　faith；〃
said　he。　　〃Wherefore？〃　said　she。　　〃Because　thou　art　not　of　honour
sufficient　to　befit　thee　to　speak　to　my　Lord。〃　　Then　the　maiden
turned　her　horse's　head　towards　the　knight；　upon　which　the　dwarf
struck　her　with　the　whip　that　was　in　his　hand　across　the　face　and　the
eyes；　until　the　blood　flowed　forth。　　And　the　maiden；　through　the　hurt
she　received　from　the　blow；　returned　to　Gwenhwyvar；　complaining　of
the　pain。　　〃Very　rudely　has　the　dwarf　treated　thee；〃　said　Geraint。
〃I　will　go　myself　to　know　who　the　knight　is。〃　　〃Go；〃　said　Gwenhwyvar。
And　Geraint　went　up　to　the　dwarf。　　〃Who　is　yonder　knight？〃　said
Geraint。　　〃I　will　not　tell　thee；〃　said　the　dwarf。　　〃Then　will　I　ask
him　himself；〃　said　he。　　〃That　wilt　thou　not；　by　my　faith；〃　said　the
dwarf；　〃thou　art　not　honourable　enough　to　speak　with　my　Lord。〃　　Said
Geraint；　〃I　have　spoken　with　men　of　equal　rank　with　him。〃　　And　he
turned　his　horse's　head　towards　the　knight；　but　the　dwarf　overtook
him；　and　struck　him　as　he　had　done　the　maiden；　so　that　the　blood
coloured　the　scarf　that　Geraint　wore。　　Then　Geraint　put　his　hand　upon
the　hilt　of　his　sword；　but　he　took　counsel　with　himself；　and
considered　that　it　would　be　no　vengeance　for　him　to　slay　the　dwarf；
and　to　be　attacked　unarmed　by　the　armed　knight；　so　he　returned　to
where　Gwenhwyvar　was。


　　　〃And　while　they　listen'd　for　the　distant　hunt；
And　chiefly　for　the　baying　of　Cavall；
King　Arthur's　hound　of　deepest　mouth；　there　rode
Full　slowly　by　a　knight；　lady；　and　dwarf；
Whereof　the　dwarf　lagg'd　latest；　and　the　knight
Had　vizor　up；　and　show'd　a　youthful　face；
Imperious；　and　of　haughtiest　lineaments。
And　Guinevere；　not　mindful　of　his　face
In　the　King's　hall；　desired　his　name；　and　sent
Her　maiden　to　demand　it　of　the　dwarf；
Who　being　vicious；　old　and　irritable；
And　doubling　all　his　master's　vice　of　pride；
Made　answer　sharply　that　she　should　not　know。
'Then　will　I　ask　it　of　himself；'　she　said。
'Nay；　by　my　faith；　thou　shalt　not；'　cried　the　dwarf；
'Thou　art　not　worthy　ev'n　to　speak　of　him'；
And　when　she　put　her　horse　toward　the　knight；
Struck　at　her　with　his　whip；　and　she　return'd
Indignant　to　the　Queen；　whereat　Geraint
Exclaiming；　'Surely　I　will　learn　the　name；'
Made　sharply　to　the　dwarf；　and　ask'd　it　of　him；
Who　answer'd　as　before；　and　when　the　Prince
Had　put　his　horse　in　motion　toward　the　knight；
Struck　at　him　with　his　whip；　and　cut　his　cheek。
The　Prince's　blood　spirted　upon　the　scarf；
Dyeing　it；　and　his　quick；　instinctive　hand
Caught　at　the　hilt；　as　to　abolish　him：
But　he；　from　his　exceeding　manfulness
And　pure　nobility　of　temperament；
Wroth　to　be　wroth　at　such　a　worm；　refrain'd
From　ev'n　a　word。〃


The　sel