alfred tennyson-第23章

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appear　to　the　rescue；　certain　cruel　games；　veiled　in　a　magic　mist；
occur　in　the　tale；　and　are　omitted　by　the　poet；　〃Gwyffert　petit；　so
called　by　the　Franks；　whom　the　Cymry　call　the　Little　King；〃　in　the
tale；　is　not　a　character　in　the　Idyll；　and；　generally；　the　gross
Celtic　exaggerations　of　Geraint's　feats　are　toned　down　by　Tennyson。
In　other　respects；　as　when　Geraint　eats　the　mowers'　dinner；　the　tale
supplies　the　materials。　　But　it　does　not　dwell　tenderly　on　the
reconciliation。　　The　tale　is　more　or　less　in　the　vein　of　〃patient
Grizel；〃　and　he　who　told　it　is　more　concerned　with　the　fighting　than
with　amoris　redintegratio；　and　the　sufferings　of　Enid。　　The　Idyll　is
enriched　with　many　beautiful　pictures　from　nature；　such　as　this：…


〃But　at　the　flash　and　motion　of　the　man
They　vanish'd　panic…stricken；　like　a　shoal
Of　darting　fish；　that　on　a　summer　morn
Adown　the　crystal　dykes　at　Camelot
Come　slipping　o'er　their　shadows　on　the　sand；
But　if　a　man　who　stands　upon　the　brink
But　lift　a　shining　hand　against　the　sun；
There　is　not　left　the　twinkle　of　a　fin
Betwixt　the　cressy　islets　white　in　flower；
So；　scared　but　at　the　motion　of　the　man；
Fled　all　the　boon　companions　of　the　Earl；
And　left　him　lying　in　the　public　way。〃


In　Balin　and　Balan　Tennyson　displays　great　constructive　power；　and
remarkable　skill　in　moulding　the　most　recalcitrant　materials。　　Balin
or　Balyn；　according　to　Mr　Rhys；　is　the　Belinus　of　Geoffrey　of
Monmouth；　〃whose　name　represents　the　Celtic　divinity　described　in
Latin　as　Apollo　Belenus　or　Belinus。〃　｛14｝　　In　Geoffrey；　Belinus；
euphemerised；　or　reduced　from　god　to　hero；　has　a　brother；　Brennius；
the　Celtic　Bran；　King　of　Britain　from　Caithness　to　the　Humber。
Belinus　drives　Bran　into　exile。　　〃Thus　it　is　seen　that　Belinus　or
Balyn　was；　mythologically　speaking；　the　natural　enemy〃　（as　Apollo
Belinus；　the　radiant　god）　〃of　the　dark　divinity　Bran　or　Balan。〃

If　this　view　be　correct；　the　two　brothers　answer　to　the　good　and　bad
principles　of　myths　like　that　of　the　Huron　Iouskeha　the　Sun；　and
Anatensic　the　Moon；　or　rather　Taouiscara　and　Iouskeha；　the　hostile
brothers；　Black　and　White。　｛15｝　　These　mythical　brethren　are；　in
Malory；　two　knights　of　Northumberland；　Balin　the　wild　and　Balan。
Their　adventures　are　mixed　up　with　a　hostile　Lady　of　the　Lake；　whom
Balin　slays　in　Arthur's　presence；　with　a　sword　which　none　but　Balin
can　draw　from　sheath；　and　with　an　evil　black…faced　knight　Garlon；
invisible　at　will；　whom　Balin　slays　in　the　castle　of　the　knight's
brother；　King　Pellam。　　Pursued　from　room　to　room　by　Pellam；　Balin
finds　himself　in　a　chamber　full　of　relics　of　Joseph　of　Arimathea。
There　he　seizes　a　spear；　the　very　spear　with　which　the　Roman　soldier
pierced　the　side　of　the　Crucified；　and　wounds　Pellam。　　The　castle
falls　in　ruins　〃through　that　dolorous　stroke。〃　　Pellam　becomes　the
maimed　king；　who　can　only　be　healed　by　the　Holy　Grail。　　Apparently
Celtic　myths　of　obscure　antiquity　have　been　adapted　in　France；　and
interwoven　with　fables　about　Joseph　of　Arimathea　and　Christian
mysteries。　　It　is　not　possible　here　to　go　into　the　complicated
learning　of　the　subject。　　In　Malory；　Balin；　after　dealing　the
dolorous　stroke；　borrows　a　strange　shield　from　a　knight；　and；　thus
accoutred；　meets　his　brother　Balan；　who　does　not　recognise　him。　　They
fight；　both　die　and　are　buried　in　one　tomb；　and　Galahad　later
achieves　the　adventure　of　winning　Balin's　sword。　　〃Thus　endeth　the
tale　of　Balyn　and　of　Balan；　two　brethren　born　in　Northumberland；　good
knights；〃　says　Malory；　simply；　and　unconscious　of　the　strange
mythological　medley　under　the　coat　armour　of　romance。

The　materials；　then；　seemed　confused　and　obdurate；　but　Tennyson　works
them　into　the　course　of　the　fatal　love　of　Lancelot　and　Guinevere；　and
into　the　spiritual　texture　of　the　Idylls。　　Balin　has　been　expelled
from　Court　for　the　wildness　that　gives　him　his　name；　Balin　le
Sauvage。　　He　had　buffeted　a　squire　in　hall。　　He　and　Balan　await　all
challengers　beside　a　well。　　Arthur　encounters　and　dismounts　them。
Balin　devotes　himself　to　self…conquest。　　Then　comes　tidings　that
Pellam；　of　old　leagued　with　Lot　against　Arthur；　has　taken　to
religion；　collects　relics；　claims　descent　from　Joseph　of　Arimathea；
and　owns　the　sacred　spear　that　pierced　the　side　of　Christ。　　But
Garlon　is　with　him；　the　knight　invisible；　who　appears　to　come　from　an
Irish　source；　or　at　least　has　a　parallel　in　Irish　legend。　　This
Garlon　has　an　unknightly　way　of　killing　men　by　viewless　blows　from
the　rear。　　Balan　goes　to　encounter　Garlon。　　Balin　remains；　learning
courtesy；　modelling　himself　on　Lancelot；　and　gaining　leave　to　bear
Guinevere's　Crown　Matrimonial　for　his　cognisance；which；　of　course；
Balan　does　not　know；　…


〃As　golden　earnest　of　a　better　life。〃


But　Balin　sees　reason　to　think　that　Lancelot　and　Guinevere　love　even
too　well。


　　　〃Then　chanced；　one　morning；　that　Sir　Balin　sat
Close…bower'd　in　that　garden　nigh　the　hall。
A　walk　of　roses　ran　from　door　to　door；
A　walk　of　lilies　crost　it　to　the　bower：
And　down　that　range　of　roses　the　great　Queen
Came　with　slow　steps；　the　morning　on　her　face；
And　all　in　shadow　from　the　counter　door
Sir　Lancelot　as　to　meet　her；　then　at　once；
As　if　he　saw　not；　glanced　aside；　and　paced
The　long　white　walk　of　lilies　toward　the　bower。
Follow'd　the　Queen；　Sir　Balin　heard　her　'Prince；
Art　thou　so　little　loyal　to　thy　Queen；
As　pass　without　good　morrow　to　thy　Queen？'
To　whom　Sir　Lancelot　with　his　eyes　on　earth；
'Fain　would　I　still　be　loyal　to　the　Queen。'
'Yea　so；'　she　said；　'but　so　to　pass　me　by　…
So　loyal　scarce　is　loyal　to　thyself；
Whom　all　men　rate　the　king　of　courtesy。
Let　be：　　ye　stand；　fair　lord；　as　in　a　dream。'

　　　Then　Lancelot　with　his　hand　among　the　flowers；
'Yeafor　a　dream。　　Last　night　methought　I　saw
That　maiden　Saint　who　stands　with　lily　in　hand
In　yonder　shrine。　　All　round　her　prest　the　dark；
And　all　the　light　upon　her　silver　face
Flow'd　from　the　spiritual　lily　that　she　held。
Lo！　these　her　emblems　drew　mine　eyesaway：
For　see；　how　perfect…pure！　　As　light　a　flush
As　hardly　tints　the　blossom　of　the　quince
Would　mar　their　charm　of　stainless　maidenhood。'

　　　'Sweeter　to　me；'　she　said；　'this　garden　rose
Deep…hued　and　many…folded　sweeter　still
The　wild…wood　hyacinth　and　the　bloom　of　May。
Prince；　we　have　ridd'n　before　among　the　flowers
In　those　fair　daysnot　all　as　cool　as　these；
Tho'　season…earlier。　　Art　thou　sad？　or　sick？
Our　noble　King　will　send　thee　his　own　leech　…
Sick？　or　for　any　matter　anger'd　at　me？'

　　　Then　Lancelot　lifted　his　large　eyes；　they　dwelt
Deep…tranced　on　hers；　and　could　not　fall：　　her　hue
Changed　at　his　gaze：　　so　turning　side　by　side
They　past；　and　Balin　started　from　his　bower。

　　　'Queen？　subject？　but　I　see　not　what　I　see。
Damsel　and　lover？　hear　not　what　I　hear。
My　father　hath　begotten　me　in　his　wrath。
I　suffer　from　the　things　before　me；　know；
Learn　nothing；　am　not　worthy　to　be　knight；
A　churl；　a　clown！'　and　in　him　gloom　on　gloom
Deepen'd：　　he　sharply　caught　his　lance　and　shield；
Nor　stay'd　to　crave　permission　of　the　King；
But；　mad　for　strange　adventure；　dash'd　away。〃


Balin　is　〃disillusioned；〃　his　faith　in　the　Ideal　is　shaken　if　not
shattered。　　He　rides　at　adventure。　　Arriving　at　the　half…ruined
castle　of　Pellam；　that　dubious　devotee；　he　hears　Garlon　insult
Guinevere；　but　restrains　himself。　　Next　day；　again　insulted　for
bearing　〃the　crown　scandalous〃　on　his　shield；　he　strikes　Garlon　down；
is　pursued；　seizes　the　sacred　spear；　and　escapes。　　Vivien　meets　him
in　the　woods；　drops　scandal　in　his　ears；　and　so　maddens　him　that　he
defaces　his　shield　with　the　crown　of　Guinevere。　　Her　song；　and　her
words；


　　　　　　〃This　fire　of　Heaven；
This　old　sun…worship；　boy；　will　rise　again；
And　beat　the　cross　to　earth；　and　break　the　King
And　all　his　Table；〃


might　be　forced　into　an　allegory　of　the　revived　pride　of　life；　at　the
Renaissance　and　after。　　The　maddened　yells　of　Balin　strike　the　ear　of
Balan；　who　thinks　he　has　met　the　foul　knight　Garlon；　that


〃Tramples　on　the　goodly　shield　to　show
His　loathing　of　our　Order　and　the　Queen。〃


They　fight；　fatally　wound；　and　finally　recognise　each　other：　　Balan
trying　to　restore　Balin's　faith　in　Guinevere；　who　i