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第25章

alfred tennyson-第25章

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unidentified form of the story; long before; in The Lady of Shalott。
That poem had the mystery of romance; but; in human interest; could
not compete with Elaine; if indeed any poem of Tennyson's can be
ranked with this matchless Idyll。

The mere invention; and; as we may say; charpentage; are of the first
order。  The materials in Malory; though beautiful; are simple; and
left a field for the poet's invention。 {16}

Arthur; with the Scots and Northern knights; means to encounter all
comers at a Whitsuntide tourney。  Guinevere is ill; and cannot go to
the jousts; while Lancelot makes excuse that he is not healed of a
wound。  〃Wherefore the King was heavy and passing wroth; and so he
departed towards Winchester。〃  The Queen then blamed Lancelot:
people will say they deceive Arthur。  〃Madame;〃 said Sir Lancelot; 〃I
allow your wit; it is of late come that ye were wise。〃  In the Idyll
Guinevere speaks as if their early loves had been as conspicuous as;
according to George Buchanan; were those of Queen Mary and Bothwell。
Lancelot will go to the tourney; and; despite Guinevere's warning;
will take part against Arthur and his own fierce Northern kinsmen。
He rides to Astolat〃that is; Gylford〃where Arthur sees him。  He
borrows the blank shield of 〃Sir Torre;〃 and the company of his
brother Sir Lavaine。  Elaine 〃cast such a love unto Sir Lancelot that
she would never withdraw her love; wherefore she died。〃  At her
prayer; and for better disguise (as he had never worn a lady's
favour); Lancelot carried her scarlet pearl…embroidered sleeve in his
helmet; and left his shield in Elaine's keeping。  The tourney passes
as in the poem; Gawain recognising Lancelot; but puzzled by the
favour he wears。  The wounded Lancelot 〃thought to do what he might
while he might endure。〃  When he is offered the prize he is so sore
hurt that he 〃takes no force of no honour。〃  He rides into a wood;
where Lavaine draws forth the spear。  Lavaine brings Lancelot to the
hermit; once a knight。  〃I have seen the day;〃 says the hermit; 〃I
would have loved him the worse; because he was against my lord; King
Arthur; for some time。  I was one of the fellowship of the Round
Table; but I thank God now I am otherwise disposed。〃  Gawain; seeking
the wounded knight; comes to Astolat; where Elaine declares 〃he is
the man in the world that I first loved; and truly he is the last
that ever I shall love。〃  Gawain; on seeing the shield; tells Elaine
that the wounded knight is Lancelot; and she goes to seek him and
Lavaine。  Gawain does not pay court to Elaine; nor does Arthur rebuke
him; as in the poem。  When Guinevere heard that Lancelot bore another
lady's favour; 〃she was nigh out of her mind for wrath;〃 and
expressed her anger to Sir Bors; for Gawain had spoken of the maid of
Astolat。  Bors tells this to Lancelot; who is tended by Elaine。
〃'But I well see;' said Sir Bors; 'by her diligence about you that
she loveth you entirely。'  'That me repenteth;' said Sir Lancelot。
Said Sir Bors; 'Sir; she is not the first that hath lost her pain
upon you; and that is the more pity。'〃  When Lancelot recovers; and
returns to Astolat; she declares her love with the frankness of
ladies in mediaeval romance。  〃Have mercy upon me and suffer me not
to die for thy love。〃  Lancelot replies with the courtesy and the
offers of service which became him。  〃Of all this;〃 said the maiden;
〃I will none; for but if ye will wed me; or be my paramour at the
least; wit you well; Sir Lancelot; my good days are done。〃

This was a difficult pass for the poet; living in other days of other
manners。  His art appears in the turn which he gives to Elaine's
declaration:…


   〃But when Sir Lancelot's deadly hurt was whole;
To Astolat returning rode the three。
There morn by morn; arraying her sweet self
In that wherein she deem'd she look'd her best;
She came before Sir Lancelot; for she thought
'If I be loved; these are my festal robes;
If not; the victim's flowers before he fall。'
And Lancelot ever prest upon the maid
That she should ask some goodly gift of him
For her own self or hers; 'and do not shun
To speak the wish most near to your true heart;
Such service have ye done me; that I make
My will of yours; and Prince and Lord am I
In mine own land; and what I will I can。'
Then like a ghost she lifted up her face;
But like a ghost without the power to speak。
And Lancelot saw that she withheld her wish;
And bode among them yet a little space
Till he should learn it; and one morn it chanced
He found her in among the garden yews;
And said; 'Delay no longer; speak your wish;
Seeing I go to…day':  then out she brake:
'Going? and we shall never see you more。
And I must die for want of one bold word。'
'Speak:  that I live to hear;' he said; 'is yours。'
Then suddenly and passionately she spoke:
'I have gone mad。  I love you:  let me die。'
'Ah; sister;' answer'd Lancelot; 'what is this?'
And innocently extending her white arms;
'Your love;' she said; 'your loveto be your wife。'
And Lancelot answer'd; 'Had I chosen to wed;
I had been wedded earlier; sweet Elaine:
But now there never will be wife of mine。'
'No; no' she cried; 'I care not to be wife;
But to be with you still; to see your face;
To serve you; and to follow you thro' the world。'
And Lancelot answer'd; 'Nay; the world; the world;
All ear and eye; with such a stupid heart
To interpret ear and eye; and such a tongue
To blare its own interpretationnay;
Full ill then should I quit your brother's love;
And your good father's kindness。'  And she said;
'Not to be with you; not to see your face …
Alas for me then; my good days are done。'〃


So she dies; and is borne down Thames to London; the fairest corpse;
〃and she lay as though she had smiled。〃  Her letter is read。  〃Ye
might have showed her;〃 said the Queen; 〃some courtesy and gentleness
that might have preserved her life;〃 and so the two are reconciled。

Such; in brief; is the tender old tale of true love; with the shining
courtesy of Lavaine and the father of the maid; who speak no word of
anger against Lancelot。  〃For since first I saw my lord; Sir
Lancelot;〃 says Lavaine; 〃I could never depart from him; nor nought I
will; if I may follow him:  she doth as I do。〃  To the simple and
moving story Tennyson adds; by way of ornament; the diamonds; the
prize of the tourney; and the manner of their finding:…


   〃For Arthur; long before they crown'd him King;
Roving the trackless realms of Lyonnesse;
Had found a glen; gray boulder and black tarn。
A horror lived about the tarn; and clave
Like its own mists to all the mountain side:
For here two brothers; one a king; had met
And fought together; but their names were lost;
And each had slain his brother at a blow;
And down they fell and made the glen abhorr'd:
And there they lay till all their bones were bleach'd;
And lichen'd into colour with the crags:
And he; that once was king; had on a crown
Of diamonds; one in front; and four aside。
And Arthur came; and labouring up the pass;
All in a misty moonshine; unawares
Had trodden that crown'd skeleton; and the skull
Brake from the nape; and from the skull the crown
Roll'd into light; and turning on its rims
Fled like a glittering rivulet to the tarn:
And down the shingly scaur he plunged; and caught;
And set it on his head; and in his heart
Heard murmurs; 'Lo; thou likewise shalt be King。'〃


The diamonds reappear in the scene of Guinevere's jealousy:…


   〃All in an oriel on the summer side;
Vine…clad; of Arthur's palace toward the stream;
They met; and Lancelot kneeling utter'd; 'Queen;
Lady; my liege; in whom I have my joy;
Take; what I had not won except for you;
These jewels; and make me happy; making them
An armlet for the roundest arm on earth;
Or necklace for a neck to which the swan's
Is tawnier than her cygnet's:  these are words:
Your beauty is your beauty; and I sin
In speaking; yet O grant my worship of it
Words; as we grant grief tears。  Such sin in words;
Perchance; we both can pardon:  but; my Queen;
I hear of rumours flying thro' your court。
Our bond; as not the bond of man and wife;
Should have in it an absoluter trust
To make up that defect:  let rumou

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