the blue flower-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　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　Ma