the blue flower-第8章

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But　Martimor　said；　No！　for　his　adventures　were　before　him；　and
that　he　could　not　be　happy　save　in　the　doing　of　great　deeds
and　the　winning　of　knightly　fame。　　Then　he　showed　her　the　Blue
Flower　in　his　shield　that　was　nameless；　and　told　her　how　Sir
Lancelot　had　said　that　he　must　find　it；　then　should　he　name　it
and　have　both　crest　and　motto。

〃Does　it　grow　in　my　garden？〃　said　Lirette。

〃I　have　not　seen　it；〃　said　he；　〃and　now　the　flowers　are
all　faded。〃

〃Perhaps　in　the　month　of　May？〃　said　she。

〃In　that　month　I　will　come　again；〃　said　he；　〃for　by　that
time　it　may　fortune　that　I　shall　achieve　my　quest；　but　now
forth　must　I　fare。〃

So　there　was　sad　cheer　in　the　Mill　that　day；　and　at　night
there　came　a　fierce　storm　with　howling　wind　and　plumping　rain；
and　Martimor　slept　ill。　　About　the　break　of　day　he　was　wakened
by　a　great　roaring　and　pounding；　then　he　looked　out　of　window；
and　saw　the　river　in　flood；　with　black　waves　spuming　and
raving；　like　wood　beasts；　and　driving　before　them　great　logs
and　broken　trees。　　Thus　the　river　hurled　and　hammered　at　the
mill…dam　so　that　it　trembled；　and　the　logs　leaped　as　they
would　spring　over　it；　and　the　voice　of　Flumen　shouted　hoarsely
and　hungrily；　〃Yet　will　I　mar　the　Mill　and　have　the　Maid！〃

Then　Martimor　ran　with　the　miller　out　upon　the　dam；　and
they　laboured　at　the　gates　that　held　the　river　back；　and
thrust　away　the　logs　that　were　heaped　over　them；　and　cut　with
axes；　and　fought　with　the　river。　　So　at　last　two　of　the　gates
were　lifted　and　one　was　broken；　and　the　flood　ran　down
ramping　and　roaring　in　great　raundon；　and　as　it　ran　the　black
face　of　Flumen　sprang　above　it；　crying；　〃Yet　will　I　mar　both
Mill　and　Maid。〃

〃That　shalt　thou　never　do；〃　cried　Martimor；　〃by　foul　or
fair；　while　the　life　beats　in　my　body。〃

So　he　came　back　with　the　miller　into　the　Mill；　and　there
was　meat　ready　for　them　and　they　ate　strongly　and　with　good
heart。　　〃Now；〃　said　the　miller；　〃must　I　mend　the　gate。　　But
how　it　may　be　done；　I　know　not；　for　surely　this　will　be　great
travail　for　a　man　alone。〃

〃Why　alone？〃　said　Martimor。

〃Thou　wilt　stay；　then？〃　said　Lirette。

〃Yea；〃　said　he。

〃For　another　month？〃　said　she。

〃Till　the　gate　be　mended；〃　said　he。

But　when　the　gate　was　mended　there　came　another　flood　and
brake　the　second　gate。　　And　when　that　was　mended　there　came
another　flood　and　brake　the　third　gate。　　So　when　all　three
were　mended　firm　and　fast；　being　bound　with　iron；　still　the
grimly　river　hurled　over　the　dam；　and　the　voice　of　Flumen
muttered　in　the　dark　of　winter　nights；　〃Yet　will　I
marmarmaryet　will　I　mar　Mill　and　Maid。〃

〃Oho！〃　said　Martimor；　〃this　is　a　durable　and　dogged　knave。
Art　thou　feared　of　him　Lirette？〃

〃Not　so；〃　said　she；　〃for　thou　art　stronger。　　But　fear　have
I　of　the　day　when　thou　ridest　forth　in　thy　quest。〃

〃Well；　as　to　that；〃　said　he；　〃when　I　have　overcome　this
false　devil　Flumen；　then　will　we　consider　and　appoint　that
day。〃

So　the　delay　continued；　and　Martimor　was　both　busy　and
happy　at　the　Mill；　for　he　liked　and　loved　this　damsel　well；
and　was　fain　of　her　company。　　Moreover　the　strife　with　Flumen
was　great　joy　to　him。



VI

How　the　Month　of　May　came　to　the　Mill；　and　the　Delay　was　Made　Longer

Now　when　the　month　of　May　came　to　the　Mill　it　brought　a　plenty
of　sweet　flowers；　and　Lirette　wrought　in　the　garden。　　With
her；　when　the　day　was　spent　and　the　sun　rested　upon　the　edge
of　the　hill；　went　Martimor；　and　she　showed　him　all　her　flowers
that　were　blue。　　But　none　of　them　was　like　the　flower　on　his
shield。

〃Is　it　this？〃　she　cried；　giving　him　a　violet。　　〃Too　dark；〃
said　he。

〃Then　here　it　is；〃　she　said；　plucking　a　posy　of
forget…me…not。

〃Too　light；〃　said　he。

〃Surely　this　is　it；〃　and　she　brought　him　a　spray　of
blue…bells。

〃Too　slender；〃　said　he；　〃and　well　I　ween　that　I　may　not
find　that　flower；　till　I　ride　farther　in　my　quest　and　achieve
great　adventure。〃

Then　was　the　Maid　cast　down；　and　Martimor　was　fain　to
comfort　her。

So　while　they　walked　thus　in　the　garden；　the　days　were
fair　and　still；　and　the　river　ran　lowly　and　slowly；　as　it　were
full　of　gentleness；　and　Flumen　had　amended　him　of　his　evil
ways。　　But　full　of　craft　and　guile　was　that　false　foe。　　For
now　that　the　gates　were　firm　and　strong；　he　found　a　way　down
through　the　corner　of　the　dam；　where　a　water…rat　had　burrowed；
and　there　the　water　went　seeping　and　creeping；　gnawing　ever　at
the　hidden　breach。　　Presently　in　the　night　came　a　mizzling　rain；
and　far　among　the　hills　a　cloud　brake　open；　and　the　mill…pond
flowed　over　and　under；　and　the　dam　crumbled　away；　and　the　Mill
shook；　and　the　whole　river　ran　roaring　through　the　garden。

Then　was　Martimor　wonderly　wroth；　because　the　river　had
blotted　out　the　Maid's　flowers。　　〃And　one　day；〃　she　cried；
holding　fast　to　him　and　trembling；　〃one　day　Flumen　will　have
me；　when　thou　art　gone。〃

〃Not　so；〃　said　he；　〃by　the　faith　of　my　body　that　foul
fiend　shall　never　have　thee。　　I　will　bind　him；　I　will　compel
him；　or　die　in　the　deed。〃

So　he　went　forth；　upward　along　the　river；　till　he　came　to
a　strait　Place　among　the　hills。　　There　was　a　great　rock　full
of　caves　and　hollows；　and　there　the　water　whirled　and　burbled
in　furious　wise。　　〃Here；〃　thought　he；　〃is　the　hold　of　the
knave　Flumen；　and　if　I　may　cut　through　above　this　rock　and
make　a　dyke　with　a　gate　in　it；　to　let　down　the　water　another
way　when　the　floods　come；　so　shall　I　spoil　him　of　his　craft
and　put　him　to　the　worse。〃

Then　he　toiled　day　and　night　to　make　the　dyke；　and　ever　by
night　Flumen　came　and　strove　with　him；　and　did　his　power　to
cast　him　down　and　strangle　him。　　But　Martimor　stood　fast　and
drave　him　back。

And　at　last；　as　they　wrestled　and　whapped　together；　they
fell　headlong　in　the　stream。

〃Ho…o！〃　shouted　Flumen；　〃now　will　I　drown　thee；　and　mar
the　Mill　and　the　Maid。〃

But　Martimor　gripped　him　by　the　neck　and　thrust　his　head
betwixt　the　leaves　of　the　gate　and　shut　them　fast；　so　that　his
eyes　stood　out　like　gobbets　of　foam；　and　his　black　tongue　hung
from　his　mouth　like　a　water…weed。

〃Now　shalt　thou　swear　never　to　mar　Mill　nor　Maid；　but
meekly　to　serve　them；〃　cried　Martimor。　　Then　Flumen　sware　by
wind　and　wave；　by　storm　and　stream；　by　rain　and　river；　by　pond
and　pool；　by　flood　and　fountain；　by　dyke　and　dam。

〃These　be　changeable　things；〃　said　Martimor；　swear　by　the
Name　of　God。〃

So　he　sware；　and　even　as　the　Name　passed　his　teeth；　the
gobbets　of　foam　floated　forth　from　the　gate；　and　the　water…weed
writhed　away　with　the　stream；　and　the　river　flowed　fair　and
softly；　with　a　sound　like　singing。

Then　Martimor　came　back　to　the　Mill；　and　told　how　Flumen
was　overcome　and　made　to　swear　a　pact。　　Thus　their　hearts
waxed　light　and　jolly；　and　they　kept　that　day　as　it　were　a
love…day。



VII

How　Martimor　Bled　for　a　Lady　and　Lived　for　a　Maid；
and　how　His　Great　Adventure　Ended　and　Began　at　the　Mill

Now　leave　we　of　the　Mill　and　Martimor　and　the　Maid；　and　let　us
speak　of　a　certain　Lady；　passing　tall　and　fair　and　young。
This　was　the　Lady　Beauvivante；　that　was　daughter　to　King
Pellinore。　　And　three　false　knights　took　her　by　craft　from　her
father's　court　and　led　her　away　to　work　their　will　on　her。
But　she　escaped　from　them　as　they　slept　by　a　well；　and　came
riding　on　a　white　palfrey；　over　hill　and　dale；　as　fast　as　ever
she　could　drive。

Thus　she　came　to　the　Mill；　and　her　palfrey　was　spent；　and
there　she　took　refuge；　beseeching　Martimor　that　he　would　hide
her；　and　defend　her　from　those　caitiff　knights　that　must　soon
follow。

〃Of　hiding；〃　said　he；　〃will　I　hear　naught；　but　of
defending　am　I　full　fain。　　For　this　have　I　waited。〃

Then　he　made　ready　his　horse　and　his　armour；　and　took　both
spear　and　sword；　and　stood　forth　in　the　bridge。　　Now　this
bridge　was　strait；　so　that　none　could　pass　there　but　singly；
and　that　not　till　Martimor　yielded　or　was　beaten　down。

Then　came　the　three　knights　that　followed　the　Lady；　riding
fiercely　down　the　hill。　　And　when　they　came　about　ten
spear…lengths　from　the　bridge；　they　halted；　and　stood　still　as
it　had　been　a　plump　of　wood。　　One　rode　in　black；　and　one　rode
in　yellow；　and　the　third　rode　in　black　and　yellow。　　So　they
cried　Martimor　that　he　should