cliges-第20节

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he　strikes　after　due　challenge　given　will　never　be　so　strong　but
that　he　must　needs　fall　from　his　horse　to　the　ground。　Cliges；
this　day；　wrought　so　bravely；　and　threw　down　and　captured　so
many；　that　he　has　pleased　those　on　his　side　twice　as　much；　and
has　had　twice　as　much　praise　from　them　as　he　had　the　day　before。
When　evening　has　come　he　has　repaired　to　his　lodging　as　quickly
as　he　could；　and　speedily　bids　the　red　shield　and　the　other
armour　be　brought　forth。　He　orders　that　the　arms　which　he　bore
that　day　be　stowed　away；　the　landlord　has　carefully　done　it。　Long
have　the　knights　whom　he　had　captured　sought　him　that　night
Again；　but　no　news　do　they　hear　of　him。　The　greater　part　of　those
who　speak　of　him　at　the　inns　laud　and　praise　him。

Next　day　the　knights　return　to　arms；　alert　and　strong。　From　the
array　before　Oxford　rides　out　a　knight　of　great　renown；　Percival
the　Welshman；　was　he　called。　As　soon　as　Cliges　saw　him　ride　forth
and　heard　the　truth　as　to　his　namefor　he　heard　him　called
Percivalhe　greatly　longs　to　encounter　him。　Forthwith　has　he
ridden　forth　from　the　rank　on　a　sorrel；　Spanish　steed；　and　his
armour　was　red。　Then　they；　one　and　all；　regard　him　with　great
wonder；　more　than　they　ever　did　before　and　say　that　never　before
did　they　see　so　comely　a　knight。　And　the　two　prick　forward　at
once；　for　there　was　no　delay。　And　the　one　and　the　other　spurs　on
so　that　they　give　and　take　mighty　blows　on　their　shields。　The
lances；　which　were　short　and　thick；　bend　and　curve。　In　the　sight
of　all　who　were　looking　on；　Cliges　has　struck　Percival；　so　that
he　smites　him　down　from　his　horse；　and　makes　him　give　parole
without　much　fighting；　and　without　great　ado。　When　Percival　had
submitted；　then　they　have　begun　the　tourney；　and　they　all
encounter　together。　Cliges　encounters　no　knight　but　he　fells　him
to　the　ground。　On　this　day　one　could　not　see　him　a　single　hour
absent　from　the　fight。　Each　for　himself　strikes　a　blow　at　Cliges
as　though　at　a　tower：　not　merely　two　or　three　strike；　for　then
that　was　not　the　use　or　custom。　Cliges　has　made　an　anvil　of　his
shield；　for　all　play　the　smith　and　hammer　upon　it　and　cleave　and
quarter　it；　but　none　strikes　upon　it　but　Cliges　pays　him　back；
and　throws　him　from　his　stirrups　and　saddle；　and　no　one；　except　a
man　who　wished　to　lie；　could　have　said　on　his　departure　that　the
knight　with　the　red　shield　had　not　won　that　whole　day。　And　the
best　and　most　courteous　would　fain　have　his　acquaintances；　but
that　cannot　be　so　soon；　for　he　has　gone　away；　secretly；　when　he
saw　that　the　sun　had　set；　and　he　has　had　his　red　shield　and　all
his　other　armour　taken　away；　and　he　has　the　white　arms　brought　in
which　he　had　been　newly　knighted；　and　the　arms　and　the　steed　were
placed　in　front　of　the　door。　But　now　they　begin　to　perceive　（for
the　greater　part　who　speak　of　it　say　so；　and　perceive　it　to　be
so）；　that　they　have　all　been　discomfited；　and　put　to　flight　by　a
single　man；　who　each　day　changes　his　outward　show；　both　horse　and
armour；　and　seems　another　than　himself；　they　have　now　for　the
first　time　perceived　it。　And　my　lord　Gawain　has　said　that　never
before　did　he　see　such　a　jouster；　and　because　he　would　fain　have
his　acquaintance　and　know　his　name；　he　says　that　he　will　be　first
tomorrow　at　the　encounter　of　the　knights。　But　he　makes　no　boast；
rather　he　says　that　he　thinks　and　believes　that　Cliges　will　have
the　best　of　it　and　will　win　the　renown　when　they　strike　with
lances；　but　with　the　sword；　perhaps；　Cliges　will　not　be　his
master；　for　never　could　Gawain　find　his　master。　Now　will　he　prove
himself　tomorrow　on　the　strange　knight；　who　every　day　dons
different　armour　and　changes　horse　and　harness。　Soon　he　will　be　a
bird　of　many　moltings　if　thus　daily　he　makes　a　practice　of　taking
off　his　old　feathers　and　putting　on　new　ones。　And　thus　Gawain　too
doffed　his　armour；　and　put　on　other；　and　the　morrow　he　sees
Cliges　return；　whiter　than　lily…flower；　his　shield　held　by　the
straps　behind　it；　on　his　trusty；　white；　Arab　steed；　as　he　had
devised　the　night　before。　Gawain；　the　valiant；　the　renowned；　has
not　gone　to　sleep　on　the　field；　but　pricks；　and　spurs；　and
advances；　and　puts　forth　all　his　utmost　efforts　to　joust　well　if
he　finds　any　with　whom　to　joust。　Soon　both　will　be　on　the　field
for　Cliges　had　no　wish　to　delay；　for　he　had　heard　the　murmur　of
those　who　say：　〃It　is　Gawain　who　is　no　weakling；　afoot　or　on
horseback。　It　is　he　with　whom　none　dares　to　measure　himself。〃
Cliges；　who　hears　the　words；　charges　into　the　middle　of　the　field
towards　him；　both　advance　and　encounter　with　a　spring　more　swift
than　that　of　a　stag　who　hears　the　baying　of　dogs　barking　after
him。　The　　lances　strike　on　the　shields；　and　so　mighty　is　the
crash　of　the　blows；　that　to　their　very　ends　they　shatter　into
splinters；　and　split；　and　go　to　pieces；　and　the　saddle…bows
behind；　break；　moreover；　the　saddle…girth　and　breast　harness
burst。　They　both　alike　fall　to　the　ground　and　have　drawn　their
naked　swords。　The　folk　have　pressed　round　to　behold　the　battle。
King　Arthur　came　in　front　of　all　to　separate　and　reconcile　them；
but　they　had　broken　and　hewn　in　pieces　the　white　hauberks；　and
had　cleft　through　and　cut　up　the　shields；　and　had　fractured　the
helmets　before　there　was　any　talk　of　peace。


The　king　had　gazed　at　them　as　long　a　time　as　it　pleased　him；　and
so　did　many　of　the　others　who　said　that　they　esteemed　the　white
knight　no　whit　less　in　arms　than　my　lord　Gawain；　and　up　till　now
they　could　not　say　which　was　the　better；　which　the　worse；　nor
which　would　overcome　the　other　if　they　were　allowed　to　fight　till
the　battle　was　fought　out。　But　it　does　not　please　or　suit　the
king　that　they　do　more　than　they　have　done。　He　advances　to　part
them　and　says　to　them：　〃Withdraw！　If　another　blow　be　struck；　it
will　be　to　your　harm。　But　make　peace。　Be　friends。　Fair　nephew
Gawain；　I　entreat　you；　for　it　does　not　become　a　valiant　man　to
continue　a　battle　or　fight　where　he　has　no　quarrel　or　hatred。　But
if　this　knight　would　come　to　my　court　to　pass　his　time　with　us；
it　would　be　no　grievance　or　hurt　to　him。　Pray　him　to　do　so；
nephew。〃　〃Willingly；　Sire。〃　Cliges　seeks　not　to　excuse　himself
from　this；　willingly　he　consents　to　go　thither　when　the　tourney
shall　end；　for　now　he　has　carried　out　to　the　uttermost　his
father's　command。　And　the　king　says　that　he　cares　not　for　a
tournament　which　lasts　long；　well　may　they　straightway　leave　it。
The　knights　have　dispersed；　for　the　king　wishes　and　commands　it。
Cliges　sends　for　all　his　armour；　for　it　behoves　him　to　follow　the
king。　With　all　speed　he　may　have；　he　comes　to　the　court；　but　he
was　attired　well　beforehand　and　garbed　after　the　French　fashion。

As　soon　as　he　came　to　court　each　hastens　to　meet　him；　for　neither
one　nor　the　other　remains　behind；　rather　they　manifest　the
greatest　possible　joy　and　festivity。　And　all　those　whom　he　had
taken　in　the　jousting　acclaim　him　lord；　but　it　is　his　wish　to
disclaim　it　to　all　of　them；　and　he　says；　that　if　they　think　and
believe　that　it　was　he　who　took　them；　they　are　all　absolved　of
their　pledge。　There　is　not　a　single　one　who　did　not　say：　〃It　was
you；　well　we　know　it。　We　prize　highly　your　acquaintance；　and　much
ought　we　to　love　you；　and　esteem　you；　and　acclaim　you；　lord；　for
none　of　us　is　a　match　for　you。　Just　as　the　sun　puts　out　the
little　stars；　so　that　their　light　is　not　visible　in　the　clouds
where　the　rays　of　the　sun　shine　forth；　so　our　deeds　pale　and　wane
before　yours；　and　yet　our　deeds　were　wont　to　be　greatly　renowned
throughout　the　world。〃　Cliges　knows　not　what　reply　to　make　to
them；　for　it　seems　to　him　that　one　and　all　of　them　praise　him
more　than　they　ought。　Though　it　is　very　pleasant　to　him　yet　he　is
ashamed　of　it。　The　blood　rises　into　his　face；　so　that　they　see
him　all　ashamed。　They　escort　him　through　the　hall；　and　have　led
him　before　the　king；　but　they　all　cease　to　address　to　him　the
language　of　praise　and　flattery。　Now　was　it　the　set　hour　for
eating；　and　those　whose　business　it　was；　hastened　to　set　the
tables。　They　have　set　the　tables　in　the　palace：　some　have　taken
napkins；　and　others　hold　basins　and　give　water　to　those　who　come。
All　have　washed；　all　are　seated。　The　king　has　taken　Cliges　by　the
hand　and　set　him　before　him；　for　fain　will　he　know　this　very　day
who　he　is；　if　at　all　he　may。　No　need　is　there　to　speak　of　the
food；　for　the　dishes　were　as　plentiful　as　though　one　could　have
purchased　an　ox　for　a　farthing。

When　all　had　had　their　meat　and　drink；　then　has　the　king　no
longer　kept　silence。　〃Friend；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　would　know　if　it　is
from　pride　that　you　forbore　and　disdained　to　come　to　my　court　as
soon　as　you　entered　this　land；　and　why　you　thus　withdraw　yourself
from　folk　and　change　your　arms。　Now　impart　to　me　your　name；　and
say　of　what　race　you　are　born。〃　Cliges　replies：　〃Never　shall　it
be　concealed。〃　He　has　told　and　related　to　the　king　whatsoever　he
demands　from　him；　and　when　the　king　has　learned　his　name　then　he
embraces　him；　then　he　rejoices　over　him；　there　is　none　who　does
not　greet　him　in　clue　form。　And　my　Lord　Gawain　knew　him；　who；
above　all；　embraces　and　greets　him。　All　greet　him　and　fall　on　his
neck；　and　all　those　who　speak　of　him　say　that　he　is　right　fair
and　valiant。　The　k