Four Arthurian Romances
Meleagant does not wish to stop, and continues to strike and hew at him.
But the king rushes between them and stops his son, who declares with an
oath that he has no desire for peace. He wants to fight, and cares not
for peace. Then the king says to him: "Be quiet, and take my advice, and
be sensible. No shame or harm shall come to thee, if thou wilt do what
is right and heed my words. Dost thou not remember that thou hast agreed
to fight him at King Arthur's court? And dost thou not suppose that
it would be a much greater honour for thee to defeat him there than
anywhere else?" The king says this to see if he can so influence him as
to appease him and separate them. And Lancelot, who was impatient to
go in search of my lord Gawain, requests leave of the king and Queen to
depart. With their permission he goes away toward the water-bridge, and
after him there followed a great company of knights. But it would have
suited him very well, if many of those who went had stayed behind. They
make long days' journeys until they approach the water-bridge, but are
still about a league from it. Before they came in sight of the bridge, a
dwarf came to meet them on a mighty hunter, holding a scourge with which
to urge on and incite his steed. In accordance with his instructions, he
at once inquired: "Which of you is Lancelot? Don't conceal him from me;
I am of your party; tell me confidently, for I ask the question for your
good." Lancelot replies in his own behalf, and says: "I am he whom thou
seekest and askest for." "Ah," says the dwarf, "frank knight, leave
these people, and trust in me. Come along with me alone, for I will take
thee to a goodly place. Let no one follow thee for anything, but let
them wait here; for we shall return presently." He, suspecting no harm
in this, bids all his men stay there, and follows the dwarf who has
betrayed him. Meanwhile his men who wait for him may continue to expect
him long in vain, for they, who have taken and seized him, have no
desire to give him up. And his men are in such a state of grief at his
failure to return that they do not know what steps to take. They all
say sorrowfully that the dwarf has betrayed them. It would be useless to
inquire for him: with heavy hearts they begin to search, but they know
not where to look for him with any hope of finding him. So they all take
counsel, and the most reasonable and sensible agree on this, it seems:
to go to the passage of the water-bridge, which is close by, to see if
they can find my lord Gawain in wood or plain, and then with his advice
search for Lancelot. Upon this plan they all agree without dissension.
Toward the water-bridge they go, and as soon as they reach the bridge,
they see my lord Gawain overturned and fallen from the bridge into the
stream which is very deep. One moment he rises, and the next he sinks;
one moment they see him, and the next they lose him from sight. They
make such efforts that they succeed in raising him with branches, poles
and hooks. He had nothing but his hauberk on his back, and on his head
was fixed his helmet, which was worth ten of the common sort, and he
wore his iron greaves, which were all rusty with his sweat, for he had
endured great trials, and had passed victoriously through many perils
and assaults. His lance, his shield, and horse were all behind on the
other bank. Those who have rescued him do not believe he is alive. For
his body was full of water, and until he got rid of it, they did not
hear him speak a word. But when his speech and voice and the passageway
to his heart are free, and as soon, as what he said could be heard and
understood, he tried to speak he inquired at once for the Queen, whether
those present had any news of her. And they replied that she is still
with King Bademagu, who serves her well and honourably. "Has no one come
to seek her in this land?" my lord Gawain then inquires of them. And
they answer him: "Yes, indeed." "Who?" "Lancelot of the Lake," they say,
"who crossed the sword-bridge, and rescued and delivered her as well
as all the rest of us. But we have been betrayed by a pot-bellied,
humpbacked, and crabbed dwarf. He has deceived us shamefully in seducing
Lancelot from us, and we do not know what he has done with him." "When
was that?" my lord Gawain inquires. "Sire, near here this very day this
trick was played on us, while he was coming with us to meet you." "And
how has Lancelot been occupied since he entered this land?" Then they
begin to tell him all about him in detail, and then they tell him about
the Queen, how she is waiting for him and asserting that nothing could
induce her to leave the country, until she sees him or hears some
credible news of him. To them my lord Gawain replies: "When we leave
this bridge, we shall go to search for Lancelot." There is not one who
does not advise rather that they go to the Queen at once, and have the
king seek Lancelot, for it is their opinion that his son Meleagant has
shown his enmity by having him cast into prison. But if the king can
learn where he is, he will certainly make him surrender him: they can
rely upon this with confidence.
(Vv. 5199-5256.) They all agreed upon this plan, and started at once
upon their way until they drew near the court where the Queen and king
were. There, too, was Kay the seneschal, and that disloyal man, full
to overflowing of treachery, who has aroused the greatest anxiety for
Lancelot on the part of the party which now arrives. They feel they
have been discomfited and betrayed, and they make great lament in their
misery. It is not a gracious message which reports this mourning to
the Queen. Nevertheless, she deports herself with as good a grace as
possible. She resolves to endure it, as she must, for the sake of my
lord Gawain. However, she does not so conceal her grief that it does not
somewhat appear. She has to show both joy and grief at once: her heart
is empty for Lancelot, and to my lord Gawain she shows excessive joy.
Every one who hears of the loss of Lancelot is grief-stricken and
distracted. The king would have rejoiced at the coming of my lord
Gawain and would have been delighted with his acquaintance; but he is
so sorrowful and distressed over the betrayal of Lancelot that he is
prostrated and full of grief. And the Queen beseeches him insistently
to have him searched for, up and down throughout the land, without
postponement or delay. My lord Gawain and Kay and all the others join
in this prayer and request. "Leave this care to me, and speak no more
of it," the king replies, "for I have been ready to do so for some
time. Without need of request or prayer this search shall be made with
thoroughness." Everyone bows in sign of gratitude, and the king at once
sends messengers through his realm, sagacious and prudent men-at-arms,
who inquired for him throughout the land. They made inquiry for him
everywhere, but gained no certain news of him. Not finding any, they
come back to the place where the knights remain; then Gawain and Kay and
all the others say that they will go in search of him, fully armed and
lance in rest; they will not trust to sending some one else.
(Vv. 5257-5378.) One day after dinner they were all in the hall putting
on their arms, and the point had been reached where there was nothing to
do but start, when a valet entered and passed by them all until he came
before the Queen, whose cheeks were by no means rosy! For she was in
such mourning for Lancelot, of whom she had no news, that she had lost
all her colour. The valet greeted her as well as the king, who was by
her side, and then all the others and Kay and my lord Gawain. He held a
letter in his hand which he gave to the king, who took it. The king had
it read in the hearing of all by one who made no mistake in reading it.
The reader knew full well how to communicate to them what was written in
the parchment: he says that Lancelot sends greetings to the king as his
kind lord, and thanks him for the honour and kindness he has shown him,
and that he now places himself at the king's orders. And know that he
is now hale and hearty at King Arthur's court, and he bids him tell
the Queen to come thither, if she will consent, in company with my lord
Gawain and Kay. In proof of which, he affixed his signature which they
should recognise, as indeed they did. At this they were very happy and
glad; the whole court resounds with their jubilation, and they say they
will start next day as soon as it is light. So, when the day broke, they
make ready and prepare: they rise and mount and start. With great joy
and jubilee the king escorts them for a long distance on their way. When
he has conducted them to the frontier and has seen them safely across
the border, he takes leave of the Queen, and likewise of all the rest.
And when he comes to take his leave, the Queen is careful to express
her gratitude for all the kindness he has shown to her, and throwing
her arms about his neck, she offers and promises him her own service and
that of her lord: no greater promise can she make. And my lord Gawain
promises his service to him, as to his lord and friend, and then Kay
does likewise, and all the rest. Then the king commends them to God as
they start upon their way. After these three, he bids the rest farewell,
and then turns his face toward home. The Queen and her company do not
tarry a single day until news of them reaches the court. King Arthur
was delighted at the news of the Queen's approach, and he is happy and
pleased at the thought that his nephew had brought about the Queen's
return, as well as that of Kay and of the lesser folk. But the truth is
quite different from what he thinks. All the town is cleared as they go
to meet them, and knights and vassals join in shouting as they approach:
"Welcome to my lord Gawain, who has brought back the Queen and many
another captive lady, and has freed for us many prisoners!" Then Gawain
answered them: "Gentlemen, I do not deserve your praise. Do not trouble
ever to say this again, for the compliment does not apply to me. This
honour causes me only shame, for I did not reach the Queen in time; my
detention made me late. But Lancelot reached there in time, and won such
honour as was never won by any other knight." "Where is he, then, fair
dear sire, for we do not see him here?" "Where?" echoes my lord Gawain;
"at the court of my lord the King, to be sure. Is he not?" "No, he is
not here, or anywhere else in this country. Since my lady was taken
away, we have had no news of him." Then for the first time my lord
Gawain realised that the letter had been forged, and that they had been
betrayed and deceived: by the letter they had been misled. Then they all
begin to lament, and they come thus weeping to the court, where the King
at once asks for information about the affair. There were plenty who
could tell him how much Lancelot had done, how the Queen and all the
captives were delivered from durance by him, and by what treachery the
dwarf had stolen him and drawn him away from them. This news is not
pleasing to the King, and he is very sorry and full of grief; but his
heart is so lightened by the pleasure he takes in the Queen's return,
that his grief concludes in joy. When he has what he most desires, he
cares little for the rest.
(Vv. 5379-5514.) While the Queen was out of the country, I believe, the
ladies and the damsels who were disconsolate, decided among themselves
that they would marry, soon, and they organised a contest and a
tournament. The lady of Noauz was patroness of it, with the lady of
Pomelegloi. They will have nothing to do with those who fare ill, but
they assert that they will accept those who comport themselves well in
the tournament. And they had the date of the contest proclaimed s long