Arthurian Romances (55 page)

‘It's clear that it's after dinner,' said Kay, who could not restrain his tongue. ‘There are more words in a pitcherful of wine than in a hogshead of beer. They say the drunken cat makes merry. After dinner, without ever stirring from his place, everyone goes forth to kill the Sultan Nureddin. And you're off to avenge Forré!
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Are your saddle-cloths stuffed, your iron greaves polished, and your banners unfurled? Swiftly now, by God, my lord Yvain – will you set out tonight or tomorrow? Let us know, good sir, when you'll start on this dangerous adventure, because we should like to accompany you! There's not a constable or provost who wouldn't gladly escort you. And I beg you, whatever happens, don't go off without our leave. But should you have a bad dream this night, then stay here!'

‘What? Are you out of your mind, my lord Kay?' said the queen. ‘That tongue of yours never stops! Cursed be your tongue, for there's so much bitterness on it! Indeed your tongue must hate you, since it speaks the worst it knows of everyone, no matter who they may be. May the tongue that never tires of slander be damned! The way your tongue behaves, it makes you hated everywhere: it couldn't betray you any more completely. I assure you, if it were mine I'd accuse it of treason. A man who cannot learn his lesson should be bound before the choir screen in church like a lunatic.'

‘Indeed, my lady,' said my lord Yvain, ‘I don't pay any heed to his insults. My lord Kay is so clever and able and worthy in all courts that he'll never be deaf or dumb. He knows how to answer insults with wisdom and courtesy, and has never done otherwise. (Now you know perfectly well whether I am lying!) But I have no wish to quarrel or start something
foolish; because it isn't the man who delivers the first blow who starts the fight, but he who strikes back. A man who insults his friend would gladly quarrel with a stranger. I don't want to behave like the mastiff who bristles and snarls when another dog shows its teeth.'

As they were talking this way, the king came out of the chamber where he had been a long while, having slept until this moment. And the barons, when they saw him, all leapt to their feet before him, and he told them all to be seated again. He took his place beside the queen, who immediately told him Calogrenant's adventures word for word, for she knew well how to tell a tale. The king listened eagerly to it, then swore three solemn oaths – on the soul of his father Uther Pendragon, on that of his son, and on that of his mother – that before two weeks had passed he would go to see the spring, the storm, and the marvel, and would arrive on the eve of the feast of Saint John the Baptist and take his lodging there. Everyone at court approved of the king's decision, for the barons and young knights were all very eager to go there.

But though others might be happy and joyful, my lord Yvain was sorrowful for he had intended to go there all alone; so he was distressed and upset that the king was about to go there. What upset him was this: he knew that my lord Kay would undoubtedly be granted the battle rather than himself – if Kay were to request it, it would never be refused him. Or perhaps my lord Gawain himself would ask for it first. If either of these two requested it, it would never be denied them.

So Yvain, having no desire for their company, did not wait for them; he resolved instead to set off alone, whether it might bring him joy or grief. With no thought as to who might be left behind he determined to be in Broceliande within three days and to seek as best he could until he found the narrow wooded path, which he was most eager to find, and the heath and the castle, and the comfort and pleasing company of the courteous damsel who was so fine and so fair, and the nobleman who, along with his daughter, did everything to act honourably, such was his generosity and nobility. Then he would see the clearing and the bulls, and the huge peasant who watched over them. He was eager and impatient to see this peasant, who was so stout, tall, hideous, and deformed, and as black as a smith. Then he would see, if he could, the stone and the spring and the basin, and the birds on the pine tree; and he would make it rain and blow. But he did not want to boast of it yet, and did not intend anyone to learn of it until he had won either great shame or great honour; only then should it be made known.

My lord Yvain stole away from the court without encountering anyone and returned alone to his lodgings. He found all his household assembled there, asked that his horse be saddled, and summoned one of his squires from whom he hid nothing. ‘You there,' he said, ‘follow me outside the city and bring me my armour. I'll leave by this gate upon my palfrey at a slow pace. Mind you do not delay, for I have a long way to travel. And have my horse well shod and bring it quickly after me; then you will bring my palfrey back. But take care, I command you, that should anyone ask after me you tell them nothing. Otherwise, though you count on me for support now, you will never be able to again.'

‘My lord,' he answered, ‘have no fear, for no one will ever learn anything from me. You go ahead and I will follow you.'

My lord Yvain mounted at once, for he intended if he could to avenge his cousin's shame before his return. The squire hurriedly collected Yvain's armour and horse, and mounted it; there was no need to delay further, since the horse lacked neither shoes nor nails. He galloped swiftly after his master until he saw him dismounted, for he had been awaiting him for a while some distance from the road in a secluded place. The squire brought him all his trappings and equipment, and helped him with the armour.

Once he was armed, my lord Yvain did not delay in the slightest but rode on each day, over mountains and across valleys, through forests deep and wide, through strange and wild places, crossing many treacherous passes, many dangers, and many straits, until he reached the narrow path, full of thorn bushes and dark shadows. Only then was he certain that he would not lose his way again. No matter what the price, he would not stop until he saw the pine tree that shaded the spring, and the stone, and the storm that hurled hail, rain, thunder, and gales.

That night, you can be sure, he found the host he sought, for he received more favour and respect from the vavasour than I've recounted to you; and in the maiden he perceived a hundred times more sense and beauty than Calogrenant had described, for one cannot tell the sum of the virtue of a noble lady and a good man. When a man devotes himself to true goodness, his full worth can never be told, for no tongue can rehearse all the goodness a noble man can do. My lord Yvain was well lodged that night, and it pleased him greatly.

The next day he went to the clearing and saw the bulls and the peasant who showed him the way to take. But he crossed himself more than a hundred times in wonder at how Nature could have created such an ugly and base-born creature. Then he rode up to the spring and observed
everything that he had come to see. Without stopping to sit down, he poured the full basin of water all over the stone. At once it began to gust and rain and storm just as it was supposed to. And when God restored the good weather, the birds alighted on the pine tree and made a wondrously joyful sound above the perilous spring. Before the joyful sound had abated there came a knight, hotter with anger than a glowing coal, making as much of a racket as if he were pursuing a rutting stag.

As soon as the two knights caught sight of one another, they clashed as if they bore each other a mortal hatred. Each had a sturdy and strong lance; they exchanged such mighty blows that they pierced through the shields at their sides and tore their hauberks; the lances shattered and splintered, and the pieces flew into the air. They then drew their swords and struck each other with blows that sliced through the shield-straps and completely split the bucklers, both top and bottom, so that the pieces hung down and were useless to cover or defend them. Their shields had so many holes that their bright swords struck directly on their sides, their breasts, and their flanks. They tested one another cruelly, yet they stood their ground like two blocks of stone; never were two knights more eager to hasten one another's death. They had no wish to waste their blows and delivered them as accurately as they could. Helmets were dented and bent, and links of mail flew from their hauberks, amid much loss of blood. The hauberks grew so hot from their exertion that they gave scarcely more protection than a frock. They struck one another's faces with their blades: it's a wonder how such a fierce and bitter battle could last so long! But each was so proud of heart that neither would yield a foot of ground to the other on any account, unless he were wounded to the death.

Throughout they fought most honourably, for they never struck at or wounded their horses at all, nor did they deign or desire to. They remained on horseback throughout and never fought on foot, and the battle was more splendid for it. Finally my lord Yvain smashed the knight's helmet. The knight was stunned and weakened by the blow. He was confused, for never before had he received such a blow that could split his head to the brain beneath his hood until the chain-mail of his shining hauberk was stained with brains and blood, which caused him such great pain that his heart nearly failed him.

If he fled, he was not to be blamed, since he felt himself mortally wounded; no defence could help him now. As soon as he was able to gather his wits, he fled in all haste towards his castle; the drawbridge was lowered for him and the gate opened wide. My lord Yvain spurred hard in pursuit, as
fast as he could. As the gyrfalcon pursues the crane, soaring in from the distance thinking to snatch it up but then missing, so the knight fled and Yvain pursued so closely that he could almost grab him. Yet he couldn't quite reach him, though he was so close that he could hear him groan from the distress he felt. Yet all this time he was intent upon escaping and Yvain likewise upon his pursuit. My lord Yvain feared his efforts would be wasted if he were unable to capture the knight dead or alive, for he recalled the insults that Sir Kay had flung his way. He had not yet fulfilled the promise he had made his cousin, and no one would believe him at all if he did not bring back real proof. Spurring ahead, the knight led him to the gate of his town, through which both entered; they encountered neither man nor woman on the streets through which they passed as both went racing towards the castle gate.

This gate was very high and wide, but had such a narrow entry-way that two men or two horses could not pass through together or meet one another in the gate without crowding or great difficulty; for it was built just like the trap that awaits the rat on its furtive scavenging: it had a blade poised above, ready to fall, strike, and pin, and triggered to be released and to fall at the slightest touch. Similarly, beneath the gate were two fulcrums connected to a portcullis above of sharp, cutting iron;
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if anything stepped on these devices, the portcullis overhead dropped and whoever was struck by the gate would be slashed entirely to pieces. And, precisely in the middle, the passage-way was as narrow as a forest trail.

The knight skilfully manoeuvred his way along this narrow path, and my lord Yvain hurtled on madly at full speed after him. He was so near to catching him that he had seized hold of his back saddlebow; it was fortunate for him that he had stretched forward, for had he not been so lucky he would have been split apart, because his horse tripped the beam that supported the iron portcullis. Just like the devil out of hell, the door came crashing down, striking the saddle and horse behind, and slicing them both in half. But, thank God, it didn't touch my lord Yvain, except that as it came slicing down his back it cut off both his spurs right at his heels, and he fell down stunned. The other knight, fatally wounded, escaped him in this way.

There was another gate at the back like the one in front; as the fleeing knight raced through the gate, a second portcullis fell closed behind him. Thus was my lord Yvain trapped. Very surprised and discomfited, he remained locked within the hall, whose ceiling was studded with
gilded bosses and whose walls were painted masterfully in the richest colours. But nothing troubled him more than not knowing where the knight had gone.

While he was in his misery he heard the narrow door of a tiny room beside him open and he saw a damsel with an attractive body and fair face approaching, who closed the door after her. When she discovered my lord Yvain, she was dismayed at first.

‘Indeed, sir knight,' said she, ‘I'm afraid you're not welcome. If you're found in here you'll be torn to pieces, for my lord is mortally wounded and I'm certain that you have slain him. My lady is grieving so deeply and her people are weeping around her so much that they are on the point of killing themselves for grief. They know that you are in here, but their grief is so great that at present they can think of nothing else. Yet when they are ready to kill or capture you, they'll not fail to do so as soon as they decide to assail you.'

And my lord Yvain answered her: ‘If it pleases God, they will never kill me, nor will I ever be captured by them.'

‘No,' she said, ‘for I will do everything in my power to assist you. A man is not brave if he is too easily frightened; but since you've not been too frightened, I believe you are a brave man. Rest assured that, if I am able, I will do you service and honour, for you have already done as much for me. Once my lady sent me with a message to the king's court. Perhaps I was not as prudent or courteous or correct as a maiden should be, but there was not a knight there who deigned to speak a single word to me, except you alone, standing here now. But you, to your great credit, honoured and served me there; for the honour that you paid me then I'll now give you the recompense. I know your name well and recognized you at once: you are the son of King Urien and are named my lord Yvain. Now you may be confident and certain that if you trust in me you will never be captured or harmed. Take this little ring of mine and, if you please, return it to me after I have freed you.'