Part 15 (1/2)
Much had she sought to meet the knight alone; Now in these words she made her pa.s.sion known: 'Lanval!' she said, 'thy worth, long season past, 'In my deserv'd esteem hath fix'd thee fast: 'Tis thine this prosperous presage to improve:-- Say, gentle knight, canst thou return my love?
The knight, ye wot, love's paragon ador'd, And, had his heart been free, rever'd his word; True to his king, the fealty of his soul Abhorr'd all commerce with a thought so foul.
In fine, the sequel of my tale to tell, From the shent queen such bitter slander fell, That, with an honest indignation strong, The fatal secret 'scap'd Sir Lanval's tongue: 'Yes!' he declar'd, 'he felt love's fullest power!
Yes!' he declar'd, 'he had a paramour!
But one, so perfect in all female grace, Those charms might scarcely win her handmaid's place; Those charms, were now one menial damsel near, Would lose this little light, and disappear.'
Strong degradation sure the words implied; The queen stood mute, she could not speak for pride; But quick she turn'd, and to her chamber sped, There prostrate lay, and wept upon her bed; There vow'd the coming of her lord to wait, Nor mov'd till promis'd vengeance seal'd her hate.
The king, that day devoted to the chace, Ne'er till the close of evening sought the place; Then at his feet the fair deceiver fell, And gloss'd her artful tale of mischief well; Told how a saucy knight his queen abus'd, With prayer of proffer'd love, with scorn refus'd; Thereat how rudely rail'd the ruffian shent, With slanderous speech and foul disparagement, And boastfully declar'd such charms array'd The veriest menial where his vows were paid, That, might one handmaid of that dame be seen, All eyes would shun with scorn imperial Arthur's queen.
The weeping tale of her, his heart ador'd, Wak'd the quick wrath of her deluded lord; Sternly he menac'd some disastrous end By fire or cord, should soon that wretch attend, And straight dispatched three barons bold to bring The culprit to the presence of his king.
Lanval! the while, the queen no longer near, Home to his chamber hied with heavy cheer: Much did he dread his luckless boast might prove The eternal forfeit of his lady's love; And, all impatient his dark doom to try, And end the pangs of dire uncertainty, His humble prayer he tremblingly preferr'd, Wo worth the while! his prayer no more was heard.
O! how he wail'd! how curs'd the unhappy day!
Deaf still remained the unrelenting fay.
Him, thus dismay'd, the approaching barons found; Outstretch'd he lay, and weeping, on the ground; To reckless ears their summons they declar'd, Lost was his fay, for nought beside he car'd; So forth they led him, void of will or word, Dead was his heart within, his wretched life abhorr'd.
They reach the presence; there he hears surpriz'd The mortal charge of felony devis'd: Stern did the monarch look, and sharp upbraid For foul seducement of his queen a.s.say'd: The knight, whose loyal heart disdain'd the offence, With generous warmth affirm'd his innocence; He ne'er devis'd seduction:--for the rest, His speech discourteous, frankly he confess'd; Influenc'd with ire his lips forwent their guard; He stood prepared to bide the court's award.
Straight from his peers were chosen judges nam'd: Then fix the trial, with due forms proclaim'd; By them 'tis order'd that the accus'd a.s.sign Three men for pledge, or in a prison pine.
Lanval! 'tis told, had pa.s.s'd from foreign strand, And kinsmen none there dwelt on English land; And well he knew that in the hour of proof Friends for the most part fail, and stand aloof: Sue them he would not, but with manly pride In silence turn'd, and toward his prison hied.
With generous grief the deed Sir Gawaine view'd; Dear to the king was he, and nephew of his blood, But liberal worth past nature's ties prevail'd, And sympathy stood forth, if friends.h.i.+p fail'd; Nor less good-will full many a knight inspir'd; With general voice the prisoner all requir'd, All pledg'd their fiefs he should not fail the day, And homeward bore him from the court away.
His friends, for sure they well that t.i.tle claim, First thought the licence of his tongue to blame; But, when they mark'd how deeply he was mov'd, They sooth'd and cherish'd rather than reprov'd.
Each day, as mute he sat in desperate grief, They spoke kind words of comfort and relief; Each day, howe'er they sought, howe'er they sued, Scarce might they win his lips to taste of food: 'Come, welcome death!' forever was his cry; 'Lo, here a wretch who wishes but to die!'
So still he wail'd, till woe such mastery wan They trembled for his n.o.bler powers of man; They fear'd lest reason's tottering rule should end And to a moping ideot sink their friend.
At length came on the day, long since decreed, When the sad knight should suffer or be freed.
From every part the a.s.sembling barons meet: Each judge, as fore-ordain'd, a.s.sumes his seat; The king, too strongly sway'd by female pride, O'er the grave council will himself preside, And, while the presence of his queen inspires, Goads on the judgment as her wrath requires.
There might be seen that honourable band Late for the prisoner pledg'd in fief and land; Slow they advance, then stand before the board, Whiles all behold the entrusted thrall restor'd.
With many a question next the accus'd was prov'd; Then, while the votes were given, awhile remov'd.
But those brave warriors, when they weigh'd the plight And the fair promise of this hapless knight, His youth, for yet he reach'd not manhood's prime; His gallant mien, his life without a crime, His helpless state by kindred unsustain'd, In a strange court and in a foreign land, All cried aloud, were Lanval doom'd to die, It were a doom of shame and cruelty.
At first 'twas mov'd, that straight conducted thence, Some meet confinement should chastise the offence; When one grave peer, in honest hope to wave The dire debas.e.m.e.nt of a youth so brave, Produc'd this purpose, with such reasoning grac'd, 'Twas with the general plaudit soon embrac'd: ''Twas urg'd,' he said, 'and sure the offence he blam'd, Their queen by base comparison was sham'd; That he, the prisoner, with strange fury mov'd, Had prais'd too proudly the fair dame he lov'd; First, then, 'twere meet this mistress should be seen There in full court, and plac'd beside the queen; So might they judge of pa.s.sion's mad pretence, Or truth had wrought the ungrateful preference.'
So spoke the judge; Sir Lanval hears the doom, And weens his hour of destiny is come; Quench'd is the lore that erst, in happier day, Won to his whisper'd prayer the willing fay; And the last licence pitying laws devise, Serves but to close the count of miseries!
When, lo! strange shouts of joy and clamourous cheers, Rose from without, and stay'd the astonish'd peers: At hand two damsels entering in were seen, Lovely alike their look, and n.o.ble was their mien; On a grey dappled steed each lady rode, That pac'd for pride, as conscious of his load; 'Lo here!' 'twas murmured round with new delight, 'Lo here, the mistress of the Breton knight!'
The twain meanwhile pa.s.s'd onward undelay'd, And to the king their graceful greetings paid, Then told their lady's coming, and desir'd Such harbourage as highest rank requir'd.
E'en as they spoke, twain others, lovelier fair, Of stature loftier, of more royal air, Came proudly on: of gold their purfled vest, Well shap'd, each symmetry of limb confess'd: On goodly mules from farthest Spain they brought, This pair the presence of the sovereign sought.
The impatient king, ere well their lips had power, To claim fit harbourage of board and bower, Led on their way; and, court'sies scantly done, Back to the peers be sped, and press'd the judgment on; For much, meseems, his vengeful heart misgave Some thwarting chance the Breton knight might save.