CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

 In Normandy

 

Of the travels of Sir Galahad, of how he journeyed through many lands and new scenes, there is much to be told. Ever with him, went his faithful man, Walker, who served him well and loyally.

 

Eager was the young knight¹ to reach Normandy of which he had heard much. So he sailed away and since many rumors² held the Grail to be there he hoped to find it.

 

In Normandy, a strange land, he met with much adventure, many knights³ brave and true, and some who were not. But no sign of the Grail was there to be had.

 

On his white horse, the Seeker, he made his way southward, finding lodging⁴ where he could.

 

It was so, in the first month of his travels, that he came to the castle of one of the best of Normandy's knights. Of him, Sir Launcelot had spoken highly; he held him in great esteem⁶, and so had counseled the youthful knight to make it his purpose to visit him when there.

 

Sir Guilbert gave him friendly greeting. Many had been his visits to England, well he knew Sir Launcelot and Sir Percival and the great King himself. Sir Galahad found his stay a pleasant one; there were friendly jousts⁷ in which he met some of Normandy's worshipful knights. In all of these he was victor.

 

Sir Guilbert had full praise for the young knight. There was son of his, a youth of seventeen, who also admired the newcomer, even as Allan the boy had admired Sir Launcelot. When his visitor's stay was drawing to a close, Sir Guilbert spoke⁵ of this.

 

"My son Charles, Sir Galahad, has taken great fancy to you and wishful am I that you could find it in your plans to take him as page. He is a quiet lad, sturdy and obedient, you will find. And following wish of his mother, he knows your English tongue well, for she is Englishborn. He has made study of Latin too, it seemed for a time that he would turn to priesthood. But that will not be, and I cannot say that it finds me regretful. I would have him a true knight, had I my way."

 

"Your wish, Sir Guilbert, may well be served. But if I may, I should like first to speak to the lad, before I make answer."

 

"Faith, and you may. For we should want the lad to satisfy you and merit your friendship. I shall see to it that you have the chance to speak with him. It were better, that he know not the reason for your questioning. Is it not so?"

 

"It would be best, Sir Guilbert," Sir Galahad replied.

 

Then the two talked of other things and the young knight questioned his friend as to the likely whereabouts of the Holy Grail.

 

"Many rumors have I heard, Sir Galahad. But never actual trace. Understand you well, my friend. Knights from every land seek this Grail and I would wish that it were Norman who found it. But if it cannot be one from my own land, I would it were one from your country. I fear me, it shall not be easy search, it may lead you far."

 

"I am well prepared for that," replied the Seeker. "If it were easy to find, the glory would be so much the less. I can but hope that I shall have the vision to see it when it is near me."

 

"I wish you well," Sir Guilbert made answer. "Now let us repair to the dining hall for the meal waits."

 

It was after they had eaten that Sir Galahad found the opportunity to hold speech with the youth, Charles.

 

He found the lad to be all that his father had said of him.

 

"What have you wish for, Charles?" he said.

 

"I should like to journey far and to many places," the boy replied. "There is much to see and I envy the many who have traveled to foreign lands."

 

"How then, if you could, would you travel?"

 

"As a true Norman knight serving God and the Church against all infidels."

 

"Well spoken, lad. But it needs many years and one must learn much to be a good knight. It is not easy work."

 

"I know that, Sir Galahad. But I shall not count the years for I am still young."

 

More questions the knight asked the lad and he made eager though respectful answer. It was apparent that he had thought of it for many a day. But Sir Galahad said never a word to him of the reason for his questions and left the lad without knowledge of his purpose.

 

But the next day he spoke to Sir Guilbert and gave him answer.

 

"I should like the youth as my page. He is the kind I could well use. And I promise you that he shall come back to you so that neither you nor his mother shall have reason to be other than proud of him. He will be of great help to me when I reach Rome for I purpose to journey there, I know naught⁸ of the tongue."

 

"Have you told the lad, as yet?" the father asked.

 

"I thought it best that either you or your lady speak first with him and then will I."

 

"That is a gracious deed on your part, my knight. And if it bears fruit or not, I shall indeed be in your debt."

 

"Not so, Sir Guilbert. For the boy will but have such chance as I was given by Sir Percival when I was even younger than he."

1 knight   

n.骑士，武士；爵士

参考例句：

• He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
• A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。

2 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 knights   

骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

4 lodging   

n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍

参考例句：

• The bill is inclusive of the food and lodging. 账单包括吃、住费用。
• Where can you find lodging for the night? 你今晚在哪里借宿?

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 esteem   

n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。

7 jousts   

（骑士）骑着马用长矛打斗( joust的名词复数 )； 格斗，竞争

参考例句：

• The oil company jousts with Esso for lead position in UK sales. 这家石油公司和埃索公司角逐英国市场销量的榜首位置。 来自柯林斯例句
• There were notable jousts with the Secretary of Commerce. 和商业部长之间明显存在竞争。 来自柯林斯例句

8 naught   

n.无，零 [=nought]

参考例句：

• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。
• I hope that all your efforts won't go for naught.我希望你的努力不会毫无结果。