The Defence of Guenevere
But, knowing now that they would have her speak,
She threw her wet hair backward from her brow,
Her hand close to her mouth touching1 her cheek,
As though she had had there a shameful2 blow,
And feeling it shameful to feel ought but shame
All through her heart, yet felt her cheek burned so,
She must a little touch it; like one lame3
She walked away from Gauwaine, with her head
Still lifted up; and on her cheek of flame
The tears dried quick; she stopped at last and said:
O knights4 and lords, it seems but little skill
To talk of well-known things past now and dead.
God wot I ought to say, I have done ill,
And pray you all forgiveness heartily6!
Because you must be right, such great lords; still
Listen, suppose your time were come to die,
And you were quite alone and very weak;
Yea, laid a dying while very mightily8
The wind was ruffling9 up the narrow streak10
Of river through your broad lands running well:
Suppose a hush11 should come, then some one speak:
‘One of these cloths is heaven, and one is hell,
Now choose one cloth for ever; which they be,
I will not tell you, you must somehow tell
Of your own strength and mightiness12; here, see!’
Yea, yea, my lord, and you to ope your eyes,
At foot of your familiar bed to see
A great God’s angel standing13, with such dyes,
Not known on earth, on his great wings, and hands,
Held out two ways, light from the inner skies
Showing him well, and making his commands
Seem to be God’s commands, moreover, too,
Holding within his hands the cloths on wands;
And one of these strange choosing cloths was blue,
Wavy14 and long, and one cut short and red;
No man could tell the better of the two.
After a shivering half-hour you said:
‘God help! heaven’s colour, the blue;’ and he said, ‘hell.’
Perhaps you then would roll upon your bed,
And cry to all good men that loved you well,
‘Ah Christ! if only I had known, known, known;’
Launcelot went away, then I could tell,
Like wisest man how all things would be, moan,
And roll and hurt myself, and long to die,
And yet fear much to die for what was sown.
Nevertheless you, O Sir Gauwaine, lie,
Whatever may have happened through these years,
God knows I speak truth, saying that you lie.
Her voice was low at first, being full of tears,
But as it cleared, it grew full loud and shrill15,
Growing a windy shriek16 in all men’s ears,
A ringing in their startled brains, until
She said that Gauwaine lied, then her voice sunk,
And her great eyes began again to fill,
Though still she stood right up, and never shrunk,
But spoke17 on bravely, glorious lady fair!
Whatever tears her full lips may have drunk,
She stood, and seemed to think, and wrung18 her hair,
Spoke out at last with no more trace of shame,
With passionate19 twisting of her body there:
It chanced upon a day that Launcelot came
To dwell at Arthur’s court: at Christmas-time
This happened; when the heralds20 sung his name,
Son of King Ban of Benwick, seemed to chime
Along with all the bells that rang that day,
O’er the white roofs, with little change of rhyme.
Christmas and whitened winter passed away,
And over me the April sunshine came,
Made very awful with black hail-clouds, yea
And in the Summer I grew white with flame,
And bowed my head down: Autumn, and the sick
Sure knowledge things would never be the same,
However often Spring might be most thick
Of blossoms and buds, smote22 on me, and I grew
Careless of most things, let the clock tick, tick,
To my unhappy pulse, that beat right through
My eager body; while I laughed out loud,
And let my lips curl up at false or true,
Seemed cold and shallow without any cloud.
Behold23 my judges, then the cloths were brought;
While I was dizzied thus, old thoughts would crowd,
Belonging to the time ere I was bought
By Arthur’s great name and his little love;
Must I give up for ever then, I thought,
That which I deemed would ever round me move
Glorifying24 all things; for a little word,
Scarce ever meant at all, must I now prove
Stone-cold for ever? Pray you, does the Lord
Will that all folks should be quite happy and good?
I love God now a little, if this cord
Were broken, once for all what striving could
Make me love anything in earth or heaven?
So day by day it grew, as if one should
Slip slowly down some path worn smooth and even,
Down to a cool sea on a summer day;
Yet still in slipping there was some small leaven25
Of stretched hands catching26 small stones by the way,
Until one surely reached the sea at last,
And felt strange new joy as the worn head lay
Back, with the hair like sea-weed; yea all past
Sweat of the forehead, dryness of the lips,
Washed utterly27 out by the dear waves o’ercast,
In the lone7 sea, far off from any ships!
Do I not know now of a day in Spring?
No minute of that wild day ever slips
From out my memory; I hear thrushes sing,
And wheresoever I may be, straightway
Thoughts of it all come up with most fresh sting:
I was half mad with beauty on that day,
And went without my ladies all alone,
In a quiet garden walled round every way;
I was right joyful28 of that wall of stone,
That shut the flowers and trees up with the sky,
And trebled all the beauty: to the bone,
Yea right through to my heart, grown very shy
With weary thoughts, it pierced, and made me glad;
Exceedingly glad, and I knew verily,
A little thing just then had made me mad;
I dared not think, as I was wont29 to do,
Sometimes, upon my beauty; If I had
Held out my long hand up against the blue,
And, looking on the tenderly darken’d fingers,
Thought that by rights one ought to see quite through,
There, see you, where the soft still light yet lingers,
Round by the edges; what should I have done,
If this had joined with yellow spotted30 singers,
And startling green drawn31 upward by the sun?
But shouting, loosed out, see now! all my hair,
And trancedly stood watching the west wind run
With faintest half-heard breathing sound; why there
I lose my head e’en now in doing this;
But shortly listen: In that garden fair
Came Launcelot walking; this is true, the kiss
Wherewith we kissed in meeting that spring day,
I scarce dare talk of the remember’d bliss32,
When both our mouths went wandering in one way,
And aching sorely, met among the leaves;
Our hands being left behind strained far away.
Never within a yard of my bright sleeves
Had Launcelot come before: and now, so nigh!
After that day why is it Guenevere grieves?
Nevertheless you, O Sir Gauwaine, lie,
Whatever happened on through all those years,
God knows I speak truth, saying that you lie.
Being such a lady could I weep these tears
If this were true? A great queen such as I
Having sinn’d this way, straight her conscience sears;
And afterwards she liveth hatefully,
Slaying33 and poisoning, certes never weeps:
Gauwaine be friends now, speak me lovingly.
Do I not see how God’s dear pity creeps
All through your frame, and trembles in your mouth?
Remember in what grave your mother sleeps,
Buried in some place far down in the south,
Men are forgetting as I speak to you;
By her head sever’d in that awful drouth
Of pity that drew Agravaine’s fell blow,
I pray your pity! let me not scream out
For ever after, when the shrill winds blow
Through half your castle-locks! let me not shout
For ever after in the winter night
When you ride out alone! in battle-rout
Let not my rusting34 tears make your sword light!
Ah! God of mercy, how he turns away!
So, ever must I dress me to the fight,
So: let God’s justice work! Gauwaine, I say,
See me hew35 down your proofs: yea all men know
Even as you said how Mellyagraunce one day,
One bitter day in la Fausse Garde, for so
All good knights held it after, saw:
Yea, sirs, by cursed unknightly outrage36; though
You, Gauwaine, held his word without a flaw,
This Mellyagraunce saw blood upon my bed:
Whose blood then pray you? is there any law
To make a queen say why some spots of red
Lie on her coverlet? or will you say:
Your hands are white, lady, as when you wed21,
Where did you bleed? and must I stammer37 out, Nay38,
I blush indeed, fair lord, only to rend39
My sleeve up to my shoulder, where there lay
A knife-point last night: so must I defend
The honour of the Lady Guenevere?
Not so, fair lords, even if the world should end
This very day, and you were judges here
Instead of God. Did you see Mellyagraunce
When Launcelot stood by him? what white fear
Curdled40 his blood, and how his teeth did dance,
His side sink in? as my knight5 cried and said:
Slayer41 of unarm’d men, here is a chance!
Setter of traps, I pray you guard your head,
By God I am so glad to fight with you,
Stripper of ladies, that my hand feels lead
For driving weight; hurrah42 now! draw and do,
For all my wounds are moving in my breast,
And I am getting mad with waiting so.
He struck his hands together o’er the beast,
Who fell down flat, and grovell’d at his feet,
And groan’d at being slain43 so young: At least,
My knight said, rise you, sir, who are so fleet
At catching ladies, half-arm’d will I fight,
My left side all uncovered! then I weet,
Up sprang Sir Mellyagraunce with great delight
Upon his knave’s face; not until just then
Did I quite hate him, as I saw my knight
Along the lists look to my stake and pen
With such a joyous44 smile, it made me sigh
From agony beneath my waist-chain, when
The fight began, and to me they drew nigh;
Ever Sir Launcelot kept him on the right,
And traversed warily45, and ever high
And fast leapt caitiff’s sword, until my knight
Sudden threw up his sword to his left hand,
Caught it, and swung it; that was all the fight,
Except a spout46 of blood on the hot land;
For it was hottest summer; and I know
I wonder’d how the fire, while I should stand,
And burn, against the heat, would quiver so,
Yards above my head; thus these matters went;
Which things were only warnings of the woe47
That fell on me. Yet Mellyagraunce was shent,
For Mellyagraunce had fought against the Lord;
Therefore, my lords, take heed48 lest you be blent
With all this wickedness; say no rash word
Against me, being so beautiful; my eyes,
Wept all away to grey, may bring some sword
To drown you in your blood; see my breast rise,
Like waves of purple sea, as here I stand;
And how my arms are moved in wonderful wise,
Yea also at my full heart’s strong command,
See through my long throat how the words go up
In ripples49 to my mouth; how in my hand
The shadow lies like wine within a cup
Of marvellously colour’d gold; yea now
This little wind is rising, look you up,
And wonder how the light is falling so
Within my moving tresses: will you dare,
When you have looked a little on my brow,
To say this thing is vile50? or will you care
For any plausible51 lies of cunning woof,
When you can see my face with no lie there
For ever? am I not a gracious proof:
But in your chamber52 Launcelot was found:
Is there a good knight then would stand aloof53,
When a queen says with gentle queenly sound:
O true as steel come now and talk with me,
I love to see your step upon the ground
Unwavering, also well I love to see
That gracious smile light up your face, and hear
Your wonderful words, that all mean verily
The thing they seem to mean: good friend, so dear
To me in everything, come here to-night,
Or else the hours will pass most dull and drear;
If you come not, I fear this time I might
Get thinking over much of times gone by,
When I was young, and green hope was in sight:
For no man cares now to know why I sigh;
And no man comes to sing me pleasant songs,
Nor any brings me the sweet flowers that lie
So thick in the gardens; therefore one so longs
To see you, Launcelot; that we may be
Like children once again, free from all wrongs
Just for one night. Did he not come to me?
What thing could keep true Launcelot away
If I said, Come? there was one less than three
In my quiet room that night, and we were gay;
Till sudden I rose up, weak, pale, and sick,
Because a bawling54 broke our dream up, yea
I looked at Launcelot’s face and could not speak,
For he looked helpless too, for a little while;
Then I remember how I tried to shriek,
And could not, but fell down; from tile to tile
The stones they threw up rattled55 o’er my head
And made me dizzier; till within a while
My maids were all about me, and my head
On Launcelot’s breast was being soothed56 away
From its white chattering57, until Launcelot said:
By God! I will not tell you more today,
Judge any way you will: what matters it?
You know quite well the story of that fray58,
How Launcelot still’d their bawling, the mad fit
That caught up Gauwaine: all, all, verily,
But just that which would save me; these things flit.
Nevertheless you, O Sir Gauwaine, lie,
Whatever may have happen’d these long years,
God knows I speak truth, saying that you lie!
All I have said is truth, by Christ’s dear tears.
She would not speak another word, but stood
Turn’d sideways; listening, like a man who hears
His brother’s trumpet59 sounding through the wood
Of his foes’ lances. She lean’d eagerly,
And gave a slight spring sometimes, as she could
At last hear something really; joyfully60
Her cheek grew crimson61, as the headlong speed
Of the roan charger drew all men to see,
The knight who came was Launcelot at good need.
收听单词发音 |
1
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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2
shameful
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| adj.可耻的，不道德的 | |
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3
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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4
knights
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| 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 | |
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5
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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6
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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7
lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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8
mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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9
ruffling
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| 弄皱( ruffle的现在分词 )； 弄乱； 激怒； 扰乱 | |
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10
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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11
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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12
mightiness
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| n.强大 | |
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13
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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14
wavy
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| adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的 | |
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15
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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16
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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17
spoke
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| 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 | |
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18
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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19
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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20
heralds
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| n.使者( herald的名词复数 )；预报者；预兆；传令官v.预示( herald的第三人称单数 )；宣布（好或重要） | |
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21
wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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22
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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23
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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24
glorifying
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| 赞美( glorify的现在分词 )； 颂扬； 美化； 使光荣 | |
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25
leaven
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| v.使发酵；n.酵母；影响 | |
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26
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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27
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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28
joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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29
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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30
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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31
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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32
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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33
slaying
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| 杀戮。 | |
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34
rusting
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| n.生锈v.（使）生锈( rust的现在分词 ) | |
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35
hew
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| v.砍；伐；削 | |
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36
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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37
stammer
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| n.结巴，口吃；v.结结巴巴地说 | |
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38
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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39
rend
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| vt.把…撕开，割裂；把…揪下来，强行夺取 | |
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40
curdled
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| v.（使）凝结( curdle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
slayer
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| n. 杀人者，凶手 | |
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42
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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43
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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44
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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warily
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| adv.留心地 | |
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spout
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| v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱 | |
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47
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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48
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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49
ripples
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| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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50
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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51
plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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52
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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53
aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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54
bawling
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的现在分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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55
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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56
soothed
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| v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
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57
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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58
fray
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| v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗 | |
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59
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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60
joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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61
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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