Version 1

Notes de lecture
125

Le texte de base est celui de ldition de Janet Cowen, Penguin Classics (2 vol.).

BOOK VII
CHAPTER 6. How Beaumains fought and slew two knights at a passage
1
And on the morn the damosel and he took their leave and thanked the knight, and so departed,
and rode on their way until they came to a great forest. And there was a great river and but one passage, and there were ready two knights on the farther side to let them the passage.
What sayest thou, said the damosel, wilt thou match yonder knights or turn again?
Nay, said Sir Beaumains, I will not turn again and they were six more.
And therewithal he rushed into the water, and in midst of the water either brake their spears
upon other to their hands, and then they drew their swords, and smote eagerly at other. And at the last
Sir Beaumains smote the other upon the helm that his head stonied, and therewithal he fell down in
the water, and there was he drowned. And then he spurred his horse upon the land, where the other
knight fell upon him, and brake his spear, and so they drew their swords and fought long together. At
the last Sir Beaumains clave his helm and his head down to the shoulders; and so he rode unto the
damosel and bad her ride forth on her way.
2
Alas, she said, that ever a kitchen page should have that fortune to destroy such two doughty knights:
thou weenest thou hast done doughtily, that is not so; for the rst knight his horse stumbled, and there he was
drowned in the water, and never it was by thy force, nor by thy might. And the last knight by mishap thou camest
behind him and mishappily thou slew him.
Damosel, said Beaumains, ye may say what ye will, but with whomsomever I have ado withal, I trust to
God to serve him or he depart. And therefore I reck not what ye say, so that I may win your lady.
Fie, e, foul kitchen knave, thou shalt see knights that shall abate thy boast.
Fair damosel, give me goodly language, and then my care is past, for what knights somever they be, I care
not, nor I doubt them not.
Also, said she, I say it for thine avail, yet mayest thou turn again with thy worship; for and thou follow
me, thou art but slain, for I see all that ever thou dost is but by misadventure, and not by prowess of thy hands.
Well, damosel, ye may say what ye will, but wheresomever ye go I will follow you.
3

So this Beaumains rode with that lady till evensong time, and ever she chid him, and would not

rest. And they came to a black laund; and there was a black hawthorn, and thereon hung a black banner,
and on the other side there hung a black shield, and by it stood a black spear great and long, and a great
black horse covered with silk, and a black stone fast by.

Beaumains tue au combat deux chevaliers un gu

1
Le lendemain matin, la demoiselle et lui, aprs avoir pris cong du chevalier et lavoir remerci,
se remirent en selle et reprirent la route jusqu ce quils parviennent dans une grande fort, traverse
par une grande rivire qui ntait guable quen un endroit ; sur la rive oppose, deux chevaliers se tenaient prts leur interdire le passage.
Eh bien, quen dis-tu ? demanda la demoiselle. Veux-tu aronter les deux chevaliers den face ou rebrousser chemin ?
Pas dhsitation, rpondit sire Beaumains, je refuse de leur tourner le dos, quand bien mme il y en
aurait six de plus.
ces mots, il se lana dans les ots et, au milieu du courant, les deux adversaires brisrent leurs
lances lun sur lautre la hauteur de la garde, dgainrent alors leurs pes et ferraillrent avec rage.
Finalement, sire Beaumains assena sur le casque de lautre un coup qui ltourdit, si bien quil tomba
leau et se noya. Le vainqueur peronna alors son cheval et gagna la berge, o le second chevalier lattaqua, mais sa lance se rompit, et tous deux dgainrent, croisant le fer longuement. En n de compte, sire
Beaumains lui porta un coup qui, dfonant casque et bote crnienne, trancha jusquaux paules ; puis
il rejoignit la demoiselle, lui disant de continuer sa route.
2
Quel malheur, profra-t-elle, quil soit donn un valet de cuisine dter la vie deux aussi vaillants
chevaliers ! Tu crois ttre vaillamment comport, mais il nen est rien : pour ce qui est du premier chevalier, sa
monture a trbuch, do sa chute dans la rivire et sa noyade, et ni ta force ni ton courage ny sont pour quoi que
ce soit ; quant au second chevalier, la malchance a voulu que tu arrives par derrire et que tu le tues.
Demoiselle, repartit Beaumains, vous pouvez bien dire tout ce que bon vous semble, mais quel que soit
ladversaire que jaronte, je me e Dieu pour avoir raison de lui avant quil ne reparte. Par consquent, que
mimportent vos propos, pourvu que je gagne [le cur de] la dame que vous servez.
Quelle horreur ! sale valet de cuisine, tu vas rencontrer des chevaliers qui rabaisseront ton caquet.
Belle demoiselle, cessez vos invectives et mes soucis disparaissent, car pour ce qui est des chevaliers que
vous voquez, je ne men soucie pas et je ne les crains pas.
Jajoute, reprit-elle, que je te dis cela dans ton intrt, car il test encore loisible de rebrousser chemin,
sans perdre la face ; si tu restes avec moi, cest ta mort assure, car je constate que ta russite tient la malchance
et non ton habilet.
Eh bien, demoiselle, vous pouvez bien dire tout ce que bon vous semble, mais o que vous alliez, je suis
rsolu vous suivre.
3
Ainsi donc notre Beaumains continua chevaucher aux cts de cette dame jusqu lheure de
complies, et toujours elle le vilipendait, sans rpit. Ils arrivrent dans une lande noire ; une pine
noire taient accrochs dun ct une bannire noire et de lautre un bouclier noir, auprs duquel tait
plante une lance noire, longue et massive, et se tenait un cheval noir couvert dune housse de soie,
avec un montoir en pierre noire tout prs.

1 there was a great river

the water of Mortaise (volet 143) ; a water, the which is called Mortaise (XIV, 8, volet 382).
2 two knights on the farther side il sagit de deux frres ; voir volets 133 et 143.
3 to let them the passage propos de ce verbe let, voir volet 96, 1.
4 thou camest thou slew Caxton : camyt, lowe ; Winchester folio 118r : camyte,

lewit. Chez Caxton, le choix est indtermin, la 2e personne du singulier, entre la

forme avec dsinence spcique et celle avec dsinence .Cf. Caliban :
I mut eat my dinner.
This ilands mine, by Sycorax my mother,
Which thou takt from me. When thou camt firt,
Thou trokt me and made much of me, wouldt give me
Water with berries in t, and teach me how
To name the bigger light, and how the le,
That burn by day and night.

5 so that I may win your lady

MED :

6b (b) to gain (a woman as ones wife) by the successful performance of a task or by victory in a
contest.
7b (b) to be awarded the hand of (a woman) in marriage, win as ones wife [sometimes dicult to
distinguish from sense 6b.(b)]; ~ to (unto) wif;

6 till evensong time

plies ( lheure du coucher)

evensong englobe vpres ( la tombe de la nuit) et com-

7 a black hawthorn
non laubpine ou cenellier (Cratgus L., 1753), mais
lpine noire ou prunellier (Prunus spinosa L., 1753).