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"Le Morte DArthur": Notes de Lecture Volet 134
"Le Morte DArthur": Notes de Lecture Volet 134
Notes de lecture
134
Le texte de base est celui de ldition de Janet Cowen, Penguin Classics (2 vol.).
BOOK VII
CHAPTER 15. How the damosel [Lynet] and Beaumains came to the siege, and came to
a sycamore tree, and there Beaumains blew a horn, and then the Knight of
the Red Launds came to ght with him
1
Now leave we the knight and the dwarf, and speak we of Beaumains, that all night lay in the hermitage; and upon the morn he and the damosel Lynet heard their mass and brake their fast. And then
they took their horses and rode throughout a fair forest; and then they came to a plain, and saw where
were many pavilions and tents, and a fair castle, and there was much smoke and great noise; and when
they came near the siege Sir Beaumains espied upon great trees, as he rode, how there hung full goodly
armed knights by the neck, and their shields about their necks with their swords, and gilt spurs upon
their heels, and so there hung nigh a forty knights shamefully with full rich arms. Then Sir Beaumains
abated his countenance and said, What meaneth this?
Fair sir, said the damosel, abate not your cheer for all this sight, for ye must courage yourself, or else ye
be all shent, for all these knights came hither to this siege to rescue my sister Dame Lyonesse, and when the Red
Knight of the Red Launds had overcome them, he put them to this shameful death without mercy and pity. And in
the same wise he will serve you but if you quit you the better.
Now Jesu defend me, said Beaumains, from such a villainous death and shenship of arms. For rather
than I should so be faren withal, I would rather be slain manly in plain battle.
So were ye better, said the damosel; for trust not, in him is no courtesy, but all goeth to the death or
shameful murder, and that is pity, for he is a full likely man, well made of body, and a full noble knight of prowess,
and a lord of great lands and possessions.
Truly, said Beaumains, he may well be a good knight, but he useth shameful customs, and it is marvel
that he endureth so long that none of the noble knights of my lord Arthurs have not dealt with him.
2
And then they rode to the dykes, and saw them double dyked with full warlike walls; and there
were lodged many great lords nigh the walls; and there was great noise of minstrelsy; and the sea beated upon the one side of the walls, where were many ships and mariners noise with hale and how.
And also there was fast by a sycamore tree, and there hung an horn, the greatest that ever they saw, of
an elephants bone; and this Knight of the Red Launds had hanged it up there, that if there came any
errant knight, he must blow that horn, and then will he make him ready and come to him to do battle.
But, sir, I pray you, said the damosel Lynet, blow ye not the horn till it be high noon, for now it is about
prime, and now increaseth his might, that as men say he hath seven mens strength.
Ah, e for shame, fair damosel, say ye never so more to me; for and he were as good a knight as ever was, I
shall never fail him in his most might, for either I will win worship worshipfully, or die knightly in the eld.
And therewith he spurred his horse straight to the sycamore tree, and blew so the horn eagerly
that all the siege and the castle rang thereof. And then there leapt out knights out of their tents and
pavilions, and they within the castle looked over the walls and out at windows.
Then the Red Knight of the Red Launds armed him hastily, and two barons set on his spurs upon
his heels, and all was blood red, his armour, spear and shield. And an earl buckled his helm upon his
head, and then they brought him a red spear and a red steed, and so he rode into a little vale under the
castle, that all that were in the castle and at the siege might behold the battle.
cor que sige et chteau en retentirent. Et les chevaliers de sortir dun bond de leurs tentes et pavillons, et ceux de lintrieur du chteau de regarder par-dessus les remparts et par les fentres.
Le Chevalier Rouge des Landes Rouges squipa en toute hte, deux barons lui xrent ses perons ses talons ; tout tait rouge, armure, lance et bouclier. Un comte lui boucla son casque sur sa
tte, on lui tendit une lance rouge, on avana son talon rouge, et une fois mont, il t son entre dans
un petit val au pied du chteau an que tous, assigeants et assigs, fussent mme dassister la
bataille.
1 a sycamore tree
A large species of maple, Acer Pseudoplatanus ; bastard sycamore, false sycamore, vulgar sycamore
rable sycomore, faux-platane (hauteur : 30-35 m)