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"Le Morte DArthur": Notes de Lecture Volet 144
"Le Morte DArthur": Notes de Lecture Volet 144
Notes de lecture
144
Le texte de base est celui de ldition de Janet Cowen, Penguin Classics (2 vol.).
BOOK VII
CHAPTER 25. How the Queen of Orkney came to this feast of Pentecost,
and Sir Gawain and his brethren came to ask her blessing
1
So then the king and they went to meat, and were served in the best manner. And as they sat at
the meat, there came in the Queen of Orkney, with ladies and knights a great number. And then Sir
Gawain, Sir Agravain, and Gaheris arose, and went to her and saluted her upon their knees, and asked
her blessing; for in fteen year they had not seen her. Then she spake on high to her brother King
Arthur:
Where have ye done my young son Sir Gareth? He was here amongst you a twelvemonth, and ye made a
kitchen knave of him, the which is shame to you all. Alas, where have ye done my dear son that was my joy and
bliss?
O dear mother, said Sir Gawain, I knew him not.
Nor I, said the king, that now me repenteth, but thanked be God he is proved a worshipful knight as any
is now living of his years, and I shall never be glad till I may nd him.
Ah, brother, said the Queen unto King Arthur, and unto Sir Gawain, and to all her sons, ye did
yourself great shame when ye amongst you kept my son in the kitchen and fed him like a poor hog.
Fair sister, said King Arthur, ye shall right well wit I knew him not, nor no more did Sir Gawain, nor his
brethren; but sithen it is so, said the king, that he is thus gone from us all, we must shape a remedy to nd him.
Also, sister, meseemeth ye might have done me to wit of his coming, and then and I had not done well to him ye
might have blamed me. For when he came to this court he came leaning upon two mens shoulders, as though he
might not have gone. And then he asked me three gifts; and one he asked the same day, that was that I would give
him meat enough that twelvemonth; and the other two gifts he asked that day a twelvemonth, and that was that he
might have the adventure of the damosel Lynet, and the third was that Sir Launcelot should make him knight
when he desired him. And so I granted him all his desire, and many in this court marvelled that he desired his sustenance for a twelvemonth. And thereby, we deemed, many of us, that he was not come of a noble house.
2
Sir, said the Queen of Orkney unto King Arthur her brother, wit ye well that I sent him unto you
right well armed and horsed, and worshipfully beseen of his body, and gold and silver plenty to spend.
It may be, said the King, but thereof saw we none, save that same day as he departed from us, knights
told me that there came a dwarf hither suddenly, and brought him armour and a good horse full well and richly
beseen; and thereat we all had marvel from whence that riches came, that we deemed all that he was come of men
of worship.
Brother, said the queen, all that ye say I believe, for ever sithen he was grown he was marvellously
witted, and ever he was faithful and true of his promise. But I marvel, said she, that Sir Kay did mock him and
scorn him, and gave him that name Beaumains; yet, Sir Kay, said the queen, named him more righteously than
he weened; for I dare say and he be alive, he is as fair an handed man and well disposed as any is living.
Sister1, said Arthur, let this language be still, and by the grace of God he shall be found and he be within
this Seven Realms, and let all this pass and be merry, for he is proved to be a man of worship, and that is my joy.
par moquerie et mpris, lui ait donn ce surnom de Beaumains ; tout bien considr, corrigea-t-elle, sire Keu ne
croyait pas si bien dire car, je larme, si mon ls est vivant, il a les plus belles mains et est le mieux bti de ses
contemporains.
Ma sur, coupa Arthur, laissons-l ce discours ; grce Dieu, on le retrouvera sil na pas quitt les Sept
Royaumes : nen parlons plus et ayons le cur la fte, car il sest rvl un homme de valeur, ce qui me remplit
daise.
La reine des Orcades est Margawse/Morgause, demi-sur dArthur et pouse du roi Lot.
1 this Seven Realms = lHeptarchie.