Parzival

  Chapter 14

  IF Gawan is going to contend there with the lance I could never be so fearful for his prowess. I ought also to be concerned for the other: but I shall shed my fears, for in battle he was a whole army against one man. His crest had been brought from heathen lands far away overseas. His surcoat and his horse’s trappers were even redder than ruby. The warrior was in quest of adventure: his shield was riddled with lance-thrusts. From the tree which Gramoflanz guarded he too had broken a twig for a wreath so gay that Gawan recognized it and was assailed by the fear that the King was waiting for him there. For had Gramoflanz ridden out to attack him, a clash could not have been avoided, even with no ladies to witness it.

  Both mounts were from Munsalvæsche, and, urged on by the spur, they raced towards each other into the charge at full tilt. This joust was done not on dusty gravel but on clover green as green and hung with dew. The pain they have to endure distresses me. Their charge was all that could be desired, since both were of a line of jousters. The man who gains the victory here will have won little and lost much – he will always deplore it when understanding comes. For they are joined in loyal affection that remains unscarred, now as in the past.

  Now listen to how this joust went – with a mighty onrush, yet in circumstances both must regret. Illustrious kinship and lofty fellowship had met there to fight a bitter battle in all enmity. The happiness of whichever prevails there will be forfeit to sorrow.

  Each delivered his thrust to such effect that these kinsmen and companions could not fail to bring each other down, mounts and all. And this is what they set about forthwith – it was as though they were hammering in wedges or pickaxing with swords! As a result of their fighting, the chips from their shields and the green grass were evenly blended there! They had to wait too long for a decision. They had gone to it early, yet no one undertook a settlement. For you see they were alone.

  Now would you like to hear more, of how Arthur’s messengers had met King Gramoflanz and his army meanwhile? It was on a meadow by the sea. On one side there ran the Sabins, on the other the Poynzaclins – the two rivers flow into the sea here. On its fourth side, the meadow was guarded by the capital city of Rosche Sabins, which enfolded it with walls, moats and many lofty towers. Over a space of a mile by half a mile the retainers had camped on this meadow. Here Arthur’s messengers rode past many knights who were complete strangers to them, mounted archers and numerous men-at-arms encased in armour and equipped with lances. Hard upon them yet other great companies were marching up with swinging step under a crowd of banners.

  Trumpets rent the air, and you could see the whole army come alive, keen to march to Joflanze without delay. There was jingling of ladies’ bridles, for King Gramoflanz’s ring was ringed with ladies!

  If I can master a tale I will tell you who had come to Gramoflanz’s assembly for his sake and lodged upon the greensward. If you have not heard of it before, let me make it known to you. From the water-girt town of Punt his noble maternal uncle King Brandelidelin had brought him six hundred dazzling ladies each of whom could rest her eyes on die sight of her lover armed to do knightly deeds and win renown. Those Punturteis were in good heart on this foray!

  If you will take it on trust from me, the handsome Bernout de Riviers was there whose mighty father Narant had left him Ukerlant. He had brought over the sea in cogs a lovely bevy of ladies whose radiant looks were acknowledged beyond all cavil, two hundred of them unmarried girls, two hundred with their husbands. If I have their number right, five hundred illustrious knights well able to do mischief to their adversaries had come with Bernout, son of Count Narant.

  In this way, King Gramoflanz intended to avenge the loss of his Garland in single combat and decide which should be judged most glorious before a host of witnesses. The Princes of his realm were there with their knights in great force, together with many ladies. There were some fine-looking people to be seen there.

  Arthur’s envoys made their way here. Let me tell you in what state they found the King. Gramoflanz was seated on a thick mattress of palmat-silk quilted over with a broad cloth-of-gold. Young ladies, vivacious and lovely, were casing the proud king’s feet in jambs of steel beneath a broad canopy of cosdy, shimmering brocade woven in Ecidemonis and wafted high above him upon a dozen lances. Arthur’s messengers having arrived, they now addressed the proudest of the proud in these terms.

  ‘Sire, we have been sent by Arthur, who was noted for having distinguished himself on occasion. And indeed, he does not want for lustre, though you are minded to diminish it. How did you arrive at such a thought as to wish to vent your displeasure on his sister’s son? Had noble Gawan done you a greater wrong, he could have counted on each and every member of the Table Round, since all who claim their seat there are his loyal companions.’

  ‘I shall deliver this duel that has been sworn unflinchingly with this same hand,’ replied the King, ‘and to such effect that before this day is out I shall have chased Gawan either to glory or disgrace! I have heard reliably that Arthur and his Queen have come in force. I bid them welcome. If the malign Duchess has been setting him on against me, Pages, you must prevent it, since it remains unalterable that I shall fight the duel. I have so many knights that I need fear no violence. But whatever it is my lot to suffer from one man, that I will endure. For were I now to refrain from what I have set my mark on, I should be giving up my love-service. God knows, that man has to thank the lady to whose mercy I have surrendered all my life and joy, since hitherto I have always scorned to engage a single enemy. Only because noble Gawan’s toils have borne such fruit am I pleased to fight a duel with him. Thus my valour stoops: I have never fought against such puny opposition. I have fought – none denies it, make your own inquiries if you please – with men who conceded fame supreme to this my hand! I have never taken on an adversary one-to-one. Nor should the ladies praise me if I gain the victory today. It warms my heart that the lady for whom this duel is to be fought has been set free, as I am told. One has heard that so many strange lands do far-famed Arthur’s bidding that, very likely, she has come here with him – the lady I shall serve till death through joy and anguish as she commands! How should I acquit myself better, if it is my good luck that she herself deigns to witness my service?’

  Bene was seated beside the King, who had cushioned his arm on her. She had no objection to this duel, having seen his prowess in battle so often that she had no fears on that score. Had she known that Gawan was her lady’s brother and that these grim matters concerned her lord, her contentment would have vanished. She had brought the King a ring which the young Princess Itonje had sent him in token of her love, the ring her illustrious brother had brought across the Sabins.

  Bene had come by fast galley on the Poynzaclins with news she did not withhold: ‘My mistress has set out from Schastel marveile accompanied by many ladies!’ She reminded the King how her mistress had told him through her of greater attachment and esteem than any young lady of tender years had ever sent a man, and that he was to keep her sufferings in mind, since to deserve his love meant more to her than anything else she could have. This raised his spirits mightily. Nevertheless, he is wronging Gawan. If this were the cost of having a sister I would rather be without one.

  Accoutrements were now brought in of such magnificence that no man constrained by love to strive for ladies’ favour, be he Gahmuret or Galoes or King Kyllicrates, could have decked out his person better to please the fair! No finer brocade was ever brought from Ipopotiticon, from spacious Acraton, Kalomi-dente or Agatyrsjente, than was chosen for his adornment. He kissed the ring which the young Princess Itonje had sent him as a love-token, and so convinced was he of her steadfastness that whenever care weighed him down, her love was as a shield to him.

  And now this King was fully armed. Twelve young ladies on stout ponies took a hand whose business it was each to hold a pole supporting the costly cloth-of-gold beneath which the King was to ride – this fair company were carrying it to sh
ade the warlike man! On two other young ladies riding beside him, admittedly the best-looking and no weaklings either, the King rested his mighty arms!

  With no more delay, Arthur’s messengers departed, and on their way back came to where Gawan was fighting. Never had these pages been so sorry. True-hearted as they were, they shouted at the top of their voices to make his peril known.

  Things had almost reached the point where Gawan’s opponent had won. The latter’s strength was so superior that Gawan, noble warrior, would have known defeat, had not those pages recognized and named him so indignantly. The man who had given him battle abstained from any further show of it and flung his sword far from him.

  ‘Accurst and contemptible I!’ cried the stranger amid his tears. ‘Fortune must have abandoned me for this infamous hand of mine ever to have known this battle – how grossly it has blundered! I accept the blame. Misfortune has come out and parted me from Fortune, and so I display my old blazon* again, as so often in the past! To think that I have been attacking noble Gawan here! So doing, I have vanquished myself and waited for Misfortune, Fortune having fled from me the instant battle was joined.’

  Gawan heard and saw his grief. ‘Alas, sir, who are you? You speak so kindly towards me. If only these things had been said before while I still had my strength. I should then not have lost my high renown which you have taken from me here. I should like to know your name and where I could find my renown if I should seek it later. As long as it pleased my Fortune I always faced up well to one man opposite me.’

  ‘Cousin, I shall make myself known to you, at your service now and always. I am your kinsman† Parzival.’

  ‘Then it turned out well,’ replied Gawan. ‘Perverse folly has been straightened out here. Two hearts that are but one have shown their strength in fierce enmity. Your hand has overcome us both. Now regret it for our sakes. If your heart be true, you have subdued yourself.’ Having said this, Gawan was able to stand no longer, so weak had he become. He tottered giddily, for his head was buzzing, then fell full length on the grass. One of Arthur’s pages darted forward and pillowed his head, and then the handsome boy unlaced his helmet and fanned a breeze across his face with his white peacock-feather cap. These attentions of the page brought new strength to Gawan.

  And now companies from both armies were arriving with their forces on either side, each advancing to the positions that had been marked out for them with mighty logs burnished till they shone – Gramoflanz had met the cost since he was the challenger. There were a hundred of these gleaming trees with (so I am told) fifty on either side at a distance of forty courses, each to each, shooting their bright rays. No one was to step between them, for here the battle was to be fought. Gramoflanz and Gawan had given each other their hands on it that their people were to keep out, as though held back by castle-walls or fosses.

  As to that battle which had now been arranged, various detachments from both armies had just arrived on the scene hoping to observe who would win. They were curious to learn who was fighting there so manfully and on whom it had fallen to oppose him. Neither army had brought its champion to the duelling-ground, and it struck them as very odd.

  It was after this combat had ended on the flowery mead that King Gramoflanz arrived, eager to avenge the loss of his Garland. He heard that a sword-duel had been fought there fiercer than any seen before. And indeed those who had given each other battle had done so for no cause. Gramoflanz rode out from his company towards those battle-weary men deploring their exertions from the bottom of his heart. Yet although he was spent in every limb, Gawan had sprung to his feet, and so both combatants were standing together there.

  Now Bene had ridden with the King into the ring in which the rigours of that duel had been endured and there she saw Gawan – him she had chosen to be the crown of her sublimest joy! – with all his strength gone. With a shriek of deepest grief she leapt down from her palfrey, threw her arms around him and clasped him tight.

  ‘A curse on the hand that taught your fair body such pain!’ she cried. ‘For, truly, your countenance was a mirror of manhood outshining all others!’ She seated him on the grass, unable to hold back her tears and then, sweet child, wiped the blood and sweat from his eyes, for his armour he was very hot.

  ‘It grieves me to see you in such discomfort, Gawan,’ said King Gramoflanz, ‘except that I wish I myself had inflicted it on you. If you will come back to this meadow tomorrow and do battle with me I shall be pleased to await you. At this moment I would rather take on a woman than your feeble person. Without better report of your strength, what glory could I win from you? Now rest this night, you will need it, if you are to answer for King Lot.’

  Mighty Parzival was showing no signs of pallor or weariness in his limbs. He had just unlaced his helmet as the noble King set eyes on him.

  ‘Sir,’ said Parzival, ‘let me stand for my cousin Gawan in any matter in which he has offended you. I am still in good fighting trim. If you intend to vent your anger on him I shall stop you with my sword!’

  ‘Sir,’ said the Lord of Rosche Sabins, ‘he will render the due to me tomorrow which is owing for my Garland, with the outcome that either its fame will be exalted and made perfect, or he will chase me to where I shall tread the path of shame! I do not doubt that you are a stout fighting-man, but this duel is not for you.’

  Bene turned on the King. ‘You treacherous cur!’ are the words her sweet lips uttered. ‘Your heart is in the hand of that same man whom your heart is hating! To whom have you surrendered yourself in Love’s name? She has to live by that man’s favour! You have pronounced your own defeat – Love has lost her rights in you! For if you ever loved, it was in bad faith!’

  After this outburst the King spoke with Bene aside. ‘Madam, do not be so angry at my fighting this duel,’ he begged her. ‘Stay here with your lord. Tell his sister Itonje that I am truly her Servitor and mean to serve her in every way I can.’

  When Bene heard it confirmed that her lord was her lady’s brother and was pledged to do battle there on the grass, Grief’s oars pulled a whole shipload of direst sorrow into her heart, for she was a loyal soul.

  ‘Out with you, you cursed man!’ she said. ‘Loyalty is a thing you never knew!’

  The King rode off with all his company, while Arthur’s pages caught the combatants’ horses, which were fighting their own duel in sight of all.

  And now Gawan, Parzival and Bene rode away to their own great company. Parzival had won such honour with his manly prowess that they were glad at his coming, for when they saw him arrive they all acclaimed him.

  I shall tell you more if I can. Experienced men in both armies were talking of this one man, in that they were praising the knightly deeds of him that had won the palm – Parzival, if you agree.* He was so handsome, too, no knight was ever better favoured as men and women declared when Gawan brought him in and kindly saw to it that he was robed – identical clothes of precious stuff were fetched for both! And now it became known everywhere that Parzival had come, of whom they had heard so often that he had won high renown, as many confirmed.

  ‘If you wish to see four ladies of your lineage and other comely women besides, I will gladly accompany you,’ said Gawan.

  ‘If there are noble ladies present do not let me be a source of offence to them,’ replied the son of Gahmuret. ‘All who heard me vilified beside the Plimizœl will detest the sight of me. May God keep their womanly honour in His sight! In my eyes, ladies will always be a source of bliss. I still feel so deeply disgraced that I am loth to seek their company.’

  ‘There is nothing for it,’ replied Gawan, and he led Parzival away to where four queens kissed him. It pained the Duchess to have to kiss the man who had spurned her overtures, when she had offered him both love and lands after he had fought below the walls of Logroys and she had ridden so far in pursuit of him. – Her embarrassment gave her much ado. As to radiant Parzival, he was artlessly wheedled into allowing all his shame to be led captive from his hea
rt, so that, freed from his misgivings, he grew cheerful.

  Gawan for good reason forbade Lady Bene on pain of loss of his favour to reveal to Itonje with her sweet lips ‘that King Gramoflanz hates me so because of his Garland’, or ‘that we two will give each other battle tomorrow at the time appointed for the duel. You are not to speak a word of it to my sister and are to repress all signs of weeping!’

  ‘I have good cause to weep and let my sorrow be seen always, since whichever of you two falls, my mistress will mourn for him. She is slain on either side. What else can I do but lament for my lady and myself? How does it help that you are her brother? You are resolved to wage war on her heart!’

  By now all the army had marched in, and dinner was ready for Gawan and his companions. Parzival was asked to share a platter with the lively Duchess to whom Gawan had particularly commended him.

  ‘Are you going to recommend a man to me who rails at us women?’ she asked. ‘How shall I look after such a man? Nevertheless, I shall attend to his needs, since you command it. If he seizes on that what do I care?’

  ‘Madam,’ replied the son of Gahmuret, ‘you do me wrong. I know myself to be so versed as to refrain from mocking the whole sex.’

  If it was there, they gave sufficient and served it up with great ceremony. Girls, women and men dined pleasurably there. Itonje did not fail to note from Bene’s eyes that she was crying to herself, as a result of which her face, too, took on a woebegone look and her sweet mouth refused to eat.

  ‘What is Bene doing here?’ she asked herself. ‘Did I not send her to the man who has my heart out there, yet which throws me into such turmoil here? What have I to suffer now? Has the King rejected my love and devotion? His loyal and manly heart will win no more of me than that poor I must the of heartfelt grief for him!’

  By the time their meal was over it was past noon. Arthur and his consort the Queen Ginover rode with some knights and a bevy of ladies to where handsome Parzival was seated among the fair, and etiquette prescribed that he had to see himself kissed in welcome by many lovely women. Arthur paid him all due honour and earnestly thanked him for having won high renown noised so far and wide that by rights he must take the palm above all men.