Король Артур и рыцари Круглого стола
Chapter III
Thensaidtheoldman,“Whyartthousosad?”
“Fordiversreasons,”saidKingArthur;“forIhaveseenstrangethingsto-day,andbutthismomenttherewashereachildwhotoldmethingsbeyondhisyearstoknow.”
“Yea,”saidtheoldman,“buthetoldtheetruth,andmorehewouldhavetoldtheehadstthousufferedhim.ButIwilltelltheewhereforethouartsad,forthouhastdoneathingoflateforwhichGodisdispleasedwiththee,andwhatitisthouknowestinthyheart,thoughnomanelsemayknow.”
“Whatartthou,”saidKingArthur,startingupallpale,“thattellestmethesetidings?”
“IamMerlin,”saidhe,“andIwasheinthechild’slikeness,also.”
“Ah,”saidKingArthur,“thouartamarvellousandrightfearfulman,andIwouldaskandtelltheemanythingsthisday.”
Astheytalkedcameonewiththeking’shorses,andso,KingArthurmountingone,andMerlinanother,theyrodetogethertoCaerleon;andMerlinprophesiedtoArthurofhisdeath,andalsoforetoldhisownend.
AndnowKingArthur,havingutterlydispersedandoverwhelmedthosekingswhohadsolongdelayedhiscoronation,turnedallhismindtooverthrowtheSaxonheathenswhoyetinmanyplacesspoiledtheland.Callingtogether,therefore,hisknightsandmen-at-arms,herodewithallhishoststoYork,whereColgrin,theSaxon,laywithagreatarmy;andtherehefoughtamightybattle,longandbloody,anddrovehimintothecity,andbesiegedhim.ThenBaldulph,Colgrin’sbrother,camesecretlywithsixthousandmentoassailKingArthurandtoraisethesiege.
