Король Артур та лицарі Круглого столу
Chapter VI
“Ah,”saidGaheris,“thatwasamightystrokeforayoungknight!”
Thendidtheyturnagaintofollowthewhitehart,andletslipthreecoupleofgreyhoundsafterhim;andatthelasttheychasedhimtoacastle,andtheretheyovertookandslewhim,inthechiefcourtyard.
Atthatthererushedaknightforthfromachamber,withadrawnswordinhishand,andslewtwoofthehoundsbeforetheireyes,andchasedtheothersfromthecastle,crying,“Oh,mywhitehart!alas,thatthouartdead!fortheemysovereignladygavetome,andevilhaveIkeptthee;butifIlive,thydeathshallbedearbought.”Anonhewentwithinandarmed,andcameoutfiercely,andmetSirGawainfacetoface.
“Whyhaveyeslainmyhounds?”saidSirGawain;“theydidbutaftertheirnature:andyehadbetterhavetakenvengeanceonmethanonthepoordumbbeasts.”
“Iwillavengemeonthee,also,”saidtheother,“erethoudepartthisplace.”
Thendidtheyfightwitheachothersavagelyandmadly,tillthebloodrandowntotheirfeet.ButatlastSirGawainhadthebetter,andfelledtheknightofthecastletotheground.Thenhecriedoutformercy,andyieldedtoSirGawain,andbesoughthimashewasaknightandgentlemantosavehislife.“Thoushaltdie,”saidSirGawain,“forslayingmyhounds.”
“Iwillmaketheeallamendswithinmypower,”repliedtheknight.
ButSirGawainwouldhavenomercy,andunlacedhishelmtostrikehisheadoff;andsoblindwashewithrage,thathesawnotwherealadyranoutfromherchamberandfelldownuponhisenemy.
