Arthurian Romances (48 page)

He crept out of bed as soon as possible. He was not at all disappointed that there was no moon or star shining outside, nor any candle, lamp, or lantern burning within the house. He moved slowly, careful not to disturb anyone; everyone thought he slept throughout the night in his bed. Alone and unobserved, he went straight to the orchard. He had the good fortune to discover that a part of the orchard wall had recently fallen. Through this breach he quickly passed and continued until he reached the window, where he stood absolutely silent, careful not to cough or sneeze, until the queen approached in a spotless white shift. She had no dress or coat over it, only a short mantle of scarlet and marmot fur.

When Lancelot saw the queen leaning upon the window ledge behind the thick iron bars, he greeted her softly. She returned his greeting promptly, since she had great desire for him, as did he for her. They did not waste their time speaking of base or tiresome matters. They drew near to one another and held each other's hands. They were vexed beyond measure at
being unable to come together, and they cursed the iron bars. But Lancelot boasted that, if the queen wished it, he could come in to her: the iron bars would never keep him out.

The queen responded: ‘Can't you see that these bars are too rigid to bend and too strong to break? You could never wrench or pull or bend them enough to loosen them.'

‘My lady,' he said, ‘don't worry! I don't believe that iron could ever stop me. Nothing but you yourself could keep me from coming in to you. If you grant me your permission, the way will soon be free; but if you are unwilling, then the obstacle is so great that I will never be able to pass.'

‘Of course I want you with me,' she replied. ‘My wishes will never keep you back. But you must wait until I am lying in my bed, in case some noise might reveal your presence, for we would be in grave trouble if the seneschal sleeping here were to be awakened by us. So I must go now, for if he saw me standing here he'd see no good in it.'

‘My lady,' said Lancelot, ‘go then, but don't worry about my making any sound. I plan to separate the bars so smoothly and effortlessly that no one will be awakened.'

At that the queen turned away, and Lancelot prepared and readied himself to unbar the window. He grasped the iron bars, strained, and pulled until he had bent them all and was able to free them from their fittings. But the iron was so sharp that he cut the end of his little finger to the quick and severed the whole first joint of the next finger; yet his mind was so intent on other matters that he felt neither the wounds nor the blood dripping from them.

Although the window was quite high up, Lancelot passed quickly and easily through it. He found Kay still asleep in his bed. He came next to that of the queen; Lancelot bowed low and adored her, for in no holy relic did he place such faith. The queen stretched out her arms towards him, embraced him, clasped him to her breast, and drew him into the bed beside her, showing him all the love she could, inspired by her heartfelt love. But if her love for him was strong, he felt a hundred thousand times more for her. Love in the hearts of others was as nothing compared with the love he felt in his. Love had taken root in his heart, and was so entirely there that little was left over for other hearts.

Now Lancelot had his every wish: the queen willingly sought his company and affection, as he held her in his arms and she held him in hers. Her love-play seemed so gentle and good to him, both her kisses and caresses, that in truth the two of them felt a joy and wonder the equal of which has never
been heard or known. But I shall let it remain a secret for ever, since it should not be written of: the most delightful and choicest pleasure is that which is hinted at, but never told.

Lancelot had great joy and pleasure all that night, but the day's arrival sorrowed him deeply, since he had to leave his sweetheart's side. So deep was the pain of parting that getting up was a true martyrdom, and he suffered a martyr's agony: his heart repeatedly turned back to the queen where she remained. Nor was he able to take it with him, for it so loved the queen that it had no desire to desert her. His body left, but his heart stayed. Lancelot went straight to the window, but he left behind enough of his body that the sheets were stained and spotted by the blood that dripped from his fingers. As Lancelot departed he was distraught, full of sighs and full of tears. It grieved him that no second tryst had been arranged, but such was impossible. Regretfully he went out of the window through which he had entered most willingly. His fingers were badly cut. He straightened the bars and replaced them in their fittings so that, from no matter what angle one looked, it did not seem as if any of the bars had been bent or removed. On parting, Lancelot bowed low before the bedchamber, as if he were before an altar. Then in great anguish he left.

On the way back to his lodging he did not encounter anyone who might recognize him. He lay down naked in his bed without rousing anyone. And then for the first time, to his surprise, he noticed his wounded fingers; but he was not the least upset, for he knew without doubt that he had cut himself pulling the iron bars from the window casing. Therefore he did not grow angry with himself, since he would rather have had his two arms pulled from his body than not have entered through the window. Yet, if he had so seriously injured himself for any other purpose, he would have been most upset and distressed.

In the morning the queen was gently sleeping in her curtained room. She did not notice that her sheets were stained with blood, but thought them still to be pure white, fair, and proper. As soon as he was dressed, Meleagant came into the room where the queen had been sleeping. He found her awake and saw the sheets stained with fresh drops of blood. He nudged his men and, as if suspecting some evil, looked towards the seneschal Kay's bed. There, too, he saw bloodstained sheets: because, you can surmise, his wounds had reopened during the night.

‘Lady,' said Meleagant, ‘now I've found the proof I've been seeking! It's certainly true that a man is a fool to take pains to watch over a woman – all his efforts are wasted. And the man who makes the greater effort loses his
woman more quickly than one who doesn't bother. My father did a fine job of protecting you from me! He has guarded you carefully from me, but in spite of his efforts the seneschal Kay has looked closely upon you this night, and has done all he pleased with you. This will be easily proven!'

‘How?' she asked.

‘I have found blood on your sheets: clear proof, since you must be told. This is how I know, and this is my proof: on your sheets and his I've found blood that dripped from his wounds. This evidence is irrefutable!'

Then for the first time the queen noticed the bloody sheets on both beds. She was dumbfounded, shamed, and red-faced. ‘As the Lord Almighty is my protector,' she said, ‘this blood you see on my sheets never came from Kay; my nose bled last night. It must have come from my nose.' She felt as if she were telling the truth.

‘By my head,' replied Meleagant, ‘all your words are worth nothing! There is no need for lies, for you're proved guilty and the truth will soon be known.' Then he spoke to the guards who were there: ‘Lords, don't move. See that the sheets are not removed from the bed before my return. I want the king to acknowledge my rights when he sees this for himself.'

Meleagant sought out his father, the king, then fell at his feet, saying: ‘Sir, come and see something that you would never have expected. Come and see the queen, and you will be astounded at what I have found and proved. But before you go there, I beg you not to deny me justice and righteousness. You are well aware of the dangers to which I've exposed myself for the queen, yet you oppose my desire and have her carefully guarded for fear of me. This morning I went to look at her in her bed, and I saw enough to recognize that Kay lies with her every night. By God, sir, don't be surprised by my anger and complaint, for it's most humiliating to me to be hated and despised by her, while Kay lies every night at her side.'

‘Silence!' said the king. ‘I don't believe it!'

‘Sir, then just come and see what Kay has done to the sheets. If you don't believe my word and think that I'm lying to you, the sheets and bedspread – covered with Kay's blood – will prove it to you.'

‘Let's go then,' said the king. ‘I want to see this for myself: my eyes will teach me the truth.'

The king went at once into the room, where he found the queen just getting up. He saw the bloody sheets on her bed and those on Kay's bed as well.

‘Lady,' he said, ‘you are in a terrible plight if what my son says is true.'

‘So help me God,' she answered, ‘not even in a dream has such a wicked
lie been told! I believe the seneschal Kay is so courteous and loyal that it would be wrong to mistrust him, and I have never offered my body for sale or given it away. Kay is certainly not a man to make such a request of me; and I have never had the desire to do such a thing, and never will!'

‘My lord,' said Meleagant to his father, ‘I shall be most grateful to you if Kay is made to pay for his offence in such a manner that shame is cast upon the queen as well. It is for you to dispense the justice that I seek. Kay has betrayed King Arthur, his lord, who had faith enough in him that he entrusted to him what he most loved in this world.'

‘Sir, now permit me to reply,' said Kay, ‘and I shall acquit myself. May God never absolve my soul after I leave this world if ever I lay with my lady. Indeed, I would much rather be dead than have committed such a base and blameworthy act against my lord. May God never give me healing for these wounds I bear, but let Death take me at once, if I ever even contemplated such an act! I know that my wounds bled profusely this night and soaked my sheets. This is why your son suspects me, but he certainly has no right to.'

Meleagant answered him: ‘So help me God, the demons and the living devils have betrayed you! You became too excited last night, and no doubt because you overtaxed yourself your wounds were reopened. No lies can help you now. The blood in both beds is proof: it is there for all to see. One must by right pay for a sin in which one has been caught openly. Never has a knight of your stature committed such an impropriety, and you are disgraced by it.'

‘Sir, sir,' Kay pleaded with the king, ‘I will defend my lady and myself against your son's accusations. He causes me grief and torment, but is clearly in the wrong.'

‘You're in too much pain to do battle,' replied the king.

‘Sir, with your permission, I am ready to fight him in spite of my injuries to prove that I am innocent of that shame of which he accuses me.'

Meanwhile the queen had sent secretly for Lancelot. She told the king that she would provide a knight to defend the seneschal against Meleagant in this matter, if his son would dare accept the challenge. Meleagant replied without hesitation: ‘I am not afraid to do battle to the finish with any knight you might select, even if he were a giant!'

At this moment Lancelot entered the hall with such a company of knights that the room was filled to overflowing. As soon as he arrived, the queen explained the situation so that all, young and old, could hear: ‘Lancelot,' she began, ‘Meleagant has accused me of a disgraceful act.
All those who hear of it will think me guilty, unless you force him to retract it. He asserts that Kay slept with me this night, because he has seen my sheets and Kay's stained with blood. He says that the seneschal will be proved guilty unless he can defend himself in single combat, or find another to undertake the battle on his behalf.'

‘You have no need to beg for help as long as I am near,' said Lancelot. ‘May it never please God that anyone should doubt either you or Kay in such a matter. If I am worth anything as a knight, I am prepared to do battle to prove that Kay never so much as conceived of such a deed. I will undertake the battle on his behalf and defend him as best I can.'

Meleagant sprang forward and declared: ‘As God is my Saviour, I'm quite satisfied with this arrangement. Let no one ever think otherwise!'

‘My lord king,' spoke Lancelot, ‘I am knowledgeable in trials, laws, suits, and verdicts. When a man's word is doubted, an oath is required before the battle begins.'

Sure of himself, Meleagant replied immediately: ‘I'm fully prepared to swear my oath. Bring forward the holy relics, for I know I'm in the right.'

‘No one who knows the seneschal Kay,' countered Lancelot, ‘could ever mistrust him on such a point.'

They called for their armour at once and ordered their horses to be fetched. They donned their armour when it was brought to them, and their valets armed their horses. Next the holy relics were brought out. Meleagant stepped forward with Lancelot beside him. They both knelt, and Meleagant stretched forth his hand towards the relics and swore his oath in a powerful voice: ‘As God and the saints are my witnesses, the seneschal Kay slept this night with the queen in her bed and took his full pleasure with her.'

‘And I swear that you lie,' said Lancelot, ‘and I further swear that he never slept with her or touched her. And if it please God, may He show His righteousness by taking vengeance on whichever of us has lied. And I will take yet another oath and will swear that, if on this day God should grant me the better of Meleagant, may He and these relics here give me the strength not to show him any mercy, no matter whom it may grieve or hurt!'

King Bademagu could find no cause for joy when he heard this oath.

After the oaths had been sworn, the horses, fair and good in every respect, were led forward, and each knight mounted his steed. Then they charged headlong towards one another as fast as their horses could carry them. As their steeds rushed at full speed, the two vassals struck each other two such mighty blows that each was left holding only the grip of his lance.
They were both hurled to the ground, but neither remained there defeated. They both rose up at once, with drawn swords, to strike with all the might of their naked blades. Blazing sparks flew from their helmets towards the heavens. So enraged were they in their assaults with the unsheathed blades that, as they thrust and parried and struck one another, there was no desire to rest nor even to catch their breath. The king, gravely concerned, summoned the queen, who had gone up into the tower gallery to observe the battle. He asked her in the name of God the Creator to let them be separated.