| ACT IV. SCENE I. (Three days later.) A COUNCIL CHAMBER, CARDUEL. Geraint and Agravaine. |
|
| Agravaine |
But have some patience — |
| Geraint |
Patience! Here's the world Aflare with swords; and we are cramped and held For ministration, when our spurring hosts Should ride spear-levelled. |
| Agravaine |
They'll have ended this Within the hour. |
| Geraint |
Have ended! Aye, but how? Lanval's accused of a gross falsity, An idle, paltry, and low-seeming crime. But were he guilty (as I'll not believe), His penalty would far outweigh the deed. The standards of our justice should not be Alike for peace and passion; but the vice Of quiet should be worth in war. |
| Agravaine |
They say the King demands his death. |
| Geraint |
The Queen, I think more likely. God! what foolishness To let the practice of the sexes twine Within our usage. |
| Agravaine |
A strange heresy! |
| Geraint |
Strange, dost thou find it? Here's a soul of strength, As thou should'st know! |
| Agravaine |
None better! |
| Geraint |
He may be Condemned to death or degradation now. For what offence? An insult to a queen! What is an insult to a queen to me? A hundred insults to a hundred queens? — Is he the slighter if his tongue have slipped? Is he less able in the talk of blades, For such a faulting? But thou hast some cause To much mislike him! |
| Agravaine |
I do not, Geraint. He overthrew me; therefore he must be One of the noblest, best, most valiant knights In all the world. |
| Geraint |
Five days ago he spared Your life. |
| Agravaine |
And now to make a pretty tale, I should save his? I would 'twere possible. But I await this verdict. How can I Divert its issue? |
| Geraint |
I shall show you means. |
| Agravaine |
I shall be glad. Oh, the sweet rogue, the rogue! To think he had this hidden! I was tricked, As all of us. |
| Geraint |
What mean you? |
| Agravaine |
Why, I'm kind To all that have a likeness to myself. |
| Geraint |
You think That of him? |
| Agravaine |
Surely. Rascal that he is, I almost love him! |
| Geraint |
By God's will, he'll die Before he knows it. |
| Agravaine |
Each to his taste. Here come Our solemn judges. God help me, or I'll laugh. |
| Enter Cador, Gawain, and Owain. |
|
| Agravaine |
My lords, the King impatiently attends Upon your judgment. |
| Cador |
In a little time We shall decide it. |
| Agravaine |
But, my lords, the knights And barons murmur. |
| Cador |
Go, disturb us not. |
| Exit Agravaine. Gawain and Owain talk apart. |
|
| Geraint |
And now, Cador? |
| Cador |
Geraint, he has confessed. He did compare some paramour of his To Guinevere: maintained her fairer far Than any damsel of the court. How then Shall I believe this taunt was unprovoked By some denial? |
| Geraint |
But he still maintains His innocence upon the greater charge. |
| Cador |
This is no time to play with subtlety. I would have saved him were it possible. He loved some woman. It is hers to save, At least to prove that vile malignity Bred not his words; and where can she be found? Prove her existence! |
| Geraint |
How can I do so? I know her not. |
| Cador |
Will not Sir Lanval tell Her name and habit? |
| Geraint |
I did ask of him; He would not tell it; only he said to me That never from her should his assistance come. |
| Cador |
I greatly fear this woman never lived. Hast thou, Gawain, heard aught of his desires? |
| Gawain |
He was much noted that he paid no heed To such adventures. |
| Cador |
Dost thou know, Owain? |
| Owain |
Am I a man to trouble in such case? |
| Cador |
How can I doubt? His guilt is evident. |
| Geraint |
I think myself his innocence is plain. But have him guilty, 'tis convenient, And saves you labour. Cornwall, are you mad? This man did you some service in the past, And now to serve some fool's fantastic shift Of loyalty, you'll smile his life away — His who could aid you! |
| Cador |
I, as well as thou, Know Lanval's worth. But I will not offend The King I serve to save nobility. True, it is folly to destroy a soul For following nature. True, I cannot tell If he be guilty or most innocent. True, we shall lose a man of some account; But I'll not risk disunion in our arms, The King's suspicion, and the thousand ills That have their birth in idle clemency. |
| Geraint |
Will that be justice? |
| Cador |
Care I if it's not? I judge this case for plain commodity. We are too near the savagery of war To let one life prevent our purposes. Justice itself is but a luxury That states which stand beyond their neighbour's hopes Can well afford. One can do wrong, Geraint, Sobeit action does not foul the wheels Of man's intention. |
| Geraint |
So said I, Cador. We need no shackles of the common mind. Our lists are open, let all run who can; What matters guilt? |
| Cador |
What matters innocence? You have a liking for the man, I know; Not without cause. For you he is a shape Bright in our shadows with the light he draws From your affection. We, indifferent, See but a motion irksome, irritant In our estate. |
| Geraint |
I see you mean him ill. |
| Cador |
I never wished a harm to any man In all my workings. But in nature's course I have wrecked many. See, Owain is wroth, And the grim chariot of our life rolls on. |
| Owain |
(who has been looking from the window) God! To be hampered in one's natural work For such a case! Here see the clustered spears, The glaives and axes of the gathered tribes Waiting for us! Our banners are unfurled, The lazy standards and forked pennons droop And lisp in air. And we alone are dull, Wasting the hours that give our homes and lands To strangers' holding! |
| Cador |
Patience, good Owain. Let not the presence of this movement mar Our graver judgment. |
| Gawain |
Why should we delay? Are we not bound by laws of chivalry? We much condemn such action as this man Acknowledges. For to excuse this fault Were to lend men too great a power of scorn. We have some name for honour in the world. Shall we give cause that all may say of us, "Thus do his vassals honour Arthur's wife! This is the kindness and nobility Of British princes!"? Is not all our state Based upon customs which this man offends? The law condemns him. |
| Re-enter Agravaine. |
|
| Geraint |
And how oft, Gawain, Hast thou gone free when, had the law received Some strict enforcement, thou hadst earned more pain That Lanval has? |
| Gawain |
Am I the prisoner? And must I answer for my honour now? |
| Agravaine |
I hope not, brother. I am here prepared To be a witness. I could tell a tale Of forest meetings, love-quests sought, achieved, Some say unwillingly. |
| Geraint |
And more, Gawain. How used you Pelleas? |
| Gawain |
As well as I Shall answer for. My failing gives no grace, No right of entry to our counselling. Stay by your rhyming Agravaine, and leave This cause to us. |
| Agravaine |
May I not then disclose My poor opinion? |
| Gawain |
Poor it is! |
| Agravaine |
Of you, No doubt, my brother. But of other men A little different. |
| Gawain |
This concerns you not. |
| Agravaine |
There ye mistake you. I am much concerned; Ye try a lust, and who's more competent Than I to judge it? Is there lechery? I am its master! There's no crime of love But I have touched it. |
| Cador |
Agravaine, our time Brooks not such hindrance. |
| Agravaine |
Nay, I help your dense Old wrinkled thoughts. Our King's enangered, hot Upon his purpose. Judge as best you can, He will accept it. |
| Owain |
Why must we be let By one who's proved a liar? |
| Agravaine |
Is it worse To be a liar than a butcher? Then I hope that Lanval's guilty. He may come To be as fair a rascal as I am. |
| Owain |
We'll push him to a better end. |
| Agravaine |
No doubt, For death's your woman! A foul taste, Owain, To wish your mistress common. |
| Cador |
This address Will do your man small service. |
| Agravaine |
I could never hope To help him much. I had to speak or laugh, And laughter would have hurt you more than words. |
| Cador |
I see small cause for it. |
| Agravaine |
Why look, Cador; Of you I will say nothing, for I think You're kindly minded: but behold Owain, Our swart old savage handler of the sword, A judge of love! Gawain, the advocate Of all the virtues, and the father too Of sundry bastards! |
| Gawain |
Come, this goes too far; An' I were not your brother — |
| Agravaine |
You would lack Even a conscience. |
| Owain |
(to Cador) Will you still endure This chattering fool? |
| Cador |
Must I be judge as well Of our opinions on each other's fame? Drink in this vile detraction while our arms Await their leaders? Ye do much mistake The office ye fulfil. We'll speak Only of this which lies before us now. No more, Geraint, I know your arguments. Our task is simple. We have but to prove The value, measure, and extent of ill. Is folly sin? I think this man's more fool Than traitorous. |
| Gawain |
I do regret, Cador, This idle treatment of the very crime That suckles evil. Is not chivalry Ordained to tread such humours to the ground? |
| Cador |
Aye, so it is. I value it myself As just a charm to school souls passionate, But not a custom whose infraction needs Dread penalties. |
| Gawain |
But still it is our law. If knightliness be nothing, what are we? |
| Owain |
Great talkers, at the least. |
| Cador |
'Tis true. Well, now, to finish: for some foolish speech, And still more foolish action, we condemn The likeliest leader who served under me. How punish him? |
| Gawain |
Death is the simplest way To free ourselves from all embarrassment. |
| Cador |
And thou, Owain? |
| Owain |
I say kill, hang, or burn. I for myself think that he's innocent; But this displeasure that his trial gives Can serve for guilt. All's guilty which will stand Between our nature and its purposes: So I condemn him for his innocence That fawns on folly. |
| Cador |
What say'st thou, Geraint? |
| Geraint |
Nothing as yet. |
| Agravaine |
(Aside to Geraint) It will go hard with him. How strange it is that men hate most the deeds In others which they practice of themselves. What foolishness! |
| Geraint |
I have a stroke to play Beyond their humour. |
| Cador |
I like it not. This man Deserves not death, for we must not use laws To lop our trunk of its most worthy limbs. Upon the basis of some idle words Shall we build scaffolds? |
| Gawain |
Is it not enough That our agreement smoulders into wrath? What skill or courage balances the state Of festering discord and half-veiled mistrust, That we must enter if he stay with us? Come, let the winds of resolution sweep Away this mist wherein our souls do stand Fiercely opponent. |
| Owain |
Cornwall, let him die. Why should this life hold all of us in leash, When we are straining to take up the scent, And run our quarry? |
| Cador |
If it must be death — |
| Geraint |
I say it shall not! |
| Gawain |
Three are well agreed. |
| Geraint |
I am not with you. Let this sentence pass, And while I live it shall not be fulfilled, Not if the blades of Devon can forbid Its execution. |
| Gawain |
Are we slighted thus? This is rebellion! |
| Geraint |
Call it what you will! There is a limit to all fealty. I know no oath that I have ever sworn Which bids me help injustice with my arms, Or stand by quiet whilst ye brush aside A man's existence for your several ends. Must I endure it? Must I sacrifice My friend to ease the workings of your craft? Ye plead the motion of this war demands Lanval's destruction; but I think ye need The power and forces that I now command No less than that. Choose ye! If Lanval dies, No man of Devon shall lay hand to blade; Assist, acknowledge, or play party with Your purpose. |
| Agravaine |
(Aside) Now swell with righteous rage; Have at him, brother! |
| Gawain |
Is this a time for threats, An hour wherein to gender civil strife? |
| Geraint |
'Tis not my seeking. |
| Cador |
I know well, Geraint, We cannot spare thee. Yet it is ill done If thou dost seek from out our poverty To force acquaintance of a natural crime. |
| Geraint |
I ask but justice. |
| Cador |
Am I a vampire then, Who gluts himself upon the blood of man? Come, let us reason. We must needs condemn. Were we to quit him, could our King believe That we who held his honour in such scorn Were true and faithful! Would he not suspect? And God! the need is heavy on us now Of confidence. I wish this man no ill, Dost thou, Owain? |
| Owain |
I liked him well. |
| Cador |
And thou? |
| Gawain |
Before this failing he had all the gifts Of chivalry. |
| Cador |
See thou, Geraint, we seek His condemnation not of our own selves, But of the flood wherein our persons merge. Did not occasion so constrain our ends, We'd soon acquit him; so he'd live again, Chastened of sorrow, to redeem his fault, And future deeds do penance for all hurt. |
| Geraint |
Can they not still? |
| Cador |
There is no future now, But only present. |
| Geraint |
He might still atone, And do you service. |
| Cador |
I do wish he could. Most wrongs are deeds in idleness conceived, Which have the fashion of true worth in them Born at ill times. |
| Geraint |
Can he have no escape? I do suppose that it seems foul in me To have no passion for this state and realm. Yet I have served it and done certain deeds For its advancement. Aye, the four of us Have knit the threads of Britain in a web, To stay all onset. This we did as friends, And now this friendship will not grant a life For friendship's sake. And, sirs, he used you well. I am not 'customed to plead thus with men, Nor am I prone to waste my love on such As need excuses. Discord's in the air, Then drive me not to severance of our bonds. |
| Gawain |
What power have we that are the instruments Of law and custom? |
| Cador |
Ask us not, Geraint, To shrink from judgment! |
| Agravaine |
(Aside) How noble are we all! This virtue's catching; we shall have a plague Of this same honour! |
| Owain |
Hearken now, ye lords, And let my bluntness put an end to words. I held a liking for this fellow once, Since I believed he scorned, as well as I, The love adventures, idle quests and aims, In fact, all folly that this court adores. Since he proved foolish I have lost all care. Had but the fool denied this idle taunt, And straight acknowledged that he loved the Queen, We might have saved him. I advised you kill. Death's cheap enough, and we have learnt long since How to inflict it. Since Geraint withstands The better issue, I'll not baulk his love, Though I despise it, and believe that harm Will come of it. I bid you banish him. Proclaim him guilty, honourless and foul, Henceforth degraded from this company. Let him go out and see this court no more. So shall this cause which doth offend all ears Be dead and ended. |
| Cador |
What say'st thou, Gawain? |
| Gawain |
Owain is right. Let it be banishment. |
| Geraint |
My friend degraded! Better death than that; I'm fouled with him. |
| Cador |
Enough, the King is here. |
| Enter Arthur and a company. |
|
| Arthur |
Your verdicts, lords! Ye dally overlong. |
| Cador |
Sire, we agree. |
| Geraint |
Nay, I do not. |
| Cador |
We three Have thus determined — that Sir Lanval leave This court for ever, having been proclaimed Unworthy of true men's respect. His name To be unknown among us. |
| Arthur |
It is well. |
| Enter Gyfert and some of his men to Geraint. Others to different knights. |
|
| Geraint |
Is there no court in all the world but this? While I am prince my home is open court Unto Sir Lanval. |
| Arthur |
It is not well, Geraint, To so outface me, nor to lay thy speech Against the manner of thy peers' consent. I did not think Geraint should prove him false. |
| Geraint |
Were I to yield and idly acquiesce In such gross judgment as these barons give, Who trim their sails by breath of their desires And let the import of their careless hearts Go cloaked as justice, I were false indeed. False to myself and falser still to thee; But I'll be honest and confess my thoughts. Shall I from fear of the disdain of these Refuse a shelter to what soul I will? |
| Arthur |
Thy fealty doth bind thee to my cause, And this defection is as sour a crime As e'er was thought on. |
| Geraint |
But there is no need To fear defection. None shall say Geraint, The son of Erbin, failed in his account. This much for me. Unto the King I owe All body service. While my limbs and power Of blade or lance rest with me they shall be Thine instrument; and while this life is mine God, king, or devil shall not tear from me What I protect. |
| Gawain |
Is this not treason? |
| Arthur |
Stay. Proclaim the verdict of these lords abroad; Let all the followers and our retinue Know that Sir Lanval is adjudged as base, False to his order, to his fealty, To all thats honest. |
| Geraint |
(Aside) Gyfert! |
| Gyfert |
Here, my lord. |
| Geraint |
Go to Sir Lanval; I'm his surety, And bring him to me. We shall lead the van. |
| Gyfert |
I will, my lord. |
| Arthur |
I could be wroth, Geraint, For I have trusted much to thy great soul; But all prove false. So we'll not speak of it, For this dishonour is to me the man, And for my kingship I'll endure it so, Being no longer man, but only king. Amid the turmoil of these troubled days The mist and wrack where wallows all our state, My happiness, my pleasure and my faith Are all gone down. Let then my honour go And sink with them. Geraint, take thou thy task. |
| Geraint |
I lead the van. |
| Arthur |
I have not yet deprived Thee of thine office. Go, be false or true As it shall please thee! I must cringe to man And beg his service. |
| Geraint |
Sire, if I offend Or wrong thy service, may the devil tear My soul alive from its still quivering flesh, And may — have done, the very oaths sound false! I'm sick of speech! God's curse upon our talk, And all the damnable dim sympathies That cloud our passage. To the proof I go. Let all I am stand to the test of war. |
| Exit Geraint. Curtain |