Lanval

Cue-sheet for Cador

(Bernardo) {To an apprentice, painting.}
 
(Arthur) The men of Cornwall?
(3, 3) 2324 I shall need three days.
(Arthur) So much?
 
(Arthur) So much?
(3, 3) 2326 Thy pardon, Sire, I had not thought
(3, 3) 2327 That this occasion could have grown so swift.
(3, 3) 2328 My men were weary with long services,
(3, 3) 2329 And well deserved a little space of ease.
(3, 3) 2330 If there be blame, I trust it may be mine.
(Arthur) Three days, Gawain. Send word unto Owain,
 
(Gawain) Primed for eruption.
(3, 3) 2345 But the Anglian hosts
(3, 3) 2346 Are numerous, well armed and grimly wrought.
(3, 3) 2347 The Scots and Picts are but fierce savages
(3, 3) 2348 Whose wild invasion has no cause or aim,
(3, 3) 2349 But bloody instinct bids them burn and slay
(3, 3) 2350 Like a disease. These we can cure in time,
(3, 3) 2351 But the white Angles have a dangerous end;
(3, 3) 2352 They mean our conquest and have interest in
(3, 3) 2353 Our whole destruction.
(Arthur) True; and more, the force
 
(Arthur) I front the menace of this age alone.
(3, 3) 2363 I serve you still.
(Arthur) Nay, I mean not that.
 
(Arthur) You hear the murmur of my court below?
(3, 3) 2366 I hear it.
(Arthur) Strange they cannot realise
 
(Arthur) We can see far.
(3, 3) 2370 The tower is high.
(Arthur) The woods
 
(Arthur) For clouds.
(3, 3) 2380 Nay, Sire, this poor despondency
(3, 3) 2381 Befits you not.
(Arthur) Eight battles have I won;
 
(Arthur) Amongst my people.
(3, 3) 2387 I am still the same.
(Arthur) I think you are; but we are growing old.
 
(Arthur) Which we in faith most diligently baulk.
(3, 3) 2395 What can I say?
(Arthur) Some comfort. No! More truth
 
(3, 3) 2399 You look too far. As like as not this realm
(3, 3) 2400 Is doomed!
(Arthur) I think so.
 
(Arthur) I think so.
(3, 3) 2402 Let it be. The end
(3, 3) 2403 Is no great matter; it provides a phase
(3, 3) 2404 Of pleasant action and sweet enterprise:
(3, 3) 2405 If we are old, this ominous strange hour
(3, 3) 2406 Should give us pleasure: we can round our lives
(3, 3) 2407 With a fine end. Man lives too easily:
(3, 3) 2408 His birth concerns him not; his youth
(3, 3) 2409 Is spent in learning; often all his life
(3, 3) 2410 Is waste incarnate. Therefore he is glad
(3, 3) 2411 To make his end a picture and a grace
(3, 3) 2412 He lacked before; so we'll end worthily
(3, 3) 2413 And drag the mass in spite of them to act,
(3, 3) 2414 Make cowards heroes, common men high souls:
(3, 3) 2415 Thus shall we do more service to the world
(3, 3) 2416 Than conquerors —
(Arthur) High speech!
 
(Arthur) High speech!
(3, 3) 2418 My King, be strong!
(Arthur) The stamped fire smoulders, and oppression fails
 
(Arthur) And strongly with them.
(3, 3) 2433 I do understand.
(Arthur) Take whom thou wilt, for there's a need in this
 
(Arthur) Of subtle leading.
(3, 3) 2436 I'll take Lanval, then:
(3, 3) 2437 After Mount Badon he served under me,
(3, 3) 2438 And I was holpen better than I dared
(3, 3) 2439 Expect of him.
(Arthur) He is a noble knight,
 
(Arthur) Something of worth.
(3, 3) 2444 For his nobility
(3, 3) 2445 And all his virtues, whatsoe'er they are,
(3, 3) 2446 I do not care. He has an eye for ground,
(3, 3) 2447 The trick of leading and the qualities
(3, 3) 2448 Which make a soldier. He may have as well
(3, 3) 2449 A hundred traits most notable and fair.
(3, 3) 2450 But virtues never won a battle yet,
(3, 3) 2451 And noble thoughts are but poor armoury
(3, 3) 2452 When steel's in question.
(Arthur) Cador, enough of this
 
(Arthur) O'erstep it not!
(3, 3) 2467 Pardon, Sire.
(Arthur) Go now,
 
(Agravaine) Upon your judgment.
(4, 1) 2951 In a little time
(4, 1) 2952 We shall decide it.
(Agravaine) But, my lords, the knights
 
(Agravaine) And barons murmur.
(4, 1) 2955 Go, disturb us not.
(Geraint) And now, Cador?
 
(Geraint) And now, Cador?
(4, 1) 2958 Geraint, he has confessed.
(4, 1) 2959 He did compare some paramour of his
(4, 1) 2960 To Guinevere: maintained her fairer far
(4, 1) 2961 Than any damsel of the court. How then
(4, 1) 2962 Shall I believe this taunt was unprovoked
(4, 1) 2963 By some denial?
(Geraint) But he still maintains
 
(Geraint) His innocence upon the greater charge.
(4, 1) 2966 This is no time to play with subtlety.
(4, 1) 2967 I would have saved him were it possible.
(4, 1) 2968 He loved some woman. It is hers to save,
(4, 1) 2969 At least to prove that vile malignity
(4, 1) 2970 Bred not his words; and where can she be found?
(4, 1) 2971 Prove her existence!
(Geraint) How can I do so?
 
(Geraint) I know her not.
(4, 1) 2974 Will not Sir Lanval tell
(4, 1) 2975 Her name and habit?
(Geraint) I did ask of him;
 
(Geraint) That never from her should his assistance come.
(4, 1) 2979 I greatly fear this woman never lived.
(4, 1) 2980 Hast thou, Gawain, heard aught of his desires?
(Gawain) He was much noted that he paid no heed
 
(Gawain) To such adventures.
(4, 1) 2983 Dost thou know, Owain?
(Owain) Am I a man to trouble in such case?
 
(Owain) Am I a man to trouble in such case?
(4, 1) 2985 How can I doubt? His guilt is evident.
(Geraint) I think myself his innocence is plain.
 
(Geraint) His who could aid you!
(4, 1) 2993 I, as well as thou,
(4, 1) 2994 Know Lanval's worth. But I will not offend
(4, 1) 2995 The King I serve to save nobility.
(4, 1) 2996 True, it is folly to destroy a soul
(4, 1) 2997 For following nature. True, I cannot tell
(4, 1) 2998 If he be guilty or most innocent.
(4, 1) 2999 True, we shall lose a man of some account;
(4, 1) 3000 But I'll not risk disunion in our arms,
(4, 1) 3001 The King's suspicion, and the thousand ills
(4, 1) 3002 That have their birth in idle clemency.
(Geraint) Will that be justice?
 
(Geraint) Will that be justice?
(4, 1) 3004 Care I if it's not?
(4, 1) 3005 I judge this case for plain commodity.
(4, 1) 3006 We are too near the savagery of war
(4, 1) 3007 To let one life prevent our purposes.
(4, 1) 3008 Justice itself is but a luxury
(4, 1) 3009 That states which stand beyond their neighbour's hopes
(4, 1) 3010 Can well afford. One can do wrong, Geraint,
(4, 1) 3011 Sobeit action does not foul the wheels
(4, 1) 3012 Of man's intention.
(Geraint) So said I, Cador.
 
(Geraint) What matters guilt?
(4, 1) 3017 What matters innocence?
(4, 1) 3018 You have a liking for the man, I know;
(4, 1) 3019 Not without cause. For you he is a shape
(4, 1) 3020 Bright in our shadows with the light he draws
(4, 1) 3021 From your affection. We, indifferent,
(4, 1) 3022 See but a motion irksome, irritant
(4, 1) 3023 In our estate.
(Geraint) I see you mean him ill.
 
(Geraint) I see you mean him ill.
(4, 1) 3025 I never wished a harm to any man
(4, 1) 3026 In all my workings. But in nature's course
(4, 1) 3027 I have wrecked many. See, Owain is wroth,
(4, 1) 3028 And the grim chariot of our life rolls on.
(Owain) {who has been looking from the window}
 
(Owain) To strangers' holding!
(4, 1) 3038 Patience, good Owain.
(4, 1) 3039 Let not the presence of this movement mar
(4, 1) 3040 Our graver judgment.
(Gawain) Why should we delay?
 
(Agravaine) But I have touched it.
(4, 1) 3083 Agravaine, our time
(4, 1) 3084 Brooks not such hindrance.
(Agravaine) Nay, I help your dense
 
(Agravaine) To wish your mistress common.
(4, 1) 3099 This address
(4, 1) 3100 Will do your man small service.
(Agravaine) I could never hope
 
(Agravaine) And laughter would have hurt you more than words.
(4, 1) 3104 I see small cause for it.
(Agravaine) Why look, Cador;
 
(Owain) This chattering fool?
(4, 1) 3118 Must I be judge as well
(4, 1) 3119 Of our opinions on each other's fame?
(4, 1) 3120 Drink in this vile detraction while our arms
(4, 1) 3121 Await their leaders? Ye do much mistake
(4, 1) 3122 The office ye fulfil. We'll speak
(4, 1) 3123 Only of this which lies before us now.
(4, 1) 3124 No more, Geraint, I know your arguments.
(4, 1) 3125 Our task is simple. We have but to prove
(4, 1) 3126 The value, measure, and extent of ill.
(4, 1) 3127 Is folly sin? I think this man's more fool
(4, 1) 3128 Than traitorous.
(Gawain) I do regret, Cador,
 
(Gawain) Ordained to tread such humours to the ground?
(4, 1) 3133 Aye, so it is. I value it myself
(4, 1) 3134 As just a charm to school souls passionate,
(4, 1) 3135 But not a custom whose infraction needs
(4, 1) 3136 Dread penalties.
(Gawain) But still it is our law.
 
(Owain) Great talkers, at the least.
(4, 1) 3140 'Tis true.
(4, 1) 3141 Well, now, to finish: for some foolish speech,
(4, 1) 3142 And still more foolish action, we condemn
(4, 1) 3143 The likeliest leader who served under me.
(4, 1) 3144 How punish him?
(Gawain) Death is the simplest way
 
(Gawain) To free ourselves from all embarrassment.
(4, 1) 3147 And thou, Owain?
(Owain) I say kill, hang, or burn.
 
(Owain) That fawns on folly.
(4, 1) 3155 What say'st thou, Geraint?
(Geraint) Nothing as yet.
 
(Geraint) Beyond their humour.
(4, 1) 3163 I like it not. This man
(4, 1) 3164 Deserves not death, for we must not use laws
(4, 1) 3165 To lop our trunk of its most worthy limbs.
(4, 1) 3166 Upon the basis of some idle words
(4, 1) 3167 Shall we build scaffolds?
(Gawain) Is it not enough
 
(Owain) And run our quarry?
(4, 1) 3180 If it must be death —
(Geraint) I say it shall not!
 
(Geraint) 'Tis not my seeking.
(4, 1) 3209 I know well, Geraint,
(4, 1) 3210 We cannot spare thee. Yet it is ill done
(4, 1) 3211 If thou dost seek from out our poverty
(4, 1) 3212 To force acquaintance of a natural crime.
(Geraint) I ask but justice.
 
(Geraint) I ask but justice.
(4, 1) 3214 Am I a vampire then,
(4, 1) 3215 Who gluts himself upon the blood of man?
(4, 1) 3216 Come, let us reason. We must needs condemn.
(4, 1) 3217 Were we to quit him, could our King believe
(4, 1) 3218 That we who held his honour in such scorn
(4, 1) 3219 Were true and faithful! Would he not suspect?
(4, 1) 3220 And God! the need is heavy on us now
(4, 1) 3221 Of confidence. I wish this man no ill,
(4, 1) 3222 Dost thou, Owain?
(Owain) I liked him well.
 
(Owain) I liked him well.
(4, 1) 3224 And thou?
(Gawain) Before this failing he had all the gifts
 
(Gawain) Of chivalry.
(4, 1) 3227 See thou, Geraint, we seek
(4, 1) 3228 His condemnation not of our own selves,
(4, 1) 3229 But of the flood wherein our persons merge.
(4, 1) 3230 Did not occasion so constrain our ends,
(4, 1) 3231 We'd soon acquit him; so he'd live again,
(4, 1) 3232 Chastened of sorrow, to redeem his fault,
(4, 1) 3233 And future deeds do penance for all hurt.
(Geraint) Can they not still?
 
(Geraint) Can they not still?
(4, 1) 3235 There is no future now,
(4, 1) 3236 But only present.
(Geraint) He might still atone,
 
(Geraint) And do you service.
(4, 1) 3239 I do wish he could.
(4, 1) 3240 Most wrongs are deeds in idleness conceived,
(4, 1) 3241 Which have the fashion of true worth in them
(4, 1) 3242 Born at ill times.
(Geraint) Can he have no escape?
 
(Gawain) Of law and custom?
(4, 1) 3258 Ask us not, Geraint,
(4, 1) 3259 To shrink from judgment!
(Agravaine) {Aside} How noble are we all!
 
(Owain) Be dead and ended.
(4, 1) 3283 What say'st thou, Gawain?
(Gawain) Owain is right. Let it be banishment.
 
(Geraint) I'm fouled with him.
(4, 1) 3287 Enough, the King is here.
(Arthur) Your verdicts, lords! Ye dally overlong.
 
(Arthur) Your verdicts, lords! Ye dally overlong.
(4, 1) 3290 Sire, we agree.
(Geraint) Nay, I do not.
 
(Geraint) Nay, I do not.
(4, 1) 3292 We three
(4, 1) 3293 Have thus determined — that Sir Lanval leave
(4, 1) 3294 This court for ever, having been proclaimed
(4, 1) 3295 Unworthy of true men's respect. His name
(4, 1) 3296 To be unknown among us.
(Arthur) It is well.
 
(Agravaine) And he's not armoured.
(4, 2) 4034 Yet, Astamor, I think
(4, 2) 4035 I know that shape.