Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. TITELBLATT

2. IMPRESSUM

3. PREFACE

4. A WORD OF EXPLANATION

5. THE TALE OF THE LOST LAND

6. CHAPTER I — CAMELOT

7. CHAPTER II — KING ARTHUR’S COURT

8. CHAPTER III — KNIGHTS OF THE TABLE ROUND

9. CHAPTER IV — SIR DINADAN THE HUMORIST

10. CHAPTER V — AN INSPIRATION

11. CHAPTER VI — THE ECLIPSE

12. CHAPTER VII — MERLIN’S TOWER

13. CHAPTER VIII — THE BOSS

14. CHAPTER IX — THE TOURNAMENT

15. CHAPTER X — BEGINNINGS OF CIVILIZATION

16. CHAPTER XI — THE YANKEE IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES

17. CHAPTER XII — SLOW TORTURE

18. CHAPTER XIII — FREEMEN

19. CHAPTER XIV — “DEFEND THEE, LORD”

20. CHAPTER XV — SANDY’S TALE

21. CHAPTER XVI — MORGAN LE FAY

22. CHAPTER XVII — A ROYAL BANQUET

23. CHAPTER XVIII — IN THE QUEEN’S DUNGEONS

24. CHAPTER XIX — KNIGHT-ERRANTRY AS A TRADE

25. CHAPTER XX — THE OGRE’S CASTLE

26. CHAPTER XXI — THE PILGRIMS

27. CHAPTER XXII — THE HOLY FOUNTAIN

28. CHAPTER XXIII — RESTORATION OF THE FOUNTAIN

29. CHAPTER XXIV — A RIVAL MAGICIAN

30. CHAPTER XXV — A COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION

31. CHAPTER XXVI — THE FIRST NEWSPAPER

32. CHAPTER XXVII — THE YANKEE AND THE KING TRAVEL INCOGNITO

33. CHAPTER XXVIII — DRILLING THE KING

34. CHAPTER XXIX — THE SMALLPOX HUT

35. CHAPTER XXX — THE TRAGEDY OF THE MANOR-HOUSE

36. CHAPTER XXXI — MARCO

37. CHAPTER XXXII — DOWLEY’S HUMILIATION

38. CHAPTER XXXIII — SIXTH CENTURY POLITICAL ECONOMY

39. CHAPTER XXXIV — THE YANKEE AND THE KING SOLD AS SLAVES

40. CHAPTER XXXV — A PITIFUL INCIDENT

41. CHAPTER XXXVI — AN ENCOUNTER IN THE DARK

42. CHAPTER XXXVII — AN AWFUL PREDICAMENT

43. CHAPTER XXXVIII — SIR LAUNCELOT AND KNIGHTS TO THE RESCUE

44. CHAPTER XXXIX — THE YANKEE’S FIGHT WITH THE KNIGHTS

45. CHAPTER XL — THREE YEARS LATER

46. CHAPTER XLI — THE INTERDICT

47. CHAPTER XLII — WAR!

48. CHAPTER XLIII — THE BATTLE OF THE SAND BELT

49. CHAPTER XLIV — A POSTSCRIPT BY CLARENCE

50. FINAL P.S. BY M.T.

51. A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR’S COURT (ENGLISCH)

Mark Twain
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court / Ein Yankee aus Connecticut an König Artus’ Hof
Zweisprachige Ausgabe
Übersetzt von Lore Krüger

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Die Übersetzung erschien erstmals 1965 als Band 9 der Ausgewählten Werke Mark Twains in zwölf Bänden im Aufbau Verlag Berlin und Weimar.
Übersetzung © Aufbau Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin 1965, 2008

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PREFACE

VORWORT

THE ungentle laws and customs touched upon in this tale are historical,

Die harten Gesetze und Gebräuche, von denen in dieser Geschichte die Rede ist, sind historisch;

and the episodes which are used to illustrate them are also historical.

ebenso auch die Episoden, die dazu dienen, sie zu veranschaulichen.

It is not pretended that these laws and customs existed in England in the sixth century;

Es soll nicht behauptet werden, dass diese Gesetze und Gebräuche im England des 6. Jahrhunderts existiert hätten,

no, it is only pretended that inasmuch as they existed in the English and other civilizations of far later times,

nein, es wird nur behauptet, dass, da sie ja in England und anderen Kulturländern viel späterer Zeiten existierten,

it is safe to consider that it is no libel upon the sixth century to suppose them to have been in practice in that day also.

es wohl kaum eine Verleumdung des 6. Jahrhunderts ist, wenn man voraussetzt, sie hätten auch zu jener Zeit bestanden.

One is quite justified in inferring that whatever one of these laws or customs was lacking in that remote time,

Wir sind durchaus zu der Annahme berechtigt, dass, falls zu jener frühen Zeit etwa der eine oder andere Rechtssatz oder Brauch noch nicht bestand,

its place was competently filled by a worse one.

ein anderer, schlimmerer, ihn voll und ganz ersetzte.

The question as to whether there is such a thing as divine right of kings is not settled in this book. It was found too difficult.

Die Frage, ob es so etwas wie ein von Gott verliehenes Recht der Könige gibt, wird in diesem Buch nicht entschieden. Es erwies sich als allzu schwierig.

That the executive head of a nation should be a person of lofty character and extraordinary ability, was manifest and indisputable;

Es war offensichtlich und unbestreitbar, dass das die Regierungsgewalt ausübende Oberhaupt eines Volkes ein Mensch von makellosem Charakter und außerordentlichen Fähigkeiten sein sollte;

that none but the Deity could select that head unerringly, was also manifest and indisputable;

dass niemand als nur die Gottheit dieses Oberhaupt mit unfehlbarer Sicherheit auszusuchen imstande ist, war gleichfalls offensichtlich und unbestreitbar,

that the Deity ought to make that selection, then, was likewise manifest and indisputable;

dass daher also die Gottheit diese Auswahl auch treffen sollte, war ebenso augenscheinlich und unbestreitbar;

consequently, that He does make it, as claimed, was an unavoidable deduction.

dass der Höchste sie demnach, wie behauptet wird, tatsächlich trifft, war eine Folgerung, die sich unvermeidlich ergab.

I mean, until the author of this book encountered the Pompadour,

Das heißt, ich meine, sie ergab sich, bis der Autor dieses Buches auf die Pompadour,

and Lady Castlemaine, and some other executive heads of that kind;

Lady Castlemaine und einige andere die Regierungsgewalt ausübende Oberhäupter dieser Art stieß;

these were found so difficult to work into the scheme, that it was judged better to take the other tack in this book

es erwies sich jedoch als so schwer, sie in dieses Schema einzuordnen, dass er es für besser hielt, in diesem Buch den anderen Weg einzuschlagen

(which must be issued this fall), and then go into training and settle the question in another book.

(denn es soll im Herbst herauskommen), hernach zu trainieren und das Problem dann in einem neuen Buch zu lösen.

It is, of course, a thing which ought to be settled, and I am not going to have anything particular to do next winter anyway.

Natürlich ist das eine Frage, die entschieden werden sollte, und nächsten Winter habe ich ohnedies nichts Besonderes zu tun.

MARK TWAIN

A WORD OF EXPLANATION

EINIGE WORTE ZUR ERKLÄRUNG

IT was in Warwick Castle that I came across the curious stranger whom I am going to talk about.

Der seltsame Fremde, von dem ich erzählen will, begegnete mir im Schloss Warwick.

He attracted me by three things: his candid simplicity, his marvelous familiarity with ancient armor,

Dreierlei an ihm zog mich an: aufrichtige Einfachheit, seine außerordentliche Kenntnis altertümlicher Rüstungen

and the restfulness of his company — for he did all the talking.

und die Tatsache, dass man in seiner Gesellschaft ausruhen konnte – denn er bestritt die Unterhaltung allein.

We fell together, as modest people will, in the tail of the herd that was being shown through, and he at once began to say things which interested me.

Wie es bescheidenen Leuten geht, gerieten wir am Ende eines Schwarms von Besuchern, die durch das Schloss geführt wurden, zusammen, und sogleich begann er Dinge zu sagen, die mich interessierten.

As he talked along, softly, pleasantly, flowingly,

Während er – leise, gefällig, fließend – weitersprach,

he seemed to drift away imperceptibly out of this world and time, and into some remote era and old forgotten country;

schien er unmerklich aus der gegenwärtigen Welt und Zeit davonzutreiben in irgendein fernes Zeitalter und ein längst vergessenes Land;

and so he gradually wove such a spell about me that I seemed

und so umspann er mich unversehens mit einem Zauber, dass mir schien,

to move among the specters and shadows and dust and mold of a gray antiquity, holding speech with a relic of it!

ich bewege mich inmitten der Geister und Schatten, des Staubs und Moders, des grauen Altertums und unterhalte mich mit einer Reliquie aus jener Zeit!

Exactly as I would speak of my nearest personal friends or enemies, or my most familiar neighbors,

Genau, wie ich von meinen nächsten persönlichen Freunden oder Feinden oder den mir vertrautesten Nachbarn spräche,

he spoke of Sir Bedivere, Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir Launcelot of the Lake, Sir Galahad, and all the other great names of the Table Round

so sprach er von Sir Bedivere, Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir Lanzelot vom See, Sir Galahad und allen anderen Trägern großer Namen der Tafelrunde,

— and how old, old, unspeakably old and faded and dry and musty and ancient he came to look as he went on!

und wie alt, uralt, unsagbar alt, verwelkt und vertrocknet, muffig und verschollen sah er schließlich aus, als er fortfuhr zu erzählen!

Presently he turned to me and said, just as one might speak of the weather, or any other common matter —

Endlich wandte er sich mir zu und sagte, wie man vom Wetter oder über irgendeine ganz gewöhnliche Sache spricht:

“You know about transmigration of souls; do you know about transposition of epochs — and bodies?”

»Sie wissen doch von der Seelenwanderung; wissen Sie auch etwas über die Versetzung der Zeitalter oder der Personen in andere Epochen?«

I said I had not heard of it. He was so little interested — just as when people speak of the weather — that he did not notice whether I made him any answer or not.

Ich erwiderte, davon hätte ich noch nichts gehört. Er war so wenig interessiert – gerade wie jemand, der vom Wetter spricht –, dass er gar nicht bemerkte, ob ich ihm antwortete oder nicht.

There was half a moment of silence, immediately interrupted by the droning voice of the salaried cicerone:

Einen kurzen Augenblick herrschte Schweigen, das sogleich von der eintönigen Stimme des gemieteten Cicerone unterbrochen wurde:

“Ancient hauberk, date of the sixth century, time of King Arthur and the Round Table;

»Altertümlicher Brustharnisch, aus dem 6. Jahrhundert, der Zeit König Artus’ und der Tafelrunde,

said to have belonged to the knight Sir Sagramor le Desirous;

soll dem Ritter Sir Sagramor dem Begehrlichen gehört haben;

observe the round hole through the chain-mail in the left breast;

beachten Sie bitte das runde Loch an der linken Brustseite des Kettenpanzers;

can’t be accounted for; supposed to have been done with a bullet since invention of firearms

eine Erklärung dafür gibt es nicht, ist vermutlich durch eine Kugel nach Erfindung der Feuerwaffen hervorgerufen worden

— perhaps maliciously by Cromwell’s soldiers.”

– vielleicht mutwillig durch Cromwells Soldaten.«

My acquaintance smiled — not a modern smile, but one

Mein Bekannter lächelte – es war kein modernes Lächeln, sondern eines,

that must have gone out of general use many, many centuries ago — and muttered apparently to himself:

das vor vielen, vielen Jahrhunderten außer Brauch gekommen sein musste – und murmelte, anscheinend im Selbstgespräch:

“Wit ye well, I saw it done.” Then, after a pause, added: “I did it myself.”

»So wisse denn, ich habe gesehen, wie es geschah!« Nach einer Pause setzte er hinzu: »Ich selbst habe es getan.«

By the time I had recovered from the electric surprise of this remark, he was gone.

Als ich mich von der Überraschung erholte, die mich gleich einem elektrischen Schlag bei dieser Bemerkung durchzuckte, war er fort.

All that evening I sat by my fire at the Warwick Arms, steeped in a dream of the olden time,

Den ganzen Abend über saß ich an meinem Kaminfeuer im Gasthaus von Warwick, versunken in den Traum von alten Zeiten,

while the rain beat upon the windows, and the wind roared about the eaves and corners.

während der Regen an mein Fenster schlug und der Wind um die Erker und Ecken heulte.

From time to time I dipped into old Sir Thomas Malory’s enchanting book,

Von Zeit zu Zeit versenkte ich mich in Sir Thomas Malorys bezauberndes Buch

and fed at its rich feast of prodigies and adventures, breathed in the fragrance of its obsolete names, and dreamed again.

und tat mich an seinem reichgedeckten Tisch der Wunder und Abenteuer gütlich, atmete den Duft seiner altertümlichen Namen und träumte dann von Neuem.

Midnight being come at length, I read another tale, for a nightcap — this which here follows, to wit:

Als es endlich Mitternacht war, las ich als Schlaftrunk noch eine Erzählung, nämlich die folgende:

HOW SIR LAUNCELOT SLEW TWO GIANTS, AND MADE A CASTLE FREE

WIE SIR LANZELOT ZWEEN RIESEN SCHLUG UND EINE BURG BEFREITE

ANON withal came there upon him two great giants, well armed, all save the heads, with two horrible clubs in their hands.

Alsogleich kamen zween gewaltige Riesen auf ihn zu, so mit Ausnahme der Köpfe wohl gepanzert waren und zwo schreckliche Keulen in den Händen hatten.

Sir Launcelot put his shield afore him, and put the stroke away of the one giant, and with his sword he clave his head asunder.

Sir Lanzelot hielt seinen Schild vor sich hin, lenkte den Streich des einen Riesen von sich ab und spaltete ihm mit seinem Schwert das Haupt.

When his fellow saw that, he ran away as he were wood [demented], for fear of the horrible strokes,

Da sein Gefährte solches sah, floh er von dannen, als sei er von Sinnen, aus Forcht vor den schröcklichen Hieben,

and Sir Launcelot after him with all his might, and smote him on the shoulder, and clave him to the middle.

und Sir Lanzelot lief, so schnell er kunnt, hinter ihm her; er schlug ihn auf die Schulter und spaltete ihn bis zur Mitten.

Then Sir Launcelot went into the hall, and there came afore him three score ladies and damsels,

Darob ging Sir Lanzelot in den Saal, und siehe, hie traten drei mal zwanzig Edeldamen und Jungfrauen vor ihn hin;

and all kneeled unto him, and thanked God and him of their deliverance.

alle knieten vor ihm nieder und dankten Gott und ihm für ihre Befreiung.

For, sir, said they, the most part of us have been here this seven year their prisoners,

Denn, Herr, also sprachen sie, die meisten unter uns sind seit sieben Jahren als ihre Gefangenen allhie,

and we have worked all manner of silk works for our meat, and we are all great gentle-women born,

und wir haben für unsere Nahrung gar viel Seidenwerk hergestellet, und wir alle sind hochgeborene Edelfrauen,

and blessed be the time, knight, that ever thou wert born; for thou hast done the most worship

und gesegnet sei die Zeit, Ritter, da Ihr geboren, denn Ihr habt den höchsten Minnedienst geleistet,

that ever did knight in the world, that will we bear record, and we all pray you to tell us your name,

so je ein Ritter in der Welt vollbracht, des werden wir gedenken, und wir bitten Euch alle, nennet uns Euren Namen,

that we may tell our friends who delivered us out of prison.

damit wir unseren Freunden sagen können, allwer uns aus der Gefangenschaft befreiet.

Fair damsels, he said, my name is Sir Launcelot du Lake. And so he departed from them and betaught them unto God.

Holde Jungfrauen, erwiderte er, ich werde Sir Lanzelot vom See geheißen. Und so trennte er sich von ihnen und empfahl sie Gott.

And then he mounted upon his horse, and rode into many strange and wild countries, and through many waters and valleys, and evil was he lodged.

Darob bestieg er sein Pferd und ritt in viele gar seltsame und wilde Länder, dorch mancherlei Gewässer und Täler und war übel daran.

And at the last by fortune him happened against a night to come to a fair courtilage,

Endlich, eines Nachts, kam er durch glücklichen Zufall an einen schönen kleinen Garten,

and therein he found an old gentle-woman that lodged him with a good-will, and there he had good cheer for him and his horse.

und darinnen fand er eine alte Edelfrau, so ihn bereitwillig aufnahm, und dorten erging es ihm und seinem Pferde wohl.

And when time was, his host brought him into a fair garret over the gate to his bed.

Und als es Zeit war, geleitete ihn seine Gastgeberin auf einen geräumigen Boden über dem Tor zu seinem Bett.

There Sir Launcelot unarmed him, and set his harness by him, and went to bed, and anon he fell on sleep.

Darob tat Sir Lanzelot seine Waffen ab legte seine Rüstung neben sich und ging zu Bett; bald danach sank er in Schlaf.

So, soon after there came one on horseback, and knocked at the gate in great haste.

Kurze Zeit später kam einer zu Pferde an und pochete in großer Hast ans Tor.

And when Sir Launcelot heard this he rose up, and looked out at the window, and saw by the moonlight three knights come riding after that one man,

Da aber Sir Lanzelot das hörte, erhob er sich, sah aus dem Fenster und erblickte im Mondlicht drei Ritter, so da kamen nachgeritten dem einen;

and all three lashed on him at once with swords, and that one knight turned on them knightly again and defended him.

alle drei hieben auf einmal mit ihren Schwertern auf ihn ein, und der eine wandte sich gar ritterlich wider sie und verteidigte sich.

Truly, said Sir Launcelot, yonder one knight shall I help, for it were shame for me to see three knights on one,

Wahrscheinlich, also sprach Sir Lanzelot, jenem einzelnen Ritter dort werde ich beistehen, dieweil es eine Schande für mich wäre, so ich zusehen wollte, wie drei Ritter über einen herfallen,

and if he be slain I am partner of his death.

und so er erschlagen werden sollte, werde auch ich des Tods sterben.

And therewith he took his harness and went out at a window by a sheet down to the four knights,

Mit diesen Worten legte er seinen Harnisch an und ließ sich an einem Haken aus dem Fenster hinab zu den vier Rittern;

and then Sir Launcelot said on high, Turn you knights unto me, and leave your fighting with that knight.

danach sprach Sir Lanzelot mit gar lauter Stimme: Ihr Ritter, wendet Euch wider mich und lasset ab von jenem Ritter.

And then they all three left Sir Kay, and turned unto Sir Launcelot, and there began great battle,

Da ließen alle drei Sir Kay und wandten sich wider Sir Lanzelot, und ein gewaltiger Kampf hub an,

for they alight all three, and strake many strokes at Sir Launcelot, and assailed him on every side.

denn alle drei stiegen vom Pferd, führten gar viele Schwerthiebe wider Sir Lanzelot und bedrängten ihn von allen Seiten.

Then Sir Kay dressed him for to have holpen Sir Launcelot.

Da bezog Sir Kay Stellung, um Sir Lanzelot beizustehen.

Nay, sir, said he, I will none of your help, therefore as ye will have my help let me alone with them.

Nein, Herr, sagte der, ich will Eure Hilfe nicht; sintemal ich Euch solche geben will, lasset mich mit jenen allein.

Sir Kay for the pleasure of the knight suffered him for to do his will, and so stood aside.

Dem Ritter zu Gefallen ließ Sir Kay ihm seinen Willen und stund beiseite.

And then anon within six strokes Sir Launcelot had stricken them to the earth.

Alsbald hatte Sir Lanzelot sie zu Boden gestreckt mit sechs Schwerthieben.

And then they all three cried, Sir Knight, we yield us unto you as man of might matchless.

Darob riefen alle drei: Herr Ritter, wir ergeben uns Euch als einem Mann von gewaltiger Stärke.

As to that, said Sir Launcelot, I will not take your yielding unto me,

Was das betrifft, sprach Sir Lanzelot, so nehme ich es nicht an, dass Ihr Euch mir ergebet,

but so that ye yield you unto Sir Kay the seneschal, on that covenant I will save your lives and else not.

sondern Sir Kay, dem Seneschall, sollet Ihr Euch ergeben, unter der Bedingung und unter keiner anderen will ich Euch das Leben schenken.

Fair knight, said they, that were we loath to do; for as for Sir Kay we chased him hither,

Edler Ritter, sprachen sie, das zu tun, erfüllet uns mit Abscheu, dieweil wir Sir Kay bis hiehergejaget haben,

and had overcome him had ye not been; therefore, to yield us unto him it were no reason.

und hätten ihn überwältiget, so Ihr nicht gewesen wäret, darum bestehet kein Grund, dass wir uns ihm ergeben.

Well, as to that, said Sir Launcelot, advise you well, for ye may choose whether ye will die or live, for an ye be yielden, it shall be unto Sir Kay.

Nun, sprach Sir Lanzelot, denket gut darob nach, denn Ihr könnt wählen, ob Ihr leben oder sterben wollet; so Ihr Euch ergeben wollet, soll es Sir Kay gegenüber sein.

Fair knight, then they said, in saving our lives we will do as thou commandest us.

Edler Ritter, antworteten sie nun, um unser Leben zu retten, werden wir Eurem Befehl Folge leisten.

Then shall ye, said Sir Launcelot, on Whitsunday next coming go unto the court of King Arthur,

Dann sollet Ihr, sprach Sir Lanzelot, am kommenden Pfingstsonntag an König Artus’ Hof gehen,

and there shall ye yield you unto Queen Guenever, and put you all three in her grace and mercy, and say that Sir Kay sent you thither to be her prisoners.

Euch dort alle drei der Königin Ginevra auf Gnade oder Ungnade ergeben und sagen, Sir Kay sende Euch dorthin als ihre Gefangenen.

On the morn Sir Launcelot arose early, and left Sir Kay sleeping;

Am Morgen erhob sich Sir Lanzelot frühe und ließ Sir Kay schlafen;

and Sir Launcelot took Sir Kay’s armor and his shield and armed him,

er legete Sir Kays Rüstung an, nahm dessen Schild und wappnete sich;

and so he went to the stable and took his horse, and took his leave of his host, and so he departed.

so ging er zum Stall, holte des Ritters Pferd, nahm Abschied von seiner Gastgeberin und zog von dannen.

Then soon after arose Sir Kay and missed Sir Launcelot; and then he espied that he had his armor and his horse.

Bald darob erhob sich Sir Kay und vermisste Sir Lanzelot; dann bemerkte er, dass der seine Rüstung und sein Pferd hatte.

Now by my faith I know well that he will grieve some of the court of King Arthur; for on him knights will be bold,

Bei meiner Treu, ich weiß, dass er einigen vom Hofe König Artus’ Schaden zufügen wird, denn die Ritter werden wider ihm voller Kühnheit sein;

and deem that it is I, and that will beguile them; and because of his armor and shield I am sure I shall ride in peace.

sie werden glauben, ich sei’s, und das wird sie irreführen; und ich bin sicher, mit seiner Rüstung und seinem Schild werde ich in Frieden reiten.

And then soon after departed Sir Kay, and thanked his host.

Bald darob schied Sir Kay von dannen und dankte seiner Gastgeberin.

As I laid the book down there was a knock at the door, and my stranger came in. I gave him a pipe and a chair, and made him welcome.

Als ich das Buch niederlegte, klopfte es an die Tür, und mein Fremder trat ein. Ich bot ihm eine Pfeife und einen Sessel an und machte es ihm behaglich.

I also comforted him with a hot Scotch whisky; gave him another one; then still another — hoping always for his story.

Ich stärkte ihn auch mit einem heißen schottischen Whisky, schenkte ihm noch einmal und dann noch einmal ein – immer in der Hoffnung auf seine Geschichte.

After a fourth persuader, he drifted into it himself, in a quite simple and natural way:

Nach einem vierten Überredungstrunk kam er auf ganz einfache und natürliche Weise selbst ins Erzählen:

THE STRANGER’S HISTORY

DIE GESCHICHTE DES FREMDEN

I AM an American. I was born and reared in Hartford, in the State of Connecticut — anyway, just over the river, in the country.

Ich bin Amerikaner. Geboren und erzogen wurde ich in Hartford im Staate Connecticut – das heißt, auf der gegenüberliegenden Seite des Flusses, auf dem Lande.

So I am a Yankee of the Yankees — and practical; yes, and nearly barren of sentiment, I suppose — or poetry, in other words.

Ich bin also ein waschechter Yankee, praktisch veranlagt, jawohl, und ziemlich unsentimental, nehme ich an – oder unpoetisch, in anderen Worten ausgedrückt.

My father was a blacksmith, my uncle was a horse doctor, and I was both, along at first.

Mein Vater war Schmied, mein Onkel Rossarzt, und ich war zuerst beides.

Then I went over to the great arms factory and learned my real trade; learned all there was to it;

Dann ging ich zur großen Waffenfabrik hinüber und erlernte mein eigentliches Handwerk, erlernte es von Grund auf;

learned to make everything: guns, revolvers, cannon, boilers, engines, all sorts of labor-saving machinery.

ich lernte alles machen: Gewehre, Revolver, Kanonen, Kessel, Maschinen, alle Arten arbeitssparender Apparate.

Why, I could make anything a body wanted — anything in the world, it didn’t make any difference what;

Ich konnte alles herstellen, was irgendwie verlangt wurde – alles, was es nur gibt, gleichgültig, was;

and if there wasn’t any quick new-fangled way to make a thing, I could invent one — and do it as easy as rolling off a log.

und gab es kein schnelles, neumodisches Herstellungsverfahren, dann war ich in der Lage, eins zu erfinden – und das mit ebensolcher Leichtigkeit, als rollte ich ein Rundholz davon.

I became head superintendent; had a couple of thousand men under me.

Ich wurde Oberaufseher und hatte zweitausend Mann unter mir.

Well, a man like that is a man that is full of fight — that goes without saying.

Nun, ein Mann in dieser Stellung ist ein rauflustiger Mensch, das braucht man nicht besonders zu erwähnen.

With a couple of thousand rough men under one, one has plenty of that sort of amusement.

Wenn man zweitausend raue Männer unter sich hat, dann gibt es reichlich Gelegenheit zu dieser Art Belustigung.

I had, anyway. At last I met my match, and I got my dose.

Ich jedenfalls hatte sie. Endlich aber traf ich auf einen, der mir gewachsen war, und erhielt mein Teil.

It was during a misunderstanding conducted with crowbars with a fellow we used to call Hercules.

Das geschah, als ich mit einem Kerl, den wir Herkules nannten, mittels Brechstangen ein Missverständnis austrug.

He laid me out with a crusher alongside the head that made everything crack,

Er legte mich mit einem gewaltigen Hieb gegen den Kopf um, bei dem alles krachte

and seemed to spring every joint in my skull and made it overlap its neighbor.

und jede Nahtstelle in meinem Schädel zu bersten und sich jeder Knochen über seinen Nachbarn zu schieben schien.

Then the world went out in darkness, and I didn’t feel anything more, and didn’t know anything at all — at least for a while.

Dann versank die Welt in Dunkelheit, ich spürte nichts mehr und wusste von nichts – wenigstens für eine Weile.

When I came to again, I was sitting under an oak tree, on the grass, with a whole beautiful and broad country landscape all to myself — nearly.

Als ich wieder zu mir kam, saß ich unter einem Eichenbaum im Grase und hatte eine wunderschöne, weite Landschaft ganz für mich allein, wenigstens beinahe.

Not entirely; for there was a fellow on a horse, looking down at me — a fellow fresh out of a picture-book.

Ganz allein jedoch nicht, denn ein Kerl auf einem Pferd blickte auf mich herab – ein Kerl, der eben aus einem Bilderbuch entsprungen zu sein schien.

He was in old-time iron armor from head to heel, with a helmet on his head the shape of a nail-keg with slits in it;

Er war von Kopf bis Fuß in eine altertümliche Eisenrüstung gekleidet, und auf dem Kopf trug er einen Helm, der aussah wie ein Nagelfässchen mit Schlitzen darin;

and he had a shield, and a sword, and a prodigious spear;

er trug einen Schild, ein Schwert und eine ungeheure Lanze;

and his horse had armor on, too, and a steel horn projecting from his forehead,

auch sein Pferd hatte einen Panzer an; von der Stirn des Tieres sprang ein Stahlhorn vor,

and gorgeous red and green silk trappings that hung down all around him like a bedquilt, nearly to the ground.

und prächtige rote und grüne Seidenschabracken hingen wie eine Steppdecke ringsum bis fast auf den Boden.

“Fair sir, will ye just?” said this fellow.

»Edler Herr, wollet Ihr turnieren?«, fragte der Kerl.

“Will I which?”

»Ob ich was will?«

“Will ye try a passage of arms for land or lady or for —”

»Wollet Ihr einen Waffengang wagen für Euer Land oder Eure Dame oder für …«

“What are you giving me?” I said. “Get along back to your circus, or I’ll report you.”

»Was verzapfen Sie da? Machen Sie, dass Sie zu Ihrem Zirkus zurückkommen, sonst zeige ich Sie an.«

Now what does this man do but fall back a couple of hundred yards and then come rushing at me as hard as he could tear,

Aber, was tut da der Mensch? Er reitet zweihundert Yard weit zurück und stürmt dann, so rasch er nur sausen kann, in vollem Galopp auf mich zu,

with his nail-keg bent down nearly to his horse’s neck and his long spear pointed straight ahead.

hält sein Nagelfässchen fast bis zum Halse des Pferdes hinuntergebeugt und seinen langen Speer gerade vor sich hin.

I saw he meant business, so I was up the tree when he arrived.

Ich sah, dass er es ernst meinte und saß deshalb, als er ankam, oben auf dem Baum.

He allowed that I was his property, the captive of his spear.

Er behauptete, ich sei sein Eigentum, der Gefangene seines Speers.

There was argument on his side — and the bulk of the advantage — so I judged it best to humor him.

Er hatte gewichtige Argumente – und fast alle Vorteile – für sich; so hielt ich es für das Beste, ihm entgegenzukommen.

We fixed up an agreement whereby I was to go with him and he was not to hurt me.

Wir trafen eine Übereinkunft, nach der ich mit ihm gehen sollte und er mir nichts tun dürfte.

I came down, and we started away, I walking by the side of his horse.

Ich stieg hinab, und wir machten uns auf den Weg; ich lief neben seinem Pferd her.

We marched comfortably along, through glades and over brooks which I could not remember to have seen before

Wir wanderten gemütlich weiter, über Lichtungen und Bäche, an die ich mich nicht erinnern konnte

— which puzzled me and made me wonder — and yet we did not come to any circus or sign of a circus.

– was mir rätselhaft schien und mir Kopfzerbrechen machte –, und immer noch gelangten wir zu keinem Zirkus und zu keinem Anzeichen davon.

So I gave up the idea of a circus, and concluded he was from an asylum.

Deshalb gab ich den Gedanken an einen Zirkus auf und schloss, er müsse aus einem Irrenhaus sein.

But we never came to an asylum — so I was up a stump, as you may say. I asked him how far we were from Hartford.

Aber wir kamen auch zu keinem Irrenhaus – und so saß ich sozusagen auf dem Trockenen. Ich fragte ihn, wie weit es noch bis Hartford sei.

He said he had never heard of the place; which I took to be a lie, but allowed it to go at that.

Er antwortete, von dem Ort habe er noch nie gehört, was ich für eine Lüge hielt, aber ich ließ sie durchgehen.

At the end of an hour we saw a far-away town sleeping in a valley by a winding river;

Nachdem eine Stunde vergangen war, sahen wir in der Ferne an einem sich schlängelnden Fluss eine Stadt, die in einem Tal schlummerte;

and beyond it on a hill, a vast gray fortress, with towers and turrets, the first I had ever seen out of a picture.

dahinter lag auf einem Hügel eine große graue Burg mit Türmen und Türmchen, die erste, die ich, außer auf Bildern, je gesehen hatte.

“Bridgeport?” said I, pointing.

»Bridgeport?«, fragte ich und deutete dorthin.

“Camelot,” said he.

»Camelot«, antwortete er.

My stranger had been showing signs of sleepiness.

Mein fremder Gast hatte bereits Anzeichen von Schläfrigkeit gezeigt.

He caught himself nodding, now, and smiled one of those pathetic, obsolete smiles of his, and said:

Jetzt ertappte er sich beim Einnicken und lächelte auf seine rührende, aus der Mode gekommene Weise; dann sagte er:

“I find I can’t go on; but come with me, I’ve got it all written out, and you can read it if you like.”

»Ich merke, ich kann nicht mehr weiter; aber kommen Sie mit mir, ich habe alles aufgeschrieben, und wenn Sie wollen, können Sie es lesen.«

In his chamber, he said: “First, I kept a journal; then by and by, after years, I took the journal and turned it into a book. How long ago that was!”

In seinem Zimmer sagte er: »Zuerst führte ich Tagebuch; mit der Zeit, nach Jahren, nahm ich dann das Tagebuch und machte eine Erzählung daraus. Wie lange ist das schon her!«

He handed me his manuscript, and pointed out the place where I should begin:

Er gab mir das Manuskript und zeigte mir die Stelle, an der ich beginnen sollte:

“Begin here — I’ve already told you what goes before.” He was steeped in drowsiness by this time.

»Fangen Sie hier an – was vorher kommt, habe ich Ihnen bereits mitgeteilt.« Unterdessen hatte ihn die Müdigkeit fast überwältigt.

As I went out at his door I heard him murmur sleepily: “Give you good den, fair sir.”

Als ich zu seiner Tür hinausging, hörte ich ihn schläfrig murmeln: »Möget Ihr einen guten Abend haben, edler Herr.«

I sat down by my fire and examined my treasure. The first part of it — the great bulk of it — was parchment, and yellow with age.

Ich setzte mich an meinem Kaminfeuer nieder und prüfte meinen Schatz. Dessen erster Teil – der weitaus größere – war auf Pergament geschrieben und vom Alter vergilbt.

I scanned a leaf particularly and saw that it was a palimpsest.

Ich betrachtete ein Blatt genauer und stellte fest, dass es ein Palimpsest war.

Under the old dim writing of the Yankee historian appeared traces of a penmanship

Unter der alten, verblassten Schrift des amerikanischen Chronisten erschienen Spuren eines Textes,

which was older and dimmer still — Latin words and sentences: fragments from old monkish legends, evidently.

der noch älter und verblasster war – lateinische Wörter und Sätze, augenscheinlich Fragmente alter Mönchslegenden.

I turned to the place indicated by my stranger and began to read — as follows:

Ich blätterte zu der Stelle um, die mir der Fremde bezeichnet hatte, und begann folgendes zu lesen:

PREFACE

THE ungentle laws and customs touched upon in this tale are historical, and the episodes which are used to illustrate them are also historical. It is not pretended that these laws and customs existed in England in the sixth century; no, it is only pretended that inasmuch as they existed in the English and other civilizations of far later times, it is safe to consider that it is no libel upon the sixth century to suppose them to have been in practice in that day also. One is quite justified in inferring that whatever one of these laws or customs was lacking in that remote time, its place was competently filled by a worse one.

The question as to whether there is such a thing as divine right of kings is not settled in this book. It was found too difficult. That the executive head of a nation should be a person of lofty character and extraordinary ability, was manifest and indisputable; that none but the Deity could select that head unerringly, was also manifest and indisputable; that the Deity ought to make that selection, then, was likewise manifest and indisputable; consequently, that He does make it, as claimed, was an unavoidable deduction. I mean, until the author of this book encountered the Pompadour, and Lady Castlemaine, and some other executive heads of that kind; these were found so difficult to work into the scheme, that it was judged better to take the other tack in this book (which must be issued this fall), and then go into training and settle the question in another book. It is, of course, a thing which ought to be settled, and I am not going to have anything particular to do next winter anyway.

MARK TWAIN

A WORD OF EXPLANATION

IT was in Warwick Castle that I came across the curious stranger whom I am going to talk about. He attracted me by three things: his candid simplicity, his marvelous familiarity with ancient armor, and the restfulness of his company — for he did all the talking. We fell together, as modest people will, in the tail of the herd that was being shown through, and he at once began to say things which interested me. As he talked along, softly, pleasantly, flowingly, he seemed to drift away imperceptibly out of this world and time, and into some remote era and old forgotten country; and so he gradually wove such a spell about me that I seemed to move among the specters and shadows and dust and mold of a gray antiquity, holding speech with a relic of it! Exactly as I would speak of my nearest personal friends or enemies, or my most familiar neighbors, he spoke of Sir Bedivere, Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir Launcelot of the Lake, Sir Galahad, and all the other great names of the Table Round — and how old, old, unspeakably old and faded and dry and musty and ancient he came to look as he went on! Presently he turned to me and said, just as one might speak of the weather, or any other common matter —

“You know about transmigration of souls; do you know about transposition of epochs — and bodies?”

I said I had not heard of it. He was so little interested — just as when people speak of the weather — that he did not notice whether I made him any answer or not. There was half a moment of silence, immediately interrupted by the droning voice of the salaried cicerone:

“Ancient hauberk, date of the sixth century, time of King Arthur and the Round Table; said to have belonged to the knight Sir Sagramor le Desirous; observe the round hole through the chain-mail in the left breast; can’t be accounted for; supposed to have been done with a bullet since invention of firearms — perhaps maliciously by Cromwell’s soldiers.”

My acquaintance smiled — not a modern smile, but one that must have gone out of general use many, many centuries ago — and muttered apparently to himself:

“Wit ye well, I saw it done.” Then, after a pause, added: “I did it myself.”

By the time I had recovered from the electric surprise of this remark, he was gone.

All that evening I sat by my fire at the Warwick Arms, steeped in a dream of the olden time, while the rain beat upon the windows, and the wind roared about the eaves and corners. From time to time I dipped into old Sir Thomas Malory’s enchanting book, and fed at its rich feast of prodigies and adventures, breathed in the fragrance of its obsolete names, and dreamed again. Midnight being come at length, I read another tale, for a nightcap — this which here follows, to wit:

HOW SIR LAUNCELOT SLEW TWO GIANTS, AND MADE A CASTLE FREE

ANON withal came there upon him two great giants, well armed, all save the heads, with two horrible clubs in their hands. Sir Launcelot put his shield afore him, and put the stroke away of the one giant, and with his sword he clave his head asunder. When his fellow saw that, he ran away as he were wood [demented], for fear of the horrible strokes, and Sir Launcelot after him with all his might, and smote him on the shoulder, and clave him to the middle. Then Sir Launcelot went into the hall, and there came afore him three score ladies and damsels, and all kneeled unto him, and thanked God and him of their deliverance. For, sir, said they, the most part of us have been here this seven year their prisoners, and we have worked all manner of silk works for our meat, and we are all great gentle-women born, and blessed be the time, knight, that ever thou wert born; for thou hast done the most worship that ever did knight in the world, that will we bear record, and we all pray you to tell us your name, that we may tell our friends who delivered us out of prison. Fair damsels, he said, my name is Sir Launcelot du Lake. And so he departed from them and betaught them unto God. And then he mounted upon his horse, and rode into many strange and wild countries, and through many waters and valleys, and evil was he lodged. And at the last by fortune him happened against a night to come to a fair courtilage, and therein he found an old gentle-woman that lodged him with a good-will, and there he had good cheer for him and his horse. And when time was, his host brought him into a fair garret over the gate to his bed. There Sir Launcelot unarmed him, and set his harness by him, and went to bed, and anon he fell on sleep. So, soon after there came one on horseback, and knocked at the gate in great haste. And when Sir Launcelot heard this he rose up, and looked out at the window, and saw by the moonlight three knights come riding after that one man, and all three lashed on him at once with swords, and that one knight turned on them knightly again and defended him. Truly, said Sir Launcelot, yonder one knight shall I help, for it were shame for me to see three knights on one, and if he be slain I am partner of his death. And therewith he took his harness and went out at a window by a sheet down to the four knights, and then Sir Launcelot said on high, Turn you knights unto me, and leave your fighting with that knight. And then they all three left Sir Kay, and turned unto Sir Launcelot, and there began great battle, for they alight all three, and strake many strokes at Sir Launcelot, and assailed him on every side. Then Sir Kay dressed him for to have holpen Sir Launcelot. Nay, sir, said he, I will none of your help, therefore as ye will have my help let me alone with them. Sir Kay for the pleasure of the knight suffered him for to do his will, and so stood aside. And then anon within six strokes Sir Launcelot had stricken them to the earth.

And then they all three cried, Sir Knight, we yield us unto you as man of might matchless. As to that, said Sir Launcelot, I will not take your yielding unto me, but so that ye yield you unto Sir Kay the seneschal, on that covenant I will save your lives and else not. Fair knight, said they, that were we loath to do; for as for Sir Kay we chased him hither, and had overcome him had ye not been; therefore, to yield us unto him it were no reason. Well, as to that, said Sir Launcelot, advise you well, for ye may choose whether ye will die or live, for an ye be yielden, it shall be unto Sir Kay. Fair knight, then they said, in saving our lives we will do as thou commandest us. Then shall ye, said Sir Launcelot, on Whitsunday next coming go unto the court of King Arthur, and there shall ye yield you unto Queen Guenever, and put you all three in her grace and mercy, and say that Sir Kay sent you thither to be her prisoners. On the morn Sir Launcelot arose early, and left Sir Kay sleeping; and Sir Launcelot took Sir Kay’s armor and his shield and armed him, and so he went to the stable and took his horse, and took his leave of his host, and so he departed. Then soon after arose Sir Kay and missed Sir Launcelot; and then he espied that he had his armor and his horse. Now by my faith I know well that he will grieve some of the court of King Arthur; for on him knights will be bold, and deem that it is I, and that will beguile them; and because of his armor and shield I am sure I shall ride in peace. And then soon after departed Sir Kay, and thanked his host.

As I laid the book down there was a knock at the door, and my stranger came in. I gave him a pipe and a chair, and made him welcome. I also comforted him with a hot Scotch whisky; gave him another one; then still another — hoping always for his story. After a fourth persuader, he drifted into it himself, in a quite simple and natural way:

THE STRANGER’S HISTORY

I AM an American. I was born and reared in Hartford, in the State of Connecticut — anyway, just over the river, in the country. So I am a Yankee of the Yankees — and practical; yes, and nearly barren of sentiment, I suppose — or poetry, in other words. My father was a blacksmith, my uncle was a horse doctor, and I was both, along at first. Then I went over to the great arms factory and learned my real trade; learned all there was to it; learned to make everything: guns, revolvers, cannon, boilers, engines, all sorts of labor-saving machinery. Why, I could make anything a body wanted — anything in the world, it didn’t make any difference what; and if there wasn’t any quick new-fangled way to make a thing, I could invent one — and do it as easy as rolling off a log. I became head superintendent; had a couple of thousand men under me.

Well, a man like that is a man that is full of fight — that goes without saying. With a couple of thousand rough men under one, one has plenty of that sort of amusement. I had, anyway. At last I met my match, and I got my dose. It was during a misunderstanding conducted with crowbars with a fellow we used to call Hercules. He laid me out with a crusher alongside the head that made everything crack, and seemed to spring every joint in my skull and made it overlap its neighbor. Then the world went out in darkness, and I didn’t feel anything more, and didn’t know anything at all — at least for a while.

When I came to again, I was sitting under an oak tree, on the grass, with a whole beautiful and broad country landscape all to myself — nearly. Not entirely; for there was a fellow on a horse, looking down at me — a fellow fresh out of a picture-book. He was in old-time iron armor from head to heel, with a helmet on his head the shape of a nail-keg with slits in it; and he had a shield, and a sword, and a prodigious spear; and his horse had armor on, too, and a steel horn projecting from his forehead, and gorgeous red and green silk trappings that hung down all around him like a bedquilt, nearly to the ground.

“Fair sir, will ye just?” said this fellow.

“Will I which?”

“Will ye try a passage of arms for land or lady or for —”

“What are you giving me?” I said. “Get along back to your circus, or I’ll report you.”

Now what does this man do but fall back a couple of hundred yards and then come rushing at me as hard as he could tear, with his nail-keg bent down nearly to his horse’s neck and his long spear pointed straight ahead. I saw he meant business, so I was up the tree when he arrived.

He allowed that I was his property, the captive of his spear. There was argument on his side — and the bulk of the advantage — so I judged it best to humor him. We fixed up an agreement whereby I was to go with him and he was not to hurt me. I came down, and we started away, I walking by the side of his horse. We marched comfortably along, through glades and over brooks which I could not remember to have seen before — which puzzled me and made me wonder — and yet we did not come to any circus or sign of a circus. So I gave up the idea of a circus, and concluded he was from an asylum. But we never came to an asylum — so I was up a stump, as you may say. I asked him how far we were from Hartford. He said he had never heard of the place; which I took to be a lie, but allowed it to go at that. At the end of an hour we saw a far-away town sleeping in a valley by a winding river; and beyond it on a hill, a vast gray fortress, with towers and turrets, the first I had ever seen out of a picture.

“Bridgeport?” said I, pointing.

“Camelot,” said he.

My stranger had been showing signs of sleepiness. He caught himself nodding, now, and smiled one of those pathetic, obsolete smiles of his, and said:

“I find I can’t go on; but come with me, I’ve got it all written out, and you can read it if you like.”

In his chamber, he said: “First, I kept a journal; then by and by, after years, I took the journal and turned it into a book. How long ago that was!”

He handed me his manuscript, and pointed out the place where I should begin:

“Begin here — I’ve already told you what goes before.” He was steeped in drowsiness by this time. As I went out at his door I heard him murmur sleepily: “Give you good den, fair sir.”

I sat down by my fire and examined my treasure. The first part of it — the great bulk of it — was parchment, and yellow with age. I scanned a leaf particularly and saw that it was a palimpsest. Under the old dim writing of the Yankee historian appeared traces of a penmanship which was older and dimmer still — Latin words and sentences: fragments from old monkish legends, evidently. I turned to the place indicated by my stranger and began to read — as follows: