cliges-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


it　does　not　in　any　wise　appear　that　it　had　been　touched。　They
have　approached　the　tower　as　quickly　as　ever　they　could。　When
they　had　put　her　within　the　tower　in　the　rooms　that　were
underground；　then　they　took　off　the　grave…clothes；　and　Cliges；
who　knew　nothing　of　the　draught　that　she　had　within　her　body；
which　makes　her　dumb　and　prevents　her　stirring；　thinks　in
consequence　that　she　is　dead；　and　he　loses　hope　and　comfort
thereat；　and　sighs　deeply　and　weeps。　But　soon　the　hour　will　have
come　that　the　draught　will　lose　its　force。　And　Fenice；　who　hears
him　lament；　tries　and　strains　that　she　may　be　able　to　comfort　him
either　by　word　or　by　look。　Her　heart　nearly　breaks　because　of　the
mourning　she　hears　him　make。　〃Ha！　Death；〃　quoth　he；　〃how　base
thou　art；　in　that　thou　sparest　and　passest　by　worthless　and
outcast　creatures！　Such　thou　dost　allow　to　last　and　live。　Death！
art　thou　mad　or　drunk　that　thou　has　killed　my　love　without
killing　me？　This　that　I　see　is　a　marvel：　my　love　is　dead　and　I　am
alive。　Ah；　sweet　love！　why　does　your　lover　live　and　see　you　dead？
Now　might　one　rightly　say　that　you　are　dead　for　my　sake；　and　that
I　have　killed　and　slain　you。　Loved　lady！　then　am　I　the　Death　who
has　killed　you；　is　not　that　unjust？　For　I　have　taken　away　my　life
in　you　and　yet　have　kept　yours　in　me。　For　were　not　your　health
and　your　life　mine；　sweet　friend？　And　were　not　mine　yours？　For　I
loved　nought　but　you：　we　twain　were　one　being。　Now　have　I　done
what　I　ought；　for　I　keep　your　soul　in　my　body；　and　mine　is　gone
forth　of　yours；　and　yet　the　one　was　bound　to　bear　the　other
company；　wherever　it　was；　and　nothing　ought　to　have　parted　them。〃
At　this　she　heaves　a　sigh　and　says　in　a　weak；　low　voice：　〃Friend！
friend！　I　am　not　wholly　dead；　but　well…nigh　so。　But　I　hope　nought
about　my　life。　I　thought　to　have　a　jest　and　to　feign：　but　now
must　I　needs　complain；　for　Death　loves　not　my　jest。　A　marvel
'twill　be　if　I　escape　alive；　for　much　have　the　leeches　wounded
me；　broken　and　lacerated　my　flesh；　and　nevertheless；　if　it　could
be　that　my　nurse　were　here　with　me；　she　would　make　me　quite
whole；　if　care　could　avail　aught　herein。〃　〃Friend！　then　let　it
not　distress　you；〃　quoth　Cliges；　〃for　this　very　night　I　will
bring　her　here　for　you。。。。。Friend！　rather　will　John　go。〃　John
goes　thither　and　has　sought　till　he　found　her；　and　he　imparts　to
her　how　greatly　he　desires　her　to　come；　never　let　any　excuse
detain　her；　for　Fenice　and　Cliges　summon　her　to　a　tower　where
they　await　her；　for　Fenice　is　sore　mishandled；　and　she　must　come
provided　with　salves　and　electuaries；　and　let　her　know　that　the
lady　will　live　no　longer　if　she　succour　her　not　speedily。
Thessala　forthwith　runs　and　takes　ointment　and　plaster　and　an
electuary　that　she　had　made；　and　has　joined　company　with　John。
Then　they　issue　from　the　town　secretly　and　go　till　they　come
straight　to　the　tower。　When　Fenice　sees　her　nurse；　she　thinks　she
is　quite　cured；　so　much　she　loves　her　and　believes　in　her　and
trusts　her。　And　Cliges　embraces　and　greets　her　and　says：
〃Welcome；　nurse！　for　I　love　and　esteem　you　greatly。　Nurse；　in
God's　name　what　think　you　of　this　damsel's　illness？　What　is　your
opinion？　Will　she　recover？　〃Ay；　sir！　fear　not　that　I　cannot　cure
her　right　well。　A　fortnight　will　not　have　passed　before　I　make
her　whole；　so　that　never　at　any　time　was　she　more　whole　and　gay。〃

Thessala　sets　her　mind　on　curing　the　lady；　and　John　goes　to
provide　the　tower　with　whatsoever　store　is　meet。　Cliges　comes　and
goes　to　the　tower　boldly；　in　view　of　all；　for　he　has　left　there　a
goshawk　moulting；　and　says　that　he　comes　to　see　it；　and　none　can
guess　that　he　goes　there　for　any　other　reason　save　only　on
account　of　the　hawk。　Much　does　he　tarry　there　both　night　and　day。
He　makes　John　guard　the　tower；　that　no　one　may　enter　there
against　his　will。　Fenice　has　no　hurt　whereof　she　need　grieve；　for
well　has　Thessala　cured　her。　If　now　Cliges　had　been　duke　of
Almeria　or　of　Morocco　or　of　Tudela；　he　would　not　have　prized　such
honour　a　berry　in　comparison　of　the　joy　he　has。　Certes；　Love
abased　himself　no　whit　when　he　put　them　together；　for　it　seems　to
both　when　one　embraces　and　kisses　the　other　that　the　whole　world
is　made　better　for　their　joy　and　their　pleasure。　Ask　me　no　more
about　it；　I　will　but　say　that　there　is　nought　that　one　wills　that
the　other　does　not　welcome。　So　is　their　will　at　one　as　if　they
twain　were　but　one。　All　this　year　and　some　space　of　the　next；　two
months　and　more；　I　ween；　has　Fenice　been　in　the　tower；　until　the
spring　of　the　year。　When　flowers　and　foliage　bud　forth；　and　the
little　birds　are　making　merryfor　they　delight　in　their
bird…languageit　happened　that　Fenice　heard　one　morning　the
nightingale　sing。　Cliges　was　holding　her　gently　with　one　arm
about　her　waist　and　the　other　about　her　neck；　and　she　him　in　like
manner；　and　she　has　said　to　him：　〃Fair；　dear　friend；　much　joy
would　an　orchard　afford　me；　where　I　could　take　my　pleasure。　I
have　seen　neither　moon　nor　sun　shine　for　more　than　fifteen　whole
months。　If　it　might　be；　full　gladly　would　I　sally　forth　into　the
daylight；　for　I　am　pent　up　in　this　tower。　If　near　by　there　were
an　orchard　where　I　could　go　to　disport　myself；　great　good　would
this　do　me　often。　Then　Cliges　promises　that　he　will　seek　counsel
of　John　as　soon　as　he　shall　see　him。　And　now　it　has　happened　that
lo！　John　has　come　thither；　for　he　was　often　wont　to　come。　Cliges
has　spoken　with　him　of　Fenice's　desire。　〃All　is　prepared　and
already　at　hand；〃　quoth　John；　〃whatsoever　she　orders。　This　tower
is　well　provided　with　all　that　she　wishes　and　asks　for。〃　Then　is
Fenice　right　blithe　and　bids　John　lead　her　thither；　and　John
makes　no　demur。　Then　goes　John　to　open　a　door；　such　that　I　have
neither　skill　nor　power　to　tell　or　describe　the　fashion　of　it。
None　save　John　could　have　had　the　skill　to　make　it；　nor　could　any
one　ever　have　told　that　there　was　door　or　window　there；　as　long
as　the　door　was　not　opened；　so　hidden　and　concealed　was　it。

When　Fenice　saw　the　door　open　and　the　sun　which　she　had　not　seen
for　a　long　time　shine　in；　she　has　all　her　blood　awhirl　with　joy
and　says　that　now　she　seeks　nothing　more；　inasmuch　as　she　can
come　forth　out　of　the　hiding…place；　and　seeks　no　refuge
elsewhere。　By　the　door　she　has　entered　the　orchard；　and　this
greatly　pleases　and　delights　her。　In　the　midst　of　the　orchard
there　was　a　grafted　tree　loaded　with　flowers　and　very　leafy；　and
it　formed　a　canopy　above。　The　branches　were　so　trained　that　they
hung　towards　the　ground　and　bent　almost　to　the　earth；　all　save
the　top　from　which　they　sprang；　for　that　rose　straight　upwards。
Fenice　desires　no　other　place。　And　below　the　grafted　tree　the
meadow　is　very　delectable　and　very　fair；　nor　ever　will　the　sun　be
so　high　even　at　noon；　when　it　is　hottest；　that　ever　a　ray　can
pass　that　way；　so　skilled　was　John　to　arrange　things　and　to　guide
and　train　the　branches。　There　Fenice　goes　to　disport　herself；　and
all　day　she　makes　her　couch　there；　there　they　are　in　joy　and
delight。　And　the　orchard　is　enclosed　around　with　a　high　wall
which　joins　the　tower；　so　that　no　creature　could　enter　it；　unless
he　had　climbed　to　the　top　of　the　tower。

Now　is　Fenice　in　great　delight：　there　is　nought　to　displease　her；
nor　lacks　she　aught　that　she　could　wish；　when　'neath　the　flowers
and　leaves　it　lists　her　embrace　her　lover。　At　the　time　when　folk
go　hunting　with　the　sparrow…hawk　and　with　the　hound；　which　seeks
the　lark　and　the　stonechat　and　tracks　the　quail　and　the
partridge；　it　happened　that　a　knight　of　Thrace；　a　young　and
sprightly　noble；　esteemed　for　his　prowess；　had　one　day　gone
a…hawking　quite　close　beside　this　tower；　Bertrand　was　the
knight's　name。　His　sparrow…hawk　had　soared　high；　for　it　had
missed　the　lark　that　was　its　aim。　Now　will　Bertrand　consider
himself　ill　served　by　fate；　if　he　lose　his　sparrow…hawk。　He　saw
it　descend　and　settle　below　the　tower　in　an　orchard；　and　it
pleased　him　much　to　see　this；　for　now　he　reckons　that　he　will　not
lose　it。　Forthwith　he　goes　to　scale　the　wall；　and　wins　to　get
over　it。　Under　the　grafted　tree　he　saw　Fenice　and　Cliges　sleeping
together　side　by　side。　〃God！〃　quoth　he；　〃what　has　befallen　me？
What　kind　of　miracle　is　it　that　I　see？　Is　it　not　Cliges？　Yea；
faith。　Is　not　that　the　empress　by　his　side？　Nay；　but　she
resembles　her；　for　no　other　being　ever　was　so　like。　Such　a　nose；
such　a　mouth；　such　a　brow　she　has　as　the　empress；　my　lady；　had。
Never　did　nature　better　succeed　in　making　two　beings　of　the　same
countenance。　In　this　lady　see　I　nought　that　I　should　not　have
seen　in　my　lady。　If　she　had　been　alive；　truly　I　should　have　said
that　it　was　she。〃　At　that　moment　a　pear　drops　and　falls　just
beside　Fenice's　ear。　She　starts；　awakes；　sees　Bertrand　and　cries
aloud：　〃Friend；　friend；　we　are　lost！　Here　is　Bertrand！　If　he
escapes　you；　we　have　fallen　into　an　evil　trap。　He　will　tell　folk
that　he　has　seen　us。〃　Then　has　Bertrand　perceived　that　it　is　the
empress　beyond　all　doubt。　Need　is　there　for　him　to　depart；　for
Cliges　had　brought　his　sword　with　him　into　the　orchard；　and　had
laid　it　beside　the　couch。　He　springs　up　and　has　taken　his　sword；
and　Bertrand　flees　swiftly。　With　all　the　speed　he　might　he　grips
the　wall；　and　now　he　was　all　but　over　it；　when　Cliges　has　come
after；　raises　now　his　sword；　and　strikes　him；　so　that　beneath　the
knee　he　has　cut　off　his　leg　as　clean　as　a　stalk　of　fennel。
Nevertheless；　Bertrand　has　escaped　ill…handled　and　crippled；　and
on　the　other　side　he　is　received　by　his　men；　who　are　beside
themselves　with　grief　and　wrath；　when　they　see　him　thus　maimed；
they　have　asked　and　inquired　who　it　is　that　had　done　it　to　him。
〃Question　me　not　about　it；〃　quoth　he；　〃but　raise　me　on　my　horse。
Never　will　this　story　be　recounted　till　it　is　told　before　the
emperor。　He　who　has　done　this　to　me　ought　not　forsooth　to　be
without　fearnor　is　he；　for　he　is　nigh　to　deadly　peril。〃　Then
they　have　put　him　on　his　palfrey；　and；　mourning；　they　lead　him
away　in　great　dismay　through　the　midst　of　the　town。　After　them　go
more　than　twenty　thousand；　who　follow　him　to　the　court。　And　all
the　people　flock　there；　the　one　after　the　other；　and　the　devil
take　the　hindmost。

Now　has　Bertrand　made　his　plea　and　complaint　to　the　emperor　in
the　hearing　of