cliges-第10节

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who　would　have　had　great　joy　thereat；　for　rather　does　he　wish
grief　for　himself　without　her　than　to　have　her　without　her　will。
Therefore　he　begs　and　requests　a　respite；　for　he　does　not　wish　to
make　his　request　till　he　know　her　pleasure　in　the　matter；　but　he
has　sought　neither　respite　nor　delay　in　possessing　himself　of　the
golden　cup。　He　takes　the　cup　and　generously　entreats　my　Lord
Gawain　until　he　accepts　this　cup　from　him；　but　with　exceeding
great　reluctance　has　that　knight　accepted　it。　When　Soredamors　has
heard　the　true　news　about　Alexander　much　did　it　please　and
delight　her。　When　she　knew　that　he　is　alive　she　has　such　joy
thereof；　that　it　seems　to　her　never　can　she　have　　grief　for　an
hour；　but　too　long　it　seems　to　her　does　he　tarry　to　come　as　he　is
wont。　Soon　she　will　have　what　she　desires；　　for　the　two　vie　with
each　other　in　their　yearning　for　the　same　thing。

Alexander　greatly　longed　to　be　able　to　feast　his　eyes　on　her　if
only　with　one　sweet　look。　Already　for　a　long　time　would　he　fain
have　come　to　the　queen's　tent　if　he　had　not　been　kept　elsewhere。
Delay　displeased　him　much；　so　soon　as　ever　he　could　he　came　to
the　queen　in　her　tent。　The　queen　has　met　him；　for　she　knew　much
of　his　thought　without　his　ever　having　spoken；　but　well　had　she
perceived　it。　As　he　enters　the　tent　she　salutes　him　and　takes
pains　to　greet　him　with　due　ceremony；　well　she　knows　what
occasion　brings　him。　Because　she　wishes　to　serve　him　to　his
liking　she　puts　Soredamors　by　his　side；　and　they　three　were　alone
conversing　far　from　the　others。　The　queen　is　the　first　to　begin；
for　she　had　no　doubt　at　all　that　they　loved　each　other；　he　her；
and　she　him。　Well　she　thinks　to　know　it　for　a　certainty　and　is
convinced　that　Soredamors　could　not　have　a　better　lover。　She　was
seated　between　them　and　begins　a　discourse　which　came　aptly　and
in　season。

〃Alexander；〃　quoth　the　queen；　〃Love　is　worse　than　hatred；　for　it
grieves　and　bewilders　its　devotee。　Lovers　know　not　what　they　do
when　the　one　hides　his　feelings　from　the　other。　In　Love　there　is
much　grievous　toil：　he　who　does　not　make　a　bold　beginning　in　the
laying　of　the　foundation　can　scarce　put　on　the　coping…stone。　The
saying　goes　that　there　is　nothing　so　difficult　to　cross　as　the
threshold。　I　wish　to　instruct　you　about　Love；　for　well　I　know
that　Love　is　using　you　badly。　For　this　reason　have　I　taken　you　to
task；　and　take　care　that　you　conceal　nought　of　it　from　me；　for
clearly　have　I　seen　from　the　countenances　of　each；　that　of　two
hearts　you　have　made　one。　Never　seek　to　hide　it　from　me。　You　act
very　foolishly　in　that　the　twain　of　you　tell　not　your　thoughts；
for　you　are　killing　each　other　by　this　concealment；　you　will　be
Love's　murderers。　Now；　I　counsel　you　that　you　seek　not　to　satisfy
your　love　by　rape　or　by　lust。　Unite　yourselves　in　honourable
marriage。　Thus　as　it　seems　to　me　your　love　will　last　long。　I
venture　to　assure　you　of　this；　that　if　you　have　a　mind　for　it　I
will　bring　about　the　marriage。〃

When　the　queen　had　disburdened　her　heart　Alexander　on　his　side
disclosed　his。　〃Lady；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　deny　nought　whereof　you
charge　me；　rather　do　I　quite　admit　all　that　you　say。　Never　do　I
seek　to　be　free　from　Love；　so　as　not　always　to　devote　myself　to
it。　This　that　you　of　your　pity　have　told　me　greatly　pleases　and
delights　me。　Since　you　know　my　will；　I　know　not　why　I　should　any
longer　conceal　it　from　you。　Very　long　ago　if　I　had　dared　I　would
have　confessed　it；　for　the　concealment　has　pained　me　much。　But
perhaps　this　maiden　would　in　no　wise　will　that　I　should　be　hers；
and　she　mine。　If　she　grants　me　nought　of　herself；　yet　still　I
give　myself　to　her。〃　At　these　words　she　trembled；　and　she　does
not　refuse　this　gift。　She　betrays　the　wish　of　her　heart　both　in
words　and　looks；　for　trembling　she　gives　herself　to　him；　and　says
that　never　will　she　make　any　reservation　of　will　or　heart　or
person；　but　will　be　wholly　at　the　queen's　command　and　will　do　all
her　pleasure。　The　queen　embraces　them　both　and　gives　the　one　to
the　other。　Laughing；　she　says：　〃I　yield　to　thee；　Alexander；　the
body　of　thy　love。　Well　I　know　that　thou　art　not　alarmed　thereat。
Let　who　will　look　askance　thereat；　I　give　you　the　one　to　the　
other。　Hold；　thou；　what　is　thine；　and　thou；　Alexander；　what　is　
thine。〃　She　has　what　is　hers；　and　he；　what　is　his；　he；　all　of
her；　　and　she；　all　of　him。　The　betrothal　took　place　that　very　day
at　Windsor；　without　a　doubt　with　the　consent　and　permission　of　my　
Lord　Gawain　and　the　king。　None　could　tell；　I　ween；　of　the　
magnificence　and　feasting；　of　the　joy　and　pleasure　so　great　that
at　the　wedding　there　would　not　have　been　more。　But　inasmuch　　as
it　would　displease　most　people；　I　will　not　waste　or　spend　one　
word　thereon；　for　I　wish　to　apply　myself　to　the　telling　of　
something　better。

On　one　day　at　Windsor　had　Alexander　so　much　honour　and　joy　as
pleased　him。　Three　joys　and　three　honours　he　had：　One　was　for　the
castle　that　he　took；　the　second；　for　that　which　King　Arthur
promised　that　he　would　give　him　when　the　war　was　endedthe　best
realm　in　Walesthat　day　Arthur　made　him　king　in　his　halls。　The
greatest　joy　was　the　third　because　his　lady…love　was　queen　of　the
chessboard　whereof　he　was　king。　Before　five　months　were　passed
Soredamors　was　great　with　human　seed　and　grain；　and　she　bore　it
till　her　time。　Such　was　the　seed　in　its　germ　that　the　fruit　came
according　to　its　kind。　A　fairer　child　there　could　not　be；　before
or　after。　They　called　the　child　Cliges。

Born　was　Cliges；　in　memory　of　whom　this　story　was　put　into
French。　Ye　shall　hear　me　tell　fully　and　relate　of　him　and　of　his
knightly　service；　when　he　shall　have　come　to　such　an　age；　that　he
will　be　destined　to　grow　in　fame。　But　meanwhile　it　happened　in
Greece　that　the　emperor　who　ruled　Constantinople　came　to　his　end。
He　was　dead；　he　needs　must　die；　for　he　could　not　pass　the　term
appointed。　But　before　his　death　he　assembled　all　the　high　barons
of　his　land　in　order　to　send　and　fetch　Alexander；　his　son；　who
was　in　Britain　where　right　willingly　he　tarried。　The　messengers
depart　from　Greece；　o'er　the　sea　they　take　their　voyage；　and
there　a　tempest　overtakes　them　which　sorely　distresses　their　ship
and　their　folk。　They　were　all　drowned　in　the　sea　save　one
treacherous　fellow；　a　renegade；　who　loved　Alis；　the　younger　son；
more　than　Alexander；　the　elder。　When　he　had　escaped　from　the　sea
he　has　returned　to　Greece；　and　related　that　they　had　all　been
drowned　in　a　storm　on　the　sea　when　they　were　returning　from
Britain；　and　were　bringing　away　their　lord；　not　one　of　them　had
escaped　save　he；　only；　from　the　storm　and　the　peril。　His　lying
tale　was　believed。　Unopposed　and　unchallenged　they　take　Alis　and
crown　him：　they　give　to　him　the　empire　of　Greece。　But　it　was　not
long　ere　Alexander　knew　for　a　certainty　that　Alis　was　emperor。
Forthwith　he　has　taken　leave　of　King　Arthur；　for　by　no　means　will
he　resign　his　land　to　his　brother　without　a　fight。　The　king　in　no
wise　deters　him　from　the　plan；　rather　he　bids　him　lead　away　with
him　so　great　a　multitude　of　Welsh　Scots　and　Cornishmen；　that　his
brother　will　not　dare　to　stand　his　ground　when　he　shall　see　the
host　assembled。　Alexander　might　have　led　away　a　great　force　had
he　willed。　But　he　has　no　care　to　destroy　his　people　if　his
brother　will　answer　him　in　such　wise　as　to　perform　his　promise。
He　led　away　forty　knights　and　Soredamors　and　his　son。　These　two
would　he　not　leave　behind；　for　they　were　meet　to　be　greatly
loved。　They　sailed　from　Shoreham　where　they　took　leave　of　the
whole　court；　they　had　fair　winds；　the　ship　ran　much　more　swiftly
than　a　fleeing　stag。　Before　the　month　had　passed；　I　ween；　they
came　to　anchor　before　Athens；　a　city　very　magnificent　and　strong。
The　emperor；　in　sooth；　was　staying　in　the　city；　and　there　was　a
great　gathering　there　of　the　high　barons　of　the　land。　As　soon　as
they　were　arrived　Alexander　sends　a　trusted　servant　into　the　city
to　know　if　he　could　have　a　fitting　welcome　there　or　if　they　will
deny　that　he　is　their　rightful　lord。

The　bearer　of　this　message　was　a　courteous　and　prudent　knight
whom　men　called　Acorionde；　a　man　of　wealth　and　eloquence；　and　he
was　much　esteemed　in　the　land；　for　he　was　a　native　of　Athens。
》From　of　old　his　forbears　had　always　had　very　high　lordship　in
the　city。　When　he　had　heard　told　that　the　emperor　was　in　the　city
he　goes　to　contend　with　him　for　the　crown　on　behalf　of　Alexander；
his　brother；　and　he　cannot　pardon　him　for　that　he　has　kept　it　
unjustly。　Straight　into　the　palace　has　he　come；　and　finds　many　a
one　who　greets　him　fair；　but　he　gives　no　answer　nor　does　he　say　a
word　to　any　man　who　greets　him；　rather　he　waits　until　he　may　hear
what　will　and　what　mind　they　have　toward　their　true　lord。　He　does
not　stop　till　he　reaches　the　emperor；　he　greets　him　not；　nor　bows
to　him；　nor　calls　him　emperor。　〃Alis；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　bear　thee　a
message　from　Alexander　who　is　out　yonder　in　this　harbour。　Hear
what　word　thy　brother　sends　to　thee：　He　asks　of　thee　what　is　his
and　seeks　nought　that　is　contrary　to　justice。　Constantinople
which　thou　holdest　ought　to　be　his；　and　will　be　his。　Neither
reasonable　nor　right　would　it　be　that　there　should　be　discord
'twixt　you　twain。　Take　my　counsel；　and　come　to　terms　wi