cliges-第15节

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the　Saxons　perceive　him　coming；　but　the　arms　with　which　he　is
clad　and　furnished　mislead　them　all。　He　has　mocked　at　them　and
scorned　them；　for　the　duke　and　all　the　others　as　he　advanced　with
hoisted　lance；　say：　〃Our　knight　is　coming！　On　the　point　of　the
lance　that　he　holds　he　is　bringing　the　head　of　Cliges；　and　the
Greeks　follow　after　him。　Now　to　horse　to　succour　him！〃　Then　they
all　give　the　rein　to　their　horses；　and　Cliges　spurs　towards　the
Saxons；　covering　himself　behind　his　shield　and　doubling　himself
up；　his　lance　upright；　the　head　on　its　point。　Not　one　whit　less
courage　than　a　lion　had　he；　though　he　was　no　stronger　than
another。　On　both　sides　they　believe　that　he　is　deadSaxons；　and
Greeks　and　Germansand　the　one　side　are　blithe　thereat；　and　the
other　side；　grieved；　but　soon　will　the　truth　be　known。　For　now
has　Cliges　no　longer　held　his　peace：　shouting；　he　gallops　towards
a　Saxon；　and　strikes　him　with　his　ashen　lance　with　the　head　on
it；　full　in　the　breast；　so　that　he　has　lost　his　stirrups；　and　he
calls　out；　〃Barons；　strike！　I　am　Cliges　whom　you　seek。　On　now；
bold　freeborn　knights！　Let　there　be　no　coward；　for　ours　is　the
first　shock。　Let　no　craven　taste　of　such　a　dainty　dish。〃

The　emperor　greatly　rejoiced　when　he　heard　his　nephew；　Cliges；
who　thus　addresses　and　exhorts　them；　right　glad　and　comforted　is
he　thereof。　And　the　duke　is　utterly　dumfounded；；　for　now　he　knows
well　that　he　is　betrayed　unless　his　force　is　the　greater；　he　bids
his　men　close　their　ranks　and　keep　together。　And　the　Greeks；　in
close　array；　have　not　gone　far　from　them；　for　now　they　are
spurring　and　pricking。　On　both　sides　they　couch　their　lances　and
meet　and　receive　each　other　as　it　behoved　them　to　do　in　such　a
fight。　At　the　first　encounter；　they　pierce　shields　and　shatter
lances；　cut　girths；　break　stirrups；　the　steeds　stand　bereft　of
those　who　fall　upon　the　field。　But　no　matter　what　the　others　do；
Cliges　and　the　duke　meet；　they　hold　their　lances　couched；　and
each　strikes　the　other　on　his　shield　with　so　great　valour　that
the　lances；　which　were　strong　and　well　wrought；　break　into
splinters。　Cliges　was　a　skilful　horseman：　he　remained　upright　in
his　saddle；　never　stumbling　nor　wavering。　The　duke　has　lost　his
saddle；　and　in　spite　of　himself　has　voided　the　saddle…bows。
Cliges　thinks　to　take　him　and　lead　him　away　captive；　and　mightily
toils　and　strains；　but　the　strength　he　needed　was　not　his。　For
the　Saxons　were　all　around；　and　they　rescue　their　duke　by　force。
Nevertheless；　Cliges　leaves　the　field　without　injury；　with　a
prize；　for　he　leads　away　the　duke's　steed　which　was　whiter　than
wool　and　which；　for　the　use　of　a　man　of　valour；　was　worth　all　the
possessions　of　Octavian　of　Rome：　the　steed　was　an　Arab　one。　Great
joy　manifest　Greeks　and　Germans　when　they　see　Cliges　mounted　on
it；　for　they　had　seen　the　worth　and　the　perfection　of　the　Arab；
but　they　did　not　suspect　an　ambush　nor　will　they　ever　perceive　it
till　they　receive　great　loss　therefrom。

A　spy　has　come　to　the　duke　with　news　at　which　he　has　waxed　full
joyous。　〃Duke；〃　quoth　the　spy；　〃no　man　has　been　left　in　all　the
tents　of　the　Greeks　who　can　defend　himself。　Now　can　thy　men　take
the　daughter　of　the　emperor；　if　thou　wilt　trust　my　words；　while
thou　seest　the　Greeks　desperately　bent　on　the　fight　and　on　the
battle。　Give　me　a　hundred　of　thy　knights　and　I　will　give　them　thy
lady…love。　By　an　old　and　lonely　path；　I　will　lead　them　so
prudently　that　they　shall　not　be　seen　or　met　by　Saxon　or　German
till　they　will　be　able　to　take　the　maiden　in　her　tent；　and　lead
her　away　so　unhindered　that　never　will　she　be　denied　them。〃　The
duke　is　blithe　at　this　thing。　He　has　sent　a　hundred　and　more　wise
knights　with　the　spy；　and　the　spy　has　led　them　in　such　wise　that
they　take　the　maiden　as　a　prize；　nor　have　they　spent　great　force
thereon；　for　easily　were　they　able　to　lead　her　away。　When　they
had　taken　her　some　distance　from　the　tents；　they　sent　her　away
attended　by　twelve　of　them；　nor　did　the　rest　accompany　the　twelve
far。　Twelve　of　them　lead　away　the　maiden；　the　others　have　told
the　duke　the　news　of　their　success。　Nought　else　was　there　that
the　duke　had　desired；　and　straightway　he　makes　a　truce　with　the
Greeks　till　the　morrow。　They　have　given　and　accepted　a　truce。　The
duke's　men　have　returned；　and　the　Greeks　without　any　delay　return
；　each　one　to　his　tent。　But　Cliges　remained　alone　on　a　hill　so
that　no　one　noticed　him　till　he　saw　the　twelve　coming；　and　the
damsel　whom　they　were　taking　away　at　full　speed　and　at　a　gallop。
Cliges；　who　longs　to　gain　renown；　forthwith　dashes　in　their
direction；　for　he　thinks　to　himself；　and　his　heart　tells　him　that
it　is　not　for　nothing　they　are　fleeing。　The　very　moment　that　he
saw　them；　he　dashes　after　them；　and　they　see　him；　but　they　think
and　believe　a　foolish　thing。　〃The　duke　is　following　us；〃　each　one
says；　〃let　us　wait　for　him　a　little；　for　he　has　left　the　host
unattended　and　is　coming　after　us　very　swiftly。〃　There　is　not　a
single　one　who　does　not　believe　this。　They　all　desire　to　go　to
meet　him；　but　each　desires　to　go　alone。　Cliges　must　needs　descend
into　a　great　valley　between　two　mountains。　Never　would　he　have
recognised　their　insignia　if　they　had　not　come　to　meet　him；　or　if
they　had　not　awaited　him。　Six　of　them　advanced　to　meet　him；　but
soon　will　they　have　had　an　ill　meeting　with　him。　The　others　stay
with　the　maiden　and　lead　her　on；　gently；　at　a　walking　pace。　And
the　six　go　at　full　speed；　spurring　incessantly　through　the
valley。　He　who　had　the　swiftest　horse　outstripped　all　the　rest；
crying　aloud：　〃Duke　of　Saxony！　God　preserve　thee！　Duke！　We　have
regained　thy　lady。　Now　shall　the　Greeks　never　carry　her　off；　for
she　will　now　be　given　and　handed　over　to　thee。〃　When　Cliges　has
heard　these　words　that　the　other　cries　out；　no　smile　had　he　in
his　heart；　rather　is　it　a　marvel　that　frenzy　does　not　seize　him。
Never　was　any　wild　beast：　leopardess；　or　tigress；　or　lioness；　who
sees　her　young　taken；　so　embittered；　and　furious；　and　lusting；
for　the　fight　as　was　Cliges　who　cares　not　to　live　if　he　fail　his
lady。　Rather　would　he　die　than　not　have　her。　Very　great　wrath　has
he　for　this　calamity　and　exceeding　great　courage　does　it　give
him。　He　spurs　and　pricks　the　Arab；　and　goes　to　deal　the　blazoned
shield　of　the　Saxon　such　a　blow　thatI　lie　nothe　made　him　feel
the　lance　at　his　heart。　This　has　given　Cliges　confidence。　More
than　a　full　acre's　measure　has　he　spurred　and　pricked　the　Arab
before　the　second　has　drawn　near；　for　they　came；　one　by　one。　The
one　has　no　fear　for　the　other；　for　he　fights　with　each　singly　and
meets　them　one　by　one；　nor　has　the　one　aid　of　the　other。　He　makes
an　attack　on　the　second；　who　thought　to　tell　the　supposed　duke
news　of　Cliges'　discomfiture；　and　to　rejoice　thereat　as　the　first
had　done。　But　Cliges　recks　little　of　words　or　of　listening　to　his
discourse。　He　proceeds　to　thrust　his　lance　in　his　body　so　that
when　he　draws　it　out　again　the　blood　gushes　out；　and　he　bereaves
his　foe　of　life　and　speech。　After　the　two；　he　joins　issue　with　a
third　who　thinks　to　find　him　overjoyed　and　to　gladden　him　with
news　of　his　own　discomfiture。　He　came　spurring　against　him；　but
before　he　has　the　chance　to　say　a　word；　Cliges　has　thrust　his
lance　a　fathom　deep　into　his　body。　To　the　fourth　he　gives　such　a　
blow　on　the　neck；　that　he　leaves　him　in　a　swoon　on　the　field。
After　the　fourth；　he　gallops　against　the　fifth；　and　then　after
the　fifth；　against　the　sixth。　Of　these；　none　stood　his　ground
against　him；　rather　does　Cliges　leave　them　all　silent　and　dumb。
Still　less　has　he　feared　and　more　boldly　sought　the　rest　of　them。
After　this　has　he　no　concern　about　these　six。

When　he　was　free　from　care　as　regards　these；　he　goes　to　make　a
present　of　shame　and　of　misfortune　to　the　rest　who　are　escorting
the　maiden。　He　has　overtaken　them；　and　attacks　them　like　a　wolf　；
who　famished　and　fasting　rushes　on　his　prey。　Now　seems　it　to　him
that　he　was　born　in　a　good　hour；　since　he　can　display　his
chivalry　and　courage　before　her　who　is　all　his　life。　Now　is　he
dead　if　he　free　her　not；　and　she；　on　the　other　hand；　is　likewise
dead；　for　she　is　greatly　discomforted　for　him；　but　does　not　know
that　he　is　so　near　her。　Cliges；　with　feutred　lance；　has　made　a
charge　which　pleased　her；　and　he　strikes　one　Saxon　and　then
another　so　that　with　one　single　charge　he　has　made　them　both　bite
the　dust；　and　splinters　his　ashen　lance。　The　foemen　fall　in　such
anguish　that　they　have　no　power　to　rise　again　to　hurt　or　molest
him；　for　they　were　sore　wounded　in　their　bodies。　The　other　four；
in　great　wrath；　go　all　together　to　strike　Cliges；　but　he　neither
stumbles　nor　trembles　nor　have　they　unhorsed　him。　Swiftly　he
snatches　from　the　scabbard　his　sword　of　sharpened　Steel；　and　that
she　who　awaits　his　love　may　be　right　grateful　to　him；　he
encounters　with　lightning　swiftness　a　Saxon；　and　strikes　him　with
his　sharp　sword；　so　that　he　has　severed　from　his　trunk；　his　head
and　half　his　neck：　no　tenderer　pity　had　he　for　him。　Fenice；　who
watches　and　beholds；　knows　not　that　it　is　Cliges。　Fain　would　she
that　it　were　he；　but　because　there　is　danger　she　says　to　herself
that　she　would　not　wish　it。　For　two　reasons　is　she　his　good
friend；　for　she　fears　h