cliges-第23节

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！


never　be　known　to　be　here。　But　think　you　to　have　seen　all　my
tower　and　all　my　pleasaunce？　Still　are　there　lurking…places　such
as　no　man　would　be　able　to　find。　And　if　it　is　allowed　you　to　try
your　skill　in　searching　as　well　as　you　can；　never　will　you　be
able　to　ransack　so　thoroughly　as　to　find　more　rooms　here；　however
subtle　and　wise　you　are；　if　I　do　not　show　and　point　them　out　to
you。　Know　that　here　baths　are　not　lacking；　nor　anything　that　I
remember　and　think　of　as　suitable　for　a　lady。　She　will　be　well　at
her　ease　here。　This　tower　has　a　wider　base　underground；　as　you
shall　see；　and　never　will　you　be　able　to　find　anywhere　door　or
entrance。　With　such　craft　and　such　art　is　the　door　made　of　hard
stone　that　never　will　you　find　the　join　thereof。〃　〃Now　hear　I
marvel；〃　quoth　Cliges；　〃go　forward；　I　shall　follow；　for　I　long　to
see　all　this。〃　Then　has　John　started　off；　and　leads　Cliges　by　the
hand　to　a　smooth　and　polished　door；　which　is　all　painted　and
coloured。　At　the　wall　has　John　stopped；　and　he　held　Cliges　by　the
right　hand。　〃Lord；〃　quoth　he；　〃no　man　is　there　who　could　have
seen　door　or　window　in　this　wall；　and　think　you　that　one　could
pass　it　in　any　wise　without　doing　it　injury　and　harm？〃　Cliges
answers　that　he　does　not　think　he　could；　nor　ever　will　think　it；
unless　he　sees　it　with　his　own　eyes。　Then　says　John　that　his　lord
shall　see　it；　for　he　will　open　for　him　the　door　of　the　wall。
John；　who　himself　had　wrought　the　work；　unlocks　and　opens　to　him
the　door　of　the　wall；　so　that　he　neither　hurts　it　nor　injures　it；
and　the　one　passes　before　the　other；　and　they　descend　by　a　spiral
staircase　to　a　vaulted　room　where　John　wrought　at　his　craft；　when
it　was　his　pleasure　to　construct　aught。　〃Lord；〃　quoth　he；　〃here
where　we　are　was　never　one　of　all　the　men　whom　God　created　save
us　two；　and　the　place　has　all　that　makes　for　comfort；　as　you　will
see　in　a　trice。　I　advise　that　your　retreat　be　here；　and　that　your
lady…love　be　hidden　in　it。　Such　a　lodging　is　meet　for　such　a
guest；　for　there　are　rooms　and　baths　and　in　the　baths　hot　water；
which　comes　through　a　pipe　below　the　earth。　That　man　who　would
seek　a　convenient　spot　to　place　and　hide　his　lady　would　have　to
go　far　before　he　found　one　so　delightful。　You　will　deem　it　a　very
fitting　refuge　when　you　have　been　all　over　it。〃　Then　has　John
shown　him　all；　fair　chambers　and　painted　vaults；　and　he　has　shown
him　much　of　his　workmanship；　which　pleased　him　mightily。　When
they　had　seen　the　whole　tower；　then　said　Cliges：　〃John；　my
friend；　I　free　you　and　your　heirs　one　and　all；　and　I　am　wholly
yours。　I　desire　that　my　lady　be　here　all　alone；　and　that　no　one
ever　know　it　save　me　and　you　and　her；　and　not　another　soul。〃　John
replies：　〃I　thank　you。　Now　we　have　been　here　long　enough；　now　we
have　no　more　to　do；　so　let　us　start　on　the　return　journey。〃　〃You
have　said　well；〃　Cliges　replies；　〃let　us　depart。〃　Then　they　turn
and　have　issued　forth　from　the　tower。　On　their　return　they　hear
in　the　town　how　one　tells　another　in　confidence：　〃You　know　not
the　grave　news　about　my　lady　the　empress。　May　the　Holy　Spirit
give　health　to　the　wise　and　noble　lady；　for　she　lies　in　very
great　sickness。〃

When　Cliges　hears　the　report；　he　went　to　the　court　at　full　speed；
but　neither　joy　nor　pleasure　was　there；　for　all　were　sad　and
dejected　on　account　of　the　empress；　who　feigns　herself　ill；
feignsfor　the　evil　whereof　she　complains　gives　her　no　pain　or
hurt；　she　has　said　to　all　that　as　long　as　the　malady　whereby　her
heart　and　head　feel　pain　holds　her　so　strongly；　she　will　have　no
man　save　the　emperor　or　his　nephew　enter　her　chamber；　for　she
will　not　deny　herself　to　them；　though　if　the　emperor；　her　lord；
come　not；　little　will　it　irk　her。　She　must　needs　risk　great
suffering　and　great　peril　for　Cliges'　sake；　but　it　weighs　on　her
heart　that　he　comes　not；　she　desires　to　see　naught　save　him。
Cliges　will　soon　be　in　her　presence　and　stay　there　till　he　shall
have　related　to　her　what　he　has　seen　and　found。　He　comes　before
her　and　has　told　her；　but　he　remained　there　a　short　time　only；
for　Fenice；　in　order　that　people　may　think　that　what　pleases　her
annoys　her；　has　said　aloud：　〃Away！　Away！　You　tire　me　greatly；　you
weary　me　much；　for　I　am　so　oppressed　with　sickness　that　never
shall　I　be　raised　from　it　and　restored　to　health。〃　Cliges；　whom
this　greatly　pleases；　goes　away；　making　a　doleful
countenancefor　never　before　did　you　see　it　so　doleful。
Outwardly　he　appears　full　sad；　but　his　heart　is　blithe　within；
for　it　looks　to　have　its　joy。

The　empress；　without　having　any　illness；　complains　and　feigns
herself　ill；　and　the　emperor；　who　believes　her；　ceases　not　to
make　lamentation；　and　sends　to　seek　leeches　for　her；　but　she　will
not　let　that　one　see　her；　nor　does　she　let　herself　be　touched。
This　grieves　the　emperor；　for　she　says　that　never　will　she　have
leech　except　one；　who　will　know　how　to　give　her　health　quickly；
when　it　shall　be　his　will。　He　will　make　her　die　or　live；　into　his
keeping　she　puts　herself　for　health　and　for　life。　They　think　that
she　is　speaking　of　God；　but　a　very　different　meaning　has　she；　for
she　means　none　other　than　Cliges。　He　is　her　God；　who　can　give　her
health　and　who　can　make　her　die。

Thus　the　empress　provides　that　no　leech　attend　her；　and　she　will
not　eat　or　drink；　in　order　the　better　to　deceive　the　emperor；
until　she　is　both　pale　and　wan　all　over。　And　her　nurse　stays　near
her；　who　with　very　wondrous　craft　sought　secretly　through　all　the
town；　so　that　no　one　knew　it；　until　she　found　a　woman　sick　of　a
mortal　sickness　without　cure。　In　order　the　better　to　carry　out
the　deception；　she　went　often　to　visit　her　and　promised　her　that
she　would　cure　her　of　her　ill；　and　each　day　she　would　bring　a
glass　to　see　her　water；　till　she　saw　that　medicine　would　no
longer　be　able　to　aid　her　and　that　she　would　die　that　very　day。
She　has　brought　this　water　and　has　kept　it　straitly　until　the
emperor　rose。　Now　she　goes　before　him　and　says　to　him：　〃If　you
will；　sire；　send　for　all　your　leeches；　for　my　lady；　who　is
suffering　from　a　sore　sickness；　has　passed　water　and　wishes　that
the　leeches　see　it；　but　that　they　come　not　in　her　presence。〃　The
leeches　came　into　the　hall；　they　see　the　water　very　bad　and　pale；
and　each　says　what　seems　to　him　the　truth；　till　they　all　agree
together　that　never　will　she　recover；　and　will　not　even　see　the
hour　of　None；　and　if　she　lives　so　long；　then　at　the　latest　God
will　take　her　soul　to　himself。　This　have　they　murmured　secretly。
Then　the　emperor　has　bidden　and　conjured　them　that　they　tell　the
truth　of　the　matter。　They　reply　that　they　have　no　hope　at　all　of
her　recovery；　and　that　she　cannot　pass　the　hour　of　None；　for
before　that　hour　she　will　have　given　up　the　ghost。　When　the
emperor　has　heard　the　word；　scarcely　can　he　refrain　from　swooning
to　the　ground；　and　likewise　many　a　one　of　the　others　who　heard
it。　Never　did　any　folk　make　such　mourning　as　then　prevailed
through　all　the　palace。　I　spare　you　the　account　of　the　mourning；
and　you　shall　hear　what　Thessala　is　about；　who　mixes　and　brews
the　draught。　She　has　mixed　and　stirred　it；　for　long　beforehand
she　had　provided　herself　with　all　that　she　knew　was　needed　for
the　draught。　A　little　before　the　hour　of　None　she　gives　her　the
draught　to　drink。　As　soon　as　she　had　drunk　it；　her　sight　grew
dim；　and　her　face　was　as　pale　and　white　as　if　she　had　lost　her
blood；　nor　would　she　have　moved　hand　or　foot　even　if　one　had
flayed　her　alive；　she　neither　stirs　nor　says　a　word；　and　yet　she
hearkens　to　and　hears　the　mourning　which　the　emperor　makes；　and
the　wailing　with　which　the　hall　is　full。　And　o'er　all　the　city
the　folk　wail　who　weep　and　say：　〃God！　what　a　sorrow　and　a
calamity　has　accursed　death　dealt　us！　Greedy　death！　Covetous
death！　Death　is　worse　than　any　she…wolf；　for　death　cannot　be
sated。　Never　couldst　thou　give　a　worse　wound　to　the　world。　Death；
what　hast　thou　done？　May　God　confound　thee　who　hast　extinguished
all　beauty。　Thou　hast　slain　the　choicest　creature　and　the　fairest
pictureif　she　had　but　remained　alive！that　God　ever　laboured
to　fashion。　Too　patient　is　God；　since　He　suffers　thee　to　have　the
power　to　ruin　His　handiwork。　Now　should　God　be　wroth　with　thee
and　cast　thee　forth　from　thy　dominion；　for　thou　hast　committed
too　wanton　and　great　arrogance　and　great　insult。〃　Thus　all　the
people　storm；　they　wring　their　hands　and　beat　their　palms；　and
the　clerks　read　there　their　psalms；　who　pray　for　the　good　lady
that　God　may　show　mercy　to　her　soul。

Amid　the　tears　and　the　wails；　as　the　writings　tell　us；　have　come
three　aged　physicians　from　Salerno；　where　they　had　been　a　long
time。　They　have　stopped　on　account　of　the　great　mourning；　and　ask
and　inquire　the　reason　of　the　wails　and　tears；　why　folk　are　thus
demented　and　distressed。　And　they　tell　them　and　reply：　〃God！
Lords；　know　ye　not？　At　this　ought　the　whole　world；　each　place　in
turn；　to　become　frenzied　together　with　us；　if　it　knew　the　great
mourning　and　grief　and　hurt　and　the　great　loss　which　this　day　has
opened　to　our　ken。　God！　whence　then　are　you　come；　since　you　know
not　what　has　happened　but　now　in　the　city？　We　will　tell　you　the
truth；　for　we　wish　to　join　you　with　us　in　the　mourning　wherewith
we　mourn。　Know　you　nought