cliges-第24节

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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　of　ravenous　death；　who　desires　all　and
covets　all　and　in　all　places　lies　in　wait　for　the　best；　and　how
great　an　act　of　folly　he　hath　to…day　committed；　as　he　is　wont？
God　had　lit　the　world　with　a　brilliance；　with　a　light。　But　Death
cannot　choose　but　do　what　he　is　wont　to　do。　Ever　with　his　might
he　blots　out　the　best　that　he　can　find。　Now　doth　he　will　to　prove
his　power；　and　has　taken　in　one　body　more　worth　than　he　has　left
in　the　world。　If　he　had　taken　the　whole　world；　he　could　not　have
done　one　whit　worse；　provided　that　he　left　alive　and　sound　that
prey　whom　he　now　leads　away。　Beauty；　courtesy；　and　knowledge；　and
whatsoever　appertaining　to　goodness　a　lady　can　have；　has　Death；
who　has　destroyed　all　good　in　the　person　of　my　lady　the　empress；
snatched　from　us　and　cheated　us　of。　Thus　hath　Death　slain　us。〃
〃Ah；　God！〃　say　the　leeches；　〃thou　hatest　this　city；　we　know　it
well；　for　that　we　came　not　here　a　little　space　ago。　If　we　had
come　yesterday；　Death　might　have　esteemed　himself　highly；　if　he
had　taken　aught　from　us　by　force。〃　〃Lords；　my　lady　would　not　for
aught　have　allowed　that　you　should　have　seen　her　or　troubled
yourself　about　her。　There　were　enough　and　to　spare　of　good
leeches；　but　never　did　my　lady　please　that　one　or　other　of　them
should　see　her　who　could　meddle　with　her　illness。〃　〃No？〃　〃By　my
faith；　that　did　she　truly　not。〃　Then　they　remembered　Solomon；　and
that　his　wife　hated　him　so　much　that　she　betrayed　him　under　a
pretence　of　death。　Perhaps　this　lady　has　done　the　same　thing；　but
if　they　could　by　any　means　succeed　in　touching　her；　there　is　no
man　born　for　whose　sake　they　would　have　lied　or　would　refrain
from　speaking　the　whole　truth　about　it；　if　they　can　see　deceit
there。　Towards　the　court　they　go　forthwith；　where　one　would　not
have　heard　God　thundering；　such　noise　and　wailing　there　was。　The
master　of　them；　who　knew　the　most；　has　approached　the　bier。　None
says　to　him：　〃You　touch　it　at　your　peril。〃　Nor　does　any　one　pull
him　back　from　it。　And　he　puts　his　hand　on　her　breast　and　on　her
side　and　feels　beyond　a　doubt　that　she　has　her　life　whole　in　her
body；　well　he　knows　it　and　well　he　perceives　it。　He　sees　before
him　the　emperor；　who　is　frenzied　and　readv　to　kill　himself　with
grief。　He　cries　aloud　and　says　to　him：　〃Emperor；　comfort　thyself。
I　know　and　see　for　a　certainty　that　this　lady　is　not　dead。　Leave
thy　mourning　and　console　thyself。　If　I　give　her　not　back　to　thee
alive；　either　slay　me　or　hang　me。〃　Now　all　the　wailing　throughout
the　palace　is　calmed　and　hushed；　and　the　emperor　tells　the　leech
that　now　it　is　permitted　him　to　give　orders　and　to　speak　his　will
quite　freely。　If　he　brings　back　the　empress　to　life；　he　will　be
lord　and　commander　over　him；　but　he　will　be　hanged　as　a　robber；
if　he　has　lied　to　him　in　aught。　And　he　says　to　him：　〃I　accept　the
condition；　never　have　mercy　on　me；　if　I　do　not　make　the　lady　here
speak　to　you。　Without　hesitation　or　delay　have　the　palace　cleared
for　me。　Let　not　one　or　another　stay　here。　I　must　see　privately
the　evil　from　which　the　lady　suffers。　These　two　leeches　alone；
who　are　of　my　company；　shall　stay　here　with　me；　and　let　all　the
others　go　without。〃　This　thing　Cliges；　John；　and　Thessala　would
have　gainsaid：　but　all　those　who　were　there　would　have
interpreted　it　to　their　harm；　if　they　had　attempted　to　prevent
it。　Therefore　they　keep　silence　and　give　the　counsel　that　they
hear　the　others　give；　and　have　gone　forth　from　the　palace。　And
the　three　leeches　have　by　force　ripped　up　the　lady's
winding…sheet；　for　there　was　neither　knife　nor　scissors：　then
they　say：　〃Lady；　have　no　fear；　be　not　dismayed；　but　speak　in　all
safety。　We　know　for　a　surety　that　you　are　quite　sound　and　well。
Now　be　wise　and　amenable；　and　despair　of　nought；　for　if　you　seek
advice　from　us；　we　will　assure　you　all　three　of　us；　that　we　will
help　you　with　all　our　power；　where　it　be　concerning　good　or
concerning　evil。　We　will　be　right　loyal　towards　you；　both　in
keeping　your　secret　and　in　aiding　you。　Do　not　compel　us　to　reason
long　with　you。　From　the　moment　that　we　place　our　power　and
services　at　your　disposal；　you　ought　not　to　refuse　us
compliance。〃　Thus　they　think　to　befool　and　to　cheat　her；　but　it
avails　nought；　for　she　cares　and　recks　nought　of　their　service；
so　that　when　the　physicians　see　that　they　will　avail　nothing　with
regard　to　her　by　cajolery　or　by　entreaty；　then　they　take　her　off
the　bier　and　strike　her　and　beat　her；　but　their　fury　is　to　no
purpose；　since　for　all　this　they　draw　not　a　word　from　her。　Then
they　threaten　and　frighten　her　and　say　that；　if　she　does　not
speak；　she　will　that　very　day　find　out　the　folly　of　her　action；
for　they　will　inflict　on　her　such　dire　treatment　that　never
before　was　its　like　inflicted　on　any　body　of　caitiff　woman。　〃Well
we　know　that　you　are　alive　and　do　not　deign　to　speak　to　us。　Well
we　know　that　you　are　feigning　and　would　have　deceived　the
emperor。　Have　no　fear　of　us　at　all。　But　if　any　man　has　angered
you；　disclose　your　folly；　before　we　have　further　wounded　you；　for
you　are　acting　very　basely；　and　we　will　aid　you；　alike　in　wisdom
or　in　folly。〃　It　cannot　be；　it　avails　them　nought。　Then　once　more
they　deal　her　blows　on　the　back　with　their　straps；　and　the
stripes　that　run　downwards　become　visible；　and　so　much　do　they
beat　her　tender　flesh　that　they　make　the　blood　gush　out　from　it。
When　they　have　beaten　her　with　straps　till　they　have　lacerated
her　flesh；　and　till　the　blood　which　issues　through　her　wounds
runs　down　from　them；　and　when　for　all　that　they　can　do　nothing
nor　extort　sigh　or　word　promise　her；　they　are　meddling　to　no
purpose。　And　from　her；　and　she　never　moves　nor　stirs；　then　they
tell　her　that　they　must　seek　fire　and　lead；　and　that　they　will
melt　it　and　will　pour　it　into　her　palms　rather　than　fail　to　make
her　speak。　They　seek　and　search　for　fire　and　lead；　they　kindle
the　fire；　they　melt　the　lead。　Thus　the　base　villains　maltreat　and
torture　the　lady；　for　they　have　poured　into　her　palms　the　lead；
all　boiling　and　hot　just　as　they　have　taken　it　from　the　fire。　Nor
yet　is　it　enough　for　them　that　the　lead　has　passed　through　and
through　the　palms；　but　the　reprobate　villains　say　that；　if　she
speak　not　soon；　straightway　they　will　roast　her　till　she　is　all
grilled。　She　is　silent　and　forbids　them　not　to　beat　or　ill…treat
her　flesh。　And　even　now　they　were　about　to　put　her　to　the　fire　to
roast　and　grill；　when　more　than　a　thousand　of　the　ladies；　who
were　in　front　of　the　palace；　come　to　the　door　and　see　through　a
tiny　chink　the　torture　and　the　unhappy　fate　that　they　were
preparing　for　the　lady；　for　they　were　making　her　suffer　martyrdom
from　the　coal　and　from　the　flame。　To　break　in　the　door　and
shatter　it　they　bring　hatchets　and　hammers。　Great　was　the　din　and
the　attack　to　break　and　smash　the　door。　If　now　they　can　lay　hold
on　the　leeches；　without　delay　all　their　desert　shall　be　rendered
them。　The　ladies　enter　the　palace　all　together　with　one　bound；
and　Thessala　is　among　the　press；　whose　one　anxiety　is　to　get　to
her　lady。　She　finds　her　all　naked　at　the　fire；　much　injured　and
much　mishandled。　She　has　laid　her　back　on　the　bier　and　covered
her　beneath　the　pall。　And　the　ladies　proceed　to　tender　and　pay　to
the　three　leeches　their　deserts；　they　would　not　send　for　or　await
emperor　or　seneschal。　They　have　hurled　them　down　through　the
windows　full　into　the　court；　so　that　they　have　broken　the　necks
and　ribs　and　arms　and　legs　of　all　three；　better　never　wrought　any
ladies。　Now　the　three　leeches　have　received　from　the　ladies　right
sorry　payment　for　their　deeds；　but　Cliges　is　much　dismayed　and
has　great　grief；　when　he　hears　tell　of　the　great　agony　and　the
torture　that　his　lady　has　suffered　for　him。　Almost　does　he　lose
his　reason；　for　he　fears　greatly　and　indeed　with　justicethat
she　may　be　killed　or　maimed　by　the　torture　caused　her　by　the
three　leeches；　who　have　died　in　consequence；　and　he　is　despairing
and　disconsolate。　And　Thessala　comes　bringing　a　very　precious
salve　with　which　she　has　anointed　full　gently　the　lady's　body　and
wounds。　The　ladies　have　enshrouded　her　again　in　a　white　Syrian
pall；　wherein　they　had　shrouded　her　before；　but　they　leave　her
face　uncovered。　Never　that　night　do　they　abate　their　wailing　or
cease　or　make　an　end　thereof。　Through　all　the　town　they　wail　like
folk　demented…high　and　low；　and　poor　and　rich…and　it　seems　that
each　sets　his　will　on　outdoing　all　the　others　in　making
lamentation；　and　on　never　abandoning　it　of　his　own　will。　All
night　is　the　mourning　very　great。　On　the　morrow　John　came　to
court；　and　the　emperor　sends　for　him　and　bids　him；　requests　and
commands　him：　〃John！　if　ever　thou　madest　a　good　work；　now　set　all
thy　wisdom　and　thy　invention　to　making　a　tomb；　such　that　one
cannot　find　one　so　fair　and　well　decorated。〃　And　John；　who　had
already　done　it；　says　that　he　has　prepared　a　very　fair　and
well…carved　one；　but　never；　when　he　began　to　make　it；　had　he
intention　that　any　body　should　be　laid　there　save　a　holy　one。
〃Now；　let　the　empress　be　enclosed　within　in　lieu　of　relics；　for
she　is；　I　ween；　a　very　holy　thin