cliges-第25节

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〃Now；　let　the　empress　be　enclosed　within　in　lieu　of　relics；　for
she　is；　I　ween；　a　very　holy　thing。〃　〃Well　said；〃　quoth　the
emperor；　〃in　the　minster　of　my　lord　Saint　Peter　shall　she　be
buried；　there　outside　where　one　buries　other　bodies；　for　before
she　died；　she　begged　and　prayed　me　with　all　her　heart　that　I
would　have　her　laid　there。　Now　go　and　busy　yourself　about　it；　and
set　your　tomb；　as　is　right　and　meet；　in　the　fairest　place　in　the
cemetery。〃　John　replies：　〃Gladly；　sire。〃　Forthwith　John　departs；
prepares　well　the　tomb；　and　did　thereat　what　a　master　of　his
craft　would　do。　Because　the　stone　was　hard；　and　even　more　on
account　of　the　cold；　he　has　placed　therein　a　feather　bed；　and
moreover；　that　it　may　smell　sweet　to　her；　he　has　strewn　thereon
both　flowers　and　foliage。　But　he　did　it　even　more　for　this；　that
none　should　spy　the　mattress　that　he　had　placed　in　the　grave。　Now
had　the　whole　office　been　said　in　chapels　and　in　parish　churches；
and　they　were　continually　tolling　as　it　is　meet　to　toll　for　the
dead。　They　bid　the　body　be　brought；　and　it　will　be　placed　in　the
tomb；　whereat　John　has　worked　to　such　effect　that　he　has　made　it
very　magnificent　and　splendid。　In　all　Constantinople　has　been
left　neither　great　nor　small　who　does　not　follow　the　corpse
weeping；　and　they　curse　and　revile　Death；　knights　and　squires
swoon；　and　the　dames　and　the　maidens　beat　their　breasts　and　have
railed　against　Death。　〃Death！〃　quoth　each；　〃why　took'st　thou　not
a　ransom　for　my　lady？　Forsooth；　but　a　small　booty　hast　thou
gained；　and　for　us　the　loss　is　great。〃　And　Cliges；　of　a　truth；
mourns　so　much　that　he　wounds　and　maltreats　himself　more　than　all
the　others　do；　and　it　is　a　marvel　that　he　does　not　kill　himself；
but　still　he　postpones　suicide　till　the　hour　and　the　time　come
for　him　to　disinter　her　and　hold　her　in　his　arms；　and　know
whether　she　is　alive　or　not。　About　the　grave　are　the　lords；　who
lay　the　body　there；　but　they　do　not　meddle　with　John　in　the
setting　up　of　the　tomb；　and　indeed　they　could　see　nought　of　it；
but　have　all　fallen　swooning　to　the　earth；　and　John　has　had　good
leisure　to　do　all　he　listed。　He　so　set　up　the　tomb　that　there　was
no　other　creature　in　it；　well　does　he　seal　and　join　and　close　it。
Then　might　that　man　well　have　boasted　himself　who；　without　harm
or　injury；　would　have　been　able　to　take　away　or　disjoin　aught
that　John　had　put　there。

Fenice　is　in　the　tomb；　until　it　came　to　dark　night；　but　thirty
knights　guard　her；　and　there　are　ten　tapers　burning；　and　they
made　a　great　light。　The　knights　were　sated　and　weary　with
mourning；　and　have　eaten　and　drunk　in　the　night　till　they　all　lay
asleep　together。　At　night　Cliges　steals　forth　from　the　court　and
from　all　the　folk。　There　was　not　knight　or　servant　who　ever　knew
what　had　become　of　him。　He　did　not　rest　till　he　came　to　John；　who
gives　him　all　the　counsel　that　he　can。　He　puts　on　him　a　suit　of
armour；　which　he　will　never　need。　Both　all　armed　go　forth　to　the
cemetery　at　post　haste；　but　the　cemetery　was　enclosed　all　around
by　a　high　wall；　and　the　knights；　who　were　sleeping；　and　had
closed　the　door　within　that　none　might　enter；　thought　they　were
safe。　Cliges　sees　not　how　he　may　pass；　for　he　cannot　enter　by　the
door；　and　yet　by　hook　or　by　crook　he　must　enter；　for　love　exhorts
and　admonishes　him。　He　grips　the　wall　and　mounts　up；　for　right
strong　and　agile　was　he。　Within　was　an　orchard　and　there　were
trees　in　plenty。　Near　the　wall　one　had　been　planted　so　that　it
touched　the　wall。　Now　has　Cliges　what　he　wished　for；　he　let
himself　down　by　this　tree。　The　first　thing　that　he　did　was　to　go
and　open　the　door　to　John。　They　see　the　knights　sleeping　and　they
have　extinguished　all　the　tapers；　so　that　no　light　remains　there。
And　now　John　uncovers　the　grave　and　opens　the　tomb；　so　that　he
injures　it　not　at　all。　Cliges　leaps　into　the　grave　and　has
carried　forth　his　lady；　who　is　very　weak　and　lifeless；　and　he
falls　on　her　neck　and　kisses　and　embraces　her。　He　knows　not
whether　to　rejoice　or　mourn；　for　she　moves　not　nor　stirs。　And
John　has　closed　again　the　tomb　with　all　the　speed　he　may；　so　that
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　towe