cliges-第26节

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months。　If　it　might　be；　full　gladly　would　I　sally　forth　into　the
daylight；　for　I　am　pent　up　in　this　tower。　If　near　by　there　were
an　orchard　where　I　could　go　to　disport　myself；　great　good　would
this　do　me　often。　Then　Cliges　promises　that　he　will　seek　counsel
of　John　as　soon　as　he　shall　see　him。　And　now　it　has　happened　that
lo！　John　has　come　thither；　for　he　was　often　wont　to　come。　Cliges
has　spoken　with　him　of　Fenice's　desire。　〃All　is　prepared　and
already　at　hand；〃　quoth　John；　〃whatsoever　she　orders。　This　tower
is　well　provided　with　all　that　she　wishes　and　asks　for。〃　Then　is
Fenice　right　blithe　and　bids　John　lead　her　thither；　and　John
makes　no　demur。　Then　goes　John　to　open　a　door；　such　that　I　have
neither　skill　nor　power　to　tell　or　describe　the　fashion　of　it。
None　save　John　could　have　had　the　skill　to　make　it；　nor　could　any
one　ever　have　told　that　there　was　door　or　window　there；　as　long
as　the　door　was　not　opened；　so　hidden　and　concealed　was　it。

When　Fenice　saw　the　door　open　and　the　sun　which　she　had　not　seen
for　a　long　time　shine　in；　she　has　all　her　blood　awhirl　with　joy
and　says　that　now　she　seeks　nothing　more；　inasmuch　as　she　can
come　forth　out　of　the　hiding…place；　and　seeks　no　refuge
elsewhere。　By　the　door　she　has　entered　the　orchard；　and　this
greatly　pleases　and　delights　her。　In　the　midst　of　the　orchard
there　was　a　grafted　tree　loaded　with　flowers　and　very　leafy；　and
it　formed　a　canopy　above。　The　branches　were　so　trained　that　they
hung　towards　the　ground　and　bent　almost　to　the　earth；　all　save
the　top　from　which　they　sprang；　for　that　rose　straight　upwards。
Fenice　desires　no　other　place。　And　below　the　grafted　tree　the
meadow　is　very　delectable　and　very　fair；　nor　ever　will　the　sun　be
so　high　even　at　noon；　when　it　is　hottest；　that　ever　a　ray　can
pass　that　way；　so　skilled　was　John　to　arrange　things　and　to　guide
and　train　the　branches。　There　Fenice　goes　to　disport　herself；　and
all　day　she　makes　her　couch　there；　there　they　are　in　joy　and
delight。　And　the　orchard　is　enclosed　around　with　a　high　wall
which　joins　the　tower；　so　that　no　creature　could　enter　it；　unless
he　had　climbed　to　the　top　of　the　tower。

Now　is　Fenice　in　great　delight：　there　is　nought　to　displease　her；
nor　lacks　she　aught　that　she　could　wish；　when　'neath　the　flowers
and　leaves　it　lists　her　embrace　her　lover。　At　the　time　when　folk
go　hunting　with　the　sparrow…hawk　and　with　the　hound；　which　seeks
the　lark　and　the　stonechat　and　tracks　the　quail　and　the
partridge；　it　happened　that　a　knight　of　Thrace；　a　young　and
sprightly　noble；　esteemed　for　his　prowess；　had　one　day　gone
a…hawking　quite　close　beside　this　tower；　Bertrand　was　the
knight's　name。　His　sparrow…hawk　had　soared　high；　for　it　had
missed　the　lark　that　was　its　aim。　Now　will　Bertrand　consider
himself　ill　served　by　fate；　if　he　lose　his　sparrow…hawk。　He　saw
it　descend　and　settle　below　the　tower　in　an　orchard；　and　it
pleased　him　much　to　see　this；　for　now　he　reckons　that　he　will　not
lose　it。　Forthwith　he　goes　to　scale　the　wall；　and　wins　to　get
over　it。　Under　the　grafted　tree　he　saw　Fenice　and　Cliges　sleeping
together　side　by　side。　〃God！〃　quoth　he；　〃what　has　befallen　me？
What　kind　of　miracle　is　it　that　I　see？　Is　it　not　Cliges？　Yea；
faith。　Is　not　that　the　empress　by　his　side？　Nay；　but　she
resembles　her；　for　no　other　being　ever　was　so　like。　Such　a　nose；
such　a　mouth；　such　a　brow　she　has　as　the　empress；　my　lady；　had。
Never　did　nature　better　succeed　in　making　two　beings　of　the　same
countenance。　In　this　lady　see　I　nought　that　I　should　not　have
seen　in　my　lady。　If　she　had　been　alive；　truly　I　should　have　said
that　it　was　she。〃　At　that　moment　a　pear　drops　and　falls　just
beside　Fenice's　ear。　She　starts；　awakes；　sees　Bertrand　and　cries
aloud：　〃Friend；　friend；　we　are　lost！　Here　is　Bertrand！　If　he
escapes　you；　we　have　fallen　into　an　evil　trap。　He　will　tell　folk
that　he　has　seen　us。〃　Then　has　Bertrand　perceived　that　it　is　the
empress　beyond　all　doubt。　Need　is　there　for　him　to　depart；　for
Cliges　had　brought　his　sword　with　him　into　the　orchard；　and　had
laid　it　beside　the　couch。　He　springs　up　and　has　taken　his　sword；
and　Bertrand　flees　swiftly。　With　all　the　speed　he　might　he　grips
the　wall；　and　now　he　was　all　but　over　it；　when　Cliges　has　come
after；　raises　now　his　sword；　and　strikes　him；　so　that　beneath　the
knee　he　has　cut　off　his　leg　as　clean　as　a　stalk　of　fennel。
Nevertheless；　Bertrand　has　escaped　ill…handled　and　crippled；　and
on　the　other　side　he　is　received　by　his　men；　who　are　beside
themselves　with　grief　and　wrath；　when　they　see　him　thus　maimed；
they　have　asked　and　inquired　who　it　is　that　had　done　it　to　him。
〃Question　me　not　about　it；〃　quoth　he；　〃but　raise　me　on　my　horse。
Never　will　this　story　be　recounted　till　it　is　told　before　the
emperor。　He　who　has　done　this　to　me　ought　not　forsooth　to　be
without　fearnor　is　he；　for　he　is　nigh　to　deadly　peril。〃　Then
they　have　put　him　on　his　palfrey；　and；　mourning；　they　lead　him
away　in　great　dismay　through　the　midst　of　the　town。　After　them　go
more　than　twenty　thousand；　who　follow　him　to　the　court。　And　all
the　people　flock　there；　the　one　after　the　other；　and　the　devil
take　the　hindmost。

Now　has　Bertrand　made　his　plea　and　complaint　to　the　emperor　in
the　hearing　of　all；　but　they　consider　him　an　idle　babbler　because
he　says　that　he　has　seen　the　empress　stark　naked。　All　the　town　is
stirred　thereat；　some；　when　they　hear　this　news；　esteem　it　mere
folly；　others　advise　and　counsel　the　emperor　to　go　to　the　tower。
Great　is　the　uproar　and　the　tumult　of　the　folk　who　set　out　after
him。　But　they　find　nothing　in　the　tower；　for　Fenice　and　Cliges
are　on　their　way；　and　have　taken　Thessala　with　them；　who　comforts
and　assures　them；　and　says　that；　even　if　perchance　they　see　folk
coming　after　them　who　come　to　take　them；　they　need　have　no　fear
for　aught；　for　never　to　do　them　harm　or　injury　would　they　come
within　the　distance　that　one　could　shoot　with　a　strong　crossbow
stretched　by　windlass。

Now　the　emperor　is　in　the　tower　and　he　has　John　sought　out　and
fetched：　he　bids　that　he　be　tied　and　bound；　and　says　that　he　will
have　him　hanged　or　burned　and　the　ashes　scattered　to　the　wind。
For　the　shame　that　the　emperor　has　suffered；　John　shall　pay　the
penalty　（but　it　will　be　a　bootless　penalty！）　because　he　has
secreted　in　his　tower　the　nephew　and　the　wife　of　the　emperor。
〃I'faith　you　speak　the　truth；〃　quoth　John；　〃I　will　not　lie　in　the
matter；　I　will　stick　to　the　truth　throughout；　and　if　I　have　done
wrong　in　any　point；　right　meet　is　it　that　I　be　taken。　But　on　this
score　I　could　well　excuse　myself；　that　a　serf　ought　to　refuse
nought　that　his　rightful　lord　commands　him。　And　it　is　known　full
surely　that　I　am　his　and　the　tower　is　his。〃　〃Nay；　John；　rather　is
it　thine。〃　〃Mine；　sire？　Truly；　as　his　serf　I　am　not　even　my　own；
nor　have　I　anything　that　is　mine；　save　in　so　far　as　he　grants　it
to　me。　And　if　you　would　say　that　my　lord　has　done　you　wrong；　I　am
ready　to　defend　him　from　the　charge　without　his　bidding　me　so　to
do。　But　the　knowledge　that　I　must　die　makes　me　bold　to　speak　out
freely　my　will　and　my　mind　as　I　have　fashioned　and　moulded　it。
Now；　be　that　as　it　may　be；　for　if　I　die　for　my　lord；　I　shall　not
die　in　dishonour。　Surely　without　a　doubt　is　known　the　oath　and
promise　that　you　pledged　to　your　brother；　that　after　you；　Cliges；
who　is　going　away　into　exile；　should　be　emperor。　And　if　it　please
God；　he　will　yet　be　emperor。　And　you　are　to　be　blamed　for　this；
for　you　ought　not　to　have　taken　wife；　but　all　the　same　you　took
one　and　wronged　Cliges；　and　he　has　wronged　you　in　nought。　And　if
I　am　done　to　death　by　you　and　die　for　him　unjustly；　if　he　lives；
he　will　avenge　my　death。　Now　do　your　utmost；　for　if　I　die；　you
will　die　too。

Beads　of　wrath　break　out　on　the　emperor's　brow　when　he　has　heard
the　words　and　the　insult　that　John　has　uttered　against　him。
〃John；〃　quoth　he；　〃thou　shalt　have　respite　until　what　time　thy
lord　be　found；　for　base　has　he　proved　himself　towards　me；　who
held　him　right　dear；　nor　thought　to　defraud　him。　But　thou　shalt
be　kept　fast　in　prison。　If　thou　knowest　what　has　become　of　him；
tell　me　straightway；　I　bid　thee。〃　〃Tell　you？　And　how　should　I
commit　so　great　a　treason？　Of　a　surety；　I　would　not　betray　to　you
my　lord；　not　though　you　were　to　rend　my　life　out　of　my　body；　if　I
knew　it。　And　besides　this；　so　may　God　be　my　guard；　I　cannot　say
any　more　than　you　in　what　direction　they　have　gone。　But　you　are
jealous　without　a　cause。　Too　little　do　I　fear　your　wrath　not　to
tell　you　truly　in　the　hearing　of　all　how　you　are　deceived；　and
yet　I　shall　never　be　believed　in　this　matter。　By　a　potion　that
you　drank；　you　were　tricked　and　deceived　the　night　that　you
celebrated　your　wedding。　Never　at　any　time；　save　when　you　slept
and　it　happened　to　you　in　your　dreams；　did　any　joy　come　to　you　of
her；　but　the　night　made　you　dream；　and　the　dream　pleased　you　as
much　as　if　it　had　happened　in　your　waking　hours　that　she　held　you
in　her　arms；　and　no　other　boon　came　to　you　from　her。　Her　heart
clave　so　straitly　to　Cliges　that　for　his　sake　she　pretended　to　be
dead；　and　he　trusted　me　so　much　that　he　told　me　and　placed　her　in
my　house；　of　which　he　is　lord　by　right。　You　ought　not　to　lay　the
blame　on　me　for　it；　I　should　h