four arthurian romances-第36部分

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（Vv。　2279…2310。）　　〃Alexander；〃　says　the　Queen；　〃any　love　is　worse　than　hate；　when　it　torments　and　distresses　its　devotee。　　Lovers　know　not　what　they　do　when　they　conceal　their　passion　from　one　another。　　Love　is　a　serious　business；　and　whoever　does　not　boldly　lay　its　foundation　firm　can　hardly　succeed　in　completing　the　edifice。　　They　say　there　is　nothing　so　hard　to　cross　as　the　threshold。　　Now　I　wish　to　instruct　you　in　the　lore　of　love；　for　I　know　well　that　Love　is　tormenting　you。　　Therefore；　I　have　undertaken　to　instruct　you；　and　do　you　take　good　care　not　to　keep　anything　back　from　me；　for　I　have　plainly　seen　in　the　faces　of　you　both　that　of　two　hearts　you　have　made　but　one。　　So　beware；　and　conceal　nothing　from　me！　　You　are　acting　very　foolishly　in　not　speaking　out　your　mind；　for　concealment　will　be　the　death　of　you；　thus　you　will　be　the　murderers　of　Love。　　Now　I　counsel　you　to　exercise　no　tyranny；　and　to　seek　no　passing　gratification　in　your　love；　but　to　be　honourably　joined　together　in　marriage。　　So；　I　believe；　your　love　shall　long　endure。　　I　can　assure　you　that；　if　you　agree　to　this；　I　will　arrange　the　marriage。〃

（Vv。　2311…2360。）　　When　the　Queen　had　spoken　her　mind；　Alexander　thus　made　reply：　〃Lady；〃　he　says；　〃I　enter　no　defence　against　the　charge　you　make；　but　rather　admit　the　truth　of　all　you　say。　　I　wish　never　to　be　deserted　by　love；　but　always　to　fix　my　thoughts　on　it。　　I　am　pleased　and　delighted　by　what　you　have　so　kindly　said。　　Since　you　know　what　my　wishes　are；　I　see　no　reason　why　I　should　conceal　them　from　you。　　Long　ago；　if　I　had　dared　I　would　have　confessed　them　openly；　for　the　silence　has　been　hard。　　But　it　may　well　be　that　for　some　reason　this　maiden　may　not　wish　that　I　be　hers　and　she　mine。　　But　even　if　she　grant　me　no　rights　over　her；　yet　will　I　place　myself　in　her　hands。〃　　At　these　words　she　trembled；　having　no　desire　to　refuse　the　gift。　　Her　heart's　desire　betrays　itself　in　her　words　and　her　countenance。　Falteringly　she　gives　herself　to　him；　and　says　that　without　exception　her　will；　her　heart；　and　her　body　all　is　at　the　disposal　of　the　Queen；　to　do　with　her　as　she　may　please。　　The　Queen　clasps　them　both　in　her　arms；　and　presents　one　to　the　other。　　Then　laughingly　she　adds：　〃I　give　over　to　thee；　Alexander；　thy　sweetheart's　body；　and　I　know　that　thy　heart　does　not　draw　back。　　Whoever　may　like　it　or　like　it　not；　I　give　each　of　you　to　the　other。　　Do　thou；　Soredamors；　take　what　is　thine；　and　thou；　Alexander；　take　what　is　thine！〃　　Now　she　has　her　own　entire；　and　he　has　his　without　lack。　　At　Windsor　that　day；　with　the　approval　and　permission　of　my　lord　Gawain　and　the　King；　the　marriage　was　celebrated。　　No　one　could　tell；　I　am　sure；　so　much　of　the　magnificence　and　the　food；　of　the　pleasure　and　entertainment；　at　this　wedding　without　falling　short　of　the　truth。　　Inasmuch　as　it　would　be　distasteful　to　some；　I　do　not　care　to　waste　further　words　upon　the　matter；　but　am　anxious　to　turn　to　another　subject。

（Vv。　2361…2382。）　　That　day　at　Windsor　Alexander　had　all　the　honour　and　happiness　that　he　could　desire。　　Three　different　joys　and　honours　were　his：　one　was　the　town　which　he　captured；　another　was　the　present　of　the　best　kingdom　in　Wales；　which　King　Arthur　had　promised　to　give　him　when　the　war　was　over；　that　very　day　he　made　him　king　in　his　hall。　　But　the　greatest　joy　of　all　was　the　thirdthat　his　sweetheart　was　queen　of　the　chess…board　where　he　was　king。　　Before　five　months　had　passed；　Soredamors　found　herself　with　child；　and　carried　it　until　the　time　was　fulfilled。　The　seed　remained　in　germ　until　the　fruit　was　fully　matured。　　No　more　beautiful　child　was　ever　born　before　or　since　than　he　whom　they　now　called　Cliges。

（Vv。　2383…2456。）　　So　Cliges　was　born；　in　whose　honour　this　story　has　been　put　in　the　Romance　tongue。　　You　shall　hear　me　tell　of　him　and　of　his　valorous　deeds；　when　he　shall　have　grown　to　manhood　and　obtained　a　good　report。　　But　meanwhile　in　Greece　it　came　about　that　he　who　ruled　over　Constantinople　drew　near　his　end。　　He　died；　as　indeed　he　must；　not　being　able　to　outlive　his　time。　　But　before　he　died　he　assembled　all　the　nobles　of　his　land　to　send　and　seek　for　his　son　Alexander；　who　was　happily　detained　in　Britain。　　The　messengers　start　out　from　Greece；　and　begin　their　voyage　over　the　seas；　but　a　tempest　catches　them　in　its　grasp；　and　damages　their　ship　and　company。　　They　were　all　drowned　at　sea；　except　one　unfaithful　wretch；　who　was　more　devoted　to　Alis　the　younger　son　than　to　Alexander　the　eider。　　When　he　escaped　from　the　sea；　he　returned　to　Greece　with　the　story　that　they　had　all　been　lost　at　sea　as　they　were　conducting　their　lord　back　from　Britain；　and　that　he　was　the　only　survivor　of　the　tragedy。　　They　believed　this　lie　of　his；　and；　taking　Alis　without　objection　or　dissent；　they　crowned　him　emperor　of　Greece。　　But　it　was　not　long　before　Alexander　learned　that　Alis　was　emperor。　　Then　he　took　leave　of　King　Arthur；　unwilling　to　let　his　brother　usurp　his　land　without　protest。　　The　King　makes　no　opposition　to　his　plan；　but　bids　him　take　with　him　so　great　a　company　of　Welshmen；　Scots；　and　Cornishmen　that　his　brother　will　not　dare　to　withstand　him　when　he　sees　him　come　with　such　a　host。　　Alexander；　had　he　pleased；　might　have　led　a　mighty　force；　but　he　has　no　desire　to　harm　his　own　people；　if　his　brother　will　consent　to　do　his　will。　　He　took　with　him　forty　knights　besides　Soredamors　and　his　son；　these　two　persons；　who　were　so　dear　to　him；　he　did　not　wish　to　leave　behind。　　Escorted　as　far　as　Shoreham　by　the　entire　court；　they　there　embarked；　and　with　fair　winds　their　ship　made　way　more　quickly　than　a　fleeing　stag。　　Within　a　month；　I　think；　they　arrived　in　port　before　Athens；　a　rich　and　powerful　city。　Indeed；　the　emperor　was　residing　there；　and　had　convoked；　a　great　assembly　of　his　noblemen。　　As　soon　as　they　arrived　Alexander　sent　a　privy　messenger　into　the　city　to　learn　whether　they　would　receive　him；　or　whether　they　would　resist　his　claim　to　be　their　only　lawful　lord。

（Vv。　2457…2494。）　　He　who　was　chosen　for　this　mission　was　a　courteous　knight　with　good　judgment；　named　Acorionde；　a　rich　man　and　eloquent；　he　was　a　native　of　the　country；　too；　having　been　born　in　Athens。　　His　ancestors　for　generations　had　always　exercised　lordship　in　the　city。　　When　he　had　learned　that　the　emperor　was　in　the　city　he　went　and　challenged　the　crown　on　behalf　of　his　brother　Alexander；　accusing　him　openly　of　having　usurped　it　unlawfully。　　Arriving　at　the　palace；　he　finds　plenty　of　people　who　welcome　him；　but　he　says　nothing　to　any　of　those　who　greet　him　until　he　learns　what　is　their　attitude　and　disposition　toward　their　lawful　lord。　　Coming　into　the　presence　of　the　emperor　he　neither　greets　him　nor　bows　before　him　nor　calls　him　emperor。　　〃Alis；〃　he　says；　〃I　bring　thee　tidings　of　Alexander；　who　is　out　yonder　in　the　harbour。　　Listen　to　thy　brother's　message：　he　asks　thee　for　what　belongs　to　him；　nor　does　he　demand　what　is　unjust。　　Constantinople；　which　thou　dost　hold；　should　be　his　and　shall　be　his。　　It　would　be　neither　just　nor　right　that　discord　should　arise　between　you　two。　　So　give　him　the　crown　without　contest；　for　it　is　right　that　thou　shouldst　surrender　it。〃

（Vv。　2495…2524。）　　Alis　replies：　〃Fair　gentle　friend；　thou　hast　undertaken　a　mad　enterprise　in　bearing　this　message。　　There　is　little　comfort　in　thy　speech；　for　well　I　know　that　my　brother　is　dead。　　I　should　rejoice；　indeed；　to　learn　that　he　was　still　alive。　　But　I　shall　not　believe　the　news　until　I　have　seen　him　with　my　eyes。　　He　died　some　time　ago；　alas！　　What　thou　sayest　is　not　credible。　　And　if　he　lives；　why　does　he　not　come？　　He　need　never　fear　that　I　will　not　bestow　on　him　some　lands。　　He　is　a　fool　to　hold　aloof　from　me；　for　in　serving　me　he　will　find　profit。　　But　no　one　shall　possess　the　crown　and　empire　beside　me。〃　　He　liked　not　the　speech　of　the　emperor；　and　did　not　fail　to　speak　his　mind　in　the　reply　he　made。　　〃Alis；〃　he　says；　〃may　God　confound　me　if　the　matter　is　thus　allowed　to　stand。　　I　defy　thee　in　thy　brother's　name；　and　dutifully　speaking　in　his　name；　I　summon　all　those　whom　I　see　here　to　renounce　thee　and　to　join　his　cause。　　It　is　right　that　they　should　side　with　him　and　recognise　him　as　their　lord。　　Let　him　who　is　loyal　now　stand　forth。〃

（Vv。　2525…2554。）　　Upon　saying　this　he　leaves　the　court；　and　the　emperor　summons　those　in　whom　he　has　most　confidence。　　He　requests　their　advice　concerning　this　defiance　upon　his　brother's　part；　and　wishes　to　learn　if　he　can　trust　them　to　lend　no　support　or　help　to　his　brother's　claim。　　Thus　he　tries　to　test　the　loyalty　of　each；　but　he　finds　not　one　who　sides　with　him　in　the　dispute；　rather　do　they　all　bid　him　remember　the　war　which　Eteocles　undertook　against　his　own　brother　Polynices；　and　how　each　one　died　by　the　other's　hand。　（23）　　〃So；　too；　it　may　happen　to　you；　if　you　undertake　a　war；　and　all　the　land　will　be　distressed。〃　　Therefore；　they　advise　that　such　a　peace　be　sought　as　shall　be　both　reasonable　and　just；　and　that　neither　one　make　excessive　demands。　　Thus　Alis　understands　that　if　he　does　not　make　an　equitable　agreement　with　his　brother　all　his　vassals　will　desert　him；　so　he　says　that　he　will　respect　their　wishes　in　making　any　suitable　contract；　provided　that　however　the　affair　may　rum　out　the　crown　shall　remain　in　his　possession。

（Vv。　2555…2618。）　　In　order　to　secure　a　firm　and　stable　peace　Alis　sends　one　of　his　officers　to　Alexander；　bidding　him　come　to　him　in　person　and　receive　the　government　of　the　land；　but　stipulating　that　he　should　leave　to　him　the　honour　of　emperor　in　name　and　of　wearing　the　crown：　thus；　if　Alexander　is　willing；　peace　may　be　established　between　them。　　When　this　news　was　brought　to　Alexander　his　men　made　ready　with　him　and　came　to　Athens；　where　they　were　received　with　joy。　　But　Alexander　is　not　willing　that　his　brother　should　have　the　sovereignty　of　the　empire　and　of　the　crown　unless　he　will　pledge　his　word　never　to　take　a　wife；　and　that　after　him　Cliges　shall　be　emperor　of　Constantinople。　　Upon　this　the　brothers　both　agreed。　　Alexander　dictated　the　terms　of　the　oath；　and　his　brother　agreed　and　gave　his　word　that　he　would　never　in　his　life　take　a　wife　in　marriage。　　So　peace　is　made；　and　they　are　friends　again；　to　the　great　satisfaction　of　the　lords。　They　hold　Alis　as　their　emperor；　but　all　busi