four arthurian romances-第38部分

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t　for　a　point　from　which　to　see。　She　took　her　place　at　a　window；　where　she　sat　with　great　delight；　because　from　there　she　could　get　a　view　of　him　whom　she　holds　secretly　in　her　heart　with　no　desire　to　remove　him　thence；　for　she　will　never　love　any　other　man。　　But　she　does　not　know　his　name；　nor　who　he　is；　nor　of　what　race；　for　it　is　not　proper　to　ask　questions；　but　she　yearns　to　hear　tidings　which　will　bring　joy　to　her　heart。　　She　looks　out　of　the　window　at　the　shields　with　their　gleaming　gold；　and　she　gazes　at　those　who　wear　the　shields　about　their　necks；　as　they　prepare　for　the　trial　at　arms。　But　all　her　thoughts　and　glances　soon　rest　upon　one　object；　and　to　all　others　she　is　indifferent。　　Whereever　Cliges　goes；　she　seeks　to　follow　him　with　her　eyes。　　And　he　in　turn　does　his　best　for　her；　and　battles　openly；　in　order　that　she　at　least　may　hear　it　said　that　he　is　bold　and　very　skilled：　thus　she　will　be　compelled　to　prize　him　for　his　prowess。　　He　attacks　the　duke's　nephew；　who　was　breaking　many　a　lance　and　sorely　discomfiting　the　Greeks。　　But　Cliges；　who　is　displeased　at　this；　braces　himself　firmly　in　his　stirrups；　and　goes　to　strike　him　so　speedily　that　in　spite　of　himself　he　had　to　vacate　the　saddle…bows。　　When　he　got　up；　the　uproar　was　great；　for　the　youth　arose　and　mounted；　thinking　to　avenge　his　shame。　　But　many　a　man　only　falls　into　deeper　disgrace　who　thinks　to　avenge　his　shame　when　he　has　the　chance。　　The　young　man　rushes　at　Cliges；　who　lowers　his　lance　to　meet　him；　and　thrusts　at　him　with　such　force　that　he　carries　him　to　earth　again。　　Now　his　shame　is　doubled；　and　all　his　followers　are　in　dismay；　seeing　that　they　can　never　leave　the　field　with　honour；　for　not　one　of　them　is　so　valiant　that　he　can　keep　his　seat　in　the　saddle　when　Cliges　thrust　reaches　him。　　But　those　of　Germany　and　the　Greeks　are　overjoyed　when　they　see　their　party　drive　off　the　Saxons；　who　retreat　discomfited。　　With　mockery　they　pursue　them　until　they　come　up　with　them　at　a　stream；　into　which　they　drive　them　for　a　plunge。　　In　the　deepest　part　of　the　ford　Cliges　unhorsed　the　duke's　nephew　and　so　many　of　his　men　that　they　escaped　grieving　and　sad　in　their　shame　and　confusion。　　But　Cliges；　twice　victor；　returned　in　glee；　and　entered　a　gate　which　was　near　the　apartment　where　the　maiden　was；　and　as　he　passed　through　the　gate　she　exacted　as　toll　a　tender　glance；　which　he　paid　her　as　their　eyes　met。　　Thus　was　the　maiden　subdued　by　the　man。　　But　there　is　not　a　German　of　the　lowland　or　highland；　possessing　the　power　of　speech　who　does　not　cry：　〃God！　　who　is　this　in　whom　such　beauty　is　radiant？　　God！　　how　has　it　happened　that　so　suddenly　he　has　attained　such　great　success？〃　　Thus　one　man　and　another　asks：　〃Who　is　this　youth；　who　is　he；　I　say？〃　Thus；　soon　throughout　the　city　it　is　known　what　his　name　is；　and　who　is　his　father；　and　what　pledge　that　was　which　had　been　made　to　him　by　the　emperor。　　So　much　was　said　and　noised　about　that　the　news　reached　the　ears　of　her　who　in　her　heart　rejoiced　because　she　could　no　more　say　that　Love　had　made　sport　of　her；　nor　had　she　any　ground　for　complaint。　　For　Love　has　made　her　give　her　heart　to　the　fairest；　most　courteous；　and　valiant　man　that　could　anywhere　be　found。　　But　some　force　must　be　employed；　if　she　would　gain　possession　of　him　who　is　not　free　do　her　will。　　This　makes　her　anxious　and　distraught。　　For　she　has　no　one　with　whom　to　take　counsel　concerning　him　for　whom　she　pines；　but　must　waste　herself　in　thought　and　vigils。　　She　becomes　so　affected　by　these　cares　that　she　loses　her　colour　and　grows　wan；　and　it　becomes　plain　to　all　that　her　loss　of　colour　betokens　an　unfulfilled　desire。　　She　plays　less　now　than　she　used　to　do；　and　laughs　less　and　loses　her　gaiety。　　But　she　conceals　her　trouble　and　passes　it　off；　if　any　one　asks　what　her　ailment　is。　　Her　old　nurse's　name　was　Thessala；　（29）　who　was　skilled　in　necromancy；　having　been　born　in　Thessaly；　where　devilish　charms　are　taught　and　wrought；　for　the　women　of　that　country　perform　many　a　charm　and　mystic　rite。

（Vv。　3011…3062。）　　Thessala　saw　pale　and　wan　her　whom　Love　holds　in　his　bonds；　and　thus　she　addressed　her　with　advice：　〃God！〃　she　said；　〃are　you　bewitched；　my　lady　dear；　that　your　face　should　be　so　pale？　　I　wonder　what　your　trouble　is。　　Tell　me；　if　you　can；　where　this　pain　attacks　you　most；　for　if　any　one　can　cure　you；　you　may　safely　trust　me　to　give　you　back　your　health　again。　　I　can　cure　the　dropsy；　gout；　quinsy；　and　asthma；　I　am　so　expert　in　examining　the　urine　and　the　pulse　that　you　need　consult　no　other　physician。　　And　I　dare　say　that　I　know　more　than　ever　Medea　（30）　knew　of　enchantments　and　of　charms　which　tests　have　proven　to　be　true。　　I　have　never　spoken　to　you　of　this；　though　I　have　cared　for　you　all　your　life；　and　now　I　should　not　mention　it　did　I　not　plainly　see　that　you　are　so　afflicted　as　to　need　my　ministrations。　　My　lady；　you　will　do　well　to　tell　me　what　your　sickness　is　before　its　hold　becomes　more　severe。　　The　emperor　has　committed　you　to　me　in　order　that　I　may　care　for　you；　and　my　devotion　has　been　such　that　I　have　kept　you　safe　and　sound。　　Now　all　my　pains　will　come　to　naught　if　I　do　not　relieve　this　malady。　　Take　care　not　to　conceal　from　me　whether　this　is　sickness　or　something　else。〃　　The　damsel　dares　not　openly　expose　her　desire　in　all　its　fullness　for　she　is　in　fear　lest　she　be　disapproved　and　blamed。　　And　when　she　hears　and　understands　how　Thessala　boasts　and　highly　rates　herself　as　being　expert　in　enchantments；　charms；　and　potions；　she　decides　to　tell　her　what　is　the　cause　of　her　pale　and　colourless　face；　but　first　she　makes　her　promise　to　keep　her　secret　and　never　to　oppose　her　will。

（Vv。　3063…3216。）　　〃Nurse；〃　she　said；　〃I　truly　thought　I　felt　no　pain；　but　I　shall　soon　feel　differently。　　For　as　soon　as　I　begin　to　think　about　it；　I　feel　great　pain；　and　am　dismayed。　　But　when　one　has　no　experience；　how　can　one　tell　what　is　sickness　and　what　is　health？　　My　illness　is　different　from　all　others；　for　when　I　wish　to　speak　of　it；　it　causes　me　both　joy　and　pain；　so　happy　I　am　in　my　distress。　　And　if　it　can　be　that　sickness　brings　delight；　then　my　trouble　and　joy　are　one；　and　in　my　illness　consists　my　health。　　So　I　do　not　know　why　I　complain；　for　I　know　not　whence　my　trouble　comes；　unless　it　is　caused　by　my　desire。　Perchance　my　desire　is　my　disease；　but　I　find　so　much　joy　in　it　that　the　suffering　it　causes　me　is　grateful；　and　there　is　so　much　contentment　in　my　pain　that　it　is　sweet　to　suffer　so。　　Nurse　Thessala；　now　tell　me　true；　is　not　this　a　deceitful　ill；　to　charm　and　torment　me　both　at　once？　　I　do　not　see　how　I　can　tell　whether　this　is　a　disease　or　not。　　Nurse；　tell　me　now　its　name；　nature；　and　character。　　But　understand　well　that　I　have　no　desire　to　be　cured　of　it；　for　my　distress　is　very　dear　to　me。〃　　　Thessala；　who　was　very　wise　about　love　and　its　symptoms　knows　full　well　from　what　she　hears　that　it　is　love　which　is　tormenting　her；　the　tender；　endearing　terms　she　uses　are　certain　proof　that　she　is　in　love；　for　all　other　woes　are　hard　to　bear；　except　that　alone　which　comes　from　love；　but　love　transforms　its　bitterness　into　sweetness　and　joy；　then　often　transforms　them　back　again。　　The　nurse；　who　was　expert　in　this　matter；　thus　replies　to　her：　〃Have　no　fear；　for　I　will　tell　you　at　once　the　name　of　your　malady。　　You　told　me；　I　believe；　that　the　pain　which　you　feel　seems　rather　to　be　joy　and　health：　now　of　such　a　nature　is　love…sickness；　for　in　it；　too；　there　is　joy　and　bliss。　　You　are　in　love；　then；　as　I　can　prove　to　you；　for　I　find　no　pleasure　in　any　malady　save　only　in　love。　　All　other　sickness　is　always　bad　and　horrible；　but　love　is　sweet　and　peaceable。　　You　are　in　love；　of　that　I　am　sure；　nor　do　I　see　any　wrong　in　that。　　But　I　shall　consider　it　very　wrong；　if　through　some　childish　folly　you　conceal　from　me　your　heart。〃　〃Nurse；　there　is　no　need　of　your　speaking　so。　　But　first　I　must　be　sure　and　certain　that　under　no　circumstances　will　you　speak　of　it　to　any　living　soul。〃　　〃My　lady；　surely　the　winds　will　speak　of　it　before　I　do　without　your　leave；　and　I　will　give　you　my　word　so　to　favour　your　desires　that　you　may　safely　trust　in　having　your　joy　fulfilled　through　my　services。〃　　〃In　that　case；　Nurse；　I　shall　be　cured。　　But　the　emperor　is　giving　me　in　marriage；　wherefore　I　grieve　and　am　sorrowful；　for　he　who　has　won　my　heart　is　the　nephew　of　him　whom　I　must　take。　　And　though　he　may　find　joy　in　me；　yet　is　my　joy　forever　lost；　and　no　respite　is　possible。　　I　would　rather　be　torn　limb　from　limb　than　that　men　should　speak　of　us　as　they　speak　of　the　loves　of　Iseut　and　Tristan；　of　so　many　unseemly　stories　are　told　that　I　should　be　ashamed　to　mention　them。　　I　could　never　bring　myself　to　lead　the　life　that　Iseut　led。　　Such　love　as　hers　was　far　too　base；　for　her　body　belonged　to　two；　whereas　her　heart　was　possessed　by　one。　Thus　all　her　life　was　spent；　refusing　her　favours　to　neither　one。　But　mine　is　fixed　on　one　object；　and　under　no　circumstances　will　there　be　any　sharing　of　my　body　and　heart。　　Never　will　my　body　be　portioned　out　between　two　shareholders。　　Who　has　the　heart　has　the　body；　too；　and　may　bid　all　others　stand　aside。　　But　I　cannot　clearly　see　how　he　whom　I　love　can　have　my　body　when　my　father　gives　me　to　another；　and　his　will　I　do　not　dare　resist。　　And　when　this　other　is　lord　of　my　body；　and　does　something　which　displeases　me；　it　is　not　right　for　me　to　summon　another　to　my　aid。　　Nor　can　this　man　marry　a　wife　without　breaking　his　plighted　word；　for；　unless　injustice　be　done；　Cliges　is　to　have　the　empire　after　his　uncle's　death。　　But　I　should　be　well　served　by　you；　if　you　were　so　skilful　as　to　present　him；　to　whom　I　am　pledged　and　engaged；　from　having　any　claim　upon　me。　　O　Nurse；　exert　yourself　to　the　end　that　he　may　not　break　the　pledge　which　he　gave　to　the　father　of　Cliges；　when　he　promised　him　solemnly　never　to　take　a　wife　in　marriage。　　For　now；　if　he　should　marry　me　his　promise　would　be　broken。　　But　Cliges　is　so　dear　to　me　that　I　would　rather　be　under　ground　than　that　he　should　ever　lose　through　me　a　penny　of　the　fortune　which　should　be　his。　　May　never　a　child　be　born　to　me　to　cause　his　disinheritance！　　Nurse；　now　do　your　best；　and　I　will　always　be　your　slave。〃　　Then　the　nurse　tells　her　and　assures　her　that　she　will　cast　so　many　charms；　and　prepare　so　man