four arthurian romances-第43部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　sweet　and　tastes　so　good　that　from　the　tongue　it　stirs　her　heart；　and　she　takes　it　into　her　mouth　and　heart　to　be　all　the　more　sure　of　it。　　Under　any　other　lock　she　would　not　dare　to　store　this　treasure。　　Nowhere　could　it　be　lodged　so　well　as　in　her　own　bosom。　　She　will　never　leave　it　exposed　at　any　price；　being　in　such　fear　of　robbers　and　thieves。　But　there　is　no　ground　for　her　anxiety；　and　she　need　have　no　fear　of　the　birds　of　prey；　for　her　treasure　is　not　movable；　but　is　rather　like　a　house　which　cannot　be　destroyed　by　fire　or　flood；　but　will　always　stay　fixed　in　a　single　place。　　But　she　feels　no　confidence　in　the　matter；　so　she　worries　and　strives　to　find　and　hold　some　ground　on　which　to　stand；　interpreting　the　situation　in　divers　ways。　　She　both　opposes　and　defends　her　position；　and　engages　in　the　following　argument：　〃With　what　intention　should　Cliges　say　‘I　am　altogether　yours'　unless　it　was　love　that　prompted　him？　　What　power　can　I　have　over　him　that　he　should　esteem　me　so　highly　as　to　make　me　the　mistress　of　his　heart？　　Is　he　not　more　fair　than　I；　and　of　higher　rank　than　I？　　I　see　in　it　naught　but　love；　which　could　vouchsafe　me　such　a　boon。　　I；　who　cannot　escape　its　power；　will　prove　by　my　own　case　that　unless　he　loved　me　he　would　never　say　that　he　was　mine；　unless　love　holds　him　in　its　toils；　Cliges　could　never　say　that　he　was　mine　any　more　than　I　could　say　that　I　was　altogether　his　unless　love　had　put　me　in　his　hands。　　For　if　he　loves　me　not；　at　least　he　does　not　fear　me。　　I　hope　that　love　which　gives　me　to　him　will　in　return　give　him　to　me。　　But　now　I　am　sore　dismayed　because　it　is　so　trite　a　word；　and　I　may　simply　be　deceived；　for　many　there　be　who　in　flattering　terms　will　say　even　to　a　total　stranger；　‘I　and　all　that　I　have　are　yours；'　and　they　are　more　idle　chatterers　than　the　jays。　　So　I　do　not　know　what　to　think；　for　it　might　well　turn　out　that　he　said　it　just　to　flatter　me。　　Yet　I　saw　his　colour　change；　and　I　saw　him　weeping　piteously。　　In　my　judgment；　the　tears　and　his　face　confused　and　pale　were　not　produced　by　treachery；　nor　were　they　the　fruits　of　trickery。　　Those　eyes　from　which　I　saw　tears　roll　down　were　not　guilty　of　falsehood。　　Signs　enough　of　love　I　saw；　if　I　know　anything　about　it。　　Yes；　in　an　evil　hour　I　thought　of　love；　woe　is　me　that　I　ever　learned　it；　for　the　experience　has　been　bitter。　　Has　it　indeed？　　Yes；　verily。　I　am　dead　when　I　cannot　see　him　who　has　stolen　my　heart　away　by　his　cajoling　flattery；　because　of　which　my　heart　leaves　its　dwelling；　and　will　not　abide　with　me；　hating　my　home　and　establishment。　　In　truth　I　have　been　ill　treated　by　him　who　has　my　heart　in　his　keeping。　　He　who　robs　me　and　takes　what　is　mine　cannot　love　me；　of　that　I　am　sure。　　But　am　I　sure？　　Why　then　did　he　weep？　　Why？　　It　was　not　in　vain；　for　there　was　cause　enough。　　I　must　not　assume　that　I　was　the　cause　of　it；　for　one　is　always　loath　to　leave　people　whom　one　loves　and　knows。　　So　it　is　not　strange　if　he　was　sorry　and　grieved　and　if　he　wept　when　he　left　some　one　whom　he　knew。　　But　he　who　gave　him　this　advice　to　go　and　dwell　in　Britain　could　not　have　smitten　me　more　effectively。　　He　is　cut　to　the　quick　who　loses　his　heart。　　He　who　deserves　it；　should　be　treated　ill；　but　I　have　never　deserved　such　treatment。　Alas；　unhappy　one；　why　has　Cliges　killed　me　when　I　am　innocent？　But　I　am　unjust　to　accuse　him　thus　without　cause。　　Surely　Cliges　would　never　have　deserted　me　if　his　heart　were　like　mine。　　I　am　sure　his　heart　is　not　like　mine。　　And　if　my　heart　is　lodged　in　his　it　will　never　draw　away；　and　his　will　never　part　from　mine；　for　my　heart　follows　him　secretly：　they　have　formed　such　a　goodly　company。　　But；　after　all；　to　tell　the　truth；　they　are　very　different　and　contrary。　　How　are　they　different　and　contrary？　Why；　his　is　the　master　and　mine　the　slave；　and　the　slave　can　have　no　will　of　his　own；　but　only　do　his　master's　will　and　forsake　all　other　affairs。　　But　what　reference　has　that　to　me？　　My　heart　and　service　are　no　concern　to　him。　　This　arrangement　distresses　me；　that　one　is　master　of　us　both。　　Why　is　not　my　heart　as　independent　as　his？　　Then　their　power　would　be　equalised。　　My　heart　is　now　a　prisoner；　unable　to　move　itself　unless　his　moves　as　well。　　And　whether　his　heart　wanders　or　stays　still；　mine　must　needs　prepare　to　follow　him　in　his　train。　　God！　　why　are　our　bodies　not　so　near　one　another　that　I　could　in　some　way　bring　back　my　heart！　　Bring　back？　　Foolish　one；　if　I　should　remove　it　from　its　joy　I　should　be　the　death　of　it。　　Let　it　stay　there！　　I　have　no　desire　to　dislodge　it；　but　rather　wish　that　it　tarry　with　its　lord　until　he　feel　some　pity　for　it。　　For　rather　over　there　than　here　ought　he　to　have　mercy　on　his　servant；　because　they　are　both　in　a　foreign　land。　　If　my　heart　knows　well　the　language　of　flattery；　as　is　necessary　for　the　courtier；　it　will　be　rich　ere　it　comes　back。　　Whoever　wishes　to　stand　in　the　good　graces　of　his　lord　and　sit　beside　him　on　his　right；　to　be　in　the　fashion　now…a…　days；　must　remove　the　feather　from　his　head；　even　when　there　is　none　there。　　But　there　is　one　bad　feature　of　this　practice：　while　he　is　smoothing　down　his　master；　who　is　filled　with　evil　and　villainy；　he　will　never　be　so　courteous　as　to　tell　him　the　truth；　rather　he　makes　him　think　and　believe　that　no　one　could　compare　with　him　in　prowess　and　in　knowledge；　and　the　master　thinks　that　he　is　speaking　the　truth。　　That　man　does　not　know　himself　who　takes　another's　word　about　qualities　which　he　does　not　possess。　　For　even　if　he　is　a　wicked　and　insolent　wretch；　and　as　cowardly　as　a　hare；　mean；　crazy；　and　misshapen；　and　a　villain　both　in　word　and　deedyet　some　man　will　praise　him　to　his　face　who　behind　his　back　will　mock　at　him。　　But　when　in　his　hearing　he　speaks　of　him　to　some　other；　he　praises　him；　while　his　lord　pretends　not　to　hear　what　they　say　between　themselves；　if；　however；　he　thought　that　he　would　not　be　heard；　he　would　say　something　his　master　would　not　like。　　And　if　his　master　is　pleased　to　lie；　the　servant　is　all　ready　with　his　consent；　and　will　never　be　backward　in　averring　that　all　his　master　says　is　true。　　He　who　frequents　courts　and　lords　must　ever　be　ready　with　a　lie。　　So；　too；　must　my　heart　do　if　it　would　find　favour　with　its　lord。　　Let　it　flatter　and　be　obsequious。　　But　Cliges　is　such　a　knight；　so　fair；　so　open；　and　so　loyal；　that　my　heart；　in　praising　him；　need　never　be　false　or　perfidious；　for　in　him　there　is　nothing　to　be　improved。　　Therefore　I　wish　my　heart　to　serve　him；　for；　as　the　people's　proverb　runs；　‘He　who　serves　a　noble　man　is　bad　indeed　if　he　does　not　improve　in　his　company。'〃

（Vv。　4575…4628。）　　Thus　love　harrows　Fenice。　　But　this　torment　is　her　delight；　of　which　she　can　never　grow　weary。　　And　Cliges　now　has　crossed　the　sea　and　come　to　Wallingford。　　There　he　took　expensive　quarters　in　great　state。　　But　his　thoughts　are　always　of　Fenice；　not　forgetting　her　for　a　single　hour。　　While　he　delays　and　tarries　there；　his　men；　acting　under　his　instructions；　made　diligent　inquiries。　　They　were　informed　that　King　Arthur's　barons　and　the　King　in　person　had　appointed　a　tourney　to　be　held　in　the　plain　before　Oxford；　which　lies　close　to　Wallingford。　（34）　　There　the　struggle　was　arranged；　and　it　was　to　last　four　days。　　But　Cliges　will　have　abundant　time　to　prepare　himself　if　in　the　meantime　he　needs　anything；　for　more　than　a　fortnight　must　elapse　before　the　tournament　begins。　　He　orders　three　of　his　squires　to　go　quickly　to　London　and　there　buy　three　different　sets　of　arms；　one　black；　another　red；　the　third　green；　and　that　on　the　way　back　each　shall　be　kept　covered　with　new　cloth；　so　that　if　any　one　should　meet　them　on　the　road　he　may　not　know　the　colour　of　the　arms　they　carry。　　The　squires　start　at　once　and　come　to　London；　where　they　find　available　everything　they　need。　　Having　finished　this　errand；　they　return　at　once　without　losing　any　time。　　When　the　arms　they　had　brought　were　shown　to　Cliges　he　was　well　pleased　with　them。　　He　ordered　them　to　be　set　away　and　concealed；　together　with　those　which　the　emperor　had　given　him　by　the　Danube；　when　he　knighted　him。　　I　do　not　choose　to　tell　you　now　why　he　had　them　stored　away；　but　it　will　be　explained　to　you　when　all　the　high　barons　of　the　land　are　mounted　on　their　steeds　and　assemble　in　search　of　fame。

（Vv。　4629…4726。）　　On　the　day　which　had　been　agreed　upon；　the　nobles　of　renown　came　together。　　King　Arthur；　with　all　his　men　whom　he　had　selected　from　among　the　best；　took　up　his　position　at　Oxford；　while　most　of　the　knights　ranged　themselves　near　Wallingford。　　Do　not　expect　me　to　delay　the　story　and　tell　you　that　such　and　such　kings　and　counts　were　there；　and　that　this；　that；　and　the　other　were　of　the　number。　（35）　　When　the　time　came　for　the　knights　to　gather；　in　accordance　with　the　custom　of　those　days；　there　came　forth　alone　between　two　lines　one　of　King　Arthur's　most　valiant　knights　to　announce　that　the　tourney　should　begin。　　But　in　this　case　no　one　dares　to　advance　and　confront　him　for　the　joust。　　There　is　none　who　does　not　hold　back。　　And　there　are　some　who　ask：　〃Why　do　these　knights　of　ours　delay；　without　stepping　forward　from　the　ranks？　　Some　one　will　surely　soon　begin。〃　　And　the　others　make　reply：　〃Don't　you　see；　then；　what　an　adversary　yonder　party　has　sent　against　us？　　Any　one　who　does　not　know　should　learn　that　he　is　a　pillar；　（36）　able　to　stand　beside　the　best　three　in　the　world。〃　　〃Who　is　he；　then？〃　　〃Why；　don't　you　see？　　It　is　Sagremor　the　Wild。〃　　〃Is　it　he？〃　　〃It　surely　is。〃　Cliges　listens　and　hears　what　they　say；　as　he　sits　on　his　horse　Morel；　clad　in　armour　blacker　than　a　mulberry：　for　all　his　armour　was　black。　　As　he　emerges　from　the　ranks　and　spurs　Morel　free　of　the　crowd；　there　is　not　one；　upon　seeing　him；　but　exclaims　to　his　neighbour：　〃That　fellow　rides　well　lance　in　rest；　he　is　a　very；　skilful　knight　and　carries　his　arms　right　handily；　his　shield　fits　well　about　his　neck。　　But　he　must　be　a　fool　to　undertake　of　his　own　free　will　to　joust　with　one　of　the　most　valiant　knights　to　be　found　in　all　the　land。　　Who　can　he　be？　　Where　was　he　born？　Who　knows　him　here？〃　　〃Not　I。〃　　〃Nor　I。〃　　〃There　is　not　a　flake　of　snow　on　him；　but　all　his　armour　is　blacker　far　than　the　cloak　of　any　monk　or　prior。〃　　While　thus　they　talk；　the　two　contestants　give　their　horses　rein　without　dela