four arthurian romances-第47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！


s　he　has　seen　it　all；　and　he　is　much　pleased　with　the　tower　and　says　he　thinks　it　is　very　fine。　　The　lady　will　be　comfortable　there　as　long　as　she　lives；　for　no　one　will　know　of　her　dwelling　place。　〃No　sire；　you　are　right；　she　will　never　be　discovered　here。　　But　do　you　think　you　have　seen　all　of　my　tower　and　fair　retreat？　There　still　remain　rooms　so　concealed　that　no　man　could　ever　find　them　out。　　And　if　you　choose　to　test　the　truth　of　this　by　investigating　as　thoroughly　as　you　can；　you　can　never　be　so　shrewd　and　clever　in　your　search　as　to　find　another　story　here；　unless　I　show　you　and　point　it　out。　　You　must　know　that　baths　are　not　lacking　here；　nor　anything　else　which　a　lady　needs；　and　which　I　can　think　of　or　recall。　　The　lady　will　be　here　at　her　ease。　Below　the　level　of　the　ground　the　tower　widens　out；　as　you　will　see；　and　you　cannot　anywhere　find　any　entrance…door。　　The　door　is　made　of　hard　stone　with　such　skill　and　art　that　you　cannot　find　the　crack。〃　　Cliges　says：　〃These　are　wonderful　things　I　hear。　Lead　on　and　I　will　follow　you；　for　I　am　anxious　to　see　all　this。〃　Then　John　started　on；　taking　Cliges　by　the　hand；　until　he　came　to　a　smooth　and　polished　door；　all　coloured　and　painted　over。　　When　John　came　to　the　wall；　he　stopped；　holding　Cliges　by　the　right　hand。　　〃Sire；〃　he　says；　〃there　is　no　one　who　could　see　a　window　or　a　door　in　this　wall；　and　do　you　think　that　any　one　could　pass　through　it　without　using　violence　and　breaking　it　down？〃　　And　Cliges　replies　that　he　does　not　think　so；　and　that　he　will　never　think　so；　unless　he　sees　it　first。　　Then　John　says　that　he　shall　see　it　at　once；　and　that　he　will　open　a　door　in　the　wall　for　him。　John；　who　constructed　this　piece　of　work；　unfastens　the　door　in　the　wall　and　opens　it　for　him；　so　that　he　has　to　use　no　strength　or　violence　to　force　it；　then；　one　stepping　before　the　other；　they　descend　by　a　winding…stair　to　a　vaulted　apartment　where　John　used　to　do　his　work；　when　it　pleased　him　to　labour　at　anything。　〃Sire；〃　he　says；　〃of　all　the　men　God　ever　made；　no　one　but　us　two　has　ever　been　where　we　are　now。　　And　you　shall　see　presently　how　convenient　the　place　is。　　My　advice　is　that　you　choose　this　as　your　retreat；　and　that　your　sweetheart　be　lodged　here。　　These　quarters　are　good　enough　for　such　a　guest；　for　there　are　bedrooms；　and　bathrooms　with　hot　water　in　the　tubs；　which　comes　through　pipes　under　the　ground。　　Whoever　is　looking　for　a　comfortable　place　in　which　to　establish　and　conceal　his　lady；　would　have　to　go　a　long　way　before　he　would　find　anything　so　charming。　　When　you　shall　have　explored　it　thoroughly　you　will　find　this　place　very　suitable。〃　　Then　John　showed　him　everything；　fine　chambers　and　painted　vaults；　pointing　out　many　examples　of　his　work　which　pleased　Cliges　much。　　When　they　had　examined　the　whole　tower；　Cliges　said：　〃John；　my　friend；　I　set　you　free　and　all　your　descendants；　and　my　life　is　absolutely　in　your　hands。　　I　desire　that　my　sweetheart　be　here　all　alone；　and　that　no　one　shall　know　of　it　excepting　me　and　you　and　her。〃　　John　makes　answer：　〃I　thank　you；　sire。　　Now　we　have　been　here　long　enough；　and　as　we　have　nothing　more　to　do；　let　us　return。〃　　〃That　is　right；〃　says　Cliges；　〃let　us　be　gone。〃　　Then　they　go　away；　and　leave　the　tower。　　Upon　their　return　they　hear　every　one　in　the　city　saying　to　his　neighbour：　〃Don't　you　know　the　marvellous　news　about　my　lady；　the　empress？　　May　the　Holy　Spirit　give　her　health　　the　gentle　and　prudent　lady；　for　she　lies　sick　of　a　grievous　malady。〃

（Vv。　5663…5698。）　　When　Cliges　heard　this　talk　he　went　in　haste　to　the　court。　　But　there　was　no　joy　or　gladness　there：　for　all　the　people　were　sad　and　prostrated　because　of　the　empress；　who　is　only　feigning　to　be　ill；　for　the　illness　of　which　she　complains　causes　her　no　grief　or　pain。　　But　she　has　told　them　all　that　she　wishes　no　one　to　enter　her　room　so　long　as　her　sickness　maintains　its　grip　with　its　accompanying　pains　in　her　heart　and　head。　　She　makes　an　exception；　however；　in　favour　of　the　emperor　and　his　nephew；　not　wishing　to　place　a　ban　upon　them；　but　she　will　not　care　if　the　emperor；　her　lord；　does　not　come。　　For　Cliges'　sake　she　is　compelled　to　pass　through　great　pain　and　peril。　　It　distresses　her　that　he　does　not　come；　for　she　has　no　desire　to　see　any　one　but　him。　　Cliges；　however；　will　soon　be　there；　to　tell　her　of　what　he　has　seen　and　found。　　He　came　into　the　room　and　spoke　to　her；　but　stayed　only　a　moment；　for　Fenice；　in　order　that　they　might　think　she　was　annoyed　by　what　pleased　her　so；　cried　out　aloud：　〃Be　gone；　be　gone！　　You　disturb　and　bother　me　too　much；　for　I　am　so　seriously　ill　that　I　shall　never　rise　up　again。〃　　Cliges；　though　pleased　with　this；　goes　away　with　a　sad　face：　you　would　never　see　so　woeful　a　countenance。　　To　judge　from　his　appearance　he　is　very　sad；　but　within　his　heart　is　gay　in　anticipation　of　its　joy。

（Vv。　5699…5718。）　　The　empress；　without　being　really　ill；　complains　and　pretends　that　she　is　sick。　　And　the　emperor；　who　has　faith　in　her；　ceases　not　to　grieve；　and　summons　a　physician。　But　she　will　not　allow　any　one　to　see　her　or　touch　her。　　The　emperor　may　well　feel　chagrined　when　she　says　that　she　will　never　have　but　one　doctor；　who　can　easily　restore　her　to　health　whenever　it　pleases　him　to　do　so。　　He　can　cause　her　to　die　or　to　live；　and　to　him　she　trusts　her　health　and　life。　　They　think　that　she　refers　to　God；　but　her　meaning　is　very　different；　for　she　is　thinking　of　no　one　but　Cliges。　　He　is　her　god　who　can　bring　her　health；　or　who　can　cause　her　death。

（Vv。　5719…5814。）　　Thus　the　empress　takes　care　that　no　physician　shall　examine　her；　and　more　completely　to　deceive　the　emperor　she　refuses　to　eat　or　drink；　until　she　grows　all　pale　and　blue。　Meanwhile　her　nurse　keeps　busy　about　her；　and　with　great　shrewdness　sought　privily　all　through　the　city；　without　the　knowledge　of　any　one；　until　she　found　a　woman　who　was　hopelessly　ill　with　a　mortal　disease。　　In　order　to　perfect　her　ruse　she　used　to　go　to　see　her　often　and　promised　to　cure　her　of　her　illness；　so　each　day　she　used　to　take　a　urinal　in　which　to　examine　the　urine；　until　she　saw　one　day　that　no　medicine　could　ever　be　of　any　help；　and　that　she　would　die　that　very　day。　　This　urine　Thessala　carried　off　and　kept　until　the　emperor　arose；　when　she　went　to　him　and　said：　〃If　now　it　be　your　will；　my　lord；　send　for　all　your　physicians；　for　my　mistress　has　passed　some　water；　she　is　very　ill　with　this　disease；　and　she　desires　the　doctors　to　see　it；　but　she　does　not　wish　them　to　come　where　she　is。〃　　The　doctors　came　into　the　hall　and　found　upon　examination　that　the　urine　was　very　bad　and　colourless；　and　each　one　said　what　he　thought　about　it。　　Finally；　they　all　agreed　that　she　would　never　recover；　and　that　she　would　scarcely　live　till　three　o'clock；　when；　at　the　latest；　God　would　take　her　soul　to　Himself。　　This　conclusion　they　reached　privately；　when　the　emperor　asked　and　conjured　them　to　tell　him　the　truth。　　They　reply　that　they　have　no　confidence　in　her　recovery；　and　that　she　cannot　live　past　three　o'clock　but　will　yield　up　her　soul　before　that　time。　　When　the　emperor　heard　this；　he　almost　fell　unconscious　to　the　floor；　as　well　as　many　others　who　heard　the　news。　　Never　did　any　people　make　such　moan　as　there　was　then　throughout　the　palace。　　However；　I　will　speak　no　further　of　their　grief；　but　you　shall　hear　of　Thessala's　activitieshow　she　mixes　and　brews　the　potion。　　She　mixed　and　stirred　it　up；　for　she　had　provided　herself　a　long　time　in　advance　with　everything　which　she　would　need　for　the　potion。　　A　little　before　three　o'clock　she　gives　her　the　potion　to　drink。　At　once　her　sight　became　dimmed；　her　face　grew　as　pale　and　white　as　if　she　had　lost　her　blood：　she　could　not　have　moved　a　foot　or　hand；　if　they　had　flayed　her　alive；　and　she　does　not　stir　or　say　a　word；　although　she　perceives　and　hears　the　emperor's　grief　and　the　cries　which　fill　the　hall。　　The　weeping　crowds　lament　through　all　the　city；　saying：　　〃God！　what　woe　and　misfortune　has　been　brought　upon　us　by　wicked　death！　　O　covetous　and　voracious　death！　Death　is　worse　than　a　she…wolf　which　always　remains　insatiable。　Such　a　cruel　bite　thou　hast　never　inflicted　upon　the　world！　Death；　what　hast　thou　done？　　May　God　confound　thee　for　having　put　out　the　light　of　perfect　beauty！　　Thou　hast　done　to　death　the　fairest　and　most　lovely　creature；　had　she　but　lived；　whom　God　has　ever　sought　to　form。　　God's　patience　surely　is　too　great　when　He　suffers　thee　to　have　the　power　to　break　in　pieces　what　belongs　to　Him。　　Now　God　ought　to　be　wroth　with　thee；　and　cast　thee　out　of　thy　bailiwick；　for　thy　impudence　has　been　too　great；　as　well　as　thy　pride　and　disrespect。〃　　Thus　the　people　storm　about　and　wring　their　arms　and　beat　their　hands；　while　the　priests　read　their　psalms；　making　prayers　for　the　good　lady；　that　God　may　have　mercy　on　her　soul。

（Vv。　5815…5904。）　　（40）　In　the　midst　of　the　tears　and　cries；　as　the　story　runs；　there　arrived　aged　physicians　from　Salerno；　where　they　had　long　sojourned。　　At　the　sight　of　the　great　mourning　they　stopped　to　ask　and　inquire　the　cause　of　the　cries　and　tearswhy　all　the　people　are　in　such　sorrow　and　distress。　　And　this　is　the　answer　they　receive：　〃God！　　gentlemen；　don't　you　know？　　The　whole　world　would　be　beside　itself　as　we　are；　if　it　but　knew　of　the　great　sorrow　and　grief　and　woe　and　loss　which　has　come　to　us　this　day。　　God！　　where　have　you　come　from；　then；　that　you　do　not　know　what　has　happened　just　now　in　this　city？　　We　will　tell　you　the　truth；　for　we　wish　you　to　join　with　us　in　the　grief　we　feel。　Do　you　not　know　about　grim　Death；　who　desires　and　covets　all　things；　and　everywhere　lies　in　wait　for　what　is　best；　do　you　not　know　what　mad　act　she　has　committed　to…day；　as　it　is　her　wont　to　do？　　God　has　illuminated　the　world　with　one　great　radiance；　with　one　bright　light。　　But　Death　cannot　restrain　herself　from　acting　as　her　custom　is。　　Every　day；　to　the　extent　of　her　power；　she　blots　out　the　best　creature　she　can　find。　　So　she　wishes　to　try　her　power；　and　in　one　body　she　has　carried　off　more　excellence　than　she　has　left　behind。　　She　would　have　done　better　to　take　the　whole　world；　and　leave　alive　and　sound　this　prey　which　now　she　has　carried　off。　　Beauty；　courtesy；　and　knowledge；　and　all　that　a　lady　can　possess　of　goodness　has　been　taken　and　filched　from