four arthurian romances-第49部分

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trated　that　they　could　not　see；　John　had　plenty　of　time　to　perform　his　special　task。　　When　the　coffin　was　in　its　place；　and　nothing　else　was　in　the　grave；　he　sealed　up　tightly　all　the　joints。　　When　this　was　done；　any　one　would　have　been　skilful　who；　except　by　force　or　violence；　could　take　away　or　loosen　anything　which　John　had　put　inside。

（Vv。　6163…6316。）　　Fenice　lies　in　the　sepulchre　until　the　darkness　of　night　came　on。　　But　thirty　knights　mount　guard　over　her；　and　there　are　ten　tapers　burning　there；　which　light　up　the　place　all　about。　　The　knights　were　weary　and　exhausted　by　the　strain　they　had　undergone；　so　they　ate　and　drank　that　night　until　they　all　fell　sound　asleep。　　When　night　came　on；　Cliges　steals　away　from　the　court　and　from　all　his　followers；　so　that　there　was　not　a　single　knight　or　servant　who　knew　what　had　become　of　him。　　He　did　not　stop　until　he　found　John；　who　advises　him　as　best　he　can。　　He　furnishes　him　with　arms；　but　he　will　never　have　any　need　of　them。　Once　armed；　they　both　spur　to　the　cemetery。　　The　cemetery　was　enclosed　all　about　with　a　high　wall；　so　that　the　knights；　who　had　gone　asleep　after　making　the　gate　fast　within；　could　rest　assured　that　no　one　would　enter　there。　　Cliges　does　not　see　how　he　can　get　in；　for　there　is　no　passing　through　the　gate。　　And　yet；　somehow　he　must　pass　through；　for　love　bids　him　and　drives　him　on。　　He　tries　the　wall　and　climbs　up；　being　strong　and　agile。　Inside　was　a　garden　planted　with　trees；　one　of　which　stood　so　near　the　wall　that　it　touched　it。　　Now　Cliges　had　what　he　needed；　and　after　letting　himself　down　by　the　tree；　the　first　thing　he　did　was　to　go　to　open　the　gate　for　John。　　Seeing　the　knights　asleep；　they　extinguished　all　the　lights；　so　that　the　place　remained　in　darkness。　　And　John　now　uncovers　the　grave　and　opens　the　coffin；　taking　care　to　do　it　no　harm。　　Cliges　steps　into　the　grave　and　lifts　out　his　Sweetheart；　all　weak　and　prostrate；　whom　he　fondles；　kisses；　and　embraces。　　He　does　not　know　whether　to　rejoice　or　regret　that　she　does　not　stir　or　move。　　And　John；　as　quickly　as　he　could；　closed　up　the　sepulchre　again；　so　that　it　was　not　apparent　that　any　one　had　tampered　with　it。　　Then　they　betook　themselves　as　fast　as　they　could　to　the　tower。　　When　they　had　set　her　in　the　tower；　in　the　rooms　which　were　beneath　the　level　of　the　ground；　they　took　off　her　grave　clothes；　and　Cliges；　who　knew　nothing　of　the　potion　which　she　had　taken；　which　made　her　dumb　and　kept　her　motionless；　thinks　that　she　is　dead；　and　is　in　despair　with　anxiety　as　he　heavily　sighs　and　weeps。　　But　soon　the　time　will　come　for　the　potion　to　lose　its　force。　　And　Fenice；　who　hears　his　grief；　struggles　and　strives　for　strength　to　comfort　him　by　word　or　glance。　　Her　heart　almost　bursts　because　of　the　sorrow　which　he　shows。　　〃Ah　Death！〃　he　says；　〃how　mean　thou　art；　to　spare　and　reprieve　all　things　despicable　and　vileto　let　them　live　on　and　endure。　　Death！　　art　thou　beside　thyself　or　drunk；　who　hast　killed　my　lady　without　me？　　This　is　a　marvellous　thing　I　see：　my　lady　is　dead；　and　I　still　live　on！　　Ah；　precious　one；　why　does　your　lover　live　to　see　you　dead？　　One　now　could　rightly　say　that　you　have　died　in　my　service；　and　that　it　is　I　who　have　killed　and　murdered　you。　　Sweetheart；　then　I　am　the　death　that　has　smitten　you。　　Is　not　that　wrong？　　For　it　is　my　own　life　I　have　lost　in　you；　and　have　preserved　your　life　in　me。　For　did　not　your　health　and　life　belong　to　me。　sweet　one？　　And　did　not　mine　belong　to　you？　　For　I　loved　nothing　excepting　you；　and　our　double　existence　was　as　one。　　So　now　I　have　done　what　was　right　in　keeping　your　soul　in　my　body　while　mine　has　escaped　from　your　body；　and　one　ought　to　go　to　seek　the　company　of　the　other；　wherever　it　may　be；　and　nothing　ought　to　separate　them。〃　　At　this　she　heaves　a　gentle　sigh　and　whispers　faintly：　〃Lover　mine；　I　am　not　altogether　dead；　but　very　near　it。　　I　value　my　life　but　little　now。　　I　thought　it　a　jest　and　a　mere　pretence；　but　now　I　am　indeed　to　be　pitied；　for　death　has　not　treated　this　as　a　jest。　It　will　be　a　marvel　if　I　escape　alive。　　For　the　doctors　have　seriously　wounded　me；　and　broken　my　flesh　and　disfigured　me。　　And　yet；　if　it　was　possible　for　my　nurse　to　come　here；　and　if　efforts　were　of　any　avail；　she　would　restore　me　to　health　again。〃　　〃Do　not　worry；　dear；　about　that；〃　says　Cliges；　〃for　this　very　night　I　will　bring　her　here。〃　　〃Dear；　let　John　go　for　her　now。〃　　So　John　departed　and　looked　for　her　until　he　found　her；　and　told　her　how　he　wished　her　to　come　along　and　to　let　no　other　cause　detain　her；　for　Fenice　and　Cliges　have　sent　for　her　to　come　to　a　tower　where　they　are　awaiting　her；　and　that　Fenice　is　in　a　grievous　state；　so　that　she　must　come　provided　with　ointments　and　remedies；　and　to　bear　in　mind　that　she　will　not　live　long；　if　she　does　not　quickly　come　to　bear　her　aid。　　Thessala　runs　at　once　and；　taking　ointments；　plaster；　and　remedies　which　she　has　prepared；　she　meets　John　again。　　Secretly　they　go　out　from　the　city；　until　they　come　straight　to　the　tower。　　When　Fenice　sees　her　nurse；　she　feels　already　cured；　because　of　the　loving　faith　and　trust　she　places　in　her。　　And　Cliges　greets　her　affectionately；　and　says：　〃Welcome；　nurse；　whom　I　love　and　prize。　　Nurse；　for　God's　sake；　what　do　you　think　of　this　young　lady's　malady？　　What　is　your　opinion？　　Will　she　recover？〃　　〃Yes；　my　lord；　have　no　fear　but　that　I　shall　restore　her　completely。　A　fortnight　will　not　pass　before　I　make　her　so　well　that　she　was　never　before　so　lively　and　strong。〃

（Vv。　6317…6346。）　　While　Thessala　is　busy　with　her　remedies；　John　goes　to　provide　the　tower　with　everything　that　is　necessary。　Cliges　goes　to　the　tower　and　comes　away　bravely　and　openly；　for　he　has　lodged　a　moulting　falcon　there；　and　he　says　that　he　goes　to　visit　it；　thus　no　one　can　guess　that　he　goes　there　for　any　other　reason　than　for　the　falcon。　　He　makes　long　stays　there　night　and　day。　　He　orders　John　to　guard　the　tower；　so　that　no　one　shall　enter　against　his　will。　　Fenice　now　has　no　further　cause　to　complain；　for　Thessala　has　completely　cured　her。　　If　Cliges　were　Duke　of　Almeria；　Morocco；　or　Tudela；　he　would　not　consider　it　all　worth　a　holly…berry　compared　with　the　joy　which　he　now　feels。　Certainly　Love　did　not　debase　itself　when　it　joined　these　two；　for　it　seems　to　them；　when　they　embrace　and　kiss　each　other。　that　all　the　world　must　be　better　for　their　joy　and　happiness。　　Now　ask　me　no　more　of　this；　for　one　can　have　no　wish　in　which　the　other　does　not　acquiesce。　　Thus　they　have　but　one　desire；　as　if　they　two　themselves　were　one。

（Vv。　6347…6392。）　　Fenice　was　in　the　tower；　I　believe；　all　that　year　and　full　two　months　of　the　next；　until　summer　came　again。　When　the　trees　bring　forth　their　flowers　and　leaves；　and　the　little　birds　rejoice；　singing　gaily　their　litanies；　it　came　about　that　Fenice　one　morning　heard　the　song　of　the　nightingale。　　Cliges　was　holding　her　tightly　clasped　with　his　arms　about　her　waist　and　neck；　and　she　held　him　in　a　like　embrace；　as　she　said：　〃Dear　fair　lover　mine。　　A　garden　would　do　me　good；　in　which　I　could　disport　myself。　　For　more　than　fifteen　months　I　have　not　seen　the　light　of　moon　or　sun。　　If　possible；　I　would　fain　go　out　yonder　into　the　daylight；　for　here　in　this　tower　I　am　confined。　If　there　was　a　garden　near；　where　I　could　go　and　amuse　myself；　it　would　often　do　me　good。〃　　Then　Cliges　promises　her　to　consult　with　John　about　it　as　soon　as　he　can　see　him。　　At　that　very　moment　John　came　in；　as　he　was　often　wont　to　do；　and　Cliges　spoke　to　him　of　what　Fenice　desired。　　John　replies：　〃All　that　she　asks　for　is　already　provided　and　supplied。　　This　tower　is　well　equipped　with　what　she　wishes　and　requires。〃　　Then　Fenice　was　very　glad；　and　asked　John　to　take　her　there；　which　he　said　he　would　very　gladly　do。　　Then　John　goes　and　opens　a　door；　constructed　in　a　fashion　which　I　cannot　properly　describe。　　No　one　but　John　could　have　made　it；　and　no　one　could　have　asserted　that　there　was　any　door　or　window　thereso　perfectly　was　it　concealed。

（Vv。　6393…6424。）　　When　Fenice　saw　the　door　open；　and　the　sun　come　streaming　in；　as　she　had　not　seen　it　for　many　a　day；　her　heart　beat　high　with　joy；　she　said　that　now　there　was　nothing　lacking；　since　she　could　leave　her　dungeon…tower；　and　that　she　wished　for　no　other　lodging…place。　　She　passed　out　through　the　door　into　the　garden；　with　its　pleasures　and　delights。　　In　the　middle　of　the　garden　stood　a　grafted　tree　loaded　with　blooming　flowers　and　leaves；　and　with　a　wide…spreading　top。　　The　branches　of　it　were　so　trained　that　they　all　hung　downwards　until　they　almost　touched　the　ground；　the　main　trunk；　however；　from　which　they　sprang；　rose　straight　into　the　air。　　Fenice　desires　no　other　place。　　Beneath　the　tree　the　turf　is　very　pleasant　and　fine；　and　at　noon；　when　it　is　hot；　the　sun　will　never　be　high　enough　for　its　rays　to　penetrate　there。　　John　had　shown　his　skill　in　arranging　and　training　the　branches　thus。　　There　Fenice　goes　to　enjoy　herself；　where　they　set　up　a　bed　for　her　by　day。　　There　they　taste　of　joy　and　delight。　　And　the　garden　is　enclosed　about　with　a　high　wall　connected　with　the　tower；　so　that　nothing　can　enter　there　without　first　passing　through　the　tower。

（Vv。　6425…6586。）　　Fenice　now　is　very　happy：　there　is　nothing　to　cause　her　displeasure；　and　nothing　is　lacking　which　she　desires；　when　her　lover　is　at　liberty　to　embrace　her　beneath　the　blossoms　and　the　leaves。　（42）　　At　the　season　when　people　take　the　sparrow…　hawk　and　setter　and　hunt　the　lark　and　brown…thrush　or　stalk　the　quail　and　partridge；　it　chanced　that　a　knight　of　Thrace；　who　was　young　and　alert　and　inclined　to　knightly　sport；　came　one　day　close　by　the　tower　in　his　search　for　game。　　The　hawk　of　Bertrand　（for~such　was　his　name）　having　missed　a　lark；　had　flown　away；　and　Bertrand　thought　how　great　his　loss　would　be　if　he　should　lose　his　hunting…bird。　　When　he　saw　it　come　down　and　light　in　a　garden　beneath　the　tower　he　was　glad；　for　he　thought　he　could　not　lose　it　now。　　At　once　he　goes　and　clambers　up　the　wall　until　he　succeeds　in　getting　over　it；　when　beneath　the　tree　he　sees　Fenice　and　Cliges　lying　asleep　and　naked　in　close　embrace。　　〃God！〃　said　he；　〃what　has　happened　to　me　now？　　What　marvel　is　this　I　see？　　Is　that　not　Cliges？　　It　surely　is。　　Is　not　that　the　empress　with　him　there？　　Nay；　but　it　loo