第 24 节
作者:
疯狂热线 更新:2021-02-21 14:15 字数:9322
not what has happened but now in the city? We will tell you the
truth; for we wish to join you with us in the mourning wherewith
we mourn。 Know you nought of ravenous death; who desires all and
covets all and in all places lies in wait for the best; and how
great an act of folly he hath to…day committed; as he is wont?
God had lit the world with a brilliance; with a light。 But Death
cannot choose but do what he is wont to do。 Ever with his might
he blots out the best that he can find。 Now doth he will to prove
his power; and has taken in one body more worth than he has left
in the world。 If he had taken the whole world; he could not have
done one whit worse; provided that he left alive and sound that
prey whom he now leads away。 Beauty; courtesy; and knowledge; and
whatsoever appertaining to goodness a lady can have; has Death;
who has destroyed all good in the person of my lady the empress;
snatched from us and cheated us of。 Thus hath Death slain us。〃
〃Ah; God!〃 say the leeches; 〃thou hatest this city; we know it
well; for that we came not here a little space ago。 If we had
come yesterday; Death might have esteemed himself highly; if he
had taken aught from us by force。〃 〃Lords; my lady would not for
aught have allowed that you should have seen her or troubled
yourself about her。 There were enough and to spare of good
leeches; but never did my lady please that one or other of them
should see her who could meddle with her illness。〃 〃No?〃 〃By my
faith; that did she truly not。〃 Then they remembered Solomon; and
that his wife hated him so much that she betrayed him under a
pretence of death。 Perhaps this lady has done the same thing; but
if they could by any means succeed in touching her; there is no
man born for whose sake they would have lied or would refrain
from speaking the whole truth about it; if they can see deceit
there。 Towards the court they go forthwith; where one would not
have heard God thundering; such noise and wailing there was。 The
master of them; who knew the most; has approached the bier。 None
says to him: 〃You touch it at your peril。〃 Nor does any one pull
him back from it。 And he puts his hand on her breast and on her
side and feels beyond a doubt that she has her life whole in her
body; well he knows it and well he perceives it。 He sees before
him the emperor; who is frenzied and readv to kill himself with
grief。 He cries aloud and says to him: 〃Emperor; comfort thyself。
I know and see for a certainty that this lady is not dead。 Leave
thy mourning and console thyself。 If I give her not back to thee
alive; either slay me or hang me。〃 Now all the wailing throughout
the palace is calmed and hushed; and the emperor tells the leech
that now it is permitted him to give orders and to speak his will
quite freely。 If he brings back the empress to life; he will be
lord and commander over him; but he will be hanged as a robber;
if he has lied to him in aught。 And he says to him: 〃I accept the
condition; never have mercy on me; if I do not make the lady here
speak to you。 Without hesitation or delay have the palace cleared
for me。 Let not one or another stay here。 I must see privately
the evil from which the lady suffers。 These two leeches alone;
who are of my company; shall stay here with me; and let all the
others go without。〃 This thing Cliges; John; and Thessala would
have gainsaid: but all those who were there would have
interpreted it to their harm; if they had attempted to prevent
it。 Therefore they keep silence and give the counsel that they
hear the others give; and have gone forth from the palace。 And
the three leeches have by force ripped up the lady's
winding…sheet; for there was neither knife nor scissors: then
they say: 〃Lady; have no fear; be not dismayed; but speak in all
safety。 We know for a surety that you are quite sound and well。
Now be wise and amenable; and despair of nought; for if you seek
advice from us; we will assure you all three of us; that we will
help you with all our power; where it be concerning good or
concerning evil。 We will be right loyal towards you; both in
keeping your secret and in aiding you。 Do not compel us to reason
long with you。 From the moment that we place our power and
services at your disposal; you ought not to refuse us
compliance。〃 Thus they think to befool and to cheat her; but it
avails nought; for she cares and recks nought of their service;
so that when the physicians see that they will avail nothing with
regard to her by cajolery or by entreaty; then they take her off
the bier and strike her and beat her; but their fury is to no
purpose; since for all this they draw not a word from her。 Then
they threaten and frighten her and say that; if she does not
speak; she will that very day find out the folly of her action;
for they will inflict on her such dire treatment that never
before was its like inflicted on any body of caitiff woman。 〃Well
we know that you are alive and do not deign to speak to us。 Well
we know that you are feigning and would have deceived the
emperor。 Have no fear of us at all。 But if any man has angered
you; disclose your folly; before we have further wounded you; for
you are acting very basely; and we will aid you; alike in wisdom
or in folly。〃 It cannot be; it avails them nought。 Then once more
they deal her blows on the back with their straps; and the
stripes that run downwards become visible; and so much do they
beat her tender flesh that they make the blood gush out from it。
When they have beaten her with straps till they have lacerated
her flesh; and till the blood which issues through her wounds
runs down from them; and when for all that they can do nothing
nor extort sigh or word promise her; they are meddling to no
purpose。 And from her; and she never moves nor stirs; then they
tell her that they must seek fire and lead; and that they will
melt it and will pour it into her palms rather than fail to make
her speak。 They seek and search for fire and lead; they kindle
the fire; they melt the lead。 Thus the base villains maltreat and
torture the lady; for they have poured into her palms the lead;
all boiling and hot just as they have taken it from the fire。 Nor
yet is it enough for them that the lead has passed through and
through the palms; but the reprobate villains say that; if she
speak not soon; straightway they will roast her till she is all
grilled。 She is silent and forbids them not to beat or ill…treat
her flesh。 And even now they were about to put her to the fire to
roast and grill; when more than a thousand of the ladies; who
were in front of the palace; come to the door and see through a
tiny chink the torture and the unhappy fate that they were
preparing for the lady; for they were making her suffer martyrdom
from the coal and from the flame。 To break in the door and
shatter it they bring hatchets and hammers。 Great was the din and
the attack to break and smash the door。 If now they can lay hold
on the leeches; without delay all their desert shall be rendered
them。 The ladies enter the palace all together with one bound;
and Thessala is among the press; whose one anxiety is to get to
her lady。 She finds her all naked at the fire; much injured and
much mishandled。 She has laid her back on the bier and covered
her beneath the pall。 And the ladies proceed to tender and pay to
the three leeches their deserts; they would not send for or await
emperor or seneschal。 They have hurled them down through the
windows full into the court; so that they have broken the necks
and ribs and arms and legs of all three; better never wrought any
ladies。 Now the three leeches have received from the ladies right
sorry payment for their deeds; but Cliges is much dismayed and
has great grief; when he hears tell of the great agony and the
torture that his lady has suffered for him。 Almost does he lose
his reason; for he fears greatly and indeed with justicethat
she may be killed or maimed by the torture caused her by the
three leeches; who have died in consequence; and he is despairing
and disconsolate。 And Thessala comes bringing a very precious
salve with which she has anointed full gently the lady's body and
wounds。 The ladies have enshrouded her again in a white Syrian
pall; wherein they had shrouded her before; but they leave her
face uncovered。 Never that night do they abate their wailing or
cease or make an end thereof。 Through all the town they wail like
folk demented…high and low; and poor and rich…and it seems that
each sets his will on outdoing all the others in making
lamentation; and on never abandoning it of his own will。 All
night is the mourning very great。 On the morrow John came to
court; and the emperor sends for him and bids him; requests and
commands him: 〃John! if ever thou madest a good work; now set all
thy wisdom and thy invention to making a tomb; such that one
cannot find one so fair and well decorated。〃 And John; who had
already done it; says that he has prepared a very fair and
well…carved one; but never; when he began to make it; had he
intention that any body should be laid there save a holy one。
〃Now; let the empress be enclosed within in lieu of relics; for
she is; I ween; a very holy thin