第 26 节
作者:
疯狂热线 更新:2021-02-21 14:15 字数:9322
months。 If it might be; full gladly would I sally forth into the
daylight; for I am pent up in this tower。 If near by there were
an orchard where I could go to disport myself; great good would
this do me often。 Then Cliges promises that he will seek counsel
of John as soon as he shall see him。 And now it has happened that
lo! John has come thither; for he was often wont to come。 Cliges
has spoken with him of Fenice's desire。 〃All is prepared and
already at hand;〃 quoth John; 〃whatsoever she orders。 This tower
is well provided with all that she wishes and asks for。〃 Then is
Fenice right blithe and bids John lead her thither; and John
makes no demur。 Then goes John to open a door; such that I have
neither skill nor power to tell or describe the fashion of it。
None save John could have had the skill to make it; nor could any
one ever have told that there was door or window there; as long
as the door was not opened; so hidden and concealed was it。
When Fenice saw the door open and the sun which she had not seen
for a long time shine in; she has all her blood awhirl with joy
and says that now she seeks nothing more; inasmuch as she can
come forth out of the hiding…place; and seeks no refuge
elsewhere。 By the door she has entered the orchard; and this
greatly pleases and delights her。 In the midst of the orchard
there was a grafted tree loaded with flowers and very leafy; and
it formed a canopy above。 The branches were so trained that they
hung towards the ground and bent almost to the earth; all save
the top from which they sprang; for that rose straight upwards。
Fenice desires no other place。 And below the grafted tree the
meadow is very delectable and very fair; nor ever will the sun be
so high even at noon; when it is hottest; that ever a ray can
pass that way; so skilled was John to arrange things and to guide
and train the branches。 There Fenice goes to disport herself; and
all day she makes her couch there; there they are in joy and
delight。 And the orchard is enclosed around with a high wall
which joins the tower; so that no creature could enter it; unless
he had climbed to the top of the tower。
Now is Fenice in great delight: there is nought to displease her;
nor lacks she aught that she could wish; when 'neath the flowers
and leaves it lists her embrace her lover。 At the time when folk
go hunting with the sparrow…hawk and with the hound; which seeks
the lark and the stonechat and tracks the quail and the
partridge; it happened that a knight of Thrace; a young and
sprightly noble; esteemed for his prowess; had one day gone
a…hawking quite close beside this tower; Bertrand was the
knight's name。 His sparrow…hawk had soared high; for it had
missed the lark that was its aim。 Now will Bertrand consider
himself ill served by fate; if he lose his sparrow…hawk。 He saw
it descend and settle below the tower in an orchard; and it
pleased him much to see this; for now he reckons that he will not
lose it。 Forthwith he goes to scale the wall; and wins to get
over it。 Under the grafted tree he saw Fenice and Cliges sleeping
together side by side。 〃God!〃 quoth he; 〃what has befallen me?
What kind of miracle is it that I see? Is it not Cliges? Yea;
faith。 Is not that the empress by his side? Nay; but she
resembles her; for no other being ever was so like。 Such a nose;
such a mouth; such a brow she has as the empress; my lady; had。
Never did nature better succeed in making two beings of the same
countenance。 In this lady see I nought that I should not have
seen in my lady。 If she had been alive; truly I should have said
that it was she。〃 At that moment a pear drops and falls just
beside Fenice's ear。 She starts; awakes; sees Bertrand and cries
aloud: 〃Friend; friend; we are lost! Here is Bertrand! If he
escapes you; we have fallen into an evil trap。 He will tell folk
that he has seen us。〃 Then has Bertrand perceived that it is the
empress beyond all doubt。 Need is there for him to depart; for
Cliges had brought his sword with him into the orchard; and had
laid it beside the couch。 He springs up and has taken his sword;
and Bertrand flees swiftly。 With all the speed he might he grips
the wall; and now he was all but over it; when Cliges has come
after; raises now his sword; and strikes him; so that beneath the
knee he has cut off his leg as clean as a stalk of fennel。
Nevertheless; Bertrand has escaped ill…handled and crippled; and
on the other side he is received by his men; who are beside
themselves with grief and wrath; when they see him thus maimed;
they have asked and inquired who it is that had done it to him。
〃Question me not about it;〃 quoth he; 〃but raise me on my horse。
Never will this story be recounted till it is told before the
emperor。 He who has done this to me ought not forsooth to be
without fearnor is he; for he is nigh to deadly peril。〃 Then
they have put him on his palfrey; and; mourning; they lead him
away in great dismay through the midst of the town。 After them go
more than twenty thousand; who follow him to the court。 And all
the people flock there; the one after the other; and the devil
take the hindmost。
Now has Bertrand made his plea and complaint to the emperor in
the hearing of all; but they consider him an idle babbler because
he says that he has seen the empress stark naked。 All the town is
stirred thereat; some; when they hear this news; esteem it mere
folly; others advise and counsel the emperor to go to the tower。
Great is the uproar and the tumult of the folk who set out after
him。 But they find nothing in the tower; for Fenice and Cliges
are on their way; and have taken Thessala with them; who comforts
and assures them; and says that; even if perchance they see folk
coming after them who come to take them; they need have no fear
for aught; for never to do them harm or injury would they come
within the distance that one could shoot with a strong crossbow
stretched by windlass。
Now the emperor is in the tower and he has John sought out and
fetched: he bids that he be tied and bound; and says that he will
have him hanged or burned and the ashes scattered to the wind。
For the shame that the emperor has suffered; John shall pay the
penalty (but it will be a bootless penalty!) because he has
secreted in his tower the nephew and the wife of the emperor。
〃I'faith you speak the truth;〃 quoth John; 〃I will not lie in the
matter; I will stick to the truth throughout; and if I have done
wrong in any point; right meet is it that I be taken。 But on this
score I could well excuse myself; that a serf ought to refuse
nought that his rightful lord commands him。 And it is known full
surely that I am his and the tower is his。〃 〃Nay; John; rather is
it thine。〃 〃Mine; sire? Truly; as his serf I am not even my own;
nor have I anything that is mine; save in so far as he grants it
to me。 And if you would say that my lord has done you wrong; I am
ready to defend him from the charge without his bidding me so to
do。 But the knowledge that I must die makes me bold to speak out
freely my will and my mind as I have fashioned and moulded it。
Now; be that as it may be; for if I die for my lord; I shall not
die in dishonour。 Surely without a doubt is known the oath and
promise that you pledged to your brother; that after you; Cliges;
who is going away into exile; should be emperor。 And if it please
God; he will yet be emperor。 And you are to be blamed for this;
for you ought not to have taken wife; but all the same you took
one and wronged Cliges; and he has wronged you in nought。 And if
I am done to death by you and die for him unjustly; if he lives;
he will avenge my death。 Now do your utmost; for if I die; you
will die too。
Beads of wrath break out on the emperor's brow when he has heard
the words and the insult that John has uttered against him。
〃John;〃 quoth he; 〃thou shalt have respite until what time thy
lord be found; for base has he proved himself towards me; who
held him right dear; nor thought to defraud him。 But thou shalt
be kept fast in prison。 If thou knowest what has become of him;
tell me straightway; I bid thee。〃 〃Tell you? And how should I
commit so great a treason? Of a surety; I would not betray to you
my lord; not though you were to rend my life out of my body; if I
knew it。 And besides this; so may God be my guard; I cannot say
any more than you in what direction they have gone。 But you are
jealous without a cause。 Too little do I fear your wrath not to
tell you truly in the hearing of all how you are deceived; and
yet I shall never be believed in this matter。 By a potion that
you drank; you were tricked and deceived the night that you
celebrated your wedding。 Never at any time; save when you slept
and it happened to you in your dreams; did any joy come to you of
her; but the night made you dream; and the dream pleased you as
much as if it had happened in your waking hours that she held you
in her arms; and no other boon came to you from her。 Her heart
clave so straitly to Cliges that for his sake she pretended to be
dead; and he trusted me so much that he told me and placed her in
my house; of which he is lord by right。 You ought not to lay the
blame on me for it; I should h