song and legend from the middle ages-第24部分

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。〃　This　grieved　her　exceedingly；　and；　fearing　she　knew　not　why；　she　remained　without　asking　any　more　questions；　yet　all　the　night　would　she　lament　and　complain　of　his　long　stay；　and　thus　she　spent　her　life　in　a　tedious　and　anxious　waiting　for　his　return；　till　one　night　it　happened；　that　having　wept　herself　asleep；　he　appeared　to　her　in　a　dream；　all　pale　and　ghastly；　with　his　clothes　rent　in　pieces；　and　she　thought　he　spoke　to　her　thus：　〃My　dear　Isabel；　thou　grievest　incessantly　for　my　absence；　and　art　continually　calling　upon　me：　but　know　that　I　can　return　no　more　to　thee；　for　the　last　day　that　thou　sawest　me；　thy　brothers　put　me　to　death。〃　And；　describing　the　place　where　they　had　buried　him；　he　bid　her　call　no　more　upon　him；　nor　ever　expect　to　see　him　again；　and　disappeared。　She；　waking；　and　giving　credit　to　the　vision；　lamented　exceedingly；　and；　not　daring　to　say　anything　to　her　brethren；　resolved　to　go　to　the　place　mentioned　in　the　dream；　to　be　convinced　of　the　reality　of　it。　Accordingly；　having　leave　to　go　a　little　way　into　the　country；　along　with　a　companion　of　hers；　who　was　acquainted　with　all　her　affairs；　she　went　thither；　and　clearing　the　ground　of　the　dry　leaves　with　which　it　was　covered；　she　observed　where　the　earth　seemed　to　be　lightest；　and　dug　there。　She　had　not　searched　far　before　she　came　to　her　lover's　body；　which　she　found　in　no　degree　wasted；　this　confirmed　her　of　the　truth　of　her　vision；　and　she　was　in　the　utmost　concern　on　that　account；　but；　as　that　was　not　a　fit　place　for　lamentation；　she　would　willingly　have　taken　the　corpse　away　with　her；　to　have　given　it　a　more　decent　interment；　but；　finding　herself　unable　to　do　that；　she　cut　off　his　head；　which　she　put　into　a　handkerchief；　and；　covering　the　trunk　again　with　the　mould；　she　gave　it　to　her　maid　to　carry；　and　returned　home　without　being　perceived。　She　then　shut　herself　up　in　her　chamber；　and　lamented　over　it　till　it　was　bathed　in　her　tears；　which　being　done；　she　put　it　into　a　flower　pot；　having　folded　it　in　a　fine　napkin；　and　covering　it　with　earth；　she　planted　sweet　herbs　therein；　which　she　watered　with　nothing　but　rose　or　orange　water；　or　else　with　her　tears；　accustoming　herself　to　sit　always　before　it；　and　devoting　her　whole　heart　unto　it；　as　containing　her　dear　Lorenzo。　The　sweet　herbs；　what　with　her　continual　bathing；　and　the　moisture　arising　from　the　putrified　head；　flourished　exceedingly；　and　sent　forth　a　most　agreeable　odour。　Continuing　this　manner　of　life；　she　was　observed　by　some　of　the　neighbours；　and　they　related　her　conduct　to　her　brothers；　who　had　before　remarked　with　surprise　the　decay　of　her　beauty。　Accordingly；　they　reprimanded　her　for　it；　and；　finding　that　ineffectual；　stole　the　pot　from　her。　She；　perceiving　that　it　was　taken　away；　begged　earnestly　of　them　to　restore　it；　which　they　refusing；　she　fell　sick。　The　young　men　wondered　much　why　she　should　have　so　great　a　fancy　for　it；　and　were　resolved　to　see　what　it　contained：　turning　out　the　earth；　therefore；　they　saw　the　napkin；　and　in　it　the　head；　not　so　much　　consumed；　but　that；　by　the　curled　locks；　they　knew　it　to　be　Lorenzo's；　which　threw　them　into　the　utmost　astonishment；　and　fearing　lest　it　should　be　known；　they　buried　it　privately；　and　withdrew　themselves　from　thence　to　Naples。　The　young　lady　never　ceased　weeping；　and　calling　for　her　pot　of　flowers；　till　she　died；　and　thus　terminated　her　unfortunate　love。　But；　in　some　time　afterwards；　the　thing　became　public；　which　gave　rise　to　this　song：

Most　cruel　and　unkind　was　he；　That　of　my　flowers　deprived　me；　&c。







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