cliges-第12部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


dissuade　her。

〃Nurse；〃　quoth　she；　〃of　a　truth　I　thought　that　I　felt　no　ill；　but
I　shall　speedily　think　that　I　am　sick。　The　mere　fact　of　my
thinking　of　it　causes　me　much　ill　and　eke　alarms　me。　But　how　does
one　know　unless　he　put　it　to　the　test　what　may　be　good　and　what
ill？　My　ill　differs　from　all　other　ills；　forand　I　be　willing　to
tell　you　the　truth　of　itmuch　it　joys　me；　and　much　it　grieves
me；　and　I　delight　in　my　discomfort；　and　if　there　can　be　a　disease
which　gives　pleasure；　my　sorrow　is　my　desire；　and　my　grief　is　my
health。　I　know　not　then　whereof　I　should　complain；　for　I　know
nought　whence　evil　may　come　to　me　if　it　come　not　from　my　desire。
Possibly　my　desire　is　a　malady；　but　I　take　so　much　pleasure　in
that　desire　that　it　causes　me　a　pleasant　grief；　and　I　have　so
much　joy　in　my　sorrow　that　my　malady　is　a　pleasant　one。　Thessala；
nurse！　tell　me　now；　is　not　this　sorrow　which　seems　sweet　to　me　；
and　yet　which　tortures　me；　a　deceitful　one？　I　know　not　how　I　may
recognise　whether　it　be　an　infirmity　or　no。　Nurse！　tell　me　now
the　name；　and　the　manner；　and　the　nature；　of　it。　But　be　well
assured　that　I　have　no　care　to　recover　in　any　wise；　for　I　cherish
the　anguish　of　it　exceedingly。〃　Thessala；　who　was　right　wise　as
regards　Love　and　all　his　ways；　knows　and　understands　by　her
speech　that　that　which　distracts　her　proceeds　from　Lovebecause
she　calls　and　names　it　sweetit　is　certain　that　she　loves；　for
all　other　ills　are　bitter　save　that　alone　which　comes　from
loving；　but　Love　transmutes　its　own　bitterness　into　pleasure；　and
sweetness　often　turns　to　its　opposite。　But　Thessala；　who　well
knew　the　matter；　replies　to　her：　〃Fear　nought；　I　will　tell　you
well　both　the　nature　and　the　name　of　your　disease。　You　have　told
me；　methinks；　that　the　pain　which　you　feel　seems　to　you　to　be　joy
and　health：　of　such　a　nature　is　love…sickness；　for　there　is　in　it
joy　and　sweetness。　Therefore　I　prove　to　you　that　you　love；　for　I
find　pleasure　in　no　sickness　save　only　in　love…sickness。　All
other　ills　as　a　rule　are　always　grievous　and　horrible；　but　Love
is　pleasant　and　tranquil。　You　love；　I　am　fully　certain　of　it。　I
regard　it　not　as　base　in　you；　but　I　will　hold　it　baseness　if
through　childishness　or　folly　you　conceal　your　heart　from　me。〃
〃Nurse；　truly　you　are　talking　to　no　purpose；　for　first　I　mean　to
be　certain　and　sure　that　never　by　any　chance　will　you　speak
thereof　to　any　living　creature。〃　〃Lady；　certainly　the　winds　will
speak　of　it　sooner　than　I　unless　you　give　me　permission；　and　of
this　I　will　make　you　surethat　I　will　help　you　with　regard　to
this　matter；　so　that　you　may　know　of　a　surety　；　that　by　me　you
will　have　your　joy。〃　〃Nurse；　in　that　case　you　would　have　cured
me；　but　the　emperor　is　giving　me　in　marriage　whereat　I　am
grievously　afflicted　and　sad　because　he　who　pleases　me　is　nephew
of　him　whom　I　am　to　wed。　And　if　this　man　have　his　joy　of　me；　then
have　I　lost　mine；　and　there　is　no　more　joy　to　be　looked　for。
Rather　would　I　be　torn　limb　from　limb　than　that　the　love　of
Iseult　and　of　Tristram　should　be　renewed　in　the　case　of　us　twain；
for　of　them　are　such　mad　actions　told　that　I　am　ashamed　to
recount　them。　I　could　not　reconcile　myself　to　the　life　that
Iseult　led。　Love　in　her　became　exceeding　base；　for　her　body
belonged　to　two　masters　and　her　heart　entirely　to　one。　Thus　she
spent　her　whole　life；　for　she　never　refused　the　two。　Reason　was
there　none　in　this　love；　but　mine　is　ever　constant；　and　at　no
cost　will　a　partition　ever　be　made　of　my　body　or　of　my　heart。
Never　of　a　truth　shall　my　body　be　debased；　never　shall　there　be
two　partners　of　it。　Let　him　who　owns　the　heart　have　the　body
also；　he　excludes　all　others　from　it。　But　this　I　cannot　knowhow
he　to　whom　my　heart　yields　itself　can　have　my　body　since　my
father　is　giving　me　to　another；　and　I　dare　not　gainsay　him。　And
when　he　shall　be　lord　of　my　body　if　he　do　aught　with　it　that　I　do
not　wish；　it　is　not　meet　that　it　welcome　another。　Moreover；　this
man　cannot　wed　wife　without　breaking　faith；　but　if　he　wrong　not
his　nephew；　Cliges　will　have　the　empire　after　his　death。　But　if
you　can　contrive　by　your　arts；　that　this　man　to　whom　I　am　given
and　pledged　might　never　have　part　or　lot　in　me；　you　would　have
done　me　good　service　according　to　my　will。　Nurse；　prithee　strive
that　this　man　break　not　his　faith；　for　he　gave　his　pledge　to　the
father　of　Cliges；　promising　just　as　Alexander　had　made　him　swear；
that　never　would　he　take　wedded　wife。　His　pledge　is　about　to　be
broken；　for　straightway　he　intends　to　wed　me。　But　I　cherish
Cliges　so　dearly　that　I　would　rather　be　buried　than　that　he
should　lose　through　me　a　farthing　of　the　inheritance　which　ought
to　be　his。　May　never　child　be　born　of　me　by　whom　he　may　be
disinherited！　Nurse；　now　bestir　yourself　in　the　matter　that　I　may
be　yours　for　ever。〃　Then　her　nurse　tells　her　and　assures　her　that
she　will　weave　such　spells　and　potions　and　enchantments　that　she
would　be　ill…advised　to　have　concern　or　fear　for　this　emperor；　so
soon　as　he　shall　have　drunk　of　the　potion　that　she　will　give　him
to　drink；　and　they　will　both　lie　together；　but　however　close　she
will　be　to　him；　she　can　be　as　secure　as　if　there　were　a　wall
between　the　two　of　them。　〃But　let　not　this　and　this　only　vex　you
if　he　has　his　pleasure　of　you　in　dreams；　for；　when　he　shall　be
sound　asleep；　he　will　have　joy　of　you　in　dreaming；　and　will　quite
surely　think　that　he　has　his　joy　of　you　waking；　nor　will　he
imagine　that　it　is　a　dream；　or　vision；　or　falsehood。　He　will
delight　in　you　so　that　he　will　think　he　is　awake　while　he　is
sleeping。〃

The　maiden　loves　and　approves　and　esteems　this　boon　and　this
service。　Her　nurse；　who　promises　her　this；　and　vows　to　keep　faith
with　her；　puts　her　in　good　hope；　for　by　this　means　she　will　think
to　come　to　her　joy　however　long　she　have　to　wait。　For　never　will
Cliges　be　so　ill…disposed　to　herif　he　knows　that　she　loves　him；
and　for　his　sake　lives　so　as　to　guard　her　maidenhead　in　order　to
shield　for　him　his　inheritanceas　not　to　have　some　pity　on　her
if　he　prove　himself　of　a　noble　stock；　and　if　he　is　such　as　he
ought　to　be。　The　maiden　believes　her　nurse；　and　trusts　and
confides　in　her　greatly。　The　one　vows　and　swears　to　the　other
that　this　plan　will　be　kept　so　secret　that　never　will　it　be　known
in　the　future。　Thus　the　parley　is　ended；　and　when　it　came　to　the
morning　the　emperor　of　Germany　sends　for　his　daughter。　She　comes
at　his　commandbut　why　should　I　spin　out　my　story？　The　two
emperors　together　have　so　arranged　matters　that　the　marriage
takes　place　and　joy　begins　in　the　palace。　But　I　will　not　delay　to
speak　of　each　thing　severally。　I　will　turn　my　tale　of　Thessala；
who　does　not　cease　to　make　and　mix　potions。

Thessala　crushes　her　potion；　she　puts　therein　spices　in　plenty
for　sweetening　and　blending。　Well　does　she　pound　and　mix　it；　and
strains　it　till　the　whole　is　clear；　and　there　is　nought　acid　nor
bitter　there；　for　the　spices　which　are　in　it　make　it　sweet　and　of
pleasant　odour。　When　the　potion　was　prepared；　then　had　the　day
run　its　course；　and　the　tables　were　placed　for　supper；　and　the
tablecloths　laid；　but　she　delays　the　supper。　It　is　Thessala's
task　to　spy　out　by　what　device；　by　what　messenger；　she　will　send
her　potion。　They　were　all　seated　at　the　banquet；　they　had　had
more　than　six　courses　and　Cliges　was　serving　his　uncle。　Thessala；
who　sees　him　serve；　reflects　that　he　is　wasting　his　Service；　for
he　is　serving　to　his　own　disinheritance；　and　this　is　a　great
sorrow　and　anxiety　to　her。　Then　like　the　courteous　dame　that　she
is；　she　bethinks　herself　that　she　will　make　him　to　whom　it　will
be　joy　and　profit　serve　the　potion。　Thessala　sends　for　Cliges；
and　he　went　straightway　to　her；　and　has　inquired；　and　asked　of
her　why　she　had　sent　for　him。　〃Friend；〃　quoth　she；　〃at　this
banquet　I　wish　to　pay　the　emperor　the　flattering　meed　of　a　potion
that　he　will　greatly　esteem。　I　will　not　that　he　drink　to…night；
either　at　supper　or　at　bedtime；　of　any　other　drink。　I　think　that
it　will　give　him　much　pleasure；　for　never　did　he　taste　of　aught
so　good　nor　did　any　beverage　ever　cost　so　much；　and　take　good
careI　warn　you　of　thisthat　no　other　drink　of　it　because　there
is　too　little　of　it　for　that。　And；　moreover；　I　give　you　this
advice；　that　he　never　know　whence　it　came；　but　let　him　think　it
came　by　accident；　that　you　found　it　among　the　presents；　and　that
because　you　tested　it；　and　perceived　by　the　scent　of　its　bouquet
the　fragrance　of　good　spices；　and　because　you　saw　that　it
sparkled；　you　poured　the　wine　into　his　cup。　If　by　chance　he
inquire　of　it；　that　will　doubtless　be　the　end　of　the　matter。　But
have　no　evil　suspicion　anent　aught　that　I　have　said；　for　the
beverage　is　pure　and　wholesome；　and　full　of　good　spices；　and　it
may　be；　as　I　think；　that　at　some　future　time　it　will　make　you
blithe。〃　When　he　hears　that　good　will　come　of　it　he　takes　the
potion　and　goes　away；　for　he　knows　not　that　there　is　aught　wrong。
In　a　cup　of　crystal　he　has　set　it　before　the　emperor。　The　emperor
has　taken　the　cup；　for　he　has　great　trust　in　his　nephew。　He
drinks　a　mighty　draught　of　the　potion；　and　now　he　feels　the
virtue　of　it；　for　it　penetrates　from　the　head　to　the　heart；　and
from　the　heart　it　returns　to　his　head；　and　it　permeates　him　again
and　again。　It　saturates　his　whole　body　without　hurting　him。　And
by　the　time　the　tables　were　removed；　the　emperor　had　drunk　so
much　of　the　beverage　which　had　pleased　him；　that　never　will　he
get　free　of　it。　Each　night　while　asleep　he　will　be　intoxicated；
and　yet　it　will　excite　him　so　much　that　though　asleep；　he　will
dream　that　he　is　awake。

Now　is　the　emperor　mocked。　Many　bishops　and　abbots　there　were　at
the　benediction　and　consecration　of　the　bed。　When　it　was　bedtime
the　emperor；　as　it　behoved　him；　lay　with　his　wife　that　night。　〃As
it　behoved　him〃therein　have　I　lied；　for　he　never　embraced　or
touched　her　though　they　lay　together　in　one　bed。　At　first　the
maiden　trembles；　for　greatly　does　she　fear　and　feel　alarm　lest
the　potion　take　no　effect。　But　it　has　so　bewitched　him　that　never
will　he　have　his　will　of　her　or　of　another　save　when　asleep。　But
then　he　will　have　such　ecstasy　as　one　can　have　in　dreaming；　and
yet　he　will　hold　the　dream　for　true。　In　one　word　I　have　told　you
all：