cliges-第16部分

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gladness；　for　well　by　his　prowess　has　Cliges　assured　to　them　the
way。　Now　the　emperor　of　Germany　no　further　follows　or　attends
them。　After　taking　leave　of　the　Greek　folk　and　of　his　daughter
and　of　Cliges　and　of　the　emperor；　he　has　remained　in　Germany；　and
the　emperor　of　the　Greeks　goes　away　right　glad　and　right　joyful。
Cliges；　the　valiant；　the　well…bred；　thinks　of　his　father's
command。　If　his　uncle　the　emperor　will　grant　him　leave；　he　will
go　to　request　and　pray　him　to　let　him　go　to　Britain　to　speak　to
his　uncle　the　king；　for　he　craves　to　know　and　see　him。　He　sets
out　for　the　presence　of　the　emperor；　and　begs　him　if　it　please
him　to　let　him　go　to　Britain　to　see　his　uncle　and　his　friends。
Very　gently　has　he　made　this　request；　but　his　uncle　refuses　it　to
him　when　he　has　heard　and　listened　to　the　whole　of　his　request
and　his　story。　〃Fair　nephew；〃　quoth　he；　〃it　pleases　me　not　that
you　should　wish　to　leave　me。　Never　will　I　give　you　this　leave　or
this　permission　without　great　grief；　for　right　pleasant　and
convenient　is　it　that　you　should　be　my　partner　and　co…ruler　with
me　of　all　my　empire。〃

Now　there　is　nothing　which　pleases　Cliges；　since　his　uncle　denies
him　what　he　asks　and　requests；　and　he　says：　〃Fair　Sire；　it
becomes　me　not；　nor　am　I　brave　or　wise　enough　to　be　given　this
partnership　with　you　or　with　another　so　as　to　rule　an　empire；
very　young　am　I　and　know　but　little。　For　this　reason　is　gold
applied　to　the　touchstone　because　one　wishes　to　know　if　it　is
real　gold。　So　wish　Ithat　is　the　end　and　sum　of　itto　assay　and
prove　myself　where　I　think　to　find　the　touchstone。　In　Britain　if
I　am　valiant　I　shall　be　able　to　put　myself　to　the　touch　with　the
Whetstone；　and　with　the　true　and　genuine　assay　by　which　I　shall
test　my　prowess。　In　Britain　are　those　valiant　men　of　whom　honour
and　prowess　boast。　And　he　who　wishes　to　gain　honour；　ought　to
join　himself　to　their　company；　for　there　the　honour　resides　and
is　won　which　appertains　to　the　man　of　valour。　Therefore；　I　ask
you　this　leave；　and　know　of　a　surety　that　if　you　do　not　send　me
thither　and　do　not　grant　me　the　boon；　then　I　shall　go　without
your　leave。〃　〃Fair　nephew；　rather　do　I　give　it　you　freely　when　I
see　you　thus　minded；　for　I　would　not　have　the　heart　to　detain　you
by　force　or　by　prayer。　Now　may　God　give　you　heart　and　will　to
return　soon　since　neither　prayer　nor　prohibition　nor　force　could
prevail　in　the　matter。　I　would　have　you　take　with　you　a　talent　of
gold　and　of　silver；　and　horses　to　delight　you　will　I　give　you；
all　at　your　choice。〃　No　sooner　had　he　said　his　word　than　Cliges
has　bowed　to　him。　All　whatsoever　the　emperor　has　devised　and
promised　was　at　once　set　before　him。　Cliges　took　as　much　wealth
and　as　many　comrades　as　pleased　and　behoved　him；　but　for　his　own
private　use　he　takes　away　four　different　steeds：　one　white；　one
sorrel；　one　dun；　one　black。　But　I　was　about　to　pass　over　one
thing　that　must　not　be　omitted。　Cliges　goes　to　take　leave　of
Fenice；　his　lady…love；　and　to　ask　her　leave　to　depart；　for　he
would　fain　commend　her　to　God。　He　comes　before　her　and　kneels
down；　weeping；　so　that　he　moistens　with　his　tears　all　his　tunic
and　his　ermine；　and　he　bends　his　eyes　to　the　ground；　for　he　dares
not　look　straight　in　front　of　him；　just　as　if　he　has　committed
some　wrong　and　crime　towards　her；　and　now　shows　by　his　mien　that
he　has　shame　for　it。　And　Fenice；　who　beholds　him　timidly　and
shyly；　knows　not　what　matter　brings　him；　and　she　has　said　to　him
in　some　distress：　〃Friend；　fair　sir；　rise；　sit　by　my　side；　weep
no　more　and　tell　me　your　pleasure。〃　〃Lady！　What　shall　I　say？　What
conceal？　I　seek　your　permission　to　depart。〃　〃Depart？　Why？〃

〃Lady！　I　must　go　away　to　Britain。〃　〃Tell　me；　then；　on　what　quest；
before　I　give　you　permission。〃　〃Lady；　my　father；　when　he　died　and
departed　this　life；　prayed　me　on　no　account　to　fail　to　go　to
Britain　as　soon　as　I　should　be　a　knight。　For　nothing　in　the　world
would　I　neglect　his　command。　It　will　behove　me　not　to　play　the
laggard　as　I　go　thither。　It　is　a　very　long　journey　from　here　to
Greece；　and　if　I　were　to　go　thither　the　journey　from
Constantinople　to　Britain　would　be　very　long　for　me。　But　it　is
meet　that　I　take　leave　of　you　as　being　the　lady　whose　I　am
wholly。〃　Many　hidden　and　secret　sighs　and　sobs　had　he　made　on
setting　out；　but　no　one　had　eyes　so　wide　open　or　such　good
hearing　as　to　be　able　to　perceive　for　a　certainty　from　hearing　or
sight；　that　there　was　love　between　the　twain。　Cliges；　grievous
though　it　be　to　him；　departs　as　soon　as　it　is　allowed　him。　He
goes　away　lost　in　thought；　lost　in　thought　remains　the　emperor
and　many　another；　but　Fenice　is　the　most　pensive　of　all：　she
discovers　neither　bottom　nor　bound　to　the　thought　with　which　she
is　filled；　so　greatly　does　it　overflow　and　multiply　in　her。　Full
of　thought　she　has　come　to　Greece：　there　was　she　held　in　great
honour　as　lady　and　empress；　but　her　heart　and　spirit　are　with
Cliges　wherever　he　turns；　nor　ever　seeks　she　that　her　heart　may
return　to　her　unless　he　bring　it　back　to　her；　he　who　is　dying　of
the　malady　with　which　he　has　slain　her。　And　if　he　recovers；　she
will　recover；　never　will　he　pay　dear　for　it　unless　she　too　pay
dear。　Her　malady　appears　in　her　complexion；　for　much　has　she
changed　and　pale　has　she　grown。　The　fresh；　clear；　pure　hue　that
Nature　had　bestowed　has　wholly　deserted　her　face。　Often　she
weeps；　often　sighs：　little　recks　she　of　her　empire　and　of　the
wealth　she　has。　She　has　always　in　her　memory　the　hour　that　Cliges
departed；　the　farewell　that　he　took　of　her；　how　he　changed
countenance；　how　he　blanched；　his　tears　and　his　mien；　for　he　came
to　weep　before　her；　humble；　lowly；　and　on　his　knees；　as　if　he
must　needs　worship　her。　All　this　is　pleasant　and　sweet　for　her　to
recall　and　to　retrace。　Then　to　provide　herself　with　a　luscious
morsel；　she　takes　on　her　tongue　in　lieu　of　spice　a　sweet　word；
and　for　all　Greece　she　would　not　wish　that　he　who　said　that　word
should；　in　the　sense　in　which　she　took　it；　have　intended　deceit；
for　she　lives　on　no　other　dainty　nor　does　aught　else　please　her。
This　word　alone　sustains　and　feeds　her　and　soothes　for　her　all
her　suffering。　She　seeks　not　to　feed　herself　or　quench　her　thirst
with　any　other　meat　or　drink；　for　when　it　came　to　the　parting；
Cliges　said　that　he　was　〃wholly　hers〃。　This　word　is　so　sweet　and
good　to　her；　that　from　the　tongue　it　goes　to　her　heart；　and　she
stores　it　in　her　heart　as　well　as　in　her　mouth；　that　she　may　be
the　surer　of　it。　She　dares　not　hide　this　treasure　behind　any
other　lock；　and　she　would　never　be　able　to　store　it　elsewhere　so
well　as　in　her　heart。　In　no　wise　will　she　ever　take　it　thence　so
much　she　fears　thieves　and　robbers；　but　it　is　without　reason　that
this　fear　comes　to　her；　and　without　reason　that　she　fears　birds
of　prey；　for　this　possession　is　immovable；　rather　is　it　like　a
building　which　cannot　be　destroyed　by　flood　or　by　fire；　and　which
will　never　move　from　its　place。　But　this　she　knows　not；　and　hence
she　gives　herself　agony　and　pain　to　seek　out　and　learn　something
on　which　she　can　lay　hold；　for　in　divers　fashions　does　she
explain　it。　She　holds　debate　within　herself；　and　makes　such
replies　as　these：　〃With　what　intention　did　Cliges　say　to　me　'I　am　
wholly　yours'　if　love　did　not　cause　him　to　say　it？　With　what
power　of　mine　can　I　sway　him；　that　he　should　esteem　me　so　highly
as　to　make　me　his　lady？　Is　he　not　fairer　than　I；　of　much　nobler
birth　than　I？　I　see　nought　but　his　love　that　can　bestow　on　me
this　gift。　From　my　own　case；　for　I　cannot　evade　the　scrutiny；　I
will　prove；　that　if　he　had　not　loved　me　he　would　never　have
called　himself　wholly　mine；　for　just　as　I　could　not　be　wholly
his；　nor　could　in　honour　say　so　if　love　had　not　drawn　me　to　him；
so　Cliges；　on　his　side；　could　not　in　any　wise　have　said　that　he
was　wholly　mine　if　love　has　him　not　in　his　bonds。　For　if　he　loves
me　not；　he　fears　me　not。　Love；　which　gives　me　wholly　to　him；
perhaps　；　gives　him　wholly　to　me；　but　this　thought　quite　dismays
me；　that　the　phrase　is　one　in　common　use　and　I　may　easily　be
deceived；　for　many　a　man　there　is　who　in　flattery　says；　even　to
strangers：　'I　am　quite　at　your　service；　I；　and　whatsoever　I
have。'　And　such　men　are　more　mocking　than　jays。　So　I　know　not
what　to　think；　for　it　might　well　be　that　thus　he　spake　to　flatter
me。　But　I　saw　him　change　colour　and　weep　right　piteously。　To　my
mind　his　tears；　his　shamefaced　and　cast…down　countenance；　did　not
come　from　deceit；　no　deceit　or　trickery　was　there。　The　eyes　from
which　I　saw　the　tears　fall　did　not　lie　to　me。　Signs　enow　could　I
see　there　of　love　if　I　know　aught　of　the　matter。　Yea！　I　grant
that　evil　was　the　hour　in　which　I　thought　it。　Evil　was　the　hour
that　I　learnt　it；　and　stored　it　in　my　heart；　for　a　very　great
misfortune　has　happed　to　me　from　it。　A　misfortune？　Truly；　by　my
faith！　I　am　dead；　since　I　see　not　him　who　has　flattered　and
cajoled　me　so　much　that　he　has　robbed　me　of　my　heart。　Through　his
deceit　and　smooth　words；　my　heart　is　quitting　its　lodging　and
will　not　stay　with　me；　so　much　it　hates　my　dwelling　and　my　manor。
Faith！　then；　he　who　has　my　heart　in　his　keeping　has　dealt　ill
with　me。　He　who　robs　me　and　takes　away　what　is　mine；　loves　me
not；　I　know　it　well。　I　know　it？　Why　then　did　he　weep？　Why？　It　was
not　for　nothing；　for　he　had　reason　enow。　I　ought　to　apply　nought
of　it　to　myself　because　a　man's　sorrow　is　very　great　at　parting
from　those　whom　he　loves　and　knows。　I　marvel　not　that　he　had
grief　and　sorrow；　and　that　he　wept　when　he　left　his
acquaintances。　But　he　who　gave　him　this　counsel　to　go　and　stay　in
Britain　could　have　found　no　better　means　of　wounding　me　to　the
heart。　One　who　loses　his　heart　is　wounded　to　the　heart。　He　who
deserves　sorrow　ought　to　have　it；　but　I　never　deserved　it。　Alas！
Unhappy　that　I　am！　Why；　then；　has　Cliges　slain　me　without　any
fault　of　mine？　But　in　vain　do　I　reproach　him；　for　I　have　no
grounds　for　this　reproach。　Cliges　would　never；　never；　have
forsaken　meI　know　this　wellif　his　heart　had　been　in　like　case
with　mine。　In　like　case　I　think　it　is　not。　And　if　my　heart　has
joined　itself　to　his　heart；　never　will　it　leave　it；　never　will
his　go　whither　without　mine；　for　mine　follows　him　in　secret　so
close　is　the　comradeship　that　they