cliges-第22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！


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　thing。〃　〃Well　said；〃　quoth　the
emperor；　〃in　the　minster　of　my　lord　Saint　Peter　shall　she　be
buried；　there　outside　where　one　buries　other　bodies；　for　before
she　died；　she　begged　and　prayed　me　with　all　her　heart　that　I
would　have　her　laid　there。　Now　go　and　busy　yourself　about　it；　and
set　your　tomb；　as　is　right　and　meet；　in　the　fairest　place　in　the
cemetery。〃　John　replies：　〃Gladly；　sire。〃　Forthwith　John　departs；
prepares　well　the　tomb；　and　did　thereat　what　a　master　of　his
craft　would　do。　Because　the　stone　was　hard；　and　even　more　on
account　of　the　cold；　he　has　placed　therein　a　feather　bed；　and
moreover；　that　it　may　smell　sweet　to　her；　he　has　strewn　thereon
both　flowers　and　foliage。　But　he　did　it　even　more　for　this；　that
none　should　spy　the　mattress　that　he　had　placed　in　the　grave。　Now
had　the　whole　office　been　said　in　chapels　and　in　parish　churches；
and　they　were　continually　tolling　as　it　is　meet　to　toll　for　the
dead。　They　bid　the　body　be　brought；　and　it　will　be　placed　in　the
tomb；　whereat　John　has　worked　to　such　effect　that　he　has　made　it
very　magnificent　and　splendid。　In　all　Constantinople　has　been
left　neither　great　nor　small　who　does　not　follow　the　corpse
weeping；　and　they　curse　and　revile　Death；　knights　and　squires
swoon；　and　the　dames　and　the　maidens　beat　their　breasts　and　have
railed　against　Death。　〃Death！〃　quoth　each；　〃why　took'st　thou　not
a　ransom　for　my　lady？　Forsooth；　but　a　small　booty　hast　thou
gained；　and　for　us　the　loss　is　great。〃　And　Cliges；　of　a　truth；
mourns　so　much　that　he　wounds　and　maltreats　himself　more　than　all
the　others　do；　and　it　is　a　marvel　that　he　does　not　kill　himself；
but　still　he　postpones　suicide　till　the　hour　and　the　time　come
for　him　to　disinter　her　and　hold　her　in　his　arms；　and　know
whether　she　is　alive　or　not。　About　the　grave　are　the　lords；　who
lay　the　body　there；　but　they　do　not　meddle　with　John　in　the
setting　up　of　the　tomb；　and　indeed　they　could　see　nought　of　it；
but　have　all　fallen　swooning　to　the　earth；　and　John　has　had　good
leisure　to　do　all　he　listed。　He　so　set　up　the　tomb　that　there　was
no　other　creature　in　it；　well　does　he　seal　and　join　and　close　it。
Then　might　that　man　well　have　boasted　himself　who；　without　harm
or　injury；　would　have　been　able　to　take　away　or　disjoin　aught
that　John　had　put　there。

Fenice　is　in　the　tomb；　until　it　came　to　dark　night；　but　thirty
knights　guard　her；　and　there　are　ten　tapers　burning；　and　they
made　a　great　light。　The　knights　were　sated　and　weary　with
mourning；　and　have　eaten　and　drunk　in　the　night　till　they　all　lay
asleep　together。　At　night　Cliges　steals　forth　from　the　court　and
from　all　the　folk。　There　was　not　knight　or　servant　who　ever　knew
what　had　become　of　him。　He　did　not　rest　till　he　came　to　John；　who
gives　him　all　the　counsel　that　he　can。　He　puts　on　him　a　suit　of
armour；　which　he　will　never　need。　Both　all　armed　go　forth　to　the
cemetery　at　post　haste；　but　the　cemetery　was　enclosed　all　around
by　a　high　wall；　and　the　knights；　who　were　sleeping；　and　had
closed　the　door　within　that　none　might　enter；　thought　they　were
safe。　Cliges　sees　not　how　he　may　pass；　for　he　cannot　enter　by　the
door；　and　yet　by　hook　or　by　crook　he　must　enter；　for　love　exhorts
and　admonishes　him。　He　grips　the　wall　and　mounts　up；　for　right
strong　and　agile　was　he。　Within　was　an　orchard　and　there　were
trees　in　plenty。　Near　the　wall　one　had　been　planted　so　that　it
touched　the　wall。　Now　has　Cliges　what　he　wished　for；　he　let
himself　down　by　this　tree。　The　first　thing　that　he　did　was　to　go
and　open　the　door　to　John。　They　see　the　knights　sleeping　and　they
have　extinguished　all　the　tapers；　so　that　no　light　remains　there。
And　now　John　uncovers　the　grave　and　opens　the　tomb；　so　that　he
injures　it　not　at　all。　Cliges　leaps　into　the　grave　and　has
carried　forth　his　lady；　who　is　very　weak　and　lifeless；　and　he
falls　on　her　neck　and　kisses　and　embraces　her。　He　knows　not
whether　to　rejoice　or　mourn；　for　she　moves　not　nor　stirs。　And
John　has　closed　again　the　tomb　with　all　the　speed　he　may；　so　that
it　does　not　in　any　wise　appear　that　it　ha