cliges-第24部分

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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　have　merited　to　be　burnt　or　hanged；
if　I　had　betrayed　my　lord　and　refused　to　do　his　will。〃

When　the　emperor　heard　tell　of　the　potion　which　it　delighted　him
to　drink；　and　by　which　Thessala　deceived　him；　then　first　he
perceived　that　he　had　never　had　joy　of　his　wifewell　he　knew
itunless　it　had　happened　to　him　in　a　dream；　and　that　such　joy
was　illusory。　He　says　that；　if　he　take　not　vengeance　for　the
shame　and　the　disgrace　brought　on　him　by　the　traitor　who　has
carried　off　from　him　his　wife；　never　again　will　he　have　joy　in
his　life。　〃Now；　quick！〃　quoth　he；　〃to　Pavia；　and　from　there　to
Germany；　let　neither　castle；　town；　nor　city　be　left　where　he　be
not　sought。　He　who　shall　bring　them　both　prisoners　will　be　more
cherished　by　me　than　any　other　man。　Now；　set　well　to　work　and
search　both　up　and　down　and　near　and　far！〃　Then　they　start　with
great　zeal；　and　they　have　spent　all　the　day　in　searching；　but
Cliges　had　such　friends　among　them　that；　if　they　found　the
lovers；　they　rather　would　lead　them　to　a　place　of　refuge　than
bring　them　back。　Throughout　a　whole　fortnight　with　no　small　pains
they　have　pursued　them；　but　Thessala；　who　is　guiding　them；　leads
them　so　safely　by　art　and　by　enchantment　that　they　have　no　fear
or　alarm　for　all　the　forces　of　the　emperor。　In　no　town　or　city　do
they　lie；　and　yet　they　have　whatsoever　they　wish　and　desire；　as
good　as　or　better　than　they　are　wont　to　have；　for　Thessala　seeks
and　procures　and　brings　for　them　whatsoever　they　wish；　and　no　one
follows　or　pursues　them；　for　all　have　abandoned　the　quest。　But
Cliges　does　not　delay；　he　goes　to　his　uncle；　King　Arthur。　He
sought　him　till　he　found　him；　and　has　made　to　him　a　complaint　and
an　outcry　against　his　uncle　the　emperor；　who；　in　order　to
disinherit　him；　had　taken　wife　dishonourably；　when　he　should　not
have　done　so；　seeing　that　he　had　pledged　his　word　to　Cliges'
father　that　never　in　his　life　would　he　have　a　wife。　And　the　king
says　that　with　a　navy　will　he　sail　to　Constantinople；　and　fill　a
thousand　ships　with　knights　and　three　thousand　with　infantry；
such　that　nor　city　nor　borough　nor　town　nor　castle；　however
strong　or　high　it　be；　will　be　able　to　endure　their　onset。　And
Cliges　has　not　forgotten　to　thank　the　king　then　and　there　for　the
aid　which　he　is　granting　him。　The　king　sends　to　seek　and　to
summon　all　the　high　barons　of　his　land；　and　has　ships　and　boats；
cutters　and　barques　sought　out　and　equipped。　With　shields；　with
lances；　with　targes；　and　with　knightly　armour　he　has　a　hundred
ships　filled　and　laden。　The　king　makes　so　great　a　preparation　to
wage　war　that　never　had　even　Cesar　or　Alexander　the　like。　He　has
caused　to　be　summoned　and　mustered　all　England　and　all　Flanders；
Normandy；　France；　and　Brittany；　and　all　tribes；　even　as　far　as
the　Spanish　passes。　Now　were　they　about　to　put　to　sea　when
messengers　came　from　Greece；　who　stayed　the　expedition　and　kept
back　the　king　and　his　men。　With　the　messengers　who　came　was　John；
who　was　well　worthy　to　be　believed；　for　he　was　witness　and
messenger　of　nought　that　was　not　true　and　that　he　did　not　know
for　certain。　The　messengers　were　high　men　of　Greece；　who　were
seeking　Cliges。　They　sought　and　asked　for　him　until　they　found
him　at　the　court　of　the　king；　and　they　have　said　to　him：　〃God
save　you；　sire。　On　the　part　of　all　the　inhabitants　of　your
empire；　Greece　is　yielded　and　Constantinople　given　to　you；
because　of　the　right　that　you　have　to　it。　Your　uncleas　yet　you
know　it　notis　dead　of　the　grief　that　he　had　because　he　could
not　find　you。　He　had　such　grief　that　he　lost　his　senses：　never
afterwards　did　he　either　eat　or　drink；　and　he　died　a　madman。　Fair
sire；　return　now　hence；　for　all　your　barons　send　for　you。　Greatly
do　they　desire　and　ask　for　you；　for　they　will　to　make　you
emperor。〃　Many　there　were　who　were　blithe　at　this　message；　but　on
the　other　hand　there　were　man　who　would　gladly　have　left　their
homes；　and　who　would　have　been　mightily　pleased　if　the　host　had
set　out　for　Greece。　But　the　expedition　has　fallen　through
altogether；　for　the　king　sends　away　his　men；　and　the　host
disperses　and　returns　home。　But　Cliges　hastens　and　prepares
himself；　for　his　will　is　to　return　into　Greece；　no　care　has　he　to
tarry　longer。　He　has　prepared　himself；　and　has　taken　leave　of　the
king　and　all　his　friends：　he　takes　Fenice　with　him；　and　they
depart　and　do　not　rest　till　they　are　in　Greece；　where　men　receive
him　with　great　joy；　as　they　ought　to　do　their　lord；　and　give　him
his　lady…love　to　wife；　they　crown　them　both　together。　He　has　made
his　lady…love　his　wife；　but　he　calls　her　lady…love　and　dame；　nor
does　she　for　that　cease　to　be　cherished　as　his　lady…love；　and　she
cherishes　him　every　whit　as　much　as　one　ought　to　cherish　one's
lover。　And　each　day　their　love　grew；　never　did　he　mistrust　her
nor　chide　her　for　aught。　She　was　never　kept　in　seclusion；　as
those　who　came　after　her　later　have　been　kept　（for　henceforth
there　was　no　emperor　who　was　not　afraid　lest　his　wife　might
deceive　him；　when　he　heard　tell　how　Fenice　deceived　Alis；　first
by　the　potion　that　he　drank　and　then　by　the　other　treason）。　For
which　reason　the　empress；　whoever　she　be；　be　she　of　never　so
splendid　and　high　degree；　is　guarded　in　Constantinople；　for　the
emperor　trusts　her　not　as　long　as　he　remembers　Fenice。


Here　ends　the　work　of　Chretien。






THE　END