cliges-第6节

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


whole　case　he　would　have　loved　it　still　more；　for　he　would　not
have　taken　all　the　world　in　exchange；　but　rather　he　would　have
treated　it　as　a　relic；　I　think；　and　would　have　worshipped　it　day
and　night。

Alexander　delays　no　longer　to　apparel　himself　straightway。　When
he　was　clad　and　equipped　he　has　returned　to　the　tent　of　the　king；
and　all　his　comrades　together　with　him。　The　queen；　as　I　think；
had　come　to　sit　in　the　tent　because　she　wished　to　see　the　new
knights　arrive。　Well　might　one　esteem　them　fair；　but　fairest　of
all　was　Alexander　with　the　agile　body。　They　are　now　knights；　for
the　present　I　say　no　more　about　them。　Henceforth　shall　I　speak　of
the　king　and　of　the　host　which　came　to　London。　The　greater　part
of　the　folk　held　to　his　side；　but　there　is　a　great　multitude　of
them　against　him。　Count　Engres　musters　his　troops；　all　that　he
can　win　over　to　him　by　promise　or　by　gift。　When　he　had　got　his
men　together　he　has　secretly　fled　by　night；　for　he　was　hated　by
several　and　feared　to　be　betrayed；　but　before　he　fled　he　took
from　London　as　much　as　he　could　of　victuals　of　gold　and　of
silver；　and　distributed　it　all　to　his　folk。　The　tidings　is　told
to　the　kingthat　the　traitor　is　fled；　and　all　his　　army　with
him；　and　that　he　had　taken　so　much　of　victuals　and　goods　from　the
city　that　the　burgesses　are　impoverished　and　destitute　and　at　a
loss。　And　the　king　has　replied　just　this：　that　never　will　he　take
ransom　of　the　traitor；　but　will　hang　him　if　he　can　find　or　take
him。　Now　all　the　host　bestirs　itself　so　much　that　they　reached
Windsor。　At　that　day；　however　it　be　now；　if　any　one　wished　to
defend　the　castle；　it　would　not　have　been　easy　to　take；　for　the
traitor　enclosed　it　as　soon　as　he　planned　the　treason　with　treble
walls　and　moats；　and　had　strengthened　the　walls　behind　with
sharpened　stakes；　so　that　they　should　not　be　thrown　down　by　any
siege…engine。　He　had　spent　great　sums　in　strengthening　it　all
June　and　July　and　August；　in　making　walls；　and　bastions；　and
moats；　and　drawbridges；　trenches；　and

breast…works；　and　barriers；　and　many　a　portcullis　of　iron；　and　a
great　tower　of　stones；　hewn　foursquare。　Never　had　he　shut　the
gate　there　for　fear　of　attack。　The　castle　stands　on　a　high　hill
and　below　it　runs　Thames。　The　host　is　encamped　on　the　river　bank；
on　　that　day　they　had　time　for　nought　save　encamping　and　pitching
their　tents。

The　host　has　encamped　on　Thames：　all　the　meadow　is　covered　with
tents；　green　and　vermilion。　The　sun　strikes　on　the　colours　and
the　river　reflects　their　sheen　for　more　than　a　full　league。　The
defenders　of　the　castle　had　come　to　take　their　pleasure　along　the
strand　with　their　lances　only　in　their　hands；　their　shields
locked　close　in　front　of　them；　for　they　bore　no　arms　but　these。
To　their　foes　without　they　made　it　appear　that　they　feared　them
not　at　all　inasmuch　as　they　had　come　unarmed。　Alexander；　on　the
other　side；　perceived　the　knights　who　go　before　them；　playing　a
knightly　game　on　horseback。　Hot　is　his　desire　to　meet　with　them；
and　he　calls　his　comrades　one　after　the　other　by　their　names：
first　Cornix；　whom　he　greatly　loved；　then　the　stout　Licorides；
then　Nabunal　of　Mycenae；　and　Acoriondes　of　Athens；　and　Ferolin　of
Salonica；　and　Calcedor　from　towards　Africa；　Parmenides　and
Francagel；　Torin　the　Strong；　and　Pinabel；　Nerius；　and　Neriolis。
〃Lords；〃　quoth　he；　〃a　longing　has　seized　me　to　go　and　make　with
lance　and　with　shield　acquaintance　with　those　who　come　to　tourney
before　us。　I　see　full　well　that　they　take　us　for　laggards　and
esteem　us　lightlyso　it　seems　to　mesince　they　have　come　here
all　unarmed　to　tourney　before　our　faces。　We　have　been　newly
dubbed　knights；　we　have　not　yet　shown　our　mettle　to　knights　or　at
quintain。　Too　long　have　we　kept　our　new　lances　virgin。　Why　were
our　shields　made？　Not　yet　have　they　been　pierced　or　broken。　Such
a　gift　avails　us　nought　save　for　tour　or　for　assault。　Let　us　pass
the　ford；　and　let　us　attack　them。〃　All　say：　〃We　will　not　fail
you。〃　Each　one　says：　〃So　may　God　save　me；　as　I　am　not　the　man　to
fail　you　here。〃　Now　they　gird　on　their　swords；　saddle　and　girth
their　steeds；　mount　and　take　their　shields。　When　they　had　hung
the　shields　from　their　necks；　and　taken　the　lances　blazoned　in
quarterings；　they　all　at　once　rush　on　to　the　ford；　and　the　enemy
lower　their　lances　and　ride　quickly　to　strike　them。　But　Alexander
and　his　comrades　knew　well　how　to　pay　them　back；　and　they　neither
spare　them　nor　shirk　nor　yield　a　foot　before　them；　rather　each
strikes　his　own　foe　so　doughtily　that　there　is　no　knight　so　good
but　he　must　void　his　saddle…bow。　The　Greeks　did　not　take　them　for
boys　for　cowards　or　for　men　bewildered。　They　have　not　wasted
their　first　blows；　for　they　have　unhorsed　thirteen。　The　noise　of
their　blows　and　strokes　has　reached　as　far　as　to　the　army。　In　a
short　time　the　melee　would　have　been　desperate；　if　the　enemy　had
dared　to　stand　before　them。　The　king's　men　run　through　the　host
to　take　their　weapons；　and　dash　into　the　water　noisily；　and　the
enemy　turn　to　flight；　for　they　see　that　it　is　not　good　to　stay
there。　And　the　Greeks　follow　them；　striking　with　lances　and
swords。　Many　heads　there　were　cut　open；　but　of　the　Greeks　there
was　not　a　single　one　wounded。　They　have　proved　themselves　well
that　day。　But　Alexander　won　the　greatest　distinction；　for　he
leads　away　four　knights　bound　to　his　person　and　taken　prisoners。
And　the　dead　lie　on　the　strand；　for　many　there　lay　headless；　and
many　wounded　and　maimed。

Alexander　from　courtesy　gives　and　presents　the　first　fruits　of
his　　knighthood　to　the　queen。　He　does　not　wish　that　the　king
should　have　possession　of　the　captives；　for　he　would　have　had
them　all　hanged。　The　queen　has　had　them　taken　and　has　had　them
guarded　in　prison　as　accused　of　treason。　Men　speak　of　the　Greeks
throughout　the　army；　all　say　that　Alexander　is　right　courteous
and　debonair　as　regards　the　knights　whom　he　had　taken　inasmuch　as
he　had　not　given　them　up　to　the　king；　who　would　have　had　them
burned　or　hanged。　But　the　king　is　in　earnest　in　the　matter。
Forthwith　he　bids　the　queen　that　she　come　and　speak　to　him　and
keep　not　her　traitors；　for　it　will　behove　her　to　give　them　up　or
he　will　take　them　against　her　will。　Then　the　queen　has　come　to
the　king；　they　have　had　converse　together　about　the　traitors　as
it　behoved　them；　and　all　the　Greeks　had　been　left　in　the　queen's
tent　with　the　ladies。　Much　do　the　twelve　say　to　them；　but
Alexander　does　not　say　a　word。　Soredamors　observed　it；　she　had
sat　down　near　him。　He　has　rested　his　cheek　on　his　hand；　and　it
seems　that　he　is　deep　in　thought。　Thus　have　they　sat　full　long
till　Soredamors　saw　on　his　arm　and　at　his　neck　the　hair　with
which　she　had　made　the　seam。　She　has　drawn　a　little　nearer　him；
for　now　she　has　opportunity　of　speaking　with　him；　but　she
considers　beforehand　how　she　can　be　the　one　to　speak；　and　what
the　first　word　shall　be；　whether　she　will　call　him　by　his　name；
and　she　takes　counsel　of　it　with　herself。　〃What　shall　I　say
first？〃　thinks　she。　Shall　I　address　him　by　his　name；　or　as
'friend'。　Friend？　Not　I。　How　then？　Call　him　by　his　name？　God！　The
word　friend　is　so　fair　and　so　sweet　to　say。　What　if　I　dared　to
call　him　friend？　Dared？　What　forbids　it　me？　The　fact　that　I　think
I　should　be　telling　a　lie。　A　lie？　I　know　not　what　it　will　be；　but
if　I　lie　it　will　be　a　weight　on　my　mind。　For　that　reason　it　must
be　allowed　that　I　should　not　desire　to　lie　in　the　matter。　God！　He
would　not　lie　now　a　whit　if　he　called　me　his　sweet　friend。　And
should　I　lie　in　so　calling　him？　Both　of　us　ought　indeed　to　speak
truth；　but　if　I　lie　the　wrong　will　be　his。　And　why　is　his　name　so
hard　to　me　that　I　wish　to　add　a　name　of　courtesy？　It　seems　to　me
there　are　too　many　letters　in　it；　and　I　should　become　tongue…tied
in　the　middle。　But　if　I　called　him　friend；　I　should　very　quickly
say　this　name。　But　just　because　I　fear　to　stumble　in　the　other
name；　I　would　have　given　of　my　heart's…blood　if　only　his　name
might　have　been　'my　sweet　friend'。〃

She　delays　so　long　in　thus　thinking　that　the　queen　returns　from
the　king；　who　had　sent　for　her。　Alexander　sees　her　coming；　and
goes　to　meet　her；　and　asks　her　what　the　king　commands　to　be　done
with　his　prisoners；　and　what　will　be　their　fate。　〃Friend；〃　says
she；　〃he　requires　me　to　yield　them　up　to　his　discretion　and　to
let　him　do　his　justice　on　them。　He　is　very　wroth　that　I　have　not
yet　given　them　up　to　him　and　I　must　send　them；　for　I　see　no　other
way　out。〃　Thus　they　have　passed　this　day；　and　on　the　morrow　the
good　and　loyal　knights　have　assembled　together　before　the　royal
tent　to　pronounce　justice　and　judgment　as　to　with　what　penalty
and　with　what　torture　the　four　traitors　should　die。　Some　doom
that　they　be　flayed；　others　that　they　be　hanged　or　burnt；　and　the
king　himself　deems　that　traitors　should　be　drawn。　Then　he　bids
them　be　brought：　they　are　brought；　he　has　them　bound；　and　tells
them　that　they　shall　not　be　quartered　till　they　are　in　view　of
the　castle；　so　that　those　within　shall　see　them。　When　the　parley
is　done；　the　king　addresses　Alexander　and　calls　him　his　dear
friend。　〃Friend；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　saw　you　yesterday　make　a　fair
attack　and　a　fair　defence。　I　will　give　you　the　due　guerdon：　I
increase　your