cliges-第7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！


attack　and　a　fair　defence。　I　will　give　you　the　due　guerdon：　I
increase　your　following　by　500　Welsh　knights　and　by　1000　footmen
of　this　land。　When　I　shall　have　finished　my　war；　in　addition　to
what　I　have　given　you；　I　will　have　you　crowned　king　of　the　best
realm　in　Wales。　Market…towns　and　strong　castles；　cities　and
halls；　will　I　give　you；　meanwhile；　till　the　land　shall　be　given
to　you　which　your　father　holds　and　of　which　you　must　become
emperor。〃　Alexander　heartily　thanks　the　king　for　this　grant；　and
his　comrades　thank　him　likewise。　All　the　barons　of　the　Court　say
that　the　honour　which　the　king　designs　for　him　is　well　vested　in
Alexander。

When　Alexander　sees　his　men　his　comrades　and　his　footmen；　such　as
the　king　willed　to　give　him；　then　they　begin　to　sound　horns　and
trumpets　throughout　the　host。　Good　and　bad　all；　I　would　have　you
know；　without　exception　take　their　arms；　those　of　Wales　and　of
Brittany　of　Scotland　and　of　Cornwall；　for　from　all　sides　without
fail　strong　reinforcements　had　come　in　for　the　host。　Thames　had
shrunk；　for　there　had　been　no　rain　all　the　summer；　rather　there
had　been　such　a　drought　that　the　fish　in　it　were　dead　and　the
ships　leaky　in　the　harbour；　and　one　could　pass　by　the　ford　there
where　the　water　was　widest　of　a　hair　and　has　delight　and　joyaunce
thereof；　but　the　host　has　crossed　Thames；　some　beset　the　valley
and　others　mount　the　height。　The　defenders　of　the　castle　perceive
it；　and　see　coming　the　wondrous　host　which　is　preparing　outside
to　overthrow　and　take　the　castle；　and　they　prepare　to　defend　it。
But　before　any　attack　is　made　the　king　has　the　traitors　dragged
by　four　horses　round　the　castle；　through　the　valleys；　and　over
mounds　and　hillocks。　Count　Engres　is　sore　grieved　when　he　sees
those　whom　he　held　dear　dragged　round　his　castle；　and　the　others
were　much　dismayed；　but　for　all　the　dismay　that　they　feel　thereat
they　have　no　desire　to　surrender。　Needs　must　they　defend
themselves；　for　the　king　displays　openly　to　all　his　displeasure
and　his　wrath；　and　full　well　they　see　that　if　he　held　them　he
would　make　them　die　shamefully。

When　the　four　had　been　drawn　and　their　limbs　lay　o'er　the　field；
then　the　attack　begins；　but　all　their　toil　is　vain；　for　howsoever
they　may　hurl　and　throw　their　missiles；　they　can　avail　nought。
And　yet　they　try　hard；　they　throw　and　hurl　a　thick　cloud　of　bolts
and　javelins　and　darts。　The　catapults　and　slings　make　a　great　din
on　all　sides；　arrows　and　round　stone　fly　likewise　in　confusion　as
thick　as　rain　mingled　with　hail。　Thus　they　toil　all　day：　these
defend；　and　those　attack　until　night　separates　them；　one　from　the
other；　nor　need　they　trouble　to　flee；　nor　do　they　see。　And　the
king　on　his　part　has　it　cried　through　the　host　and　made　known
what　gift　that　man　will　have　of　him　by　whom　the　castle　shall　have
been　taken：　a　goblet　of　very　great　price；　worth　fifteen　golden
marks；　the　richest　in　his　treasure；　will　he　give　him。　The　goblet
will　be　very　fair　and　rich；　and　he　whose　judgement　goes　not
astray　ought　to　hold　it　dearer　for　the　workmanship　than　for　the
material。　The　goblet　is　very　precious　in　workmanship；　and　if　I
were　to　disclose　the　whole　truth；　the　jewels　on　the　outside　were
worth　more　than　the　workmanship　or　the　gold。　If　he　by　whom　the
castle　will　be　taken　is　but　a　foot　soldier；　he　shall　have　the
cup。　And　if　it　is　taken　by　a　knight；　never　shall　he　seek　any
reward　besides　the　cup；　but　he　will　have　it　if　it　can　be　found　in
the　world。　When　this　matter　was　proclaimed　Alexander；　who　went
each　evening　to　see　the　queen；　had　not　forgotten　his　custom。　On
this　evening　he　had　again　gone　thither；　they　were　seated　side　by
side；　both　Alexander　and　the　queen。　Before　them　Soredamors　was
sitting　alone　nearest　to　them；　and　she　looked　at　him　as　gladly　as
though　she　would　not　have　preferred　to　be　in　Paradise。　The　queen
held　Alexander　by　his　right　hand；　and　looked　at　the　golden　thread
which　had　become　greatly　tarnished；　and　the　hair　was　becoming　yet
fairer　whereas　the　gold　thread　was　growing　pale；　and　she
remembered　by　chance　that　Soredamors　had　done　the　stitching　and
she　laughed　thereat。　Alexander　observed　it　and　asks　her；　if　it
may　be　told；　to　tell　him　what　makes　her　laugh。　The　queen　delays
to　tell　him；　and　looks　towards　Soredamors；　and　has　called　her
before　her。　She　has　come　very　gladly　and　kneels　before　her。
Alexander　was　much　joyed　when　he　saw　her　approach　so　near　that　he
could　have　touched　her；　but　he　has　not　so　much　courage　as　to　dare
even　to　look　at　her；　but　all　his　senses　have　so　left　him　that　he
has　almost　become　dumb。　And　she；　on　the　other　hand；　is　so
bewildered　that　she　has　no　use　of　her　eyes；　but　fixes　her　gaze　on
the　ground；　and　dares　not　direct　it　elsewhere。　The　queen　greatly
marvels；　she　sees　her　now　pale；　now　flushed；　and　notes　well　in
her　heart　the　bearing　and　appearance　of　each　and　of　the　two
together。　She　sees　clearly　and　truly；　it　seems　to　her；　judging　by
the　changes　of　colour；　that　these　are　signs　of　love；　but　she　does
not　wish　to　cause　them　anguish：　she　feigns　to　know　nothing　of
what　she　sees。　She　did　just　what　it　behoved　her　to　do；　for　she
gave　no　look　or　hint　save　that　she　said　to　the　maiden：　〃Damsel；
look　yonder　and　tellhide　it　not　from　uswhere　the　shirt　that
this　knight　has　donned　was　sewn；　and　whether　you　had　a　hand　in
it；　and　put　in　it　somewhat　of　yours？〃　The　maiden　is　ashamed　to
say　it；　nevertheless；　she　tells　it　to　him　gladly；　for　she　wishes
that　he　should　hear　the　truth；　and　he　has　such　joy　of　hearing　it
when　she　tells　and　describes　to　him　the　making　of　the　shirt；　that
with　great　difficulty　he　restrains　himself　when　he　sees　the　hair
from　worshipping　and　doing　reverence　to　it。　His　comrades　and　the
queen；　who　were　there　with　him；　cause　him　great　distress　and
annoyance；　for　on　account　of　them　he　refrains　from　raising　it　to
his　eyes　and　to　his　lips　where　he　would　fain　have　pressed　it　if
he　had　not　thought　that　they　would　see　him。　He　is　blithe　that　he
has　so　much　of　his　lady…love；　but　he　does　not　think　or　expect　to
have　ever　any　other　boon　of　her。　His　desire　makes　him　fear；
nevertheless；　when　he　is　alone　he　kisses　it　more　than　a　hundred
thousand　times　when　he　has　left　the　queen。　Now　it　seems　to　him
that　he　was　born　in　a　lucky　hour。　Very　great　joy　does　he　have　of
it　all　night；　but　he　takes　good　care　that　no　one　sees　him。　When
he　has　lain　down　in　his　bed；　he　delights　and　consoles　him　self
fruitlessly　with　that　in　which　there　is　no　delight；　all　night　he
embraces　the　shirt；　and　when　he　beholds　the　hair　he　thinks　he　is
lord　of　all　the　world。　Truly　Love　makes　a　wise　man　a　fool：　since
he　has　joy；　he　will　change　his　pastime　before　the　bright　dawn　and
the　sunlight。　The　traitors　are　holding　counsel　as　to　what　they
will　be　able　to　do　and　what　will　become　of　them。　Long　time　they
will　be　able　to　defend　the　castle；　that　is　a　certainty　if　they
apply　themselves　to　the　defence；　but　they　know　that　the　king　is
of　so　fierce　a　courage　that　in　all　his　life　he　will　never　turn
away　until　he　has　taken　it；　then　they　must　needs　die。　And　if　they
surrender　the　castle　they　expect　no　grace　for　that。　Thus　the　one
lot　or　the　other；　it　has　fallen　out　ill　for　them；　for　they　have
no　reinforcement；　and　they　see　death　on　all　sides。　But　the　end　of
their　deliberation　is　that　to…morrow；　before　day　appears；　they
resolve　to　issue　forth　secretly　from　the　castle；　and　to　fall　on
the　host　unarmed；　and　the　knights　asleep；　since　they　will　still
be　lying　in　their　beds。　Before　these　have　awakened；　apparelled
and　equipped；　themselves；　they　will　have　made　such　slaughter　that
ever　hereafter　shall　be　related　the　battle　of　that　night。　To　this
plan　all　the　traitors　cling　from　desperation；　for　they　have　no
confidence　as　to　their　lives。　Lack　of　hope　as　to　the　outcome
emboldens　them　to　the　battle；　for　they　see　no　issue　for
themselves　except　through　death　or　prison。　Such　an　issue　is　no
wholesome　one；　nor　need　they　trouble　to　flee；　nor　do　they　see
where　they　could　find　refuge　if　they　should　have　fled；　for　the
sea　and　their　enemies　are　around　them；　and　they　in　the　midst。　No
longer　do　they　tarry　at　their　council：　now　they　apparel　and　arm
themselves；　and　issue　forth　towards　the　north…west　by　an　ancient
postern　towards　that　side　whence　they　thought　that　those　of　the
host　would　least　expect　to　see　them　come。　In　serried　ranks　they
sallied　forth：　of　their　men　they　made　five　battalions；　and　there
were　no　less　than　two　thousand　foot…soldiers　well　equipped　for
battle　and　a　thousand　knights　in　each。　This　night　neither　star
nor　moon　had　shown　its　rays　in　the　sky；　but　before　they　had
reached　the　tents　the　moon　began　to　rise；　and；　I　believe　that
just　to　vex　them；　it　rose　earlier　than　it　was　wont；　and　God　who
wished　to　injure　them　lit　up　the　dark　night；　for　He　had　no　care
of　their　army；　rather　He　hated　them　for　their　sin　with　which　they
were　tainted　for　traitors　and　treason　which　God　hates　more　than
any　other　crime；　so　the　moon　began　to　shine　because　it　was　doomed
to　injure　them。

The　moon　was　veritably　hostile　to　them；　for　it　shone　on　their
glittering　shields；　and　the　helmets　likewise　greatly　embarrass
them；　for　they　reflect　the　light　of　the　moon　for　the　sentries　who
were　set　to　guard　the　host　see　them；　and　they　cry