雙語《列那狐》 40

CHAPTER XL

THE Wolf wiped his eyes, the Fox was glad when he saw that. He wrestled so sore, that he sprang on his feet while he rubbed his eyes. The Wolf was not well pleased therewithal, and smote after him ere he escaped, and caught him in his arms, and held him fast, notwithstanding that he bled. Reynard was woe then. There wrestled they long and sore. The Wolf waxed so angry that he forgot all his smarts and pain, and threw the Fox all plat under him, which came him evil to pass, for his one hand, by which he defended him stert in the falling into Esegrim's throat, and then was he afraid to lose his hand.

The Wolf said tho to the Fox,“Now choose, whether you will yield you as overcome or else I shall certainly slay you. Thy scattering of the dust, thy piss, thy mocking, nor thy defence, nor all thy false wiles, may not now help thee. Thou mayest not escape me. Thou hast heretofore done me so much harm and shame, and now I have lost my one eyou and thereto sore wounded.”

When Reynart heard that it stood so rowme that he should choose to knowledge him overcome and yield him or else to take the death, he thought the choice was worth ten mark, and that he must say that one or that other. He had anon concluded what he would say, and began to say to him with fair words in this wise:

“Dear Eme, I will gladly become your man with all my good. And I will go for you to the holy grave, and shall get pardon and winning for your cloister of all the churches that are in the holy land, which shall much profit to your soul and your elders' souls also. I think there was never such a proffer proffered to any king. And I shall serve you like as I should serve our holy father the Pope. I shall hold of you all that I have, and ever been your servant, and forth I shall make that all my lineage shall do in like wise. Then shall you be a lord above all lords. Who should then dare do anything against you? And furthermore whatsomever I take of polaille, geese, partridge, or plover, fish or flesh, or whatsomever it be, thereof shall you first have the choice, and your wife and your children, ere any come in my body. Thereto I will alway abide by you, that where you be there shall no hurt nor scathe come to you. You be strong, and I am wily: let us abide together that, one with the counsel and that other with the deed, then may there nothing misfall to usward. And we are so nigh of kin each to other that of right should be no anger between us. I would not have foughten against you if I might have escaped. But you appealed me first unto fight, tho must I do that I not do would gladly. And in this battle I have been curtoys to you, I have not showed the utterest of my might on you like as I would have done if you had been a stranger to me; for the Nephew ought to spare the Eme, it is good reason and it ought so to be. Dear Eme, so have I now do, and that may you mark well when I ran before you, my heart would not consent thereto. For I might have hurt you much more than I did, but I thought it never; for I have not hurt you, nor done you so much harm that may hinder you, save only that mishap that is fallen on your eye. Ach! therefore I am sorry, and suffer much sorrow in my heart. I would well, dear Eme, that it had not happed you, but that it had fallen on me, so that you therewith had been pleased; howbeit that you shall have thereby a great advantage. For when you hereafter sleep you need not to shut but one window where another must shut two. My wife and my children and my lineage shall fall down to your feet, before the King and before all them that you will, desire and pray you humbly that you will suffer Reynart, your nephew, live; and also I shall knowledge oft to have trespassed against you, and what leasings I have lied upon you. How might any lord have more honour than I proffer you. I would for no good do this to another. Therefore I pray you to be pleased herewithall. I wote well, if you would, you might have slew me; but and you so done had, what had you won? So must you ever after this time keep you from my friends and lineage. Therefore he is wise that can in his anger measure himself, and not be over hasty, and to see well what may fall or happe afterward to him. What man that in his anger can well advise him, certainly he is wise. Men find many fools that in heat hasten them so much that after they repent them and then it is too late. But, dear Eme, I think you be too wise so to do. It is better to have praise, honour, rest, and peace, and many friends that be ready to help him, than to have shame, hurt, unrest, and also many enemies lying in a wait to do him harm. Also it is little worship to him that has overcome a man then to slay him. It is great shame, not for my life, though I were dead that were a little hurt.”

Esegrim the Wolf said,“Ay, thief, how fain wouldest thou be loosed and discharged from me, that hear I well by thy words. Were thou now from me on thy free feet thou wouldst not set by me an egg shell. Though thou promisedst to me all the world of fine red gold, I would not let thee escape. I set little by thee and all thy friends and lineage. All that thou hast here said is but leasings and feigned falseness. Weenest thou thus to deceive me? it is long since that I knew thee. I am no bird to be locked, nor take by chaff. I know well enough good corn. O, how wouldest thou mock me if I let thee thus escape. Thou mightest well have said this to one that knew thee not, but to me thou losest thy flattering and sweet fluting, for I understand too well thy subtle lying tales. Thou hast so oft deceived me that me behoves now to take good heed of thee. Thou false stinking knave, thou sayest that thou hast spared me in this battle. Look hitherward to me. Is not my one eyou out? And thereto hast thou wounded me in twenty places in my head. Thou wouldest not suffer me so long to rest as to take once my breath. I were over much a fool if I should now spare thee or be merciful to thee. So many a confusion and shame as thou hast done to me; and that also that touches me most of all, that thou hast disworshipped me and sklaundred Ersewynde my wife, whom I love as well as myself, and falsely deceivedst her, which shall never out of my heart: for as oft as it comes to my mind all my anger and hate that I have to thee renews.”

In the meanwhile that Esegrim was thus speaking, the Fox bethought him how he might help himself, and stuck his other hand after between his legs, and grepe the Wolf fast. And he wrong him so sore that for woe and pain he must cry loud and howl. Then the Fox drew his other hand out of his mouth. The Wolf had so much pain and anguish of the sore wringing, that he spit blood.