雙語《列那狐》 20

CHAPTER XX

WHEN the Fox was come before the gate of his house, he said to Bellyn the Ram,“Cousin, you shall abide here without, I and Cuwart will go in, for I will pray Cuwart to help me to take my leave of Ermelyne my wife, and to comfort her and my children.”

Bellyn said,“I pray him to comfort them well.”

With such flattering words brought he the Hare into his hole in an evil hour. There found they Dame Ermelyne lying on the ground with her younglings, which had sorrowed much for dread of Reynart's death. But when she saw him come, she was glad. But when she saw his male and psalter, and espied his shoes, she marvelled and said,“Dear Reynart, how have you sped?”

He said“I was arrested in the court, but the King let me gon. I must go a pilgrimage. Bruin the Bear and Esegrim the Wolf they be pledge for me. I thank the King he has given to us Cuwart here, for to do with him what we will. The King said himself that Cuwart was the first that on us complained, and by the faith that I owe you I am right wroth on Cuwart.”

When Cuwart heard these words he was sore afraid. He would have fled but he might not, for the Fox stood between him and the gate, and he caught him by the neck. Tho cried the Hare,“Help, Bellyn, help! Where be you? This pilgrim slays me?”But that cry was soon done, for the Fox had anon bitten his throat a two.

Tho said he,“Let us go eat this good fat hare.”The young whelps came also. Thus held they a great feast, for Cuwart had a good fat body. Ermelyne ate the flesh and drank the blood; she thanked oft the King that he had made them so merry. The Fox said,“Eat as much as you may, he will pay for it if we will fetch it.”She said,“Reynart, I think you mock. Tell me the truth how you be departed thence.”

“Dame, I have so flattered the king and the queen that I suppose the friendship between us shall be right thin. When he shall know of this he shall be angry, and hastily seek me for to hang me by my neck. Therefore let us depart, and steal secretly away in some other forest where we may live without fear and dread, and there that we may live seven year and more an they find us not. There is plenty of good meat of partridges, woodcocks, and much other wild fowl, Dame, and if you will come with me thither there are sweet wells and fair and clear running brooks; Lord God, how sweet air is there. There may we be in peace and ease, and live in great wealth. For the King has let me gon because I told him that there was great treasure in Krekenpyt, but there shall he find nothing though he sought ever. This shall sore anger him when he knows that he is thus deceived. What! think you how many a great leasing must I lie ere I could escape from him. It was hard that I escaped out of prison; I was never in greater peril nor nearer my death. But how it ever go I shall by my will never more come in the King's danger. I have now gotten my thumb out of his mouth, that thank I my subtilty.”

Dame Ermelyne said,“Reynart, I counsel that we go not into another forest where we should be strange and elenge. We have here all that we desire. And you be here lord of our neighbours; wherefore shall we leave this place and adventure us in a worse? We may abide here sure enough. If the King would do us any harm or besiege us, here are so many by or side holes, in such wise as we shall escape from him; in abiding here we may not do amiss. We know all bypaths over all, and ere he take us with might he must have much help thereto. But that you have sworn that you shall go oversea and abide there, that is the thing that touches me most.”

“Nay, Dame, care not therefor. How more forsworn, how more forlorn. I went once with a good man that said to me that a bedwongen oath, or oath sworn by force, was none oath. Though I went on this pilgrimage it should not avail me a cat's tail. I will abide here and follow your counsel. If the King hunt after me, I shall keep me as well as I may. If he be me too mighty, yet I hope with subtlety to beguile him. I shall unbind my sack. If he will seek harm he shall find harm.”

Now was Bellyn the Ram angry that Cuwart his fellow was so long in the hole, and called loud,“Come out, Cuwart, in the devil's name; how long shall Reynart keep you there? Haste you, and come! Let us go.”

When Reynart heard this, he went out and said softly to Bellyn the Ram,“Lief Bellyn, wherefore be you angry? Cuwart speaks with his dear Aunt. Methinks you ought not to be displeased therefor. He bade me say to you you might well go before, and he shall come after; he is lighter of foot than you. He must tarry awhile with his Aunt and her children, they weep and cry because I shall go from them.”

Bellyn said,“What did Cuwart? Methought he cried after help.”

The Fox answered,“What say you, Bellyn? Ween you that he should have any harm? Now hark what he then did. When we were come into my house, and Ermelyne my wife understood that I should go over sea, she fell down in a swoon; and when Cuwart saw that, he cried loud,‘Bellyn, come help my Aunt to bring her out of her swoon.’”

Then said the Ram,“In faith I understood that Cuwart had been in great danger.”

The Fox said,“Nay truly, or Cuwart should have any harm in my house I had liever that my wife and children should suffer much hurt.”