首页 >出版文学> Jerusalem Delivered>第52章
  SopassedArmida,lookedon,gazedon,so,Awondrousdameinhabit,gesture,face;
  TherelivednowighttolovesogreatafoeButwishedandlongedthosebeautiestoembrace,Scantseen,withangersullen,sadforwoe,Sheconqueredallthelordsandknightsinplace,Whatwouldshedo,hersorrowspassed,thinkyou,Whenherfaireyes,herlooksandsmilesshallwoo?
  XXXVII
  Shepassed,thekingcommandedEmirenOfhisrichthronetomounttheloftystage,Towhomhishost,hisarmy,andhismen,Hewouldcommit,nowinhisgraverage。
  Withstatelygracethemanapproachedthen;
  Hislookshiscominghonordidpresage:
  Theguardasundercleftandpassagemade,Hetothethroneupwent,andtherehestayed。
  XXXVIII
  Toearthhecasthiseyes,andbenthisknee:
  Towhomthekingthusganhiswillexplain,“Totheethissceptre,Emiren,totheeThesearmiesIcommit,myplacesustainMongstthem,gosetthekingofJudahfree,AndlettheFrenchmenfeelmyjustdisdain,Gomeetthem,conquerthem,leavenonealive;
  Orthosethatscapefrombattle,bringcaptive。“
  XXXIX
  Thusspakethetyrant。andthesceptrelaidWithallhissovereignpowerupontheknight:
  “Itakethissceptreatyourhand,“hesaid,“Andwithyourhappyfortunegotofight,Andtrust,mylord,inyourgreatvirtue’saidTovengeallAsia’sharms,herwrongstoright,Nore’erbutvictorwillIseeyourface;
  Ouroverthrowshallbringdeath,notdisgrace。
  XL
  “Heavensgrantifevil,yetnomishapIdread,Orharmtheythreatenagainstthiscampofthine,Thatallthatmischieffalluponmyhead,Theirsbetheconquest,andthedangermine;
  Andletthemsafebringhometheircaptaindead,Buriedinpompoftriumph’sgloriousshine。“
  Heceased,andthenamurmurloudupwent,Withnoiseofjoyandsoundofinstrument。
  XLI
  Amidthenoiseandshoutuprosetheking,EnvironedwithmanyanoblepeerThattohisroyaltentthemonarchbring,Andtherehefeastedthemandmadethemcheer,Tohimandhimhetalked,andcarvedeachthing,Thegreatesthonored,meanestgracedwere;
  Andwhilethismirth,thisjoyandfeastdothlast,Armidafoundfittimehernetstocast:
  XLII
  Butwhenthefeastwasdone,she,thatespiedAlleyesonherfairvisagefixedandbent,Andbynewnotesandcertainsignsdescribed,Howlove’sempoisonedfiretheirentrailsbrent,Arose,andwherethekingsateinhispride,Withstatelypaceandhumblegestures,went;
  AndasshecouldinlooksinvoiceshestroveFierce,stern,bold,angry,andseveretoprove。
  XLIII
  “GreatEmperor,beholdmehere,“shesaid。
  “Forthee,mycountry,andmyfaithtofight,Adame,avirgin,butaroyalmaid;
  Andworthyseemsthiswaraprincesshight,Forbytheswordthesceptreisupstayed,Thishandcanusethembothwithskillandmight,Thishandofminecanstrike,andateachblowThyfoesandourskill,wound,andoverthrow。
  XLIV
  “NoryetsupposethisistheforemostdayWhereintowarIbentmynoblethought,Butforthesuretyofthyrealms,andstayOfourreligiontrue,erethisIwrought:
  YourselfbestknowifthisbetrueIsay,Orifmyformerdeedsrejoicedyouaught,WhenGodfrey’shardyknightsandprincesstrongIcaptivetook,andheldinbondagelong。
  XLV
  “Itookthem,boundthem,andsosentthemboundTothee,anoblegift,withwhomtheyhadCondemnedlowindungeonundergroundForeverdwelt,inwoeandtormentsad:
  SomightthinehostaneasywayhavefoundToendthisdoubtfulwar,withconquestglad,HadnotRinaldofiercemyknightsallslain,Andsetthoselords,hisfriends,atlargeagain。
  XLVI
  “Rinaldoiswellknown,“andtherealongAndtruerehearsalmadesheofhisdeeds,“Thisistheknightthatsincehathdonemewrong,Wrongyetuntold,thatsharprevengementneeds:
  Displeasuretherefore,mixedwithreasonstrong,Thisthirstofwarinme,thiscouragebreeds;
  Norhowheinjuredmetimeservestotell,Letthissuffice,Iseekrevengementfell,XLVII
  “Andwillprocureit,forallshaftsthatflyLightnotinvain;someworktheshooter’swill,AndJove’srighthandwiththunderscastfromskyTakesopenvengeanceoftforsecretill:
  ButifsomechampiondarethisknightdefyTomortalbattle,andbyfighthimkill,Andwithhishatefulheadwillmepresent,Thatgiftmysoulshallplease,myheartcontent:
  XLVIII
  “Soplease,thatforrewardenjoyheshall,ThegreatestgiftIcanormayafford,Myself,mybeauty,wealth,andkingdomsall,Tomarryhim,andtakehimformylord,ThispromisewillIkeepwhate’erbefall,Andtheretobindmyselfbyoathandword:
  Nowhethatdeemsthispurchaseworthhispain,Lethimstepforthandspeak,Inonedisdain。“
  XLIX
  Whilethustheprincesssaid,hishungryeyneAdrastusfedonhersweetbeauty’slight,“Thegodsforbid,“quothhe,“oneshaftofthineShouldbedischargedgainstthatdiscourteousknight,Hisheartunworthyis,shootressdivine,Ofthineartillerytofeelthemight;
  Towreakthineirebeholdmeprestandfit,Iwillhisheadcutoff,andbringtheeit。
  L
  “Iwillhisheartwiththissharpsworddivide,Andtothevulturescasthiscarcassout。“
  Thusthreatenedhe,butTisapherneenviedTohearhisgloriousvauntandboastingstout,Andsaid,“Butwhoartthou,thatsogreatprideThoushowestbeforetheking,me,andthisrout?
  Pardieherearesomesuch,whoseworthexceedsThyvauntingmuchyetboastnotoftheirdeeds。“
  LI
  TheIndianfiercereplied,“IamthemanWhoseactshiswordsandboastshaveayesurpassed;
  ButifelsewherethewordsthounowbeganHadutteredbeen,thatspeechhadbeenthylast。“
  Thusquarrelledthey;themonarchstayedthemthan,And’twixttheangryknightshissceptrecast:
  ThentoArmidasaid,“FairQueen,IseeThyheartisstout,thythoughtscourageousbe;
  LII
  “ThouworthyartthattheirdisdainandireAtthycommandstheseknightsshouldbothappease,ThatgainstthyfoetheircouragehotasfireThoumay’stemploy,bothwhenandwhereyouplease,Therealltheirpowerandforce,andwhatdesireTheyhavetoservethee,maytheyshowatease。“
  Themonarchheldhispeacewhenthiswassaid,Andtheynewprofferoftheirservicemade。
  LIII
  Northeyalone,butallthatfamouswereInfeatsofarmsboastthatheshallbedead,Allofferhertheiraid,allsayandswear,Totakerevengeonhiscondemnedhead:
  Somanyarmsmovedsheagainstherdear,Andsworeherdarlingunderfoottotread,Buthe,sincefirsttheenchantedisleheleft,Safeinhisbargetheroaringwavesstillcleft。
  LIV
  Bythesamewayreturnedthewell-taughtboatBywhichitcame,andmadelikehaste,likespeed;
  Thefriendlywind,uponhersailthatsmote,Soturnedastoreturnhershiphadneed:
  TheyouthsometimesthePoleorBeardidnote,Orwanderingstarswhichdearestnightsforthspread:
  Sometimesthefloods,thehills,ormountainssteep,Whosewoodyfrontso’ershadethesilentdeep。
  LV
  Nowofthecampthemanthestateinquires,Nowasksthecustomsstrangeofsundrylands;
  Andsailed,tillcladinbeamsandbrightattiresThefourthday’ssunontheeasternthresholdstands:
  Butwhenthewesternseashadquenchedthosefires,Theirfrigatestruckagainsttheshoreandsands;
  Thenspoketheirguide,“ThelandofPalestineThisis,heremustyourjourneyendandmine。“
  LVI
  Theknightsshesetupontheshoreallthree,Andvanishedthenceintwinklingofaneye,UprosethenightinwhosedeepblacknessbeAllcolorshidofthingsinearthorsky,Norcouldtheyhouse,orhold,orharborsee,Orinthatdesertsignofdwellingspy,Nortrackofmanorhorse,oraughtthatmightInformthemofsomepathorpassageright。
  LVII
  Whentheyhadmusedwhatwaytheytravelshould,Fromthewestshoretheirstepsatlasttheytwined,Andlo,faroffatlasttheireyesbeholdSomething,theywistnotwhat,thatclearlyshinedWithraysofsilverandwithbeamsofgoldWhichthedarkfoldsofnight’sblackmantlelined。
  Forwardtheywentandmarchedagainstthelight,Toseeandfindthethingthatshonesobright。
  LVIII
  Highonatreetheysawanarmornew,ThatglisteredbrightgainstCynthia’ssilverray,Therein,likestarsinskies,thediamondsshowFretinthegildenhelmandhauberkgay,ThemightyshieldallscoredfulltheyviewOfpicturesfair,rangedinmeetarray;
  Tokeepthemsateanagedmanbeside,Whotosalutethemrose,whenthemhespied。
  LIX
  ThetwainwhofirstweresentinthispursuitOftheirwisefriendwellknewtheagedface:
  ButwhenthewizardsagetheirfirstsaluteReceivedandquittedhadwithkindembrace,Totheyoungprince,thatsilentstoodandmute,Heturnedhisspeech,“InthisunusedplaceForyoualoneIwait,mylord,“quothhe,“Mychiefestcareyourstateandwelfarebe。
  LX
  “For,thoughyouwotitnot,Iamyourfriend,Andforyourprofitwork,asthesecantell,ItaughtthemhowArmida’scharmstoend,Andbringyouthitherfromlove’shatefulcell,Nowtomywords,thoughsharpperchance,attend,Norbeaggrievedalthoughtheyseemtoofell,Butkeepthemwellinmind,tillinthetruthAwiseandholiermaninstructthyyouth。
  LXI
  “Notunderneathsweetshadesandfountainsshrill,Amongthenymphs,thefairies,leavesandflowers;
  Butonthesteep,theroughandcraggyhillOfvirtuestandsthisbliss,thisgoodofours:
  Bytoilandtravel,notbysittingstillInpleasure’slap,wecometohonor’sbowers;
  Whywillyouthusinsloth’sdeepvalleylie?
  Theroyaleaglesonhighmountainsfly。