Читать книгу The Song of Roland - Anonymous - Страница 5

XV

The Emperor bent him and mused within,

Twisted his beard upon lip and chin,

Answered his nephew nor good nor ill;

And the Franks, save Ganelon, all were still:

Hastily to his feet he sprang,

Haughtily his words outrang:

"By me or others be not misled,

Look to your own good ends," he said.

"Since now King Marsil his faith assures,

That, with hands together clasped in yours,

He will henceforth your vassal be,

Receive the Christian law as we,

And hold his realm of you in fee,

Whoso would treaty like this deny,

Recks not, sire, by what death we die:

Good never came from counsel of pride,

List to the wise, and let madmen bide."

XVI

Then his form Duke Naimes upreared,

White of hair and hoary of beard.

Better vassal in court was none.

"You have hearkened," he said, "unto Ganelon.

Well hath Count Ganelon made reply;

Wise are his words, if you bide thereby.

King Marsil is beaten and broken in war;

You have captured his castles anear and far,

With your engines shattered his walls amain,

His cities burned, his soldiers slain:

Respite and ruth if he now implore,

Sin it were to molest him more.

Let his hostages vouch for the faith he plights,

And send him one of your Christian knights.

'Twere time this war to an ending came."

"Well saith the duke!" the Franks exclaim.

XVII

"Lords my barons, who then were best

In Saragossa to do our hest?"

"I," said Naimes, "of your royal grace,

Yield me in token your glove and mace."

"Nay—my sagest of men art thou:

By my beard upon lip and chin I vow

Thou shalt never depart so far from me:

Sit thee down till I summon thee.

XVIII

"Lords my barons, whom send we, then,

To Saragossa, the Saracen den?"

"I," said Roland, "will blithely go."

"Nay," said Olivier; "nay, not so.

All too fiery of mood thou art;

Thou wouldst play, I fear me, a perilous part.

I go myself, if the king but will."

"I command," said Karl, "that ye both be still.

Neither shall be on this errand bound,

Nor one of the twelve—my peers around;

So by my blanching beard I swear."

The Franks are abashed and silent there.

XIX

Turpin of Rheims from amid the ranks

Said: "Look, my liege, on your faithful Franks:

Seven full years have they held this land,

With pain and peril on every hand.

To me be the mace and the glove consigned;

I will go this Saracen lord to find,

And freely forth will I speak my mind."

The Emperor answered in angry plight,

"Sit thee down on that carpet white;

Speak not till I thy speech invite.

XX

"My cavaliers," he began anew,

"Choose of my marches a baron true,

Before King Marsil my hest to do."

"Be it, then," said Roland, "my stepsire Gan,

In vain ye seek for a meeter man."

The Franks exclaim, "He is worth the trust,

So it please the king it is right and just."

Count Ganelon then was with anguish wrung,

His mantle of fur from his neck he flung.

Stood all stark in his silken vest,

And his grey eyes gleamed with a fierce unrest.

Fair of body and large of limb,

All in wonderment gazed on him.

"Thou madman," thus he to Roland cried,

"What may this rage against me betide?

I am thy stepsire, as all men know,

And thou doom'st me on hest like this to go;

But so God my safe return bestow,

I promise to work thee scathe and strife

Long as thou breathest the breath of life."

"Pride and folly!" said Roland, then.

"Am I known to wreck of the threats of men?

But this is work for the sagest head.

So it please the king, I will go instead."

XXI

"In my stead?—never, of mine accord.

Thou art not my vassal nor I thy lord.

Since Karl commands me his hest to fill,

Unto Saragossa ride forth I will;

Yet I fear me to wreak some deed of ill,

Thereby to slake this passion's might."

Roland listened, and laughed outright.

XXII

At Roland's laughter Count Ganelon's pain

Was as though his bosom were cleft in twain.

He turned to his stepson as one distraught:

"I do not love thee," he said, "in aught;

Thou hast false judgment against me wrought.

O righteous Emperor, here I stand

To execute your high command.

XXIII

"Unto Saragossa I needs must go;—

Who goeth may never return, I know;—

Yet withal, your sister is spouse of mine,

And our son—no fairer of mortal line—

Baldwin bids to be goodly knight;

I leave him my honors and fiefs of right.

Guard him—no more shall he greet my sight."

Saith Karl, "Thou art over tender of heart.

Since I command it, thou shalt depart.

XXIV

"Fair Sir Gan," the Emperor spake,

"This my message to Marsil take:

He shall make confession of Christ's belief,

And I yield him, full half of Spain in fief;

In the other half shall Count Roland reign.

If he choose not the terms I now ordain,

I will march unto Saragossa's gate,

Besiege and capture the city straight,

Take and bind him both hands and feet,

Lead him to Aix, to my royal seat,

There to be tried and judged and slain,

Dying a death of disgrace and pain.

I have sealed the scroll of my command.

Deliver it into the heathen's hand.

XXV

"Gan," said the Emperor, "draw thou near:

Take my glove and my bâton here;

On thee did the choice of thy fellows fall."

"Sire, 'twas Roland who wrought it all.

I shall not love him while life may last,

Nor Olivier his comrade fast,

Nor the peers who cherish and prize him so,—

Gage of defiance to all I throw."

Saith Karl, "Thine anger hath too much sway.

Since I ordain it, thou must obey."

"I go, but warranty none have I

That I may not like Basil and Basan die."

XXVI

The Emperor reached him his right-hand glove;

Gan for his office had scanty love;

As he bent him forward, it fell to ground:

"God, what is this?" said the Franks around;

"Evil will come of this quest we fear."

"My lords," said Ganelon, "ye shall hear."

XXVII

"Sire," he said, "let me wend my way;

Since go I must, what boots delay?"

Said the king, "In Jesus' name and mine!"

And his right hand sained him with holy sign.

Then he to Ganelon's grasp did yield

His royal mace and missive sealed.