AllskillandarthiscarefulservantsusedTolifeagaintheirdyinglordtobring,Atlasthiseyesunclosed,withtearssuffused,Hefelttheirhandsandheardtheirwhispering,Buthowhethithercamelongtimehemused,Hismindastonishedwaswitheverything;
Hegazedabout,hissquiresinfineheknew,Thenweakandwofulthushisplaintsoutthrew:
LXXV
“What,liveIyet?anddoIbreatheandseeOfthisaccurseddaythehatefullight?
ThisspitefulraywhichstillupbraidethmeWiththataccurseddeedIdidthisnight,Ah,cowardhand,afraidwhyshould’stthoube;
Thouinstrumentofdeath,shameanddespite,Whyshould’stthoufear,withsharpandtrenchantknife,Tocutthethreadofthisblood-guiltylife?
LXXVI
“Piercethroughthisbosom,andmycruelheartInpiecescleave,breakeverystringandvein;
Butthoutoslaughtersvilewhichusedart,Think’stitwerepitysotoeasemypain:
Oflucklesslovethereforeintorments’smartAsadexamplemustIstillremain,Awofulmonsterofunhappylove,Whostillmustlive,lestdeathhiscomfortprove:
LXXVII
“StillmustIliveinanguish,grief,andcare;
Furiesmyguiltyconsciencethattorment,Theuglyshades,darknight,andtroubledairIngrislyformsherslaughterstillpresent,Madnessanddeathaboutmybedrepair,Hellgapethwidetoswallowupthistent;
SwiftfrommyselfIrun,myselfIfear,YetstillmyhellwithinmyselfIbear。
LXXVIII
“Butwhere,alas,wherebethoserelicssweet,Whereindweltlatealllove,alljoy,allgood?
Myfuryleftthemcastinopenstreet,Somebeasthathtornherfleshandlickedherblood,Ahnobleprey!forsavagebeastunmeet,Ahsweet!toosweet,andfartoopreciousfood,Ah,seelynymph!whomnightanddarksomeshadeTobeasts,andme,farworsethanbeasts,betrayed。
LXXIX
“Butwhereyoube,ifstillyoube,IwendTogatherupthoserelicsdearatleast,Butifsomebeasthathfromthehillsdescend,Andonhertenderbowelsmadehisfeast,Letthatfellmonstermeinpiecesrend,Anddeepentombmeinhishollowchest:
Forwheresheburiedis,thereshallIhaveAstatelytomb,arichandcostlygrave。“
LXXX
Thusmournedtheknight,hissquireshimtoldatlast,Theyhadherthereforwhomthosetearsheshed;
Abeamofcomforthisdimeyesoutcast,Likelightningthroughthickcloudsofdarknessspread,Theheavyburdenofhislimbsinhaste,Withmicklepain,hedrewforthofhisbed,Andscantofstrengthtostand,tomoveorgo,Thitherhestaggered,reelingtoandfro。
LXXXI
Whenhecamethere,andinherbreastespiedHishandiwork,thatdeepandcruelwound,Andhersweetfacewithleadenpalenessdyed,Wherebeautylatespreadforthherbeamsaround,Hetrembledso,thatnerehissquiresbesideToholdhimup,hehadsunkdowntoground,Andsaid,“Ofaceindeathstillsweetandfair!
Thoucanstnotsweetenyetmygriefandcare:
LXXXII
“Ofairrighthand,thepledgeoffaithandlove?
Givenmebutlate,toolate,insignofpeace,Howhapsitnowthoucanstnotstirnormove?
Andyou,dearlimbs,nowlaidinrestandease,Throughwhichmycruelbladethisflood-gaterove,Yourpainshaveend,mytormentsnevercease,Ohands,Ocrueleyes,accursedalike!
Yougavethewound,yougavethemlighttostrike。
LXXXIII
“Butthithernowrunforthmyguiltyblood,Whithermyplaints,mysorrowscannotwend。“
Hesaidnomore,but,ashispassionwoodInforcedhim,hegantotearandrendHishair,hisface,hiswounds,apurplefloodDidfromeachsideinrollingstreamsdescend,Hehadbeenslain,butthathispainandwoeBerefthissenses,andpreservedhimso。
LXXXIV
CastonhisbedhissquiresrecalledhisspriteToexecuteagainherhatefulcharge,ButtattlingfamethesorrowsoftheknightAndhardmischancehadtoldthiswhileatlarge:
Godfreyandallhislordsofworthandmight,Ranthither,andthedutywoulddischargeOffriendshiptrue,andwithsweetwordstherageOfbittergriefandwoetheywouldassuage。
LXXXV
ButasamortalwoundthemoredothsmartThemoreitsearchedis,handledorsought;
SotheirsweetwordstohisafflictedheartMoregrief,moreanguish,painandtormentbroughtButreverendPeterthatwouldsetapartCareofhissheep,asagoodshepherdought,HisvanitywithgraveadvicereprovedAndtoldwhatmourningChristianknightsbehoved:
LXXXVI
“OTancred,Tancred,howfardifferentFromthybeginningsgoodthesefolliesbe?
Whatmakestheedeaf?whathaththyeyesightblent?
Whatmist,whatcloudthusovershadeththee?
Thisisawarninggoodfromheavendownsent,YetHisadvicethoucanstnothearnorseeWhocallethandconductstheetothewayFromwhichthouwillingdostandwittingstray:
LXXXVII
“ToworthyactionsandachievementsfitForChristianknightsHewouldtheehomerecall;
Butthouhastleftthatcourseandchangedit,Tomakethyselfaheathendamsel’sthrall;
Butsee,thygriefandsorrow’spainfulfitIsmadetherodtoscourgethysinswithal,OfthineowngoodthyselfthemeansHemakes,ButthouHismercy,goodness,graceforsakes。
LXXXVIII
“ThoudostrefuseofheaventheprofferedAndgainstitstillrebelwithsinfulire,Ohwretch!Ohwhitherdoththyragetheechase?
Refrainthygrief,bridlethyfonddesire,Athell’swidegatevainsorrowdoththeeplace,Sorrow,misfortune’sson,despair’sfoulfire:
Ohseethineevil,thyplaintandwoerefrain,Theguidestodeath,tohell,andendlesspain。“
LXXXIX
Thissaid,hiswilltodiethepatientAbandoned,thatseconddeathhefeared,Thesewordsofcomforttohisheartdownwent,Andthatdarknightofsorrowsomewhatcleared;
Yetnowandthenhisgriefdeepsighsforthsent,Hisvoiceshrillplaintsandsadlamentsoftreared,Nowtohimself,nowtohismurderedlove,Hespoke,whoheardperchancefromheavenabove。
XC
TillPhoebus’risingfromhiseveningfallToher,forher,hemourns,hecalls,hecries;
ThenightingalesowhenherchildrensmallSomechurltakesbeforetheirparents’eyes,Alone,dismayed,quitebareofcomfortsall,Tireswithcomplaintstheseas,theshores,theskies,TillinsweetsleepagainstthemorningbrightShefallatlast;somourned,soslepttheknight。
XCI
Andcladinstarryveil,amidhisdream,Forwhosesweetsakehemourned,appearedthemaid,Fairerthanerst,yetwiththatheavenlybeam。
Notoutofknowledgewasherlovelyshade,WithlooksofruthhereyescelestialseemTopityhissadplight,andthusshesaid,“Beholdhowfair,howgladthyloveappears,Andformysake,mydear,forbearthesetears。
XCII
“Thinebethethanks,mysoulthoumadestflitAtunawaresoutofherearthlynest,Thinebethethanks,thouhastadvanceditInAbraham’sdearbosomlongtorest,TherestillIlovethee,thereforTancredfitAseatpreparedisamongtheblest;
Thereineternaljoy,eternallight,Thoushaltthyloveenjoy,andsheherknight;
XCIII
“Unlessthyself,thyselfheaven’sjoysenvy,Andthyvainsorrowtheeofblissdeprive,Live,knowIlovethee,thatInilldeny,Asangels,men:assaintsmaywightsonlive:“
Thissaid,ofzealandloveforthofhereyeAnhundredgloriousbeamsbrightshiningdrive,Amidwhichraysherselfsheclosedfromsigh,Andwithnewjoy,newcomfortleftherknight。
XCIV
Thuscomfortedhewaked,andmendiscreetInsurgerytocurehiswoundsweresought,Meanwhileofhisdearlovetherelicssweet,Asbesthecould,togravewithpomphebrought:
HertombwasnotofvariedSpartangreet,NoryetbycunninghandofScopaswrought,Butbuiltofpolishedstone,andthereonlaidThelivelyshapeandportraitofthemaid。
XCV
WithsacredburninglampsinorderlongAndmournfulpompthecorpsewasbroughttogroundHerarmsuponaleaflesspinewerehung,Thehearse,withcypress;arms,withlaurelcrowned:
Nextdaytheprince,whoseloveandcouragestrongDrewforthhislimbs,weak,feeble,andunsound,Tovisitwent,withcareandreverencemeet,Theburiedashesofhismistresssweet:
XCVI
Beforehernew-madetombatlastarrived,Thewofulprisonofhislivingsprite,Pale,cold,sad,comfortless,ofsensedeprived,Uponthemarblegrayhefixedhissight,Twostreamsoftearswerefromhiseyesderived:
Thuswithasad“Alas!“begantheknight,“0marbledearonmydearmistressplaced!
Myflameswithin,withoutmytearsthouhast。
XCVII
“Notofdeadbonesartthouthemournfulgrave,Butofquicklovethefortressandthehold,StillinmyheartthywontedbrandsIhaveMorebitterfar,alas!butnotmorecold;
Receivethesesighs,thesekissessweetreceive,Inliquiddropsofmeltingtearsenrolled,Andgivethemtothatbodypureandchaste,Whichinthybosomcoldentombedthouhast。
XCVIII
“ForifherhappysoulhereyedothbendOnthatsweetbodywhichitlatelydressed,Mylove,thypitycannotheroffend,Angerandwrathisnotinangelsblessed,Shepardonwillthetrespassofherfriend,Thathoperelievesmewiththesegriefsoppressed,Thishandsheknowshathonlysinned,notI,Wholivinglovedher,andforlovenowdie:
XCIX
“AndlovingwillIdie,ohhappydayWhene’eritchanceth!butohfarmoreblessedIfasaboutthypolishedsidesIstray,Myboneswithinthyhollowgravemightrest,Togethershouldinheavenourspiritsstay,Togethershouldourbodieslieinchest;
Sohappydeathshouldjoinwhatlifedothsever,0Death,0Life!sweetboth,bothblessedever。“
C
MeanwhilethenewsinthatbesiegedtownOfthismishapwaswhisperedhereandthere,Forthwithitspread,andfortootruewasknown,Herwofullosswastalkedeverywhere,Mingledwithcriesandplaintstoheavenupthrown,Asifthecity’sselfnewtakenwereWithconqueringfoes,orasifflameandfire,Norhouse,norchurch,norstreethadleftentire。