wywm299471
Dołączył: 09 Paź 2011
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Skąd: England
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 Wysłany: Pią 12:02, 14 Paź 2011 Temat postu: To drown his Alison, his honey dear |
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Anon He said: "Is there no remedy in this case?" "Why yes, good luck," said clever Nicholas, "If you will work by counsel of the wise; You must not act on what your wits advise. For so says Solomon, and it's all true, 'Work by advice and thou shalt never rue.' And if you'll act as counselled and not fail, I undertake, without a mast or sail, To save us all, aye you and her and me. Haven't you heard of, Noah, how saved was he, Because Our Lord had warned him how to keep Out of the flood that covered earth so deep?" "Yes," said this carpenter, "long years ago." "Have you not heard," asked Nicholas, "also The sorrows of Noah and his fellowship In getting his wife to go aboard the ship? He would have rather, I dare undertake, At that time, and for all the weather black, That she had one ship for herself alone. Therefore, do you know what would best be done? This thing needs haste, and of a hasty thing Men must not preach nor do long tarrying. "Presently go, and fetch here to this inn A kneadingtub, or brewing vat, and win One each for us, but see that they are large, Wherein we may swim out as in a barge, And have therein sufficient food and drink For one day only; that's enough, I think. The water will dry up and flow away About the prime of the succeeding day. But Robin must not know of this, your knave, And even Jill, your maid, I may not save; Ask me not why, for though you do ask me, I will not tell you of God's privity. Suffice you, then, unless your wits are mad, To have as great a grace as Noah had. Your wife I shall not lose, there is no doubt, Go, now, your way, and speedily about, The Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales 73But when you have, for you and her and me, Procured these kneadingtubs, or beervats, three, Then you shall hang them near the rooftree high, That no man our purveyance may espy. And when you thus have done, as I have said, And have put in our drink and meat and bread, Also an axe to cut the ropes in two When the flood comes, that we may float and go, And cut a hole, high up, upon the gable, Upon the garden side, over the stable, That we may freely pass forth on our way When the great rain and flood are gone that day Then shall you float as merrily, I'll stake, As does the white duck after the white drake. Then I will call, 'Ho, Alison! Ho, John! Be cheery, for the flood will pass anon.' And you will say, 'Hail. Master Nicholay! Good morrow, I see you well, for it is day!' And then shall we be barons all our life Of all the world, like Noah and his wife. "But of one thing I warn you now, outright. Be well advised, that on that very night When we have reached our ships and got aboard, Not one of us must speak or whisper word, Nor call, nor cry, but sit in silent prayer; For this is God's own bidding, hence don't dare! "Your wife and you must hang apart, that in The night shall come no chance for you to sin Either in looking or in carnal deed. These orders I have told you, go, God speed! Tomorrow night, when all men are asleep, Into our kneadingtubs will we three creep And sit there, still, awaiting God's high grace. Go, now, your way, I have no longer space Of time to make a longer sermoning. Men say thus: 'Send the wise and say no thing.' You are so wise it needs not that I teach; Go, save our lives, and that I do beseech." This silly carpenter went on his way. Often he cried "Alas!" and "Welaway!" And to his wife he told all, privately; But she was better taught thereof than he How all this rigmarole was to apply. Nevertheless she acted as she'd die, And said: "Alas! Go on your way anon, Help us escape, or we are lost, each one; I am your true and lawfully wedded wife; Go, my dear spouse, and help to save our life." Lo, what a great thing is affection found! Men die of imagination, I'll be bound, So deep an imprint may the spirit take. The Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales 74This hapless carpenter began to quake; He thought now, verily, that he could see Old Noah's flood come wallowing like the sea To drown his Alison, his honey dear.
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