Heroines of the French Epic
Page 42
49. How Naimon had comforted Charles
1880 THE DUKE HAD SAID – no weakling he of spirit –
“My royal lord, be confident, and listen!
It would have been a terrible decision
If Blancheflor had wrongly been convicted
And slain because Macaire had falsely witnessed:
There never was a serpent-tongue more stinging–
May God, Who made old Adam, curse the villain!
But you are King, above all monarchs living
In any realm outside the Holy City.
So tell this king, who also is your kinsman,
1890 That you’ve no news of Blancheflor to give him
Since she set forth from your demesne as bidden,
Except the deaths of Aubri and his killer,
Who has been found and to the flames committed,
Against the will of all his kith and kindred.”
And Charles had said: “No man of greater wisdom
Than yours abides outside the Holy City!
Whoever minds the counsel that you give him
Will always find a shield against affliction!
Of all the wise you are the wisest living!
1900 In you the Church would have a fine Archbishop
To point the way to any straying Christian!”
50. How Naimon had continued speaking
“MY NOBLE LORD,” Duke Naimon then had said:
“A judgement can be made with good intent
By anyone, but prove to be misled:
A judgement which the judge might first expect
To win him praise can earn him blame instead.
Fair Blancheflor has proved to be the best
And wisest soul that’s dwelt in human flesh
Since Solomon the ancient king – and yet
1910 She was misjudged through one man’s wickedness.
Who would have thought that Lord Macaire back then,
A man you helped and treated as a friend,
Would plot and plan such treasonable steps,
And Aubri’s death, without a cause except
His lust to have fair Blancheflor himself?
We do not know, in truth, which way she went,
Or, since she left, what fate she may have met.
But in my heart I feel and I suspect
That we shall see her safe and sound again.
1920 If you would like, let’s wait until we get
Some news of her – alive and well, or dead –
Before we meet the Eastern king’s request.”
And Charles had said: “I’ll do as you suggest.”
51. How Naimon had finished speaking
“MY NOBLE LORD,” the duke had said again:
“An added thought occurs to me, in faith,
Which, if pursued, would suit the present case.
You could send forth an envoy straightaway
To tell this king the honest part you’ve played
And mean to still, although you’ve been betrayed.
1930 He cannot blame the judgement that you made
To send your wife, fair Blancheflor away.
But tell him that you’ve made her Judas pay,
The knave Macaire, whose treachery’s to blame
For all of this, her exile and her fate.
You have no means to help this king reclaim
His daughter, as you don’t know what became
Of Blancheflor since fleeing from the knave.
And if this king seeks reparation, say
That you’re prepared to pay him, for her sake,
1940 In gold or coin or any riches’ rate.”
“This plan I like,” the King had said that day,
And asked which man should go for them again.
The duke had said: “You should assign the same
As went before, Bérart of Montdidier.”
So once again, when called by Charlemagne,
Bérart had come and willingly obeyed
The order made: “Once more I bid you sail
To see the king of Constantine’s domain!
This time there’s more that I would have you say:
1950 Although I still don’t know his daughter’s fate,
I’ve slain the fiend whose witness wronged her name:
His bones are ash, his ashes blown away.
So bid this king to pardon my mistake
And let me make amends as best I may:
In gold or coin, or any riches’ rate.”
Bérart had said: “These words I’ll gladly take!
Pray give me leave to sail without delay.”
And Charles replied: “Most gladly, straightaway!”
And so Bérart, as soon as he had made
1960 Himself prepared for all the trip entailed,
Had sailed again for Constantine’s domain.
But this time, ere he’d breached the Eastern waves,
Queen Blancheflor had reached there, having sailed
From Hungary, and told them all her tale:
How Charles the King had sent her from his gates,
With just one knight to guard her on her way,
And how Macaire, in his malicious hate,
Had wrought her fall and brought the King disgrace.
She also told of Aubri’s wretched fate –
1970 Cut down, unarmed, by Lord Macaire’s own blade –
And how she’d fled through woodlands to evade
His wicked lust; and how, with Varocher
As guard and guide, she’d reached the Magyar state.
How there a host, his wife and daughters twain
Had sheltered her, and shown to her such grace.
How finally the Magyar king, whose praise
They all should sing, had given her his aid,
Had honoured her so nobly he’d arranged
For her new-born to be baptised and saved.
1980 If you had seen the queen and her embrace!
Bérart did not – but soon thereafter came.
Before he’d stepped inside the town that day
A guard had sped to tell the king his name.
And when he knew, the Eastern king forbade
All mention of his rescued daughter’s name.
He did not want Bérart to know, or take,
A single word of Blancheflor’s escape.
52. How Bérart’s second embassy was received
SIR BERART STEPPED inside the city’s streets
And took a room inside a hostelry.
1990 Not wasting time, he hastened forth to greet
The Eastern king inside his hall and speak
This second word from Charlemagne the fierce.
On hearing it, the king’s response was bleak:
“Your message, friend, offends me much indeed.
Return at once to Charlemagne your liege
With this reply for him to hear and heed:
My Blancheflor was his to love and keep.
If neither suits, then send her back to me!
How could he think, or, thinking it, believe
2000 That he could swap my daughter with such ease,
For all the gold in Christendom’s demesne?
He drives her out of all his lands and fiefs,
Exposed to death, the prey of savage beasts,
And now he looks to me for sympathy?
How could he make the least indemnity
For Blancheflor with any gold or fee?
That’s why I say to you: re-cross the sea,
And when you’re back again, in France the sweet,
Tell
Charlemagne and all his famous Peers,
2010 I challenge him with this, my firm decree:
Unless he sends my daughter to us here,
We’ll come to him, in force, within twelve weeks!”
On hearing this, Bérart was most aggrieved,
And, sad at heart, turned round again to leave.
The Eastern court said nothing to reveal
Her presence there – to Blancheflor’s relief.
The envoy sailed, his face a mask of grief,
And reaching France and Paris, ran to see
The King, who sat with Naimon, at his ease,
2020 To hear the news expected from the East.
On hearing it, the pair was shocked indeed.
Said Naimon first: “We’ve blundered here, I fear!
The Eastern king’s a man of mighty means,
With many knights who owe him fealty,
And gallant kin to help him in his need.
It was in truth an ill-conceived idea
To send away his daughter with such speed.
We neither know, in truth, where she can be,
Nor if she’s safe, or even lives and breathes.
2030 If war ensues, we’ll feel his anger’s heat:
He’ll burn to ground our cities and our keeps;
His blazing grief will raze our lovely fields!”
The King replied: “God save us, all and each!”
53. How Naimon spoke on
“FINE EMPEROR,” the noble duke repeated,
“It was in truth an ill-conceived idea
To send away so innocent a creature
As Blancheflor! You always were too eager
To give the clan of Ganelon a hearing,
Who in the past have many times deceived you.
2040 If you’re attacked, we’ll all defend you fiercely –
Though you’re at fault and he is not, believe me.
God save us all, Who bore the Cross’s treason.
There is no more that I can say with reason.”
54. How the Eastern king was advised
LET’S LEAVE AGAIN King Charlemagne’s dilemma
In land of France with Naimon and their envoy,
And see the king whose Eastern lands extended
From Constantine’s own town in all directions.
His daughter’s fate had stirred his angry temper
To self-contempt unless it could avenge her.
2050 Each time she spoke about her misadventures
His anger rose and almost froze his senses!
At last he called his men of liege together
And said: “My lords, attend the scorn reflected
Upon us all by Charlemagne the Frenchman,
Through Blancheflor my daughter, whom he wedded.
Accusing her most falsely of transgression,
He’s thrown her out, as though she were a felon!
Without revenge my honour’s flame will perish!
Advise me, lords, upon my course of vengeance.”
2060 One Florimont was first with his suggestion,
A knight of sense and eloquent of sentence,
Whose ringing voice bespoke a man of credit:
“True Emperor, we must display our mettle!
Your kingdom’s large, its regions vast and many,
Its fighting men of great renown and merit.
You’ve knights galore and infantry a-plenty,
And every right to ask King Charles directly
To send you back, with no excuse attempted,
Your daughter Blancheflor whom he’s rejected.
2070 If he does not, then we shall set his penance!”
The king replied: “God guide us all and bless us!”
55. How the Eastern king was advised further
ANOTHER KNIGHT stood up to have his say.
His fame was high – and Saladin his name.
His voice was clear, his manner bold and brave:
“Lord Emperor, your knights, in love and faith,
Should counsel you with wisdom, unafraid
Of any threat, however fiercely made,
Or obstacle that’s mounted in their way.
I say that you should send away again,
2080 Through someone here who’s clever with a phrase,
Your ultimate request to Charlemagne:
He must return your daughter straightaway.
If he cannot, he certainly must pay –
To make amends, until such time he may –
Her weight in gold, and only then in grains
Of purest gold, and only then the praised
And finest sort, from Aragon in Spain!
Should he refuse, then make it very plain
That your revenge will charge a higher rate!
2090 Inform him so, then gather, while you wait,
A force of men some fifty thousand great.”
The king replied: “Your plan I will obey.
But who will bear its brunt to Charlemagne?”
“Send Florimont,” he answered straightaway,
“But send with him Gerart and Renier,
And Godfrey, who is bold and fierce the same.”
The king replied: “No better four remain.
Prepare them all, and do it straightaway.
I’ve no desire for any more delays!”
2100 And so, all four were readied and arrayed
As suited men of such a potentate,
Then started out upon their lengthy way.
They didn’t stop until at last they came
To France itself and found a place to stay
In Paris, where King Charlemagne remained,
With Naimon and the noble Garnier,
Duke Anseïs and Ogier the Dane,
And many more of well attested fame.
They found themselves good lodgings, as I say,
2110 And after rest from journey’s stress and strain
They made their way to Charles’s hall of state.
56. How the Eastern envoys greeted Charlemagne
INSIDE THEIR LODGE the envoys rested briefly,
Then made their way to Charles’s hall to see him.
They found the King in angry mood and grieving
For Blancheflor, whom he had cherished dearly
And lost when she was wrongly charged with treason.
The envoys, though, were not afraid, and, reaching
His royal throne, beheld his fearsome features,
But greeted him in manner fair and fearless:
2120 “Almighty God save Charlemagne and keep him
From hurt or harm, together with his people!”
King Charles replied: “We welcome you, sincerely!
But tell me, lords, on whose behalf you greet me.”
The envoys said: “Of your good friend in Jesus,
The Emperor whose power holds in seizin
Constantinople’s wealth and the adherence
Of many men, both common born and regal.”
The King replied: “I’m very glad to see you.”
57. How the Eastern envoys spoke their monarch’s challenge
THE ENVOYS SAID: “Lord Emperor most fine,
2130 Our Emperor, through us, bids and requires
That you return his daughter, whom erstwhile
He gave to you to be your royal bride.
He asks you this with loving heart and mind,
But adds that if you still cannot comply,
Then estimate his daughter’s weight and buy
Her forfeiture with gold that weighs alike –
The finest gold,
moreover, from the mines
Of Aragon, the purest you can find.”
“But neither can be done!” the King replied.
2140 “I neither know where Blancheflor resides,
Nor how he thinks that I can soon acquire
The sum and sort of gold that he desires.”
The envoys said: “If that’s your answer, Sire,
Then be prepared to pay the price in lives –
For you have stung our Eastern monarch’s pride
By what you’ve done, and we are authorised
To say from him that war is now the price!”
King Charles replied: “Let Heaven’s King decide!
I have the right to bargain, and the might!”
2150 At this exchange Duke Naimon stood and cried:
“Good messengers, I will not lie or hide
The fact I think your king is wrong this time!
The moment that a man has wed his wife,
Her parents have no hold upon her life.
And he who’s wed this woman in God’s sight,
Can deal with her however he desires.
While she’s alive, he is her guard and guide –
Unless she breaks the vows she’s said and signed,
For which, indeed, her death is justified.
2160 So tell your king that this is my advice:
Let him no more demand to see his child:
Alive or dead, he doesn’t have the right!
Nor should he dare to think we should supply
Her forfeiture with fees of any kind!
If he comes here to fight with Charles, he’ll find
A wealth indeed – of good and gallant knights
Without a peer beneath the lofty skies
For striking well and winning fields of fight.”
58. How the Eastern envoys departed
THE MESSENGERS were firm but finely mannered:
2170 They listened well to Charlemagne, whose anger
And iron will were equally apparent –
And Naimon’s too, whose eloquence was matching:
No wealth of gold would be exchanged or gathered,
No wife returned, since nobody in Paris
Knew where she was: alive or dead, she’d vanished!
The envoys left, but not before the challenge
Their king had made was said again exactly.
But Charles replied: “And I return the challenge,
Though I regret, and so will he, his action.
2180 I know your lord: he’s good and full of valour,
And I’ll be sad if it should come to battle:
Although I see that this time that will happen.”
The envoys said: “May Jesus mend this matter!”