neck；　and　all　those　who　speak　of　him　say　that　he　is　right　fair
  and　valiant。　The　king　loves　him　and　honours　him　more　than　any　of
  all　his　nephews。
  Cliges　stays　with　the　king　until　the　beginning　of　summer；　by　that
  time　he　has　been　over　all　Britain　and　over　France　and　over
  Normandy；　and　has　wrought　many　a　knightly　deed；　so　that　he　has
  well　proved　himself。　But　the　love　with　which　he　is　wounded　grows
  neither　lighter　nor　easier。　The　wish　of　his　heart　keeps　him　ever
  constant　to　one　thought：　he　remembers　Fenice　who　far　from　him　is
  torturing　her　heart。　A　longing　seizes　him　to　return　home；　for　too
  long　has　he　abstained　from　seeing　the　lady　more　yearned　for　than
  any　lady；　that　ever　heard　of　man　has　yearned　for。　And　he　will　not
  abstain　longer　from　her。　He　prepares　for　the　journey　to　Greece；
  he　has　taken　leave　and　returns。　Much；　I　ween；　did　it　grieve　my
  lord　Gawain　and　the　king　when　they　can　no　longer　keep　him。　But　he
  longs　to　reach　her　whom　he　loves　and　desires；　and　he　hastens　o'er
  sea　and　land；　and　the　way　seems　very　long　to　him；　so　eagerly　does
  he　yearn　to　see　her　who　takes　away　and　purloins　his　heart　from
  him。　But　she　yields　him　a　fair　return；　and　well　does　she　pay　and
  compensate　him　for　the　toll　she　has　extorted　from　him；　for　she　in
  her　turn　gives　her　own　heart　in　payment　to　him；　whom　she　loves　no
  less。　But　he　is　not　a　whit　certain　about　it；　never　had　he　pledge
  or　promise　in　the　matter；　and　he　grieves　cruelly。　And　she　also
  laments；　for　her　love　of　him　is　tormenting　and　killing　her；　and
  nothing　can　give　pleasure　or　joy　in　her　eyes　since　that　hour　when
  she　ceased　to　see　him。　She　does　not　even　know　if　he　is　alive；
  whereof　great　sorrow　strikes　her　to　the　heart。　But　Cliges　gets
  nearer　each　day；　and　in　his　journey　he　has　had　good　luck；　for　he
  has　had　a　fair　wind　and　calm　weather；　and　has　anchored　with　joy
  and　delight　before　Constantinople。　The　news　reached　the　city；　it
  was　welcome　to　the　emperor　and　a　hundred　times　more　welcome　to
  the　empress。　If　anyone　doubt　this　it　will　be　to　his　own　sorrow。
  Cliges　and　his　company　have　repaired　to　Greece；　straight　to　the
  port　of　Constantinople。　All　the　most　powerful　and　noble　come　to
  the　port　to　meet　him。　And　when　the　emperor　who　had　advanced　in
  front　of　all　meets　him；　and　the　empress　who　walks　by　his　side；
  the　emperor；　before　all；　runs　to　fall　on　his　neck　and　to　greet
  him。　And　when　Fenice　greets　him；　the　one　changes　colour　because
  of　the　other；　and　the　marvel　is　how　when　they　come　close　to　each
  other　they　keep　from　embracing　and　kissing　each　other　with　such
  kisses　as　please　Love。　But　folly　would　it　have　been　and　madness。
  The　folk　run　up　in　all　directions　and　delight　to　see　him。　They
  all　lead　him　through　the　midst　of　the　town；　some　on　foot　and　some
  on　horseback；　as　far　as　the　imperial　palace。　Of　the　joy　that
  there　was　made　will　never　word　here　be　told；　nor　of　the　honour；
  nor　of　the　homage；　but　each　has　striven　to　do　whatever　he　thinks
  and　believes　will　please　Cliges　and　be　welcome　to　him。　And　his
  uncle　yields　to　him　all　that　he　has　save　the　crown。　He　is　right
  willing　that　Cliges　take　at　his　pleasure　whatsoever　he　shall　wish
  to　obtain　from　him；　be　it　land　or　treasure；　but　Cliges　makes　no
  account　of　silver　or　of　gold；　since　he　dare　not　disclose　his
  thought　to　her　for　whom　he　loses　his　rest；　and　yet　he　has　leisure
  and　opportunity　for　telling　her　if　only　he　were　not　afraid　of
  being　refused；　for　every　day　he　can　see　her　and　sit　alone　by　her
  side　without　anyone　gainsaying　or　forbidding；　for　nobody　imagines
  or　thinks　evil　of　it。
  A　space　of　time　after　he　had　returned；　one　day　he　came　unattended
  into　the　room　of　her　who　was　not　forsooth　his　enemy；　and　be　well
  assured　that　the　door　was　not　shut　against　the　meeting。　He　was
  close　by　her　side　and　all　the　rest　had　gone　away；　so　that　no　one
  was　sitting　near　them　who　could　hear　their　words。　Fenice　first　of
  all　questioned　him　about　Britain。　She　asks　him　concerning　the
  disposition　and　courtesy　of　my　lord　Gawain；　and　at　last　she
  ventures　to　speak　of　what　she　dreaded。　She　asked　him　if　he　loved
  dame　or　maiden　in　that　land。　To　this　Cliges　was　not　unwilling　or
  slow　to　reply。　Quickly　was　he　able　to　explain　all　to　her；　as　soon
  as　she　challenged　him　on　the　point。　〃Lady；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　was　in
  love　while　yonder；　but　I　loved　none　who　was　of　yonder　land。　In
  Britain　my　body　was　without　a　heart　like　bark　without　timber。
  When　I　left　Germany；　I　knew　not　what　became　of　my　heart；　save
  that　it　went　away　hither　after　you。　Here　was　my　heart　and　there
  my　body。　I　was　not　absent　from　Greece；　for　my　heart　had　gone
  thither；　and　to　reclaim　it　have　I　come　back　here；　but　it　neither
  comes　nor　returns　to　me；　and　I　cannot　bring　it　back　to　me；　and
  yet　I　seek　it　not　and　cannot　do　so。　And　how　have　you　fared　since
  you　have　come　into　this　land？　What　joy　have　you　had　here？　Do　the
  people；　does　the　land　please　you？　I　ought　to　ask　you　nothing
  further　save　thiswhether　the　land　please　you。〃　〃Formerly　it
  pleased　me　not；　but　now　there　dawns　for　me　a　joy　and　a　pleasure
  that　I　would　not　lose；　be　assured；　for　Pavia　or　for　Placentia；
  for　I　cannot　dissever　my　heart　from　it；　nor　shall　I　ever　use
  force　to　do　so。　In　me　is　there　nought　save　the　bark；　for　without
  my　heart　I　live　and　have　my　being。　Never　was　I　in　Britain；　and
  yet　my　heart　has　made　I　know　not　what　contract　in　Britain　without
  me。〃　〃Lady；　when　was　your　heart　there？　Tell　me　when　it　went；　at
  what　time　and　at　what　season；　if　it　is　a　matter　that　you　can
  reasonably　tell　me　or　another。　Was　it　there　when　I　was　there？〃
  〃Yes；　but　you　knew　it　not。　It　was　there　as　long　as　you　were　there
  and　departed　with　you。〃　〃God！　and　I　neither　knew　nor　saw　it
  there。　God！　why　did　I　know　it　not？　If　I　had　known　it；　certainly；
  lady；　I　would　have　borne　it　good　company。〃　〃Much　would　you　have
  comforted　me　and　well　would　it　have　become　you　to　do　so；　for　I
  would　have　been　very　gracious　to　your　heart；　if　it　had　pleased　it
  to　come　there　where　it　might　have　known　me　to　be。〃　〃Of　a　surety；
  lady；　it　came　to　you。〃　〃To　me？　Then　it　came　not　into　exile；　for
  mine　also　went　to　you。〃　〃Lady；　then　are　both　our　hearts　here　with
  us　as　you　say；　for　mine　is　wholly　yours。〃　〃Friend；　and　you　on
  your　side　have　mine；　and　so　we　are　well　matched。　And　know　well
  that；　so　may　God　guard　me；　never　had　your　uncle　share　in　me；　for
  neither　did　it　please　me　nor　was　it　permitted　to　him。　Never　yet
  did　he　know　me　as　Adam　knew　his　wife。　Wrongly　am　I　called　dame；
  but　I　know　well　that　he　who　calls　me　dame　knows　not　that　I　am　a
  maid。　Even　your　uncle　knows　it　not；　for　he　has　drunk　of　the
  sleeping　draught　and　thinks　he　is　awake　when　he　sleeps；　and　he
  deems　that　he　has　his　joy　of　me；　just　as　he　fain　would　have　it；
  and　just　as　though　I　were　lying　between　his　arms；　but　well　have　I
  shut　him　out。　Yours　is　my　heart；　yours　is　my　body；　nor　indeed
  will　any　one　by　my　example　learn　to　act　vilely；　for　when　my　heart
  set　itself　on　you；　it　gave　and　promised　you　my　body；　so　that
  nobody　else　shall　have　a　share　in　it。　Love　for　you　so　wounded　me
  that　never　did　I　think　to　recover　any　more　than　the　sea　can　dry
  up。　If　I　love　you　and　you　love　me；　never　shall　you　be　called
  Tristram；　and　never　shall　I　be　Iseult；　for　then　the　love　would
  not　be　honourable。　But　I　make　you　a　vow　that　never　shall　you　have
  other　solace　of　me　than　you　now　have；　if　you　cannot　bethink
  yourself　how　I　may　be　stolen　from　your　uncle　and　from　his　bed；　so
  that　he　may　never　find　me　again；　or　be　able　to　blame　either　you
  or　me　or　have　anything　he　may　lay　hold　of　herein。　To…night　must
  you　bend　your　attention　to　the　matter　and　to…morrow　you　will　be
  able　to　tell　me　the　best　device　that　you　will　have　thought　of；
  and　I　also　will　ponder　on　the　matter。　To…morrow；　when　I　shall
  have　risen；　come　early　to　speak　to　me；　and　each　will　say　his
  thought；　and　we　will　carry　out　that　which　we　shall　consider
  best。〃
  When　Cliges　heard　her　wish；　he　has　granted　her　all；　and　says　that
  it　shall　be　right　well　done。　He　leaves　her　blithe；　and　blithe　he
  goes　away；　and　each　lies　awake　in　bed　all　night　and　they　think
  with　great　delight　over　what　seems　best　to　them。　The　morrow　they
  come　again　together；　as　soon　as　they　were　risen；　and　they　took
  counsel　in　private；　as　there　was　need　for　them　to　do。　First
  Cliges　says　and　recounts　what　he　had　thought　of　in　the　night。
  〃Lady；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　think　and　believe　that　we　could　not　do
  better　than　go　away　to　Britain：　thither　have　I　devised　to　take
  you　away。　Now　take　heed　that　the　matter　fall　not　through　on　your
  side。　For　never　was　Helen　received　at　Troy　with　such　great　joy；
  when　Paris　had　brought　her　thither；　that　there　will　not　be　yet
  greater　joy　felt　throughout　the　whole　land　of　the　king；　my　uncle；
  anent　you　and　me。　And　if　this　please　you　not　well；　tell　me　your
  thought；　for　I　am　ready；　whatever　come　of　it；　to　cleave　to　your
  thought。〃　She　replies：　〃And　I　shall　speak　it。　Never　will　I　go
  with　you　thus；　for　then；　when　we　had　gone　away；　we　should　be
  spoken　of　throughout　the　world　as　the　blonde　Iseult　and　Tristram
  are　spoken　of；　but　here　and　there　all　women　and　men　would　blame
  our　happiness。　No　one　would　believe　or　could　be　expected　to
  believe　the　actual　truth　of　the　matter。　Who　would　believe　then　as
  regards　your　uncle　that　I　have　gone　off　and　escaped　from　him
  stil