Henne1 over a myle, with-in a greet village, Both man and womman, child and hyne,2 and page. 360 I trowe his habitacioun be there; By goddes dignitee, er it be night.' Togidres han thise three her trouthes plight, To live and dyen ech of hem for other, 375 As though he were his owene yboren brother. And up they sterte al dronken, in this rage, And forth they goon towardes that village, Of which the taverner had spoke biforn, And many a grisly ooth than han they 380 And Cristes blessed body they to-rente"Deeth shal be deed, if that they may him hente." sworn, I moot go thider as I have to go." "Nay, olde cherl, by god, thou shalt nat so," Seyde this other hasardour anon, "Thou partest nat so lightly, by seint Iohn! Thou spak right now of thilke traitour Deeth, 425 That in this contree alle our frendes sleeth. Have heer my trouthe, as thou art his aspye, 23 Tel wher he is, or thou shalt it abye,24 By god, and by the holy sacrament! For soothly thou art oon of his assent,25 430 To sleen us yonge folk, thou false theef!" "Now, sirs," quod he, "if that yow be so leef26 To finde Deeth, turne up this croked wey, For in that grove I lafte him, by my fey, Under a tree, and ther he wol abyde; 435 Nat for your boost28 he wol him no-thing hyde. And everich of thise ryotoures ran, 440 Til he cam to that tree, and ther they founde Of florins fyne of golde ycoyned rounde Wel ny an eighte1 busshels, as hem thoughte. No lenger thanne after Deeth they soughte, But ech of hem so glad was of that sighte, For that the florins been so faire and brighte, 446 That doun they sette hem by this precious hord. The worste of hem he spak the firste word. "Brethren," quod he, "tak kepe2 what I seye; My wit is greet, though that I bourde3 and pleye. 450 This tresor hath fortune un-to us yiven, 455 23 And bad hem drawe, and loke wher it wol falle; 475 And it fil on the youngest of hem alle; And forth toward the toun he wente anon. And al-so sone as that he was gon, That oon of hem spak thus un-to that other: "Thou knowest wel thou art my sworne brother, 480 Thy profit wol I telle thee anon. He woot10 how that the gold is with us tweye; What shal we doon, what shal we to him seye?" 490 "Shal it be conseil?" seyde the firste shrewe, 12 "And I shal tellen thee, in wordes fewe, What we shal doon, and bringe it wel aboute." "I graunte," quod that other, "out of doute, But mighte this gold be caried fro this That, by my trouthe, I wol thee nat 13 495 "Now," quod the firste, "thou woost wel we be tweye, And two of us shul strenger be than oon. Look whan that he is set, and right anoon Arys, as though thou woldest with him pleye; And I shal ryve him thurgh the sydes tweye 500 Whyl that thou strogelest with him as in game, And with thy dagger look thou do the same; And than shal al this gold departed be, My dere freend, bitwixen me and thee; Than may we bothe our lustes al fulfille,505 And pleye at dees right at our owene wille." And thus acorded14 been thise shrewes tweye To sleen the thridde, as ye han herd me seye. This yongest, which that wente un-to the toun, Ful ofte in herte he rolleth up and doun 510 The beautee of thise florins newe and brighte. "O lord!" quod he, "if so were that I mighte Have al this tresor to my-self allone, Ther is no man that liveth under the trone1 Of god, that sholde live so mery as I!" 515 And atte laste the feend, our enemy, Putte in his thought that he shold poyson beye,2 With which he mighte sleen his felawes 5 entirely. 10 amount. 15 planned. 19 died. 14 seized. 23 habit. 16 labor. 17 speak. 20 See notes. 21 more. 24 keep you. 25 cure. 18 by chance. 22 wonderful. 26 wool. |