Page:The Canterbury tales of Geoffrey Chaucer.djvu/50

 worthy and able, that by some chance of changeful fortune thou mayst attain sometime to thy desire. But I that am exiled and barren of all grace and so out of hope that there is no earth, water, air, nor fire, nor creature made thereof, that may do me help or comfort,—well may I perish in misery and despair. Farewell my gladness and my life!

"Alas, why complain folk so commonly of the providence of God or of fortune, that full oft disposeth them in many a guise better than they can contrive for themselves? One man desireth to have riches, that become cause of his murder or great malady; another would fain be out of his prison, and is slain by his household. Infinite harms follow hence, we know not what we pray for. We fare as he that is drunk as a mouse; a drunken man wot well he hath an home, but wot not which is the right way thither, and to a drunken man the way is slippery. And certes in this world so we fare; much we seek after felicity, but full often we go wrong. Thus may we well say and I above all, who weened that, if I might escape, I should be in joy and perfect weal; yet now am I exiled from my happiness. Sith I may not see you, Emily, I die, there is no help."

On the other side, Palamon, when he wist that Arcite was gone, made such sorrow that the great tower resounded with his clamour. The very fetters on his great shins were wet with salt and bitter tears. "Alack!" quoth he, "Arcite, my cousin, of all our strife, God wot thine is the fruit. Thou walkest now in Thebes at large and heedest my woe but little. With thy prudence and manhood thou mayst assemble all the folk of our kindred, and make so sharp a war on this city that by some chance or treaty thou mayst have her to lady and wife for whom I must needs die. Great may be thy hopes over me that