aucassin and nicolete-第2章

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We　wandered　out　of　Yesterday；

Went　Maying　in　that　ancient　May

Whose　fallen　flowers　are　fragrant　yet；

And　lingered　by　the　fountain　spray

With　Aucassin　and　Nicolete。



The　grassgrown　paths　are　trod　of　none

Where　through　the　woods　they　went　astray；

The　spider's　traceries　are　spun

Across　the　darkling　forest　way；

There　come　no　Knights　that　ride　to　slay；

No　Pilgrims　through　the　grasses　wet；

No　shepherd　lads　that　sang　their　say

With　Aucassin　and　Nicolete。



'Twas　here　by　Nicolete　begun

Her　lodge　of　boughs　and　blossoms　gay；

'Scaped　from　the　cell　of　marble　dun

'Twas　here　the　lover　found　the　Fay；

O　lovers　fond；　O　foolish　play！

How　hard　we　find　it　to　forget；

Who　fain　would　dwell　with　them　as　they；

With　Aucassin　and　Nicolete。



ENVOY。



Prince；　'tis　a　melancholy　lay！

For　Youth；　for　Life　we　both　regret：

How　fair　they　seem；　how　far　away；

With　Aucassin　and　Nicolete。



A。　L。







BALLADE　OF　NICOLETE







All　bathed　in　pearl　and　amber　light

She　rose　to　fling　the　lattice　wide；

And　leaned　into　the　fragrant　night；

Where　brown　birds　sang　of　summertide；

（'Twas　Love's　own　voice　that　called　and　cried）

〃Ah；　Sweet！〃　she　said；　〃I'll　seek　thee　yet；

Though　thorniest　pathways　should　betide

The　fair　white　feet　of　Nicolete。〃



They　slept；　who　would　have　stayed　her　flight；

（Full　fain　were　they　the　maid　had　died！）

She　dropped　adown　her　prison's　height

On　strands　of　linen　featly　tied。

And　so　she　passed　the　garden…side

With　loose…leaved　roses　sweetly　set；

And　dainty　daisies；　dark　beside

The　fair　white　feet　of　Nicolete！



Her　lover　lay　in　evil　plight

（So　many　lovers　yet　abide！）

I　would　my　tongue　could　praise　aright

Her　name；　that　should　be　glorified。

Those　lovers　now；　whom　foes　divide

A　little　weep；and　soon　forget。

How　far　from　these　faint　lovers　glide

The　fair　white　feet　of　Nicolete。



ENVOY。



My　Princess；　doff　thy　frozen　pride；

Nor　scorn　to　pay　Love's　golden　debt；

Through　his　dim　woodland　take　for　guide

The　fair　white　feet　of　Nicolete。



GRAHAM　R。　TOMSON







THE　SONG…STORY　OF　AUCASSIN　AND　NICOLETE







'Tis　of　Aucassin　and　Nicolete。





Who　would　list　to　the　good　lay

Gladness　of　the　captive　grey？

'Tis　how　two　young　lovers　met；

Aucassin　and　Nicolete；

Of　the　pains　the　lover　bore

And　the　sorrows　he　outwore；

For　the　goodness　and　the　grace；

Of　his　love；　so　fair　of　face。



Sweet　the　song；　the　story　sweet；

There　is　no　man　hearkens　it；

No　man　living　'neath　the　sun；

So　outwearied；　so　foredone；

Sick　and　woful；　worn　and　sad；

But　is　healed；　but　is　glad

'Tis　so　sweet。





So　say　they；　speak　they；　tell　they　the　Tale：





How　the　Count　Bougars　de　Valence　made　war　on　Count　Garin　de

Biaucaire；　war　so　great；　and　so　marvellous；　and　so　mortal　that　never

a　day　dawned　but　alway　he　was　there；　by　the　gates　and　walls；　and

barriers　of　the　town　with　a　hundred　knights；　and　ten　thousand　men　at

arms；　horsemen　and　footmen：　　so　burned　he　the　Count's　land；　and

spoiled　his　country；　and　slew　his　men。　　Now　the　Count　Garin　de

Biaucaire　was　old　and　frail；　and　his　good　days　were　gone　over。　　No

heir　had　he；　neither　son　nor　daughter；　save　one　young　man　only；　such

an　one　as　I　shall　tell　you。　　Aucassin　was　the　name　of　the　damoiseau：

fair　was　he；　goodly；　and　great；　and　featly　fashioned　of　his　body；

and　limbs。　　His　hair　was　yellow；　in　little　curls；　his　eyes　blue　and

laughing；　his　face　beautiful　and　shapely；　his　nose　high　and　well

set；　and　so　richly　seen　was　he　in　all　things　good；　that　in　him　was

none　evil　at　all。　　But　so　suddenly　overtaken　was　he　of　Love；　who　is

a　great　master；　that　he　would　not；　of　his　will；　be　dubbed　knight；

nor　take　arms；　nor　follow　tourneys；　nor　do　whatsoever　him　beseemed。

Therefore　his　father　and　mother　said　to　him；



〃Son；　go　take　thine　arms；　mount　thy　horse；　and　hold　thy　land；　and

help　thy　men；　for　if　they　see　thee　among　them；　more　stoutly　will

they　keep　in　battle　their　lives；　and　lands；　and　thine；　and　mine。〃



〃Father；〃　said　Aucassin；　〃I　marvel　that　you　will　be　speaking。　　Never

may　God　give　me　aught　of　my　desire　if　I　be　made　knight；　or　mount　my

horse；　or　face　stour　and　battle　wherein　knights　smite　and　are

smitten　again；　unless　thou　give　me　Nicolete；　my　true　love；　that　I

love　so　well。〃



〃Son；〃　said　the　father；　〃this　may　not　be。　　Let　Nicolete　go；　a　slave

girl　she　is；　out　of　a　strange　land；　and　the　captain　of　this　town

bought　her　of　the　Saracens；　and　carried　her　hither；　and　hath　reared

her　and　let　christen　the　maid；　and　took　her　for　his　daughter　in　God；

and　one　day　will　find　a　young　man　for　her；　to　win　her　bread

honourably。　　Herein　hast　thou　naught　to　make　or　mend；　but　if　a　wife

thou　wilt　have；　I　will　give　thee　the　daughter　of　a　King；　or　a　Count。

There　is　no　man　so　rich　in　France；　but　if　thou　desire　his　daughter；

thou　shalt　have　her。〃



〃Faith！　my　father；〃　said　Aucassin；　〃tell　me　where　is　the　place　so

high　in　all　the　world；　that　Nicolete；　my　sweet　lady　and　love；　would

not　grace　it　well？　　If　she　were　Empress　of　Constantinople　or　of

Germany；　or　Queen　of　France　or　England；　it　were　little　enough　for

her；　so　gentle　is　she　and　courteous；　and　debonaire；　and　compact　of

all　good　qualities。〃





Here　singeth　one：





Aucassin　was　of　Biaucaire

Of　a　goodly　castle　there；

But　from　Nicolete　the　fair

None　might　win　his　heart　away

Though　his　father；　many　a　day；

And　his　mother　said　him　nay；

〃Ha！　fond　child；　what　wouldest　thou？

Nicolete　is　glad　enow！

Was　from　Carthage　cast　away；

Paynims　sold　her　on　a　day！

Wouldst　thou　win　a　lady　fair

Choose　a　maid　of　high　degree

Such　an　one　is　meet　for　thee。〃

〃Nay　of　these　I　have　no　care；

Nicolete　is　debonaire；

Her　body　sweet　and　the　face　of　her

Take　my　heart　as　in　a　snare；

Loyal　love　is　but　her　share

That　is　so　sweet。〃





Then　speak　they；　say　they；　tell　they　the　Tale：





When　the　Count　Garin　de　Biaucaire　knew　that　he　would　avail　not　to

withdraw　Aucassin　his　son　from　the　love　of　Nicolete；　he　went　to　the

Captain　of　the　city；　who　was　his　man；　and　spake　to　him；　saying：



〃Sir　Count；　away　with　Nicolete　thy　daughter　in　God；　cursed　be　the

land　whence　she　was　brought　into　this　country；　for　by　reason　of　her

do　I　lose　Aucassin；　that　will　neither　be　dubbed　knight；　nor　do　aught

of　the　things　that　fall　to　him　to　be　done。　　And　wit　ye　well；〃　he

said；　〃that　if　I　might　have　her　at　my　will；　I　would　burn　her　in　a

fire；　and　yourself　might　well　be　sore　adread。〃



〃Sir；〃　said　the　Captain；　〃this　is　grievous　to　me　that　he　comes　and

goes　and　hath　speech　with　her。　　I　had　bought　the　maiden　at　mine　own

charges；　and　nourished　her；　and　baptized；　and　made　her　my　daughter

in　God。　　Yea；　I　would　have　given　her　to　a　young　man　that　should　win

her　bread　honourably。　　With　this　had　Aucassin　thy　son　naught　to　make

or　mend。　　But；　sith　it　is　thy　will　and　thy　pleasure；　I　will　send　her

into　that　land　and　that　country　where　never　will　he　see　her　with　his

eyes。〃



〃Have　a　heed　to　thyself；〃　said　the　Count　Garin；　〃thence　might　great

evil　come　on　thee。〃



So　parted　they　each　from　other。　　Now　the　Captain　was　a　right　rich

man：　　so　had　he　a　rich　palace　with　a　garden　in　face　of　it；　in　an

upper　chamber　thereof　he　let　place　Nicolete；　with　one　old　woman　to

keep　her　company；　and　in　that　chamber　put　bread　and　meat　and　wine

and　such　things　as　were　needful。　　Then　he　let　seal　the　door；　that

none　might　come　in　or　go　forth；　save　that　there　was　one　window；　over

against　the　garden；　and　strait　enough；　where　through　came　to　them　a

little　air。





Here　singeth　one：





Nicolete　as　ye　heard　tell

Prisoned　is　within　a　cell

That　is　painted　wondrously

With　colours　of　a　far　countrie；

And　the　window　of　marble　wrought；

There　the　maiden　stood　in　thought；

With　straight　brows　and　yellow　hair

Never　saw　ye　fairer　fair！

On　the　wood　she　gazed　below；

And　she　saw　the　roses　blow；

Heard　the　birds　sing　loud　and　low；

Therefore　spoke　she　wofully：

〃Ah　me；　wherefore　do　I　lie

Here　in　prison　wrongfully：

Aucassin；　my　love；　my　knight；

Am　I　not　thy　heart's　delight；

Thou　that　lovest　me　aright！

'Tis　for　thee　that　I　must　dwell

In　the　vaulted　chamber　cell；

Hard　beset　and　all　alone！

By　our　Lady　Mary's　Son

Here　no　longer　will　I　wonn；

If　I　may　flee！





Then　speak　they；　say　they；　tell　they　the　Tale：



Nicolete　was　in　prison；　as　ye　have　heard　soothly；　in　the　chamber。

And　the　noise　and　bruit　of　it　went　through　all　the　country　and　all

the　land；　how　that　Nicolete　was　lost。　　Some　said　she　had　fled　the

country；　and　some　that　the　Count　Garin　de　Biaucaire　had　let　slay

her。　　Whosoever　had　joy　thereof；　Aucassin　had　none；　so　he　went　to

the　Captain　of　the　town　and　spoke　to　him；　saying：



〃Sir　Captain；　what　hast　thou　made　of　Nicolete；　my　sweet　lady　and

love；　the　thing　that　best　I　love　in　all　the　world？　　Hast　thou

carried　her　off　or　ravished　her　away　from　me？　　Know　well　that　if　I

die　of　it；　the　price　shall　be　demanded　of　thee；　and　that　will　be

well　done；　for　it　shall　be　even　as　if　thou　hadst　slain　me　with　thy

two　hands；　for　thou　hast　taken　from　me　the　thing　that　in　this　world

I　loved　the　best。〃



〃Fair　Sir；〃　said　the　Captain；　〃let　these　things　be。　　Nicolete　is　a

captive　that　I　did　bring　from　a　strange　country。　　Yea；　I　bought　her

at　my　own　charges　of　the　Saracens；　and　I　bred　her　up　and　baptized

her；　and　made　her　my　daughter　in　God。　　And　I　have　cherished　her；　and

one　of　these　days　I　would　have　given　her　a　young　man；　to　win　her

bread　honourably。　　With　this　hast　thou　naught　to　make；　but　do　thou

take　the　daughter　of　a　King　or　a　Count。　　Nay　more；　what　wouldst　thou

deem　thee　to　have　gained；　hadst　thou　made　her　thy　leman；　and　taken

her　to　thy　bed？　　Plentiful　lack　of　comfort　hadst　thou　got　thereby；

for　in　Hell　would　thy　soul　have　lain　while　the　world　endures；　and

into　Paradise　wouldst　thou　have　entered　never。〃



〃In　Paradise　what　have　I　to　win？　　Therein　I　seek　not　to　enter；　but

only　to　have　Nicolete；　my　sweet　lady　that　I　love　so　well。　　For　into

Paradise　go　none　but　such　folk　as　I　shall　tell　thee　now：　　Thither　go

these　same　old　priests；　and　halt　old　men　and　maimed；　who　all　day　and

night　cower　continually　before　the　altars；　and　in　the　crypts；　and

such　folk　as　wear　old　amices　and　old　clouted　frocks；　and　naked　folk

and　shoeless；　and　covered　with　sores；　perishing　of　hunger　and

thirst；　and　of　cold；　and　of　little　ease。　　These　be　they　that　go　into

Paradise；　with　them　have　I　naught　to　make。　　But　into　Hell　would　I

fain　go；　for　into　Hell　fare　the　goodly　clerks；　and　goodly　knights

that　fall　in　tourneys　and　great　wars；　and　stout　men　at　arms；　and　all

men　noble。　　With　these　would　I　liefly　go。　　And　thither　pass　the

sweet　ladies　and　courteous　that　have　two　lovers；　or　three；　and　their

lords　also　thereto。　　Thither　goes　the　gold；　and　the　silver；　and

cloth　of　vair；　and　cloth　of　gris；　and　harpers；　and　makers；　and　the

prince　of　this　world。　　With