aucassin and nicolete-第4章

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knew　that　the　old　woman　slept　who　held　her　company。　　Then　she　arose；

and　clad　her　in　a　mantle　of　silk　she　had　by　her；　very　goodly；　and

took　napkins；　and　sheets　of　the　bed；　and　knotted　one　to　the　other；

and　made　therewith　a　cord　as　long　as　she　might；　so　knitted　it　to　a

pillar　in　the　window；　and　let　herself　slip　down　into　the　garden；

then　caught　up　her　raiment　in　both　hands；　behind　and　before；　and

kilted　up　her　kirtle；　because　of　the　dew　that　she　saw　lying　deep　on

the　grass；　and　so　went　her　way　down　through　the　garden。



Her　locks　were　yellow　and　curled；　her　eyes　blue　and　smiling；　her

face　featly　fashioned；　the　nose　high　and　fairly　set；　the　lips　more

red　than　cherry　or　rose　in　time　of　summer；　her　teeth　white　and

small；　her　breasts　so　firm　that　they　bore　up　the　folds　of　her　bodice

as　they　had　been　two　apples；　so　slim　she　was　in　the　waist　that　your

two　hands　might　have　clipped　her；　and　the　daisy　flowers　that　brake

beneath　her　as　she　went　tip…toe；　and　that　bent　above　her　instep；

seemed　black　against　her　feet；　so　white　was　the　maiden。　　She　came　to

the　postern　gate；　and　unbarred　it；　and　went　out　through　the　streets

of　Biaucaire；　keeping　always　on　the　shadowy　side；　for　the　moon　was

shining　right　clear；　and　so　wandered　she　till　she　came　to　the　tower

where　her　lover　lay。　　The　tower　was　flanked　with　buttresses；　and　she

cowered　under　one　of　them；　wrapped　in　her　mantle。　　Then　thrust　she

her　head　through　a　crevice　of　the　tower　that　was　old　and　worn；　and

so　heard　she　Aucassin　wailing　within；　and　making　dole　and　lament　for

the　sweet　lady　he　loved　so　well。　　And　when　she　had　listened　to　him

she　began　to　say：





Here　one　singeth：





Nicolete　the　bright　of　brow

On　a　pillar　leanest　thou；

All　Aucassin's　wail　dost　hear

For　his　love　that　is　so　dear；

Then　thou　spakest；　shrill　and　clear；

〃Gentle　knight　withouten　fear

Little　good　befalleth　thee；

Little　help　of　sigh　or　tear；

Ne'er　shalt　thou　have　joy　of　me。

Never　shalt　thou　win　me；　still

Am　I　held　in　evil　will

Of　thy　father　and　thy　kin；

Therefore　must　I　cross　the　sea；

And　another　land　must　win。〃

Then　she　cut　her　curls　of　gold；

Cast　them　in　the　dungeon　hold；

Aucassin　doth　clasp　them　there；

Kissed　the　curls　that　were　so　fair；

Them　doth　in　his　bosom　bear；

Then　he　wept；　even　as　of　old；

All　for　his　love！





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



When　Aucassin　heard　Nicolete　say　that　she　would　pass　into　a　far

country；　he　was　all　in　wrath。



〃Fair　sweet　friend；〃　quoth　he；　〃thou　shalt　not　go；　for　then　wouldst

thou　be　my　death。　　And　the　first　man　that　saw　thee　and　had　the　might

withal；　would　take　thee　straightway　into　his　bed　to　be　his　leman。

And　once　thou　camest　into　a　man's　bed；　and　that　bed　not　mine；　wit　ye

well　that　I　would　not　tarry　till　I　had　found　a　knife　to　pierce　my

heart　and　slay　myself。　　Nay；　verily；　wait　so　long　I　would　not：　　but

would　hurl　myself　on　it　so　soon　as　I　could　find　a　wall；　or　a　black

stone；　thereon　would　I　dash　my　head　so　mightily；　that　the　eyes　would

start；　and　my　brain　burst。　　Rather　would　I　die　even　such　a　death；

than　know　thou　hadst　lain　in　a　man's　bed；　and　that　bed　not　mine。〃



〃Aucassin；〃　she　said；　〃I　trow　thou　lovest　me　not　as　much　as　thou

sayest；　but　I　love　thee　more　than　thou　lovest　me。〃



〃Ah；　fair　sweet　friend；〃　said　Aucassin；　〃it　may　not　be　that　thou

shouldst　love　me　even　as　I　love　thee。　　Woman　may　not　love　man　as　man

loves　woman；　for　a　woman's　love　lies　in　the　glance　of　her　eye；　and

the　bud　of　her　breast；　and　her　foot's　tip…toe；　but　the　love　of　man

is　in　his　heart　planted；　whence　it　can　never　issue　forth　and　pass

away。〃



Now　while　Aucassin　and　Nicolete　held　this　parley　together；　the

town's　guards　came　down　a　street；　with　swords　drawn　beneath　their

cloaks；　for　the　Count　Garin　had　charged　them　that　if　they　could　take

her　they　should　slay　her。　　But　the　sentinel　that　was　on　the　tower

saw　them　coming；　and　heard　them　speaking　of　Nicolete　as　they　went；

and　threatening　to　slay　her。



〃God！〃　quoth　he；　〃this　were　great　pity　to　slay　so　fair　a　maid！

Right　great　charity　it　were　if　I　could　say　aught　to　her；　and　they

perceive　it　not；　and　she　should　be　on　her　guard　against　them；　for　if

they　slay　her；　then　were　Aucassin；　my　damoiseau；　dead；　and　that　were

great　pity。〃





Here　one　singeth：





Valiant　was　the　sentinel；

Courteous；　kind；　and　practised　well；

So　a　song　did　sing　and　tell

Of　the　peril　that　befell。

〃Maiden　fair　that　lingerest　here；


Gentle　maid　of　merry　cheer；

Hair　of　gold；　and　eyes　as　clear

As　the　water　in　a　mere；

Thou；　meseems；　hast　spoken　word

To　thy　lover　and　thy　lord；

That　would　die　for　thee；　his　dear；

Now　beware　the　ill　accord；

Of　the　cloaked　men　of　the　sword；

These　have　sworn　and　keep　their　word；

They　will　put　thee　to　the　sword

Save　thou　take　heed！〃





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



〃Ha！〃　quoth　Nicolete；　〃be　the　soul　of　thy　father　and　the　soul　of　thy

mother　in　the　rest　of　Paradise；　so　fairly　and　so　courteously　hast

thou　spoken　me！　　Please　God；　I　will　be　right　ware　of　them；　God　keep

me　out　of　their　hands。〃



So　she　shrank　under　her　mantle　into　the　shadow　of　the　pillar　till

they　had　passed　by；　and　then　took　she　farewell　of　Aucassin；　and　so

fared　till　she　came　unto　the　castle　wall。　　Now　that　wall　was　wasted

and　broken；　and　some　deal　mended；　so　she　clomb　thereon　till　she　came

between　wall　and　fosse；　and　so　looked　down；　and　saw　that　the　fosse

was　deep　and　steep；　whereat　she　was　sore　adread。



〃Ah　God；〃　saith　she；　〃sweet　Saviour！　　If　I　let　myself　fall　hence；　I

shall　break　my　neck；　and　if　here　I　abide；　to…morrow　they　will　take

me　and　burn　me　in　a　fire。　　Yet　liefer　would　I　perish　here　than　that

to…morrow　the　folk　should　stare　on　me　for　a　gazing…stock。〃



Then　she　crossed　herself；　and　so　let　herself　slip　into　the　fosse；

and　when　she　had　come　to　the　bottom；　her　fair　feet；　and　fair　hands

that　had　not　custom　thereof；　were　bruised　and　frayed；　and　the　blood

springing　from　a　dozen　places；　yet　felt　she　no　pain　nor　hurt；　by

reason　of　the　great　dread　wherein　she　went。　　But　if　she　were　in

cumber　to　win　there；　in　worse　was　she　to　win　out。　　But　she　deemed

that　there　to　abide　was　of　none　avail；　and　she　found　a　pike

sharpened；　that　they　of　the　city　had　thrown　out　to　keep　the　hold。

Therewith　made　she　one　stepping　place　after　another；　till；　with　much

travail；　she　climbed　the　wall。　　Now　the　forest　lay　within　two

crossbow　shots；　and　the　forest　was　of　thirty　leagues　this　way　and

that。　　Therein　also　were　wild　beasts；　and　beasts　serpentine；　and　she

feared　that　if　she　entered　there　they　would　slay　her。　　But　anon　she

deemed　that　if　men　found　her　there　they　would　hale　her　back　into　the

town　to　burn　her。





Here　one　singeth：





Nicolete；　the　fair　of　face；

Climbed　upon　the　coping　stone；

There　made　she　lament　and　moan

Calling　on　our　Lord　alone

For　his　mercy　and　his　grace。



〃Father；　king　of　Majesty；

Listen；　for　I　nothing　know

Where　to　flee　or　whither　go。

If　within　the　wood　I　fare；

Lo；　the　wolves　will　slay　me　there；

Boars　and　lions　terrible；

Many　in　the　wild　wood　dwell；

But　if　I　abide　the　day；

Surely　worse　will　come　of　it；

Surely　will　the　fire　be　lit

That　shall　burn　my　body　away；

Jesus；　lord　of　Majesty；

Better　seemeth　it　to　me；

That　within　the　wood　I　fare；

Though　the　wolves　devour　me　there

Than　within　the　town　to　go；

Ne'er　be　it　so！〃





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



Nicolete　made　great　moan；　as　ye　have　heard；　then　commended　she

herself　to　God；　and　anon　fared　till　she　came　unto　the　forest。　　But

to　go　deep　in　it　she　dared　not；　by　reason　of　the　wild　beasts；　and

beasts　serpentine。　　Anon　crept　she　into　a　little　thicket；　where

sleep　came　upon　her；　and　she　slept　till　prime　next　day；　when　the

shepherds　issued　forth　from　the　town　and　drove　their　bestial　between

wood　and　water。　　Anon　came　they　all　into　one　place　by　a　fair

fountain　which　was　on　the　fringe　of　the　forest；　thereby　spread　they

a　mantle；　and　thereon　set　bread。　　So　while　they　were　eating；

Nicolete　wakened；　with　the　sound　of　the　singing　birds；　and　the

shepherds；　and　she　went　unto　them；　saying；　〃Fair　boys；　our　Lord　keep

you！〃



〃God　bless　thee；〃　quoth　he　that　had　more　words　to　his　tongue　than

the　rest。



〃Fair　boys；〃　quoth　she；　〃know　ye　Aucassin；　the　son　of　Count　Garin　de

Biaucaire？〃



〃Yea；　well　we　know　him。〃



〃So　may　God　help　you；　fair　boys；〃　quoth　she；　〃tell　him　there　is　a

beast　in　this　forest；　and　bid　him　come　chase　it；　and　if　he　can　take

it；　he　would　not　give　one　limb　thereof　for　a　hundred　marks　of　gold；

nay；　nor　for　five　hundred；　nor　for　any　ransom。〃



Then　looked　they　on　her；　and　saw　her　so　fair　that　they　were　all

astonied。



〃Will　I　tell　him　thereof？〃　quoth　he　that　had　more　words　to　his

tongue　than　the　rest；　〃foul　fall　him　who　speaks　of　the　thing　or

tells　him　the　tidings。　　These　are　but　visions　ye　tell　of；　for　there

is　no　beast　so　great　in　this　forest；　stag；　nor　lion；　nor　boar；　that

one　of　his　limbs　is　worth　more　than　two　deniers；　or　three　at　the

most；　and　ye　speak　of　such　great　ransom。　　Foul　fall　him　that

believes　your　word；　and　him　that　telleth　Aucassin。　　Ye　be　a　Fairy；

and　we　have　none　liking　for　your　company；　nay；　hold　on　your　road。〃



〃Nay；　fair　boys；〃　quoth　she；　〃nay；　ye　will　do　my　bidding。　　For　this

beast　is　so　mighty　of　medicine　that　thereby　will　Aucassin　be　healed

of　his　torment。　　And　lo！　　I　have　five　sols　in　my　purse；　take　them；

and　tell　him：　　for　within　three　days　must　he　come　hunting　it　hither；

and　if　within　three　days　he　find　it　not；　never　will　he　be　healed　of

his　torment。〃



〃My　faith；〃　quoth　he；　〃the　money　will　we　take；　and　if　he　come　hither

we　will　tell　him；　but　seek　him　we　will　not。〃



〃In　God's　name；〃　quoth　she；　and　so　took　farewell　of　the　shepherds；

and　went　her　way。





Here　singeth　one：





Nicolete　the　bright　of　brow

From　the　shepherds　doth　she　pass

All　below　the　blossomed　bough

Where　an　ancient　way　there　was；

Overgrown　and　choked　with　grass；

Till　she　found　the　cross…roads　where

Seven　paths　do　all　way　fare；

Then　she　deemeth　she　will　try；

Should　her　lover　pass　thereby；

If　he　love　her　loyally。

So　she　gathered　white　lilies；

Oak…leaf；　that　in　green　wood　is；

Leaves　of　many　a　branch　I　wis；

Therewith　built　a　lodge　of　green；

Goodlier　was　never　seen；

Swore　by　God　who　may　not　lie；

〃If　my　love　the　lodge　should　spy；

He　will　rest　awhile　thereby

If　he　love　me　loyally。〃

Thus　his　faith　she　deemed　to　try；

〃Or　I　love　him　not；　not　I；

Nor　he　loves　me！〃





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



Nicolete　built　her　lodge　of　boughs；　as　ye　have　heard；　right　fair　and

feteously；　and　wove　it　well；　within　and　without；　of　flowers　and

leaves。　　So　lay　she　hard　by　the　lodge　in　a　deep　coppice　to　know　what

Aucassin　will　do。　　And　the　cry　and　the　bruit　went　abroad　through　all

the　country