第13章 THE SONG-STORY OF AUCASSIN AND NICOLETE(9)

"Ah sweet love, and fair of brow, I know not where to seek thee now, God made never that countrie, Not by land, and not by sea, Where I would not search for thee, If that might be!"Then speak they, say they, tell they the Tale:

Now leave we Aucassin, and speak we of Nicolete. The ship wherein she was cast pertained to the King of Carthage, and he was her father, and she had twelve brothers, all princes or kings. When they beheld Nicolete, how fair she was, they did her great worship, and made much joy of her, and many times asked her who she was, for surely seemed she a lady of noble line and high parentry. But she might not tell them of her lineage, for she was but a child when men stole her away. So sailed they till they won the City of Carthage, and when Nicolete saw the walls of the castle, and the country-side, she knew that there had she been nourished and thence stolen away, being but a child. Yet was she not so young a child but that well she knew she had been daughter of the King of Carthage; and of her nurture in that city.

Here singeth one:

Nicolete the good and true To the land hath come anew, Sees the palaces and walls, And the houses and the halls!

Then she spake and said, "Alas!

That of birth so great I was, Cousin of the Amiral And the very child of him Carthage counts King of Paynim, Wild folk hold me here withal;Nay Aucassin, love of thee Gentle knight, and true, and free, Burns and wastes the heart of me.

Ah God grant it of his grace, That thou hold me, and embrace, That thou kiss me on the face Love and lord!"Then speak they, say they, tell they the Tale:

When the King of Carthage heard Nicolete speak in this wise, he cast his arms about her neck.

"Fair sweet love," saith he, "tell me who thou art, and be not adread of me.""Sir," said she, "I am daughter to the King of Carthage, and was taken, being then a little child, it is now fifteen years gone."When all they of the court heard her speak thus, they knew well that she spake sooth: so made they great joy of her, and led her to the castle in great honour, as the King's daughter. And they would have given her to her lord a King of Paynim, but she had no mind to marry. There dwelt she three days or four. And she considered by what means she might seek for Aucassin. Then she got her a viol, and learned to play on it, till they would have married her on a day to a great King of Paynim, and she stole forth by night, and came to the sea-port, and dwelt with a poor woman thereby. Then took she a certain herb, and therewith smeared her head and her face, till she was all brown and stained. And she let make coat, and mantle, and smock, and hose, and attired herself as if she had been a harper.

So took she the viol and went to a mariner, and so wrought on him that he took her aboard his vessel. Then hoisted they sail, and fared on the high seas even till they came to the land of Provence.

And Nicolete went forth and took the viol, and went playing through all that country, even till she came to the castle of Biaucaire, where Aucassin lay.

Here singeth one:

At Biaucaire below the tower Sat Aucassin, on an hour, Heard the bird, and watched the flower, With his barons him beside, Then came on him in that tide, The sweet influence of love And the memory thereof;Thought of Nicolete the fair, And the dainty face of her He had loved so many years, Then was he in dule and tears!

Even then came Nicolete On the stair a foot she set, And she drew the viol bow Through the strings and chanted so;"Listen, lords and knights, to me, Lords of high or low degree, To my story list will ye All of Aucassin and her That was Nicolete the fair?

And their love was long to tell Deep woods through he sought her well, Paynims took them on a day In Torelore and bound they lay.