aucassin and nicolete-第3章

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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　these　I　would　gladly　go；　let　me　but　have

with　me；　Nicolete；　my　sweetest　lady。〃



〃Certes；〃　quoth　the　Captain；　〃in　vain　wilt　thou　speak　thereof；　for

never　shalt　thou　see　her；　and　if　thou　hadst　word　with　her；　and　thy

father　knew　it；　he　would　let　burn　in　a　fire　both　her　and　me；　and

thyself　might　well　be　sore　adread。〃



〃That　is　even　what　irketh　me；〃　quoth　Aucassin。　　So　he　went　from　the

Captain　sorrowing。





Here　singeth　one：





Aucassin　did　so　depart

Much　in　dole　and　heavy　at　heart

For　his　love　so　bright　and　dear；

None　might　bring　him　any　cheer；

None　might　give　good　words　to　hear；

To　the　palace　doth　he　fare

Climbeth　up　the　palace…stair；

Passeth　to　a　chamber　there；

Thus　great　sorrow　doth　he　bear；

For　his　lady　and　love　so　fair。



〃Nicolete　how　fair　art　thou；

Sweet　thy　foot…fall；　sweet　thine　eyes；

Sweet　the　mirth　of　thy　replies；

Sweet　thy　laughter；　sweet　thy　face；

Sweet　thy　lips　and　sweet　thy　brow；

And　the　touch　of　thine　embrace；

All　for　thee　I　sorrow　now；

Captive　in　an　evil　place；

Whence　I　ne'er　may　go　my　ways

Sister；　sweet　friend！〃





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





While　Aucassin　was　in　the　chamber　sorrowing　for　Nicolete　his　love；

even　then　the　Count　Bougars　de　Valence；　that　had　his　war　to　wage；

forgat　it　no　whit；　but　had　called　up　his　horsemen　and　his　footmen；

so　made　he　for　the　castle　to　storm　it。　　And　the　cry　of　battle　arose；

and　the　din；　and　knights　and　men　at　arms　busked　them；　and　ran　to

walls　and　gates　to　hold　the　keep。　　And　the　towns…folk　mounted　to　the

battlements；　and　cast　down　bolts　and　pikes。　　Then　while　the　assault

was　great；　and　even　at　its　height；　the　Count　Garin　de　Biaucaire　came

into　the　chamber　where　Aucassin　was　making　lament；　sorrowing　for

Nicolete；　his　sweet　lady　that　he　loved　so　well。



〃Ha！　son；〃　quoth　he；　〃how　caitiff　art　thou；　and　cowardly；　that　canst

see　men　assail　thy　goodliest　castle　and　strongest。　　Know　thou　that

if　thou　lose　it；　thou　lose