aucassin and nicolete-第6章

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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　and　all　the　land；　that　Nicolete　was　lost。　　Some　told

that　she　had　fled；　and　some　that　the　Count　Garin　had　let　slay　her。

Whosoever　had　joy　thereof；　no　joy　had　Aucassin。　　And　the　Count

Garin；　his　father；　had　taken　him　out　of　prison；　and　had　sent　for　the

knights　of　that　land；　and　the　ladies；　and　let　make　a　right　great

feast；　for　the　comforting　of　Aucassin　his　son。　　Now　at　the　high　time

of　the　feast；　was　Aucassin　leaning　from　a　gallery；　all　woful　and

discomforted。　　Whatsoever　men　might　devise　of　mirth；　Aucassin　had　no

joy　thereof；　nor　no　desire；　for　he　saw　not　her　that　he　loved。　　Then

a　knight　looked　on　him；　and　came　to　him；　and　said：



〃Aucassin；　of　that　sickness　of　thine　have　I　been　sick；　and　good

counsel　will　I　give　thee；　if　thou　wilt　hearken　to　me〃



〃Sir；〃　said　Aucassin；　〃gramercy；　good　counsel　would　I　fain　hear。〃



〃Mount　thy　horse；〃　quoth　he；　〃and　go　take　thy　pastime　in　yonder

forest；　there　wilt　thou　see　the　good　flowers　and　grass；　and　hear　the

sweet　birds　sing。　　Perchance　thou　shalt　hear　some　word；　whereby　thou

shalt　be　the　better。〃



〃Sir；〃　quoth　Aucassin；　〃gramercy；　that　will　I　do。〃



He　passed　out　of　the　hall；　and　went　down　the　stairs；　and　came　to　the

stable　where　his　horse　was。　　He　let　saddle　and　bridle　him；　and

mounted；　and　rode　forth　from　the　castle；　and　wandered　till　he　came

to　the　forest；　so　rode　till　he　came　to　the　fountain　and　found　the

shepherds　at　point　of　noon。　　And　they　had　a　mantle　stretched　on　the

grass；　and　were　eating　bread；　and　making　great　joy。





Here　one　singeth：





There　were　gathered　shepherds　all；

Martin；　Esmeric；　and　Hal；

Aubrey；　Robin；　great　and　small。

Saith　the　one；　〃Good　fellows　all；

God　keep　Aucassin　the　fair；

And　the　maid　with　yellow　hair；

Bright　of　brow　and　eyes　of　vair。

She　that　gave　us　gold　to　ware。

Cakes　therewith　to　buy　ye　know；

Goodly　knives　and　sheaths　also。

Flutes　to　play；　and　pipes　to　blow；

May　God　him　heal！〃





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



When　Aucassin　heard　the　shepherds；　anon　he　bethought　him　of

Nicolete；　his　sweet　lady　he　loved　so　well；　and　he　deemed　that　she

had　passed　thereby；　then　set　he　spurs　to　his　horse；　and　so　came　to

the　shepherds。



〃Fair　boys；　God　be　with　you。〃



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

rest。



〃Fair　boys；〃　quoth　Aucassin；　〃say　the　song　again　that　anon　ye　sang。〃



〃Say　it　we　will　not；〃　quoth　he　that　had　more　words　to　his　tongue

than　the　rest；　〃foul　fall　him　who　will　sing　it　again　for　you；　fair

sir！〃



〃Fair　boys；〃　quoth　Aucassin；　〃know　ye　me　not？〃



〃Yea；　we　know　well　that　you　are　Aucassin；　out　damoiseau；　natheless

we　be　not　your　men；　but　the　Count's。〃



〃Fair　boys；　yet　sing　it　again；　I　pray　you。〃



〃Hearken！　by　the　Holy　Heart；〃　quoth　he；　〃wherefore　should　I　sing　for

you；　if　it　likes　me　not？　　Lo；　there　is　no　such　rich　man　in　this

country；　saving　the　body　of　Garin　the　Count；　that　dare　drive　forth

my　oxen；　or　my　cows；　or　my　sheep；　if　he　finds　them　in　his　fields；　or

his　corn；　lest　he　lose　his　eyes　for　it；　and　wherefore　should　I　sing

for　you；　if　it　likes　me　not？〃



〃God　be　your　aid；　fair　boys；　sing　it　ye　will；　and　take　ye　these　ten

sols　I　have　here　in　a　purse。〃



〃Sir；　the　money　will　we　take；　but　never　a　note　will　I　sing；　for　I

have　given　my　oath；　but　I　will　tell　thee　a　plain　tale；　if　thou

wilt。〃



〃By　God；〃　saith　Aucassin；　〃I　love　a　plain　tale　better　than　naught。〃



〃Sir；　we　were　in　this　place；　a　little　time　agone；　between　prime　and

tierce；　and　were　eating　our　bread　by　this　fountain；　even　as　now　we

do；　and　a　maid　came　past；　the　fairest　thing　in　the　world；　whereby　we

deemed　that　she　should　be　a　fay；　and　all　the　wood　shone　round　about

her。　　Anon　she　gave　us　of　that　she　had；　whereby　we　made　covenant

with　her；　that　if　ye　came　hither　we　would　bid　you　hunt　in　this

forest；　wherein　is　such　a　beast　that；　an　ye　might　take　hi