aucassin and nicolete-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



one　as　I　shall　tell　you。　　Tall　was　he；　and　great　of　growth；　laidly

and　marvellous　to　look　upon：　　his　head　huge；　and　black　as　charcoal；

and　more　than　the　breadth　of　a　hand　between　his　two　eyes；　and　great

cheeks；　and　a　big　nose　and　broad；　big　nostrils　and　ugly；　and　thick

lips　redder　than　a　collop；　and　great　teeth　yellow　and　ugly；　and　he

was　shod　with　hosen　and　shoon　of　bull's　hide；　bound　with　cords　of

bark　over　the　knee；　and　all　about　him　a　great　cloak　twy…fold；　and　he

leaned　on　a　grievous　cudgel；　and　Aucassin　came　unto　him；　and　was

afraid　when　he　beheld　him。



〃Fair　brother；　God　aid　thee。〃



〃God　bless　you；〃　quoth　he。



〃As　God　he　helpeth　thee；　what　makest　thou　here？〃



〃What　is　that　to　thee？〃



〃Nay；　naught；　naught；〃　saith　Aucassin；　〃I　ask　but　out　of　courtesy。〃



〃But　for　whom　weepest　thou；〃　quoth　he；　〃and　makest　such　heavy

lament？　　Certes；　were　I　as　rich　a　man　as　thou；　the　whole　world

should　not　make　me　weep。〃



〃Ha！　know　ye　me？〃　saith　Aucassin。



〃Yea；　I　know　well　that　ye　be　Aucassin；　the　son　of　the　Count；　and　if

ye　tell　me　for　why　ye　weep；　then　will　I　tell　you　what　I　make　here。〃



〃Certes；〃　quoth　Aucassin；　〃I　will　tell　you　right　gladly。　　Hither

came　I　this　morning　to　hunt　in　this　forest；　and　with　me　a　white

hound；　the　fairest　in　the　world；　him　have　I　lost；　and　for　him　I

weep。〃



〃By　the　Heart　our　Lord　bare　in　his　breast；〃　quoth　he；　〃are　ye

weeping　for　a　stinking　hound？　　Foul　fall　him　that　holds　thee　high

henceforth！　for　there　is　no　such　rich　man　in　the　land；　but　if　thy

father　asked　it　of　him；　he　would　give　thee　ten；　or　fifteen；　or

twenty；　and　be　the　gladder　for　it。　　But　I　have　cause　to　weep　and

make　dole。〃



〃Wherefore　so；　brother？〃



〃Sir；　I　will　tell　thee。　　I　was　hireling　to　a　rich　vilain；　and　drove

his　plough；　four　oxen　had　he。　　But　three　days　since　came　on　me　great

misadventure；　whereby　I　lost　the　best　of　mine　oxen；　Roger；　the　best

of　my　team。　　Him　go　I　seeking；　and　have　neither　eaten　nor　drunken

these　three　days；　nor　may　I　go　to　the　town；　lest　they　cast　me　into

prison；　seeing　that　I　have　not　wherewithal　to　pay。　　Out　of　all　the

wealth　of　the　world　have　I　no　more　than　ye　see　on　my　body。　　A　poor

mother　bare　me；　that　had　no　more　but　one　wretched　bed；　this　have

they　taken　from　under　her；　and　she　lies　in　the　very　straw。　　This

ails　me　more　than　mine　own　case；　for　wealth　comes　and　goes；　if　now　I

have　lost；　another　tide　will　I　gain；　and　will　pay　for　mine　ox　whenas

I　may；　never　for　that　will　I　weep。　　But　you　weep　for　a　stinking

hound。　　Foul　fall　whoso　thinks　well　of　thee！〃



〃Certes　thou　art　a　good　comforter；　brother；　blessed　be　thou！　　And　of

what　price　was　thine　ox？〃



〃Sir；　they　ask　me　twenty　sols　for　him；　whereof　I　cannot　abate　one

doit。〃



〃Nay；　then；〃　quoth　Aucassin；　〃take　these　twenty　sols　I　have　in　my

purse；　and　pay　for　thine　ox。〃



〃Sir；〃　saith　he；　〃gramercy。　　And　God　give　thee　to　find　that　thou

seekest。〃



So　they　parted　each　from　other；　and　Aucassin　rode　on：　　the　night　was

fair　and　still；　and　so　long　he　went　that　he　came　to　the　lodge　of

boughs；　that　Nicolete　had　builded　and　woven　within　and　without；　over

and　under；　with　flowers；　and　it　was　the　fairest　lodge　that　might　be

seen。　　When　Aucassin　was　ware　of　it；　he　stopped　suddenly；　and　the

light　of　the　moon　fell　therein。



〃God！〃　quoth　Aucassin；　〃here　was　Nicolete；　my　sweet　lady；　and　this

lodge　builded　she　with　her　fair　hands。　　For　the　sweetness　of　it；　and

for　love　of　her；　will　I　alight；　and　rest　here　this　night　long。〃



He　drew　forth　his　foot　from　the　stirrup　to　alight；　and　the　steed　was

great　and　tall。　　He　dreamed　so　much　on　Nicolete　his　right　sweet

lady；　that　he　slipped　on　a　stone；　and　drave　his　shoulder　out　of　his

place。　　Then　knew　he　that　he　was　hurt　sore；　natheless　he　bore　him

with　what　force　he　might；　and　fastened　with　the　other　hand　the

mare's　son　to　a　thorn。　　Then　turned　he　on　his　side；　and　crept

backwise　into　the　lodge　of　boughs。　　And　he　looked　through　a　gap　in

the　lodge　and　saw　the　stars　in　heaven；　and　one　that　was　brighter

than　the　rest；　so　began　he　to　say：





Here　one　singeth：





〃Star；　that　I　from　far　behold；

Star；　the　Moon　calls　to　her　fold；

Nicolete　with　thee　doth　dwell；

My　sweet　love　with　locks　of　gold；

God　would　have　her　dwell　afar；

Dwell　with　him　for　evening　star；

Would　to　God；　whate'er　befell；

Would　that　with　her　I　might　dwell。

I　would　clip　her　close　and　strait；

Nay；　were　I　of　much　estate；

Some　king's　son　desirable；

Worthy　she　to　be　my　mate；

Me　to　kiss　and　clip　me　well；

Sister；　sweet　friend！〃





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



When　Nicolete　heard　Aucassin；　right　so　came　she　unto　him；　for　she

was　not　far　away。　　She　passed　within　the　lodge；　and　threw　her　arms

about　his　neck；　and　clipped　and　kissed　him。



〃Fair　sweet　friend；　welcome　be　thou。〃



〃And　thou；　fair　sweet　love；　be　thou　welcome。〃



So　either　kissed　and　clipped　the　other；　and　fair　joy　was　them

between。



〃Ha！　sweet　love；〃　quoth　Aucassin；　〃but　now　was　I　sore　hurt；　and　my

shoulder　wried；　but　I　take　no　force　of　it；　nor　have　no　hurt

therefrom　since　I　have　thee。〃



Right　so　felt　she　his　shoulder　and　found　it　was　wried　from　its

place。　　And　she　so　handled　it　with　her　white　hands；　and　so　wrought

in　her　surgery；　that　by　God's　will　who　loveth　lovers；　it　went　back

into　its　place。　　Then　took　she　flowers；　and　fresh　grass；　and　leaves

green；　and　bound　these　herbs　on　the　hurt　with　a　strip　of　her　smock；

and　he　was　all　healed。



〃Aucassin；〃　saith　she；　〃fair　sweet　love；　take　counsel　what　thou　wilt

do。　　If　thy　father　let　search　this　forest　to…morrow；　and　men　find　me

here；　they　will　slay　me；　come　to　thee　what　will。〃



〃Certes；　fair　sweet　love；　therefore　should　I　sorrow　heavily；　but；　an

if　I　may；　never　shall　they　take　thee。〃



Anon　gat　he　on　his　horse；　and　his　lady　before　him；　kissing　and

clipping　her；　and　so　rode　they　at　adventure。





Here　one　singeth：





Aucassin　the　frank；　the　fair；

Aucassin　of　the　yellow　hair；

Gentle　knight；　and　true　lover；

From　the　forest　doth　he　fare；

Holds　his　love　before　him　there；

Kissing　cheek；　and　chin；　and　eyes；

But　she　spake　in　sober　wise；

〃Aucassin；　true　love　and　fair；

To　what　land　do　we　repair？〃

Sweet　my　love；　I　take　no　care；

Thou　art　with　me　everywhere！

So　they　pass　the　woods　and　downs；

Pass　the　villages　and　towns；

Hills　and　dales　and　open　land；

Came　at　dawn　to　the　sea　sand；

Lighted　down　upon　the　strand；

Beside　the　sea。





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



Aucassin　lighted　down　and　his　love；　as　ye　have　heard　sing。　　He　held

his　horse　by　the　bridle；　and　his　lady　by　the　hands；　so　went　they

along　the　sea　shore；　and　on　the　sea　they　saw　a　ship；　and　he　called

unto　the　sailors；　and　they　came　to　him。　　Then　held　he　such　speech

with　them；　that　he　and　his　lady　were　brought　aboard　that　ship；　and

when　they　were　on　the　high　sea；　behold　a　mighty　wind　and　tyrannous

arose；　marvellous　and　great；　and　drave　them　from　land　to　land；　till

they　came　unto　a　strange　country；　and　won　the　haven　of　the　castle　of

Torelore。　　Then　asked　they　what　this　land　might　be；　and　men　told

them　that　it　was　the　country　of　the　King　of　Torelore。　　Then　he　asked

what　manner　of　man　was　he；　and　was　there　war　afoot；　and　men　said；



〃Yea；　and　mighty！〃



Therewith　took　he　farewell　of　the　merchants；　and　they　commended　him

to　God。　　Anon　Aucassin　mounted　his　horse；　with　his　sword　girt；　and

his　lady　before　him；　and　rode　at　adventure　till　he　was　come　to　the

castle。　　Then　asked　he　where　the　King　was；　and　they　said　that　he　was

in　childbed。



〃Then　where　is　his　wife？〃



And　they　told　him　she　was　with　the　host；　and　had　led　with　her　all

the　force　of　that　country。



Now　when　Aucassin　heard　that　saying；　he　made　great　marvel；　and　came

into　the　castle；　and　lighted　down；　he　and　his　lady；　and　his　lady

held　his　horse。　　Right　so　went　he　up　into　the　castle；　with　his　sword

girt；　and　fared　hither　and　thither　till　he　came　to　the　chamber　where

the　King　was　lying。





Here　one　singeth：





Aucassin　the　courteous　knight

To　the　chamber　went　forthright；

To　the　bed　with　linen　dight

Even　where　the　King　was　laid。

There　he　stood　by　him　and　said：

〃Fool；　what　mak'st　thou　here　abed？〃

Quoth　the　King：　　〃I　am　brought　to　bed

Of　a　fair　son；　and　anon

When　my　month　is　over　and　gone；

And　my　healing　fairly　done；

To　the　Minster　will　I　fare

And　will　do　my　churching　there；

As　my　father　did　repair。

Then　will　sally　forth　to　war；

Then　will　drive　my　foes　afar

From　my　countrie！〃





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



When　Aucassin　heard　the　King　speak　on　this　wise；　he　took　all　the

sheets　that　covered　him；　and　threw　them　all　abroad　about　the

chamber。　　Then　saw　he　behind　him　a　cudgel；　and　caught　it　into　his

hand；　and　turned；　and　took　the　King；　and　beat　him　till　he　was　well…

nigh　dead。



〃Ha！　fair　sir；〃　quoth　the　King；　〃what　would　you　with　me？　　Art　thou

beside　thyself；　that　beatest　me　in　mine　own　house？〃



〃By　God's　heart；〃　quoth　Aucassin；　〃thou　ill　son　of　an　ill　wench；　I

will　slay　thee　if　thou　swear　not　that　never　shall　any　man　in　all　thy

land　lie　in　of　child　henceforth　for　ever。〃



So　he　did　that　oath；　and　when　he　had　done　it；



〃Sir；〃　said　Aucassin；　〃bring　me　now　where　thy　wife　is　with　the

host。〃



〃Sir；　with　good　will；〃　quoth　the　King。



He　mounted　his　horse；　and　Aucassin　gat　on　his　own；　and　Nicolete

abode　in　the　Queen's　chamber。　　Anon　rode　Aucassin　and　the　King　even

till　they　came　to　that　place　where　the　Queen　was；　and　lo！　men　were

warring　with　baked　apples；　and　with　eggs；　and　with　fresh　cheeses；

and　Aucassin　began　to　look　on　them；　and　made　great　marvel。





Here　one　singeth：





Aucassin　his　horse　doth　stay；

From　the　saddle　watched　the　fray；

All　the　stour　and　fierce　array；

Right　fresh　cheeses　carried　they；

Apples　baked；　and　mushrooms　grey；

Whoso　splas