aucassin and nicolete-第5章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Sweet　thy　lips　and　sweet　thy　brow；

And　the　touch　of　thine　embrace。

Who　but　doth　in　thee　delight？

I　for　love　of　thee　am　bound

In　this　dungeon　underground；

All　for　loving　thee　must　lie

Here　where　loud　on　thee　I　cry；

Here　for　loving　thee　must　die

For　thee；　my　love。〃





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



Aucassin　was　cast　into　prison　as　ye　have　heard　tell；　and　Nicolete；

of　her　part；　was　in　the　chamber。　　Now　it　was　summer　time；　the　month

of　May；　when　days　are　warm；　and　long；　and　clear；　and　the　night　still

and　serene。　　Nicolete　lay　one　night　on　her　bed；　and　saw　the　moon

shine　clear　through　a　window；　yea；　and　heard　the　nightingale　sing　in

the　garden；　so　she　minded　her　of　Aucassin　her　lover　whom　she　loved

so　well。　　Then　fell　she　to　thoughts　of　Count　Garin　de　Biaucaire；

that　hated　her　to　the　death；　therefore　deemed　she　that　there　she

would　no　longer　abide；　for　that；　if　she　were　told　of；　and　the　Count

knew　whereas　she　lay；　an　ill　death　would　he　make　her　die。　　Now　she

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；