to　pay　his　debt。　　This　man　was　in　that　estate　which　Achilles；　in
  Hades；　preferred　above　the　kingship　of　the　dead　outworn。　　He　was
  hind　and　hireling　to　a　villein；
  ＇Greek　text＇
  It　is　an　unexpected　touch　of　pity　for　the　people；　and　for　other　than
  love…sorrows；　in　a　poem　intended　for　the　great　and　courtly　people　of
  chivalry。
  At　last　the　lovers　meet；　in　the　lodge　of　flowers　beneath　the　stars。
  Here　the　story　should　end；　though　one　could　ill　spare　the　pretty
  lecture　the　girl　reads　her　lover　as　they　ride　at　adventure；　and　the
  picture　of　Nicolete；　with　her　brown　stain；　and　jogleor's　attire；　and
  her　viol；　playing　before　Aucassin　in　his　own　castle　of　Biaucaire。
  The　burlesque　interlude　of　the　country　of　Torelore　is　like　a　page
  out　of　Rabelais；　stitched　into　the　cante…fable　by　mistake。　　At　such
  lands　as　Torelore　Pantagruel　and　Panurge　touched　many　a　time　in
  their　vague　voyaging。　　Nobody；　perhaps；　can　care　very　much　about
  Nicolete's　adventures　in　Carthage；　and　her　recognition　by　her　Paynim
  kindred。　　If　the　old　captive　had　been　a　prisoner　among　the　Saracens；
  he　was　too　indolent　or　incurious　to　make　use　of　his　knowledge。　　He
  hurries　on　to　his　journey's　end；
  〃Journeys　end　in　lovers　meeting。〃
  So　he　finishes　the　tale。　　What　lives　in　it；　what　makes　it　live；　is
  the　touch　of　poetry；　of　tender　heart；　of　humorous　resignation。　　The
  old　captive　says　the　story　will　gladden　sad　men：…
  〃Nus　hom　n'est　si　esbahis；
  tant　dolans　ni　entrepris；
  de　grant　mal　amaladis；
  se　il　l'oit；　ne　soit　garis；
  et　de　joie　resbaudis；
  tant　par　est　douce。〃
  This　service　it　did　for　M。　Bida；　the　painter；　as　he　tells　us　when　he
  translated　Aucassin　in　1870。　　In　dark　and　darkening　days；　patriai
  tempore　iniquo；　we　too　have　turned　to　Aucassin　et　Nicolete。　｛5｝
  BALLADE　OF　AUCASSIN
  Where　smooth　the　Southern　waters　run
  Through　rustling　leagues　of　poplars　gray；
  Beneath　a　veiled　soft　Southern　sun；
  We　wandered　out　of　Yesterday；
  Went　Maying　in　that　ancient　May
  Whose　fallen　flowers　are　fragrant　yet；
  And　lingered　by　the　fountain　spray
  With　Aucassin　and　Nicolete。
  The　grassgrown　paths　are　trod　of　none
  Where　through　the　woods　they　went　astray；
  The　spider's　traceries　are　spun
  Across　the　darkling　forest　way；
  There　come　no　Knights　that　ride　to　slay；
  No　Pilgrims　through　the　grasses　wet；
  No　shepherd　lads　that　sang　their　say
  With　Aucassin　and　Nicolete。
  'Twas　here　by　Nicolete　begun
  Her　lodge　of　boughs　and　blossoms　gay；
  'Scaped　from　the　cell　of　marble　dun
  'Twas　here　the　lover　found　the　Fay；
  O　lovers　fond；　O　foolish　play！
  How　hard　we　find　it　to　forget；
  Who　fain　would　dwell　with　them　as　they；
  With　Aucassin　and　Nicolete。
  ENVOY。
  Prince；　'tis　a　melancholy　lay！
  For　Youth；　for　Life　we　both　regret：
  How　fair　they　seem；　how　far　away；
  With　Aucassin　and　Nicolete。
  A。　L。
  BALLADE　OF　NICOLETE
  All　bathed　in　pearl　and　amber　light
  She　rose　to　fling　the　lattice　wide；
  And　leaned　into　the　fragrant　night；
  Where　brown　birds　sang　of　summertide；
  （'Twas　Love's　own　voice　that　called　and　cried）
  〃Ah；　Sweet！〃　she　said；　〃I'll　seek　thee　yet；
  Though　thorniest　pathways　should　betide
  The　fair　white　feet　of　Nicolete。〃
  They　slept；　who　would　have　stayed　her　flight；
  （Full　fain　were　they　the　maid　had　died！）
  She　dropped　adown　her　prison's　height
  On　strands　of　linen　featly　tied。
  And　so　she　passed　the　garden…side
  With　loose…leaved　roses　sweetly　set；
  And　dainty　daisies；　dark　beside
  The　fair　white　feet　of　Nicolete！
  Her　lover　lay　in　evil　plight
  （So　many　lovers　yet　abide！）
  I　would　my　tongue　could　praise　aright
  Her　name；　that　should　be　glorified。
  Those　lovers　now；　whom　foes　divide
  A　little　weep；and　soon　forget。
  How　far　from　these　faint　lovers　glide
  The　fair　white　feet　of　Nicolete。
  ENVOY。
  My　Princess；　doff　thy　frozen　pride；
  Nor　scorn　to　pay　Love's　golden　debt；
  Through　his　dim　woodland　take　for　guide
  The　fair　white　feet　of　Nicolete。
  GRAHAM　R。　TOMSON
  THE　SONG…STORY　OF　AUCASSIN　AND　NICOLETE
  'Tis　of　Aucassin　and　Nicolete。
  Who　would　list　to　the　good　lay
  Gladness　of　the　captive　grey？
  'Tis　how　two　young　lovers　met；
  Aucassin　and　Nicolete；
  Of　the　pains　the　lover　bore
  And　the　sorrows　he　outwore；
  For　the　goodness　and　the　grace；
  Of　his　love；　so　fair　of　face。
  Sweet　the　song；　the　story　sweet；
  There　is　no　man　hearkens　it；
  No　man　living　'neath　the　sun；
  So　outwearied；　so　foredone；
  Sick　and　woful；　worn　and　sad；
  But　is　healed；　but　is　glad
  'Tis　so　sweet。
  So　say　they；　speak　they；　tell　they　the　Tale：
  How　the　Count　Bougars　de　Valence　made　war　on　Count　Garin　de
  Biaucaire；　war　so　great；　and　so　marvellous；　and　so　mortal　that　never
  a　day　dawned　but　alway　he　was　there；　by　the　gates　and　walls；　and
  barriers　of　the　town　with　a　hundred　knights；　and　ten　thousand　men　at
  arms；　horsemen　and　footmen：　　so　burned　he　the　Count's　land；　and
  spoiled　his　country；　and　slew　his　men。　　Now　the　Count　Garin　de
  Biaucaire　was　old　and　frail；　and　his　good　days　were　gone　over。　　No
  heir　had　he；　neither　son　nor　daughter；　save　one　young　man　only；　such
  an　one　as　I　shall　tell　you。　　Aucassin　was　the　name　of　the　damoiseau：
  fair　was　he；　goodly；　and　great；　and　featly　fashioned　of　his　body；
  and　limbs。　　His　hair　was　yellow；　in　little　curls；　his　eyes　blue　and
  laughing；　his　face　beautiful　and　shapely；　his　nose　high　and　well
  set；　and　so　richly　seen　was　he　in　all　things　good；　that　in　him　was
  none　evil　at　all。　　But　so　suddenly　overtaken　was　he　of　Love；　who　is
  a　great　master；　that　he　would　not；　of　his　will；　be　dubbed　knight；
  nor　take　arms；　nor　follow　tourneys；　nor　do　whatsoever　him　beseemed。
  Therefore　his　father　and　mother　said　to　him；
  〃Son；　go　take　thine　arms；　mount　thy　horse；　and　hold　thy　land；　and
  help　thy　men；　for　if　they　see　thee　among　them；　more　stoutly　will
  they　keep　in　battle　their　lives；　and　lands；　and　thine；　and　mine。〃
  〃Father；〃　said　Aucassin；　〃I　marvel　that　you　will　be　speaking。　　Never
  may　God　give　me　aught　of　my　desire　if　I　be　made　knight；　or　mount　my
  horse；　or　face　stour　and　battle　wherein　knights　smite　and　are
  smitten　again；　unless　thou　give　me　Nicolete；　my　true　love；　that　I
  love　so　well。〃
  〃Son；〃　said　the　father；　〃this　may　not　be。　　Let　Nicolete　go；　a　slave
  girl　she　is；　out　of　a　strange　land；　and　the　captain　of　this　town
  bought　her　of　the　Saracens；　and　carried　her　hither；　and　hath　reared
  her　and　let　christen　the　maid；　and　took　her　for　his　daughter　in　God；
  and　one　day　will　find　a　young　man　for　her；　to　win　her　bread
  honourably。　　Herein　hast　thou　naught　to　make　or　mend；　but　if　a　wife
  thou　wilt　have；　I　will　give　thee　the　daughter　of　a　King；　or　a　Count。
  There　is　no　man　so　rich　in　France；　but　if　thou　desire　his　daughter；
  thou　shalt　have　her。〃
  〃Faith！　my　father；〃　said　Aucassin；　〃tell　me　where　is　the　place　so
  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。〃