captive；　and　seized　away　his　spear　and　shield；　and　straightway　they
  led　him　off　a　prisoner；　and　were　even　now　discoursing　of　what　death
  he　should　die。
  And　when　Aucassin　heard　them；
  〃Ha！　God；〃　said　he；　〃sweet　Saviour。　　Be　these　my　deadly　enemies　that
  have　taken　me；　and　will　soon　cut　off　my　head？　　And　once　my　head　is
  off；　no　more　shall　I　speak　with　Nicolete；　my　sweet　lady；　that　I　love
  so　well。　　Natheless　have　I　here　a　good　sword；　and　sit　a　good　horse
  unwearied。　　If　now　I　keep　not　my　head　for　her　sake；　God　help　her
  never；　if　she　love　me　more！〃
  The　damoiseau　was　tall　and　strong；　and　the　horse　whereon　he　sat　was
  right　eager。　　And　he　laid　hand　to　sword；　and　fell　a…smiting　to　right
  and　left；　and　smote　through　helm　and　nasal；　and　arm　and　clenched
  hand；　making　a　murder　about　him；　like　a　wild　boar　when　hounds　fall
  on　him　in　the　forest；　even　till　he　struck　down　ten　knights；　and
  seven　be　hurt；　and　straightway　he　hurled　out　of　the　press；　and　rode
  back　again　at　full　speed；　sword　in　hand。　　The　Count　Bougars　de
  Valence　heard　say　they　were　about　hanging　Aucassin；　his　enemy；　so　he
  came　into　that　place；　and　Aucassin　was　ware　of　him；　and　gat　his
  sword　into　his　hand；　and　lashed　at　his　helm　with　such　a　stroke　that
  he　drave　it　down　on　his　head；　and　he　being　stunned；　fell　grovelling。
  And　Aucassin　laid　hands　on　him；　and　caught　him　by　the　nasal　of　his
  helmet；　and　gave　him　to　his　father。
  〃Father；〃　quoth　Aucassin；　〃lo　here　is　your　mortal　foe；　who　hath　so
  warred　on　you　with　all　malengin。　　Full　twenty　years　did　this　war
  endure；　and　might　not　be　ended　by　man。〃
  〃Fair　son；〃　said　his　father；　〃thy　feats　of　youth　shouldst　thou　do；
  and　not　seek　after　folly。〃
  〃Father；〃　saith　Aucassin；　〃sermon　me　no　sermons；　but　fulfil　my
  covenant。〃
  〃Ha！　what　covenant；　fair　son？〃
  〃What；　father；　hast　thou　forgotten　it？　　By　mine　own　head；　whosoever
  forgets；　will　I　not　forget　it；　so　much　it　hath　me　at　heart。　　Didst
  thou　not　covenant　with　me　when　I　took　up　arms；　and　went　into　the
  stour；　that　if　God　brought　me　back　safe　and　sound；　thou　wouldst　let
  me　see　Nicolete；　my　sweet　lady；　even　so　long　that　I　may　have　of　her
  two　words　or　three；　and　one　kiss？　　So　didst　thou　covenant；　and　my
  mind　is　that　thou　keep　thy　word。〃
  〃I！〃　quoth　the　father；　〃God　forsake　me　when　I　keep　this　covenant！
  Nay；　if　she　were　here；　I　would　let　burn　her　in　the　fire；　and　thyself
  shouldst　be　sore　adread。〃
  〃Is　this　thy　last　word？〃　quoth　Aucassin。
  〃So　help　me　God；〃　quoth　his　father；　〃yea！〃
  〃Certes；〃　quoth　Aucassin；　〃this　is　a　sorry　thing　meseems；　when　a　man
  of　thine　age　lies！〃
  〃Count　of　Valence；〃　quoth　Aucassin；　〃I　took　thee？〃
  〃In　sooth；　Sir；　didst　thou；〃　saith　the　Count。
  〃Give　me　thy　hand；〃　saith　Aucassin。
  〃Sir；　with　good　will。〃
  So　he　set　his　hand　in　the　other's。
  〃Now　givest　thou　me　thy　word；〃　saith　Aucassin；　〃that　never　whiles
  thou　art　living　man　wilt　thou　avail　to　do　my　father　dishonour；　or
  harm　him　in　body；　or　in　goods；　but　do　it　thou　wilt？〃
  〃Sir；　in　God's　name；〃　saith　he；　〃mock　me　not；　but　put　me　to　my
  ransom；　ye　cannot　ask　of　me　gold　nor　silver；　horses　nor　palfreys；
  vair　nor　gris；　hawks　nor　hounds；　but　I　will　give　you　them。〃
  〃What？〃　quoth　Aucassin。　　〃Ha；　knowest　thou　not　it　was　I　that　took
  thee？〃
  〃Yea；　sir；〃　quoth　the　Count　Bougars。
  〃God　help　me　never；　but　I　will　make　thy　head　fly　from　thy　shoulders；
  if　thou　makest　not　troth；〃　said　Aucassin。
  〃In　God's　name；〃　said　he；　〃I　make　what　promise　thou　wilt。〃
  So　they　did　the　oath；　and　Aucassin　let　mount　him　on　a　horse；　and
  took　another　and　so　led　him　back　till　he　was　all　in　safety。
  Here　one　singeth：
  When　the　Count　Garin　doth　know
  That　his　child　would　ne'er　forego
  Love　of　her　that　loved　him　so；
  Nicolete；　the　bright　of　brow；
  In　a　dungeon　deep　below
  Childe　Aucassin　did　he　throw。
  Even　there　the　Childe　must　dwell
  In　a　dun…walled　marble　cell。
  There　he　waileth　in　his　woe
  Crying　thus　as　ye　shall　know。
  〃Nicolete；　thou　lily　white；
  My　sweet　lady；　bright　of　brow；
  Sweeter　than　the　grape　art　thou；
  Sweeter　than　sack　posset　good
  In　a　cup　of　maple　wood！
  Was　it　not　but　yesterday
  That　a　palmer　came　this　way；
  Out　of　Limousin　came　he；
  And　at　ease　he　might　not　be；
  For　a　passion　him　possessed
  That　upon　his　bed　he　lay；
  Lay；　and　tossed；　and　knew　not　rest
  In　his　pain　discomforted。
  But　thou　camest　by　the　bed；
  Where　he　tossed　amid　his　pain；
  Holding　high　thy　sweeping　train；
  And　thy　kirtle　of　ermine；
  And　thy　smock　of　linen　fine；
  Then　these　fair　white　limbs　of　thine；
  Did　he　look　on；　and　it　fell
  That　the　palmer　straight　was　well；
  Straight　was　haleand　comforted；
  And　he　rose　up　from　his　bed；
  And　went　back　to　his　own　place；
  Sound　and　strong；　and　full　of　face！
  My　sweet　lady；　lily　white；
  Sweet　thy　footfall；　sweet　thine　eyes；
  And　the　mirth　of　thy　replies。
  Sweet　thy　laughter；　sweet　thy　face；
  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