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；　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　s