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 courteousknight

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 splasheth most the ford

He is master called and lord.
Aucassin doth gaze awhile,

Then began to laugh and smile
And made game.

Then speak they, say they, tell they the Tale:
When Aucassin beheld these marvels, he came to the King, and said,

"Sir, be these thine enemies?"
"Yea, Sir," quoth the King.

"And will ye that I should avenge you of them?"
"Yea," quoth he, "with all my heart."

Then Aucassin put hand to sword, and hurled among them, and began to
smite to the right hand and the left, and slew many of them. And

when the King saw that he slew them, he caught at his bridle and
said,

"Ha! fair sir, slay them not in such wise."
"How," quoth Aucassin, "will ye not that I should avenge you of

them?"
"Sir," quoth the King, "overmuch already hast thou avenged me. It

is nowise our custom to slay each other."
Anon turned they and fled. Then the King and Aucassin betook them

again to the castle of Torelore, and the folk of that land
counselled the King to put Aucassin forth, and keep Nicolete for his

son's wife, for that she seemed a lady high of lineage. And
Nicolete heard them, and had no joy of it, so began to say:

Here singeth one:
Thus she spake the bright of brow:

"Lord of Torelore and king,
Thy folk deem me a light thing,

When my love doth me embrace,
Fair he finds me, in good case,

Then am I in such derray,
Neither harp, nor lyre, nor lay,

Dance nor game, nor rebeck play
Were so sweet."

Then speak they, say they, tell they the Tale:
Aucassin dwelt in the castle of Torelore, in great ease and great

delight, for that he had with him Nicolete his sweet love, whom he
loved so well. Now while he was in such pleasure and such delight,

came a troop of Saracens by sea, and laid siege to the castle and
took it by main strength. Anon took they the substance that was

therein and carried off the men and maidens captives. They seized
Nicolete and Aucassin, and bound Aucassin hand and foot, and cast

him into one ship, and Nicolete into another. Then rose there a
mighty wind over sea, and scattered the ships. Now that ship

wherein was Aucassin, went wandering on the sea, till it came to the
castle of Biaucaire, and the folk of the country ran together to

wreck her, and there found they Aucassin, and they knew him again.
So when they of Biaucaire saw their damoiseau, they made great joy

of him, for Aucassin had dwelt full three years in the castle of
Torelore, and his father and mother were dead. So the people took

him to the castle of Biaucaire, and there were they all his men.

• alight [ə´lait] a.燃着的 vi.下；降落 (初中英语单词)
• welcome [´welkəm] a.受欢迎的；可喜的 (初中英语单词)
• counsel [´kaunsəl] n.商议；劝告；律师 (初中英语单词)
• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)
• aboard [ə´bɔ:d] ad.&prep.在...上 (初中英语单词)
• farewell [feə´wel] int.再见 n.&a.告别 (初中英语单词)
• marvel [´mɑ:vəl] n.令人惊异的事；奇迹 (初中英语单词)
• hither [´hiðə] ad.到此处 (初中英语单词)
• thither [´ðiðə] ad.到那里 a.那边的 (初中英语单词)
• abroad [ə´brɔ:d] ad.海外；到处；广泛 (初中英语单词)
• henceforth [´hens´fɔ:θ] ad.今后；从今以后 (初中英语单词)
• saddle [´sædl] n.鞍子 v.装鞍(于) (初中英语单词)
• fierce [fiəs] a.残忍的；强烈的 (初中英语单词)
• beheld [bi´held] behold的过去式(分词) (初中英语单词)
• sweetness [´swi:tnis] n.甜蜜；芳香；亲切 (高中英语单词)
• knight [nait] n.骑士；爵士 (高中英语单词)
• bridle [´braidl] n.(马)笼头；束缚 (高中英语单词)
• mighty [´maiti] a.强有力的 ad.很 (高中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
• chamber [´tʃeimbə] n.房间；议院；会议室 (高中英语单词)
• courteous [´kə:tiəs] a.有礼貌的；殷勤的 (高中英语单词)
• avenge [ə´vendʒ] vt.替...报仇 (高中英语单词)
• stirrup [´stirəp] n.马蹬；镫形具 (英语四级单词)
• surgery [´sə:dʒəri] n.外科；外科手术 (英语四级单词)
• cudgel [´kʌdʒəl] n.短棍，棒 vt.棒打 (英语六级单词)