"And you, my darling, you are well found!" and so they kissed again and again with infinite joy.
"O my darling," said Aucassin, "my shoulder is sadly wounded. But, now I am with you, I know no pain nor grief."
Nicolette, when she heard this, felt of the place, and found, indeed, that the shoulder was out of joint. Then she tore a piece of linen, and placed in it a tuft of flowers and fresh herbs, and placed it on the sick place; and so she tended it and bandaged it with her white hands, that, with the aid of God, who cares for lovers, she cured him.
"Aucassin, my darling," said she, "what will you do now? If your father searches this wood to-morrow, he will find us. I do not know what will happen to you; but for me, I know I shall be killed."
"That is true, my darling," said Aucassin; "and that would be great grief to me: but, as long as I can, I will defend you and save you."
So saying, he mounted his horse, took his sweetheart before him, kissing her and embracing her; and so they rode across the country.
| [Now they sing it.] |
| Aucassin, the handsome boy, Glad with love and quick with joy, Leaves this bower of their rest; Nicolette he fondly prest In his arms upon his breast; He folded fast his pretty prize, Kissed her lips, and kissed her eyes, Kissed her lovely face all over,— Laughing boy and happy lover. But all this must not last. "Dear Aucassin," The girl began, "To what country shall we go?" "Dear child," said he, "how should I know? Little, dearest, do I care, How we go, or when, or where,— In this wood, or far away, If from you I do not stray." Then mountains high they passed, Passed through many lands, Till to the sea they found their way, And stood upon the sands By the shore. |
[Now they tell it, and speak it, and talk it.] |
Aucassin and his darling then dismounted. He took his horse by the bridle, and her by the hand, and so they walked along the beach. By and by they saw some sailors, and made signals to them, and the men landed, and agreed to take them back with them to the ship.
As soon as they were at sea, a terrible storm arose, so wonderful that it hurled them along from one country to another, till they came to a harbor at the castle of Torelore.2 They asked what country it was, and were told it was the country of the King of Torelore. Then Aucassin asked if he were at war; and they said he was, and that it was a very cruel war. Then he thanked the sailors, and took leave of them; mounted his horse, with Nicolette before him, and so rode towards the castle.
2 Torelore, or Turelure, so called, it is said, from the singularities of the people. Now, Turelure is the refrain of an old French song, which means, "always the same," as; we might say, "So, so, so, so, so." The place is Aigues Mortes, known to tourists, but now five or six miles from the sea. Aigues Mortes was originally Aquæ Mortuæ, the name of a land-locked seaport.—E. E. H.