OUTSIDE THE CHURCH, SAINTES MARIES.
By Joseph Pennell.
The famous Rudel, hero of Rostand's "Princesse Lointaine" who fell in love with the distant princess whom he had never seen, and journeyed far over the sea to visit her, only to die in her arms almost on the instant that he beheld her, was perhaps one of the least unfortunate of the fraternity, for he never knew the bitterness of disillusion; never frittered away his sentiment in little quarrels and misunderstandings, never suffered the miseries of jealousy.
Soon the famous names began to call up to us a living personality like that of a friend: Raimbaut de Vacqueiras, Bernart de Ventadour, Pierre Vidal, Cadenet, Bertrand de Born, Guilhelm de Cabestaing, Pons de Chapteuil.... And then the charming Countess of Die, the Sappho of Provence whose voice "had the colour of Alban wine" according to her modern biographer already quoted. The leaves of the volume were always sharply arrested when we came upon her name.
In vain, it would appear, had she a beautiful voice and a beautiful face, for she fell in love with that Provençal Don Juan, Count Raimbaut d'Orange, who soon grew tired of her, as her sad songs relate.
We were delighted to come upon the following truly disconsolate canzo, for it seemed to bring us in touch with the poor lady:—
"A chantar m'er de so qu'ieu no volria
Tant me rancur de lui cui sui amia;
Car ieu l'am mais que nuilla ren que sia:
Vas lui n'om val merces ni cortesia,