She then describes her lonely state, her grief for his absence, her pining for his return. She laments the horrors of war which have torn him from her; but in a strain of eloquent poetry, and in the spirit of a high-souled woman, to whom her husband's honour was dear as his life, she calls on him to perform all that his duty as a brave knight, and his loyalty to his sovereign require. She reminds him, with enthusiasm, of the motto of French chivalry, "mourir plutôt que trahir son devoir;" then suddenly breaking off, with a graceful and wife-like modesty, she wonders at her own presumption thus to address her lord, her husband, the son of a race of heroes,—
Mais que dis! ah d'où vient qu'orgueilleuse t'advise!
Toi, escolier! toi, l'enfant des heros
Pardonne maintes soucis à celle qui t'adore—
A tant d'amour, est permis quelque effroi.
She describes herself looking out from the tower of her castle to watch the return of his banner; she tells him how she again and again visits the scenes endeared by the remembrance of their mutual happiness. The most beautiful touches of description are here mingled with the fond expressions of feminine tenderness.
Là, me dis-je, ai reçu sa dernière caresse,
Et jusqu'aux os, soudain, me sens bruler.
Ici les ung ormeil, cerclé par aubespine
Que doux printemps jà[20] courronnait de fleurs,
Me dit adieu—Sanglots suffoquent ma poctrine,
Et dans mes yeux roulent torrents de pleurs.
....*....*....*....*
D'autresfois, écartant ces cruelles images,
Crois m'enfonçant au plus dense des bois,
Mêler des rossignols aux amoureuse ramages,
Entre tes bras, mon amoureux voix:
Me semble ouïr, échappant de ta bouche rosée,
Ces mots gentils, qui me font tressaillir,
Ainz[21] vois au mème instant que me suis abusée
Et soupirant, suis prête à défailler!
After indulging in other regrets, expressed with rather more naïveté than suits the present taste, she bursts into an eloquent invective against the English invaders[22] and the factious nobles of France, whose crimes and violence detained her husband from her arms.
Quand reverrai, dis-moi, ton si duisant[23] visage?
Quand te pourrai face à face mirer?
T'enlacer tellement à mon frément[24] corsage,
Que toi, ni moi, n'en puissions respirer?
and she concludes with this tender envoi:
Où que suives ton roi, ne mets ta douce amie
En tel oubli, qu'ignore où git ce lieu:
Jusqu'alors en souci, de calme n'aura mie,—
Plus ne t'en dis—que t'en souvienne! adieu!