Aucassin and Nicolette

XXXII

Spoken: Story and Dialogue

At the sight of this surprising scene, Aucassin went to the king and called out to him:

"Lord," he said, "Are those people there your enemies?"

"Yes, lord," responded the king.

"Would you like me to take vengeance on them for you?"

"Yes," he said, "gladly."

Aucassin put his hand to his sword, threw himself in the middle of the combatants, started to strike right and left, killing many people. But the king, when he realized what was happening, seized the bridle of his horse, saying:

"Ah, lord, do not kill them like this!"

"What?" said Aucassin, "You don't want me to take vengeance on them for you?"

"Lord," said the king, "you have come from too far away: it is not the custom here to kill one another."

The adversaries in retreat, Aucassin and the king went back to the Torelore castle, where the people of the country told the prince to drive Aucassin out from the land and to keep Nicolette by his son's side because she resembled a high-born woman. This proposal, which Nicolette heard, did not please her, and she began to say: