Aucassin and Nicolette

XL

Spoken: Story and Dialogue

When Aucassin heard Nicolette saying these words, he was transported with joy. He took her aside and asked her:

"My very dear friend," he said, "do you know something of this Nicolette you were just singing about?"

"Lord, yes, I know that she is the most generous creature, the noblest, the most honest ever born. She is the King of Carthage's daughter, he captured her at the same time as Aucassin and brought her to his city so he discovered she was his daughter: he celebrated her; every day they wanted to marry her to one of the greatest kings in all of Spain; but she would let herself be hanged or burned before marrying anyone, no matter how powerful."

"Ah! My very dear friend," replied Count Aucassin, "if you would consent to return to that country to tell her to come speak to me, I would give you anything you dared ask for, or take, of my belongings. And know that, for love of her, I have refused to marry any woman, no matter her nobility, but I am waiting for her and will marry no other. If I had known where to find her, I would no longer be looking for her."

"Lord," said Nicolette, "if you act as you say you will, I will go find her for you and for her, who I love dearly."

He promised her, and had twenty pounds given to her. She took her leave, he cried at the memory of the tender Nicolette. Seeing him in tears, she said to him:

"Lord, don't worry, before long I will have brought her to your town, and you will see her."

These words filled Aucassin with joy. She took leave of him to find the viscountess's house in the town: it must be said that the viscount her godfather was dead. She took up lodging there and finished by telling the viscountess her story, recognized by the viscountess who understood that this was her Nicolette, and had her washed, bathed, and rested for a good eight days.

So Nicolette cut an herb called eclaire and coated her body with it: she became more beautiful than ever. She dressed herself in fine silk clothing which the viscountess possessed in great amounts, and seated herself in the chamber upon a silk cushion. Then she called her hostess and asked her to find Aucassin her friend. The lady did thus, and, upon reaching the castle, found Aucassin in tears, calling for Nicolette his friend and regretting that she was taking too long. The lady called him and said to him:

"Aucassin, do not despair any longer; but come quickly with me and I will show you the being you love most in the world, Nicolette your sweet friend, who has come to find you from afar."

Aucassin was filled with joy.