Page:Aucassin and Nicolette (Bourdillon).pdf/41

Rh Here they speak and tell the story.

Aucassin heard Nicolette say that she would depart into another country, he felt nothing but anger.

"Fair sweet friend," said he, "you shall not depart, for then would you have killed me. The first man that set eyes on you and could do so would straightway lay hands on you and take you to be his concubine. And once you had lived with any man but me, now dream not that I should wait to find a knife wherewith to strike me to the heart and kill me! Nay, verily, that were all too long to wait. Rather would I fling me just so far as I might see a bit of wall, or a grey stone; and against that I would bash my head so hard that my eyes should start out and all my brains be scattered. Yet even such a death would I die rather than know you had lived with any man but me."

"Ah!" said she, "I trow not that you love me so well as you say; but I love you better than you do me."

"Alack!" said Aucassin, "fair sweet friend! That were not possible that you should love me