Page:Studies in the history of the renaissance (IA studiesinhistor01pategoog).djvu/36

14 age. Aucassin represents this ideal intensity of passion—

the slim, tall, debonair figure, dansellon, as the singers call him, with curled yellow hair and eyes of vair, who faints with love, as Dante fainted, who rides all day through the forest in search of Nicolette, while the thorns tear his flesh so that one might have traced him by the blood upon the grass, and who weeps at evening because he has not found her; who has the malady of his love so that he neglects all knightly duties. Once he is induced to put himself at the head of his people, that they, seeing him before them, might have more heart to defend themselves; then a song relates how the sweet grave figure goes forth to battle in dainty tight-laced armour. It is the very image of the Provençal love-god, no longer a child but grown to pensive youth, as Pierre Vidal met him, riding on a white horse, fair as the morning, his vestment embroidered with flowers. He rode on through the gates into the open plain beyond. But as he went that strong malady of his love came upon him, so that the bridle fell from his hands; and like one who sleeps walking, he was carried on into the midst of the enemy, and heard them talking together how they might most conveniently kill him.