lover,
however, vehemently insists that Nicolette is fit to be an empress,
and vows he will not fight until he has won her for his own. On seeing
how intractable this youth is, the father beseeches the owner of the
slave to clap her in prison, so that Aucassin will not be able to get
at her in any way.

Heart-broken to think that his lady-love is undergoing captivity in
his behalf, Aucassin spends his time moping. To induce him to fight,
his father finally promises that if he will go forth and drive away
the foe he will be allowed to see Nicolette and kiss her. The prospect
of such a reward so fires the young hero, that he sallies forth, routs
the besiegers, and, seizing the Count of Valence, brings him back a
prisoner. On entering the castle, he immediately begins to clamor for
Nicolette, but his father now declares he would rather see the maiden
burned as a witch than to let his son have anything more to do with
her. Hearing this, Aucassin indignantly declares such being the case
he will free his prisoner, an act of generosity which infuriates his
father, who hopes to be enriched by the count's ransom. To punish
Aucassin, the Count of Biaucaire now thrusts him into prison, but,
although the lovers are sharing the same fate, they languish apart,
and, therefore, spend all their time lamenting.

One night, when the moon is shining bright, Nicolette, who has heard
she is likely to be brought to trial and burned, decides to effect her
escape. As the old woman who mounts guard over her is fast asleep, she
softly ties together her sheets and towels, and, fastening them to a
pillar, lets herself down by the window into the garden, from whence
she timidly steals out into the night.

The poem now artlessly describes Nicolette's beauty as she trips over
the dewy grass, her tremors as she slips through the postern gate, and
her lingering at the foot of the tower where her lover is imprisoned.
While pausing there, Nicolette overhears his voice lamenting, and,
thrusting her head into an aperture in the wall, tells him that she is
about to escape and that as soon as she is gone they will set him
free. To convince her lover that it is she who is talking, Nicolette
cuts off a golden curl, which she drops down into his dungeon,
repeating that she must flee. But Aucassin beseeches her not to go,
knowing a young maid is exposed to countless dangers out in the world,
and vehemently declares he would die were any one to lay a finger upo