Nicolette, so bright of face, Leaned within this buttressed place, Heard her lover weep within, Marked the woe of Aucassin. Then in words her thought she told, "Aucassin, fond heart and bold, What avails thine heart should ache For a Paynim maiden's sake. Ne'er may she become thy mate, Since we prove thy father's hate, Since thy kinsfolk hate me too; What for me is left to do? Nothing, but to seek the strand, Pass o'er sea to some far land." Shore she then one golden tress, Thrust it in her love's duress; Aucassin hath seen the gold Shining bright in that dark hold, Took the lock at her behest, Kissed and placed it in his breast, Then once more his eyes were wet For Nicolette. Now they say and tell and relate: When Aucassin heard Nicolette say that she would fare into another country, he was filled with anger. "Fair sweet friend," said he, "this be far from thee, for then wouldst thou have slain me. And the first man who saw thee, if so he might, would take thee forthwith and carry thee to his bed, and make thee his leman. Be sure that if thou wert found in any man's bed, save it be mine, I should not need a dagger to pierce my heart and slay me. Certes, no; wait would I not for a knife; but on the first wall or the nearest stone would I cast myself, and beat out my brains altogether. Better to die so foul a death as this, than know thee to be in any man's bed, save mine." "Aucassin," said she, "I doubt that thou lovest me less than thy words; and that my love is fonder than thine." "Alack," cried Aucassin, "fair sweet friend, how can it be that thy love should be so great? Woman cannot love man, as man loves woman; for woman's love is in the glance of her eye, and the blossom of her breast, and the tip of the toe of her foot; but the love of man is set deep in the hold of his heart, from whence it cannot be torn away." Whilst Aucassin and Nicolette were thus at odds together, the town watch entered the street, bearing naked swords beneath their mantles, for Count Garin had charged them strictly, once she were taken, to put her to death. The warder from his post upon the tower marked their approach, and as they drew near heard them speaking of Nicolette, menacing her with death. "God," said he, "it is great pity that so fair a damsel should be slain, and a rich alms should I give if I could warn her privily, and so she escape the snare; for of her death Aucassin, my liege, were dead already, and truly this were a piteous case." Now is sung: