The night was fine and clear. Aucassin rode and rode for a long time; and after he had passed from one road to another, and from one path to another, he came at last to Nicolette's little lodge. Inside and outside, before and behind, it had flowers marvellous sweet and lovely to the eye. A ray of moonlight lighted it up, so that Aucassin saw the pretty lodge, and stopped in a minute. "Ah!" said he, "nobody but my darling Nicolette made this bower; and she has made it with her own pretty hands. For her sake and in memory of her I will dismount now; and I will spend the night here." So saying, he took his foot from the stirrup, that he might dismount. But alas! he was thinking of nothing but Nicolette, and was taking no care of himself. Besides, his horse was large and was high; and so it happened that he fell upon a stone, and fell so hard that he put his shoulder out of joint. All wounded as he was, still he was able to fasten the horse to a tree with his other arm. Then he went back to the lodge, and entered it, and lay upon his back, and looked up at the blue sky and the golden stars through a hole in the roof of his fragrant retreat. As he lay and looked, he saw one star brighter than all the others. Then, with a sigh, he began to sing. [_Now they sing it._] Star of light, which I behold With the Queen of Light, Nicolette of locks of gold Is with thee to-night. Oh! if I were there in bliss In thy still home above, How gladly would I pet and kiss My sweetest love! [_Now they tell it, and speak it, and talk it._] When Nicolette heard Aucassin, she ran to him; for she was not far off. She entered the lodge, and threw her beautiful arms around his neck, kissed him, and embraced him most tenderly. "Well found, dear sweet friend!" said she. "And you, my darling, you are well found!" and so they kissed again and again with infinite joy. "O my darling," said Aucassin, "my shoulder is sadly wounded. But, now I am with you, I know no pain nor grief." Nicolette, when she heard this, felt of the place, and found, indeed, that the shoulder was out of joint. Then she tore a piece of linen, and placed in it a tuft of flowers and fresh herbs, and placed it on the sick place; and so she tended it and bandaged it with her white hands, that, with the aid of God, who cares for lovers, she cured him. "Aucassin, my darling," said she, "what will you do now? If your father searches this wood to-morrow, he will find us. I do not know what will happen to you; but for me, I know I shall be killed." "That is true, my darling," said Aucassin; "and that would be great grief to me: but, as long as I can, I will defend you and save you." So saying, he mounted his horse, took his sweetheart before him, kissing her and embracing her; and so they rode across the country. [_Now they sing it._]