_Que be-m vols mal._
NOTE: Any one who has read anything of the troubadours knows
well the tale of Bertran of Born and My Lady Maent of
Montaignac, and knows also the song he made when she would
none of him, the song wherein he, seeking to find or make
her equal, begs of each preeminent lady of Langue d'Oc some
trait or some fair semblance: thus of Cembelins her "esgart
amoros" to wit, her love-lit glance, of Aelis her speech
free-running, of the Vicomptess of Chales her throat and her
two hands, at Roacoart of Anhes her hair golden as Iseult's;
and even in this fashion of Lady Audiart "although she would
that ill come unto him" he sought and praised the lineaments
of the torse. And all this to make "Una dompna soiseubuda" a
borrowed lady or as the Italians translated it "Una donna
ideale."
Though thou well dost wish me ill
Audiart, Audiart,
Where thy bodice laces start
As ivy fingers clutching through
Its crevices,
Audiart, Audiart,
Stately, tall and lovely tender
Who shall render
Audiart, Audiart
Praises meet unto thy fashion?
Here a word kiss!
Pass I on
Unto Lady "Miels-de-Ben,"
Having praised thy girdle's scope
How the stays ply back from it;
I breathe no hope
That thou shouldst....
Nay no whit
Bespeak thyself for anything.
Just a word in thy praise, girl,
Just for the swirl
Thy satins make upon the stair,
'Cause never a flaw was there
Where thy torse and limbs are met:
Though thou hate me, read it set
In rose and gold.[2]
Or when the minstrel, tale half told,
Shall burst to lilting at the phrase
"Audiart, Audiart"....
Bertrans, master of his lays,
Bertrans of Aultaforte thy praise
Sets forth, and though thou hate me well,
Yea though thou wish me ill
Audiart, Audiart.
Thy loveliness is here writ till,
Audiart,
Oh, till thou come again.[3]
And being bent and wrinkled, in a form
That hath no perfect limning, when the warm
Youth dew is cold
Upon thy hands, and thy old soul
Scorning a new, wry'd casement
Churlish at seemed misplacement
Finds the earth as bitter
As now seems it sweet,
Being so young and fair
As then only in dreams,
Being then young and wry'd,
Broken of ancient pride,
Thou shalt then soften,
Knowing I know not how
Thou wert once she
Audiart, Audiart
For whose fairness one forgave
Audiart, Audiart
Que be-m vols mal.
[Footnote 2: _I.e. in illumed manuscript._]
[Footnote 3: Reincarnate.]