SCENE VIUgrin.Ay, so they are! "Whip, whip the fool!" We wrackOur weary brains to make a jest and then,In payment, we are whipped if they so feelInclined! They treat us more like dogs than men![He goes to the table where the food stands,and takes a bite.]Art hungry, brother? Wait, I'll bring my cloak.For thou art cold.[He draws a cloak from under the stairs.]'Tis here, beneath the stairs,I sleep.—A very kennel! 'Tis a shame.[He eats again.]Wilt thou not eat a morsel of what's leftUpon the table here? Nor drink a drop?'Tis not forbidden, friend; our cousin letsUs eat and drink of what is left.[He goes into the middle of the hall andbends down to look into the StrangeJester's face.]Art sadDear brother? Speak to me! Come, come, look notSo sorrowful![Bending over the corpse of the deadKnight.]This man is colder stillThan thou! Art thou afraid? He'll not awake.[Comes close to the Strange Jester.]I'll wrap thee close within my cloak that thouMay'st sleep. Dost thou not wish to sleep!Why then I'll sing a song to make thee sleep. Alas!I know but joyous, silly songs! Come layThee down.[He sits on the bench and draws the headupon his lap.]Thou look'st not happy, brother. HastA sorrow? Tell it me; here canst thou restAt ease, and I will sing a song. Thou seemstA child to whom one must sing songs to makeIt sleep. I'll sing the song that Queen IseultIs wont to sing at even when she thinksOf Tristram, her dear friend, sitting besideHer open casement. 'Tis a pretty song.[With bowed head and closed eyes he humsvery softly as if in his sleep. The bodyof the Strange Jester under the blackcloak that covers it is shaken by sobsof anguish.]"Lord Tristram, my friend, is unfaithful,And God's wrath on him shall descend;Though cruelly he has betrayed me—"ACT VSame as Act IV.—The first glow of dawn shines through the grated door and windows, becoming brighter until the end of the Act. The Strange Jester sits cowering on the steps of the dais.Brangaenecomes hesitatingly down the steps; she carries an oil-lamp in her hand.SCENE IBrangaene(her voice is muffled by fear).Art thou still here, thou ghastly being? GhostOf awful midnight hours?Str. Jester.Brangaene IAm here, and here I shall remain.Brangaene(looking for something on the ground).MethoughtKing Mark had paid thy jests with whips and hadThen driven thee away; and yet thou sitstHere in the self-same place and starest stillWith blear'd and fish-like eyes. Dost thou not knowThat day is come? Fool, if thou hast a heartThrough which the warm blood flows, I pray thee go!Go ere the Queen come down and see thee here!Begone!Str. Jester.What seekest thou?Brangaene.I seek the ring;The ring that Queen Iseult let fall last night.Str. Jester.The ring is mine; I picked it up!Brangaene(angrily).IseultDesires the ring! Str. Jester. I will not give it up!Brangaene.The Queen will have thee hung unless thou giveThe ring to her. She wants the ring!Str. Jester.IseultReceived the ring; she cast my gift away,As she threw me away. I'll keep it now.But if she wishes it so earnestlyLet her then come and beg the ring of me.Brangaene.Audacious knave! How vauntest thou thyself!Give me the ring, and then begone, thou fool,Ere Mark awake!Str. Jester.To Queen Iseult herselfI'll give the ring, and to none else. She shallNot let me die in misery as sheDesires God may help her in her grief!Brangaene(going up the stairs).Thou fool, may God's damnation strike thee dead,Thou and Lord Tristram for the night that's passed!I'll bring thy words into the Queen that sheMay have thee slain in secret by Gwain!SCENE IIBrangaenedisappears above; the Strange Jester cowers motionless, his head buried in his hands. After a momentIseult, in a white night robe, comes down the stairs withBrangaene. She steps close in front of the Jester, who does not move.Brangaeneremains on the lowest step, leaning against the post of the bannister.Iseult.Thou gruesome fool, art thou some bird of prey.Some wolf that comes to feed upon my soul?Wilt thou not go? Why liest thou in waitFor me here in the dawning light like someWild beast that waits its quarry?Str. Jester(looking up heavily).Queen Iseult!Oh dearest, fairest, sweetest one!Iseult.How dar'stThou call me by such names! My boiling bloodTurns cold and shudders! Go!Str. Jester(groaning softly).Where, lady, canI find a sea whose endless depths are deepEnough to drown my bitter misery?Where? Tell me where, and I will go.Iseult.Go whereThou wilt, so it be far away—so farThat the whole world shall sever thee and me,And shall divide me from thy woe! My soulBleeds like an unheal'd wound when thou art near.As though thou wert its murderer, and lo,'Twill bleed to death from thy propinquity,Thou fool! Hence, go, but give me first the ringThou stol'st last night and which in wanton jestThou torest from the hand of yon dead Knight.It is Lord Tristram's ring.Str. Jester.Ay, Queen Iseult,The ring is his—above all other thingsHe values it!Iseult.Give me the ring, else shaltThou die! I'll have thee slain, I swear, as sureAs I have suffered all this night such pangsAs suffered Mary at the cross of Christ.Str. Jester(standing up).The ring is mine! I gave it yonder manTo cherish like his life.—He's died for theeAnd me;—I gave him too my soul to guardThat by this ring he might compel and bringThee to me in the wood tonight. Oh, 'twasAn evil hour for us both, Iseult,That Lord Denovalin rode through the woodToday. Now, answer me, Iseult, wilt thouStill keep the oath thou sware to Tristram once?Iseult(fixedly).I'll break no oath that I have sworn, for GodHas sanctioned all my vows.Str. Jester.Then call I thee,Iseult the Goldenhaired, in Tristram's name,And by this ring. [He hands her the ring.]Iseult.Knowst thou that oath as well.Thou ghost!(Solemnly.)Oh God, here in this hand, grown paleAnd hot from resting on my heart all night,I hold the ring of gold and emerald stoneBy which I sware to Tristram to obeyHis will, and come to him when one should callUpon me by this ring and in his name!Lo, thou hast called upon me; I obey!What wishest thou of me, thou evil ghostWith hollow sunken eyes? What wouldst thou have.Thou spectre of the twilight gloom?Str. Jester.I callOn thee, Iseult, my love, in my distress!Oh know me now, who was thy lover once!Iseult.Thou suck'st my blood!Str. Jester.Thy blood was mine! Thy bloodWas once mine own! It was a crimson trustreposing in my knightly hands to keepIrrevocably until Death. And whereThou goest there go I; and where thou staystThere stay I too. So spoke thy blood—I comeTo claim but what is mine.Iseult(in great passion).What have I doneTo thee that thou recountest my past lifeAs 'twere a mocking song? Who art thou, fool?Who art thou? Speak? I'm knocking at thy soulAs knocks a dead man's soul outside the gatesOf Paradise! Who art thou, fool? Art thouMagician? Art thou ghost? Art thou some soulForever wandering for some evil deed?Art thou some faithless lover barred from Heav'nAnd Hell eternally, whose punishmentIt is to wander restless through the worldForever begging love from women's hearts?Did God permit that thou shouldst know what none,Save only Tristram and myself have known?That thou shouldst taste of bitter torment stillBy thinking thou art Tristram and shouldst thusMake greater expiation for thy sins?Str. Jester.I am a faithless lover who has lovedMost faithfully, Iseult, belovèd one!Iseult.Why criest thou my name unceasingly,As scream enhungered owls, thou pallid fool?Why starest thou at me with eyes that tearsAnd pain have rendered pitiless? I knowNaught of thy grief and am no leech to cureThy fool's disease!Str. Jester.Iseult!Iseult(in growing agitation).Shall I shave offMy hair as thou hast done? Shall I too wearA jester's parti-colored garb? Shall IGo through the land, and howling in the streetsBawl out Lord Tristram's name to make the throngOf greasy knaves laugh? Speak? Is this the cureThou needest for thy grief? Does Tristram mockMe through thy ribald wit? Does he revengeHimself upon me thus because I lovedHim long before he saw Iseult, the FairWhitehanded Queen, and gave my soul and bloodTo him? In scornful and in bitter wordsHas he revealed our secret love to thee?Has he betrayed me to his wife? Art thouIn league with her? Has her black spirit sentThee here to torture me by raising upThe phantom images of that past lifeWhich once I knew, but which is dead?Confess!And! I will load thee down with precious gifts,And daily pray for thee! I'll line thy wayWith servants and I'll honor thee as thoughThou wert of royal blood where e'er thou art![She falls on her knees.]Release my soul, thou fool, before I turnA fool from very horror and from dread!Str. Jester(raising her).Kneel not to me, Beloved One! Arise!Iseult(remains a moment in his arms and then drawsaway shuddering).When Tristram called, the Heavens echoed backA golden peal, as echoes through the landThe music of a golden bell; the world rejoicedAnd from its depths sprang up sweet sounds of joy.And with them danced my heart exultingly!When Tristram stood beside me, all the airWas wont to quiver with a secret blissThat made the beasts move 'round uneasily.The birds sang in the dead of night and soBetrayed us! Say, who broke the bond that knitOur kindred souls in one?Str. Jester.Lord Tristram brokeThe bond and, faithless, took another wife!Oh see, Iseult, how great the wrong he didUs both!Iseult(looking at him fixedly).I hear a raven's croak; I feelThe icy breath of some strange body whenThou standest burning by my side, thou fool!Thou pallid ghost!Str. Jester.Yet hast thou oft embracedThese limbs upon the journey o'er the wideAnd purple sea along the starry wayOf our great happiness—just thou and I,Alone in blissful loneliness! And thouHast often listened to this voice when it.In the deep forest, called the nightingales,Alluring them to sing above thy head,And like them whispered in thine earsSoft words that made a wave of passion flow,Sweet and voluptuous, through thy burning veins!Iseult, shall I repeat those words? Wilt thouAgain go wandering through the worldWith singing blood that makes our hearts beat highIn perfect unison of love, with souls that dreamIn silent happiness?Iseult.Lord Tristram's stepsBeside me made my blood soar heavenwardAnd bore me up until the earth bowed down,And bent beneath our feet like surging waves,And carried us like lofty ships that sailTo victory!Str. Jester.Ay, Ay, Iseult, 'Twas so we walked!Iseult, art thou still mindful of the dayWhen, hawk on fist, we galloped o'er the downs,For Mark was with Lord Dinas on that day?Dost thou remember how I lifted theeFrom thy good steed and placed thee on mine own,And held thee close embraced, while thou didst clingTo me like some fond child.Iseult.And Tristram, boldIn the intoxication of his love,Let go the reins, and gave his horse the spurs,Till, like an arrow in full flight, it cloveThe golden air and bore us heavenward!How often have I dreamed of that wild ride.And now with Isot of the Fair White HandsHe rides, as formerly with me—!Str. Jester.And shallI sing to thee, Iseult the Goldenhaired,The lay of that White-handed wife who sitsAnd grieves by day and night? It is the sadAnd sombre song of my great guilt. Her eyesAre red from weeping—!Iseult.Ay, and mine are redFrom weeping too! Fool, Fool, why mock'st thou me?But since thou knowst so much of Tristram, tellMe this; why did Lord Tristram marry her—,This Isot of the Fair White Hands?Str. Jester(slowly and painfully).There playsAbout her mouth a silver smile; this smileEnchanted him one lonely night. But, when,At cold gray dawn, he heard her called IseultHe nigh went mad with sorrow and with joyFrom thinking of the real Iseult—of her,The Goldenhaired—the beautiful, aboutWhose mouth there plays a golden smile. Then, sickAt heart, and weary of this life, he wishedTo die, until his sorrow drove him here,To Cornwall, once again to see his loveBefore he died and, face to face stand onceAgain with her!—The rest thou knowest well.Iseult(angrily).Ay, fool, I know the rest, and I know tooThat for these black and loathsome lies of thineThere's one reward!—And that is death! I'll putAn end to my great suffering! If thouArt Tristram thou shalt live, and, in mine arms,That yearn for Tristram, thou shalt find a hotAnd passionate forgetfulness of coolAnd silver smiles thou fledest from! If thouHast lied no longer shalt thou dream at nightOf golden and of silver smiles!(ToBrangaene. )Go fetchThe key, Brangaene, of the upper cell!Brangaene(horrified).Iseult, what wouldst thou do?Iseult.Obey me, girl!Now listen, spectre, to my words. There livesWithin these walls a hound who has becomeA wild and raging beast from his great loveFor Tristram, once his master. Fool, this dogIs full as savage as a fierce white wolfThat lusts for human flesh; his food is thrustInto his cage on sticks. Since Tristram left,The beast has slain three keepers. Fool, what think'stThou of this hound? Would he attack and tearLord Tristram like a wolf should Tristram chanceTo step within his cage?Str. Jester(rising, tall, determined, and noble).Oh Queen Iseult—!Oh Queen Iseult—! Old Husdent ever wasMy faithful hound—. Let me go to him now.Iseult(starting back).Thou knowst his name—!Str. Jester.Brangaene, lead the fool.Obey thy mistress's command. Thou needstNot lead me to the cage! I know the way.Give me the key![He snatches the key fromBrangaene'shand and disappears with long stridesbehind the stairs. He is erect and proud.The two women stand looking at eachother amazed and motionless.]SCENE IIIBrangaene.Poor fool, I pity him!Iseult(breaking out passionately).He must not go! My God, he must not! CallHim back, Brangaene, call him back!The Voice of the Jester(joyfully).Husdent!Brangaene.Oh, hark!Iseult(in increasing fear).His cry! His dying cry, perhaps!Brangaene, dearest sister, what thinkst thouOf this Strange Jester Tramtris?[The women stare at each other withoutspeaking.]Wilt thou goAnd look between the bars?[Brangaenegoes after the Strange Jester.]Oh Thou who hastCreated this great world, why didst Thou thenCreate me, too?Brangaene(reentering in great excitement).Iseult! Oh God, Iseult!Old Husdent's cage is empty, and the foolWith Husdent leapt the wall and they aregone! [She hastens to the window.]Iseult.Has he then slain the dog and fled away?Brangaene.Behold! There goes the fool, and Husdent jumpsAnd dances round him as he walks and, madWith joy, leaps howling up and licks his faceAnd hands!Iseult(jumps on to the bench before the window andwaves her hand joyously).Oh Tristram, Tristram, thou dear fool!My dear belovèd friend!—He does not turn!—Oh call! Oh call him back!—Run! Run! Make hasteTo follow him and bring him back! He doesNot hear my voice!Brangaene(shaking the bars of the gate).The gate! my God, the gate!The guards are still asleep!Iseult.Oh God! I die!Oh Tristram! Tristram! Tristram! See, he turnsNot back! God is unkind. He loves me not.I'll bathe thy feet with tears and dry them thenWith burning kisses! Tristram! Tramtris, come!Belovèd fool, turn back! He goes! He's gone!See how the sun shines on his jester's garb,And makes his red cloak gleam! How grand, how tallHe is! See! Tristram goes back to the worldForever now![She raises herself to her full height—fixedly.]My friend, Brangaene, myBelovèd friend was here![She sinks back intoBrangaene'sarms.]
Ugrin.Ay, so they are! "Whip, whip the fool!" We wrackOur weary brains to make a jest and then,In payment, we are whipped if they so feelInclined! They treat us more like dogs than men!
[He goes to the table where the food stands,and takes a bite.]
Art hungry, brother? Wait, I'll bring my cloak.For thou art cold.
[He draws a cloak from under the stairs.]
'Tis here, beneath the stairs,I sleep.—A very kennel! 'Tis a shame.
[He eats again.]
Wilt thou not eat a morsel of what's leftUpon the table here? Nor drink a drop?'Tis not forbidden, friend; our cousin letsUs eat and drink of what is left.
[He goes into the middle of the hall andbends down to look into the StrangeJester's face.]
Art sadDear brother? Speak to me! Come, come, look notSo sorrowful!
[Bending over the corpse of the deadKnight.]
This man is colder stillThan thou! Art thou afraid? He'll not awake.
[Comes close to the Strange Jester.]
I'll wrap thee close within my cloak that thouMay'st sleep. Dost thou not wish to sleep!Why then I'll sing a song to make thee sleep. Alas!I know but joyous, silly songs! Come layThee down.
[He sits on the bench and draws the headupon his lap.]
Thou look'st not happy, brother. HastA sorrow? Tell it me; here canst thou restAt ease, and I will sing a song. Thou seemstA child to whom one must sing songs to makeIt sleep. I'll sing the song that Queen IseultIs wont to sing at even when she thinksOf Tristram, her dear friend, sitting besideHer open casement. 'Tis a pretty song.
[With bowed head and closed eyes he humsvery softly as if in his sleep. The bodyof the Strange Jester under the blackcloak that covers it is shaken by sobsof anguish.]
"Lord Tristram, my friend, is unfaithful,And God's wrath on him shall descend;Though cruelly he has betrayed me—"
Same as Act IV.—The first glow of dawn shines through the grated door and windows, becoming brighter until the end of the Act. The Strange Jester sits cowering on the steps of the dais.Brangaenecomes hesitatingly down the steps; she carries an oil-lamp in her hand.
Brangaene(her voice is muffled by fear).Art thou still here, thou ghastly being? GhostOf awful midnight hours?
Str. Jester.Brangaene IAm here, and here I shall remain.
Brangaene(looking for something on the ground).MethoughtKing Mark had paid thy jests with whips and hadThen driven thee away; and yet thou sitstHere in the self-same place and starest stillWith blear'd and fish-like eyes. Dost thou not knowThat day is come? Fool, if thou hast a heartThrough which the warm blood flows, I pray thee go!Go ere the Queen come down and see thee here!Begone!
Str. Jester.What seekest thou?
Brangaene.I seek the ring;The ring that Queen Iseult let fall last night.
Str. Jester.The ring is mine; I picked it up!
Brangaene(angrily).IseultDesires the ring! Str. Jester. I will not give it up!
Brangaene.The Queen will have thee hung unless thou giveThe ring to her. She wants the ring!
Str. Jester.IseultReceived the ring; she cast my gift away,As she threw me away. I'll keep it now.But if she wishes it so earnestlyLet her then come and beg the ring of me.
Brangaene.Audacious knave! How vauntest thou thyself!Give me the ring, and then begone, thou fool,Ere Mark awake!
Str. Jester.To Queen Iseult herselfI'll give the ring, and to none else. She shallNot let me die in misery as sheDesires God may help her in her grief!
Brangaene(going up the stairs).Thou fool, may God's damnation strike thee dead,Thou and Lord Tristram for the night that's passed!I'll bring thy words into the Queen that sheMay have thee slain in secret by Gwain!
Brangaenedisappears above; the Strange Jester cowers motionless, his head buried in his hands. After a momentIseult, in a white night robe, comes down the stairs withBrangaene. She steps close in front of the Jester, who does not move.Brangaeneremains on the lowest step, leaning against the post of the bannister.
Iseult.Thou gruesome fool, art thou some bird of prey.Some wolf that comes to feed upon my soul?Wilt thou not go? Why liest thou in waitFor me here in the dawning light like someWild beast that waits its quarry?
Str. Jester(looking up heavily).Queen Iseult!Oh dearest, fairest, sweetest one!
Iseult.How dar'stThou call me by such names! My boiling bloodTurns cold and shudders! Go!
Str. Jester(groaning softly).Where, lady, canI find a sea whose endless depths are deepEnough to drown my bitter misery?Where? Tell me where, and I will go.
Iseult.Go whereThou wilt, so it be far away—so farThat the whole world shall sever thee and me,And shall divide me from thy woe! My soulBleeds like an unheal'd wound when thou art near.As though thou wert its murderer, and lo,'Twill bleed to death from thy propinquity,Thou fool! Hence, go, but give me first the ringThou stol'st last night and which in wanton jestThou torest from the hand of yon dead Knight.It is Lord Tristram's ring.
Str. Jester.Ay, Queen Iseult,The ring is his—above all other thingsHe values it!
Iseult.Give me the ring, else shaltThou die! I'll have thee slain, I swear, as sureAs I have suffered all this night such pangsAs suffered Mary at the cross of Christ.
Str. Jester(standing up).The ring is mine! I gave it yonder manTo cherish like his life.—He's died for theeAnd me;—I gave him too my soul to guardThat by this ring he might compel and bringThee to me in the wood tonight. Oh, 'twasAn evil hour for us both, Iseult,That Lord Denovalin rode through the woodToday. Now, answer me, Iseult, wilt thouStill keep the oath thou sware to Tristram once?
Iseult(fixedly).I'll break no oath that I have sworn, for GodHas sanctioned all my vows.
Str. Jester.Then call I thee,Iseult the Goldenhaired, in Tristram's name,And by this ring. [He hands her the ring.]
Iseult.Knowst thou that oath as well.Thou ghost!
(Solemnly.)
Oh God, here in this hand, grown paleAnd hot from resting on my heart all night,I hold the ring of gold and emerald stoneBy which I sware to Tristram to obeyHis will, and come to him when one should callUpon me by this ring and in his name!Lo, thou hast called upon me; I obey!What wishest thou of me, thou evil ghostWith hollow sunken eyes? What wouldst thou have.Thou spectre of the twilight gloom?
Str. Jester.I callOn thee, Iseult, my love, in my distress!Oh know me now, who was thy lover once!
Iseult.Thou suck'st my blood!
Str. Jester.Thy blood was mine! Thy bloodWas once mine own! It was a crimson trustreposing in my knightly hands to keepIrrevocably until Death. And whereThou goest there go I; and where thou staystThere stay I too. So spoke thy blood—I comeTo claim but what is mine.
Iseult(in great passion).What have I doneTo thee that thou recountest my past lifeAs 'twere a mocking song? Who art thou, fool?Who art thou? Speak? I'm knocking at thy soulAs knocks a dead man's soul outside the gatesOf Paradise! Who art thou, fool? Art thouMagician? Art thou ghost? Art thou some soulForever wandering for some evil deed?Art thou some faithless lover barred from Heav'nAnd Hell eternally, whose punishmentIt is to wander restless through the worldForever begging love from women's hearts?Did God permit that thou shouldst know what none,Save only Tristram and myself have known?That thou shouldst taste of bitter torment stillBy thinking thou art Tristram and shouldst thusMake greater expiation for thy sins?
Str. Jester.I am a faithless lover who has lovedMost faithfully, Iseult, belovèd one!
Iseult.Why criest thou my name unceasingly,As scream enhungered owls, thou pallid fool?Why starest thou at me with eyes that tearsAnd pain have rendered pitiless? I knowNaught of thy grief and am no leech to cureThy fool's disease!
Str. Jester.Iseult!
Iseult(in growing agitation).Shall I shave offMy hair as thou hast done? Shall I too wearA jester's parti-colored garb? Shall IGo through the land, and howling in the streetsBawl out Lord Tristram's name to make the throngOf greasy knaves laugh? Speak? Is this the cureThou needest for thy grief? Does Tristram mockMe through thy ribald wit? Does he revengeHimself upon me thus because I lovedHim long before he saw Iseult, the FairWhitehanded Queen, and gave my soul and bloodTo him? In scornful and in bitter wordsHas he revealed our secret love to thee?Has he betrayed me to his wife? Art thouIn league with her? Has her black spirit sentThee here to torture me by raising upThe phantom images of that past lifeWhich once I knew, but which is dead?Confess!And! I will load thee down with precious gifts,And daily pray for thee! I'll line thy wayWith servants and I'll honor thee as thoughThou wert of royal blood where e'er thou art!
[She falls on her knees.]
Release my soul, thou fool, before I turnA fool from very horror and from dread!
Str. Jester(raising her).Kneel not to me, Beloved One! Arise!
Iseult(remains a moment in his arms and then drawsaway shuddering).When Tristram called, the Heavens echoed backA golden peal, as echoes through the landThe music of a golden bell; the world rejoicedAnd from its depths sprang up sweet sounds of joy.And with them danced my heart exultingly!When Tristram stood beside me, all the airWas wont to quiver with a secret blissThat made the beasts move 'round uneasily.The birds sang in the dead of night and soBetrayed us! Say, who broke the bond that knitOur kindred souls in one?
Str. Jester.Lord Tristram brokeThe bond and, faithless, took another wife!Oh see, Iseult, how great the wrong he didUs both!
Iseult(looking at him fixedly).I hear a raven's croak; I feelThe icy breath of some strange body whenThou standest burning by my side, thou fool!Thou pallid ghost!
Str. Jester.Yet hast thou oft embracedThese limbs upon the journey o'er the wideAnd purple sea along the starry wayOf our great happiness—just thou and I,Alone in blissful loneliness! And thouHast often listened to this voice when it.In the deep forest, called the nightingales,Alluring them to sing above thy head,And like them whispered in thine earsSoft words that made a wave of passion flow,Sweet and voluptuous, through thy burning veins!Iseult, shall I repeat those words? Wilt thouAgain go wandering through the worldWith singing blood that makes our hearts beat highIn perfect unison of love, with souls that dreamIn silent happiness?
Iseult.Lord Tristram's stepsBeside me made my blood soar heavenwardAnd bore me up until the earth bowed down,And bent beneath our feet like surging waves,And carried us like lofty ships that sailTo victory!
Str. Jester.Ay, Ay, Iseult, 'Twas so we walked!Iseult, art thou still mindful of the dayWhen, hawk on fist, we galloped o'er the downs,For Mark was with Lord Dinas on that day?Dost thou remember how I lifted theeFrom thy good steed and placed thee on mine own,And held thee close embraced, while thou didst clingTo me like some fond child.
Iseult.And Tristram, boldIn the intoxication of his love,Let go the reins, and gave his horse the spurs,Till, like an arrow in full flight, it cloveThe golden air and bore us heavenward!How often have I dreamed of that wild ride.And now with Isot of the Fair White HandsHe rides, as formerly with me—!
Str. Jester.And shallI sing to thee, Iseult the Goldenhaired,The lay of that White-handed wife who sitsAnd grieves by day and night? It is the sadAnd sombre song of my great guilt. Her eyesAre red from weeping—!
Iseult.Ay, and mine are redFrom weeping too! Fool, Fool, why mock'st thou me?But since thou knowst so much of Tristram, tellMe this; why did Lord Tristram marry her—,This Isot of the Fair White Hands?
Str. Jester(slowly and painfully).There playsAbout her mouth a silver smile; this smileEnchanted him one lonely night. But, when,At cold gray dawn, he heard her called IseultHe nigh went mad with sorrow and with joyFrom thinking of the real Iseult—of her,The Goldenhaired—the beautiful, aboutWhose mouth there plays a golden smile. Then, sickAt heart, and weary of this life, he wishedTo die, until his sorrow drove him here,To Cornwall, once again to see his loveBefore he died and, face to face stand onceAgain with her!—The rest thou knowest well.
Iseult(angrily).Ay, fool, I know the rest, and I know tooThat for these black and loathsome lies of thineThere's one reward!—And that is death! I'll putAn end to my great suffering! If thouArt Tristram thou shalt live, and, in mine arms,That yearn for Tristram, thou shalt find a hotAnd passionate forgetfulness of coolAnd silver smiles thou fledest from! If thouHast lied no longer shalt thou dream at nightOf golden and of silver smiles!
(ToBrangaene. )
Go fetchThe key, Brangaene, of the upper cell!
Brangaene(horrified).Iseult, what wouldst thou do?
Iseult.Obey me, girl!Now listen, spectre, to my words. There livesWithin these walls a hound who has becomeA wild and raging beast from his great loveFor Tristram, once his master. Fool, this dogIs full as savage as a fierce white wolfThat lusts for human flesh; his food is thrustInto his cage on sticks. Since Tristram left,The beast has slain three keepers. Fool, what think'stThou of this hound? Would he attack and tearLord Tristram like a wolf should Tristram chanceTo step within his cage?
Str. Jester(rising, tall, determined, and noble).Oh Queen Iseult—!Oh Queen Iseult—! Old Husdent ever wasMy faithful hound—. Let me go to him now.
Iseult(starting back).Thou knowst his name—!
Str. Jester.Brangaene, lead the fool.Obey thy mistress's command. Thou needstNot lead me to the cage! I know the way.Give me the key!
[He snatches the key fromBrangaene'shand and disappears with long stridesbehind the stairs. He is erect and proud.The two women stand looking at eachother amazed and motionless.]
Brangaene.Poor fool, I pity him!
Iseult(breaking out passionately).He must not go! My God, he must not! CallHim back, Brangaene, call him back!
The Voice of the Jester(joyfully).Husdent!
Brangaene.Oh, hark!
Iseult(in increasing fear).His cry! His dying cry, perhaps!Brangaene, dearest sister, what thinkst thouOf this Strange Jester Tramtris?
[The women stare at each other withoutspeaking.]
Wilt thou goAnd look between the bars?
[Brangaenegoes after the Strange Jester.]Oh Thou who hastCreated this great world, why didst Thou thenCreate me, too?
Brangaene(reentering in great excitement).Iseult! Oh God, Iseult!Old Husdent's cage is empty, and the foolWith Husdent leapt the wall and they aregone! [She hastens to the window.]
Iseult.Has he then slain the dog and fled away?
Brangaene.Behold! There goes the fool, and Husdent jumpsAnd dances round him as he walks and, madWith joy, leaps howling up and licks his faceAnd hands!
Iseult(jumps on to the bench before the window andwaves her hand joyously).Oh Tristram, Tristram, thou dear fool!My dear belovèd friend!—He does not turn!—Oh call! Oh call him back!—Run! Run! Make hasteTo follow him and bring him back! He doesNot hear my voice!
Brangaene(shaking the bars of the gate).The gate! my God, the gate!The guards are still asleep!
Iseult.Oh God! I die!Oh Tristram! Tristram! Tristram! See, he turnsNot back! God is unkind. He loves me not.I'll bathe thy feet with tears and dry them thenWith burning kisses! Tristram! Tramtris, come!Belovèd fool, turn back! He goes! He's gone!See how the sun shines on his jester's garb,And makes his red cloak gleam! How grand, how tallHe is! See! Tristram goes back to the worldForever now!
[She raises herself to her full height—fixedly.]
My friend, Brangaene, myBelovèd friend was here!
[She sinks back intoBrangaene'sarms.]