Iseult.
Oh God, how bitter are his words! They cut
Like sharpen'd swords and burn like hissing flames!
What is his will? His speech, though witless, ay,
And senseless too, insults and threatens me.—
It warns me too—of what?—Oh God, I quake!
If but Brangaene came, or Dinas came!
They come not and this creeping fear—how hard
It grips my soul!—More Gaelic barons come—!
How often have I stood concealed here
And seen him come proud riding through the gate!
My friend that comes no more! How grand he was!
His lofty stature did o'ertop them all!
How nobly trod his steed!—Dear Tristram, friend.
Does thy new Isot's heart beat quick as mine
At but the thought of thy dear step?

(Kneels down in front of the little shrine.)

And thou,
Oh little brachet, thinks thy lord of me,
As I of him!—"For they who drink thereof
Together so shall love with every sense
Alive, yet senseless—with their every thought
Yet thoughtless too, in life, in death, for aye—.
Yet he, who once has known the wond'rous bliss
Of that intoxicating cup of love,
Spits out the draught disloyally, shall be
A homeless and a friendless worm—a weed
That grows beside the road." Oh Tristram, Lord.

Dinas enters. Iseult rushes toward him.

Dinas of Lidan! Dearest friend, most true!
With what has this man threatened me? Of what,
Then, warned?—friend, speak, for round me whirls the world;
My brain is dizzy with each thought!

Dinas.
My Lord
Denovalin has bid me come to thee
To play at chess. He said thou wast in haste.
And has he, as Mark ordered him, made peace
With thee?

Iseult.
Made peace with me! I told
Thee, Dinas, that he has stirred up the past
With gloomy words and threatened me. He spoke
Forebodingly of coming days—; I fear
His words and know not what is brewing o'er
My head!

Dinas.
Denovalin has threatened thee!
That bodes no good!

Iseult.
What think'st thou, Dinas? Speak!

Dinas.
It makes me almost fear that I was not
Deceived this morn as through the mist I rode.

Iseult.
Oh Dinas!

Dinas.
For I saw a man who rode
As secretly, and stole along the way
ConcealÈd in the murky mists of dawn.
I—

Iseult.
Dinas!

Dinas.
Tristram's in the land, Iseult!

Iseult.
Oh Dinas, speak! (Softly.) My friend. Lord
Tristram came
At dawn today—? The man who loved me so!
My dearest Lord—! Oh Dinas, Dinas, didst

(recovering herself)

Thou speak to him?

Dinas (sternly).
Twice called I him. He fled.

Iseult.
Oh, why didst thou not call him in my name?
He would have stood thee answer then, for that
He swore to me he'd do, by day or night
At any place....

Dinas.
I called him in thy name,
And yet he fled away.

Iseult.
He fled from thee?

(Angrily.)

It was not Tristram then! How dar'st thou speak
Such slander 'gainst my Lord!

Dinas.
I swore that I
Would be thy friend, and for thy sake, Iseult,
His friend. But now I say Lord Tristram broke
The oath he swore to thee, and on this day
Hath wronged thee grievously, Iseult.

Iseult (heavily and brokenly).
The spouse
Of Isot of the Fair White Hands appeared
To thee, say'st thou, and broke his parting oath.
The last he swore to Iseult Goldenhaired?

Paranis (enters in ill-suppressed excitement).
Lord Dinas, from King Mark I come. He bids
Thee come to him straightway with all despatch,
For in the name of justice calls he thee.

Iseult.
Oh Dinas, Dinas, Tristram broke his oath—!
Lord Tristram broke his oath—!

Dinas.
And dost thou know,
My queen, that we must now attempt to ward
The consequences of King Mark's decree
And its fulfilment from thy head?

Iseult (angrily).
How can
An alien woman's spouse affect my life?

Dinas.
I go to stem with all the strength I have
This current of perdition. Fare thee well.

[As Dinas goes out, three armed guards
step into the room and stand on either
side of the door.]

Iseult.
And fare thee well, thou truest of the true!

(To the guards.)

And ye, what seek ye here?

GUARD.
King Mark has bid
Us guard thy door; thou may'st not go abroad
Till Mark has bid thee come.

Paranis (falls on his knees).
Gawain lies bound;
Brangaene's cast into a prison cell,
And something awful's taking place within
The castle walls!—I know not what it is!

Iseult.
Paranis, child, be still.