Then Sir Tristram was all overwhelmed with shame that he should be thus found by that dear lady; wherefore he turned away his face and bowed his head so that she might not remember him, for he perceived that as yet she did not know him who he was.

Now at that moment the dog, Houdaine, was aware of the savor of Sir Tristram; wherefore he leaped away from the Lady Belle Isoult and ran to Sir Tristram and smelt very eagerly of him.  And with that he knew his master.

[Sidenote:  Houdaine knoweth Sir Tristram] Then the two ladies who looked beheld Houdaine fall down at the feet of Sir Tristram and grovel there with joy.  And they beheld that he licked Sir Tristram’s feet and his hands, and that he leaped upon Sir Tristram and licked his neck and face, and at that they were greatly astonished.

Then of a sudden a thought came to dame Bragwaine, and she catched the Lady Isoult by the arm and she said:  “Lady, know you not who yonder madman is?” But the Lady Belle Isoult said:  “Nay, I know not who he is.  Who is he, Bragwaine?” And Bragwaine said:  “Certes, that is Sir Tristram, and no one else in all the world.”

[Sidenote:  Belle Isoult knows Sir Tristram] Therewith, at those words, the scales suddenly fell from Lady Belle Isoult’s eyes and she knew him.  Then, for a little space, she stood as though turned into stone; then she emitted a great loud cry of joy and ran to Sir Tristram where he sat, and flung herself down upon the ground at the feet of Sir Tristram and embraced him about the knees.  And she cried out in a voice of great passion:  “Tristram!  Tristram!  Is it thou?  They told me thou wert dead, and lo! thou art come to life again!” And with that she fell to weeping with such fury of passion that it was as though the soul of her were struggling to escape from her body.

Then Sir Tristram got to his feet in great haste and agitation and he said:  “Lady!  Lady!  This must not be—­arise, and stay your passion or else it will be our ruin.  For behold, I am alone and unarmed in this castle, and there are several herein who seek my life.  So if it be discovered who I am, both thou and I are lost.”

Then, perceiving how that Belle Isoult was in a way distracted and out of her mind with joy and grief and love, he turned him unto Bragwaine and said to her:  “Take thy lady hence and by and by I will find means whereby I may come to speech with her in private.  Meanwhile it is death both for her and for me if she remain here to betray me unto the others of this castle.”

So Bragwaine and Sir Tristram lifted up the Lady Belle Isoult, and Bragwaine led her thence out of that place; for I believe that Belle Isoult knew not whither she went but walked like one walking half in a swoon.

[Sidenote:  Sir Andred knoweth Sir Tristram] Now it chanced at that time that Sir Andred was in a balcony overlooking that pleasance, and, hearing the sound of voices and the sound of a disturbance that was suppressed, he looked out and beheld all that passed.  Then he also wist who was that madman whom Sir Launcelot had fetched to that place out of the forest, and that he was Sir Tristram.