And still the sunbeam fell upon the white face of Iseult, and the King took his ermined gloves and put them up against the crevice whence it shone.

Then in her sleep a vision came to Iseult.  She seemed to be in a great wood and two lions near her fought for her, and she gave a cry and woke, and the gloves fell upon her breast; and at the cry Tristan woke, and made to seize his sword, and saw by the golden hilt that it was the King’s.  And the Queen saw on her finger the King’s ring, and she cried: 

“O, my lord, the King has found us here!”

And Tristan said: 

“He has taken my sword; he was alone, but he will return, and will burn us before the people.  Let us fly.”

So by great marches with Gorvenal alone they fled towards Wales.

OGRIN THE HERMIT

After three days it happened that Tristan, in following a wounded deer far out into the wood, was caught by night-fall, and took to thinking thus under the dark wood alone: 

“It was not fear that moved the King ... he had my sword and I slept ... and had he wished to slay, why did he leave me his own blade? ...  O, my father, my father, I know you now.  There was pardon in your heart, and tenderness and pity ... yet how was that, for who could forgive in this matter without shame? ...  It was not pardon it was understanding; the faggot and the chantry leap and the leper ambush have shown him God upon our side.  Also I think he remembered the boy who long ago harped at his feet, and my land of Lyonesse which I left for him; the Morholt’s spear and blood shed in his honour.  He remembered how I made no avowal, but claimed a trial at arms, and the high nature of his heart has made him understand what men around him cannot; never can he know of the spell, yet he doubts and hopes and knows I have told no lie, and would have me prove my cause.  O, but to win at arms by God’s aid for him, and to enter his peace and to put on mail for him again ... but then he must take her back, and I must yield her ... it would have been much better had he killed me in my sleep.  For till now I was hunted and I could hate and forget; he had thrown Iseult to the lepers, she was no more his, but mine; and now by his compassion he has wakened my heart and regained the Queen.  For Queen she was at his side, but in this wood she lives a slave, and I waste her youth; and for rooms all hung with silk she has this savage place, and a hut for her splendid walls, and I am the cause that she treads this ugly road.  So now I cry to God the Lord, who is King of the world, and beg Him to give me strength to yield back Iseult to King Mark; for she is indeed his wife, wed according to the laws of Rome before all the Barony of his land.”

And as he thought thus, he leant upon his bow, and all through the night considered his sorrow.

Within the hollow of thorns that was their resting-place Iseult the Fair awaited Tristan’s return.  The golden ring that King Mark had slipped there glistened on her finger in the moonlight, and she thought: