d, "Yea, lady, though it were death in the draught."

She said, "There is not death in it, but something very different," and
thereupon she went away into the cabin where that chalice aforesaid was
hidden. And at that time Dame Bragwaine was not there.

Then the Lady Belle Isoult took the flagon from where it was hidden, and
poured the elixir out into a chalice of gold and crystal and she brought it
to where Sir Tristram was. When she had come there, she said, "Tristram, I
drink to thee," and therewith she drank the half of the elixir there Was in
the chalice. Then she said, "Now drink thou the rest to me."

Upon that Sir Tristram took the chalice and lifted it to his lips, and
drank all the rest of that liquor that was therein.

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram and Belle Isoult drink the love potion] Now
immediately Sir Tristram had drunk that elixir he felt it run like fire
through every vein in his body. Thereupon he cried out, "Lady, what is this
you have given me to drink?" She said: "Tristram, that was a powerful love
potion intended for King Mark and me. But now thou and I have drunk of it
and never henceforth can either of us love anybody in all of the world but
the other."

Then Sir Tristram catched her into his arms and he cried out: "Isoult!
Isoult! what hast thou done to us both? Was it not enough that I should
have been unhappy but that thou shouldst have chosen to be unhappy also?"

Thereat the Lady Belle Isoult both wept and smiled, looking up into Sir
Tristram's face, and she said: "Nay, Tristram; I would rather be sorry with
thee than happy with another." He said, "Isoult, there is much woe in this
for us both." She said, "I care not, so I may share it with thee."

Thereupon Sir Tristram kissed her thrice upon the face, and then
immediately put her away from him and he left her and went away by himself
in much agony of spirit.

Thereafter they reached the kingdom of Cornwall in safety, and the Lady
Belle Isoult and King Mark were wedded with much pomp and ceremony and
after that there was much feasting and every appearance of rejoicing.

PART II

The Story of Sir Tristram and Sir Lamorack

And now shall be told the story of Sir Tristram and Sir Lamorack of Gales,
how they became brothers-in-arms; how Sir Lamorack took offence at Sir
Tristram, and how they became reconciled again.

But first of all you must know that Sir Lamorack of Gales was deemed to be
one of the greatest knights alive. For