gone, Sir Tristram stood panting and glaring about him
like a lion at bay. Then he set the point of his sword upon the pavement of
the court and the pommel thereof he set against his breast, and he drew the
bonds that held his wrists across the edge of the sword so that they were
cut and he was free.

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram defends the chapel] But Sir Tristram wist that in
a little the whole castle would be aroused against him, and that he would
certainly be overwhelmed by dint of numbers, wherefore he looked about him
for some place of refuge; and he beheld that the door of the chapel which
opened upon the courtyard stood ajar. So he ran into the chapel and shut to
that door and another door and locked and bolted them both, and set a heavy
bar of wood across both of them so that for a while he was safe.

But yet he was only safe for a little while, for about the time of early
nightfall, which came not long thereafter, a great party of several score
of King Mark's people came against the chapel where he was. And when they
found that the doors were locked and barred, they brought rams for to
batter in the chief door of the chapel.

Then Sir Tristram beheld how parlous was his case, and that he must in a
little while die if he did not immediately do something to save himself. So
with that he ran to a window of the chapel and opened it and looked out
thence. And lo! below him and far beneath was the sea, and the rocks of the
shore upon which the castle was built; and the sea and the rocks lay twelve
fathoms beneath him.

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram leaps into the sea] But Sir Tristram said, "Better
death there than here;" and therewith finding that the door was now falling
in beneath the rams, he leaped out from the window-ledge, and thence he
dived down into the sea; and no one saw that terrible leap that he made. So
he sank down deep into the sea, but met no rocks, so that he presently came
up again safe and sound. Then, looking about him, he perceived in the
twilight a cave in the rocks, and thither he swam with the intent to find
shelter for a little.

Now when they who had come against him had broken into the chapel they all
ran in in one great crowd, for they expected to find Sir Tristram and to do
battle with him. But lo! Sir Tristram was not there, but only the empty
walls. Then at first they were greatly astonished, and knew not what to
think. And some who came cried out: "Is that man then a spirit that he can
me