ANIS.
Ay, like the sea the gale whips up. The wind
Swept all the covers from my bed and left
Me cold and trembling. Branches beat the wall
Above my head like demons of the storm.
The owls kept screaming in the groaning eaves
And whispered like lost souls in agony!
Hark! Hear him roar! Oh God, it's Husdent!
Oh listen to him roar. I never heard
A hound thus howl before!

ISEULT.
Peace, child. He cries
Thus every night since he has lost his lord.

PARANIS.
What? Every night and yet King Mark can sleep?

ISEULT.
King Mark can sleep as all good knights can sleep
At any time and any where, while we,
Poor souls, must like a beggar sue for sleep
As for an alms.

(To BRANGAENE.)

The mirror and the cloak.

PARANIS.
Pray tell me, Queen Iseult, why came we here
With good King Mark and left Tintagel's halls?
Why journeyed we to St. Lubin? The place
Is gloomy and an awful wood grows round
The castle walls. Oh 'tis an awful wood.
I am afraid, Iseult.

ISEULT.
Yea, boy, the wood
Is black and gloomy here. Give me some oil,
Brangaene, for my lips are parched and dried
From weeping all this never-ending night.

PARANIS (goes to the casement).
Above Tintagel, lo, the sky was blue;
The sun shone on a foreign ship that came
Across the seas and lay at anchor there
And made it look like gold. The ship came in
As we rode through the gate. I wish that I
Were at Tintagel once again and saw
That ship. For here black clouds obscure the sun
And hang close to the ground; they fly along
Like mighty ghosts. The earth smells damp and makes
Me shiver--Ugh--!

ISEULT (steps to the casement beside him and puts her arm
about his neck).
Nay, not today, for see,
The sun will shine and pour its golden rays
E'en o'er the Morois.

[She leans out until her head is overflowed
by the sunlight.]

Oh, it's very hot!

PARANIS (falling on his knees).
Oh Queen Iseult pray take the fairy dog
Into thy hands and it will comfort thee--
That wondrous brachet, Tristram's latest gift.
For, lo, since from Tintagel we have come
My heart is troubled by a wish to ask