countenances. MARK speaks harshly and calmly.]

Dinas
Of Lidan? Is he here?

1ST GUARD.
Lord Dinas left
The castle gate today at dawn, my Lord.

MARK.
Did Lord Denovalin receive his wound
In front, or from behind?

1ST GUARD.
Here, at the throat.
The wound is small and deep, as though a shaft
Of lightning struck him there between the helm
And gorget--sharp and swift.

VOICES.
Oh listen! See,
'Twas God that struck Denovalin, since he
Had falsely testified against the Queen!
Then let the executioner strip off
His arms, and hang them in my armory,
So that the sun shall shine thereon. The corpse
Shall he bind to a horse's tail, and drag
It o'er the common land and let it rot!
Where lies the Queen!

SHEPHERD.
Stand back there, for King Mark
Would see the Queen in her pale beauty! Back!

[The crowd stands back and a space is
cleared around ISEULT. MARK looks down
upon her from above and speaks coldly
and slowly, controlling himself.]

MARK.
Let Queen Iseult be carried on that cloak
Within the castle. Place her there upon
Soft pillows. Strew fresh flowers round about
Her bed, and moisten all her robes and clothes
With sweetest perfumes. Kneel ye down and pray
When she doth speak to you, for she must be
In some way sacred, since God loves her thus.

(Almost shouting.)

And if she should be found in Tristram's bed
I'll kill the man who tells me of it, ay,
And let his body rot upon the ground!
Now saddle me a horse that I may go
To seek Lord Dinas, my most loyal friend!

ACT IV

The High Vaulted Hall of the Castle.--In the middle of the hall on the
left opens a high, wooden staircase. In the background on the left,
bay-windows; on the right, a broad, barred door. Through the grating
one sees the outer court. In the middle of the wall on the right is a
wide fireplace on each side of which jut out low stone benches. In
front of the windows stands a table at which DINAS and GANELUN, the
First and Second Barons, are playing chess. In the foreground, a table
on which chess-boards stand prepared for play. The table by the
stone-bench stands on a dais which is shut off fr