Holla!
King Mark! Holla!

DINAS.
What's that!

MARK (rising).
Who storms outside
My door? Such noises in the night I will
Not brook! Who's there?

[UGRIN runs to the grating.]

STR. JESTER.
A jester, King; a poor
And witless fool. Let me come in! I'll crack
New jokes to make thee laugh!--Let me come in.

UGRIN.
A fool!

GIMELLA.
How came he here?

BRANGAENE.
He startled me!

ISEULT.
Indeed we weary of Ugrin's stale jests.

STR. JESTER.
I'm a poor jester that would come to thee,
So let me in. King Mark.

MARK (going to the grating).
The fools, it seems,
Smell out my door as carrion-vultures smell
A corpse.

UGRIN.
Cousin; let him be driven out!
I beg thee, have him whipped.

1ST GUARD (from without).
I've caught thee, rogue!

MARK.
How came this strange fool past the gates, Gilain?
Wast thou asleep?

1ST GUARD.
King Mark, this man has slunk
About the gate since it grew dark. He says
He wants to see thee. Many times have we
Already driven him away, but still
He sticks like pitch about the gate.

STR. JESTER.
I am
A jester from a foreign land--I wish
To come to thee. King Mark!

1ST GUARD.
Behold the fool!
He cries like that unceasingly.

MARK.
Speak, fool,
What need hast thou of me?

STR. JESTER.
Mark, let me in!
I'll make such jests that thou, and all thy lords
And ladies die from laughing at my wit.

GIMELLA (laughing).
The merry jests!

ISEULT.
This wandering knave intrudes
Too boldly!

UGRIN.
Rogue! Oh shameless one. I'll give
Thee such a drubbing as thou ne'er hast felt.

MARK.
Know'st thou, in truth, new jests.

STR. JESTER.
Ay, Mark, new jests
To make thee laugh or weep. Ay, merry jests!

SCENE IV

MARK opens the grating and lets the Strange Jester in. The Jester
advances a few feet on the right, and stops to stare at ISEULT. UGRIN
walks about hi