m, examining him.

MARK.
Then come, thou jail-bird. Hark, Gilain, let now
The guard be doubled at the lower gate
That none, unnoticed, may come in.

STR. JESTER.
But should
A stranger King arrive,--a stranger King,
The master of this stranger fool--let him
Come in, Gilain.

ISEULT.
Play, Dinas, play thy game!
Their chatter wearies me.

MARK.
Now tell me, rogue,
Why clamorest thou so loudly at my gate?
What wouldst thou? Speak.

STR. JESTER.
I wish to stay with thee.

[Laughter.]

2D BARON.
What cooked they in thy kitchen, Mark, tonight
That all the fools have smelt it out?

STR. JESTER.
I saw
The fire glowing in thy hall; I saw
The light and so I came--I'm cold.

UGRIN.
Then wrap
Thyself more closely in thy cloak, thou fool!

STR. JESTER.
I've given it away.

BRANGAENE (laughing).
It seems thou art
A tender hearted fool!

GIMELLA.
And yet it does
Not seem as though thou couldst give much away!

MARK (looking at the fool carefully).
Whence comest thou, Sir Fool!

STR. JESTER.
I come from there--
From there outside, from nowhere else--

(Looking at ISEULT and in a soft voice--
almost singing.)

And yet
My mother was Blanchefleur!

[ISEULT starts and stares across at him.]

MARK (goes back laughing to his seat. UGRIN follows him).
Ha! ha! The jest
Is poor. Hast thou no better ones, my friend?
Blanchefleur was mine own sister. She begat
No fool like thee!

STR. JESTER.
'Twas then some other one
Who bore the self-same name and me the pain
And sorrow, Mark. What matters it to thee?

[Laughter.]

1ST KNIGHT (laughingly).
Our jesting rogue grows bitter in his mirth!

ISEULT.
Let this strange jester stand a little forth
That we may see him in the light.

MARK.
Come here,
Sir Fool, and stand before the Queen.

UGRIN.
He is
An ass as a