I gave it him!

GANELUN (striking him).
Away! Thou damned thief!

STR. JESTER.
The ring is mine, I say. My love once gave
It me and sware thereon; but now I'll give
It as a jester's gift unto the Queen.
I pray thee take the ring, Iseult.

[ISEULT takes the ring, looks at it a moment
and lets it fall. She totters.]

Cast not
Away my gift!

BRANGAENE.
Help! Help! The Queen.

ISEULT (in great agitation).
Oh God,
I pray Thee open now mine eyes, and set
Me free! I know not if I am alive!
There lies a corpse--There stands a ghost and I
Between them, here! I hear a moaning sound
Pass whimpering through the halls--!

[She runs to the stairs.]

Let me go up!
Brangaene, come, and thou Gimella, too!

[Half way up the stairs she turns.]

Be not too angry with me, Mark, for thou
Hast set a loathsome ghost to mock and jeer
At me to make thee laugh. He makes my heart
Grow cold with horror! Come, my ladies, come!
Stand by me now--this awful game has made
Me shudder.

[She hastens up the stairs.]

STR. JESTER (springs onto the table to look after her).
Queen Iseult, thou fairest one.
Have pity on my leper's soul!

GANELUN.
Be still,
Thou croaking raven!

1ST BARON.
Smite him dead and spit
Upon his corpse!

2D BARON.
Thou filthy worm!

MARK.
Lay hold
Upon the jester! Hold him fast. Thou fool,
Thou base-born cur, how dar'st thou vex my wife
So bitterly with thy presumptuous wit?

STR. JESTER.
Mark, heed thy words!

1ST KNIGHT (catching his wrists from behind).
I have the knave!

MARK.
The Guards
Shall whip the rogue for his bold impudence,
And cast him from the castle gates. Let loose
The dogs upon him if he does not run,
And leave my walls as though they were on fire!
Away with him!

UGRIN (in greatest haste and agitation).
King Mark, oh good King Mark,
Behold, he is my brother in my kind,
A much a