lt. Her eyes
Are red from weeping--!

ISEULT.
Ay, and mine are red
From weeping too! Fool, Fool, why mock'st thou me?
But since thou knowst so much of Tristram, tell
Me this; why did Lord Tristram marry her--,
This Isot of the Fair White Hands?

STR. JESTER (slowly and painfully).
There plays
About her mouth a silver smile; this smile
Enchanted him one lonely night. But, when,
At cold gray dawn, he heard her called Iseult
He nigh went mad with sorrow and with joy
From thinking of the real Iseult--of her,
The Goldenhaired--the beautiful, about
Whose mouth there plays a golden smile.
Then, sick
At heart, and weary of this life, he wished
To die, until his sorrow drove him here,
To Cornwall, once again to see his love
Before he died and, face to face stand once
Again with her!--The rest thou knowest well.

ISEULT (angrily).
Ay, fool, I know the rest, and I know too
That for these black and loathsome lies of thine
There's one reward!--And that is death!
I'll put
An end to my great suffering! If thou
Art Tristram thou shalt live, and, in mine arms,
That yearn for Tristram, thou shalt find a hot
And passionate forgetfulness of cool
And silver smiles thou fledest from! If thou
Hast lied no longer shalt thou dream at night
Of golden and of silver smiles!

(To BRANGAENE.)

Go fetch
The key, Brangaene, of the upper cell!

BRANGAENE (horrified).
Iseult, what wouldst thou do?

ISEULT.
Obey me, girl!
Now listen, spectre, to my words. There lives
Within these walls a hound who has become
A wild and raging beast from his great love
For Tristram, once his master. Fool, this dog
Is full as savage as a fierce white wolf
That lusts for human flesh; his food is thrust
Into his cage on sticks. Since Tristram left,
The beast has slain three keepers. Fool, what think'st
Thou of this hound? Would he attack and tear
Lord Tristram like a wolf should Tristram chance
To step within his cage?

STR. JESTER (rising, tall, determined, and noble).
Oh Queen Iseult--!
Oh Queen Iseult--! Old Husdent e