arned the king had convoked his
barons, and summoned them to attend him at Pentecost, at the castle of
Tintagel. Tristrem was rejoiced at this news; because it was impossible
the queen could arrive at the meeting without giving him an opportunity
of getting sight of her during the journey. On the appointed day,
therefore, be took his station, in that part of the wood through which
the road passed, cut down a branch of _codre_ (hazel), smoothed it,
wrote his name on it with the point of his knife, together with other
characters, which the queen would well know how to decypher. He
perceives her approaching; he sees her examine with attention every
object on her road. In former times they had recognized each other by
means of a similar device; and he trusts, that, should she cast her eyes
on the stick, she will suspect it to belong to her lover. This was the
purport of the characters traced on it: "That he had long been waiting
at a distance, in hopes of being favoured with some expedient which
might procure him a meeting, without which he could no longer exist. It
was with these two, as with the _chevrefoil_ and the _codre._ When the
honey-suckle has caught hold of the _codre_, and encircled it by its
embraces, the two will live together and flourish; but if any one
resolves to sever them, the _codre_ suddenly dies, and the honey-suckle
with it. Sweet friend, so it is with us; I cannot live without you, nor
you without me."

The queen slowly riding on, perceives the stick, and recognizes the
well-known characters. She orders the knights who accompany her to stop.
She is tired; she will get off her horse for a short time, and take some
repose. She calls to her only her maid, her faithful Brenguein; quits
the road, plunges into the thickest part of the forest, and finds him
whom she loved more than all the world. Both were delighted beyond
measure at this meeting, which gives them full leisure to concert their
future projects. She tells him, that he may now be easily reconciled to
his uncle. That the king has often regretted his absence, and
attributes to the malicious accusations of their common enemies, the
severe measure of his banishment. After a long conversation, the queen
tears herself from him; and they separate with mutual grief. Tristrem
returned to South-Wales, from whence he was soon recalled by his uncle;
but, in the mean time, he had repeated to himself, over and over again,
every word of his mistress's late c