do. I gave my promise to mine uncle,
madman that I was, and I must perform it, and suffer. But I could slay
myself to think that you will suffer also.'

She saw the rage and sorrow in his eyes, and her heart was full of
pity.

'Do thyself no harm, O noble knight and friend,' said Isoude, 'for thou
art right, and I wrong. But I would have you promise to be my knight
and champion in things both ill and good, while you shall have life.'

'Lady,' he replied, 'I will be all the days of my life your knight, in
weal and in woe, to come to your aid and battle for your dear name,
when you shall send for me.'

Sir Tristram gave her a ring, and she gave him another, and quickly
they parted, lest they should repent them of their duty.

That evening they got to shore, and landed at the foot of Tintagel, and
Sir Tristram led up La Belle Isoude and gave her into the hands of King
Mark, whose looks, for all that he tried to appear satisfied, were sour
as he dwelt on the noble figure of Sir Tristram. Men noticed how pale
and stern the young knight seemed, and that he said few words.

In a little while, after the wedding of his uncle to La Belle Isoude,
Sir Tristram said farewell to all the court, 'for,' said he, 'he would
go fight the pagans who were ravening in the north,' and so departed,
with Governale his squire.

Afterwards, seeing the pale queen seated in hall beside King Mark, and
remembering the heaviness of Sir Tristram, some guessed how full of woe
was their parting, but for love and sorrow of Sir Tristram they said
naught of what they thought.

VI

THE DEEDS OF SIR GERAINT

King Arthur was spending Whitsuntide at Caerleon-upon-Usk, and one day
he hunted the stag in the forests that lay thereby. As he had given
permission for his queen to go and see the hunting, she set out with
one handmaiden, and rode in the misty dawning down to the river, and
across the ford.

They climbed up the other bank, following the track of the men and
horses which had formed the king's hunting party, until they stood on
the edge of the dark forest, where the young leaves were fresh and
sweetly green. The sun burst forth, and sucked up the mists along the
meadow flats beside the river below them, and the water flashed and the
birds sang.

'Here will we stay,' said the queen, who felt happy with the sunlight
upon her, and the smell of the forest blowing out from the trees, 'and
though we shall not see the killing, we shall hea