Then Tristan took the Queen.
Henceforth near him she felt no further evil. He cut the cords that
bound her arms so straightly, and he left the plain so that they
plunged into the wood of Morois; and there in the thick wood Tristan
was as sure as in a castle keep.
And as the sun fell they halted all three at the foot of a little
hill: fear had wearied the Queen, and she leant her head upon his body
and slept.
But in the morning, Gorvenal stole from a wood man his bow and two
good arrows plumed and barbed, and gave them to Tristan, the great
archer, and he shot him a fawn and killed it. Then Gorvenal gathered
dry twigs, struck flint, and lit a great fire to cook the venison. And
Tristan cut him branches and made a hut and garnished it with leaves.
And Iseult slept upon the thick leaves there.
So, in the depths of the wild wood began for the lovers that savage
life which yet they loved very soon.
PART THE SECOND
THE WOOD OF MOROIS
They wandered in the depths of the wild wood, restless and in haste
like beasts that are hunted, nor did they often dare to return by
night to the shelter of yesterday. They ate but the flesh of wild
animals. Their faces sank and grew white, their clothes ragged; for
the briars tore them. They loved each other and they did not know that
they suffered.
Pages:
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61