So now I cry to God the Lord, who is King of the world, and beg Him to
give me strength to yield back Iseult to King Mark; for she is indeed
his wife, wed according to the laws of Rome before all the Barony of
his land."
And as he thought thus, he leant upon his bow, and all through the
night considered his sorrow.
Within the hollow of thorns that was their resting-place Iseult the
Fair awaited Tristan's return. The golden ring that King Mark had
slipped there glistened on her finger in the moonlight, and she
thought:
"He that put on this ring is not the man who threw me to his lepers in
his wrath; he is rather that compassionate lord who, from the day I
touched his shore, received me and protected. And he loved Tristan
once, but I came, and see what I have done! He should have lived in
the King's palace; he should have ridden through King's and baron's
fees, finding adventure; but through me he has forgotten his
knighthood, and is hunted and exiled from the court, leading a random
life. ..."
Just then she heard the feet of Tristan coming over the dead leaves
and twigs. She came to meet him, as was her wont, to relieve him of
his arms, and she took from him his bow, "Failnaught," and his arrows,
and she unbuckled his sword-straps.
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