Iseult
has suffered enough in her youth. And let the writ be hung upon the
arm of the red cross before evening. Write speedily."
Towards midnight Tristan crossed the Heath of Sand, and found the
writ, and bore it sealed to Ogrin; and the hermit read the letter;
"How Mark consented by the counsel of his barons to take back Iseult,
but not to keep Tristan for his liege. Rather let him cross the sea,
when, on the third day hence, at the Ford of Chances, he had given
back the Queen into King Mark's hands." Then Tristan said to the
Queen:
"O, my God! I must lose you, friend! But it must be, since I can thus
spare you what you suffer for my sake. But when we part for ever I
will give you a pledge of mine to keep, and from whatever unknown land
I reach I will send some messenger, and he will bring back word of
you, and at your call I will come from far away."
Iseult said, sighing:
"Tristan, leave me your dog, Toothold, and every time I see him I will
remember you, and will be less sad. And, friend, I have here a ring of
green jasper. Take it for the love of me, and put it on your finger;
then if anyone come saying he is from you, I will not trust him at all
till he show me this ring, but once I have seen it, there is no power
or royal ban that can prevent me from doing what you bid--wisdom or
folly.
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