“Lord, I am Tristan: I bring you a writ, and lay it here.”
Then the King cried: “Nephew! nephew! for God’s sake wait awhile,” but Tristan had fled and joined his squire, and mounted rapidly. Gorvenal said to him:
“O, Tristan, you are mad to have come. Fly hard with me by the nearest road.”
So they came back to the Hermitage, and there they found Ogrin at prayer, but Iseult weeping silently.
THE FORD
Mark had awakened his chaplain and had given him the writ to read; the chaplain broke the seal, saluted in Tristan’s name, and then, when he had cunningly made out the written words, told him what Tristan offered; and Mark heard without saying a word, but his heart was glad, for he still loved the Queen.
He summoned by name the choicest of his baronage, and when they were all assembled they were silent and the King spoke:
“My lords, here is a writ, just sent me. I am your King, and you my lieges. Hear what is offered me, and then counsel me, for you owe me counsel.”