Dinas.
Whom bring'st thou there?
1st GUARD.
King Mark, thy messengers
Have found the witnesses that signed the bond
Too late, for in the forest they had caught
A man whom they have sent to thee. The man
Is wounded; when they called on him to stand
He fled. His horse fell dead. They know him not.
He is a stranger in the land.
Dinas.
How heavily
God's wrath descends upon my head. This blood
I've spilled was innocent!
1st GUARD.
This man is near
His end; his dying wish is to behold
The Queen Iseult. He much desires it.
Gimella.
Poor soul!
Dinas.
Bring in the man. How things mischance!
My castle is a gruesome place today.
An idiot first, and then a corpse have knocked
To crave admittance to my hall! My Lords,
I pray you to forgive my sins.
Paranis.
There comes
The wounded Knight.
[The Strange Knight is led before Iseult.
He walks firmly, standing erect.]
Str. Knight.
—Art thou Iseult?—Iseult
The Goldenhaired? May God be merciful
Unto thy soul!
Str. Jester (crouches on the bench, taking no interest in
what is said). My brother Kuerdin!
Dear friend! In a disastrous hour went
We forth. I pity thee!