"Now, madam, I have kept my word," said Palamides; "you must keep yours." "I promised you hastily," answered the queen; "and I warn you now that I will grant you nothing evil; so beware of your asking." "My boon will keep till I meet you before the king," said Palamides. "What it is I shall not tell you now." Then the queen rode home with her maiden, and Palamides followed close after, entering the court while Isolde was telling the king of what had happened. "Sir king," said the knight, "your lady has told you of the boon she proffered me. The honor of knighthood requires that you shall make her word good." "Why made you this promise, my lady?" asked the king. "I did so for grief at the loss of Dame Bragwaine, and for joy to recover her." "Then what you have hastily proffered you must truly perform. The word of king and queen is not to be lightly spoken or lightly broken." "What I demand is this," said Palamides, "that you deliver to me your queen, to lead her where I wish and govern her as I will." At this bold request the king frowned deeply, and anger leaped to his lips. But his word had been passed, and the thought came to him that he could trust to Tristram quickly to rescue the queen, and punish this bold adventurer. "Take her if you will," he cried. "But I tell you this, you will not keep her long, and that you are asking a dangerous gift." "As for that, I shall dare the risk." Then he took Isolde by the hand, and led her from the court, and from the presence of the king and his barons, not one of whom moved, though the queen looked round with suppliant eyes. Leading her to his war-horse, he set her behind him on the saddle, and rode proudly away. No sooner had they gone than the king sent for Tristram, but by despite he was nowhere to be found, for he was in the forest hunting, as was always his custom when not engaged in feats of arms. "What shall be done?" cried the king. "Can no one find Tristram? My honor will be shamed if the Saracen be not met and overcome." "I shall follow him, and seek to rescue the queen," said a knight named Lambegus, one of Tristram's followers. "I thank you, Sir Lambegus. If I live, I will remember the service." So Lambegus got to horse and followed Palamides hotly, but to his own sorrow, as it proved, for he was no match for the Saracen, who soon laid him upon the earth wounded nearly to death. But while the battle went on, Isolde, who had been set upon the earth pending the combat, ran into the forest, and continued to fly till she came to a deep spring, where in her grief she sought to drown herself. But good fortune brought thither a knight named Sir Adtherp, who had a castle near by. Seeing the despair of the queen, he led her to his castle, and then, learning her story, took upon himself her battle, and rode forth to meet the Saracen.