Ye know How long I lived alone within these walls With my good nephew Tristram and not once Did any woman cross my threshold o'er. 5TH BARON. And 'twas through us that things were changed; we cried Upon thee for a son and heir. 2D BARON. Iseult Then came from Ireland to be thy Queen. DENOVALIN (coldly, firmly, and in a loud voice). Nobly escorted, in Lord Tristram's care! MARK (softly). I wooed Iseult, and much it pleased me then To call this sweet and noble lady mine, And so to honor her. But see, it was But for a single day, then came this man (Points to DENOVALIN.) And spake to me and said: "Thy wife Iseult And Tristram whisper in the dark!" And since The speaking of that evil word, this world Has turned to hell, and through my veins my blood Has run like seething fire for her sake, Who was my wife, and cried for her as though She were not mine! 3D BARON. But thou didst not believe These evil words? MARK. No, never in my life Did I fight off a foeman from myself More fiercely than these words. DENOVALIN (sternly). But soon this man Came back and said: "The hands of Queen Iseult And Tristram's hands are locked when it is dark." MARK. And then I slunk about them like a wretch, My lords; I spied upon their lips, their hands, Their eyes! I watched them like a murderer; I listened underneath their window-sills At night to catch their dreaming words, until I scorned myself for this wild wretchedness! Nothing, nothing I found, and yet Iseult From that time on was dearer than my God And his Salvation! GANELUN. Yet thou ever held'st Iseult in honor and esteem! MARK. Ay, that I did, Friend Ganelun, but soon that man there came And whispered in mine ear: "Art thou stone blind? Thy nephew Tristram and thy Queen Iseult Are sleeping in each other's arms by day And night!" Oh God! Oh God! My Lords, I set To work--and thought I'd caught the pair!--Poor fool! (He hides his face.) DINAS. 'Tis so; and thou badst build a mighty pyre Of seasoned wood and well dried peat. But God Almighty blew the fire out. They fled, The twain together, to the Morois land. MARK. And then one night I stole upon them both. (Lord Dinas knew of this alone, my Lords.) Iseult was sleeping, and Lord Tristram slept An arm's length scarce before me in the moss All pale and wan, and breathed so heavily, So wearily, like some hard hunted beasts. (Groaning.)