Within her room at Tintagel Iseult the Fair sat singing a song she had made. She sang of Guron taken and killed for his love, and how by guile1 the Count gave Guron’s heart to her to eat, and of her woe2. The Queen sang softly, catching3 the harp4’s tone; her hands were cunning and her song good; she sang low down and softly.
Then came in Kariado, a rich count from a far-off island, that had fared to Tintagel to offer the Queen his service, and had spoken of love to her, though she disdained6 his folly7. He found Iseult as she sang, and laughed to her:
“Lady, how sad a song! as sad as the Osprey’s; do they not say he sings for death? and your song means that to me; I die for you.”
And Iseult said: “So let it be and may it mean so; for never come you here but to stir in me anger or mourning. Ever were you the screech8 owl9 or the Osprey that boded10 ill when you spoke5 of Tristan; what news bear you now?”
And Kariado answered:
“You are angered, I know not why, but who heeds13 your words? Let the Osprey bode11 me death; here is the evil news the screech owl brings. Lady Iseult, Tristan, your friend is lost to you. He has wed14 in a far land. So seek you other where, for he mocks your love. He has wed in great pomp Iseult of the White Hands, the King of Brittany’s daughter.’’
And Kariado went off in anger, but Iseult bowed her head and broke into tears.
Now far from Iseult, Tristan languished15, till on a day he must needs see her again. Far from her, death came surely; and he had rather die at once than day by day. And he desired some death, but that the Queen might know it was in finding her; then would death come easily.
So he left Carhaix secretly, telling no man, neither his kindred nor even Kaherdin, his brother in arms. He went in rags afoot (for no one marks the beggar on the high road) till he came to the shore of the sea.
“God save you, my lords,” he said, “and send you a good journey. To what land sail you now?”
“To Tintagel,” they said.
Then he cried out:
And he went aboard, and a fair wind filled the sail, and she ran five days and nights for Cornwall, till, on the sixth day, they dropped anchor in Tintagel Haven. The castle stood above, fenced all around. There was but the one armed gate, and two knights19 watched it night and day. So Tristan went ashore20 and sat upon the beach, and a man told him that Mark was there and had just held his court.
“But where,” said he, “is Iseult, the Queen, and her fair maid, Brangien?”
“In Tintagel too,” said the other, “and I saw them lately; the Queen sad, as she always is.”
At the hearing of the name, Tristan suffered, and he thought that neither by guile nor courage could he see that friend, for Mark would kill him.
And he thought, “Let him kill me and let me die for her, since every day I die. But you, Iseult, even if you knew me here, would you not drive me out?” And he thought, “I will try guile. I will seem mad, but with a madness that shall be great wisdom. And many shall think me a fool that have less wit than I.”
Just then a fisherman passed in a rough cloak and cape21, and Tristan seeing him, took him aside, and said:
“Friend, will you not change clothes?”
And as the fisherman found it a very good bargain, he said in answer:
“Yes, friend, gladly.”
And he changed and ran off at once for fear of losing his gain. Then Tristan shaved his wonderful hair; he shaved it close to his head and left a cross all bald, and he rubbed his face with magic herbs distilled22 in his own country, and it changed in colour and skin so that none could know him, and he made him a club from a young tree torn from a hedge-row and hung it to his neck, and went bare-foot towards the castle.
The porter made sure that he had to do with a fool and said:
“Good morrow, fool, where have you been this long while?”
And he answered:
“At the Abbot of St. Michael’s wedding, and he wed an abbess, large and veiled. And from the Alps to Mount St. Michael how they came, the priests and abbots, monks23 and regulars, all dancing on the green with croziers and with staves under the high trees’ shade. But I left them all to come hither, for I serve at the King’s board to-day.”
Then the porter said:
“Come in, lord fool; the Hairy Urgan’s son, I know, and like your father.”
And when he was within the courts the serving men ran after him and cried:
“The fool! the fool!”
But he made play with them though they cast stones and struck him as they laughed, and in the midst of laughter and their cries, as the rout24 followed him, he came to that hall where, at the Queen’s side, King Mark sat under his canopy25.
And as he neared the door with his club at his neck, the King said:
“Here is a merry fellow, let him in.”
And they brought him in, his club at his neck. And the King said:
“Friend, well come; what seek you here?”
“Iseult,” said he, “whom I love so well; I bring my sister with me, Brunehild, the beautiful. Come, take her, you are weary of the Queen. Take you my sister and give me here Iseult, and I will hold her and serve you for her love.”
The King said laughing:
“Fool, if I gave you the Queen, where would you take her, pray?”
“Oh! very high,” he said, “between the clouds and heaven, into a fair chamber26 glazed27. The beams of the sun shine through it, yet the winds do not trouble it at all. There would I bear the Queen into that crystal chamber of mine all compact of roses and the morning.”
“Here is a good fool at no loss for words.”
“Friend,” said King Mark, “what warrant have you that the Queen would heed12 so foul30 a fool as you?”
“O! Sire,” he answered gravely, “many deeds have I done for her, and my madness is from her alone.”
“What is your name?” they said, and laughed.
“Tristan,” said he, “that loved the Queen so well, and still till death will love her.”
But at the name the Queen angered and weakened together, and said: “Get hence for an evil fool!”
But the fool, marking her anger, went on:
“Queen Iseult, do you mind the day, when, poisoned by the Morholt’s spear, I took my harp to sea and fell upon your shore? Your mother healed me with strange drugs. Have you no memory, Queen?”
But Iseult answered:
“Out, fool, out! Your folly and you have passed the bounds!”
But the fool, still playing, pushed the barons out, crying:
“Out! madmen, out! Leave me to counsel with Iseult, since I come here for the love of her!”
And as the King laughed, Iseult blushed and said:
But the fool still laughed and cried:
“Queen, do you mind you of the dragon I slew32 in your land? I hid its tongue in my hose, and, burnt of its venom33, I fell by the roadside. Ah! what a knight18 was I then, and it was you that succoured me.”
Iseult replied:
“Silence! You wrong all knighthood by your words, for you are a fool from birth. Cursed be the seamen34 that brought you hither; rather should they have cast you into the sea!”
“Queen Iseult,” he still said on, “do you mind you of your haste when you would have slain35 me with my own sword? And of the Hair of Gold? And of how I stood up to the seneschal?”
“Silence!” she said, “you drunkard. You were drunk last night, and so you dreamt these dreams.”
“Drunk, and still so am I,” said he, “but of such a draught36 that never can the influence fade. Queen Iseult, do you mind you of that hot and open day on the high seas? We thirsted and we drank together from the same cup, and since that day have I been drunk with an awful wine.”
When the Queen heard these words which she alone could understand, she rose and would have gone.
But the King held her by her ermine cloak, and she sat down again.
And as the King had his fill of the fool he called for his falcons37 and went to hunt; and Iseult said to him:
And she went to her room in thought and sat upon her bed and mourned, calling herself a slave and saying:
“Why was I born? Brangien, dear sister, life is so hard to me that death were better! There is a fool without, shaven criss-cross, and come in an evil hour, and he is warlock, for he knows in every part myself and my whole life; he knows what you and I and Tristan only know.”
Then Brangien said: “It may be Tristan.”
But—“No,” said the Queen, “for he was the first of knights, but this fool is foul and made awry39. Curse me his hour and the ship that brought him hither.”
“My lady!” said Brangien, “soothe you. You curse over much these days. May be he comes from Tristan?”
“I cannot tell. I know him not. But go find him, friend, and see if you know him.”
So Brangien went to the hall where the fool still sat alone. Tristan knew her and let fall his club and said:
“Brangien, dear Brangien, before God! have pity on me!”
“Foul fool,” she answered, “what devil taught you my name?”
“Lady,” he said, “I have known it long. By my head, that once was fair, if I am mad the blame is yours, for it was yours to watch over the wine we drank on the high seas. The cup was of silver and I held it to Iseult and she drank. Do you remember, lady?”
“No,” she said, and as she trembled and left he called out: “Pity me!”
He followed and saw Iseult. He stretched out his arms, but in her shame, sweating agony she drew back, and Tristan angered and said:
“I have lived too long, for I have seen the day that Iseult will nothing of me. Iseult, how hard love dies! Iseult, a welling water that floods and runs large is a mighty40 thing; on the day that it fails it is nothing; so love that turns.”
But she said
“Brother, I look at you and doubt and tremble, and I know you not for Tristan.”
“Queen Iseult, I am Tristan indeed that do love you; mind you for the last time of the dwarf41, and of the flower, and of the blood I shed in my leap. Oh! and of that ring I took in kisses and in tears on the day we parted. I have kept that jasper ring and asked it counsel.”
Then Iseult knew Tristan for what he was, and she said:
“Heart, you should have broken of sorrow not to have known the man who has suffered so much for you. Pardon, my master and my friend.”
And her eyes darkened and she fell; but when the light returned she was held by him who kissed her eyes and her face.
So passed they three full days. But, on the third, two maids that watched them told the traitor42 Andret, and he put spies well-armed before the women’s rooms. And when Tristan would enter they cried:
“Back, fool!”
But he brandished43 his club laughing, and said:
“What! May I not kiss the Queen who loves me and awaits me now?”
And they feared him for a mad fool, and he passed in through the door.
Then, being with the Queen for the last time, he held her in his arms and said:
“Friend, I must fly, for they are wondering. I must fly, and perhaps shall never see you more. My death is near, and far from you my death will come of desire.”
“Oh friend,” she said, “fold your arms round me close and strain me so that our hearts may break and our souls go free at last. Take me to that happy place of which you told me long ago. The fields whence none return, but where great singers sing their songs for ever. Take me now.”
“I will take you to the Happy Palace of the living, Queen! The time is near. We have drunk all joy and sorrow. The time is near. When it is finished, if I call you, will you come, my friend?”
“Friend,” said she, “call me and you know that I shall come.”
“Friend,” said he, “God send you His reward.”
As he went out the spies would have held him; but he laughed aloud, and flourished his club, and cried:
“Peace, gentlemen, I go and will not stay. My lady sends me to prepare that shining house I vowed44 her, of crystal, and of rose shot through with morning.”
And as they cursed and drave him, the fool went leaping on his way.
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收听单词发音
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1
guile
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| n.诈术 | |
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2
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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3
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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harp
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| n.竖琴；天琴座 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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6
disdained
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| 鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做 | |
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7
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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8
screech
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| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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9
owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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10
boded
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| v.预示，预告，预言( bode的过去式和过去分词 )；等待，停留( bide的过去分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待 | |
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11
bode
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| v.预示 | |
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12
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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13
heeds
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| n.留心，注意，听从( heed的名词复数 )v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的第三人称单数 ) | |
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14
wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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15
languished
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| 长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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16
haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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17
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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18
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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20
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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21
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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22
distilled
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| adj.由蒸馏得来的v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 )；从…提取精华 | |
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23
monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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24
rout
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| n.溃退，溃败；v.击溃，打垮 | |
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25
canopy
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| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
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26
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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27
glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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28
barons
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| 男爵( baron的名词复数 )； 巨头； 大王； 大亨 | |
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fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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30
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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31
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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32
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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33
venom
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| n.毒液，恶毒，痛恨 | |
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34
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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35
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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36
draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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37
falcons
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| n.猎鹰( falcon的名词复数 ) | |
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38
follies
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| 罪恶，时事讽刺剧； 愚蠢，蠢笨，愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 ) | |
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awry
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| adj.扭曲的，错的 | |
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40
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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41
dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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42
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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43
brandished
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| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
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44
vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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