The Romance of Tristan and Iseult Part 8

And so Mark did, and ordered Tristan by his barons to go off without delay.

Then Tristan came near the Queen for his farewell, and as they looked at one another the Queen in shame of that a.s.sembly blushed, but the King pitied her, and spoke his nephew thus for the first time:

?You cannot leave in these rags; take then from my treasury gold and silver and white fur and grey, as much as you will.?

?King,? said Tristan, ?neither a penny nor a link of mail. I will go as I can, and serve with high heart the mighty King in the Lowlands.?

And he turned rein and went down towards the sea, but Iseult followed him with her eyes, and so long as he could yet be seen a long way off she did not turn.

Now at the news of the peace, men, women, and children, great and small, ran out of the town in a crowd to meet Iseult, and while they mourned Tristan?s exile they rejoiced at the Queen?s return.

And to the noise of bells, and over pavings strewn with branches, the King and his counts and princes made her escort, and the gates of the palace were thrown open that rich and poor might enter and eat and drink at will.

And Mark freed a hundred of his slaves, and armed a score of squires that day with hauberk and with sword.

But Tristan that night hid with Orri, as the Queen had counselled him.

THE ORDEAL BY IRON

Denoalen, Andret, and Gondoin held themselves safe; Tristan was far over sea, far away in service of a distant king, and they beyond his power. Therefore, during a hunt one day, as the King rode apart in a glade where the pack would pa.s.s, and hearkening to the hounds, they all three rode towards him, and said:

?O King, we have somewhat to say. Once you condemned the Queen without judgment, and that was wrong; now you acquit her without judgment, and that is wrong. She is not quit by trial, and the barons of your land blame you both. Counsel her, then, to claim the ordeal in G.o.d?s judgment, for since she is innocent, she may swear on the relics of the saints and hot iron will not hurt her. For so custom runs, and in this easy way are doubts dissolved.?

But Mark answered:

?G.o.d strike you, my Cornish lords, how you hunt my shame! For you have I exiled my nephew, and now what would you now? Would you have me drive the Queen to Ireland too? What novel plaints have you to plead?

Did not Tristan offer you battle in this matter? He offered battle to clear the Queen forever: he offered and you heard him all. Where then were your lances and your s.h.i.+elds??

?Sire,? they said, ?we have counselled you loyal counsel as lieges and to your honour; henceforward we hold our peace. Put aside your anger and give us your safe-guard.?

But Mark stood up in the stirrup and cried:

?Out of my land, and out of my peace, all of you! Tristan I exiled for you, and now go you in turn, out of my land!?

But they answered:

?Sire, it is well. Our keeps are strong and fenced, and stand on rocks not easy for men to climb.?

And they rode off without a salutation.

But the King (not tarrying for huntsman or for hound but straight away) spurred his horse to Tintagel; and as he sprang up the stairs the Queen heard the jangle of his spurs upon the stones.

She rose to meet him and took his sword as she was wont, and bowed before him, as it was also her wont to do; but Mark raised her, holding her hands; and when Iseult looked up she saw his n.o.ble face in just that wrath she had seen before the f.a.ggot fire.

She thought that Tristan was found, and her heart grew cold, and without a word she fell at the King?s feet.

He took her in his arms and kissed her gently till she could speak again, and then he said:

?Friend, friend, what evil tries you??

?Sire, I am afraid, for I have seen your anger.

?Yes, I was angered at the hunt.?

?My lord, should one take so deeply the mischances of a game??

Mark smiled and said:

?No, friend; no chance of hunting vexed me, but those three felons whom you know; and I have driven them forth from my land.?

?Sire, what did they say, or dare to say of me??

?What matter? I have driven them forth.?

?Sire, all living have this right: to say the word they have conceived. And I would ask a question, but from whom shall I learn save from you? I am alone in a foreign land, and have no one else to defend me.?

?They would have it that you should quit yourself by solemn oath and by the ordeal of iron, saying ?that G.o.d was a true judge, and that as the Queen was innocent, she herself should seek such judgment as would clear her for ever.? This was their clamour and their demand incessantly. But let us leave it. I tell you, I have driven them forth.?

Iseult trembled, but looking straight at the King, she said:

?Sire, call them back; I will clear myself by oath. But I bargain this: that on the appointed day you call King Arthur and Lord Gawain, Girflet, Kay the Seneschal, and a hundred of his knights to ride to the Sandy Heath where your land marches with his, and a river flows between; for I will not swear before your barons alone, lest they should demand some new thing, and lest there should be no end to my trials. But if my warrantors, King Arthur and his knights, be there, the barons will not dare dispute the judgment.?

But as the heralds rode to Carduel, Iseult sent to Tristan secretly her squire Perinis: and he ran through the underwood, avoiding paths, till he found the hut of Orri, the woodman, where Tristan for many days had awaited news. Perinis told him all: the ordeal, the place, and the time, and added:

?My lord, the Queen would have you on that day and place come dressed as a pilgrim, so that none may know you?unarmed, so that none may challenge ?to the Sandy Heath. She must cross the river to the place appointed. Beyond it, where Arthur and his hundred knights will stand, be you also; for my lady fears the judgment, but she trusts in G.o.d.?

Then Tristan answered:

?Go back, friend Perinis, return you to the Queen, and say that I will do her bidding.?

And you must know that as Perinis went back to Tintagel he caught sight of that same woodman who had betrayed the lovers before, and the woodman, as he found him, had just dug a pitfall for wolves and for wild boars, and covered it with leafy branches to hide it, and as Perinis came near the woodman fled, but Perinis drove him, and caught him, and broke his staff and his head together, and pushed his body into the pitfall with his feet.

On the appointed day King Mark and Iseult, and the barons of Cornwall, stood by the river; and the knights of Arthur and all their host were arrayed beyond.

And just before them, sitting on the sh.o.r.e, was a poor pilgrim, wrapped in cloak and hood, who held his wooden platter and begged alms.

Now as the Cornish boats came to the shoal of the further bank, Iseult said to the knights:

?My lords, how shall I land without befouling my clothes in the river-mud? Fetch me a ferryman.?

And one of the knights hailed the pilgrim, and said:

?Friend, truss your coat, and try the water; carry you the Queen to sh.o.r.e, unless you fear the burden.?

But as he took the Queen in his arms she whispered to him:

?Friend.?