, "I pray you
to permit the Lady Belle Isoult to search a great wound in my side that I
received in battle. For I hear that she is the most skilful leech in all
the world, and so I have come hither from a great distance, being in such
pain and dole from my grievous hurt that I shall die in a little while
unless it be healed."

"Messire," said King Angus, "I perceive that you are no ordinary knight,
but somebody of high nobility and estate, so it shall be as you desire."
And then King Angus said: "I pray you, tell me your name and whence you
come."

Upon this, Sir Tristram communed within his own mind, saying: "An I say my
name is Tristram, haply there may be someone here will know me and that I
was the cause why the brother of the Queen of this place hath died." So he
said: "Lord, my name is Sir Tramtris, and I am come from a country called
Lyonesse, which is a great distance from this."

Quoth King Angus, "Well, Sir Tramtris, I am glad that you have come to this
place. Now it shall be done to you as you desire, for to-morrow the Lady
Belle Isoult shall search your wound to heal it if possible."

[Sidenote: My Lady Belle Isoult searches the wound] And so it was as King
Angus said, for the next day the Lady Belle Isoult came with her attendants
to where Sir Tristram lay, and one of the attendants bare a silver basin
and another bare a silver ewer, and others bare napkins of fine linen. So
the Lady Belle Isoult came close to Sir Tristram and kneeled beside the
couch whereon he lay and said, "Let me see the wound." Therewith Sir
Tristram laid bare his bosom and his side and she beheld it. Then she felt
great pity for Sir Tristram because of that dolorous wound, and she said:
"Alas, that so young and so fair and so noble a knight should suffer so
sore a wound as this!" Therewith still kneeling beside Sir Tristram she
searched the wound with very gentle, tender touch (for her fingers were
like to rose leaves for softness) and lo! she found a part of the blade of
a spear-head embedded very deep in the wound of Sir Tristram.

This she drew forth very deftly (albeit Sir Tristram groaned with a great
passion of pain) and therewithafter came forth an issue of blood like a
crimson fountain, whereupon Sir Tristram swooned away like one who had gone
dead. But he did not die, for they quickly staunched the flow, set aromatic
spices to his nostrils, so that in a little he revived in spirit to find
himself at great ease and peace i