er that you
sacrifice your pride and break this promise so that we may both be happy?
Tristram, I beseech you to break this promise you have made and let us be
happy together."

At this Sir Tristram cried out in a very loud voice: "Lady, did you put
your hand into my bosom and tear my naked heart, you could not cause me so
much pain as that which I this moment endure. It cannot be as you would
have it, for it is thus with me: were it but myself whom I might consider,
I would freely sacrifice both my life and my honor for your sake. But it
may not be so, lady; for I am held to be one of the chiefest of that order
of knighthood to which I belong, wherefore I may not consider myself, but
must ever consider that order. For if I should violate a pledge given upon
my knighthood, then would I dishonor not myself, but that entire order to
which I belong. For, did I so, all the world would say, what virtue is
there in the order of knighthood when one of the chiefest of that order may
violate his pledge when it pleases him to do so? So, lady, having assumed
that great honor of knighthood I must perform its obligations even to the
uttermost; yea, though in fulfilling my pledge I sacrifice both Thee and
myself."

Then Belle Isoult looked upon Sir Tristram for some little while, and by
and by she smiled very pitifully and said: "Ah, Tristram, I believe I am
more sorry for thee than I am for myself."

"Lady," said Tristram, "I would God that I lay here dead before you. But I
am not able to die, but am altogether strong and hale--only very sorrowful
at heart." And therewith he turned and left that place. Only when he had
come to a place where he was entirely by himself with no one but God to see
him, he hid his face in his hands and wept as though his heart were
altogether broken. So it was that Sir Tristram fulfilled his pledge.

[Sidenote: Belle Isoult and Sir Tristram depart for Cornwall] After that,
King Angus furnished a very noble and beautiful ship with sails of satin
embroidered with figures of divers sorts, and he fitted the ship in all
ways such as became the daughter of a king and the wife of a king to embark
upon. And that ship was intended for the Lady Belle Isoult and Sir Tristram
in which to sail to the court of Cornwall.

And it was ordained that a certain very excellent lady of the court of the
Queen, who had been attendant upon the Lady Belle Isoult when she was a
little child and who had been with her in attenda