If such the case,
Oh God of Bethlehem! If such the case
I'd fling my arms about the neck of Death,
And, clinging close to him, I'd spit at thee,
Denovalin! Those wrinkles, cold and hard,
About thy mouth on either side disgust
Me! Go, Denovalin! I loath thee! Go!

DENOVALIN.
I go, Iseult, for thou hast made thy choice;
Forget it not. Forget not, too, the pact
Of peace my soul has made with thine. Farewell!
I'll go and bid Lord Dinas come to play
At chess with thee. Play quickly, Queen Iseult,
Thy time is short, and short shall be thy game!

[He goes.]

SCENE VI

ISEULT.
Oh God, how bitter are his words! They cut
Like sharpen'd swords and burn like hissing flames!
What is his will? His speech, though witless, ay,
And senseless too, insults and threatens me.--
It warns me too--of what?--Oh God, I quake!
If but Brangaene came, or Dinas came!
They come not and this creeping fear--how hard
It grips my soul!--More Gaelic barons come--!
How often have I stood concealed here
And seen him come proud riding through the gate!
My friend that comes no more! How grand he was!
His lofty stature did o'ertop them all!
How nobly trod his steed!--Dear Tristram, friend.
Does thy new Isot's heart beat quick as mine
At but the thought of thy dear step?

(Kneels down in front of the little shrine.)

And thou,
Oh little brachet, thinks thy lord of me,
As I of him!--"For they who drink thereof
Together so shall love with every sense
Alive, yet senseless--with their every thought
Yet thoughtless too, in life, in death, for aye--.
Yet he, who once has known the wond'rous bliss
Of that intoxicating cup of love,
Spits out the draught disloyally, shall be
A homeless and a friendless worm--a weed
That grows beside the road." Oh Tristram, Lord.

DINAS enters. ISEULT rushes toward him.

Dinas of Lidan! Dearest friend, most true!
With what has this man threatened me? Of what,
Then, warned?--friend, speak, for round me whirls the world;
My brain is dizzy with each thought!

DINAS.
My Lord
Denovalin has bid me come to thee
To play at chess. He said thou wast in haste.
And has he, as Mark ordered him,