How should
I know thee, beast, or in what roadside ditch
Lord Tristram found thee as he fled away
This morning through the Morois from a man
Who called upon him in my name?

STR. LEPER.
Oh, judge
Him not too quickly. Queen Iseult! He stood
And waited for the man, who in thy name
Had called!

ISEULT (in fierce anger).
He stood, say'st thou? Why then
He has not wed Iseult, white handed Queen?
I dreamed it all, and sobbed but in my dreams,
Perhaps? 'Twas then dream-tears I wept at this
Report?

STR. LEPER.
Be merciful to Tristram, Queen!

[ISEULT descends a few more steps; looks
at him searchingly, and speaks, in a way,
questioningly.]

ISEULT.
Wast thou his servant while he still was true,
And caught'st the plague while on his wedding trip?
Then weep for him, thou poor diseased beast!
I know thee not. And if thy master stood
Here too,--Lord Tristram, whom I once did love
And who returned my love in youthful years--
If he now stood before me here, I should
Not recognize his face behind the mask
Of cowardice which he has worn of late.
His faithlessness sticks to him like black slime!
Go tell him that!--I hate him in this mask!
He was so loving and so true when first
I knew and loved him! God shall punish him!

STR. LEPER.
Iseult, great God has punished him enough;
His soul is writhing in its agony
Before thy feet!

ISEULT.
His soul is leprous, ay!
And 'tis an awful thing when one's own soul
Is leprous grown!--I loathe and hate him now!

STR. LEPER (leaping up).
Iseult!

ISEULT (wildly).
Go call the Vultures, call them forth!
I want to dance in their white arms, and flee
From Tristram's leprous soul that has betrayed
And shamed me thus!

STR. LEPER.
May God in mercy help
Him, for he loves thee still, Iseult, in life
And death!

[He starts toward the gate.]

VOICE OF LORD DENOVALIN.
Let none go out! Draw up the bridge,
And close the castle gates! I'll catch the hound!

[Iseult staggers a few steps and collapses.]

STR. LEPER.
Denovalin, Iseult! Our hated foe
Denovalin! Quick, hide thy nakedn