ll come to me. Kaherdin, my brother
in arms, I beg it of your friendship; try this thing for me, and if
you carry my word, I will become your liege, and I will cherish you
beyond all other men."

And as Kaherdin saw Tristan broken down, his heart reproached him and
he said:

"Fair comrade, do not weep; I will do what you desire, even if it were
risk of death I would do it for you. Nor no distress nor anguish will
let me from doing it according to my power. Give me the word you send,
and I will make ready."

And Tristan answered:

"Thank you, friend; this is my prayer: take this ring, it is a sign
between her and me; and when you come to her land pass yourself at
court for a merchant, and show her silk and stuffs, but make so that
she sees the ring, for then she will find some ruse by which to speak
to you in secret. Then tell her that my heart salutes her; tell her
that she alone can bring me comfort; tell her that if she does not
come I shall die. Tell her to remember our past time, and our great
sorrows, and all the joy there was in our loyal and tender love. And
tell her to remember that draught we drank together on the high seas.
For we drank our death together. Tell her to remember the oath I swore
to serve a single love, for I have kept that oath."

But behind the wall, Iseult of the White Hands heard all these things;
and Tristan continued:

"Hasten, my friend, and come back quickly, or you will not see me
again. Take forty days for your term, but come back with Iseult the
Fair. And tell your sister nothing, or tell her that you seek some
doctor. Take my fine ship, and two sails with you, one white, one
black. And as you return, if you bring Iseult, hoist the white sail;
but if you bring her not, the black. Now I have nothing more to say,
but God guide you and bring you back safe."

With the first fair wind Kaherdin took the open, weighed anchor and
hoisted sail, and ran with a light air and broke the seas. They bore
rich merchandise with them, dyed silks of rare colours, enamel of
Touraine and wines of Poitou, for by this ruse Kaherdin thought to
reach Iseult. Eight days and nights they ran full sail to Cornwall.

Now a woman's wrath is a fearful thing, and all men fear it, for
according to her love, so will her vengeance be; and their love and
their hate come quickly, but their hate lives longer than their love;
and they will make play with love, but not with hate. So Iseult of the
White Hands, who h