would have you spare this
unhappy knight, whose love for me has made him mad."

"As you wish," he replied. "The fight shall end, since you desire it."

"As for you, Sir Palamides," she said, "I command that you shall go out
of this country while I am in it."

"If it must be, it must," he answered, in bitter anguish; "but it is
sorely against my will, for not to see you is not to live."

"Take your way to the court of King Arthur," she said, "and there
recommend me to Queen Guenever. Tell her that Isolde says that in all
the land there are but four lovers, and that these are Lancelot du Lake
and Queen Guenever, and Tristram de Lyonesse and Queen Isolde."

This message filled Palamides with the greatest heaviness of heart, and
mounting his steed he rode away moaning bitterly. But Isolde was full of
gladness in being well rid of her troublesome lover, and Tristram in
having rescued her from his rival. So he brought her back to King Mark,
and there was great joy over her home-coming, while the king and all the
court showered honors on the successful champion. Sir Lambegus was
brought back to the court and put under the care of skilful leeches, and
for a long time joy and good-will reigned.

But Tristram had in King Mark's court a bitter foe, who sought to work
him injury, though he was his near cousin. This traitor, Sir Andred by
name, knew well of the love between Tristram and Isolde, and that they
had secret meetings and tender conversations, so he lay in wait to spy
upon them and slander them before the court.

A day came at length when Andred observed Tristram in secret parley with
Isolde at a window, and he hastened to the king and poisoned his mind
with a false report of what he had seen. King Mark, on hearing this,
burst into a fury of passion, and seizing a sword, ran to where Tristram
stood. Here he violently berated him as a traitor, and struck at him a
furious blow.

But Tristram took the sword-point under his arm, and ran in on the king,
wresting the weapon from his hand.

"Where are my knights and men?" cried the enraged king. "I charge you to
kill this traitor!"

But of those present not a man would move. When Tristram saw this, he
shook the sword threateningly against the king, and took a step forward
as if he would have slain him. At this movement King Mark fled, while
Tristram followed, and struck him so strong a blow with the flat of the
sword on his neck that he was flung prostrate on his nose.