The lovers held each other; life and desire trembled through their
youth, and Tristan said, “Well then, come Death.”

And as evening fell, upon the bark that heeled and ran to King Mark’s
land, they gave themselves up utterly to love.

THE TALL PINE-TREE

As King Mark came down to greet Iseult upon the shore, Tristan took
her hand and led her to the King and the King took seizin of her,
taking her hand. He led her in great pomp to his castle of Tintagel,
and as she came in hall amid the vassals her beauty shone so that the
walls were lit as they are lit at dawn. Then King Mark blessed those
swallows which, by happy courtesy, had brought the Hair of Gold, and
Tristan also he blessed, and the hundred knights who, on that
adventurous bark, had gone to find him joy of heart and of eyes; yet
to him also that ship was to bring sting, torment and mourning.

And on the eighteenth day, having called his Barony together he took
Iseult to wife. But on the wedding night, to save her friend, Brangien
took her place in the darkness, for her remorse demanded even this
from her; nor was the trick discovered.

Then Iseult lived as a queen, but lived in sadness. She had King
Mark’s tenderness and the barons’ honour; the people also loved her;
she passed her days amid the frescoes on the walls and floors all
strewn with flowers; good jewels had she and purple cloth and tapestry
of Hungary and Thessaly too, and songs of harpers, and curtains upon
which were worked leopards and eagles and popinjays and all the beasts
of sea and field. And her love too she had, love high and splendid,