to offer us such an insult?
For the tax-paying
Cornish prince
to presume to court Ireland's princess!
Ah, woe is me!
I it was
who for myself
did shape this shame!
with death-dealing sword
should I have stabbed him;
weakly it escaped me:-
now serfdom I have shaped me.
Curse him, the villain!
Curse on his head!
Vengeance! Death!
Death for me too!
BRANGAENA (throwing herself uponISOLDAwith impetuous
tenderness).
Isolda! lady!
loved one! fairest!
sweet perfection!
mistress rarest!
Hear me! come now,
sit thee here.-
(Gradually drawsISOLDAto the couch.)
What a whim!
what causeless railing!
How came you so wrong-minded
and by mere fancy blinded?
Sir Tristan gives thee
Cornwall's kingdom;
then, were he erst thy debtor,
how could he reward thee better?
His noble uncle
serves he so:
think too what a gift
on thee he'd bestow!
With honor unequalled
all he's heir to
at thy feet he seeks to shower,
to make thee a queenly dower.
(ISOLDAturns away.)
If wife he'd make thee
unto King Mark
why wert thou in this wise complaining?
Is he not worth thy gaining?
Of royal race
and mild of mood,
who passes King Mark
in might and power?
If a noble knight
like Tristan serves him,
who would not but feel elated,
so fairly to be mated.
ISOLDA (gazing vacantly before her).
Glorious knight!
And I must near him
loveless ever languish!
How can I support such anguish?
BRANGAENA.
What's this, my lady?
loveless thou?
(Approaching coaxingly and kissingISOLDA.)
Where lives there a man
would not love thee?
Who could see Isolda
And not sink
at once into bondage blest?
And if e'en it could be
any were cold,
did any magic
draw him from thee,
I'd bring the false one
back to bondage,
And bind him in links of love.-
(Secretly and confidentially, close toISOLDA.)
Mindest thou not
thy mother's arts?
Think you that she
who'd mastered those
would have sent me o'er the sea,
without assistance for thee?
ISOLDA (darkly).
My mother's rede
I mind aright,
and highly her magic
arts I hold:-
Vengeance they wreak for wrongs,
rest give to wounded spirits.-
Yon casket hither bear.
BRANGAENA.
It holds a balm for thee.-
(She brings forward a small golden coffer, opens it, and points to
its contents.)
Thy mother placed inside it
her subtle magic potions.
There's salve for sickness
or for wounds,
and antidotes
for deadly drugs.-
(She takes a bottle.)
The helpfullest draught
I hold in here.
ISOLDA.
Not so, I know a better.
I make a mark
to know it again-
This draught 'tis I would drain.
(Seizes flask and shows it.)
BRANGAENA (recoiling in horror).
The draught of death!
(ISOLDAhas risen from the sofa and now hears with increasing dread
the cries of the sailors.)
VOICES OF THE CREW (without).
"Ho! heave ho! hey!
Reduce the sail!
The mainsail in!
Ho! heave ho! hey!"
ISOLDA.
Our journey has been swift.
Woe is me! Near to the land!
SCENE IV.
(KURVENALboisterously enters through the curtains.)
KURVENAL.
Up, up, ye ladies!
Look alert!
Straight bestir you!
Loiter not,-here is the land!-
To dame Isolda
says the servant
of Tristan,
our hero true:-
Behold our flag is flying!
it waveth landwards aloft:
in Mark's ancestral castle
may our approach be seen.
So, dame Isolda,
he prays to hasten,
for land straight to prepare her,
that thither he may bear her.
ISOLDA (who has at first cowered and shuddered on hearing the
message, now speaks calmly and with dignity). My greeting take
unto your lord
and tell him what I say now:
Should he assist to land me
and to King Mark would he hand me,
unmeet and unseemly
were his act,
the while my pardon
was not won
for trespass black and base:
So bid him seek my grace.
(KURVENALmakes a gesture of defiance.)
Now mark me well,
This message take:-
Nought will I yet prepare me,
that he to land may bear me;
I will not by him be landed,
nor unto King Mark be handed
ere granting forgiveness
and forgetfulness,
which 'tis seemly
he should seek:-
for all his trespass base
I tender him my grace.
KURVENAL.
Be assured,
I'll bear your words:
we'll see what he will say!
(He retires quickly.)
SCENE V.
ISOLDA (hurries toBRANGAENAand embraces her vehemently).
Now farewell, Brangaena!
Greet ev'ry one,
Greet my father and mother!
BRANGAENA.
What now? what mean'st thou?
Wouldst thou flee?
And where must I then follow?
ISOLDA (checking herself suddenly).
Here I remain:
heard you not?
Tristan will I await.-
I trust in thee
to aid in this:
prepare the true
cup of peace:
thou mindest how it is made.
BRANGAENA.
What meanest thou?
ISOLDA (taking a bottle from the coffer).
This it is!
From the flask go pour
this philtre out;
yon golden goblet 'twill fill.
BRANGAENA (filled with terror receiving the flask).
Trust I my wits?
ISOLDA.
Wilt thou be true?
BRANGAENA.
The draught-for whom?
ISOLDA. Him who betrayed!
BRANGAENA. Tristan?
ISOLDA. Truce he'll drink with me.
BRANGAENA (throwing herself atISOLDA'S feet). O horror!
Pity thy handmaid!
ISOLDA. Pity thou me,
false-hearted maid!
Mindest thou not
my mother's arts?
Think you that she
who'd mastered those
would have sent thee o'er the sea
without assistance for me?
A salve for sickness
doth she offer
and antidotes
for deadly drugs:
for deepest grief
and woe supreme
gave she the draught of death.
Let Death now give her thanks!
BRANGAENA (scarcely able to control herself). O deepest
grief!
ISOLDA. Now, wilt thou obey?
BRANGAENA. O woe supreme!
ISOLDA. Wilt thou be true?
BRANGAENA. The draught?
KURVENAL (entering). Sir Tristan!
(BRANGAENArises, terrified and confused. ISOLDAstrives with
immense effort to control herself.)
ISOLDA (to Kurvenal). Sir Tristan may approach!
SCENE VI.
[KURVENALretires again. BRANGAENA, almost beside herself,
turns up the stage. ISOLDA, mustering all her powers of
resolution, walks slowly and with dignity towards the sofa, by the
head of which she supports herself, turning her eyes firmly towards
the entrance]
(TRISTANenters, and pauses respectfully at the entrance.)
TRISTAN. Demand, lady,
what you will.
ISOLDA. While knowing not
what my demand is,
wert thou afraid
still to fulfil it,
fleeing my presence thus?
TRISTAN. Honor
Held me in awe.
ISOLDA. Scant honor hast thou
shown unto me;
for, unabashed,
withheldest thou
obedience unto my call.
TRISTAN. Obedience 'twas
forbade me to come.
ISOLDA. But little I owe
thy lord, methinks,
if he allows
ill manners
unto his own promised bride.
TRISTAN. In our land
it is the law
that he who fetches
home the bride
should stay afar from her.
ISOLDA. On what account?
TRISTAN. 'Tis the custom.
ISOLDA. Being so careful,
my lord Tristan,
another custom
can you not learn?
Of enemies friends make:
for evil acts amends make.
TRISTAN. Who is my foe?
ISOLDA. Find in thy fears!
Blood-guilt
gets between us.
TRISTAN. That was absolved.
ISOLDA. Not between us.
TRISTAN. In open field,
'fore all the folk
our old feud was abandoned.
ISOLDA. 'Twas not there
I held Tantris hid
when Tristan was laid low,
He stood there brawny,
bright and brave;
but in his truce
I took no part:
my tongue its silence had learnt.
When in chambered stillness
sick he lay
with the sword I stood
before him, stern;
silent-my lips,
motionless-my hand.
But that which my hand
and lips had once vowed,
I swore in stealth to adhere to:
lo! now my desire I'm near to.
TRISTAN. What hast thou sworn?
ISOLDA (quickly). Vengeance for Morold!
TRISTAN (quietly). Mindst thou that?
ISOLDA (animated). Dare you to flout me?-
Was he not my betrothed,
that noble Irish knight?
For his sword a blessing I sought;
for me only he fought.
When he was murdered
no honor fell.
In that heartfelt misery
my vow was framed;
if no man remained to right it,
I, a maid, must needs requite it.-
Weak and maimed,
when might was mine,
why at thy death did I pause?
Thou shalt know the secret cause.-
Thy hurts I tended
that, when sickness ended,
thou shouldst fall by some man,
as Isolda's revenge should plan.
But now attempt
thy fate to foretell me?
if their friendship all men do sell thee,
what foe can seek to fell thee?
TRISTAN (pale and gloomy, offers her his sword). If
thou so lovedst this lord,
then lift once more my sword,
nor from thy purpose refrain;
let the weapon not fail again.
ISOLDA. Put up thy sword
which once I swung,
when vengeful rancor
my bosom wrung,
when thy masterful eyes
did ask me straight
might seek me for mate.
The sword harmless descended.-
Drink, let our strife be ended!
(ISOLDAbeckonsBRANGAENA. She trembles and hesitates to
obey. ISOLDAcommands her with a more imperious gesture.
BRANGAENA sets about preparing the drink.)
VOICES OF THE CREW (without). Ho! heave ho! hey!
Reduce the sail!
The foresail in!
Ho! heave ho! hey!
TRISTAN (starting from his gloomy brooding). Where
are we?
ISOLDA. Near to shore.
Tristan, is warfare ended?
Hast not a word to offer?
TRISTAN (darkly). Concealment's mistress
makes me silent:
I know what she conceals,
conceal, too, more than she knows.
ISOLDA. Thy silence nought
but feigning I deem.
Friendship wilt thou still deny?
(Renewed cries of the Sailors.)
(At an impatient sign fromISOLDABRANGAENAhands
her the filled cup.)
ISOLDA (advancing with the cup toTRISTAN, who gazes
immovably into her eyes).
Thou hear'st the cry?
The shore's in sight:
we must ere long (with slight scorn)
stand by King Mark together.
SAILORS (without). Haul the warp!
Anchor down!
TRISTAN (starting wildly). Down with the anchor!
Her stern to the stream!
The sails a-weather the mast!
(He takes the cup fromISOLDA.)
I know the Queen
of Ireland well,
unquestioned are
her magic arts:
the balsam cured me
which she brought;
now bid me quaff the cup,
that I may quite recover.
Heed to my all-
atoning oath,
which in return I tender
Tristan's honor-
highest truth!
Tristan's anguish-
brave distress!
Traitor spirit,
dawn-illumined!
Endless trouble's
only truce!
Oblivion's kindly draught,
with rapture thou art quaff'd!
(He lifts the cup and drinks.)
ISOLDA. Betrayed e'en here?
I must halve it!-
(She wrests the cup from his hand.)
Betrayer, I drink to thee!
[She drinks, and then throws away the cup. Both, seized with
shuddering, gaze with deepest emotion, but immovable demeanor, into
one another's eyes, in which the expression of defiance to death
fades and melts into the glow of passion. Trembling seizes them,
they convulsively clutch their hearts and pass their hands over their
brows. Their glance
s again seek to meet, sink in confusion, and once
more turn with growing longing upon one another.]
ISOLDA (with trembling voice). Tristan!
TRISTAN (overpowered). Isolda!
ISOLDA (sinking upon his breast). Traitor beloved!
TRISTAN. Woman divine!
(He embraces her with ardor. They remain in a silent embrace.)
ALL THE MEN (without). Hail! Hail!
Hail our monarch!
Hail to Mark, the king!
BRANGAENA (who, filled with confusion and horror, has leaned over
the side with averted face, now turns to behold the pair locked in
their close embrace, and rushes to the front, wringing her hands in
despair). Woe's me! Woe's me!
Endless mis'ry
I have wrought
instead of death!
Dire the deed
of my dull fond heart:
it cries aloud to heav'n!
(They start from their embrace.)
TRISTAN (bewildered). What troubled dream
of Tristan's honor?
ISOLDA. What troubled dream
Of Isolda's shame?
TRISTAN. Have I then lost thee?
ISOLDA. Have I repulsed thee?
TRISTAN. Fraudulent magic,
framing deceit!
BOTH. Languishing passion,
longing and growing,
love ever yearning,
loftiest glowing!
Rapture confess'd
rides in each breast!
Isolda! Tristan!
Tristan! Isolda!
World, I can shun thee
my love is won me!
Thou'rt my thought, all above:
highest delight of love!
SCENE VII.