Volume 20 / Act 5 — SCENE III
Reading edition
Brangaene. Poor fool, I pity him!
Iseult (breaking out passionately). He must not go! My God, he must not! Call Him back, Brangaene, call him back!
The Voice of the Jester (joyfully). Husdent!
Brangaene. Oh, hark!
Iseult (in increasing fear). His cry! His dying cry, perhaps! Brangaene, dearest sister, what thinkst thou Of this Strange Jester Tramtris?
[The women stare at each other without speaking.]
Wilt thou go And look between the bars?
[Brangaene goes after the Strange Jester.] Oh Thou who hast Created this great world, why didst Thou then Create me, too?
Brangaene (reentering in great excitement). Iseult! Oh God, Iseult! Old Husdent's cage is empty, and the fool With Husdent leapt the wall and they are gone! [She hastens to the window.]
Iseult. Has he then slain the dog and fled away?
Brangaene. Behold! There goes the fool, and Husdent jumps And dances round him as he walks and, mad With joy, leaps howling up and licks his face And hands!
Iseult (jumps on to the bench before the window and waves her hand joyously). Oh Tristram, Tristram, thou dear fool! My dear belovèd friend!—He does not turn! —Oh call! Oh call him back!—Run! Run! Make haste To follow him and bring him back! He does Not hear my voice!
Brangaene (shaking the bars of the gate). The gate! my God, the gate! The guards are still asleep!
Iseult. Oh God! I die! Oh Tristram! Tristram! Tristram! See, he turns Not back! God is unkind. He loves me not. I'll bathe thy feet with tears and dry them then With burning kisses! Tristram! Tramtris, come! Belovèd fool, turn back! He goes! He's gone! See how the sun shines on his jester's garb, And makes his red cloak gleam! How grand, how tall He is! See! Tristram goes back to the world Forever now!
[She raises herself to her full height— fixedly.]
My friend, Brangaene, my Belovèd friend was here!
[She sinks back into Brangaene's arms.]