Messer Tristan of Cornwall loved Iseult the fair [122], who was King
Mark’s wife, and between them they fashioned a love signal in this
wise: that when Messer Tristan wished to speak to her, he went to a
garden of the king where there stood a fountain, and he muddied the
water of the rivulet made by the fountain: which rivulet passed by the
palace where the lady Iseult lived.
So when she saw the water disturbed, she knew that Messer Tristan was
at the fountain.
Now it happened that an inquisitive gardener [123] perceived the plan
in such a manner that the two lovers could in no way be aware of his
knowledge.
This gardener went to King Mark and told him everything as it had
happened. King Mark believed him.
He ordered a hunt, and separated from his knights as though he had lost
his way. The knights searched for him, wandering about the forest. King
Mark climbed up the pine tree which stood above the fountain where
Tristan spoke with the queen.
And King Mark staying in the pine-tree at night, Messer Tristan came to
the fountain and disturbed its water.
A little while after, the queen came to the fountain. And by chance she
had a happy thought to look at the pine-tree. And she saw that its
shadow was deeper than usual. Then the queen became afraid, and being
afraid, she stopped and spoke with Tristan in this manner and said:
disloyal knight, I have made you come here to complain of your misdeed,
for never was such disloyalty in a knight as you have shown by your
words which have dishonoured me, and your uncle king Mark who has loved
you so much. And you have been saying things about me among the
wandering knights that could never have place in my heart. I would give
myself to the flames should I dishonour so noble a king as my lord the
king Mark. Therefore I no longer recognise you as my knight, and I
dismiss you as an unloyal knight with all my force and with no respect.
Tristan, hearing these words, doubted strongly, and said: my lady, if
some malicious knights of Cornwall speak of me in this fashion, I say
first of all that I was never guilty of such things. May it please your
ladyship, but by the Lord, these knights are envious of me. I have
never said or done anything that meant dishonour for you or for my
uncle, the king Mark. But since it is your pleasure, I will obey your
commands. I will go away to other parts to end my days. And maybe
before I die, the malicious knights of Cornwall will have felt need of
me as they did at the time of Amoroldo [124], when I delivered them and
their lands from a vile and painful servitude.
And he went away without saying another word.
King Mark who was above the two when he heard this, grew glad with a
great gladness.
When morning came, Tristan made feint to go riding. He had horses and
pack mules shod. Valets ran to and fro, some carrying saddles, others
bridles. The commotion was great.
The king grew angry at Tristan’s departure, and summoned his barons and
knights. He sent an order to Tristan not to depart without his leave
under pain of incurring his displeasure. Thus ordered the king, and so
vigorously, that the queen sent to Tristan and bade him not to go.
And so Tristan remained there, and did not depart.
Nor was he surprised or deceived again owing to the shrewd
circumspection that grew up between the two.