wiser to appease the irate beauty by yielding to her wishes,
than to have an _esclandre_, and Tristan prepares to appear
before her. Ysolde, in the mean while, has passionately flung
herself into Brangeane's arms, fondly bidding her farewell,
and telling her to have the magic draught she has prepared all
ready to give to Tristan, with whom she means to drink atonement.

While Brangeane, who mistrusts her young mistress, is still
pleading with her to forget the past, Tristan respectfully
approaches the princess, and when she haughtily reproves him
for slighting her commands, he informs her, with much dignity,
that he deemed it his duty to keep his distance:--

'Good breeding taught,
Where I was upbrought,
That he who brings
The bride to her lord
Should stay afar from his trust.'

Ysolde retorts, that, as he is such a rigid observer of
etiquette, it would best behoove him to remember that as yet
he has not even proffered the usual atonement for shedding
the blood of her kin, and that his life is therefore at her
disposal. Tristan, seeing she is bent upon revenge, haughtily
hands her his sword, telling her that, since Morold was so
dear to her, she had better avenge him. Under pretext that King
Mark might resent such treatment of his nephew and ambassador,
Ysolde refuses to take advantage of his defencelessness, and
declares she will consider herself satisfied if he will only
pledge her in the usual cup of atonement, which she motions to