Ysolde then hastens to the open door, and gazes anxiously out
into the twilighted forest, frantically waving her veil to
hasten the coming of her lover, and runs to meet and embrace
him when at last he appears.

Blissful in each other's company, Tristan and Ysolde now forget
all else, while they exchange passionate vows and declarations
of love, bewailing the length of the days which keep them apart,
and the shortness of the nights during which they can see each
other. In a passionate duet of mutual love and admiration,
they also rejoice that, instead of dying together, as Ysolde
had planned, they are still able to live and love.

Brangeane, posted in the watch-tower above, repeatedly warns them
that they had better part, but her wise advice proves useless,
and it is only when she utters a loud cry of alarm that Tristan
and Ysolde start apart. Simultaneously almost with Brangeane's
cry, Kurvenal rushes upon the scene with drawn sword, imploring
his master to fly; but ere this advice can be followed King
Mark and the traitor Melot appear, closely followed by all
the royal hunting party. Ysolde, overcome with shame at being
thus detected with her lover, sinks fainting to the ground,
while Tristan, wishing to shield her as much as possible from
the scornful glances of these men, stands in front of her with
his mantle outspread. He, too, is overwhelmed with shame,
and silently bows his head when his uncle bitterly reproves him
for betraying him, and robbing him of the bride he had already
learned to love. Even the sentence of banishment pronounced upon
him seems none too severe, and Tristan, almost broken-hearted