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Then, after years of wandering, Guido had determined to crown his love with a final achievement for Isolde's sake. It was his design to return to Ghent, to scale by night the castle cliff and to prove his love for Isolde by killing her father for her, casting her stepmother from the battlements, burning the castle, and carrying her away. This design he was now hastening to put into execution.
Tristan can only die through Isolde's death." The final conclusion is reached in the great duet beginning p. 143'1, "We die but to be united for ever in a more perfect love." with the motive No. 14. The duet ends with a reminiscence of the nocturne, Brangaene's voice entering with beautiful effect warning the lovers in the midst of their rhapsody. I resume at 146'1.
Three sheer and cunningly landscaped terraces dropped down from what was actually the rear of the house, but which overhung the river, so that, stepping out of the car, an unsuspected, breath-taking panorama of river wound itself, at that moment the Albany boat moving upstream, light-studded. Oh! Oh! Isolde's garden. Tristan, where are you?" "Here."
The dark was all about them like a bed and closer he drew her, and closer yet. For one wild moment that endured O heaven, they two in love under the stars! He was of the Open Country as free as the wind. Thus he would love her, if he ever loved. Tristan's crying would be his and Isolde's whimper of hurt would be her answer. Thus, if ever, she might be loved. And then, if ever in this world, peace!
But he soon recovers his former mood as he tells of Isolde's expected arrival. The news, scarcely comprehended at first, is the signal for an outburst of joy on the part of Tristan expressed in a new motive, No. 17, p. 193'4. His joy is so violent that it brings on a return of delirious raving.
The lovers have arranged a meeting in the palace garden in front of Isolde's quarters after the night has set in. A burning torch is fixed to the door; its lowering is to be the signal to Tristan to approach. King Marke and the court are out on a hunt, and the signal cannot be given until they are out of the way.
Oblivious of the landing, the approach of the royal train, and all that is going on about them, they remain folded in mutual embrace. The second act opens in Cornwall, in a garden which leads to Isolde's chamber, she being already wedded to King Mark. With Brangoena she is waiting for Tristan.
Tristan's will crumbles under it, the will which had kept him loyal to Mark, which had made him, to the point of offence, shun the radius of her dangerous magnetism. Isolde's pride melts under it, which had enabled her to keep up with herself and him a fiction of hate for the man who had wronged her. All that keeps love within bounds being burned away, it towers in a sublime conflagration.
When the emotion has reached breaking point, Tristan rushes into Isolde's arms, and the frantic happiness of the lovers is depicted in short, hurried phrases. The score slipped from her hands and her thoughts ran in reminiscence of a similar scene which she had endured in Venice nearly four years ago. She had not seen Owen for two months, and was expecting him every hour.
'Yes, ask them if they will see me now, he continued, looking at his watch; 'I have not much time to spare. The next moment Isolde's high sweet voice could be heard distinctly through the open door. 'Captain Rallywood! Pray tell him we should like to see him.
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