"
She said, "Tristram, you have betrayed me." Upon the which he cried out in
a very loud and piercing voice, "Lady, say not so!"
She said: "Tristram, tell me, is it better to fulfil this pledge you have
made, knowing that in so doing you sacrifice both my happiness and your
happiness to satisfy your pride of honor; or is it better that you
sacrifice your pride and break this promise so that we may both be happy?
Tristram, I beseech you to break this promise you have made and let us be
happy together."
At this Sir Tristram cried out in a very loud voice: "Lady, did you put
your hand into my bosom and tear my naked heart, you could not cause me so
much pain as that which I this moment endure. It cannot be as you would
have it, for it is thus with me: were it but myself whom I might consider,
I would freely sacrifice both my life and my honor for your sake. But it
may not be so, lady; for I am held to be one of the chiefest of that order
of knighthood to which I belong, wherefore I may not consider myself, but
must ever consider that order. For if I should violate a pledge given upon
my knighthood, then would I dishonor not myself, but that entire order to
which I belong.
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