" He got wounded, and his uncle, King Mark, "let purvey a fair
vessel, well victualled," and sent him to Ireland to be healed.
There the Irish King's daughter, La Beale Isoud, "the fairest maid
and lady in the world," nursed him back to health, while Sir
Tristram "learned her to harp."
That last was an odd expression. In Cherryvale it would be
considered bad grammar; but, evidently, grammar rules were different
in olden times. The unusual phraseology of the whole narrative
fascinated Missy; even when you could hardly understand it, it was--
inspiring. Yes, that was the word. In inspiring! That was because it
was the true language of Romance. The language of Love . . . Missy's
thoughts drifted off to ponder the kind of language the army officer
used to Miss Smith; Uncle Charlie to Aunt Isabel . . .
She came back to the tale of La Beale Isoud.
Alas! true love must ever suffer at the hands of might. For the
harper's uncle, old King Mark himself, decided to marry La Beale
Isoud; and he ordered poor Sir Tristram personally to escort her
from Ireland. And Isoud's mother entrusted to two servants a magical
drink which they should give Isoud and King Mark on their wedding-
day, so that the married pair "either should love the other the days
of their life.
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