Here is the translation of the Roman de Tristan et Iseult of 1900 by Joseph Bedier. Here is the seventh part: The dwarf Frocin.
The dwarf Frocin
King Mark made his peace with Tristan. He gave him leave to return to the castle, and, as before, Tristan slept in the king's chamber among the private and the faithful. At will, he can enter it, he can leave it: the king no longer cares about it. But who can long keep their love affairs secret?
Mark had forgiven the felons, and as Seneschal Dinas of Lidan had one day found in a distant forest, wandering and miserable, the hunchbacked dwarf, he brought him back to the king, who had pity and forgave him his misdeed.
But his kindness only aroused the hatred of the barons; having again surprised Tristan and the queen, they bound themselves by this oath: if the king did not drive his nephew out of the country, they would retire to their strong castles to fight him. They called the king to parliament:
"Lord, love us, hate us, your choice: but we want you to drive out Tristan. He loves the queen, and sees him who wants; but we will no longer suffer it. "
The king hears them, sighs, lowers his forehead to the ground, is silent.
« Non, roi, nous ne le souffrirons plus, car nous savons maintenant que cette nouvelle, naguère étrange, n’est plus pour te surprendre et que tu consens à leur crime. Que feras-tu ? Délibère et prends conseil. Pour nous, si tu n’éloignes pas ton neveu sans retour, nous nous retirerons sur nos baronnies et nous entraînerons aussi nos voisins hors de ta cour, car nous ne pouvons supporter qu’ils y demeurent. Tel est le choix que nous t’offrons ; choisis donc !
- Lords, once I believed in the ugly words you said of Tristan, and I repented of it. But you are my fairies, and I do not want to lose the service of my men. So advise me, I ask you, you who owe me the advice. You know very well that I avoid all pride and excess.
- So, lord, send here the dwarf Frocin. You distrust him for the adventure of the orchard. Yet hadn't he read in the stars that the queen would come that evening under the pine tree? He knows many things; take his advice. "
He came running up, the cursed hunchback, and Denoalen hugged him. Hear what treason he taught the king:
« Sire, commande à ton neveu que demain, dès l’aube, au galop, il chevauche vers Carduel pour porter au roi Arthur un bref sur parchemin, bien scellé de cire. Roi, Tristan couche près de ton lit. Sors de ta chambre à l’heure du premier sommeil, et, je te le jure par Dieu et par la loi de Rome, s’il aime Iseut de fol amour, il voudra venir lui parler avant son départ ; mais, s’il y vient sans que je le sache et sans que tu le voies, alors tue-moi. Pour le reste, laisse-moi mener l’aventure à ma guise et garde-toi seulement de parler à Tristan de ce message avant l’heure du coucher.
- Yes, answered Marc, so be it! "
So the dwarf made an ugly felony. He entered a baker's house and took him for four denarii of flour, which he hid in the lap of his dress. Ah! who would have ever thought of such a treachery? At nightfall, when the king had taken his meal and his men were asleep in the large room next to his room, Tristan came, as he was accustomed to, to King Mark's bedtime.
« Beau neveu, faites ma volonté : vous chevaucherez vers le roi Arthur jusqu’à Carduel, et vous lui ferez déplier ce bref. Saluez-le de ma part et ne séjournez qu’un jour auprès de lui.
- King, I'll wear it tomorrow.
- Yes, tomorrow, before daybreak. "
Here is Tristan in great turmoil. From his bed to Marc's bed there was indeed the length of a spear. A furious desire seized him to speak to the queen, and he promised himself in his heart that, towards dawn, if Marc slept, he would come closer to her. Ah! God ! crazy thought!
The dwarf slept, as was his custom, in the king's bedroom. When he thought that they were all asleep, he got up and spread the flower of flour between Tristan's bed and that of the queen: if one of the two lovers joined the other, the flour would keep the shape of his footsteps. But, as he scattered it around, Tristan, who was still awake, saw it:
« Qu’est-ce à dire ? ce nain n’a pas coutume de me servir pour mon bien ; mais il sera déçu : bien fou qui lui laisserait prendre l’empreinte de ses pas ! »
At midnight the king rose and went out, followed by the hunchbacked dwarf. It was dark in the room: no lighted candle, no lamp. Tristan stood up on his bed. God ! why did he have this thought? He puts his feet together, estimates the distance, leaps and falls back on the king's bed. Alas! the day before, in the forest, the ram of a large boar had grieved his leg, and, to his misfortune, the wound was not bandaged.
In the effort of this leap, it opens, bleeds, but Tristan does not see the leaking blood and reddens the sheets. And outside, at the moon, the dwarf, by his magic art, knew that the lovers were reunited. He trembled with joy and said to the king:
"Go, and now, if you don't catch them together, hang me!" "
Ils viennent donc vers la chambre, le roi, le nain et les quatre félons. Mais Tristan les a entendus : il se relève, s’élance, atteint son lit… Hélas ! au passage, le sang a malement coulé de la blessure sur la farine.
Here is the king, the barons, and the dwarf, who bears a light. Tristan and Iseut pretended to be asleep; they were left alone in the room, with Perinis, who slept at Tristan's feet and did not move. But the king saw the ruddy sheets on the bed and the flower of flour soaked in fresh blood on the floor.
So the four barons, who hated Tristan for his prowess, keep him on his bed, and threaten the queen and mock her, taunt her and promise her good justice. They find the bleeding wound:
“Tristan,” said the king, “no denial would be valid henceforth; you will die tomorrow. "
He shouts at her:
“Give me thanks, Lord! In the name of the God who suffered the Passion, Lord, have mercy on us!
- Lord, avenge yourself! Answer the felons.
“Beautiful uncle, it is not for me that I implore you; what do I care if I die? Certainly, were it not for the fear of angering you, I would sell this affront dearly to the cowards who, without your protection, would not have dared to touch my body with their hands; but, out of respect and for the love of you, I book at your mercy; do with me as you please. Here I am, lord, but pity the queen! »
And Tristan bows and humbles himself at his feet.
"Pity the queen, because if there is a man in your house bold enough to support this lie that I loved her with guilty love, he will find me standing before him in a closed field. Sire, thanks for her, in the name of the Lord God! "
Mais les trois barons l’ont lié de cordes, lui et la reine. Ah ! s’il avait su qu’il ne serait pas admis à prouver son innocence en combat singulier, on l’eût démembré vif avant qu’il eût souffert d’être lié vilement.
Mais il se fiait en Dieu et savait qu’en champ clos nul n’oserait brandir une arme contre lui. Et, certes, il se fiait justement en Dieu. Quand il jurait qu’il n’avait jamais aimé la reine d’amour coupable, les félons riaient de l’insolente imposture. Mais je vous appelle, seigneurs, vous qui savez la vérité du philtre bu sur la mer et qui comprenez, disait-il mensonge ?
It is not the fact that proves the crime, but the judgment. Men see the fact, but God sees hearts, and he alone is true judge. He therefore instituted that any accused man could uphold his right by battle, and himself combat with the innocent. This is why Tristan demanded justice and battle and took care not to miss King Mark in any way. But if he could have foreseen what happened, he would have killed the felons. Ah! God ! why didn't he kill them?
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