s set
among knights of worship, and his lady afore him.

Soon Balin asked a knight, Is there not a knight in this court whose
name is Garlon? Yonder he goeth, said a knight, he with the black face;
he is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many
good knights, for he goeth invisible. Ah well, said Balin, is that he?
Then Balin advised him long: If I slay him here I shall not escape, and
if I leave him now, peradventure I shall never meet with him again
at such a steven, and much harm he will do an he live. Therewith this
Garlon espied that this Balin beheld him, and then he came and smote
Balin on the face with the back of his hand, and said, Knight, why
beholdest me so? for shame therefore, eat thy meat and do that thou came
for. Thou sayest sooth, said Balin, this is not the first despite that
thou hast done me, and therefore I will do what I came for, and rose
up fiercely and clave his head to the shoulders. Give me the truncheon,
said Balin to his lady, wherewith he slew your knight. Anon she gave
it him, for alway she bare the truncheon with her. And therewith Balin
smote him through the body, and said openly, With that truncheon thou
hast slain a good knight, and now it sticketh in thy body. And then
Balin called unto him his host, saying, Now may ye fetch blood enough to
heal your son withal.

CHAPTER XV. How Balin fought with King Pellam, and how his sword brake,
and how he gat a spear wherewith he smote the dolorous stroke.

ANON all the knights arose from the table for to set on Balin, and King
Pellam himself arose up fiercely, and said, Knight, hast thou slain my
brother? thou shalt die therefore or thou depart. Well, said Balin, do
it yourself. Yes, said King Pellam, there shall no man have ado with
thee but myself, for the love of my brother. Then King Pellam caught
in his hand a grim weapon and smote eagerly at Balin; but Balin put the
sword betwixt his head and the stroke, and therewith his sword burst in
sunder. And when Balin was weaponless he ran into a chamber for to seek
some weapon, and so from chamber to chamber, and no weapon he could
find, and always King Pellam after him. And at the last he entered into
a chamber that was marvellously well dight and richly, and a bed arrayed
with cloth of gold, the richest that might be thought, and one lying
therein, and thereby stood a table of clean gold with four pillars of
silver that bare up the table, and upon the table stood a