ye
broken my promise, for thou promisest me to meet me here by noon, and
I may curse thee that ever ye gave me this sword, for with this sword I
slay myself, and pulled it out. And therewith Balin stert unto him and
took him by the hand. Let go my hand, said the knight, or else I shall
slay thee. That shall not need, said Balin, for I shall promise you my
help to get you your lady, an ye will tell me where she is. What is your
name? said the knight. My name is Balin le Savage. Ah, sir, I know you
well enough, ye are the Knight with the Two Swords, and the man of most
prowess of your hands living. What is your name? said Balin. My name is
Garnish of the Mount, a poor man's son, but by my prowess and hardiness
a duke hath made me knight, and gave me lands; his name is Duke Hermel,
and his daughter is she that I love, and she me as I deemed. How far is
she hence? said Balin. But six mile, said the knight. Now ride we hence,
said these two knights. So they rode more than a pace, till that they
came to a fair castle well walled and ditched. I will into the castle,
said Balin, and look if she be there. So he went in and searched from
chamber to chamber, and found her bed, but she was not there. Then Balin
looked into a fair little garden, and under a laurel tree he saw her
lie upon a quilt of green samite and a knight in her arms, fast halsing
either other, and under their heads grass and herbs. When Balin saw her
lie so with the foulest knight that ever he saw, and she a fair lady,
then Balin went through all the chambers again, and told the knight
how he found her as she had slept fast, and so brought him in the place
there she lay fast sleeping.

CHAPTER XVII. How that knight slew his love and a knight lying by her,
and after, how he slew himself with his own sword, and how Balin rode
toward a castle where he lost his life.

AND when Garnish beheld her so lying, for pure sorrow his mouth and nose
burst out a-bleeding, and with his sword he smote off both their heads,
and then he made sorrow out of measure, and said, O Balin, much sorrow
hast thou brought unto me, for hadst thou not shewed me that sight I
should have passed my sorrow. Forsooth, said Balin, I did it to this
intent that it should better thy courage, and that ye might see and
know her falsehood, and to cause you to leave love of such a lady;
God knoweth I did none other but as I would ye did to me. Alas, said
Garnish, now is my sorrow double that I may