rt rose at these words, and he trembled with his great
anger.

'Ah, well,' said the good knight. 'And that is he?'

He considered long within himself what he should do.

'If I slay him here in this crowded hall,' he said, 'I shall surely not
escape, and if I leave him now, peradventure I shall never meet with
him again, and much evil will he do if he be let to live.'

He could not remove his eyes from Sir Garlon where he walked between
the tables, proudly talking and laughing with those he knew, and making
soft speeches to ladies, though many showed fear of him, and crossed
their fingers while he spoke to them, to fend off the evil of his eyes.
Very soon Sir Garlon noticed the fixed, stern look of Sir Balin, and
came across to him and flicked his gauntlet across his face.

'This shall make thee remember me when next thou seest me, knight,' he
said. 'But thou hadst better do what thou camest for, and fill thyself
with mead.'

'Thou sayest sooth,' said Balin, and clutched the sword under his robe.
'Too long hast thou done evil and despite, and now will I do that for
which I came.'

Rising, he drew his sword fiercely and swiftly, and cleaved the head of
Garlon to the shoulders.

'Give me the truncheon wherewith he slew thy brother!' said Balin to
the damsel beside him.

From beneath her robe the lady brought forth the broken truncheon, and
striding to the slain man, Sir Balin thrust it fiercely into his body.

'Now,' cried he aloud, 'with this lance thou didst treacherously slay a
good knight, and for that and all thy other cruel murders have I slain
thee.'

With that arose a great outcry, and men ran from the tables towards Sir
Balin to slay him, and the foremost of them was King Pellam, who rushed
towards him, crying:

'Thou hast slain my brother when he bore no sword, and thou shalt
surely die.'

'Well,' said Balin, 'come and do it thyself.'

'I shall do it,' said Pellam, 'and no man shall touch thee but me, for
the love of my brother.'

Pellam snatched an axe from the hands of one standing by, and smote
eagerly at Balin; but Balin put his sword between his head and the
stroke, and the sword was struck from his hand.

Then, weaponless, Balin dashed through the circle of guests towards a
door, looking for a weapon while he ran, but none could he find. King
Pellam followed closely behind him, and so they ran from chamber to
chamber, and up the narrow stair within the wall, until at the last
Balin fou