"That knight I know: two knights of mine, Two comrades, sealed by faith's bright sign, Whose eyes as ours that live should shine, And drink the golden sunlight's wine With joy's thanksgiving that they live, He hath slain in even the same blind wise:
Were all wide wealth beneath the skies Mine, might I meet him, eyes on eyes, All would I laugh to give."
His host made answer, and his gaze Grew bright with trust as dawn's moist maze With fire: "Within these twenty days, King Pellam, lord of Lystenayse, Holds feast through all this country cried, And there before the knightly king May no knight come except he bring For witness of his wayfaring His paramour or bride.
"And there that day, so soon to shine, This knight, your felon foe and mine, Shall show, full-flushed with bloodred wine, The fierce false face whereon we pine To wreak the wrong he hath wrought us, bare As shame should see and brand it." "Then,"
Said Balen, "shall he give again His blood to heal your son, and men Shall see death blind him there."
"Forth will we fare to-morrow," said His host: and forth, as sunrise led, They rode; and fifteen days were fled Ere toward their goal their steeds had sped.
And there alighting might they find For Balen's host no place to rest, Who came without a gentler guest Beside him: and that household's hest Bade leave his sword behind.
"Nay," Balen said, "that do I not:
My country's custom stands, God wot, That none whose lot is knighthood's lot, To ride where chance as fire is hot With hope or promise given of fight, Shall fail to keep, for knighthood's part, His weapon with him as his heart;And as I came will I depart, Or hold herein my right."
Then gat he leave to wear his sword Beside the strange king's festal board Where feasted many a knight and lord In seemliness of fair accord:
And Balen asked of one beside, "Is there not in this court, if fame Keep faith, a knight that hath to name Garlon?" and saying that word of shame, He scanned that place of pride.
"Yonder he goeth against the light, He with the face as swart as night,"
Quoth the other: "but he rides to fight Hid round by charms from all men's sight, And many a noble knight he hath slain, Being wrapt in darkness deep as hell And silence dark as shame." "Ah, well,"
Said Balen, "is that he? the spell May be the sorcerer's bane."
Then Balen gazed upon him long, And thought, "If here I wreak my wrong, Alive I may not scape, so strong The felon's friends about him throng;And if I leave him here alive, This chance perchance may life not give Again: much evil, if he live, He needs must do, should fear forgive When wrongs bid strike and strive."
And Garlon, seeing how Balen's eye Dwelt on him as his heart waxed high With joy in wrath to see him nigh, Rose wolf-like with a wolfish cry And crossed and smote him on the face, Saying, "Knight, what wouldst thou with me? Eat, For shame, and gaze not: eat thy meat Do that thou art come for: stands thy seat Next ours of royal race?"
"Well hast thou said: thy rede rings true;That which I came for will I do,"
Quoth Balen: forth his fleet sword flew, And clove the head of Garlon through Clean to the shoulders. Then he cried Loud to his lady, "Give me here The truncheon of the shameful spear Wherewith he slew your knight, when fear Bade hate in darkness ride."
And gladly, bright with grief made glad, She gave the truncheon as he bade, For still she bare it with her, sad And strong in hopeless hope she had, Through all dark days of thwarting fear, To see if doom should fall aright And as God's fire-fraught thunder smite That head, clothed round with hell-faced night, Bare now before her here.
And Balen smote therewith the dead Dark felon's body through, and said Aloud, "With even this truncheon, red With baser blood than brave men bled Whom in thy shameful hand it slew, Thou hast slain a nobler knight, and now It clings and cleaves thy body: thou Shall cleave again no brave man's brow, Though hell would aid anew."
