Birdalone steeled her heart and went forward swiftly, and over the
bridge, and entered the basecourt, and came without more ado to the
door of the great hall, and opened it easily, as with the door of
yesterday, looking to find another show like unto that one; and even
so it fell out.
Forsooth the hall was nought light and lovely, and gay with gold and
bright colours, as that other, but beset with huge round pillars that
bore aloft a wide vault of stone, and of stone were the tables; and
the hallings that hung on the wall were terrible pictures of battle
and death, and the fall of cities, and towers a-tumbling and houses
a-flaming.
None the less there also were the shapes of folk that moved not nor
spake, though not so thronged was that hall as the other one; and it
seemed as if men were sitting there at a council rather than a feast.
Close by Birdalone's right hand as she entered were standing in a row
along the screen big men-at-arms all weaponed, and their faces hidden
by their sallets; and down below the dais on either side of the high
table was again a throng of all-armed men; and at the high-table
itself; and looking down the hall, sat three crowned kings, each with
his drawn sword lying across his knees, and three long-hoary wise men
stood before them at the nether side of the board.
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