United States or Bulgaria ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Wulf and Beorn were permitted to share in the assaults, and with the Saxon thanes followed Harold, as he led the way on foot up to the intrenchments at one point, while the duke with a party of his barons attacked at another.
He knew that Beorn was a sound sleeper, and could scarcely be trusted to keep awake from midnight until four o'clock, and that it were best he himself watched during that time. Half an hour passed, and then he heard a very slight noise. A moment later four figures appeared at the end of the corridor.
What can I do?" and almost did he weep for my hard case. "Let things go their own way, my brother," I said gently. "I do not fear the sea, nor this man here Beorn. Do you go to Reedham and tend Lodbrok's hawk for me, and send word to my father, that he may come home, and to the king, so that Lodbrok may have honourable burial."
Then the earl asked me: "Why thought you that Beorn slew the man?" "Because there was no other man near, and because I know that he bore ill will towards him for the favour shown him by the king." "So," said Ulfkytel; "now let Beorn speak." Then that evil man, being very crafty, did not deny my words, but said that he had found the body lying with my arrow in its side.
Yet I had things to hear from him, now that he had no need to speak falsely, and I went to his side. The two jarls stood and looked at him unmoved. "The justice of Ulfkytel is on you, Beorn," I said slowly; "there is no need to hide aught. Tell me how you slew Lodbrok, and why."
"Nay, there be wise and good men amongst them, and this bishop is one. Thou shalt seek him, for he is now in Oxford: thou shalt start this very night, and tomorrow thou mayest reach him. I will give thee the written confession of this most unhappy but penitent Beorn, and the bishop will hear thee, and justice shall yet be done. But thou must depart at once, or he will have left the city.
"That will we not hear," cried the thegns, with one voice; while the tones of Gamel Beorn, rough with the rattling Danish burr, rose above all, "for we were born free. A proud and bad chief is by us not to be endured; we have learned from our ancestors to live free or die!"
Yet to quiet Beorn whom I never liked, as he was both overbearing and boastful, though of great skill in his art of falconry I thanked the Dane, and went to where a hawking glove hung on the wall, for my arm would feel the marks of those strong talons for many a day, already. As I put it on I said that I feared the bird would hardly come to me, leaving her master.
But Ingvar looked at Beorn fixedly, and the man shrank away from his gaze. "How did he die, is what I would know?" he said sternly. "Let the man to whom Halfden and Lodbrok gave these gifts tell us presently. We have enough ill news for the time. Surely we knew that the jarl was dead, and it is ours but to learn how;" said Hubba. "How know you that these men slew not both?"
He plunged his paddle deeper in the water, thrusting it forward to stay the progress of the prow, and glanced from side to side, then straight ahead. He had caught the smell of burning. On the northern side of the bend, curling above the trees, he could detect the rise of smoke. Someone had lit a fire and was camping there. But who? Was it Beorn and Peggy?
Word Of The Day