She stood
before the Jotun as straight and unbending as a spear-shaft, and her eyes were
reflections of his own. Her wonder was great when slowly, even while his eyes
blazed, Rothgar's mouth began to twitch at the corners. All at once he rolled
over on his back with a shout of laughter.
"By Ragnar, there will not be many jests to equal this!" he gasped. "That a
titmouse should ruffle its feathers and upbraid me! Here is merriment!" He lay
there laughing after the others had joined in with him; and his face was not
entirely sober the next time he turned it toward her. "Good Berserker, give me
leave to live some while longer in order that I may explain my intentions."
Yet when he had risen, a change came into his voice that brought every man to
his feet. "We will make ready to go at cockcrow," he said abruptly. "If it
were only a matter of a couple of days, I would wait; but since it will be at
least a week before we can expect them to give in, I think it unadvisable to
waste more time. Since the King is in this temper, the next battle may well be
the last; and much shame would come of it if we did not have our share. We
will start when the cock crows. As soon as Canute gets the kingship over the
English realm, Ivarsdale will fall to me anyway. Let the Angle enjoy himself
until then."
Chapter XVI
The Sword of Speech
Speech-runes thou must know
If thou wilt that no one
For injury with hate requite thee.
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