theterriblecirclethatonmanyabattlefieldhasbeenhiddenatlastbeneaththeheapoffallenfoes。
　　Theregimentsmovedup；therewerethreeofthemoffullstrength。
　　Irenestaredabouther，seekingsomeloopholeofescape，andfindingnone。HeliodoreandItalkedtogetherinlowtones，makingourtrystbeyondthegrave。Theregimentshaltedwithinfiftypacesofus。TheylikednotthelookofOdin’sRing，andthegroundoverwhichtheyhadmarchedandthefugitiveswithwhomtheyhadspokentoldthemthatmanyofthemlookedtheirlastuponthemoon。
　　SomemountedgeneralsrodetowardsusandaskedwhowasincommandoftheNorthmen。WhentheylearnedthatitwasJodd，theyinvitedhimtoaparley。TheendofitwasthatJoddandtwootherssteppedtwentypacesfromourranks，andmetacouncillor——itwasStauracius——andtwoofthegeneralsintheopen，wherenotreacherycouldwellbepractised，especiallyasStauraciuswasnotamanofwar。Heretheytalkedtogetherforalongwhile。ThenJoddandhiscompanionsreturned，andJoddsaid，sothatallmighthearhim:
　　“Hearken。Thesearethetermsoffered:Thatwereturntoourbarracksinpeace，bearingourweapons。Thatnothingbelaidtoourchargeunderanylaw，militaryorcivil，bytheStateorprivatepersons，forthisnight’sslayingandtumult，andthatinguaranteethereoftwelvehostagesofhighrank，uponwhosenameswehaveagreed，begivenintoourkeeping。ThatweretainourseparatestationsintheserviceoftheEmpire，orhaveleavetoquitthatservicewithinthreemonths，withthegratuityofaquarter’spay，andgowherewewillunmolested。
　　Butthat，inreturnfortheseboons，wesurrenderthepersonoftheEmpressunharmed，andwithherthatoftheGeneralOlaf，towhomafairtrialispromisedbeforeamilitarycourt。ThatwithherownvoicetheAugustashallconfirmalltheseundertakingsbeforesheleavesourranks。Suchistheoffer，comrades。“
　　“Andifwerefuseit，what？“askedavoice。
　　“This:Thatweshallberingedround，andeitherstarvedoutorshotdownbyarchers。Or，ifwetrytoescape，thatweshallbeoverwhelmedbynumbers，andanyofuswhochancetobetakenlivingshallbehanged，soundandwoundedtogether。“
　　NowtheleadersoftheNorthmenconsulted。Irenewatchedthemforawhile，thenturnedtomeandasked，“Whatwilltheydo，Olaf？“
　　“Icannotsay，Augusta，“Ianswered，“butIthinkthattheywilloffertosurrenderyouandnotmyself，sincetheymaydoubtthemofthatfairtrialwhichispromisedtome。“
　　“Whichmeans，“shesaid，“that，whetherIliveordie，allthesebravemenwillbesacrificedtoyou，Olaf，who，afterall，mustperishwiththem，aswillthisEgyptian。Areyoupreparedtoacceptthatblood-
　　offering，Olaf？Ifso，youmusthavechangedfromthemanIloved。“
　　“No，Augusta，“Ianswered，“Iamnotprepared。RatherwouldItrustmyselfintoyourpower，Augusta。“
　　Theconferenceoftheofficershadcometoanend。Theirleaderadvancedandsaid，“Weaccepttheterms，exceptastothematterofOlafRed-Sword。TheEmpressmaygofree，butOlafRed-Sword，ourgeneralwhomwelove，wewillnotsurrender。Firstwillwedie。“
　　“Good！“saidJodd。“Ilookedforsuchwordsfromyou。“
　　Thenhemarchedout，withhiscompanions，andagainmetStauraciusandthetwogeneralsoftheGreeks。Aftertheyhadtalkedalittlewhilehereturnedandsaid，“Thosetwoofficers，beingmen，wouldhaveagreed，butStauracius，theeunuch，whoseemsincommand，willnotagree。HesaysthatOlafRed-
　　SwordmustbesurrenderedwiththeEmpress。WeansweredthatinthiscasesoontherewouldbenoEmpresstosurrenderexceptonereadyforburial。HerepliedthatwasasGodmightdecree；eitherbothmustbesurrenderedorbothbeheld。“
　　“Doyouknowwhythedogsaidthat？“whisperedIrenetome。“ItwasbecausethoseNorthmenhaveletsliptheofferImadetoyoubutnow，andheisjealousofyou，andfearsyoumaytakehispower。Well，ifI
　　live，onedayheshallpayforthiswhocaressolittleformylife。“
　　Soshespoke，butImadenoanswer。Instead，IturnedtoHeliodore，saying，“Youseehowmattersstand，beloved。EitherImustsurrendermyself，orallthesebravemenmustperish，andwewiththem。Formyself，Iamreadytodie，butIamnotwillingthatyouandtheyshoulddie。Also，ifIyield，Icandonoworsethandie，whereasperchanceafterallthingswilltakeanotherturn。Nowwhatsayyou？“
　　“Isay，followyourheart，Olaf，“sherepliedsteadily。“Honourcomesfirstofall。TherestiswithGod。WhereveryougothereIsoonshallbe。“
　　“Ithankyou，“Ianswered；“yourmindismine。“
　　ThenIsteppedforwardandsaid，“Comrades，itismyturntothrowinthisgreatgame。Ihaveheardandconsideredall，andIthinkitbestthatIshouldbesurrendered，withtheAugusta，totheGreeks。“
　　“Wewillnotsurrenderyou，“theyshouted。
　　“Comrades，Iamstillyourgeneral，andmyorderisthatyousurrenderme。Also，Ihaveotherorderstogivetoyou。ThatyouguardthisladyHeliodoretothelast，andthat，whileoneofyouremainsalive，sheshallbetoyouasthoughshewerethatman’sdaughter，ormother，orsister，tohelpandprotectasbesthemayineverycircumstance，seenorunforeseen。Further，thatwithheryouguardherfather，thenobleEgyptianMagas。Willyoupromisethistome？“
　　“Aye！“theyroaredinanswer。
　　“Youhearthem，Heliodore，“Isaid。“Knowthathenceforthyouareoneofalargefamily，and，howevergreatyourenemies，thatyouwillneverlackafriend。Comrades，“Iwenton，“thisismysecondorder，andperchancethelastthatIshallevergivetoyou。UnlessyouhearthatIamevillytreatedinthepalaceyonder，stayquiet。Butifthattidingsshouldreachyou，thenalloathsarebroken。Dowhatyoucanandwill。“
　　“Aye！“theyroaredagain。
　　Afterwardswhathappened？Itcomesbacktomebutdimly。IthinktheysworetheEmpressontheBloodofChristthatIshouldgounharmed。I
　　thinkIembracedHeliodorebeforethemall，andgaveherintotheirkeeping。IthinkIwhisperedintotheearofJoddtoseekouttheBishopBarnabas，andprayhimtogetherandherfatherawaytoEgyptwithoutdelay——yes，evenbyforce，ifitwereneedful。ThenIthinkI
　　lefttheirlines，andthat，asIwent，leadingtheAugustabythehand，theygavetomethegeneral’ssalute。ThatIturnedandsalutedtheminanswerereIyieldedmyselfintothepowerofmygod-father，Stauracius，whogreetedmewithafalseandsicklysmile。
　　IknownotwhattimewentbybeforeIwasputuponmytrial，butthattrialIcanstillseeasclearlyasthoughitwerehappeningbeforemyeyes。Ittookplaceinalong，lowroomofthevastpalacebuildingsthatwaslightedonlybywindow-placessethighupinthewall。Thesewallswerefrescoed，andattheendoftheroomabovetheseatofthejudgeswasarudepictureinbrightcoloursofthecondemnationofChristbyPilate。Pilate，Iremember，wasrepresentedwithablackface，tosignifyhiswickednessIsuppose，andintheairabovehimhungared-eyedimpshapedlikeabatwhogrippedhisrobewithoneclawandwhisperedintohisear。
　　Thereweresevenjudges，hewhopresidedbeingalaw-officer，andtheothersixcaptainsofdifferentgrades，chosenmostlyfromamongthesurvivorsofthosetroopswhomtheNorthmenhaddefeatedonthenightofthebattleinthepalacegardens。Asthiswasamilitarytrial，I
　　wasallowednoadvocatetodefendme，norindeeddidIaskforany。
　　TheCourt，however，wasopenandcrowdedwithspectators，amongwhomI
　　sawmostofthegreatofficersofthepalace，Stauraciuswiththem；
　　alsosomeladies，oneofwhomwasMartina，mygod-mother。Thebackofthelongroomwaspackedwithsoldiersandothers，notallofwhomweremyenemies。
　　IntothisplaceIwasbrought，guardedbyfournegroes，greatfellowsarmedwithswordswhomIknewtobechosenoutofthenumberoftheexecutionersofthepalaceandthecity。Indeed，oneofthemhadservedundermewhenIwasgovernoroftheStateprison，andbeendismissedbymebecauseofsomecrueltywhichhehadpractised。
　　NotingallthesethingsandthepityinMartina’seyes，IknewthatI
　　wasalreadydoomed，butasIhadexpectednothingelsethisdidnottroublemeovermuch。
　　Istoodbeforethejudges，andtheystaredatme。
　　“Whydoyounotsaluteus，fellow？“askedoneofthem，amincingGreekcaptainwhomIhadseenrunninglikeahareuponthenightofthefray。
　　“Because，Captain，IamofseniorranktoanywhomIseebeforeme，andasyetuncondemned。Therefore，ifsalutesareinthequestion，itisyouwhoshouldsaluteme。“
　　Atthisspeechtheystaredatmestillharderthanbefore，butamongthesoldiersattheendofthehalltherearosesomethinglikeamurmurofapplause。
　　“Wastenotimeinlisteningtohisinsolence，“saidthepresidentoftheCourt。“Clerk，setoutthecase。“
　　Thenablack-robedmanwhosatbeneaththejudgesroseandreadthechargetomefromaparchment。ItwasbriefandtotheeffectthatI，Michael，formerlyknownasOlaforOlafRed-Sword，aNorthmanintheserviceoftheEmpressIrene，ageneralinherarmies，achamberlainandMasterofthePalace，hadconspiredagainsttheEmpress，hadkilledherservants，haddetainedherperson，threateningtomurderher；hadmadewaruponhertroopsandslainsomehundredsofthembythehelpofotherNorthmen，andwoundedmanymore。
　　IwasaskedwhatIpleadedtothischarge，andreplied，“Iamnotguilty。“
　　Thenwitnesseswerecalled。ThefirstofthesewasthefourthmanwhomIrenehadsetuponme，whoaloneescapedwithawoundbehind。Thisfellow，havingbeencarriedintocourt，forhecouldnotwalk，leanedoverabar，forhecouldnotsitdown，andtoldhisstory。WhenhehadfinishedIwasallowedtoexaminehim。
　　“WhydidtheEmpressorderyouandyourcompanionstoattackme？“I
　　asked。