use it was wrong and unfair of Sweyn to force this battle upon
you; and I hate him for it! I shall pray Odin to give you victory. You
don't believe in him, I know; still my prayers can do you no harm."

"Thank you," Edmund said. "I shall pray to One greater and better than
Odin. But weep not any longer, for I trust neither of us will be
killed. I shall do my best to guard myself, and shall try not to slay
him; for this fight is not for my nation or for my religion, but
concerns myself only."

The following morning the Northmen assembled. The jarls and other
leading men formed the inner line of a circle some thirty yards in
diameter, the others stood without; Jarl Eric entered the ring with
Sweyn, while Edmund, accompanied by Siegbert, entered at the other side
of the circle.

"I protest," Siegbert cried in a loud voice, "against this conflict
taking place. Edmund the Saxon is no captive here, but a free man, and
my guest; moreover, being a Saxon, the issue of this fight between him
and a Northman can serve no purpose as an augury as to the success of
our expedition against the Franks. Therefore do I protest against the
conflict."

There was again a consultation between the leaders, for a murmur of
approbation had run round the ranks of the spectators, who it was
evident were impressed in favour of the young Saxon, and considered
that the jarl's words were just and reasonable. Eric spoke for a minute
with Sweyn.

"I feel," he said in a loud voice, "that what Jarl Siegbert says is
reasonable, that no augury can be drawn from the fight, and that, since
Edmund is no longer a captive, and a friend of Siegbert's, he cannot be
forced into fighting in order that we may have an augury. But the
Saxon, though so young, has won a reputation even among us, the enemies
of his race; and my friend Sweyn, who has shown himself one of the
bravest of our young men, considers that he has cause of quarrel with
him, and challenges him to fight--not necessarily to the death, or till
one is slain, but till the jarls here assembled do pronounce one or the
other to be the victor. This is a fair challenge--first, there is a
private quarrel; next, there is emulation between these young men, who
may fairly claim to be the champions of the youth of the two races.
Such a challenge the Saxon will hardly refuse."

In accordance with the customs of the day it would have been impossible
for Edmund to have refused such a challenge without disgrace,