Now a tumult arose, and a eunuch in the background shouted to the soldiers to obey the Empress’s orders, whereon again some of them began to advance.

“If no answer is given to my question,” went on Jodd in his slow, bull-like voice, “I fear that others must be killed besides the General Olaf.  Ho!  Northmen.  To me, Northmen!  Ho!  Britons, to me, Britons!  Ho!  Saxons, to me, Saxons!  Ho! all who are not accursed Greeks.  To me all who are not accursed Greeks!”

Now at each cry of Jodd’s men leapt forward from the gathering crowd, and, to the number of fifty or more in all, marshalled themselves behind him, those of each nation standing shoulder to shoulder in little groups before me.

“Is my question to be answered?” asked Jodd.  “Because, if not, although we be but one against ten, I think that ere the General Olaf is cut down or taken there will be good fighting this night.”

Then I spoke, saying,

“Captain Jodd, and comrades, I will answer your question, and if I speak wrongly let the Augusta correct me.  This is the trouble.  The lady Heliodore here is my affianced wife.  We were speaking together in this garden as the affianced do.  The Empress, who, unseen by us, was hidden behind those trees, overheard our talk, which, for reasons best known to herself, for in it there was naught of treason or any matter of the State, made her so angry that she set her servants on to kill me.  Thinking them murderers or robbers, I defended myself, and there they lie, save one, who fled away wounded.  Then the Empress appeared and ordered me to kill the lady Heliodore.  Comrades, look on her whom the Empress ordered me to kill, and say whether, were she your affianced, you would kill her even to please the Empress,” and, stepping to one side, I showed them Heliodore in all her loveliness standing against the tree, the drawn dagger in her hand.

Now from those that Jodd had summoned there went up a roar of “No,” while even the rest were silent.  Irene sprang forward and cried,

“Are my orders to be canvassed and debated?  Obey!  Cut this man down or take him living, I care not which, and with him all who cling to him, or to-morrow you hang, every one of you.”

Now the soldiers who had gathered also began to form up under their officers, for they saw that before them was war and death.  By this time they were many, and as the alarm spread minute by minute more arrived.

“Yield or we attack,” said he who had taken command of them.

“I do not think that we yield,” answered Jodd; and just then there came a sound of men running in ordered companies from the direction of the Northmen’s barracks were Jodd’s messenger had told his tale.

“I am sure that we do not yield,” continued Jodd, and suddenly raised the wild northern war-cry, “Valhalla, Valhalla!  Victory or Valhalla!”

Instantly from three hundred throats, above the sound of the running feet that drew ever nearer, came the answering shout of “Valhalla, Valhalla!  Victory or Valhalla!” Then out of the gloom up dashed the Northmen.