Ourtriplelinebentinlikeabowandbegantobreak。Thescalesofwarhungontheturn，when，fromthedensebeltoftreesuponourleft，suddenlyrosethecryof“/Valhalla！Valhalla！VictoryorValhalla！/“forwhichI，whohadoverheardJodd’sorders，waswaiting。
Thesewerehisorders——thathalfoftheNorthmenshouldcreepdownbehindthebeltoftreesintheirdenseshadow，andthusoutflankthefoe。
Forththeysprangbycompaniesoffifty，themoonlightgleamingontheirmail，andthere，threehundredyardsaway，anewbattlewasbegun。NowtheGreeksinfrontofus，fearingfortheirrear，waveredamomentandfellback，perhaps，tenpaces。Isawtheopportunityandcouldbearnomore，whobeforeallthingswasasoldier。
Shoutingtosomeofourwoundedtowatchthewomen，Idrewmyswordandleaptforward。
“Icome，Northmen！“Icried，andwasgreetedwitharoarof:
“OlafRed-Sword！FollowOlafRed-Sword！“forsothesoldiersnamedme。
“Steady，Northmen！Shouldertoshoulder，Northmen！“Icriedback。“Nowatthem！Charge！/Valhalla！VictoryorValhalla！/“
Downtheslopetheywentbeforeourrush。Inthirtypacestheywerebutahuddledmob，onwhichourswordsplayedlikelightnings。Werolledthembackontotheirsupports，andthosesupports，outflanked，begantoflee。Wesweptthroughandthroughthem。Weslewthembyhundreds，wetrodthembeneathourvictoriousfeet，and——oh！inthatbattleastrangethinghappenedtome。IthoughtIsawmydeadbrotherRagnarfightingatmyside；aye，andIthoughtIheardhimcrytome，inthatlost，rememberedvoice:
“Theoldbloodrunsinyouyet，youChristianman！Oh！youfightwell，youChristianman。WeofValhallagiveyougreetings，OlafRed-Sword。
/Valhalla！Valhalla！VictoryorValhalla！/“
Itwasdone。Somewerefled，butmoreweredead，for，onceatgrips，theNorthmanshowednomercytotheGreek。Backwecame，thosewhowereleftofus，formany，perhapsahundred，werenot，andformedaringroundthewomenandthewounded。
“Welldone，Olaf，“saidHeliodore；butIreneonlylookedatmewithakindofwonderinhereyes。
NowtheleadersoftheNorthmenbegantotalkamongthemselves，butalthoughfromtimetotimetheyglancedatme，theydidnotaskmetojoinintheirtalk。PresentlyJoddcameforwardandsaidinhisslowvoice:
“OlafRed-Sword，weloveyou，whohavealwayslovedus，yourcomrades，aswehaveshownyouto-night。Youhaveleduswell，Olaf，and，consideringoursmallnumbers，wehavejustwonavictoryofwhichweareproud。Butournecksareinthenoose，asyoursis，andwethinkthatinthiscaseourbestcourseistobebold。Therefore，wenameyouC鎠ar。HavingdefeatedtheGreeks，weproposenowtotakethepalaceandtotalkwiththeregimentswithout，manyofwhomaredisloyalandshoutforConstantine，whomafteralltheyhateonlyalittlelessthantheydoIreneyonder。Weknownotwhatwillbetheendofthematteranddonotgreatlycare，whosetourfortunesuponathrowofthedice，butwethinkthereisagoodchanceofvictory。Doyouaccept，andwillyouthrowinyourswordwithours？“
“HowcanI，“Ianswered，“whentherestandstheEmpress，whosebreadI
haveeatenandtowhomIhaveswornfealty？“
“AnEmpress，itseems，whodesirestoslayyouoversomematterthathastodowithawoman。Olaf，thedaggersofherassassinshavecutthisthreadoffealty。Moreover，asitchancessheisinourpower，andaswecannotmakeourcrimeagainstherblackerthanitis，weproposetoridyouandourselvesofthisEmpress，whoisourenemy，andwhoforhergreatwickednesswelldeservestodie。Suchisouroffer，totakeortoleave，astimeisshort。Shouldyourefuseit，weabandonyoutoyourfate，andgotomakeourtermswithConstantine，whoalsohatesthisEmpressandevennowisplottingherdownfall。“
AshespokeIsawcertainmendrawneartoIreneforapurposewhichI
couldguess，andsteppedbetweenherandthem。
“TheAugustaismymistress，“Isaid，“andalthoughIattackedsomeofhertroopsbutnow，andshehaswrongedmemuch，stillIdefendhertothelast。“
“Littleuseinthat，Olaf，seeingthatyouarebutoneandwearemany，“answeredJodd。“Come，willyoubeC鎠ar，orwillyounot？“
NowIrenecreptupbehindmeandwhisperedinmyear。
“Accept，“shesaid。“Itpleasesmewell。BeC鎠arasmyhusband。Soyouwillsavemylifeandmythrone，ofwhichIvowtoyouanequalshare。WiththehelpofyourNorthmenandthelegionsIcommandandwhoclingtome，wecandefeatConstantineandruletheworldtogether。Thispettyfrayisnothing。Whatmattersitifsomeliveshavebeenlostinapalacetumult？Theworldliesinyourgrasp；takeit，Olaf，and，withit，/me/。“
Iheardandunderstood。Nowhadcomethegreatmomentofmylife。
Somethingtoldmethatontheonehandweremajestyandempire；ontheothermuchpainandsorrowyetwiththeseacertainholyjoyandpeace。ItwasthelatterthatIchose，asdoubtlessFateorGodhaddecreedthatIshoulddo。
“Ithankyou，Augusta，“Isaid，“but，whileIcanprotecther，Iwillnotseizeathroneoverthebodyofonewhohasbeenkindtome，norwillIbuyitatthepriceyouoffer。Therestandsmypredestinedwife，andIcanmarrynootherwoman。“
NowIreneturnedtoHeliodore，andsaidinaswift，lowvoice:
“Doyouunderstandthismatter，lady？Letushavedonewithjealousiesandbeplain，forthelivesofallofushanguponthreadsthat，forsome，mustbreakwithinadayortwo，andwiththemthoseofathousand，thousandothers。Aye，thedestinyoftheworldisatstake。
Yousayyoulovethisman，whomIwilltellyouIlovealso。Well，if/you/winhim，andhelives，whichhescarcecanhopetodo，hegetsyourkissesinwhatevercorneroftheearthwillshelterhimandyou。
If/I/winhim，theempireoftheearthishis。Moreover，girl，“sheaddedwithmeaning，“empressesarenotalwaysjealous；sometimeseventheycanlooktheotherway。TherewouldbehighplaceforyouwithinourCourt，and，whoknows？Yourturnmightcomeatlength。Alsoyourfather’splanswouldbeforwardedtothelastpoundofgoldinourtreasuryandthelastsoldierinourservice。Withinfiveyears，mayhap，hemightruleEgyptasourGovernor。Whatsayyou？“
HeliodorelookedattheEmpresswiththatstrange，slowsmileofhers。
Thenshelookedatme，andanswered:
“IsaywhatOlafsays。Therearetwoempiresinthecase。One，whichyoucangive，Augusta，isoftheworld；theother，whichIcangivehimhere，isonlyawoman’sheart，yet，asIthink，ofanothereternalworldthatyoudonotknow。IsaywhatOlafsays。LetOlafspeak，Augusta。“
“Empress，“Isaidslowly，“againIthankyou，butitmaynotbe。Myfatelieshere，“andIlaidmyhandupontheheartofHeliodore。
“Youaremistaken，Olaf，“answeredtheEmpress，inacoldandquietvoice，butseeminglywithoutanger；“yourfateliesthere，“andshepointedtotheground，thenadded，“Believeme，Iamsorry，foryouareamanofwhomanywomanmightbeproud——yes，evenanempress。I
havealwaysthoughtit，andIthoughtitagainjustnowwhenIsawyouleadthatchargeagainstthosecursinarmour，“andshepointedtowardsthebodiesoftheGreeks。“So，itisfinished，asperchanceI
am。IfImustdie，letitbeonyoursword，Olaf。“
“Youranswer，OlafRed-Sword！“calledJodd。“Youhavetalkedenough。“
“Youranswer！Yes，youranswer！“theNorthmenechoed。
“TheEmpresshasofferedtosharehercrownwithme，Jodd，but，friends，itcannotbe，becauseofthisladytowhomIamaffianced。“
“Marrythemboth，“shoutedarudevoice，butJoddreplied:
“Thenthatissoonsettled。Outofourpath，Olaf，andlooktheotherway。WhenyouturnyourheadagaintherewillbenoEmpresstotroubleyou，exceptoneofyourownchoosing。“
Onhearingthesewords，andseeingtheswordsdrawnear，Ireneclutchedholdofme，foralwaysshefeareddeathaboveeverything。
“Youwillnotseemebutchered？“shegasped。
“NotwhileIlive，“Ianswered。“Hearken，friends。IamthegeneraloftheAugusta’sguard，andifshedies，forhonour’ssakeImustdiefirst。Strike，then，ifyouwill，butthroughmybody。“
“Tearheraway！“calledavoice。
“Comrades，“Iwenton，“benotsomad。To-nightwehavedonethatwhichhasearnedusdeath，butwhiletheEmpresslivesyouhaveahostageinyourhandswithwhomyoucanbuypardon。Asalumpofclaywhatworthisshetoyou？Hark！Theregimentsfromthecity！“
AsIspoke，fromthedirectionofthepalacecameasoundofmanyvoicesandofthetreadoffivethousandfeet。
“Trueenough，“saidJodd，withcomposure。“Theyareonus，andnowitistoolatetostormthepalace。Olaf，likemanyanotherman，youhavelostyourchanceofgloryforawoman，or，whoknows，perhapsyou’vewonit。Well，comrades，asItakeityouarenotmindedtoflyandbehunteddownlikerats，onlyonethingremains——todieinafashiontheywillrememberinByzantium。Olaf，you’dbestmindthewomen；I
willtakecommand。Ringround，comrades，ringround！’Tisagoodplaceforit。Setthewoundedinthemiddle。KeepthatEmpresslivingforthepresent，butwhenallisdone，killher。We’llbeherescorttothegatesofhell，forthereshe’sboundifeverwomanwas。“
Then，withoutmurmurorcomplaint，almostinsilence，indeed，theyformedOdin’sRing，thattriplecircleoftheNorthmendoomedtodie；
