“No;” the gerefa was full of impatience. “’Tis but a wile of the jade. Besides, hath it not been clearly shown that she hath stolen the harp? Arise, maiden, and hear thy doom. Too long now hast thou detained us. It hath been proved by witnesses, both unbought and unlying, that thou didst take from the manor of Oswald the thegn the harp of Edwy the gleeman. More hath also been shown. Not only didst thou steal the harp, but thou wert found with it in thy possession. Hear, then, the doom.” “But, my lord, I am innocent—innocent,” interrupted Egwina, wildly. “By the Powers of Heaven, I swear to thee that I am innocent.” “Girl, darest thou to blaspheme?” cried the gerefa, recoiling from her. “Darest thou to call upon the Powers of Heaven?” “Aye!” cried Egwina, springing to her feet. “And not only upon the Powers alone, but upon Him who ruleth over all as well. Sir Gerefa, a greater than thou shall be my judge. I commit my soul to God to attest its innocence. Sir, I demand the ordeal.” CHAPTER XXII—THE ORDEAL The effect on the people was electrical. A murmur went up that the maiden was innocent else she durst not appeal to the Supreme Judge. Ælfric the juggler turned pale. The tendency toward belief in the girl’s innocence grew into a certainty in the heart of the ealdorman, and even the gerefa seemed somewhat softened. “Child, child,” he said, compassionately, “wottest thou what thou askest?” “Yea, I know,” answered Egwina, firmly. “By fire or by water as ye may choose, my lord gerefa and my lord ealdorman, and with God be the judgment.” “With God be the judgment,” repeated the gerefa solemnly. “But with thee lieth the choice.” “Do ye two choose,” said the maiden, “that ye may be satisfied with the trial. It will please me the better to have it so decided.” “Then, brother,” said the gerefa, addressing the ealdorman, “what sayest thou to the ordeal by water?” “If it suit the maiden, I will not gainsay the choice,” returned the ealdorman. “Then, maiden, thou shalt to the bishop, who will return to Winchester this day. There wilt thou purify thyself by just preparation for the rite. Let bread and salt, water and herbs only be thy portion. Three days shalt thou tarry at the abode of the bishop; then, purified and absolved, the ordeal will be given thee. In the presence of witnesses, twelve for thee, and twelve against thee, shalt thou enter the church with the priest. Into boiling water shalt thou plunge thine arm to the elbow, and from the water shalt thou take a stone heated hot. And may God, the Supreme Ruler, who on the last great day shall judge the quick and the dead, be thy judge. May He, in His infinite mercy, prove thee innocent as thou sayest, for dire and dread is the punishment that will o’erwhelm thee shouldst thou be guilty.”