"I was sent," said the man, "with two others, to spy into your state here. The king has heard of your merrymakings and of your alliance with the English king. He bade us see how you were armed and how prepared for a sudden assault, and then return secretly and report it to him." "And is it thus you perform your errand?" cried Sigurd. "Where are thy companions?" "Drowned, my liege, in the fiord, as I had been but for your gracious help." "And when is the king coming to assault this tower?" demanded an English noble who sat near. "Never," said the man, shortly. "And why?" asked Sigurd. "Oh, my liege," said the man, dropping once more on his knees, "please Heaven, in a week's time there will be no king in all this land but Sigurd." The hero started from his seat and seized the man roughly. "What is it you say?" he cried. "Speak out, and that plainly, or it will be worse for you!" "On this day week," said the trembling serf, "Ulf is to visit his castle of Niflheim. He goes there alone, as you, my liege, came hither, to receive his bride. But he will never return the way he came, for Bur and Harald, your friends, my prince, have vowed to slay him there, and at one blow rid the land of a tyrant and give it a just and good king." When Sigurd heard this he turned white and red with wrath and fear. Fiercely he summoned his guards, and bade them seize the spy and cast him into the dungeon. Then, as soon as words came, he turned to the company and said-- "You hear what this knave says?" "Yes, we hear," cried some, "and we rejoice that Sigurd's day has come at last. Long live King Sigurd!" Then Sigurd struck the table with his fist as he started to his feet and glared at the rash companions. "Villains!" he shouted, with a voice that made the room itself tremble. "Yes, Sigurd's day has come--the day for teaching cowards like you the duty of a knight and a brother. Ulf, at his bridal, unarmed, slain by traitors' hands. Is that the chivalry ye praise? If so, begone from my sight and reach of this arm! But 'tis no time for talk. Without there, my arms! and saddle my horse!" "What means this!" cried all. "Where go you, Sigurd?" "I go to my brother," he said. "Your brother! Ulf is eight days' sail from here!" "'Tis but five days across the forest," said the hero. At this the ladies shrieked, and all looked on Sigurd as a man that is mad. "The forest, said you?" cried one. "It swarms with wolves, Sigurd, and where the wolves are not, the robbers lurk." Sigurd smiled scornfully. "It is wolves and robbers I go to seek," he said. "If thou wilt go," they said then, "we will go with thee." "No!" cried Sigurd. "I go alone. Let him who loves me remain here and guard my lady. I can trust you to be true to a lady--but ye have yet to learn to be loyal to a prince." At this many hung their heads and were silent.