‘If he knows nothing it is easy for him to swear,’ said I. ‘Men of the island, a man should have every chance for his life. I have given you back your island. Do this for me. Make Demetri swear. Ah, look at the man! See, he shakes, his face goes pale, there is a sweat on his brow. Why, why? Make him swear!’ I should not have prevailed without the assisting evidence of the rascal’s face. It was as I said: he grew pale and sweated on the forehead; he cleared his throat hoarsely, but did not speak. Constantine’s eyes said, ‘Swear, fool, swear!’ ‘Let Demetri also swear,’ cried some. ‘Yes, it is easy, if he knows nothing.’ Suddenly Phroso sprang forward. ‘Yes, let him swear,’ she cried. ‘Who is Chief here? Have I no power? Let him swear!’ And she signed imperiously to the priest. They brought the picture to Demetri. He shrank from it as though its touch would kill him. ‘In the name of Almighty God, as you hope for mercy; in the name of our Lord the Saviour, as you pray for pity; in the name of the Most Blessed Spirit, whose Word is Truth; by the Most Holy Virgin, and by our Holy Saint--’ began the old man. But Demetri cried hoarsely: ‘Take it away, take it away. I will not swear.’ ‘Let him swear,’ said Phroso, and this time the whole throng caught up her command and echoed it in fierce urgency. ‘Let him swear to tell the whole truth of what he knows, hiding nothing, according to the terms of the oath,’ said the priest, pursuing his ritual. ‘He shall not swear,’ cried Constantine, springing up. But he spoke to deaf ears and won only looks of new-born suspicion. ‘It is the custom of the island,’ they growled. ‘It has been done in Neopalia time out of mind.’ ‘Yes,’ said the priest. ‘Time out of mind has a man been free to ask this oath of whomsoever he suspected. Swear, Demetri, as our Lady and our law bid.’ And he ended the words of the oath. Demetri looked round to right, to left, and to right again. He sought escape. There was none; his way was barred. His arms fell by his side. ‘Will you let me go unharmed if I speak the truth?’ he asked sullenly. ‘Yes,’ answered Phroso, ‘if you speak the whole truth, you shall go unhurt.’ The excitement was intense now; for Demetri took the oath, Constantine watching, with pale strained face. Then followed a moment’s utter silence, broken an instant later by an irresistible outbreak of wondering cries, for Demetri said, ‘Follow me,’ and turned and began to walk in the direction of the town. ‘Follow me,’ he said again. ‘I will tell the truth. I have served my lord well, but a man’s soul is his own. No master buys a man’s soul. I will tell the truth.’