sat in amazement, while the hand of Edric played
convulsively with the hilt of his dagger; meanwhile Edmund ate, and
gave to Alfgar, ere he spake again.

"Stay, Edric," whispered the king; "thou art my Edric. I was never
false to thee, nor will I be now; did I not, for thy sake, look over
the death of Elfhelm of Shrewsbury, and put out the eyes of his sons?
canst thou not trust me now?"

Thus strengthened, Edric remained, and uneasy whispers passed around
the assembly.

At last Edmund looked up.

"When the flesh is weak through toil and fasting, speech is not
eloquent, but now listen, all Englishmen true, and I will speak out."

He told his tale, how he had conceived suspicions that the Danes
intended a winter descent; how he had risked his life (in the
exuberance of youthful daring) to ascertain the truth; how, trusting
to his knowledge of Carisbrooke, wherein he had spent many pleasant
days in his boyhood, he had ventured amongst the Danes as a gleeman,
in imitation of Alfred of old; how there he had assisted, unsuspected,
at a meeting of the council in the great hall, and heard it decided to
invade England, and finally how he had escaped. And then he continued:

"And in that council I heard that the Danes had a secret friend in the
English army, who ever gave them due warning of our movements, and who
caused all the miscarriage of our last campaign. Stand forth, Edric
Streorn, for thou art the man, and my sword shall prove it, if need
be."

"Edmund, thou ravest," cried the king; "produce thy witnesses."

"Alfgar, son of Anlaf, answer; whom didst thou espy talking with
Sweyn?"

"Edric Streorn."

"How didst know him?"

"Because he threatened my life on St. Brice's night, and I had often
seen him while dwelling in Mercia."

"A Dane witnessing against a free-born Englishman? Can it be endured?"
cried Ethelred. "What, here, my royal guard!--here! here! your King is
insulted--insulted, and by his son and his son's minions."

The guard rushed in, their weapons in their hands.

"Seize my son, the false Edmund."

"Here I am," quietly said the hero of the English army, for such he
was, although not recognised as such by the government of his father.
"Here I am; what Englishman will bind me?"

The men stood as if paralysed.

"Will you not obey?" shouted the weak Ethelred, and stamped in
impotent anger on the floor.

But they would not--they could not touch Edmund.

Edric whispered in the king's ear.