________________________________________________
_
A Chamber furnished with writing materials. HUGO, ERIC, and THURSTON
on one side; on the other OSRIC, RUDOLPH, and DAGOBERT.
Osric.
We have granted too much, ye ask for more;
I am not skill'd in your clerkly lore,
I scorn your logic; I had rather die
Than live like Hugo of Normandy:
I am a Norseman, frank and plain;
Ye must read the parchment over again.
Eric.
Jarl Osric, twice we have read this scroll.
Osric.
Thou hast read a part.
Eric.
I have read the whole.
Osric.
Aye, since I attached my signature!
Eric.
Before and since!
Rudolph.
Nay, of this be sure,
Thou hast signed; in fairness now let it rest.
Osric.
I had rather have sign'd upon Hugo's crest;
He has argued the question mouth to mouth
With the wordy lore of the subtle south;
Let him or any one of his band
Come and argue the question hand to hand.
With the aid of my battle-axe I will show
That a score of words are not worth one blow.
Thurston.
To the devil with thee and thy battle-axe;
I would send the pair of ye back in your tracks,
With an answer that even to thy boorish brain
Would scarce need repetition again.
Osric.
Thou Saxon slave to a milksop knight,
I will give thy body to raven and kite.
Thurston.
Thou liest; I am a freeborn man,
And thy huge carcase--in cubit and span
Like the giant's of Gath--'neath Saxon steel,
Shall furnish the kites with a fatter meal.
Osric.
Now, by Odin!
Rudolph.
Jarl Osric, curb thy wrath;
Our names are sign'd, our words have gone forth.
Hugo.
I blame thee, Thurston.
Thurston.
And I, too, blame
Myself, since I follow a knight so tame!
[Thurston goes out.]
Osric.
The Saxon hound, he said I lied!
Rudolph.
I pray thee, good Viking, be pacified.
Osric.
Why do we grant the terms they ask?
To crush them all were an easy task.
Dagobert.
That know'st thou not; if it come to war,
They are stronger, perhaps, than we bargain for.
Eric.
Jarl Osric, thou may'st recall thy words--
Should we meet again.
Osric.
Should we meet with swords,
Thou, too, may'st recall them to thy sorrow.
Hugo.
Eric! we dally. Sir Count, good-morrow. _
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