第62章

``Well，’’answeredtheTemplar，``anthouwilttarrythere，rememberIhaveredeemedwordandglove。Bethehawkswheretheywill，methinksthewallsofthePreceptoryofTemplestowewillbecoversufficient，andthitherwillI，likeherontoherhaunt。’’

Havingthusspoken，hegallopedoffwithhisfollowers。

Thoseofthecastlewhohadnotgottentohorse，stillcontinuedtofightdesperatelywiththebesiegers，afterthedepartureoftheTemplar，butratherindespairofquarterthanthattheyentertainedanyhopeofescape。Thefirewasspreadingrapidlythroughallpartsofthecastle，whenUlrica，whohadfirstkindledit，appearedonaturret，intheguiseofoneoftheancientfuries，yellingforthawar-song，suchaswasofyoreraisedonthefieldofbattlebythescaldsoftheyetheathenSaxons。

Herlongdishevelledgreyhairflewbackfromheruncoveredhead；theinebriatingdelightofgratifiedvengeancecontendedinhereyeswiththefireofinsanity；andshebrandishedthedistaffwhichsheheldinherhand，asifshehadbeenoneoftheFatalSisters，whospinandabridgethethreadofhumanlife。Traditionhaspreservedsomewildstrophesofthebarbaroushymnwhichshechantedwildlyamidthatsceneoffireandofslaughter：——

1。

Whetthebrightsteel，SonsoftheWhiteDragon！

Kindlethetorch，DaughterofHengist！

Thesteelglimmersnotforthecarvingofthebanquet，Itishard，broad，andsharplypointed；

Thetorchgoethnottothebridalchamber，Itsteamsandglittersbluewithsulphur。

Whetthesteel，theravencroaks！

Lightthetorch，Zernebockisyelling！

Whetthesteel，sonsoftheDragon！

Kindlethetorch，daughterofHengist！

2。

Theblackcloudislowoverthethane’scastleTheeaglescreams——heridesonitsbosom。

Screamnot，greyriderofthesablecloud，Thybanquetisprepared！

ThemaidensofValhallalookforth，TheraceofHengistwillsendthemguests。

Shakeyourblacktresses，maidensofValhalla！

Andstrikeyourloudtimbrelsforjoy！

Manyahaughtystepbendstoyourhalls，Manyahelmedhead。

3。

Darksitstheeveninguponthethanescastle，Theblackcloudsgatherround；

Soonshalltheyberedasthebloodofthevaliant！

Thedestroyerofforestsshallshakehisredcrestagainstthem。

He，thebrightconsumerofpalaces，Broadwaveshehisblazingbanner，Red，wideanddusky，Overthestrifeofthevaliant：

Hisjoyisintheclashingswordsandbrokenbucklers；

Helovestolickthehissingbloodasitburstswarmfromthewound！

4。

Allmustperish！

Theswordcleaveththehelmet；

Thestrongarmourispiercedbythelance；

Firedevoureththedwellingofprinces，Enginesbreakdownthefencesofthebattle。

Allmustperish！

TheraceofHengistisgone——

ThenameofHorsaisnomore！

Shrinknotthenfromyourdoom，sonsofthesword！

Letyourbladesdrinkbloodlikewine；

Feastyeinthebanquetofslaughter，Bythelightoftheblazinghalls！

Strongbeyourswordswhileyourbloodiswarm，Andspareneitherforpitynorfear，Forvengeancehathbutanhour；

Stro