The king started; he checked his horse, and gazed at Drost Peder with an inquiring look, which betrayed much of secret suspicion; then his eyelids began to wink violently.
"The queen's kinsman, said you—the outlawed Lavè Rimaardson—he who dared to incite the peasantry to revolt against me? And you would now protect a rebel, and make intercession for so dangerous an offender, Drost Hessel?"
"Protect him I would not, Herre King; but for a sinner I shall dare to intercede. Mercy is the first attribute of the great Judge of all mankind. 1 would pray your majesty to remember that the culprit's brother is one of the most faithful adherents of the crown, and that he is connected to the royal family itself."
"Ha! I shall show you and all my subjects that when justice is in question, I take no cognizance of friendship or relationship, of his birth or noble breeding ; no, nor of princely descent. I will see Sir Lavè Rimaardson die upon the wheel before the sun go down … no more!"
Another influential nobleman tries to dissuade the king from carrying out his wishes with such unseemly haste, and to let the law take its usual course—but in vain.
The warder now entered the knights' hall with a guard of armed men, between two rows of whom walked Niels Ufred and his comrades; they entered boldly, while Sir Lavè Rimaardson hung back, as if ashamed of his companionship with them.
"Who is your leader?" demanded the king.
"I," replied Niels Ufred, with so fierce a look that the king recoiled a few steps.
"What is your name?"
"That, every child in Denmark knows," replied the rover, scornfully. "With the mere mention of it mothers terrify their children into obedience. At my name the weak and the cowardly scream and turn pale; aye, and many a lusty gallant, too, has quailed at it. … Were this arm but free, Herre King, it would not give you time to hear my name to the end. I am called Niels Ufred, at your service. If you did your duty as a king, as well as I do mine as a rover, it would be better for your poor subjects."
"You confess then that you are a freebooter, and that all those fellows are your accomplices?"
"If we were to deny it, we should be base and pitiful scoundrels; you are, very likely, accustomed to lies and deceit at your court, but I and my comrades are not versed in such accomplishments."
"'Tis well!" said the king. … "Prepare to die this very hour!"
"It amounts to the same thing; come soon, or come late, Herre King, we shall all go the same way. But if you will let me live till to-morrow, I shall tell you a piece of news that may be of service to you, and perhaps prevent our meeting so soon in another place."
The king opened his eyes wide, and cast an uneasy look towards Kammersvend Ranè, who gave him a furtive glance in return, and pointed to the hilt of a poniard which peeped forth from a pocket in the breast of the rover’s dress.
"So,” said the king, turning again towards the freebooter, "you would work on my fears, or my curiosity, fellow, that you may escape—break out, perhaps, and commit fresh outrages; but I am too old a bird to be caught by chaff. If you have no better plea to urge, you shall not live beyond this hour."
"So be it; I shall but go before you. … Since you will have me to be