"Nurse," said Torfrida to the old Lapp woman, when they were alone, "find
out for me what is the name of this strange champion, and what he has
beneath his beard."
"Beneath his beard?"
"Some scar, I suppose, or secret mark. I must know. You will find out for
your Torfrida, will you not, nurse?"
"I will make a charm that will bring him to you, were all the icebergs of
Quenland between you and him: and then you can see for yourself."
"No, no, no! not yet, nurse!" and Torfrida smiled. "Only find me out that
one thing: that I must know."
And yet why she wanted to know, she could not tell herself.
The old woman came back to her, ere she went to bed.
"I have found it out all, and more. I know where to get scarlet
toadstools, and I put the juice in his men's ale: they are laughing and
roaring now, merry-mad every one of them."
"But not he?"
"No, no. He is with the Marquis. But in madness comes out truth; and that
long hook-nosed body-varlet of his has told us all."
And she told Torfrida who Hereward was, and the secret mark.
"There is a cross upon his throat, beneath his chin, pricked in after
their English fashion."
Torfrida started.
"Then,--then the spell will not work upon him; the Holy Cross will turn it
off."
"It must be a great Cross and a holy one that will turn off my charms,"
said the old hag, with a sneer, "whatever it may do against yours.
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