This assembly, and most of all that my enemy should be present, was against me in making my plea; but as the old crone had said, I should be no loser by witness.
I waited till a thrall had told Osric that one of his messengers was here, and then they beckoned me to go to him.

He shifted round in his chair to speak to me, but I was watching Matelgar, and saw his glance light on my sword hilt.

Recognizing it, he grew pale, and then red, half-rising from his seat to speak to Osric, but thinking better thereof.
"Well; what news and whence ?" said the sheriff, who was a small, wiry man, with a sour look, as I thought.

Men spoke well of him though.
"The Danes lie off the Holms, sir," I said, for I would gain time.
"I know that," he answered testily; "pull that mail off your face, man; they are not here yet, and your voice is muffled behind it." I suppose that the coming and going of messengers was constant, and indeed there came another even then, so the other thanes paid little attention after they heard my stale news, except Matelgar; who went on watching me closely.
I was just about to ask the sheriff to hear me privately, when Matelgar plucked him by the sleeve, having made up his mind at last, and drawing him down a little, spoke to him a few words, among which I caught my own name.
The sheriff looked sharply at me, twitching his sleeve away, and I saw that there was to be no more concealment; so I dropped the tippet and let him see who I was, saying at the same time: "Safe conduct I crave, Osric the Sheriff." Then a silence came over the thanes who saw and knew me, looking up to see what this new freak of mine was.

And Osric frowned at me, but said nothing, so I spoke first.
"Outlaw I am, Osric, but I can fight; today I bore the war arrow--that one who neither knew nor believed me gave me--faithfully to Matelgar the Thane, who is here in obedience to that summons.