Surely I thought I should escape, for I told no man what I would do, and all men thought me far away, with the king." Then he stopped, and recovered his strength before he could go on.
"I hated Lodbrok because he had taken my place beside the king, and because his woodcraft was greater than mine, though I was first in that in all our land.

And I feared that he would take the land the king offered him, for I longed for it." Then Beorn closed his eyes, and I was turning away, for I need ask no more; but again he spoke: "Blind was yon dotard Ulfkytel not to see all this; would that you had slain me in the woods at first--or that he had hanged me at Caistor--or that I had been drowned.

But justice is done, and my life is ended." Those were the last words that I heard Beorn, the falconer, speak, for I left him, and Raud gave him to drink again.
"Have you no more to ask ?" said Ingvar gloomily, and frowning on Beorn, as he lay helpless beyond the hearth.
"Nothing, Jarl." "What was the last word he said.

I heard not." "He said that justice was done," I answered.
"When I have done with him, it shall be so," growled Ingvar, and his hand clutched his sword hilt, so that I thought to see him slay the man on the spot.
"Has he told you all ?" I asked of Hubba.
"All, and more than you have told of yourself," he answered; "for he told us that it was your hand saved my father, and for that we thank you.

But one thing more he said at first, and that was that Eadmund the King set him on to slay the jarl." On that I cried out that the good king loved Lodbrok too well, and in any case would suffer no such cowardly dealings.
"So ran his after words; but that was his first story, nevertheless." "Then he lied, for you have just now heard him say that his own evil thoughts bade him do the deed." "Aye--maybe he lied at first; but we shall see," said Ingvar.
Now I understood not that saying, but if a man lies once, who shall know where the lie's doings will stop?
What came from this lie I must tell, but now it seemed to have passed for naught.
"Now shall you slay the man in what way you will, as I have said.
There are weapons," and Ingvar pointed to the store on the walls.
"I will not touch him," I said, "and I think that he dies." "Then shall you see the vengeance of Ingvar on his father's murderer," the jarl said savagely.