It called down on their heads a very dreadful doom in this world and the next, should it be broken either in the spirit or the letter; the said oath, however, to be only binding if we, on our part, swore to observe their terms and kept our engagement also in the spirit and the letter.
Then they asked us to fulfil our share of the pact and very considerately drew out of hearing while we discussed the matter; Harut, the only one of them who understood a word of English, retiring behind the sanctuary.

At first I had difficulties with Ragnall, who was most unwilling to bind himself in any way.

In the end, on my pointing out that nothing less than our lives were involved and probably that of his wife as well, also that no other course was open to us, he gave way, to my great relief.
Hans announced himself ready to swear anything, adding blandly that words mattered nothing, as afterwards we could do whatever seemed best in our own interests, whereon I read him a short moral lecture on the heinousness of perjury, which did not seem to impress him very much.
This matter settled, we called back the priests and informed them of our decision.

Harut demanded that we should affirm it "by the Child," which we declined to do, saying that it was our custom to swear only in the name of our own God.

Being a liberal-minded man who had travelled, Harut gave way on the point.