"Calm yourself, my lord, and think of other things, for time is short. The Viking's gods are dead if ye ask me, or what is more true, they never had an existence, and were only the creation of a wild and barbarous fancy."
Sigurd looked at her steadily.
"Oh, ye are a Christian now, Ethel! Ye should not have left the old faith; ye take the heart out of me; ye should have stood by the old faith, then we should have met again in Valhalla, you and I. Ye know not how ye make the Viking's death hard to bear: ye take my staff from me as I ford the stream."
"We shall never meet in Valhalla, my lord! but we may meet again in the kingdom of our God."
"Not me, Ethel! ye do not mean that I may go to the Christian's heaven—bethink you what I am."
"Yes, you may go, my lord. I am not without hopes that even you may be found there. Certain you shall, if you are willing."
"Will you be there, Ethel?"
"Through the mercy of God I hope to be there."
"But ye say He is a Prince of Peace?"
"Yes, He is the Prince of Peace."