He bent down over Astrid.
'Tell me in what manner thou hast sinned,' he said.
Astrid had thrown herself down on the rough planks of the bridge, crying in utter despair.
'No one free from guilt would weep like this,' thought the King. 'But how can the honourable daughter of the King have brought such a heavy burden upon her?' he asked himself. 'How can the noble Ingegerd have a crime upon her conscience?'
'Ingegerd, tell me how thou hast sinned,' he asked again.
But Astrid was sobbing so violently that she could not answer, but instead she drew off her golden arm and finger rings, and handed them to the King with averted face. The King thought how unlike this was to the gentle King's daughter of whom Hjalte had spoken.
'Is this Hjalte's Ingegerd that lies sobbing at my feet?' he thought.
He bent down and seized Astrid by the shoulder.
'Who are thou? who art thou?' he said, shaking her arm. 'I see that thou canst not be Ingegerd. Who art thou?'
Astrid was still sobbing so violently that she could not speak. But in order to give the King the answer he asked for, she let down her long hair, twisted a lock of it round her arms, and held them towards the King, and sat thus bowed and with drooping head. The King thought: