Still as a stone stood the jarl while one might breathe three times.
"I thank thee and him, O youth," he said then. "Go thou to him with his word only, that neither he nor I need any to tell us whereunto the sons of the Northland have departed. I will do as he hath said."
The youth went from him running, but Ulric did not reenter the city by the Damascus gate.
"It will be safer to choose another," he said. "I was seen by the guards when I came forth. They may by this time have some evil commandment concerning me."
So therefore he made a great circuit of the walls, going far, and even after he selected a gate by which he might prudently go in he seemed to have another matter upon his hands. The hours went by, one after another, and it was long after the sunset before he was known to be in the house of Caius. Then speedily he was sent for and he went in to what was now the sick chamber of the centurion.
"O jarl," said he, "how is it with thee?"
"O most noble Caius," replied the jarl, "I am well, but I am alone in Jerusalem. All of my companions have returned to their own land."
"Well for thee," said Caius. "Of that I had been informed. A swift messenger from the governor of Joppa brought strange news to the procurator. What sayest thou if thy men have been hired to serve upon a ship by Herod, the tetrarch? Would they not guard well?"
"O Caius," said the jarl, "thou knowest them and I need say no more, for I am ignorant of all this matter save that they are gone."