"Art thou here?" she said. "Hast thou indeed seen him? I spoke to him concerning thee and he told me thou wouldst surely follow him."
"I know not that," he said, "but lift thy veil, O Miriam, that I may see thee—this last seeing. I go hence to death, but O that to thee might come life and joy forever!"
Her unveiled face before him was white with terror and with agony.
"O my beloved, what sayest thou?" she exclaimed. "To thy death?"
"I will wait for thee in Valhalla," said the jarl. "I will have a fair house for thee in the city of Asgard. There thou shalt live with me among the gods. I think this Jesus of Nazareth will also be there, for he is a Son of God and he is my friend and thy friend. Go thou to thy house. Fare thee well!"
Strong and brave grew her face and her form was erect when she responded: "O my beloved, if thou art indeed going now to thy death, then will I also wait and I will come unto thee in thy high place, as thou hast said. From the prophet of Galilee have I heard a new thing concerning those who die, that they have a better country than this and a better city to dwell in. I had not known——"
"O Miriam," said Ulric, "it is not new to me. So say all the old sagas of the Northland. This have I been taught by Hilda from my childhood. She also will be there, and all my kindred, with thee and me."
None saw, but a swift kiss fell upon her lips and then her veil was drawn, but Ulric went from the portico joyously, exclaiming:
"I care not now! She may bring me my ruby in the city of the gods, and I, the son of Odin, will keep tryst with her whom I love. O Pontius! O Spearman! O procurator! I will show thee how little a Saxon jarl careth for the edge of a sword."
Nevertheless, from that hour onward none saw the jarl, and two days went by. These were days of sorrow and of doubt for Miriam, waiting lonely in the house of Ben Ezra. She indeed went forth veiled to listen to the preaching of the prophet of Galilee, but ever her eyes were searching among the throngs of hearers for one who came not. "O that he might have heard these things also," she said within her heart. "Did not Ulric himself say that this is the captain who is also his king? How shall he now follow him into any battle? O that it might be!"