"Will you two pay the weregild {xi} between you?"

"No, Lord Earl," I said; "that were to confess guilt, which would
be a lie."

Then Beorn cried:

"I pray you, Wulfric, let us pay and have done!"

But I turned from him in loathing.

"Ho, Master Falconer," said Ulfkytel, "the man is an outlander! To
whom will you pay it? To Wulfric who saved his life?"

Now at that Beorn was dumb, seeing that the earl had trapped him
very nearly, and he grew ashy pale, and the great earl scowled at
him.

"Let me have trial by battle," I said quietly, thinking that it
would be surely granted.

There was as good reason to suspect me as Beorn, as I saw.

"Silence, Wulfric!" said the earl. "That is for me to say."

"Let the king judge, I pray you, Lord Earl," I went on, for he
spoke in no angry tone, nor looked at me.

However, that angered him, for, indeed, it was hard to say whether
king or earl was more powerful in East Anglia. Maybe Eadmund's