The effect on the people was electrical. A murmur went up that the
maiden was innocent else she durst not appeal to the Supreme Judge.
AElfric the juggler turned pale. The tendency toward belief in the
girl's innocence grew into a certainty in the heart of the ealdorman,
and even the gerefa seemed somewhat softened.
"Child, child," he said, compassionately, "wottest thou what thou
askest?"
"Yea, I know," answered Egwina, firmly. "By fire or by water as ye may
choose, my lord gerefa and my lord ealdorman, and with God be the
judgment."
"With God be the judgment," repeated the gerefa solemnly. "But with thee
lieth the choice."
"Do ye two choose," said the maiden, "that ye may be satisfied with the
trial. It will please me the better to have it so decided."
"Then, brother," said the gerefa, addressing the ealdorman, "what sayest
thou to the ordeal by water?"
"If it suit the maiden, I will not gainsay the choice," returned the
ealdorman.
"Then, maiden, thou shalt to the bishop, who will return to Winchester
this day. There wilt thou purify thyself by just preparation for the
rite. Let bread and salt, water and herbs only be thy portion. Three
days shalt thou tarry at the abode of the bishop; then, purified and
absolved, the ordeal will be given thee. In the presence of witnesses,
twelve for thee, and twelve against thee, shalt thou enter the church
with the priest. Into boiling water shalt thou plunge thine arm to the
elbow, and from the water shalt thou take a stone heated hot. And may
God, the Supreme Ruler, who on the last great day shall judge the quick
and the dead, be thy judge. May He, in His infinite mercy, prove thee
innocent as thou sayest, for dire and dread is the punishment that will
o'erwhelm thee shouldst thou be guilty."
The assembly dispersed. With erect bearing, as of one conscious of
rectitude, the maiden walked with the ealdorman and the gerefa. With
pale face, AElfric would have hurried away with Edwy but that Beornwulf
interposed.
"My Lord Oswald," he said, addressing the thegn, "see that these men are
present during the ordeal. Be thou there also and thy bond-woman who
hath testified."
"Aye; I will be there," answered the thegn. "If it shall be proven that
I have wronged the maiden, twice will I pay the were."
"Await the result, and then shape thy action," said Beornwulf, shortly,
and continued on his way with the maiden and the ealdorman.
In answer to the knock at the portals of the bishop's house, the warder
declared that the bishop had returned but was at mass.
"Then leave we the maiden here," said the ealdorman, "and seek him at
the minster."
"Not yet hath the maiden been proven innocent of the charge," said the
gerefa cautiously. "I would afford no opportunity for escape lest
justice be defeated. Should she flee from us, thou and I, brother, must
pay the were."
"Are there not bolts and bars?" queried the other. "Let us leave the
girl here, and seek the bishop."
It was so decided, and Egwina found herself alone in a room with the
door barred awaiting the return of the bishop. Overwrought by the events
which had transpired so rapidly, and the excitement thereof, the wearied
girl sank down upon one of the carved settles and gave way to tears.
Violently at first she wept, but gradually the sobs grew quieter and
less frequent until at last they ceased entirely, and, worn out by
fatigue, the maiden slept.
"She sleeps not as the guilty sleeps," said the voice of the ealdorman,
as Egwina awoke. "It speaks in the maiden's favor that she hath sought
the aid of the church. Mickle do I mislike to see so fair a hand scarred
and seamed by the ordeal."
"True," answered a voice, which sounded sweeter than the softest music
in Egwina's ear, for well did she know it. "True; but better for the
hand to be scarred than that the soul be seared with the blackness of
falsehood and theft. Time may bring obliteration to the scars of the
skin; to the soul never, save through the blood of Him who alone can
purify."
Egwina turned and looked the speaker full in the face.
"Well hast thou spoken, Denewulf," she said.
"Egwina! is it truly thou?" and the bishop, for he was none other than
Denewulf, the swineherd, whom the king had appointed to this position,
seized the maiden's hands. "Dear child, is it thus that I see thee at
last?"
"It is thus, Denewulf," answered Egwina, sadly. "Where is Adiva? I knew
not that thou wert the bishop."
"Unworthy am I of so great an estate," said Denewulf, humbly, "but the
king hath thought otherwise. Adiva is well and with me. Much will she
rejoice to see thee, my child, for little have we known of thee for some
time. How comes it that thou art not with the king, but lie in my hands,
accused of theft and subjected to the ordeal?"
"'Tis a long story," said Egwina. "Take me to Adiva, dear Denewulf, and
then will I tell thee of all that hath befallen me, and why I am with
thee to be shriven for the ordeal."
"My lord bishop, is the maiden known to thee?" exclaimed the ealdorman,
in surprise. "Belongeth she to the king?"
"She doth," answered Denewulf, sternly. "If harm doth come to her,
greatly will ye have to answer to the king."
"Truly, my lord, we knew not that the girl was of the king's household,"
cried the ealdorman, with humility. "Yet, unknowing the fact, have I
believed her guiltless of the theft."
"True," said Egwina, smiling at him, gratefully. "He alone hath shown
even a faint belief in mine innocence."
"Now we will go to Adiva," said Denewulf, "and then, child, thou must
begin to prepare for the ordeal. Since thou hast demanded it, God alone
can judge thee."
"To His hands gladly do I commend the matter," answered Egwina. "Man's
judgment is fallible, God's infallible."
"Then in thy hands do I leave the maiden," said the ealdorman,
withdrawing.
Adiva greeted her with joy, but became saddened as she told her story.
"Must thy pretty arm be plunged into the water?" she cried, indignantly.
"Denewulf, be thou bishop and permit it?"
"She hath appealed to God," answered Denewulf. "Not even the king could
prevent the ordeal from taking place now, though I will lay the matter
before him if Egwina so wills."
"Nay, do not so," cried Egwina. "Do ye not see, good friends, I wish not
Edward to know where I am. The king would be displeased with me for
calling upon him. He likes not that Edward looks on me with--" She
faltered, blushing.
"With favor," supplemented Adiva. "Dear heart, little one, how could he
help it? I knew not that the king would turn from thee because thou wert
not gentle. I own that somewhat hath he grieved me in this, but alack!
even Alfred, wise and good as he is, hath, mayhap, too much pride."
"Nay, nay, Adiva," chid Egwina. "Say naught against the king. Kind and
tender to me always hath he been. Seest thou not that Edward may be
chosen of the witan to be cyning some day?--and great will he be, too
great for the husband of a simple girl such as I."
Adiva shook her head, and began caressing her, when Denewulf
interrupted.
"Not longer must we talk, Adiva. The maiden must begin to prepare for
the ordeal. Let her come triumphant from that, and thou wilt have time
to talk enow."
"Must she?" Adiva began to weep.
"Grieve not, dear Adiva," comforted Egwina. "I fear naught. Why should
I? Am I not innocent? I am ready, Denewulf."
Thus did she enter upon her preparation for the trial. Three days were
consumed in making ready. She ate only bread and salt and herbs, and
drank but water; spending much time in prayer.
It was the night before the ordeal was to take place that Egwina was
awakened by a dim light in the little room which was kept for such as
demanded the trial by fire or water. A touch fell softly on her arm, and
some one began rubbing it from the elbow down. Wondering much, the
maiden sat up on her couch and, behold! Adiva was gently stroking her
right arm.
"Adiva, what doest thou to my arm?" questioned the girl.
"Nay, my pretty one, ask me not. No harm, I'll warrant thee."
"What is that with which thou anointest it?" demanded the girl.
"Why shouldst thou wish to know?" cried the good dame. "'Tis but a salve
that I had made for thee."
"But why dost thou use it on my arm?"
"Child, 'tis to save thy arm. See, it hardens the skin, and thus it
feels not the boiling water, and thou mayest take up the heated stone
with impunity."
Egwina snatched her arm from the dame in horror.
"Interferest thou with the judgment of God?" she cried. "How can I prove
that I took not the harp if I hardened the hand and the arm to the
water? Away, Adiva! Else I shall believe thee in league with the evil
one to perjure my soul."
Abashed by the girl's vehemence, the dame left the room, and the maiden
carefully removed every vestige of the unguent from her arm. Little did
she reck that thus Adiva had anointed the member each night.
The next morning, the day of the ordeal, Egwina laid upon the altar her
offering, and received the holy sacrament. Then before the gerefa,
Beornwulf, and the ealdorman she again took the oath of innocence. From
the accusers, Oswald the thegn, AElfric, Edwy, and others to the number
of twelve were chosen for those against her. The ealdorman and eleven
others stood for her.
These had fasted for twenty-four hours. On either side of the church
they stood, and Denewulf sprinkled them with the holy water, of which
they also drank. Presenting the Scriptures to each to kiss, the bishop
signed every one with the sign of the cross. The fire which was built
directly under the altar sparkled and burned brightly. The huge kettle
swinging over it was full of water which bubbled and boiled briskly. In
the embers of the fire lay the stone which, heated hot, was to be
dropped into the water from which the maiden was to snatch it.
From either side advanced a man: Oswald the thegn and the ealdorman.
They went to the kettle, and, agreeing that the water boiled furiously,
with measured steps returned to their places at the sides of the church.
All bowed their heads in prayer. As the last collect was said, Egwina
entered with the bishop. She was very pale, but she walked firmly, and
her eyes shone with a rapt, intent gaze as if communing with invisible
beings In her hand she carried a small cross which she kissed ever and
anon, and alway did her lips move in prayer.
[Illustration: _SHE WITHDREW THE STONE FROM THE BOILING WATER._]
Slowly the bishop and the accused approached the altar. They paused as
they reached the iron kettle. All heads were bowed, and each continued
to pray a prayer that the truth might be known, as the bishop with tongs
lifted the stone and dropped it into the water.
There was a hissing, seething sound. The water bubbled and moved
tumultuously as it received the stone. At a sign from the bishop, with
an inaudible prayer, Egwina plunged her bared arm into the water and
lifted therefrom the stone.
A look of intense amazement flitted across her face as she did so. Her
lips parted as if about to speak, but the bishop made the sign of the
cross and she remained silent. Still in dead silence, Denewulf, his own
hands covered by a cloth removed from her hand the stone which he threw
again into the embers. Solemnly he bandaged the arm and sealed it.
"To God belongeth the judgment," he said in grave tones, and withdrew
from the church with the maiden. The people filed out after them.
For three days was the arm to remain bound up, and if it showed foul on
the third day guilt was assumed; if clear, without suppuration, then
would she be innocent.
"It pains me not, Adiva," said the maiden doubtfully in answer to the
solicitous inquiries of the dame. "I know not why but no smart of burn
have I felt at all."
"Why shouldst thou?" demanded the dame. "Art thou not one of God's own
lambs? Rest thee contented, dear heart, that He meant thee not to
suffer."
In the presence of the ealdorman, the gerefa Beornwulf, Oswald the
thegn, Edwy, AElfric, and all others present at the ordeal, the bandage
was removed from the girl's arm. Clear and white as alabaster, with no
mark of scald or burn upon it, shone the beautiful member.
A cry went up from those who saw it.
"A miracle! A miracle!" they shouted. "One of God's own virgins is the
maiden!"