Now this mighty lord spake, and his voice was harsh and squeaking,
so that the sound of it was worse than the sight of his face;
and he said: "Bring the man forth, that I may see him."
So they brought up Ralph, till he was eye to eye with the Lord,
who turned to Morfinn and said: "Is this thy catch, lucky man?"
"Yea," quavered Morfinn, not lifting his eyes; "Will he do, lord?"

"Do?" said the lord, "How can I see him when he is all muffled up in steel?
Ye fools! doff his wargear."

Speedily then had they stripped Ralph of hauberk, and helm, and arm
and leg plates, so that he stood up in his jerkin and breeches,
and the lord leaned forward to look on him as if he were cheapening
a horse; and then turned to a man somewhat stricken in years,
clad in scarlet, who stood on his other hand, and said to him:
"Well, David the Sage, is this the sort of man? Is he goodly enough?"

Then the elder put on a pair of spectacles and eyed Ralph curiously
a while, and then said: "There are no two words to be said about it;
he is a goodly and well-fashioned a young man as was ever sold."

"Well," said the lord, turning towards Morfinn, "the catch is good,
lucky man: David will give thee gold for it, and thou mayst go back west
when thou wilt. And thou must be lucky again, moreover; because there
are women needed for my house; and they must be goodly and meek,
and not grievously marked with stripes, or branded, so that thou
hadst best take them, luckily if thou mayst, and not buy them.
Now go, for there are more than enough men under this woven roof,
and we need no half-men to boot."