the dragon and the raven-第10章

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of　state；　and　the　defence　of　the　country；　will　shortly　engross
all　my　time　and　leave　me　but　little　leisure　for　the　studies　I
love　so　well。〃

〃There　are　the　lands；〃　the　king　said；　〃of　Eabald；
Ealdorman　of　Sherborne；　in　Dorset。　He　died　but　last　week
and　has　left　no　children。　These　lands　I　will　grant　to　Edmund
in　return　for　liege　and　true　service。〃　The　lad　knelt　before
the　king；　and；　kissing　his　hand；　swore　to　be　his　true　and
faithful　thane；　and　to　spend　land；　goods；　and　life　in
his　service。

〃And　now；〃　the　king　said；　〃since　the　audience　is　over；
and　none　other　comes　before　us　with　petitions；　we　will　retire
to　our　private　apartments；　and　there　my　brother　Alfred　will
present　you　to　the　fair　Elswitha；　his　wife。〃

The　room　into　which　Egbert　and　Edmund　followed　the
king　and　his　brother　was　spacious　and　lofty。　The　walls　were
covered　with　hangings　of　red　cloth；　and　a　thick　brown　baize
covered　the　floor。　The　ceiling　was　painted　a　dark　brown
with　much　gilding。　Round　the　sides　of　the　room　stood　several
dressers　of　carved　oak；　upon　which　stood　gold　and　silver　cups。

On　a　table　were　several　illuminated　vellums。　At　Croyland
Edmund　had　seen　a　civilization　far　in　advance　of　that　to　which
he　had　been　accustomed　in　his　father's　abode；　but　he　saw
here　a　degree　of　luxury　and　splendour　which　surprised　him。
Alfred　had；　during　his　two　visits　to　Rome；　learned　to
appreciate　the　high　degree　of　civilization　which　reigned　there；
and　many　of　the　articles　of　furniture　and　other　objects　which
met　Edmund's　eye　he　had　brought　with　him　on　his　return
with　his　father　from　that　city。

Across　the　upper　end　of　the　room　was　a　long　table　laid
with　a　white　cloth。　Elswitha　was　sitting　in　a　large　gilded　chair
by　the　great　fire　which　was　blazing　on　the　hearth。

Prince　Alfred　presented　Edmund　and　Egbert　to　her。
Elswitha　was　well　acquainted　with　the　Ealdorman　Eldred；　as
his　lands　lay　on　the　very　border　of　her　native　Mercia；　and　she
received　the　lad　and　his　kinsman　with　great　kindness。　In　a
short　time　they　took　their　places　at　table。　First　the
attendance　brought　in　bowls　containing　broth；　which　they
presented；　kneeling；　to　each　of　those　at　table。　The　broth　was
drunk　from　the　bowl　itself；　then　a　silver　goblet　was　placed　by
each　diner；　and　was　filled　with　wine。　Fish　was　next　served。
Plates　were　placed　before　each；　but　instead　of　their　cutting
food　with　their　own　daggers；　as　Edmund　had　been　accustomed
to　see　in　his　father's　house；　knives　were　handed　round。
After　the　fish　came　venison；　followed　by　wild　boar；　chickens；
and　other　meats。　After　these　confections；　composed　chiefly
of　honey；　were　placed　on　the　table。　The　king　and　Prince
Alfred　pledged　their　guests　when　they　drank。　No　forks　were
used；　the　meat　as　cut　being　taken　up　by　pieces　of　bread　to
the　mouth。　During　the　meal　a　harper　played　and　sung。

Edmund　observed　the　decorum　with　which　his　royal
hosts　fed；　and　the　care　which　they　took　to　avoid　dipping　their
fingers　into　their　saucers　or　their　plates。　He　was　also　struck
with　the　small　amount　of　wine　which　they　took；　for　the　Saxons
in　general　were　large　feeders；　and　drank　heavily　at
their　meals。

When　the　dinner　was　over　a　page　brought　round　a　basin　of
warm　water；　in　which　lavender　had　been　crushed；　and
each　dipped　his　fingers　in　this　and　then　dried　them　on　the
cloth。　Then　at　Prince　Alfred's　request　Egbert　again　related
in　full　the　details　of　the　two　days'　desperate　struggle　at
Kesteven；　giving　the　most　minute　particulars　of　the　Danes'
method　of　fighting。　Egbert　and　Edmund　then　retired　to　the
royal　guest…house　adjoining　the　palace；　where　apartments
were　assigned　to　them。

After　remaining　for　a　week　at　Reading　they　took　leave
of　the　king　and　started　for　the　lands　which　he　had　assigned
to　Edmund。　They　were　accompanied　by　an　officer　of　the
royal　household；　who　was　to　inform　the　freemen　and　serfs　of
the　estate　that　by　the　king's　pleasure　Edmund　had　been
appointed　ealdorman　of　the　lands。　They　found　on　arrival　that
the　house　had　been　newly　built；　and　was　large　and　comfortable。
The　thanes　of　the　district　speedily　came　in　to　pay　their
respects　to　their　new　ealdorman；　and　although　surprised　to
find　him　so　young；　they　were　pleased　with　his　bearing　and
manner；　and　knowing　that　he　came　of　good　fighting　blood
doubted　not　that　in　time　he　would　make　a　valiant　leader。　All
who　came　were　hospitably　entertained；　and　for　many　days
there　was　high　feasting。　So　far　removed　was　this　part　of
England　from　the　district　which　the　Danes　had　invaded；
that　at　present　but　slight　alarm　had　been　caused　by　them；
but　Edmund　and　his　kinsman　lost　no　time　in　impressing　upon
them　the　greatness　of　the　coming　danger。

〃You　may　be　sure；〃　he　said；　〃that　ere　long　we　shall　see
their　galleys　on　the　coast。　When　they　have　eaten　up　Mercia
and　Anglia　they　will　assuredly　come　hither；　and　we　shall　have
to　fight　for　our　lives；　and　unless　we　are　prepared　it　will　go
hard　with　us。〃

After　he　had　been　at　his　new　residence　for　a　month
Edmund　sent　out　messengers　to　all　the　thanes　in　his　district
requesting　them　to　assemble　at　a　council；　and　then　formally
laid　the　matter　before　them。

〃It　is；　above　all　things；〃　he　said；　〃necessary　that　we　should
have　some　place　where　we　can　place　the　women　and　children
in　case　of　invasion　and　where　we　can　ourselves　retire　in
extreme　necessity。　Therefore　I　propose　that　we　shall　build　a
fort　of　sufficient　size　to　contain　all　the　inhabitants　of　the
district；　with　many　flocks　and　herds。　My　cousin　Egbert　has
ridden　far　over　the　country；　and　recommends　that　the　Roman
fortification　at　Moorcaster　shall　be　utilized。　It　is　large
in　extent；　and　has　a　double　circle　of　earthen　banks。　These
differ　from　those　which　we　are　wont　to　build；　since　we　Saxons
always　fill　up　the　ground　so　as　to　be　flat　with　the　top　of
the　earthen　banks；　while　the　Romans　left　theirs　hollow。
However；　the　space　is　so　large　that　it　would　take　a　vast　labour
to　fill　it　up；　therefore　I　propose　that　we　should　merely　thicken
the　banks；　and　should；　in　Saxon　custom；　build　a　wall　with
turrets　upon　them。　The　sloping　banks　alone　would　be　but　a
small　protection　against　the　onslaught　of　the　Danes；　but　stone
walls　are　another　matter；　and　could　only　be　carried　after　a
long　siege。　If　you　fall　in　with　my　views　you　will　each　of　you
send　half　your　serfs　to　carry　out　the　work；　and　I　will　do　the
same；　and　will；　moreover；　pay　fifty　freemen　who　may　do　the
squaring　of　the　stones　and　the　proper　laying　of　them。〃

The　proposal　led　to　a　long　discussion；　as　some　thought
that　there　was　no　occasion　as　yet　to　take　such　a　measure；　but
the　thanes　finally　agreed　to　carry　out　Edmund's　proposal。





CHAPTER　IV：　THE　INVASION　OF　WESSEX



Edmund　and　Egbert　devoted　most　of　their　time　to
the　building　of　the　new　fort；　living　very　simply；　and
expended　the　whole　of　the　revenues　of　the　lands　on
the　payment　of　the　freemen　and　masons　engaged　upon　the
work。　The　Roman　fort　was　a　parallelogram；　the　sides　being
about　200　yards　long；　and　the　ends　half　that　length。　It　was
surrounded　by　two　earthen　banks　with　wide　ditches。　These
were　deepened　considerably；　and　the　slopes　were　cut　down
more　sharply。　The　inner　bank　was　widened　until　it　was　15
feet　across　the　top。

On　this　the　wall　was　built。　It　was　faced　on　both　sides
with　square　stones；　the　space　between　filled　up　with　rubble
and　cement；　the　total　thickness　being　4　feet。　The　height　of
the　wall　was　8　feet；　and　at　intervals　of　30　yards　apart　towers
were　raised　10　feet　above　it；　one　of　these　being　placed　at
either　side　of　the　entrance。　Here　the　bank　was　cut　away；　and
solid　buttresses　of　masonry　supported　the　high　gates。　The
opening　in　the　outer　bank　was　not　opposite　to　the　gate　in　the
inner；　being　fifty　yards　away；　so　that　any　who　entered　by　it
would　have　for　that　distance　to　follow　the　ditch　between　the
two　banks；　exposed　to　the　missiles　of　those　on　the　wall
before　arriving　at　the　inner　gate。

Five　hundred　men　laboured　incessantly　at　the　work。　The　stone
for　the　walls　was　fortunately　found　close　at　hand；　but；
notwithstanding　this；　the　work　took　nearly　six　months　to
execute；　deep　wells　were　sunk　in　the　centre　of　the　fort；
and　by　this　means　an　ample　supply　of　water　was　secured；
however　large　might