the dragon and the raven-第15章

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the　Danes。　The　men　had　for　the　most　part　driven　their
herds　into　the　woods；　where　they　were　prepared　to　defend　them
as　best　they　could　against　roving　parties。　They　learned　that
Haffa；　a　Danish　jarl；　with　about　600　followers；　was　plundering
and　ravaging　the　country　about　twelve　miles　away。　The　force
was　a　formidable　one；　but　after　consultation　with　Egbert；
Edmund　determined　to　advance；　deeming　that　he　might　find
the　Danes　scattered　and　cut　off　some　of　their　parties。

As　they　neared　the　country　of　which　the　Danes　were　in
possession　the　smoke　of　burning　villages　and　homesteads
was　seen　rising　heavily　in　the　air。　Edmund　halted　for　the
night　in　a　wood　about　a　mile　distant　from　a　blazing　farm；
and　the　band　lay　down　for　some　hours。

Before　daybreak　three　or　four　of　the　swiftest…footed　of
the　men　were　sent　out　to　reconnoitre。　They　learned；　from
badly　wounded　men　whom　they　found　lying　near　the　burning
farms；　that　the　Danes　had　been　plundering　in　parties　of
twenty　or　thirty；　but　that　the　main　body　under　Haffa　lay　five
miles　away　at　the　village　of　Bristowe。

A　consultation　was　held；　and　it　was　agreed　that　the　party
should　remain　hidden　in　the　wood　during　the　day；　and　that
upon　the　following　night　they　should　fall　upon　the　Danes；
trusting　to　the　surprise　to　inflict　much　damage　upon　them；
and　to　be　able　to　draw　off　before　the　enemy　could　recover
sufficiently　to　rally　and　attack　them。

Accordingly　about　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening　they
started；　and　marching　rapidly　approached　Bristowe　an　hour
and　a　half　later。　They　could　see　great　fires　blazing；　and　round
them　the　Danes　were　carousing　after　their　forays　of　the　day。
Great　numbers　of　cattle　were　penned　up　near　the　village。

Edmund　and　Egbert　having　halted　their　men　stole　forward
until　close　to　the　village　in　order　to　learn　the　nature　of
the　ground　and　the　position　of　the　Danes。　Upon　their　return
they　waited　until　the　fires　burned　low　and　the　sound　of
shouting　and　singing　decreased。　It　was　useless　to　wait　longer；
for　they　knew　that　many　of　the　Danes　would；　according　to
their　custom；　keep　up　their　revelry　all　night。　Crawling　along
the　ground　the　band　made　for　the　great　pen　where　were
herded　the　cattle　which　the　Danes　had　driven　in　from　the
surrounding　country；　and　over　which　several　guards　had　been
placed。　Before　starting　Egbert　assigned　to　each　man　the
special　duties　which　he　was　to　fulfil。

The　Saxons　crept　up　quite　close　to　the　Danish　guards
unobserved。　To　each　of　these　three　or　four　bowmen　had
been　told　off；　and　they；　on　nearing　the　sentries　lay　prone　on
the　ground　with　bows　bent　and　arrows　fixed　until　a　whistle
from　Edmund　gave　the　signal。　Then　the　arrows　were　loosed；
and　the　distance　being　so　short　the　Danish　sentries　were　all
slain。　Then　a　party　of　men　removed　the　side　of　the　pen
facing　the　village；　the　rest　mingled　with　the　cattle；　and　soon
with　the　points　of　their　spears　goaded　them　into　flight。　In　a
mass　the　herd　thundered　down　upon　the　village；　the　Saxons
keeping　closely　behind　them　and　adding　to　their　terror　by
goading　the　hindermost。

The　Danes；　astonished　at　the　sudden　thunder　of　hoofs
bearing　down　upon　them；　leaped　to　their　feet　and
endeavoured　to　turn　the　course　of　the　herd；　which　they
deemed　to　have　accidentally　broken　loose；　by　loud　shouts
and　by　rattling　their　swords　against　their　shields。　The　oxen；
however；　were　too　terrified　by　those　in　their　rear　to　check
their　course；　and　charged　impetuously　down　upon　the　Danes。

Numbers　of　these　were　hurled　to　the　ground　and
trampled　under　foot；　and　the　wildest　confusion　reigned　in
the　camp。　This　was　increased　when；　as　the　herds　swept　along；
a　number　of　active　men　with　spear　and　sword　fell　suddenly
upon　them。　Scores　were　cut　down　or　run　through　before
they　could　prepare　for　defence；　or　recover　from　their
surprise　at　the　novel　method　of　attack。

At　last；　as　the　thunder　of　the　herd　died　away　in　the　distance；
and　they　became　aware　of　the　comparative　fewness　of
their　foes；　they　began　to　rally　and　make　head　against　their
assailants。　No　sooner　was　this　the　case　than　the　note　of　a
horn　was　heard；　and　as　if　by　magic　their　assailants　instantly
darted　away　into　the　night；　leaving　the　superstitious　Danes
in　some　doubt　whether　the　whole　attack　upon　them　had　not
been　of　a　supernatural　nature。

Long　before　they　recovered　themselves；　and　were　ready
for　pursuit；　the　Saxons　were　far　away；　no　less　than　200　of　the
Danes　having　been　slain　or　trampled　to　death；　while　of
Edmund's　band　not　one　had　received　so　much　as　a　wound。

The　Saxons　regained　the　wood　in　the　highest　state　of
exultation　at　their　success；　and　more　confident　than　before
in　themselves　and　their　leader。

〃I　am　convinced；〃　Edmund　said；　〃that　this　is　the　true
way　to　fight　the　Danes；　to　harry　and　attack　them　by　night
assaults　until　they　dare　not　break　up　into　parties；　and　become
so　worn　out　by　constant　alarms　that　they　will　be　glad　to
leave　a　country　where　plunder　and　booty　are　only　to　be　earned
at　so　great　a　cost。〃

Knowing　that　Haffa's　band　would　for　some　time　be　thoroughly
on　the　alert　Edmund　moved　his　party　to　another　portion　of
the　country；　where　he　inflicted　a　blow；　almost　as　heavy
as　he　had　dealt　Haffa；　upon　Sigbert；　another　of　the　Danish
jarls。　Three　or　four　more　very　successful　night　attacks　were
made；　and　then　the　Danes；　by　this　time　thoroughly　alarmed；
obtained　from　some　Saxon　country　people　whom　they　took
prisoners　news　as　to　the　strength　of　Edmund's　band。

Furious　at　the　heavy　losses　which　had　been　inflicted
upon　them　by　so　small　a　number；　they　determined　to　unite
in　crushing　them。　By　threats　of　instant　death；　and　by　the
offers　of　a　high　reward；　they　succeeded　in　persuading　two
Saxon　prisoners　to　act　as　spies；　and　one　day　these　brought　in
to　Haffa　the　news　that　the　band　had　that　morning；　after
striking　a　successful　blow　at　the　Danes　ten　miles　away；
entered　at　daybreak　a　wood　but　three　miles　from　his　camp。

The　Northman；　disdaining　to　ask　for　assistance　from
one　of　the　other　bands　against　so　small　a　foe；　moved　out　at
once　with　300　of　his　men　towards　the　wood。　The　Saxons　had
posted　guards；　who　on　the　approach　of　the　Danes　roused
Edmund　with　the　news　that　the　enemy　were　close　at　hand。
The　Saxons　were　soon　on　their　feet。

〃Now；　my　friends；〃　Edmund　said　to　them；　〃here　is　the
time　for　trying　what　benefit　we　have　got　from　our　exercise。
We　cannot　well　draw　off；　for　the　Danes　are　as　fleet…footed　as
we；　therefore　let　us　fight　and　conquer　them。〃

The　men　formed　up　cheerfully；　and　the　little　body　moved
out　from　the　wood　to　meet　the　Danes。　The　latter　gave　a
shout　of　triumph　as　they　saw　them。　The　Saxon　force；　from
its　compact　formation；　appeared　even　smaller　than　it　was；
and　the　Norsemen　advanced　in　haste；　each　eager　to　be　the
first　to　fall　upon　an　enemy　whom　they　regarded　as　an　easy
prey。　As　they　arrived　upon　the　spot；　however；　and　saw　the
thick　hedge　of　spears　which　bristled　round　the　little　body　of
Saxons；　the　first　comers　checked　their　speed　and　waited　till
Haffa　himself　came　up；　accompanied　by　his　principal　warriors。

Without　a　moment's　hesitation　the　jarl　flung　himself
upon　the　Saxons。　In　vain；　however；　he　tried　to　reach　them
with　his　long　sword。　As　he　neared　them　the　front　line　of　the
Saxons　dropped　on　one　knee；　and　as　the　Danes　with　their
shields　dashed　against　the　spears　and　strove　to　cut　through
them；　the　kneeling　men　were　able　with　their　pikes　to　thrust
at　the　unguarded　portions　of　the　bodies　below　their　shields；
and　many　fell　grievously　wounded。　After　trying　for　some
time　in　vain；　Haffa；　finding　that　individual　effort　did　not
suffice　to　break　through　the　Saxon　spears；　formed　his　men
up　in　line　four　deep；　and　advanced　in　a　solid　body　so　as　to
overwhelm　them。

The　Saxons　now　rose　to　their　feet。　The　spears；　instead
of　being　pointed　outwards；　were　inclined　towards　the　front；
and　the　wedge　advanced　against　the　Danes。　The　Saxon　war　cry
rose　loud　as　they　neared　the　Danish　line；　and　then；　still
maintaining　their　close　formation；　they　charged　upon　it。　The
assault　was　irresistible。　The　whole　weight　was　thrown　upon
a　point；　and　preceded；　as　it　was；　by　the　densely…packed　spears；
it　burst　through　the　Danish　line　as　if　the　latter　had　been
composed