the dragon and the raven-第16章

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it　burst　through　the　Danish　line　as　if　the　latter　had　been
composed　of　osier　twigs；　bearing　down　all　in　its　way。

With　shouts　of　surprise　the　Danes　broke　up　their　line
and　closed　in　a　thick　mass　round　the　Saxons；　those　behind
pressing　forward　and　impeding　the　motions　of　the　warriors
actually　engaged。　The　Saxons　no　longer　kept　stationary。　In
obedience　to　Edmund's　orders　the　triangle　advanced；　sometimes
with　one　angle　in　front；　sometimes　with　another；　but
whichever　way　it　moved　sweeping　away　the　Danes　opposed
to　it；　while　the　archers　from　the　centre　shot　fast　and　strong
into　the　mass　of　the　enemy。

Haffa　himself；　trying　to　oppose　the　advance　of　the
wedge；　was　slain　by　a　blow　of　Egbert's　axe；　and　after　half　an
hour's　fierce　fighting；　the　Danes；　having　lost　upwards　of　fifty
of　their　best　men；　and　finding　all　their　efforts　to　produce　an
impression　upon　the　Saxons　vain；　desisted　from　the　attack
and　fled。

At　once　the　wedge　broke　up；　and　the　Saxons　followed
in　hot　pursuit；　cutting　down　their　flying　enemies。　Obedient；
however；　to　Edmund's　repeated　shouts　they　kept　fairly　together；
and　when　the　Danes；　thinking　them　broken　and　disordered；
turned　to　fall　upon　them；　a　single　note　of　the　horn
brought　them　instantly　together　again；　and　the　astonished
Danes　saw　the　phalanx　which　had　proved　so　fatal　to　them
prepared　to　receive　their　attack。　This　they　did　not　attempt　to
deliver；　but　took　to　flight；　the　Saxons；　as　before；　pursuing；
and　twice　as　many　of　the　Danes　were　slain　in　the　retreat　as　in
the　first　attack。

The　pursuit　was　continued　for　many　miles；　and　then；
fearing　that　he　might　come　across　some　fresh　body　of　the
enemy；　Edmund　called　off　his　men。　Great　was　the　triumph
of　the　Saxons。　A　few　of　them　had　suffered　from　wounds
more　or　less　serious；　but　not　one　had　fallen。　They　had
defeated　a　body　of　Danes　four　times　their　own　force；　and　had
killed　nearly　half　of　them；　and　they　felt　confident　that　the
tactics　which　they　had　adopted　would　enable　them　in　future
to　defeat　any　scattered　bodies　of　Danes　they　might　meet。

For　a　week　after　the　battle　they　rested；　spending　their
time　in　further　improving　themselves　in　their　drill；
practicing　especially　the　alterations　of　the　position　of
the　spears　requisite　when　changing　from　a　defensive　attitude；
with　the　pikes　at　right　angles　to　each　face；　to　that　of　an
attack；　when　the　spears　of　both　faces　of　the　advancing　wedge
were　all　directed　forward。　A　messenger　arrived　from　the　king；
to　whom　Edmund　had　sent　the　news　of　his　various　successes；
and　Alfred　sent　his　warmest　congratulations　and　thanks　for
the　great　results　which　had　been　gained　with　so　small　a　force；
the　king　confessing　that　he　was　unable　to　understand　how　with
such　disproportionate　numbers　Edmund　could　so　totally　have
routed　the　force　of　so　distinguished　a　leader　as　Haffa。

For　some　weeks　Edmund　continued　the　work　of　checking
the　depredations　of　the　Danes；　and　so　successful　was　he
that　the　freebooters　became　seized　with　a　superstitious　awe
of　his　band。　The　rapidity　of　its　maneuvering；　the　manner　in
which　men；　at　one　moment　scattered；　were　in　another　formed
in　a　serried　mass；　against　which　all　their　efforts　broke　as
waves　against　a　rock；　seemed　to　them　to　be　something
superhuman。　In　that　part　of　Wessex；　therefore；　the　invaders
gradually　withdrew　their　forces　across　the　frontier；　but　in
other　parts　of　the　country；　the　tide　of　invasion　being
unchecked；　large　tracts　of　country　had　been　devastated；　and
the　West　Saxons　could　nowhere　make　head　against　them。　One　day
a　messenger　reached　Edmund　telling　him　that　a　large　Danish
army　was　approaching　Sherborne；　and　urging　him　to　return
instantly　to　the　defence　of　his　earldom。

With　rapid　marches　he　proceeded　thither；　and　on　arriving
at　his　house　he　found　that　the　Danes　were　but　a　few　miles
away；　and　that　the　whole　country　was　in　a　state　of　panic。　He
at　once　sent　off　messengers　in　all　directions；　bidding　the
people　hasten　with　their　wives　and　families；　their　herds　and
valuables；　to　the　fort。　His　return　to　some　extent　restored
confidence。　The　news　of　the　victories　he　had　gained　over
the　Danes　had　reached　Sherborne；　and　the　confidence　of
their　power　to　defeat　the　invaders　which　his　followers
expressed　as　they　scattered　to　their　respective　farms　again
raised　the　courage　of　the　people。

All　through　the　night　bands　of　fugitives　poured　into　the
fort；　and　by　morning　the　whole　of　the　people　for　many　miles
round　were　assembled　there。　Egbert　and　Edmund　busied
themselves　in　assigning　to　each　his　duty　and　station。　All　the
men　capable　of　bearing　arms　were　told　off　to　posts　on　the
walls。　The　old　men　and　young　boys　were　to　draw　water　and
look　after　the　cattle；　the　women　to　cook　and　attend　to　the
wounded。　The　men　of　his　own　band　were　not　placed　upon
the　walls；　but　were　held　in　readiness　as　a　reserve　to　move　to
any　point　which　might　be　threatened；　and　to　take　part　in
sorties　against　the　enemy。

Soon　smoke　was　seen　rising　up　in　many　directions；　showing
that　the　enemy　were　at　their　accustomed　work。　Cries
broke　from　the　women；　and　exclamations　of　rage　from　the
men；　as　they　recognized　by　the　direction　of　the　smoke　that
their　own　homesteads　and　villages　were　in　the　hands　of　the
spoilers。　About　mid…day　a　party　of　mounted　Danes　rode　up
towards　the　fort　and　made　a　circuit　of　it。　When　they　had
satisfied　themselves　as　to　the　formidable　nature　of　its
defences　they　rode　off　again；　and　for　the　rest　of　the　day
none　of　the　enemy　approached　the　fort。





CHARTER　VI：　THE　SAXON　FORT



A　strict　watch　was　kept　all　night；　and　several　scouts
were　sent　out。　These　on　their　return　reported　that
the　Danes　were　feasting；　having　slain　many　cattle　and
broached　the　casks　of　mead　which　they　found　in　the　cellars
of　Edmund's　house。　This　they　had　not　burned　nor　the　houses
around　it；　intending；　as　the　scouts　supposed；　to　make　it　their
headquarters　while　they　attacked　the　fort。

Edmund　and　Egbert　agreed　that　it　would　be　well　to　show
the　Danes　at　once　that　they　had　an　active　and　enterprising
foe　to　deal　with；　they　therefore　awakened　their　band；　who
were　sleeping　on　skins　close　to　the　gate；　and　with　them　started
out。

It　was　still　two　hours　before　dawn　when　they　approached
the　house。　Save　a　few　men　on　watch；　the　great　Danish　host；
which　the　messengers　calculated　to　amount　to　ten　thousand
men；　were　asleep。　Cautiously　making　their　way　so　as　to　avoid
stumbling　over　the　Danes；　who　lay　scattered　in　groups　round
the　house；　the　Saxons　crept　forward　quietly　until　close　to　the
entrance；　when　a　sleepy　watchman　started　up。

〃Who　are　ye？〃

The　answer　was　a　blow　from　Egbert's　battle…axe。　Then
the　leaders　with　twenty　of　their　men　rushed　into　the　house；
while　the　rest　remained　on　guard　at　the　entrance。

The　combat　was　short　but　furious；　and　the　clashing　of
arms　and　shouts　of　the　Danes　roused　those　sleeping　near；
and　the　men　who　escaped　from　the　house　spread　the　alarm。
The　fight　lasted　but　three　or　four　minutes；　for　the　Danes；
scattered　through　the　house；　and　in　many　cases　still　stupid
from　the　effects　of　the　previous　night's　debauch；　were　unable
to　gather　and　make　any　collective　resistance。　The　two　jarls
fought　in　a　manner　worthy　of　their　renown；　but　the　Saxon
spears　proved　more　than　a　match　for　their　swords；　and　they
died　fighting　bravely　till　the　last。　Between　Saxon　and　Dane
there　was　no　thought　of　quarter；　none　asked　for　mercy　on
either　side；　for　none　would　be　granted。　The　sea　rovers　never
spared　an　armed　man　who　fell　into　their　hands；　and　the　Saxons
were　infuriated　by　the　sufferings　which　the　invaders　had
inflicted　upon　them；　and　had　no　more　pity　upon　their　foes
than　if　they　had　been　wild　animals。　Besides　the　jarls　some
thirty　of　their　minor　leaders　were　in　the　house；　and　but　five
or　six　of　them　escaped。　It　was　well　for　the　Danes　that　the
detachment　which　lay　there　was　not　their　principal　body；
which　was　still　a　few　miles　in　the　rear；　for　had　it　been　so　two
of　their　kings　and　six　jarls；　all　men　of　famed　valour；　would
have　been　slain。　The　instant　the　work　was　done　the　Saxons
rejoined　those　assembled　at　the　entrance。

Already　the　Danes　were　thronging　up；　but　at　present　in
confusion　and　disorder；　coming　rather　to　see　what