the dragon and the raven-第18章

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at　a　distance　of　twenty　yards　within　the　gate。

When　it　was　seen　that　the　gates　were　yielding　Edmund
had　called　down　his　own　band　from　the　walls　and　formed
them　in　a　half…circle　ten　yards　from　the　gate。　They　were　four
deep；　as　in　their　usual　formation；　with　the　four　lines　of　spears
projecting　towards　the　gate。　The　mound　behind　them　he
lined　with　archers。

At　last　the　gates　fell；　and　with　an　exulting　shout　the　Danes
poured　in。　As　they　did　so　the　archers　on　the　mound　loosed
their　arrows；　and　the　head　of　the　Danish　column　melted　like
snow　before　the　blast　of　a　furnace。　Still　they　poured　in　and
flung　themselves　upon　the　spearmen；　but　they　strove　in　vain
to　pierce　the　hedge　of　steel。　Desperately　they　threw　themselves
upon　the　pike…heads　and　died　there　bravely；　but　they
were　powerless　to　break　a　passage。

The　archers　on　the　mound　still　shot　fast　among　them；
while　those　on　the　wall；　turning　round；　smote　them　in　the
back；　where；　unprotected　by　their　shields；　they　offered　a　sure
and　fatal　mark。　Soon　the　narrow　semicircle　inside　the　gate
became　heaped　high　with　dead；　impeding　the　efforts　of　those
still　pressing　in。　Several　of　the　bravest　of　the　Danish　leaders
had　fallen。　The　crowd　in　the　fosse；　unaware　of　the　obstacle
which　prevented　the　advance　of　the　head　of　the　column　and
harassed　by　the　missiles　from　above；　grew　impatient；　and　after
half　an　hour　of　desperate　efforts；　and　having　lost　upwards
of　three　hundred　of　his　best　men；　the　Danish　king；　furious
with　rage　and　disappointment；　called　off　his　men。

On　the　other　three　sides　the　attack　equally　failed。　The
Danes　suffered　heavily　while　climbing　the　steep　side　of　the
inner　mound。　They　brought　with　them　faggots；　which　they
cast　down　at　the　foot　of　the　wall；　but　this　was　built　so　near
the　edge　of　the　slope　that　they　were　unable　to　pile　sufficient
faggots　to　give　them　the　height　required　for　a　successful
assault　upon　it。　Many　climbed　up　on　their　comrades'　shoulders；
and　so　tried　to　scale　the　wall；　but　they　were　thrust　down
by　the　Saxon　spears　as　they　raised　themselves　to　its　level；　and
in　no　place　succeeded　in　gaining　a　footing。　Over　two　hundred
fell　in　the　three　minor　attacks。

There　were　great　rejoicings　among　the　Saxons；　on　whose
side　but　twenty…three　had　been　killed。　A　solemn　mass　was
held；　at　which　all　save　a　few　look…outs　on　the　walls　attended；
and　thanks　returned　to　God　for　the　repulse　of　the　pagans；
then　the　garrison　full　of　confidence　awaited　the　next　attack
of　the　enemy。

Stones　were　piled　up　in　the　gateway　to　prevent　any　sudden
surprise　being　effected　there。　The　Danes　in　their　retreat
had　carried　off　their　dead；　and　the　next　morning　the　Saxons
saw　that　they　were　busy　with　the　ceremonies　of　their　burial。
At　some　little　distance　from　their　camp　the　dead　were　placed
in　a　sitting　position；　in　long　rows　back　to　back　with　their
weapons　by　their　sides；　and　earth　was　piled　over　them　until　a
great　mound　fifty　yards　long　and　ten　feet　high　was　raised。

Three　jarls　and　one　of　their　kings　were　buried　separately。
They　were　placed　together　in　a　sitting　position；　with　their
helmets　on　their　heads；　their　shields　on　their　arms；　and　their
swords　by　their　sides。　Their　four　war…horses　were　killed　and
laid　beside　them；　twenty　slaves　were　slaughtered　and　placed
lying　round　them；　for　their　spirits　to　attend　them　in　the
Walhalla　of　the　gods。　Golden　drinking…vessels　and　other
ornaments　were　placed　by　them；　and　then　a　mound　forty　feet
in　diameter　and　twenty　feet　high　was　piled　over　the　whole。

The　whole　force　were　occupied　all　day　with　this　work。
The　next　day　numbers　of　trees　were　felled　and　brought　to
the　camp；　and　for　the　next　two　days　the　Danes　were　occupied
in　the　manufacture　of　war…engines　for　battering　down
the　walls。　Edmund　and　Egbert　utilized　the　time　in　instructing
the　soldiers　who　did　not　form　part　of　the　regular　band；
in　the　formation　of　the　quadruple　line　of　defence　which　the
Danes　had　found　it　so　impossible　to　break　through；　so　that　if
more　than　one　breach　was　effected；　a　resistance　similar　to
that　made　at　the　gate　could　be　offered　at　all　points。　The
skins　of　the　oxen　killed　for　the　use　of　the　garrison　were
carefully　laid　aside；　the　inside　being　thickly　rubbed
with　grease。

The　Danish　preparations　were　at　length　completed；　the
war…engines　were　brought　up　and　began　to　hurl　great　stones
against　the　wall　at　three　points。　The　Saxons　kept　up　a　constant
fire　of　arrows　at　those　employed　at　working　them；　but
the　Danes；　though　losing　many　men；　threw　up　breastworks
to　protect　them。

The　Saxons　manufactured　many　broad　ladders；　and　in
the　middle　of　the　night；　lowering　these　over　the　walls；　they
descended　noiselessly；　and　three　strong　bodies　fell　upon　the
Danes　guarding　the　engines。　These　fought　stoutly；　but　were
driven　back；　the　engines　were　destroyed；　and　the　Saxons　retired
to　their　walls　again　and　drew　up　their　ladders　before
the　main　body　of　Danes　could　arrive　from　the　camp。　This
caused　a　delay　of　some　days　in　the　siege；　but　fresh　engines
having　been　constructed；　the　assault　on　the　walls　was
recommenced；　this　time　the　whole　Danish　army　moving　out　and
sleeping　at　night　close　to　them。

After　three　days'　battering；　breaches　of　from　thirty　to
fifty　feet　wide　were　effected　in　the　walls。　The　Saxons　had
not　been　idle。　Behind　each　of　the　threatened　points　they
raised　banks　of　earth　ten　feet　high；　and　cut　away　the　bank
perpendicularly　behind　the　shattered　wall；　so　that　the
assailants　as　they　poured　in　at　the　gaps　would　have　to
leap　ten　feet　down。

Each　night　the　masses　of　wall　which　fell　inside　were
cleared　away；　and　when　the　breach　was　complete；　and　it　was
evident　that　the　assault　would　take　place　the　next　morning；
the　hides　which　had　been　prepared　were　laid　with　the　hairy
side　down；　on　the　ground　below。　Through　them　they　drove
firmly　into　the　ground　numbers　of　pikes　with　the　heads　sticking
up　one　or　two　feet；　and　pointed　stakes　hardened　in　the
fire。　Then　satisfied　that　all　had　been　done　the　Saxons　lay
down　to　rest。

In　the　morning　the　Danes　advanced　to　the　assault。　This
time　they　were　but　little　annoyed　in　their　advance　by　the
archers。　These　were　posted　on　the　walls　at　each　side　of　the
gaps　to　shoot　down　at　the　backs　of　the　Danes　after　they　had
entered。　On　the　inner　semicircular　mounds　the　Saxon　force
gathered　four　deep。

With　loud　shouts　the　Danes　rushed　forward；　climbed
the　outer　mounds；　and　reached　the　breaches。　Here　the　leaders
paused　on　seeing　the　gulf　below　them；　but　pressed　by
those　behind　they　could　not　hesitate　long；　but　leapt　down
from　the　breach　on　to　the　slippery　hides　below。

Not　one　who　did　so　lived。　It　was　impossible　to　keep
their　feet　as　they　alighted；　and　as　they　fell　they　were　impaled
by　the　pikes　and　stakes。　Pressed　by　those　behind；　however；
fresh　men　leapt　down；　falling　in　their　turn；　until　at　length
the　hides　and　stakes　were　covered；　and　those　leaping　down
found　a　foothold　on　the　bodies　of　the　fallen。　Then　they
crowded　on　and　strove　to　climb　the　inner　bank　and　attack
the　Saxons。　Now　the　archers　on　the　walls　opened　fire　upon
them；　and；　pierced　through　and　through　with　the　arrows
which　struck　them　on　the　back；　the　Danes　fell　in　great
numbers。　Edmund　commanded　at　one　of　the　breaches；　Egbert　at
another；　and　Oswald；　an　old　and　experienced　warrior；　at　the
third。

At　each　point　the　scene　was　similar。　The　Danes　struggled
up　the　mounds　only　to　fail　to　break　through　the　hedge　of
spears　which　crowned　them；　fast　numbers　dying　in　the　attempt；
while　as　many　more　fell　pierced　with　arrows。　For　an
hour　the　Danes　continued　their　desperate　efforts；　and　not
until　fifteen　hundred　had　been　slain　did　they　draw　off　to
their　camp；　finding　it　impossible　to　break　through　the　Saxon
defences。

Loud　rose　the　shouts　of　the　triumphant　Saxons　as　the
Danes　retired；　and　it　needed　all　the　efforts　of　their　leaders　to
prevent　them　from　pouring　out　in　pursuit；　but　the　events　of
the　preceding　year　had　taught　the　Saxon　leaders　how　often
their　impetuosity　after　success　had　proved　fatal　to　the　Saxons；
and　that　once　in　the　plain　the　Danes　would　turn　upon
them　and　crush　them　by　their　still　greatly　superior　numbers。
Therefore　no　one　was　allowed　to　sally　out；　and　the　discomfited
Da