the dragon and the raven-第2章

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together　where　they　crossed　at　a　distance　of　a　couple　of　feet
above　the　water；　forming　a　sort　of　tunnel。　Two　feet　farther
on　this　ceased；　and　the　rushes　were　succeeded　by　lines　of
strong　osier　withies；　an　inch　or　two　apart；　arched　over　and
fastened　together。　At　this　point　was　a　sort　of　hanging　door
formed　of　rushes　backed　with　osiers；　and　so　arranged　that　at
the　slightest　push　from　without　the　door　lifted　and　enabled　a
wild…fowl　to　pass　under；　but　dropping　behind　it　prevented　its
exit。　The　osier　tunnel　widened　out　to　a　sort　of　inverted　basket
three　feet　in　diameter。

On　the　surface　of　the　creek　floated　some　grain　which
had　been　scattered　there　the　evening　before　as　a　bait。　The
lad　left　the　creek　before　he　got　to　the　narrower　part；　and；
making　a　small　circuit　in　the　swamp；　came　down　upon　the
pen。

〃Good！〃　he　said；　〃I　am　in　luck　to…day；　here　are　three　fine
ducks。〃

Bending　the　yielding　osiers　aside；　he　drew　out　the　ducks
one　by　one；　wrung　their　necks；　and　passing　their　heads
through　his　girdle；　made　his　way　again　to　the　coracle。　Then
he　scattered　another　handful　or　two　of　grain　on　the　water；
sparingly　near　the　mouth　of　the　creek；　but　more　thickly　at
the　entrance　to　the　trap；　and　then　paddled　back　again　by　the
way　he　had　come。

Almost　noiselessly　as　he　dipped　the　paddle　in　the　water；
the　hound's　quick　ear　had　caught　the　sound；　and　he　was　standing
at　the　edge　of　the　swamp；　wagging　his　tail　in　dignified
welcome　as　his　master　stepped　on　to　dry　land。

〃There；　Wolf；　what　do　you　think　of　that？　A　good　score
of　eels　and　fish　and　three　fine　wild　ducks。　That　means　bones
for　you　with　your　meal　to…nightnot　to　satisfy　your　hunger；
you　know；　for　they　would　not　be　of　much　use　in　that　way；　but
to　give　a　flavour　to　your　supper。　Now　let　us　make　the　fire　up
and　pluck　the　birds；　for　I　warrant　me　that　father　and　Egbert；
if　they　return　this　evening；　will　be　sharp…set。　There　are　the
cakes　to　bake　too；　so　you　see　there　is　work　for　the　next　hour
or　two。〃

The　sun　had　set　now；　and　the　flames；　dancing　up　as　the
boy　threw　an　armful　of　dry　wood　on　the　fire；　gave　the　hut　a
more　cheerful　appearance。　For　some　time　the　lad　busied
himself　with　preparation　for　supper。　The　three　ducks　were
plucked　in　readiness　for　putting　over　the　fire　should　they　be
required；　cakes　of　coarse　rye…flour　were　made　and　placed　in
the　red　ashes　of　the　fire；　and　then　the　lad　threw　himself　down
by　the　side　of　the　dog。

〃No；　Wolf；　it　is　no　use　your　looking　at　those　ducks。　I　am
not　going　to　roast　them　if　no　one　comes；　I　have　got　half　a　one
left　from　dinner。〃　After　sitting　quiet　for　half　an　hour　the　dog
suddenly　raised　himself　into　a　sitting　position；　with　ears　erect
and　muzzle　pointed　towards　the　door；　then　he　gave　a　low
whine；　and　his　tail　began　to　beat　the　ground　rapidly。

〃What！　do　you　hear　them；　old　fellow？〃　the　boy　said；
leaping　to　his　feet。　〃I　wish　my　ears　were　as　sharp　as　yours　are；
Wolf；　there　would　be　no　fear　then　of　being　caught　asleep。
Come　on；　old　boy；　let　us　go　and　meet　them。〃

It　was　some　minutes　after　he　reached　the　edge　of　the
swamp　before　the　boy　could　hear　the　sounds　which　the　quick
ears　of　the　hound　had　detected。　Then　he　heard　a　faint　splashing
noise；　and　a　minute　or　two　later　two　figures　were　seen　wading
through　the　water。

〃Welcome　back；　father；〃　the　lad　cried。　〃I　was　beginning
to　be　anxious　about　you；　for　here　we　are　at　the　end　of　the
fourth　day。〃

〃I　did　not　name　any　hour；　Edmund；〃　the　boy's　father
said；　as　he　stepped　from　the　water；　〃but　I　own　that　I　did　not
reckon　upon　being　so　late；　but　in　truth　Egbert　and　I　missed
our　way　in　the　windings　of　these　swamps；　and　should　not
have　been　back　to…night　had　we　not　luckily　fallen　upon　a　man
fishing；　who　was　able　to　put　us　right。　You　have　got　some
supper；　I　hope；　for　Egbert　and　I　are　as　hungry　as　wolves；　for
we　have　had　nothing　since　we　started　before　sunrise。〃

〃I　have　plenty　to　eat；　father；　but　you　will　have　to　wait　till
it　is　cooked；　for　it　was　no　use　putting　it　over　the　fire　until　I
knew　that　you　would　return；　but　there　is　a　good　fire；　and　you
will　not　have　to　wait　long。　And　how　has　it　fared　with　you；
and　what　is　the　news？〃

〃The　news　is　bad；　Edmund。　The　Danes　are　ever　receiving
reinforcements　from　Mercia；　and　scarce　a　day　passes　but
fresh　bands　arrive　at　Thetford；　and　I　fear　that　ere　long　East
Anglia；　like　Northumbria；　will　fall　into　their　clutches。　Nay；
unless　we　soon　make　head　against　them　they　will　come　to
occupy　all　the　island；　just　as　did　our　forefathers。〃

〃That　were　shame　indeed；〃　Edmund　exclaimed。　〃We
know　that　the　people　conquered　by　our　ancestors　were
unwarlike　and　cowardly；　but　it　would　be　shame　indeed　were
we　Saxons　so　to　be　overcome　by　the　Danes；　seeing　moreover
that　we　have　the　help　of　God；　being　Christians；　while　the
Danes　are　pagans　and　idolaters。〃

〃Nevertheless；　my　son；　for　the　last　five　years　these　heathen
have　been　masters　of　Northumbria；　have　wasted　the
whole　country；　and　have　plundered　and　destroyed　the
churches　and　monasteries。　At　present　they　have　but　made　a
beginning　here　in　East　Anglia；　but　if　they　continue　to　flock
in　they　will　soon　overrun　the　whole　country；　instead　of　having；
as　at　present；　a　mere　foothold　near　the　rivers　except　for
those　who　have　come　down　to　Thetford。　We　have　been　among
the　first　sufferers；　seeing　that　our　lands　lie　round　Thetford；
and　hitherto　I　have　hoped　that　there　would　be　a　general　rising
against　these　invaders；　but　the　king　is　indolent　and　unwarlike；
and　I　see　that　he　will　not　arouse　himself　and　call
his　ealdormen　and　thanes　together　for　a　united　effort　until　it
is　too　late。　Already　from　the　north　the　Danes　are　flocking
down　into　Mercia；　and　although　the　advent　of　the　West　Saxons
to　the　aid　of　the　King　of　Mercia　forced　them　to　retreat
for　a　while；　I　doubt　not　that　they　will　soon　pour　down　again。〃

〃'Tis　a　pity；　father；　that　the　Saxons　are　not　all　under　one
leading；　then　we　might　surely　defend　England　against　the
Danes。　If　the　people　did　but　rise　and　fall　upon　each　band　of
Northmen　as　they　arrived　they　would　get　no　footing　among　us。〃

〃Yes；〃　the　father　replied；　〃it　is　the　unhappy　divisions
between　the　Saxon　kingdoms　which　have　enabled　the　Danes
to　get　so　firm　a　footing　in　the　land。　Our　only　hope　now　lies
in　the　West　Saxons。　Until　lately　they　were　at　feud　with　Mercia；
but　the　royal　families　are　now　related　by　marriage；　seeing
that　the　King　of　Mercia　is　wedded　to　a　West　Saxon　princess；
and　that　Alfred；　the　West　Saxon　king's　brother　and　heir　to
the　throne；　has　lately　espoused　one　of　the　royal　blood　of
Mercia。　The　fact　that　they　marched　at　the　call　of　the　King　of
Mercia　and　drove　the　Danes　from　Nottingham　shows　that
the　West　Saxon　princes　are　alive　to　the　common　danger　of
the　country；　and　if　they　are　but　joined　heartily　by　our　people
of　East　Anglia　and　the　Mercians；　they　may　yet　succeed　in
checking　the　progress　of　these　heathen。　And　now；　Edmund；
as　we　see　no　hope　of　any　general　effort　to　drive　the　Danes
off　our　coasts；　'tis　useless　for　us　to　lurk　here　longer。
I　propose　to…morrow；　then；　to　journey　north　into　Lincolnshire；
to　the　Abbey　of　Croyland；　where；　as　you　know；　my　brother
Theodore　is　the　abbot；　there　we　can　rest　in　peace　for　a　time；
and　watch　the　progress　of　events。　If　we　hear　that　the　people
of　these　parts　are　aroused　from　their　lethargy；　we　will　come
back　and　fight　for　our　home　and　lands；　if　not；　I　will　no　longer
stay　in　East　Anglia；　which　I　see　is　destined　to　fall　piecemeal
into　the　hands　of　the　Danes；　but　we　will　journey　down　to
Somerset；　and　I　will　pray　King　Ethelbert　to　assign　me　lands
there；　and　to　take　me　as　his　thane。〃

While　they　had　been　thus　talking　Egbert　had　been　broiling
the　eels　and　wild　ducks　over　the　fire。　He　was　a　freeman；
and　a　distant　relation　of　Edmund's　father；　Eldred；　who　was
an　ealdorman　in　West　Norfolk；　his　lands　lying　beyond
Thetford；　and　upon　whom；　therefore；　the　first　brunt　of　the
Danish　invasion　from　Mercia　had　fallen。　He　had　made　a
stout　resistance；　and　assembling　his　people　had　given　battle
to　the　invaders。　These；　however；　were　too　strong　and　numerous；
and　his　force　having　been　scattered　and　dispersed；　he
had　sought　refuge　with　Egbert　and　his　son　in　the　fen　country。
Here　he　had　remaine