the dragon and the raven-第25章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


high　above　the　din　of　the　storm。　Great　sheets　of　foam　were
thrown　up　to　a　vast　height；　and　the　turmoil　of　the　water　from
the　reflux　of　the　waves　was　so　great　that　the　Dragon　was　tossed
upon　it　like　a　cock…boat；　and　each　man　had　to　grasp　at　shroud
or　bulwark　to　retain　his　footing。

Suddenly　a　cheer　burst　from　end　to　end　of　the　ship。
Beyond　the　headland　a　great　gap　was　visible　a　quarter　of　a
mile　wide；　as　if　the　cliffs　had　been　rent　in　sunder　by　some
tremendous　convulsion；　and　a　fiord　was　seen　stretching　away
in　the　bosom　of　the　hills　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。　The
Dragon's　head　was　turned；　and　soon　she　was　flying　before　the
wind　up　the　inlet。　A　mile　farther　and　the　fiord　widened　to　a
lake　some　two　miles　across　between　steep　hills　clothed　from
foot　to　summit　with　trees。

Its　course　was　winding　and　they　were　soon　sheltered
from　the　gale　and　were　gliding　quietly　over　comparatively
tranquil　water。　Ten　miles　up　the　anchor　was　let　go　in　a
sheltered　inlet；　and　Edmund　summoned　the　whole　crew　to
return　thanks　to　God　for　their　marvellous　escape。

The　Dragon　had　suffered　severely　in　her　conflict　with
the　elements；　her　large　sails　had　been　split　or　blown　away；
the　bulwarks　at　her　waist　had　been　shattered；　and　considerable
damage　done　to　her　gear　and　fittings。　Four…and…twenty
hours　were　allowed　to　the　men　for　rest　after　their　labours；
and　then　all　hands　were　set　to　work　to　refit。

The　next　morning　Edmund　said　to　his　kinsman：

〃I　will　take　two　of　the　men　and　go　ashore　to　hunt；　there
should　be　wild　boar　and　deer　in　these　forests；　and　all　would
be　glad　of　some　fresh　meat。〃

〃Be　careful；　Edmund；　remember　you　are　in　the　country
of　our　enemies；　for　without　doubt　this　land　to　which　we　have
been　blown　is　Norway；　and　although　we　can　see　no　signs　of
habitations　there　may　well　be　villages　somewhere　among　these
hills。〃

〃I　will　be　careful；〃　Edmund　said；　laughing；　〃and　if　I　do
not　return　in　two　days　do　you　set　sail　without　me。　I　should
like　to　discover　the　abode　of　some　Northern　jarl；　it　would
indeed　be　a　grand　retaliation　to　give　them　a　taste　of　the
sufferings　they　have　inflicted　upon　us。〃

〃That　would　be　good　work；〃　Egbert　said；　〃nevertheless　I
own　that　at　present　I　am　anxious　to　be　at　sea　again。〃

〃Two　days　will　be　sufficient　to　refit；〃　Edmund　said；　〃and
then　we　will　spread　our　wings。　Good…bye；　Egbert；　I　will　be
back　by　sunset；　and　I　hope　with　a　deer　or　two。〃

Selecting　a　couple　of　followers；　both　skilled　with　the　bow；
and　all　being　armed　with　spears；　Edmund　leapt　ashore；　for
the　water　was　deep　up　to　the　rocks；　and　the　Dragon　had　been
moored　alongside　for　the　convenience　of　taking　on　board
the　wood　for　the　repairs。

Although　those　on　board　the　Dragon　guessed　it　not；　many
eyes　were　watching　them。　A　small　fishing　village　lay　at　the
edge　of　the　fiord　a　mile　or　two　beyond　the　inlet　in　which　the
ship　was　moored。　Hidden　as　they　were　among　the　trees　the
huts　had　not　been　noticed　by　the　Saxons；　but　the　strange
ship　had　been　seen　by　some　of　those　in　the　village；　and　the
fishermen　at　once　pronounced　that　whencesoever　she　might
have　come　she　was　assuredly　no　Northman's　ship。　Messengers
had　immediately　been　sent　to　the　villages　among　the
hills。　These　were　widely　scattered；　and　it　was　not　until　the
day　after　the　ship's　arrival　that　a　force　was　collected　which
was　deemed　sufficient　to　attack　it。　Already；　as　Edmund　leapt
ashore；　the　Norsemen　were　making　their　way　quietly　through
the　forest　towards　the　Dragon。

Edmund　had　advanced　but　a　few　hundred　yards　up　the
hillside　when　a　large　party　of　Norsemen　suddenly　sprang　upon
him。　Two　Saxon　arrows　flew　true　to　their　marks；　then　the
Danes　rushed　upon　them。　So　far　no　words　had　been　spoken；
but　Edmund　placed　to　his　lips　the　whistle　with　which　he　gave
orders　on　board　the　ship　and　blew　a　long　shrill　note；　and
then　shouted　at　the　top　of　his　voice：

〃The　Danes！　the　Danes！　push　off！〃

The　instant　afterwards　he　was　attacked。　He　and　his　men
fought　bravely；　but　in　a　few　seconds　the　latter　were　cut　down
and　Edmund　was　levelled　to　the　ground　by　a　tremendous
blow　from　a　club。

A　minute　later　the　din　of　battle　rose　by　the　water's　side；
Edmund's　whistle　and　shout　had　been　heard；　and　the　Saxons
on　shore　sprang　on　board　and　seized　their　spears　and　bows
just　as　the　Danes　poured　down　through　the　trees。　For　a　time
the　Saxons　defended　the　ship　against　the　desperate　attempts
of　the　Danes　to　gain　footing　on　her；　but　seeing　the　number
of　its　assailants；　and　being　certain　that　Edmund　was　killed　or
captured；　Egbert　ordered　the　ropes　to　be　cut；　and　the　Dragon
was　thrust　away　from　the　rocks。　The　oars　were　then　got　out
and　she　rowed　out　of　bow…shot　from　the　shore。　Then　Egbert
held　a　consultation　with　the　leading　men　among　the　Saxons。

All　on　board　were　filled　with　grief　at　the　loss　of　their
young　leader；　but　they　felt　that　nothing　could　be　done　for
him；　and　it　would　be　but　courting　danger　to　remain　longer　in
the　fiord。　Since　so　large　a　force　had　been　collected　in　the
forest　news　might　have　been　sent　to　the　ports；　and　at　any
moment　they　might　see　a　fleet　of　the　Northmen's　galleys
barring　their　retreat；　therefore　with　bitter　grief　and
lamentation　the　Dragon's　sails　were　hoisted　and　she　made
her　way　to　sea。

〃My　only　consolation　is；〃　Egbert　said；　〃that　if　the　brave
lad　is　not　killed　at　once　he　may　yet　find　his　way　back　to
England。　He　is　ready　of　wit　and　full　of　invention　that；　if　any
can　possibly　extricate　themselves　from　such　a　strait；　it　is
assuredly　he；　but　I　fear　that　he　fell　in　the　first　onslaught。
Brave　lad；　even　in　the　moment　of　his　own　peril　he　thought　first
of　us。　Had　it　not　been　for　his　timely　warning　we　should　have
been　taken　unawares；　and　many　must　have　been　killed　even
if　the　Dragon　herself　escaped　capture。〃

The　storm　had　entirely　abated；　and　the　waters　sparkled
brightly　in　the　cold　January　sun　as　the　Dragon　sailed　out
between　the　two　headlands　into　the　sea。　Very　different　were
the　feelings　of　the　crew　to　those　which　had　animated　them
when；　two　days　before；　they　had　passed　through　the　channel；
then　every　heart　beat　with　joy　and　thankfulness；　now　the
deepest　depression　and　grief　reigned　on　board。

Edmund　was　adored　by　his　followers。　His　kindness　as
their　ealdorman；　his　skill　and　bravery　as　a　leader；　his
cheerfulness　and　brightness　under　every　danger　and　peril　had
immensely　endeared　him　to　their　hearts；　and　each　man　felt
that　he　had　sustained　an　irretrievable　loss；　and　that　with　their
chief　the　spirit　which　had　animated　the　Dragon　and　directed
their　enterprises　was　gone。

Egbert　was　a　valiant　warrior；　and　was　an　admirable　second
to　an　enterprising　leader；　but　he　was　altogether　without
initiative；　and；　except　when　excited　by　danger；　was　dull　and
silent。　Although　all　esteemed　him　and　honoured　him　for　his
strength　and　bravery；　they　felt　that　he　would　be　a　poor
substitute　indeed　for　the　leader　they　had　lost。





CHAPTER　IX：　A　PRISONER



When　Edmund　recovered　his　senses　he　found　that
he　was　being　carried　along　on　a　rough　litter　through
the　forest。　It　was　some　little　time　before　he　realized
his　position　and　recalled　the　circumstances　of　the　attack。
After　the　Dragon　had　moved　safely　out　into　the　fiord；
its　assailants　had　returned　to　the　spot　where　they　had　attacked
the　three　Saxons　who　had　landed。　Two　of　them　were　without
life；　but　they　found　that　the　third；　who；　from　his
habiliments　was　evidently　of　higher　rank；　and　whom　they
judged；　although　still　but　a　youth；　to　be　the　commander　of
the　Saxon　party；　had　only　been　stunned　by　the　blow　of　the
club　which　had　felled　him。

It　was　at　once　resolved　to　carry　him　to　the　jarl　of　the
district；　who　would　assuredly　wish　to　learn　from　him　the
meaning　of　the　coming　of　the　strange　ship。　That　the　Dragon
was　a　Saxon　vessel　the　Northmen　were　sure。　Many　of　them
had　been　on　expeditions　across　the　seas；　and　knew　the　Saxons
both　from　their　dress　and　manner　of　wearing　their　hair；
but　the　ship　was　unlike　anything　they　had　seen　before；　and　it
seemed　above　all　things　strange　that　when；　as　they　understood；
England　had　been　completely　conquered；　Saxon　warships　should
be　entering　a　northern　fiord。

For　many　hours　Edmund　was　carried　through　the　forest。
He