the dragon and the raven-第28章

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equal。　His　annoyance　was　greatly　heightened　by　the　fact　that
it　was　Freda　who　had　recognized　the　young　Saxon；　and　the
pleasure　which　her　face　evinced　when　her　father　proposed
to　purchase　him　from　Bijorn　angered　him　still　more。　In　his
heart　he　cursed　the　horse　whose　welcoming　neigh　had　in　the
first　instance　saved　Edmund's　life；　and　the　trial　by　augury
which　had　confirmed　the　first　omen。　After　the　banquet　was
over　Siegbert　requested　Edmund　to　relate　his　various
adventures。

The　telling　of　tales　of　daring　was　one　of　the　favourite
amusements　of　the　Danes；　Siegbert　and　his　friends　quaffed
great　bumpers　of　mead；　and　the　ladies　sat　apart　listening
while　Edmund　told　his　story。

〃You　have　a　brave　record；　indeed；〃　Siegbert　said　when
he　had　finished；　〃for　one　so　young；　and　fond　as　are　our　youths
of　adventure　there　is　not　one　of　them　of　your　age　who　has
accomplished　a　tithe　of　what　you　have　done。　Why；　Freda；　if
this　youth　were　but　one　of　us　he　would　have　the　hearts　of　all
the　Norse　maidens　at　his　feet。　In　the　eyes　of　a　Danish　girl；　as
of　a　Dane；　valour　is　the　highest　of　recommendations。〃

〃I　don't　know；　father；〃　Freda　said；　colouring　at　being
thus　addressed；　〃that　we　should　be　as　bold　as　that；　although
assuredly　it　is　but　right　that　a　maiden　should　esteem　valour
highly。　It　is　to　her　husband　she　has　to　look　for　protection；
and　she　shares　in　the　honour　and　spoil　which　he　gains　by　his
valiant　deeds；　so　you　have　always　taught　me。〃

〃And　rightly　too；　girl。　Next　to　being　a　great　hero；　the
greatest　honour　is　to　be　the　wife　of　one。　I　pledge　you；
Ealdorman　Edmund；　and　should　be　right　proud　were　you　a
son　of　mine。　You　have　told　your　story　modestly；　for　many　of
the　battles　and　adventures　of　which　you　have　spoken　are
known　to　me　by　report；　and　fame　has　given　you　a　larger　share
in　the　successes　than　you　claim　for　yourself。　'Tis　a　pity　you
were　not　born　a　Northman；　for　there　is　little　for　you　to　do　in
Saxon　England　now。〃

〃I　do　not　despair　yet；〃　Edmund　replied。　〃Things　have
gone　badly　with　us；　but　the　last　blow　is　not　struck　yet。　You
will　hear　of　King　Alfred　in　the　spring；　unless　I　am　mistaken。〃

〃But　they　say　your　King　Alfred　is　half　a　monk；　and　that
he　loves　reading　books　more　than　handling　the　sword；　though；
to　do　him　justice；　he　has　shown　himself　a　brave　warrior；　and
has　given　us　far　more　trouble　than　all　the　other　Saxon　kings
together。〃

〃King　Alfred　fights　bravely；〃　Edmund　said；　〃because　he
is　fighting　for　his　country　and　people；　but　it　is　true　that　he
loves　not　war　nor　strife。　He　reads　much　and　thinks　more；
and　should　he　ever　come　to　his　kingdom　again　he　will　assuredly
be　one　of　the　wisest　and　best　monarchs　who　has　ever　sat
on　a　throne。　He　has　talked　to　me　much　of　the　things　which
he　has　at　heart；　and　I　know　he　intends　to　draw　up　wise　laws
for　the　ruling　of　his　people。〃

〃We　love　not　greatly　being　ruled；　we　Northmen；〃　Bijorn
said；　〃but　for　each　to　go　his　own　way　as　he　wills；　provided
only　he　inflicts　no　ill　upon　his　neighbour。　We　come　and　we
go　each　as　it　pleases　him。　Our　fleets　traverse　the　sea　and
bring　home　plunder　and　booty。　What　need　we　of　laws？〃

〃At　present　you　have　no　great　need　of　laws；〃　Edmund
replied；　〃seeing　that　you　lead　a　wandering　life；　but　when　the
time　shall　comeand　it　must　come　to　you　as　it　has　come　to
other　nationswhen　you　will　settle　down　as　a　rich　and
peaceful　community；　then　laws　will　become　necessary。〃

〃Well；〃　Bijorn　said；　〃right　glad　am　I　that　I　live　before
such　times　have　come。　So　far　as　I　can　see　the　settling　down
you　speak　of；　and　the　abandonment　of　the　ancient　gods　has
done　no　great　good　either　to　you　Saxons　or　to　the　Franks。
Both　of　you　were　in　the　old　time　valiant　people；　while　now
you　are　unable　to　withstand　our　arms。　You　gather　goods；
and　we　carry　them　off；　you　build　cities；　and　we　destroy　them；
you　cultivate　the　land；　and　we　sweep　off　the　crops。　It　seems
to　me　that　we　have　the　best　of　it。〃

〃It　seems　so　at　present；〃　Edmund　said；　〃but　it　will　not
last。　Already　in　Northumbria　and　in　East　Anglia　the　Danes；
seeing　that　there　is　no　more　plunder　to　be　had；　are　settling
down　and　adopting　the　customs　of　the　Saxons；　and　so　will　it
be　in　Mercia　and　Wessex　if　you　keep　your　hold　of　them；　and
so　will　it　be　in　other　places。　The　change　is　but　beginning；
but　it　seems　to　me　certain　to　come；　so　I　have　heard　King
Alfred　say。〃

〃And　does　he　think；〃　Sweyn　said　scoffingly；　speaking
almost　for　the　first　time；　〃that　we　shall　abandon　the　worship
of　our　gods　and　take　to　that　of　your　Christ？〃

〃He　thinks　so　and　hopes　so；〃　Edmund　replied　quietly。
〃So　long　as　men's　lives　are　spent　wholly　in　war　they　may　worship
gods　like　yours；　but　when　once　settled　in　peaceful　pursuits
they　will　assuredly　recognize　the　beauty　and　holiness　of
the　life　of　Christ。　Pardon　me；〃　he　said；　turning　to　Siegbert；
〃if　it　seems　to　you　that　I；　being　still　young；　speak　with
over…boldness；　but　I　am　telling　you　what　King　Alfred　says；
and　all　men　recognize　his　wisdom　and　goodness。〃

〃I　know　not　of　your　religion　myself；〃　Siegbert　replied；
〃but　I　will　own　willingly　that　though　its　teachings　may　be
peaceful；　it　makes　not　cowards　of　those　who　believe　in　it。
I　have　seen　over　and　over　again　old　men　and　young　men　die
on　the　altars　of　their　churches　as　fearlessly　and　calmly　as　a
Viking　should　do　when　his　time　comes。　No　Northman　fears
death；　for　he　knows　that　a　joyous　time　awaits　him；　but　I　am
bound　to　say　that　your　Christians　meet　death　to　the　full　as
calmly。　Well；　each　his　own　way；　I　say；　and　for　aught　I　know
there　may　be　a　Christian　heaven　as　well　as　the　Halls　of　Odin；
and　all　may　be　rewarded　in　their　own　way　for　their　deeds。〃

Bijorn　and　his　party　now　rose　to　take　leave。　〃I　will　come
across　to　your　tent　in　the　morning；〃　Siegbert　said；　〃and　we
can　then　discuss　what　payment　I　shall　make　you　for　this　young
Saxon。　I　fear　not　that　you　will　prove　over　hard　to　your　old
comrade。〃

After　Bijorn　had　departed　Siegbert　assigned　to　Edmund
a　place　in　his　tent　as　an　honoured　guest。　Slaves　brought　in
bundles　of　rushes　for　the　beds。　Freda　retired　to　a　small　tent
which　had　been　erected　for　her　adjoining　the　larger　one；　and
the　jarl　and　Edmund　lay　down　on　their　piles　of　rushes　at　the
upper　end　of　the　tent。　Siegbert's　companions　and　followers
stretched　themselves　along　the　sides；　the　slaves　lay　down
without；　and　in　a　few　minutes　silence　reigned　in　the　tent。





CHAPTER　X：　THE　COMBAT



I　was　thinking　much　of　what　you　said　last　night；〃　Freda
said　at　breakfast。　〃How　is　it　that　you；　whose　religion　is　as
you　say　a　peaceful　one；　can　yet　have　performed　so　many
deeds　of　valour　and　bloodshed？〃

〃I　am　fighting　for　my　home；　my　country；　and　my　religion；〃
Edmund　said。　〃Christianity　does　not　forbid　men　to
defend　themselves；　for；　did　it　do　so；　a　band　of　pagans　might
ravage　all　the　Christian　countries　in　the　world。　I　fight　not
because　I　love　it。　I　hate　bloodshed；　and　would　rather　die
than　plunder　and　slay　peaceful　and　unoffending　people。　You
have　been　in　England　and　have　seen　the　misery　which　war
has　caused　there。　Such　misery　assuredly　I　would　inflict　on
none。　I　fight　only　to　defend　myself　and　my　country　men　and
women。　Did　your　people　leave　our　land　I　would　gladly　never
draw　sword　again。〃

〃But　what　would　you　do　with　yourself？〃　Freda　asked　in
tones　of　surprise。　〃How　would　you　pass　your　time　if　there
were　no　fighting？〃

〃I　should　have　plenty　to　do；〃　Edmund　said　smiling；　〃I
have　my　people　to　look　after。　I　have　to　see　to　their　welfare；
to　help　those　who　need　it；　to　settle　disputes；　to　rebuild　the
churches　and　houses　which　have　been　destroyed。　There　would
be　no　difficulty　in　spending　my　time。〃

〃But　how　could　a　man　show　himself　to　be　a　hero；〃　the
Danish　girl　asked；　〃if　there　were　no　fighting？〃

〃There　would　be　no　occasion　for　heroes；〃　Edmund　said；
〃at　least　of　heroes　in　the　sense　you　meanthat　is；　of　men
famous　principally　for　the　number　they　have　slain；　and　the
destruction　and　misery　they　have　caused。　Our　religion　teaches
us　that　mere　courage　is　not　the　highest　virtue。　It　is　one
possessed　as　much　by　animals　as　by　men。　Higher　virtues　than
this　are　kindness；　charity；　unselfishness；　and　a　desire　to
benefit　our　fellow…creatures。　These　virtues　make　a　man　a