the dragon and the raven-第32章

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which　he　had　made　his　abode。

〃It　is　a　good　omen；〃　Edmund　said；　〃for　Athelney　lies
close　to　the　Parrot；　where　my　good　ship　the　Dragon　is　laid
away。〃

After　visiting　all　the　villages　in　his　earldom　Edmund
started　with　Egbert　and　four　young　men；　whom　he　might　use
as　messengers；　for　the　reported　hiding…place　of　the　king。　First
they　visited　the　Dragon；　and　found　her　lying　undisturbed；
then　they　followed　the　river　down　till　they　reached　the　great
swamps　which　extended　for　a　considerable　distance　near　its
mouth。　After　much　wandering　they　came　upon　the　hut　of　a
fisherman。　The　man　on　hearing　the　footsteps　came　to　his
door　with　a　bent　bow。　When　he　saw　that　the　new…comers
were　Saxons　he　lowered　the　arrow　which　was　already　fitted
to　the　string。

〃Can　you　tell　us；〃　Edmund　said；　〃which　is　the　way　to
Athelney？　We　know　that　it　is　an　island　amidst　these　morasses；
but　we　are　strangers　to　the　locality　and　cannot　find　it。〃

〃And　you　might　search　for　weeks；〃　the　man　said；　〃without
finding　it；　so　thickly　is　it　surrounded　by　deep　swamps
and　woods。　But　what　want　ye　there？〃

〃Men　say；〃　Edmund　replied；　〃that　King　Alfred　is　hidden
there。　We　are　faithful　followers　of　his。　I　am　Ealdorman
Edmund　of　Sherborne；　and　have　good　news　for　the　king。〃

〃If　ye　are　indeed　the　Ealdorman　of　Sherborne；　of　whose
bravery　I　have　heard　much；　I　will　right　willingly　lead　you　to
Athelney　if　you　will；　but　no　king　will　you　find　there。　There
are　a　few　fugitives　from　the　Danes　scattered　here　and　there
in　these　marshes；　but　none；　so　far　as　I　know；　of　any　rank　or
station。　However；　I　will　lead　you　thither　should　you　still　wish
to　go。〃

Edmund　expressed　his　desire　to　visit　the　island　even　if
the　king　were　not　there。　The　man　at　once　drew　out　a　small
boat　from　a　hiding…place　near　his　hut。　It　would　hold　four　at
most。　Edmund　and　Egbert　stepped　in　with　one　of　their　followers；
charging　the　others　to　remain　at　the　hut　until　they
received　further　instructions。　The　fisherman　with　a　long　pole
took　his　place　in　the　bow　of　the　boat　and　pushed　off。　For
some　hours　they　made　their　way　through　the　labyrinth　of
sluggish　and　narrow　channels　of　the　morass。　It　was　a　gloomy
journey。　The　leafless　trees　frequently　met　overhead；　the　long
rushes　in　the　wetter　parts　of　the　swamp　rustled　as　the　cold
breezes　swept　across　them；　and　a　slight　coating　of　snow　which
had　fallen　the　previous　night　added　to　the　dreary　aspect　of
the　scene。　At　last　they　came　upon　sharply　rising　ground。

〃This　is　Athelney；〃　the　fisherman　said；　〃a　good　hiding…place
truly；　for；　as　you　see；　it　rises　high　over　the　surrounding
country；　which　is　always　swampy　from　the　waters　of　the　Parrot
and　Theme；　and　at　high　tides　the　salt　water　of　the　sea　fills
all　these　waterways；　and　the　trees　rise　from　a　broad　sheet　of
sea。　No　Dane　has　ever　yet　set　foot　among　these　marshes；　and
were　there　but　provisions　to　keep　them　alive；　a　safe　refuge
might　be　found　on　this　island　for　hundreds　of　fugitives。　Will
you　be　returning　to…night？〃

〃That　I　cannot　tell　you；〃　Edmund　replied；　〃but　at　any
rate　I　will　hire　you　and　your　boat　to　remain　at　my　service　for
a　week；　and　will　pay　you　a　far　higher　price　than　you　can　obtain
by　your　fishing。〃

The　fisherman　readily　agreed；　and　Edmund　and　his
companions　made　their　way　into　the　heart　of　the　island。　It
was　of　some　extent；　and　rose　above　the　tree…tops　of　the
surrounding　country。　Presently　they　came　to　a　cottage。
A　man　came　out。

〃What　do　you　seek？〃　he　asked。

〃You　have　fugitives　in　refuge　here；〃　Edmund　said。　〃Know
you　if　among　them　is　our　good　King　Alfred？〃　The　man　looked
astonished。

〃A　pretty　place　to　seek　for　a　king！〃　he　replied。　〃There
are　a　few　Saxons　in　hiding　here。　Some　live　by　fishing；　some
chop　wood；　but　for　the　most　part　they　are　an　idle　and
thriftless　lot；　and　me　thinks　have　fled　hither　rather　to　escape
from　honest　work　or　to　avoid　the　penalties　of　crimes　than　for　any
other　reason。〃

〃How　may　we　find　them？〃　Edmund　asked。

〃They　are　scattered　over　the　island。　There　are　eight　or
ten　dwellers　here　like　myself；　and　several　of　them　have　one
or　more　of　these　fellows　with　them；　others　have　built　huts　for
themselves　and　shift　as　they　can；　but　it　is　a　hard　shift；　I　reckon；
and　beech…nuts　and　acorns；　eked　out　with　an　occasional　fish
caught　in　the　streams；　is　all　they　have　to　live　upon。　I　wonder
that　they　do　not　go　back　to　honest　work　among　their　kinsfolk。〃

〃Ah！〃　Edmund　said；　〃you　do　not　know　here　how　cruel
are　the　ravages　of　the　Danes；　our　homes　are　broken　up　and
our　villages　destroyed；　and　every　forest　in　the　land　is　peopled
with　fugitive　Saxons。　Did　you　know　that　you　would　speak
less　harshly　of　those　here。　At　any　rate　the　man　I　seek　is　young
and　fair…looking；　and　would；　I　should　think〃and　he　smiled
as　he　remembered　Alfred's　studious　habits〃be　one　of　the
most　shiftless　of　those　here。〃

〃There　is　such　a　one；〃　the　man　replied；　〃and　several　times
friends　of　his　have　been　hither　to　see　him。　He　dwells　at　my
next　neighbour's；　who　is　often　driven　well…nigh　out　of　her
mindfor　she　is　a　dame　with　a　shrewish　tongue　and　sharp
temperby　his　inattention。　She　only　asks　of　him　that　he　will
cut　wood　and　keep　an　eye　over　her　pigs；　which　wander　in　the
forest；　in　return　for　his　food；　and　yet；　simple　as　are　his　duties；
he　is　for　ever　forgetting　them。　I　warrant　me；　the　dame　would
not　so　long　have　put　up　with　him　had　he　not　been　so　fair　and
helpless。　However　bad…tempered　a　woman　may　be；　she　has
always　a　tender　corner　in　her　heart　for　this　sort　of　fellow。
There；　you　can　take　this　path　through　the　trees　and　follow　it
on；　it　will　take　you　straight　to　her　cottage。〃

The　description　given　by　the　man　tallied　so　accurately
with　that　of　the　king　that　Edmund　felt　confident　that　he　was
on　the　right　track。　The　fact；　too；　that　from　time　to　time　men
had　come　to　see　this　person　added　to　the　probability　of　his
being　the　king。　Presently　they　came　upon　the　hut。　A　number
of　pigs　were　feeding　under　the　trees　around　it；　the　door
was　open；　and　the　shrill　tones　of　a　woman's　voice　raised　in
anger　could　be　heard　as　they　approached。

〃You　are　an　idle　loon；　and　I　will　no　longer　put　up　with
your　ways；　and　you　may　seek　another　mistress。　You　are　worse
than　useless　here。　I　do　but　ask　you　to　watch　these　cakes　while
I　go　over　to　speak　with　my　neighbour；　and　inquire　how　she
and　the　child　born　yestereven　are　getting　on；　and　you　go　to
sleep　by　the　fire　and　suffer　the　case　to　burn。

〃You　were　not　asleep；　you　say？　then　so　much　the　worse。
Where　were　your　eyes；　then　？　And　where　was　your　nose？　Why；
I　smelt　the　cakes　a　hundred　yards　away；　and　you　sitting　over
them；　and　as　you　say　awake；　neither　saw　them　burning　nor
smelt　them！　You　are　enough　to　break　an　honest　woman's
heart　with　your　mooning　ways。　You　are　ready　enough　to　eat
when　the　meal…time　comes；　but　are　too　lazy　even　to　watch
the　food　as　it　cooks。　I　tell　you　I　will　have　no　more　of　you。
I　have　put　up　with　you　till　I　am　verily　ashamed　of　my　own
patience；　but　this　is　too　much；　and　you　must　go　your　way；　for
I　will　have　no　more　of　you。〃

At　this　moment　Edmund　and　Egbert　appeared　at　the　door　of
the　hut。　As　he　had　expected　from　the　nature　of　the
colloquy　Edmund　saw　King　Alfred　standing　contrite　and
ashamed　before　the　angry　dame。

〃My　beloved　sovereign！〃　he　cried；　running　in　and　falling
on　his　knees。

〃My　trusted　Edmund；〃　Alfred　exclaimed　cordially；　〃right
glad　am　I　to　see　you；　and　you　too；　my　valiant　Egbert；　truly　I
feared　that　the　good　ship　Dragon　had　long　since　fallen　into
the　hands　of　our　enemy。〃

〃The　Dragon　lies　not　many　miles　hence；　your　majesty；　in
the　hole　in　which　she　was　built；　by　the　river　Parrot；　she　has
done　bravely　and　has　brought　home　a　rich　store　of　booty；　a
large　share　of　which　has　been　hidden　away　for　your　majesty；
and　can　be　brought　here　in　a　few　hours　should　you　wish　it。〃

〃Verily　I　am　glad　to　hear　it；　Edmund；　for　I　have　long
been　penniless；　and　I　have　great　need　of　something　at　least
to　pay　this　good　woman　for　all　the　trouble　she　has　been　at
with　me；　and　for　her　food　which　my　carelessness　has　destroyed；
as　you　may　have　heard　but　now。〃

Edmund　and　Egbert　joined　in　the　king's　merry　laugh。
The　dame　looked　a　picture　of　consternation　and　fell　upon
her　knees。

〃