the dragon and the raven-第33章

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

〃Pardon　me；　your　majesty；〃　she　cried；　〃to　think　that　I
have　ventured　to　abuse　our　good　King　Alfred；　and　have　even
in　mine　anger　lifted　my　hand　against　him！〃

〃And　with　right　good…will　too；〃　the　king　said　laughing。
〃Never　fear；　good　dame；　your　tongue　has　been　rough　but
your　heart　has　been　kindly；　or　never　would　you　have　borne
so　long　with　so　shiftless　a　serving…man。　But　leave　us　now；
I　pray　ye；　for　I　have　much　to　say　to　my　good　friends　here。
And　now；　Edmund；　what　news　do　you　bring？　I　do　not　ask　after
the　doings　of　the　Dragon；　for　that　no　doubt　is　a　long　story
which　you　shall　tell　me　later；　but　how　fares　it　with　my　kingdom？
I　have　been　in　correspondence　with　several　of　my　thanes；
who　have　from　time　to　time　sent　me　news　of　what　passes　without。
》From　what　they　say　I　deem　that　the　time　for　action　is　at　last
nigh　at　hand。　The　people　are　everywhere　desperate　at　the
oppression　and　exactions　of　the　Danes；　and　are　ready　to
risk　everything　to　free　themselves　from　so　terrible　a　yoke。
I　fled　here　and　gave　up　the　strife　because　the　Saxons
deemed　anything　better　than　further　resistance。　Now　that　they
have　found　out　their　error　it　is　time　to　be　stirring　again。〃

〃That　is　so；〃　Edmund　said；　〃Egbert　and　I　have　found　the
people　desperate　at　their　slavery；　and　ready　to　risk　all　did　a
leader　but　appear。　My　own　people　will　all　take　up　arms　the
instant　they　receive　my　summons；　they　have　before　now
proved　their　valour；　and　in　my　crew　of　the　Dragon　you　have　a
body　which　will；　I　warrant　me；　pierce　through　any　Danish
line。〃

〃This　tallies　with　what　I　have　heard；〃　Alfred　said；　〃and
in　the　spring　I　will　again　raise　my　banner；　but　in　the　meantime
I　will　fortify　this　place。　There　are　but　two　or　three　spots
where　boats　can　penetrate　through　the　morasses；　were　strong
stockades　and　banks　erected　at　each　landing…place　we　might
hold　the　island　in　case　of　defeat　against　any　number　of　the
enemy。〃

〃That　shall　be　done；〃　Edmund　said；　〃and　quickly。　I　have
a　messenger　here　with　me；　and　others　waiting　outside　the
swamp；　and　can　send　and　bring　my　crew　of　the　Dragon　here
at　once。〃

〃Let　that　be　one　man's　mission；〃　the　king　said；　〃the　others
I　will　send　off　with　messages　to　the　thanes　of　Somerset；
who　are　only　awaiting　my　summons　to　take　up　arms。　I　will
bid　them　send　hither　strong　working　parties；　but　to　make　no
show　in　arms　until　Easter；　at　which　time　I　will　again　spread
the　Golden　Dragon　to　the　winds。　The　treasure　you　speak　of
will　be　right　welcome；　for　all　are　so　impoverished　by　the　Danes
that　they　live　but　from　hand　to　mouth；　and　we　must　at　least
buy　provisions　to　maintain　the　parties　working　here。　Arms；
too；　must　be　made；　for　although　many　have　hidden　their
weapons；　the　Danes　have　seized　vast　quantities；　having　issued
an　order　that　any　Saxon　found　with　arms　shall　be　at
once　put　to　death。　Money　will　be　needed　to　set　all　the
smithies　to　work　at　the　manufacture　of　pikes　and　swords。　Hides
must　be　bought　for　the　manufacture　of　shields。　It　will　be　best
to　send　orders　to　the　ealdormen　and　thanes　to　send　hither
privately　the　smiths；　armourers；　and　shield…makers　in　the
villages　and　towns。　They　cannot　work　with　the　Danes　ever　about；
but　must　set　up　smithies　here。　They　must　bring　their　tools
and　such　iron　as　they　can　carry；　what　more　is　required　we
must　buy　at　the　large　towns　and　bring　privately　in　carts　to
the　edge　of　the　morass。　The　utmost　silence　and　secrecy　must
be　observed；　that　the　Danes　may　obtain　no　news　of　our
preparations　until　we　are　ready　to　burst　out　upon　them。〃

A　fortnight　later　Athelney　presented　a　changed　appearance。
A　thousand　men　were　gathered　there。　Trees　had　been
cut　down；　a　strong　fort　erected　on　the　highest　ground；　and
formidable　works　constructed　at　three　points　where　alone　a
landing　could　be　effected。　The　smoke　rose　from　a　score　of
great　mounds；　where　charcoal…burners　were　converting　timber
into　fuel　for　the　forges。　Fifty　smiths　and　armourers　were
working　vigorously　at　forges　in　the　open　air；　roofs　thatched
with　rushes　and　supported　by　poles　being　erected　over　them
to　keep　the　rain　and　snow　from　the　fires。　A　score　of　boats
were　threading　the　mazes　of　the　marshes　bringing　men　and
cattle　to　the　island。　All　was　bustle　and　activity；　every　face
shone　with　renewed　hope。　King　Alfred　himself　and　his　thanes
moved　to　and　fro　among　the　workers　encouraging　them　at
their　labours。

Messengers　came　and　went　in　numbers；　and　from　all
parts　of　Wessex　King　Alfred　received　news　of　the　joy　which
his　people　felt　at　the　tidings　that　he　was　again　about　to　raise
his　standard；　and　of　the　readiness　of　all　to　obey　his　summons。
So　well　was　the　secret　kept　that　no　rumour　of　the
storm　about　to　burst　upon　them　reached　the　Danes。　The
people；　rejoicing　and　eager　as　they　were；　suffered　no　evidence
of　their　feelings　to　be　apparent　to　their　cruel　masters；
who；　believing　the　Saxons　to　be　finally　crushed；　were　lulled
into　a　false　security。　The　king's　treasure　had　been　brought
from　its　hiding…place　to　Athelney；　and　Edmund　and　Egbert
had　also　handed　over　their　own　share　of　the　booty　to　the
king。　The　golden　cups　and　goblets　he　had　refused　to　take；
but　had　gladly　accepted　the　silver。

Edmund　and　Egbert　had　left　Athelney　for　a　few　days　on
a　mission。　The　king　had　described　to　them　minutely　where
he　had　hidden　the　sacred　standard　with　the　Golden　Dragon。
It　was　in　the　hut　of　a　charcoal…burner　in　the　heart　of　the
forests　of　Wiltshire。　Upon　reaching　the　hut；　and　showing　to
the　man　the　king's　signet…ring；　which　when　leaving　the
standard　he　had　told　him　would　be　the　signal　that　any　who　might
come　for　it　were　sent　by　him；　the　man　produced　the　standard
from　the　thatch　of　his　cottage；　in　which　it　was　deeply
buried；　and　hearing　that　it　was　again　to　be　unfurled　called
his　two　stalwart　sons　from　their　work　and　at　once　set　out
with　Edmund　and　Egbert　to　join　the　army。

Easter　came　and　went；　but　the　preparations　were　not
yet　completed。　A　vast　supply　of　arms　was　needed；　and　while
the　smiths　laboured　at　their　work　Edmund　and　Egbert　drilled
the　fighting　men　who　had　assembled；　in　the　tactics　which
had　on　a　small　scale　proved　so　effective。　The　wedge　shape
was　retained；　and　Edmund's　own　band　claimed　the　honour
of　forming　the　apex；　but　it　had　now　swollen　until　it　contained
a　thousand　men；　and　as　it　moved　in　a　solid　body；　with　its
thick　edge　of　spears　outward；　the　king　felt　confident　that　it
would　be　able　to　break　through　the　strongest　line　of　the　Danes。

》From　morning　till　night　Edmund　and　Egbert；　assisted
by　the　thanes　of　Somerset　who　had　gathered　there；　drilled
the　men　and　taught　them　to　rally　rapidly　from　scattered　order
into　solid　formation。　Unaccustomed　to　regular　tactics
the　ease　and　rapidity　with　which　these　movements　came　to
be　carried　out　at　the　notes　of　Edmund's　bugle　seemed　to　all
to　be　little　less　than　miraculous；　and　they　awaited　with
confidence　and　eagerness　their　meeting　with　the　Danes　on　the
field。

At　the　end　of　April　messengers　were　sent　out　bidding
the　Saxons　hold　themselves　in　readiness；　and　on　the　6th　of
May　Alfred　moved　with　his　force　from　Athelney　to　Egbertesstan
（now　called　Brixton）；　lying　to　the　east　of　the　forest　of
Selwood；　which　lay　between　Devonshire　and　Somerset。　The
Golden　Dragon　had　been　unfurled　On　the　fort　in　Athelney；
and　after　crossing　the　marshes　to　the　mainland　it　was　carried
in　the　centre　of　the　phalanx。

On　the　12th　they　reached　the　appointed　place；　where
they　found　a　great　multitude　of　Saxons　already　gathered。
They　had　poured　in　from　Devonshire；　Somerset；　and
Wiltshire；　from　Dorset　and　Hants。　In　spite　of　the　vigorous
edicts　of　the　Danes　against　arms　a　great　proportion　of　them
bore　weapons；　which　had　been　buried　in　the　earth；　or　concealed
in　hollow　trees　or　other　hiding…places　until　the　time
for　action　should　again　arrive。

As　they　saw　the　king　approaching　at　the　head　of　his
band；　with　the　Golden　Dragon　fluttering　in　the　breeze；　a
great　shout　of　joy　arose　from　the　multitude；　and　they　crowded
round　the　monarch　with　shouts　of　welcome　at　his　reappearance
among　them；　and　with　vows　to　die　rather　than　again　to
yield