the dragon and the raven-第34章

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among　them；　and　with　vows　to　die　rather　than　again　to
yield　to　the　tyranny　of　the　Northmen。　The　rest　of　the　day
was　spent　in　distributing　the　newly　fashioned　arms　to　those
who　needed　them；　and　in　arranging　the　men　in　bands　under
their　own　thanes；　or；　in　their　absence；　such　leaders　as　the
king　appointed。

Upon　the　following　morning　the　army　started；　marching
in　a　north…easterly　direction　against　the　great　camp　of
the　Danes　at　Chippenham。　That　night　they　rested　at　Okeley；
and　then　marched　on　until　in　the　afternoon　they　came　within
sight　of　the　Danes　gathered　at　Ethandune；　a　place　supposed
to　be　identical　with　Edington　near　Westbury。

As　the　time　for　Alfred's　reappearance　approached　the
agitation　and　movement　on　the　part　of　the　people　had
attracted　the　attention　of　the　Danes；　and　the　news　of　his
summons　to　the　Saxons　to　meet　him　at　Egbertesstan　having　come
to　their　ears；　they　gathered　hastily　from　all　parts　under
Guthorn　their　king；　who　was　by　far　the　most　powerful　viking
who　had　yet　appeared　in　England；　and　who　ruled　East　Anglia
as　well　as　Wessex。　Confident　of　victory　the　great　Danish
army　beheld　the　approach　of　the　Saxons。　Long　accustomed
to　success；　and　superior　in　numbers；　they　regarded　with
something　like　contempt　the　approach　of　their　foes。

In　the　centre　Alfred　placed　the　trained　phalanx　which
had　accompanied　him　from　Athelney；　in　the　centre　of　which
waved　the　Golden　Dragon；　by　whose　side　he　placed　himself。
Its　command　he　left　in　the　hands　of　Edmund；　he　himself
directing　the　general　movements　of　the　force。　On　his　right
were　the　men　of　Somerset　and　Hants；　on　the　left　those　of
Wilts；　Dorset；　and　Devon。

His　orders　were　that　the　advance　was　to　be　made　with
regularity；　that　the　whole　line　were　to　fight　for　a　while　on
the　defensive；　resisting　the　onslaught　of　the　Danes　until　he
gave　the　word　for　the　central　phalanx　to　advance　and　burst
through　the　lines　of　the　enemy；　and　that　when　these　had　been
thrown　into　confusion　by　this　attack　the　flanks　were　to　charge
foward　and　complete　the　rout。　This　plan　was　carried　out。　The
Danes　advanced　with　their　usual　impetuosity；　and　for　hours
tried　to　break　through　the　lines　of　the　Saxon　spears。　Both
sides　fought　valiantly；　the　Danes　inspired　by　their　pride　in
their　personal　prowess　and　their　contempt　for　the　Saxons；
the　Saxons　by　their　hatred　for　their　oppressors；　and　their
determination　to　die　rather　than　again　submit　to　their　bondage。
At　length；　after　the　battle　had　raged　some　hours；　and
both　parties　were　becoming　wearied　from　their　exertions；
the　king　gave　Edmund　the　order。

Hitherto　his　men　had　fought　in　line　with　the　rest；　but　at
the　sound　of　his　bugle　they　quitted　their　places；　and；　ere　the
Danes　could　understand　the　meaning　of　this　sudden　movement；
had　formed　themselves　into　their　wedge；　raised　a　mighty
shout；　and　advanced　against　the　enemy。　The　onslaught　was
irresistible。　The　great　wedge；　with　its　thick　fringe　of　spears；
burst　its　way　straight　through　the　Danish　centre　carrying　all
before　it。　Then　at　another　note　of　Edmund's　bugle　it　broke
up　into　two　bodies；　which　moved　solidly　to　the　right　and　left；
crumpling　up　the　Danish　lines。

Alfred　now　gave　the　order　for　a　general　advance；　and
the　Saxon　ranks；　with　a　shout　of　triumph；　flung　themselves
upon　the　disordered　Danes。　Their　success　was　instant　and
complete。　Confounded　at　the　sudden　break　up　of　their　line；
bewildered　by　these　new　and　formidable　tactics；　attacked　in
front　and　in　flank；　the　Danes　broke　and　fled。　The　Saxons
pursued　them　hotly；　Edmund　keeping　his　men　well　together
in　case　the　Danes　should　rally。　Their　rout；　however；　was　too
complete；　vast　numbers　were　slain；　and　the　remnant　of　their
army　did　not　pause　until　they　found　themselves　within　the
shelter　of　their　camp　at　Chippenham。

No　quarter　was　given　by　the　Saxons　to　those　who　fell
into　their　hands；　and　pressing　upon　the　heels　of　the　flying
Danes　the　victorious　army　of　King　Alfred　sat　down　before
Chippenham。　Every　hour　brought　fresh　reinforcements　to
the　king's　standard。　Many　were　already　on　their　way　when
the　battle　was　fought；　and　as　the　news　of　the　victory　spread
rapidly　every　man　of　the　West　Saxons　capable　of　bearing　arms
made　for　Chippenham；　feeling　that　now　or　never　must　a　complete
victory　over　the　Danes　be　obtained。

No　assault　was　made　upon　the　Danish　camp。　Confident　in　his
now　vastly　superior　numbers；　and　in　the　enthusiasm　which
reigned　in　his　army；　Alfred　was　unwilling　to　waste
a　single　life　in　an　attack　upon　the　entrenchments；　which　must
ere　long　surrender　from　famine。　There　was　no　risk　of
reinforcements　arriving　to　relieve　the　Danes。　Guthorn　had　led
to　the　battle　the　whole　fighting　force　of　the　Danes　in　Wessex
and　East　Anglia。　This　was　far　smaller　than　it　would　have
been　a　year　earlier；　but　the　Northmen；　having　once　completed
their　work　of　pillage；　soon　turned　to　fresh　fields　of
adventure。　Those　whose　disposition　led　them　to　prefer　a
quiet　life　had　settled　upon　the　land　from　which　they　had
dispossessed　the　Saxons；　but　the　principal　bands　of　rovers；
finding　that　England　was　exhausted　and　that　no　more　plunder
could　be　had；　had　either　gone　back　to　enjoy　at　home　the
booty　they　had　gained；　or　had　sailed　to　harry　the　shores　of
France；　Spain；　and　Italy。

Thus　the　position　of　the　Danes　in　Chippenham　was
desperate；　and　at　the　end　of　fourteen　days；　by　which　time
they　were　reduced　to　an　extremity　by　hunger；　they　sent
messengers　into　the　royal　camp　offering　their　submission。　They
promised　if　spared　to　quit　the　kingdom　with　all　speed；　and
to　observe　this　contract　more　faithfully　than　those　which　they
had　hitherto　made　and　broken。　They　offered　the　king　as
many　hostages　as　he　might　wish　to　take　for　the　fulfilment　of
their　promises。　The　haggard　and　emaciated　condition　of
those　who　came　out　to　treat　moved　Alfred　to　pity。

So　weakened　were　they　by　famine　that　they　could　scarce
drag　themselves　along。　It　would　have　been　easy　for　the　Saxons
to　have　slain　them　to　the　last　man；　and　the　majority　of
the　Saxons；　smarting　under　the　memory　of　the　cruel　oppression
which　they　had　suffered；　the　destruction　of　home　and
property；　and　the　slaughter　of　friends　and　relations；　would
fain　have　exterminated　their　foes。　King　Alfred；　however；
thought　otherwise。

Guthorn　and　the　Danes　had　effected　a　firm　settlement
in　East　Anglia；　and　lived　at　amity　with　the　Saxons　there。　They
had；　it　is　true；　wrested　from　them　the　greatest　portion　of
their　lands。　Still　peace　and　order　were　now　established。　The
Saxons　were　allowed　liberty　and　equal　rights。　Intermarriages
were　taking　place；　and　the　two　peoples　were　becoming　welded
into　one。　Alfred　then　considered　that　it　would　be　well　to
have　the　king　of　this　country　as　an　ally；　he　and　his　settled
people　would　soon　be　as　hostile　to　further　incursions　of　the
Northmen　as　were　the　Saxons　themselves；　and　their　interests
and　those　of　Wessex　would　be　identical。

Did　he；　on　the　other　hand；　carry　out　a　general　massacre
of　the　Danes　now　in　his　power　he　might　have　brought　upon
England　a　fresh　invasion　of　Northmen；　who；　next　to　plunder；
loved　revenge；　and　who　might　come　over　in　great　hosts
to　avenge　the　slaughter　of　their　countrymen。　Moved；　then；
by　motives　of　policy　as　well　as　by　compassion；　he　granted　the
terms　they　asked；　and　hostages　having　been　sent　in　from　the
camp　he　ordered　provisions　to　be　supplied　to　the　Danes。

The　same　night　a　messenger　of　rank　came　in　from
Guthorn　saying　that　he　intended　to　embrace　Christianity。
The　news　filled　Alfred　and　the　Saxons　with　joy。　The　king；　a
sincere　and　devoted　Christian；　had　fought　as　much　for　his
religion　as　for　his　kingdom；　and　his　joy　at　the　prospect　of
Guthorn's　conversion；　which　would　as　a　matter　of　course　be
followed　by　that　of　his　subjects；　was　deep　and　sincere。

To　the　Saxons　generally　the　temporal　consequence　of
the　conversion　had　no　doubt　greater　weight　than　the　spiritual。
The　conversion　of　Guthorn　and　the　Danes　would　be　a
pledge　far　more　binding　than　any　oaths　of　alliance　between
the　two　kingdoms。　Guthorn　and　his　followers　would　be
viewed　with　hostility　by　their　countrymen；　whose　hatred　of
Christianity　was　intense；　and　East　Anglia　would；　therefore；
naturally　seek　the　close　alliance　a