the dragon and the raven-第40章

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bundle　on　their　heads；　as　it　would　be　some　time　after　they
landed　before　they　could　advance　upon　the　camp；　and　the
cold　and　dripping　garments　would　tend　to　lessen　their　spirits
and　courage。

When　all　was　ready　they　stepped　into　the　water；　and
keeping　in　a　body；　drifted　down　the　stream。　The　wine　skins
floated　them　well　above　the　water；　the　stream　was　running
strong；　and　the　lights　of　the　Danish　fires　were　soon　left
behind。

In　half　an　hour　Edmund　and　Egbert　deemed　that　they
were　now　far　beyond　a　point　where　they　might　chance　upon
any　Danish　stragglers。　The　word　was　therefore　given；　and　all
made　for　the　bank。　The　stream　had　already　drifted　them　in
that　direction；　and　they　soon　reached　the　shore。　Here　the
skins　which　had　proved　so　useful　were　left　behind；　and　putting
on　their　dry　clothes；　they　felt　comparatively　comfortable。
Edmund　ordered　them　to　lay　down　their　spears　and　swords
by　their　sides；　and　to　swing　their　arms　violently。　This
they　continued　to　do　until　they　were　nearly　breathless；　by
which　time　the　blood　was　coursing　warmly　in　their　veins。

They　were　now　in　December；　and　the　water　was　extremely　cold；
and　Egbert　congratulated　Edmund　upon　having　made　the　men　strip；
for　had　they　been　compelled　to　remain　in　their　wet　garments
while　waiting　for　the　Danish　fires　to　die　down；　they　would
scarce　have　been　in　a　fit　state　to　fight　when　the　moment
for　so　doing　had　arrived。

Three　hours　elapsed　before　the　glare　of　the　distant　fires
began　to　subside；　another　half　hour　passed；　and　then　the
band　were　formed　up　and　moved　along　on　the　bank　of　the
river。





CHAPTER　XIV：　THE　REPULSE　OF　THE　NORTHMEN



When　within　half　a　mile　of　the　Danish　camp　Edmund　and　Egbert
left　the　band　and　advanced　alone。　They　were　pretty　confident
that　they　should　find　but　few　of　the　Danes　near　the　bank
of　the　river；　for　the　arrows　from　the　walls　of　Paris　carried
some　distance　beyond　it；　and　the　Northmen　consequently　encamped
some　hundred　yards　away。　They　had　to　pick　their　way　carefully；
for　the　ships　were　moored　along　the　bank；　their　ropes　being
fastened　to　great　stakes　driven　into　the　ground。

There　were　lights　on　board　the　vessels；　many　of　the　crews
remaining　on　board。　They　made　their　way　along　until　they
reached　the　spot　they　aimed　at。　Here　lay　the　three　sets　of
vessels；　each　six　deep；　their　masts　had　been　removed；　and
the　great　towers　rose　high　into　the　darkness　above　the
platforms　extending　over　their　decks。

The　planks　forming　the　gangways　up　which　the　towers
had　been　moved　had　been　taken　away；　save　one　which　gave
access　to　each　tier；　and　Edmund　doubted　not　that　it　was
intended　that　they　should　the　next　morning　move　across　the
river　in　tow　of　the　numerous　row…boats。　The　two　Saxons　did
not　attempt　to　go　on　board；　as　they　had　now　found　out　all
they　wanted；　and　might　mar　all　by　disturbing　some　sleeper
upon　the　platform。　They　accordingly　returned　to　the　spot
where　the　band　were　awaiting　them。

〃I　propose；　Egbert；〃　Edmund　said；　〃that　as　we　go　along
we　cut　the　mooring…ropes　of　all　the　vessels。　We　must　do　it
quietly　so　as　not　to　excite　any　alarm；　and　they　will　know　nothing
of　it　until　they　find　themselves　drifting　down　the　river　in
a　mass。　Then　there　will　be　great　jostling　and　carrying　away
of　bowsprits　and　bulwarks；　and　the　confusion　and　shouting
which　will　arise　will　tend　to　confuse　the　Danes　and　to　distract
their　attention　from　us。〃

Egbert　agreed　to　the　proposal；　and　as　soon　as　they
reached　the　first　ships　the　Saxons　began　their　work；　sawing
with　their　knives　and　daggers　through　the　ropes。　The　vessels
lay　four　or　five　deep　and　there　were　many　cables　to　cut；　but
the　keen　knives　of　the　Saxons　made　short　work　of　these。
Before　beginning　their　work　they　had　spread　along　the　bank；
leaving　only　two　men　abreast　of　each　ship；　so　that　in　the
course　of　two　or　three　minutes　the　cables　for　the　length　of
forty　ships　were　severed；　and　these　and　their　consorts　beyond
them　began　to　drift　out　into　the　stream。

The　Saxons　ran　quickly　on　ahead　and　repeated　the　work
until　the　whole　of　the　vessels　below　those　forming　the　platform
for　the　towers　were　adrift　in　the　stream；　but　by　this　time
those　in　the　ships　at　the　lower　end　of　the　tiers　had　taken　the
alarm；　and　shouts　of　wonder　and　anger　rose　on　the　air。　The
nine　Saxons　told　off　for　the　purpose　leaped　into　three　small
boats　and　rowed　out　into　the　stream；　while　the　rest　of　the
band；　divided　into　three　parties；　dashed　across　the　planks　on
to　the　platforms。　The　Danes　here　had　already　been　alarmed
by　the　uproar　from　the　vessels　adrift；　and　although　unable　to
see　what　was　passing　judged　that　something　was　wrong；　and
had　called　to　their　comrades　sleeping　in　the　holds　to　come
up。

Some　of　these　bearing　torches　came　up　on　deck　just　as
the　Saxons；　pouring　across　the　planks　which　connected　the
ships　with　the　shore；　fell　upon　them。　Taken　utterly　by　surprise；
the　Danes　could　offer　no　effective　resistance。　The　Saxons；
charging　with　levelled　spears；　drove　those　above　headlong
into　the　water；　then；　having　made　themselves　masters
of　the　platforms；　they　dashed　below　and　despatched　the　Danes
they　found　there。　The　torches　were　now　applied　to　the　contents
of　the　holds。　These　were　for　the　most　part　crammed
with　the　booty　which　the　Norsemen　had　gained　at　Havre；
Rouen；　and　other　places；　and　the　flames　speedily　shot　up。
By　this　time　the　Danes　in　the　camp；　alarmed　by　the　shouting
from　the　drifting　ships　and　the　sounds　of　conflict　from　the
towers；　came　flocking　down　in　haste。　The　planks　had　already
been　thrown　overboard。　The　Danes　strove　by　pulling
at　the　ropes　to　haul　the　vessels　nearer　to　land。　Some　ran
towards　their　ships；　others　jumped　into　boats；　and　pushing
out　to　the　platforms　strove　to　get　on　board　them；　but　by　this
time　the　flames　were　rising　high　through　the　hatchways。
According　to　previous　agreement　Edmund　and　the　leaders
of　the　other　two　parties；　seeing　that　the　flames　had　now　firm
hold；　cut　the　ropes　which　fastened　them　to　the　bank；　and　as
soon　as　the　stream　began　to　swing　them　out　leaped　into　the
boats　and　rowed　for　the　opposite　shore。

The　uproar　was　now　tremendous；　and　shouts　of　rage
rose　from　the　Northmen；　who　were　amazed　and　puzzled　by
the　appearance　of　the　Saxons；　whose　attire　differed　but
slightly　from　their　own；　and　the　general　belief　among　them
was　that　this　sudden　alarm　was　the　result　of　treachery　among
themselves。　There　was　no　time　to　waste　in　conjecture；　the
three　groups　of　ships　were　now　masses　of　flame；　in　the　midst
of　which　the　lofty　towers　rose　high。　The　shouts　of　the　sailors
in　the　vessels　crowded　together　in　helpless　confusion　in　the
stream　below　rose　higher　and　higher　as　the　blazing　vessels
drifted　down　and　threatened　to　overtake　them。

Some　tried　to　hoist　their　sails；　others　got　out　long　oars
and　strove　to　sweep　their　vessels　towards　the　shore；　but　they
were　huddled　too　closely　in　the　stream；　the　yards　and　rigging
of　many　having　become　interlocked　with　each　other。　The
Northmen　leaped　into　the　rowing　boats　by　the　bank　above
where　the　tower…ships　had　been　moored；　and　rowing　down
endeavoured　to　tow　them　to　the　bank；　but　they　were　now　in　a
blaze　from　end　to　end；　the　heat　was　so　great　that　it　was　difficult
to　approach　them；　and　all　endeavours　to　fasten　ropes　to
them　were　frustrated；　as　these　were　instantly　consumed。　The
Northmen；　finding　their　efforts　unavailing；　then　turned　their
attention　to　trying　to　tow　the　ships　below　to　the　banks。

In　some　cases　they　were　successful。　A　few　of　the　vessels
also　at　the　lower　end　of　the　mass　succeeded　in　getting　up
their　sails　and　drawing　out　from　their　fellows；　for　the　wind
was　blowing　down　stream。　This；　however；　proved　the　destruction
of　the　rest　of　the　ships；　for　the　great　towers　rising
amid　the　lofty　pillars　of　flames　acted　as　sails　and　bore　the
fire…ships　down　upon　the　helpless　crowd　of　vessels。

Soon　they　reached　those　nearest　to　them；　and　the　flames；
borne　forward　by　the　wind；　sprang　from　vessel　to　vessel。
There　was　no　longer　any　hope　of　saving　a　single　ship；　and
the　crews；　climbing　hastily　across　from　one　to　the　other　till
they　reached　those　nearest　to　the　shore；　leaped　overboard。
Although　now　more　than　half　a　mile　below　the　city　the