the dragon and the raven-第41章

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they　reached　those　nearest　to　the　shore；　leaped　overboard。
Although　now　more　than　half　a　mile　below　the　city　the　flames
lit　up　the　walls　with　a　bright　glare；　and　the　shouts　of　the
exulting　Franks　rose　loud　and　continuous。

The　sudden　shouting　which　had　broken　out　among　the
Danes　had　alarmed　the　watchmen；　who；　ignorant　of　the　cause；
called　the　citizens　to　arms；　and　these　on　reaching　the　walls
had　stood　astonished　at　the　spectacle。　The　flames　were　already
rising　from　the　three　groups　of　ships　which　they　had
regarded　with　so　much　anxiety　on　the　previous　evening；　and
by　the　light　they　could　see　the　river　below　covered　with　a
mass　of　drifting　vessels。　Then　they　saw　the　tower…ships　float
away　from　the　bank；　and　the　figures　on　their　decks　leap　into
three　small　boats；　which　at　once　rowed　with　all　speed　across
the　river。

That　they　were　friends　who　had　wrought　this　destruction
was　certain；　and　Count　Eudes　threw　open　the　gate；　and
with　the　Abbe　Ebble　ran　down　to　meet　them。　They　were
astonished　when　Edmund　with　his　Saxons　leaped　to　land。

〃What　miracle　is　this？〃　the　count　exclaimed。

〃A　simple　matter；　Sir　Count；〃　Edmund　answered。　〃My
kinsman　and　I；　seeing　that　the　townspeople　were　troubled　by
yonder　towers；　determined　to　destroy　them。　We　have　succeeded
in　doing　so；　and　with　them　I　trust　fully　half　of　the
Danish　fleet　will　perish。〃

〃You　are　the　saviour　of　our　town；　my　brave　young　Saxon；〃
Count　Eudes　cried；　embracing　him。　〃If　Paris　is　saved　it　will
be　thanks　to　the　valiant　deed　that　you　have　accomplished
this　night。　But　let　us　to　the　walls　again；　where　we　may　the
better　see　whether　the　Danes　can　remove　their　ships　from
those　great　furnaces　which　are　bearing　down　upon　them。〃

The　sight　from　the　walls；　when　the　fire…ships　reached
the　fleet　and　the　flames　spread；　was　grand　in　the　extreme；
for　in　half　an　hour　nigh　three　hundred　vessels　were　in　flames。
For　some　time　the　three　towers　rose　like　pillars　of　fire　above
the　burning　mass；　then　one　by　one　they　fell　with　a　crash；
which　could　be　plainly　heard；　although　they　were　now　near　a
mile　away。

Paris　was　wild　with　joy　at　the　destruction　of　the　towers
which　had　menaced　it；　and　the　conflagration　of　nigh　half
the　Danish　fleet；　laden　with　the　spoil　of　northern　France。
Edmund　and　his　Saxons　were　conducted　in　triumph　by　a
shouting　crowd　to　the　palace　of　the　archbishop；　where　Goslin；
in　the　name　of　the　city；　returned　them　the　heartiest　thanks
for　the　services　which　they　had　rendered。　The　wealthy　citizens
vied　with　each　other　in　bestowing　costly　presents　upon
them；　bonfires　were　lighted　in　the　streets；　and　till　morning
the　town　gave　itself　up　to　revelry　and　rejoicing。

A　month　elapsed　before　the　Danes　recovered　from　the
blow　which　had　been　dealt　them　and　resumed　the　assault。
Part　of　this　time　had　been　spent　in　manufacturing　great
shields　of　bull's　hide。　These　were　strongly　constructed；　and
were　each　capable　of　covering　six　men。　On　the　29th　of　January
their　preparations　were　complete；　and　at　daybreak　the
warders　on　the　wall　saw　them　pouring　down　into　their　ships
and　galleys。　As　the　fleet　crossed　the　river　its　aspect　was
singular。　The　decks　were　covered　by　the　black　shields；　above
which　appeared　a　forest　of　spears；　sparkling　in　the　morning
sunlight。　As　they　reached　the　shore　the　Northmen　sprang　to
land；　while　from　the　decks　of　the　vessels　a　storm　of　missiles
flew　towards　the　walls。　Vast　numbers　of　catapults；　which
they　had　manufactured　since　their　last　attack；　hurled　masses
of　stone；　heavy　javelins；　and　leaden　bullets；　while　thousands
of　arrows　darkened　the　air。

The　bells　of　the　church　sounded　the　alarm；　which　called
every　citizen　capable　of　bearing　arms　to　the　walls。　The
archbishop　took　his　place　at　the　spot　most　threatened　by　the
enemy；　with　his　nephew；　the　valiant　abbe；　by　his　side。　The
Counts　Eudes；　Robert；　Ragenaire；　Utton；　and　Herilang　stood
foremost　among　the　defenders。

The　Saxons；　as　before；　were　held　in　reserve；　but　to
Edmund　and　Egbert　had　been　assigned；　at　their　urgent　request；
the　command　of　the　defence　of　the　tower。　It　was　against
this　point　that　the　Danes　again　made　their　most　desperate
effort。　Their　main　body　advanced　against　it；　and　smaller
parties　attacked　the　city　at　other　points；　while　the　rowing
galleys；　divided　into　two　bodies；　strove　to　destroy　the　bridge；
and　so　isolate　the　defenders　of　the　post。

Around　the　tower　the　combat　was　desperate。　The　assailants
were　well…nigh　hidden　under　their　great　bucklers。
Their　shouts；　and　the　constant　clashing　of　arms　which　they
maintained；　made　a　terrific　uproar；　a　storm　of　missiles　from
the　fleet　poured　upon　the　tower；　while　from　the　crevices
between　the　shields　the　bowmen　shot　incessantly　at　the　defenders。
The　very　number　of　the　Danes　hindered　their　attack；　for　the
tower　was　so　small　that　comparatively　few　could　approach　at　once。

It　had　been　greatly　strengthened　since　the　last　assault；
and　through　the　loopholes　in　the　walls　the　archers　did　their
best　to　answer　the　storm　of　missiles　poured　into　the　fort。
Edmund　and　Egbert　went　among　them；　begging　them　not　to
fire　at　random；　but　to　choose　moments　when　the　movements
of　the　assailants　opened　a　space　in　the　roof　of　shields　which
covered　them。

Whenever　this　took　place　a　dozen　arrows　fell　true　to　the
mark。　Some　of　those　bearing　the　shield　would　be　struck；
and　these　falling；　a　gap　would　be　caused　through　which　the
arrows　of　the　defenders　flew　thickly；　causing　death　and　confusion
until　the　shield　could　be　raised　in　its　place　again。
Boiling　liquids　were　poured　over　those　who　approached　the
walls；　and　huge　stones　crushed　the　shields　and　their　bearers。

Eudes　and　his　men　valiantly　defended　the　wall；　and　the
Danes　in　vain　strove　to　scale　it。　All　day　long　the　battle
continued；　but　at　nightfall　the　tower　still　remained　in　the　hands
of　the　defenders；　the　deep　ditch　which　they　had　dug　round　it
having　prevented　the　Danes　from　working　at　the　wall；　as　they
had　done　in　the　previous　assault。

When　darkness　came　on　the　Danes　did　not　retire；　but
lay　down　in　the　positions　they　occupied；　under　their　shields。
In　the　morning　many　ships　were　seen　crossing　the　river　again；
and　the　defenders　saw　to　their　surprise　numbers　of　captives
who　had　been　collected　from　the　surrounding　country；　troops
of　oxen；　ship…loads　of　branches　of　trees；　trusses　of　hay　and
corn；　and　faggots　of　vines　landed。　Their　surprise　became
horror　when　they　saw　the　captives　and　the　cattle　alike
slaughtered　as　they　landed。　Their　bodies　were　brought　forward
under　cover　of　the　shields　and　thrown　into　the　moat；　in　which；
too；　were　cast　the　hay；　straw；　faggots；　and　trees。

At　the　sight　of　the　massacre　the　archbishop　prayed　to
the　Virgin　to　give　him　strength；　and　drawing　a　bow　to　its　full
strength；　let　fly　an　arrow；　which；　great　as　was　the　distance；
flew　true　to　its　mark　and　struck　the　executioner　full　in　the
face。　This　apparent　miracle　of　the　Virgin　in　their　favour
re…animated　the　spirit　of　the　defenders；　and　a　solemn　service
was　instantly　held　in　the　church　in　her　honour；　and　prayers
were　offered　to　her　to　save　Lutece；　which　was　the　original
name　of　Paris；　and　was　still　cherished　by　its　inhabitants。

The　Danes　were　occupied　all　day　at　their　work　of　filling
up　the　moat。　The　besieged　were　not　idle；　but　laboured　at　the
construction　of　several　mangonels　capable　of　casting　huge
blocks　of　stone。　In　the　morning　the　Danes　planted　their
battering…rams；　one　on　each　side　of　the　tower；　and　recommenced
the　assault。　The　new　machines　of　the　defenders　did　great
havoc　in　their　ranks；　their　heavy　stones　crashing　through　the
roof　of　bucklers　and　crushing　those　who　held　them；　and　for
a　time　the　Norsemen　desisted　from　the　attack。

They　now　filled　three　of　their　largest　vessels　with
combustibles；　and　placing　them　on　the　windward　side　of　the
bridge；　set　them　alight。　The　people　of　Paris　beheld　with
afright　these　fire…ships　bearing　down　upon　the　bridge；　and
old　and　young　burst　into　tears　and　cries　at　the　view　of　the
approaching　destruction；　and；　led　by　the　archbishop；　all
joined　in　a　prayer　to　St。　Germain；　the　patron　saint　of　Paris；
to　protect　the　city。　The　exulting　Danes　replied　to　the　cries　of
those　on　the　walls　with　triumphant　shouts