the dragon and the raven-第44章

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made；　for　the　wind　had　fallen　just　when　the　Danish　fleet；
which　had　but　lately　arrived　and　was　descending　the　river；
was　abreast　of　Paris。　As　soon　as　the　wind　became　favourable
the　Northmen　broke　the　truce；　slew　a　number　of　Franks　who
had　mingled　among　them；　and　passed　up　the　Marne。

In　the　meantime　Emperor　Charles　had　died　and　Count
Eudes　had　been　chosen　his　successor。　When　the　Danes　again
advanced　against　Paris　he　speedily　sent　reinforcements。　The
town　had　already　repulsed　an　attack。　Eudes　himself　on
St。　John's　Day　was　advancing　with　1000　men…at…arms　when　he
was　attacked　by　10；000　mounted　Danes　and　9000　footmen。
The　combat　was　desperate　but　the　Franks　were　victorious。
Eudes；　however；　had　other　difficulties。　Burgundy　and
Aquitaine　revolted；　and　in　order　to　secure　peace　to　the　kingdom
he　made　a　treaty　with　the　Danes；　giving　over　to　them
the　province　of　Normandy。

Edmund　and　Egbert　had　no　part　in　the　second　siege　of
Paris。　As　soon　as　the　place　was　relieved　by　the　Emperor
Charles　they　prepared　to　depart。　Taking　boats　they　ascended
the　river；　and　to　their　joy　found　the　Dragon　safe　in　the
hiding　place　where　she　had　been　lying　for　nearly　a　year。　She　was
brought　out　into　the　stream　and　floated　down　to　Paris；　where
by　the　order　of　Count　Eudes　she　was　thoroughly　repaired
and　redecorated。

The　Franks；　convinced　that　next　only　to　the　assistance
of　St。　Germain　they　owed　the　safety　of　their　city　to　the　valour
of　the　Saxons；　loaded　them　with　presents；　and　these；　with
the　gifts　which　they　had　previously　received　after　the
destruction　of　the　three　towers；　and　the　sums　for　which　the　booty
captured　from　the　Danes　had　been　sold；　made　up　a　great
treasure。

Upon　the　day　before　they　had　arranged　to　sail　a　Danish
boat　was　seen　rowing　down　the　stream。　It　approached　the
Dragon　and　the　helmsman　asked：

〃Is　this　ship　the　Dragon？　and　has　it　for　a　captain　Edmund
the　Saxon？〃

〃I　am　Edmund；〃　he　replied；　〃and　this　is　the　Dragon。　What
would　you　with　me？〃

〃I　am　sent　by　the　Jarl　Siegbert；　who　lies　wounded　near；
to　beg　that　you　will　come　to　him　immediately；　as　he　is　in　a
sore　strait　and　needs　your　assistance。〃

〃I　will　come　at　once；〃　Edmund　said。　〃Put　one　of　your
men　on　board　to　show　me　where　he　is；　for　I　shall　be　there
before　you。〃

Edmund's　horn　sounded　the　signal；　and　messengers　were
sent　to　the　town　to　order　the　crew　at　once　to　repair　on　board
the　Dragon。　Edmund　landed　and　took　leave　of　the　Frankish
leaders。　The　provisions　and　stores　were　hastily　carried　on
board；　and　then；　amidst　the　enthusiastic　cheers　of　the
inhabitants；　who　thronged　the　walls　and　shore；　the　oars　were　got
out　and　the　Dragon　proceeded　at　the　top　of　her　speed　up　the
river。

On　the　way　Edmund　questioned　the　Dane；　and　found
that　Siegbert　had　been　wounded　in　the　last　assault　upon　Paris。
He　had　not　been　present　at　the　first　part　of　the　siege；　having
but　recently　arrived　from　Norway。　His　daughter　Freda　had
accompanied　him。　〃Yes；〃　she　was　still　unmarried；　although
many　valiant　Northmen　had　sought　her　hand；　chief　among
them　the　brave　leader　Sweyn　〃of　the　left　hand；〃　but　there
had　been　a　fray　on　the　previous　night　in　Siegbert's　camp；
and　it　was　saidbut　for　that　he　could　not　vouchthat　Freda
had　been　carried　off。

The　news　filled　Edmund　with　anxiety。　Ever　since　the
day　he　left　her　on　her　father's　galley　his　thoughts　had　turned
often　to　the　Danish　maiden；　and　the　resolution　to　carry　out
his　promise　and　some　day　seek　her　again　had　never　for　a
moment　wavered。　He　had　seen　many　fair　young　Saxons；　and
could　have　chosen　a　bride　where　he　would　among　these；　for
few　Saxons　girls　would　have　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　the　wooing
of　one　who　was　at　once　of　high　rank；　a　prime　favourite　with
the　king；　and　regarded　by　his　countrymen　as　one　of　the　bravest
of　the　Saxon　champions；　but　the　dark…haired　Freda；　who
united　the　fearlessness　and　independence　of　a　woman　with
the　frankness　and　gaiety　of　a　child；　had　won　his　heart。

It　was　true　she　was　a　Dane　and　a　pagan；　but　her　father
was　his　friend；　and　would；　he　felt　sure；　offer　no　objections　on
the　ground　of　the　enmity　of　the　races。　Since　Guthorn　and
his　people　had　embraced　Christianity；　the　enmity　between
the　races；　in　England　at　least；　was　rapidly　declining。　As　to
her　religion；　Edmund　doubted　not　that　she　would；　under　his
guidance　and　teaching；　soon　cast　away　the　blood…stained　gods
of　the　Northmen　and　accept　Christianity。

In　the　five　years　of　strife　and　warfare　which　had　elapsed
since　he　saw　her　Edmund　had　often　pictured　their　next　meeting。
He　had　not　doubted　that　she　would　remain　true　to　him。
Few　as　were　the　words　which　had　been　spoken；　he　knew　that
when　she　said；　〃I　will　wait　for　you　even　till　I　die；〃　she　had
meant　it；　and　that　she　was　not　one　to　change。　He　had　even
been　purposing；　on　his　return　to　England；　to　ask　King　Alfred
to　arrange　through　Guthorn　for　a　safe　pass　for　him　to　go　to
Norway。　To　hear；　then；　that　she　had　been　carried　off　from
her　father's　side　was　a　terrible　blow；　and　in　his　anxiety　to
arrive　at　Siegbert's　tent　Edmund　urged　the　rowers　to　their
fullest　exertions。

It　was　three　hours　after　leaving　Paris　when　the　Dane
pointed　to　a　village　at　a　short　distance　from　the　river　and
told　him　that　Siegbert　was　lying　there。　The　Dragon　was　steered
to　shore；　and　Edmund　leaping　out　followed　the　Dane　with
rapid　footsteps　to　the　village。　The　wounded　jarl　was　lying
upon　a　heap　of　straw。

〃Is　it　really　you；　Edmund？〃　he　exclaimed　as　the　young
Saxon　entered。　〃Glad　am　I　indeed　that　my　messenger　did
not　arrive　too　late。　I　heard　of　you　when　we　first　landed
how　the　Danes；　when　they　sailed　up　the　Seine；　had　seen　a
Saxon　galley　of　strange　shape　which　had　rowed　rapidly　up
the　river；　how　the　galley　herself　had　never　again　been　seen；
but　how　a　young　Saxon　with　his　band　had　performed　wonders
in　the　defence　of　Paris；　and　had　burned　well…nigh　half
the　Danish　fleet。

〃They　said　that　the　leader　was　named　Edmund；　for　they
had　heard　the　name　shouted　in　battle；　and　especially　when
he；　with　one　other　alone；　escaped　from　the　burning　tower
and　swam　the　river。　So　I　was　sure　that　it　was　you。　Then；　a
week　back；　my　men　told　me　of　a　strange　ship　which　had　passed
down　the　river　to　Paris；　and　I　doubted　not　that　it　was　your
Dragon；　which　had　been　hidden　somewhere　during　the　siege。
I　thought　then　of　sending　to　tell　you　that　I　was　lying　here
wounded；　but　Freda；　who　had　always　been　talking　of　you；
suddenly　turned　coy　and　said　that　you　might　have　forgotten
us；　and　if　you　wanted　us　you　would　come　to　us　in　Norway。〃

〃But　where　is　Freda？〃　Edmund；　who　had　been　listening
impatiently；　exclaimed。　〃One　of　your　men　told　me　that　she
had　been　carried　off。　Is　it　true？〃

　〃Alas！　it　is　true；〃　Siegbert　replied；　〃and　that　is　why　I
sent　for　you。　I　have　never　been　good　friends　with　Bijorn
since　the　wounding　of　his　son；　but　after　a　time　the　matter
blew　over。　Sweyn；　who　though　but　with　one　arm；　and　that
the　left；　has　grown　into　a　valiant　warrior；　is　now；　Bijorn
being　dead；　one　of　our　boldest　vikings。　A　year　since　he　became
a　declared　suitor　for　Freda's　hand。　In　this；　indeed；　he　is　not
alone；　seeing　that　she　has　grown　up　one　of　our　fairest　maidens；
and　many　are　the　valorous　deeds　that　have　been　done　to
win　a　smile　from　her；　but　she　has　refused　all　suitors；　Sweyn
with　the　others。　He　took　his　refusal　in　bad　part；　and　even
ventured　to　vow　she　should　be　his　whether　she　willed　it　or
not。　Of　course　I　took　the　matter　up　and　forbade　all　further
intimacy；　and　we　had　not　met　again　till　the　other　day　before
Paris。　We　had　high　words　there；　but　I　thought　no　more　of　it。
A　few　days　afterwards　I　was　struck　by　a　crossbow　bolt　in　the
leg。　It　smashed　my　knee；　and　I　shall　never　be　able　to　use　my
leg　again。　I　well…nigh　died　of　fever　and　vexation；　but　Freda
nursed　me　through　it。　She　had　me　carried　on　a　litter　here　to
be　away　from　the　noise　and　revelry　of　the　camp。　Last　night
there　was　a　sudden　outcry。　Some　of　my　men　who　sprang　to
arms　were　smitten　down；　and　the　assailants　burst　in　here　and
tore　Freda；　shrieking；　away。　Their　leader　was　Sweyn　of　the
left　hand。　As　I　lay　tossing　here；　mad　with　the　misfortune
which　ties　me　to　my　couch；　I　thought　of　you。　I　said；　'If　any
can　follow　and　recapture　Freda　i