the dragon and the raven-第50章

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was　still　dense。

The　disappointment　of　Edmund　and　Siegbert　at　the　escape
of　the　Danes　was　extreme。　Their　plans　had　been　so　well
laid　that　when　it　was　found　that　the　Dragon　had　arrived　in
time　no　doubts　were　entertained　of　the　success　of　the　enterprise；
and　to　be　foiled　just　when　Freda　seemed　within　reach
was　a　terrible　disappointment。

〃My　only　consolation　is；〃　Edmund　said　as　he　paced　the
deck　impatiently　side　by　side　with　Egbert；　〃that　this　fog　which
delays　us　will　also　hinder　the　Danes。〃

〃That　may　be　so　or　it　may　not；〃　Egbert　answered。　〃It　is
evident　that　some　on　board　the　Danish　ships　must　have　recognized
us；　and　that　they　were　anxious　to　escape　rather　than　fight。
They　draw　so　little　water　that　they　would　not　be　afraid
of　the　sandbanks　off　the　mouth　of　the　river；　seeing　that　even
if　they　strike　them　they　can　jump　out；　lighten　the　boats；　and
push　them　off；　and　once　well　out　at　sea　it　is　probable　that
they　may　get　clearer　weather；　for　Siegbert　tells　me　that　the
fog　often　lies　thick　at　the　mouths　of　these　rivers　when　it　is
clear　enough　in　the　open　sea。〃

When　the　tide　again　began　to　run　out　Edmund　determined
at　all　risks　to　proceed　to　sea。　The　moorings　were　cast
off　from　the　shore　and　the　Dragon　suffered　to　drift　down。
Men　with　poles　took　their　stations　in　her　bows　and　sounded
continually；　while　at　her　stern　two　anchors　were　prepared　in
readiness　to　drop　at　a　moment's　notice。　Several　times　the
water　shoaled　so　much　that　Edmund　was　on　the　point　of
giving　orders　to　drop　the　anchors；　but　each　time　it　deepened
again。

So　they　continued　drifting　until　they　calculated　that　the
tide　must　be　nearly　on　the　turn；　and　they　then　dropped　anchor。
It　was　much　lighter　now　than　it　had　been　in　the　river；
but　was　still　so　misty　that　they　could　not　see　more　than　a
hundred　yards　or　so　round　the　vessel。　No　change　took　place
until　night；　and　then　Edmund；　who　had　been　too　excited
and　anxious　to　sleep　on　the　previous　night；　lay　down　to　rest；
ordering　that　he　should　be　woke　if　any　change　took　place　in
the　weather。　As　the　sun　rose　next　morning　the　fog　gradually
lifted；　and　they　were　able　to　see　where　they　were。　Their　head
pointed　west；　far　away　on　their　left　could　be　seen　a　low　line　of
coast。　Not　a　sail　was　in　sight；　and　indeed　sails　would　have
been　useless；　for　the　water　was　still　unruffled　by　a　breath　of
wind。　The　anchors　were　at　once　got　up　and　the　oars　manned；
and　the　ship's　head　turned　towards　shore。

Two　hours'　rowing　took　them　within　a　short　distance　of
land；　and　keeping　about　a　mile　out　they　rowed　to　the　west。
The　men；　knowing　how　anxious　was　their　leader　to　overtake
the　Danish　galleys；　rowed　their　hardest；　relieving　each　other
by　turns；　so　that　half　the　oars　were　constantly　going。　Without
intermission　they　rowed　until　night　set　in；　and　then　cast　anchor。
When　the　wind　cameit　was　not　until　the　third　dayit　was　ahead；
and　instead　of　helping　the　Dragon　it　greatly　impeded　its　progress。

So　far　they　had　seen　nothing　of　the　galleys；　and　had　the
mortification　of　knowing　that　in　spite　of　all　their　efforts　these
were　probably　gaining　ground　upon　them　every　day。　Even
without　wind　the　galleys　would　row　faster　than　the　Dragon；
and　being　so　fully　manned　would　be　able　to　keep　all　their
oars　going；　but　against　the　wind　their　advantage　would　be
increased　greatly；　for　lying　low　in　the　water　they　would　offer
but　little　resistance　to　it；　and　would　be　able　to　make　way　at　a
brisk　pace；　while　the　Dragon　could　scarce　move　against　it。

The　Saxon　ship　was　off　Calais　when　the　breeze　sprang
up；　and　as　it　increased　and　their　progress　became　slower　and
slower　Edmund　held　a　consultation　with　his　companions　and
it　was　determined　to　run　across　the　channel　and　lie　in　the
mouth　of　the　Thames　till　the　wind　turned。　So　long　as　it
continued　to　blow　they　would　lag　farther　and　farther　behind
the　chase；　who　might；　moreover　enter　any　of　the　rivers　in
search　of　shelter　or　provisions；　and　so　escape　their　pursuers
altogether。　Siegbert　had　never　been　up　the　Mediterranean；
but　he　had　talked　with　many　Danes　who　had　been。　These
had　told　him　that　the　best　course　was　to　sail　west　to　the
extremity　of　England；　then　to　steer　due　south　until　they　came
upon　the　north　coast　of　Spain。　They　would　follow　this　to　its
western　extremity；　and　then　run　south；　following　the　land
till　they　came　to　a　channel　some　ten　miles　wide；　which　formed
the　entrance　to　the　Mediterranean。

They　decided；　therefore；　to　follow　this　course　in　hopes
of　interrupting　the　galleys　there；　they　would　thus　avoid　the
dangerous　navigation　of　the　west　coast　of　France；　where　there
were　known　to　be　many　islands　and　rocks；　around　which　the
tides　ran　with　great　fury。　For　a　fortnight　the　Dragon　lay
windbound；　then　came　two　days　of　calm；　and　then；　to　their
delight；　the　pennon　on　the　top　of　the　mast　blew　out
from　the　east。

They　were　lying　in　the　mouth　of　the　Colne；　and　would
therefore　have　no　difficulty　in　making　the　Foreland；　and　with
her　sail　set　and　her　oars　out　the　Dragon　dashed　away　from
her　moorings。　Swiftly　they　ran　round　the　south…easterly　point
of　England　and　then　flew　before　the　breeze　along　the　southern
coast。　On　the　third　day　they　were　off　Land's　End　and
hauled　her　head　to　the　south。　The　east　wind　held；　the　Bay　of
Biscay　was　calm；　and　after　a　rapid　voyage　they　sighted　the
high　lands　of　Spain　ahead。　Then　they　sheered　to　the　west　till
they　rounded　its　extremity　and　then　sailed　down　the　coast　of
Spain。　They　put　into　a　river　for　provisions；　and　the　natives
assembled　in　great　numbers　on　the　banks　with　the　evident
intention　of　opposing　a　landing；　but　upon　Egbert　shouting
that　they　were　not　Danes　but　Saxons；　and　were　ready　to　barter
for　the　provisions　they　required；　the　natives　allowed　them
to　approach。　There　was　no　wrangling　for　terms。　Cattle　were
purchased；　and　the　water…tanks　filled　up；　and　a　few　hours
after　entering　the　river　the　Dragon　was　again　under　way。
Rounding　the　southern　point　they　followed　the　land。　After　a
day's　sailing　they　perceived　land　on　their　right；　and　gave　a
shout　of　joy　at　the　thought　that　they　had　arrived　at　the
entrance　of　the　straits。　At　nightfall　they　dropped　anchor。

〃What　are　you　looking　at；　Siegbert？〃　Edmund　asked；
seeing　the　jarl　looking　thoughtfully　at　the　anchor…chain
as　the　ship　swung　round。

〃I　am　thinking；〃　the　jarl　said；　〃that　we　must　have　made
some　error。　Do　you　not　see　that　she　rides；　just　as　we　were
sailing；　with　her　head　to　the　north…east？　That　shows　that　the
current　is　against　us。〃

〃Assuredly　it　does；〃　Edmund　said；　〃but　the　current　is　a
very　slack　one；　for　the　ropes　are　not　tight。〃

〃But　that　agrees　not；〃　Siegbert　said；　〃with　what　I　have
been　told。　In　the　first　place；　this　channel　points　to　the
northeast；　whereas；　as　I　have　heard；　the　straits　into　the
Mediterranean　run　due　east。　In　the　next　place；　those　who　have
been　through　have　told　me　that　there　are　no　tides　as　in　the
northern　seas；　but　that　the　current　runs　ever　like　a　river　to
the　east。〃

〃If　that　be　so；〃　Edmund　said；　〃we　must　have　mistaken
our　way；　for　here　what　current　there　is　runs　to　the　west。
To…morrow　morning；　instead　of　proceeding　farther；　we　will　cross
to　the　opposite　side；　and　will　follow　that　down　until　we　strike
upon　the　right　channel。〃

In　the　morning　sail　was　again　made；　and　crossing　what
was　really　the　Bay　of　Cadiz　they　sailed　on　till　they　arrived　at
the　mouth　of　the　straits。　There　was　no　doubt　now　that　they
were　right。　The　width　of　the　channel；　its　direction；　and　the
steady　current　through　it；　all　corresponded　with　what　Siegbert
had　heard；　and　proceeding　a　mile　along　it　they　cast　anchor。

They　soon　opened　communications　with　the　natives；
who；　although　speaking　a　tongue　unknown　to　them；　soon
comprehended　by　their　gestures　and　the　holding　up　of　articles
of　barter　that　their　intentions　were　friendly。　Trade　was
established；　and　there　was　now　nothing　to　do　but　to　await
the　coming　of　the　galleys。

〃I　would；〃　Edmund　said；　as；　when　evening　was　closing；
he　looked　across　the　straits　at　the　low　hills　on　the　opposite
side；　〃that　this　passage　was　narrower。　Sweyn　will；　doubtless；
have　men　on　board　his　ship　who　have　sailed　in　these　seas
before；　and　will　not　need　to　grope　his　way　along　as　we