the dragon and the raven-第6章

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unguarded　point。　The　Saxon　shouts　rose　louder　and　louder
as　the　Danes　in　vain　endeavoured　to　break　through　their　line。
The　monks　fought　stoutly；　and　many　a　fierce　Norseman　fell
before　their　blows。

The　Danes；　who　had　not　expected　so　firm　a　resistance；
began　to　hesitate；　and　Algar　giving　the　word；　the　Saxons　took
the　offensive；　and　the　line　pressed　forward　step　by　step。　The
archers　poured　their　arrows　in　a　storm　among　the　Danish
ranks。　These　fell　back　before　the　onslaught。　Already　three
of　their　kings　and　many　of　their　principal　leaders　had　fallen；
and　at　last；　finding　themselves　unable　to　withstand　the
impetuous　onslaught　of　the　Saxons；　they　turned　and　fled　in
confusion　towards　their　camp。　The　Saxons　with　exulting
shouts　pursued　them；　and　great　numbers　were　slaughtered。
The　Danes　had；　however；　as　was　their　custom；　fortified　the
camp　before　advancing；　and　Algar　drew　off　his　troops；
deeming　that　it　would　be　better　to　defer　the　attack　on
this　position　until　the　following　day。

There　was　high　feasting　in　the　Saxon　camp　that　evening；
but　this　was　brought　to　an　abrupt　conclusion　by　the　arrival
of　a　scout；　who　reported　that　a　great　Danish　army　marching
from　the　Humber　was　approaching　the　camp　of　the　compatriots。
The　news　was　but　too　true。　The　kings　Guthorm；　Bergsecg；
Oskytal；　Halfdene；　and　Amund；　and　the　Jarls　Frene；　Hingwar；
Hubba；　and　the　two　Sidrocs；　with　all　their　followers；
had　marched　down　from　Yorkshire　to　join　the　invaders
who　had　just　landed。

The　news　of　this　immense　reinforcement　spread　consternation
among　the　Angles。　In　vain　their　leaders　went　about
among　them　and　exhorted　them　to　courage；　promising　them
another　victory　as　decisive　as　that　they　had　won　that　day。
Their　entreaties　were　in　vain；　for　when　the　morning　dawned
it　was　found　that　three…fourths　of　their　number　had　left　the
camp　during　the　night；　and　had　made　off　to　the　marshes
and　fastnesses。

A　council　of　the　chiefs　was　held。　The　chances　of　conflict
appeared　hopeless；　so　vastly　were　they　out…numbered　by
the　Danes。　Algar；　however；　declared　that　he　would　die　rather
than　retreat。

〃If　we　fly　now；〃　he　said；　〃all　East　Anglia　will　fall　into　the
hands　of　the　heathen。　Even　should　we　fight　and　fall；　the
example　of　what　a　handful　of　brave　men　can　do　against　the
invaders　will　surely　animate　the　Angles　to　further　resistance；
while　if　we　conquer；　so　great　a　blow　will　be　dealt　to　the
renown　of　these　Danes　that　all　England　will　rise　against　them。〃

On　hearing　these　words　all　the　chiefs　came　to　the　determination
to　win　or　die　as　they　stood。　Eldred　took　Edmund　aside　after
this　determination　had　been　arrived　at。

〃My　son；〃　he　said；　〃I　allowed　you　yesterday　to　stand　by
my　side　in　battle；　and　well　and　worthily　did　you　bear　yourself；
but　to…day　you　must　withdraw。　The　fight　is　well…nigh
hopeless；　and　I　believe　that　all　who　take　part　in　it　are　doomed
to　perish。　I　would　not　that　my　house　should　altogether
disappear；　and　shall　die　more　cheerfully　in　the　hope　that　some
day　you　will　avenge　me　upon　these　heathen。　Therefore；
Edmund；　I　bid　you　take　station　at　a　distance　behind　the　battle；
so　that　when　you　see　the　day　goes　against　us　you　may　escape
in　time。　I　shall　urge　our　faithtul　Egbert　to　endeavour；　when
he　sees　that　all　is　lost；　to　make　his　way　from　the　fight　and
rejoin　you；　and　to　journey　with　you　to　Wessex　and　there
present　you　to　the　king。　For　myself；　if　the　battle　is　lost　I　shall
die　rather　than　fly。　Such　is　the　resolution　of　Algar　and　our
other　brave　chiefs；　and　Eldred　the　ealdorman　must　not　be
the　only　one　of　the　leaders　to　run　from　the　fray。〃

Edmund　was　deeply　touched　at　his　father's　words；　but
the　parental　rule　was　so　strict　in　those　days　that　it　did　not
even　enter　his　mind　to　protest　against　Eldred's　decision。

As　the　morning　went　on　the　Danes　were　engaged　in　the
funeral　ceremonies　of　their　dead　kings；　while　the　Saxons；
quiet　and　resolute；　received　the　holy　sacrament　and　prepared
for　the　fight。　Algar　chose　a　position　on　rising　ground。　He
himself　with　Eldred　commanded　the　centre；　Toley　and　Morcar
led　the　right　wing；　Osgot　and　Harding　the　left。

Each　of　these　wings　contained　about　five　hundred　men。
Algar's　centre；　which　was　a　little　withdrawn　from　its　wings；
contained　about　200　of　his　best　warriors；　and　was　designed
as　a　reserve；　with　which；　if　need　be；　he　could　move　to　the
assistance　of　either　of　the　wings　which　might　be　sorely　pressed
and　in　danger。　The　Saxons　formed　in　a　solid　mass　with　their
bucklers　linked　together。　The　Danish　array　which　issued　out
from　their　camp　was　vastly　superior　in　numbers；　and　was
commanded　by　four　kings　and　eight　jarls　or　earls；　while　two
kings　and　four　earls　remained　in　charge　of　the　camp；　and　of
the　great　crowd　of　prisoners；　for　the　most　part　women　and
children；　whom　they　had　brought　with　them。

With　the　Danes　who　had　come　down　from　Yorkshire
were　a　large　body　of　horsemen；　who　charged　furiously　down
upon　the　Saxons；　but　these　maintained　so　firm　an　array　with
their　lances　and　spears　projecting　outward　that　the　Danes
failed　to　break　through　them；　and　after　making　repeated　efforts
and　suffering　heavy　loss　they　drew　back。　Then　the　Danish
archers　and　slingers　poured　in　a　storm　of　missiles；　but
these　effected　but　little　harm；　as　the　Saxons　stooped　a　little
behind　their　closely　packed　line　of　bucklers；　which　were　stout
enough　to　keep　out　the　shower　of　arrows。　All　day　the　struggle
continued。　Again　and　again　the　Danes　strove　to　break　the
solid　Saxon　array；　and　with　sword　and　battle…axe　attempted
to　hew　down　the　hedge　of　spears；　but　in　vain。　At　last　their
leaders；　convinced　that　they　could　not　overcome　the　obstinacy
of　the　resistance；　ordered　their　followers　to　feign　a　retreat。

As　the　Danes　turned　to　fly　the　Saxons　set　up　a　triumphant
shout；　and　breaking　up　their　solid　phalanx　rushed　after　them
in　complete　disorder。　In　vain　Algar；　Osgot；　Toley；
Eldred；　ahd　the　other　readers　shouted　to　them　to　stand　firm。
Weary　of　their　long　inactivity；　and　convinced　that　the　Danes
were　routed；　the　Saxons　pursued　them　across　the　plain。
Suddenly　the　Danish　horse；　who　after　failing　to　break　through
the　ranks　had　remained　apart　at　a　short　distance　from　the
conflict；　dashed　down　upon　the　disordered　Saxons；　while
the　flying　infantry　turning　round　also　fell　upon　them　with
exulting　shouts。

Taken　wholly　by　surprise；　confused　and　disordered；　the
Saxons　could　offer　no　effectual　opposition　to　the　charge。　The
Danish　horse　rode　among　them　hewing　and　slaying；　and　the
swords　and　battle…axes　of　the　footmen　completed　the　work。
In　a　few　minutes　of　all　the　Saxon　band　which　had　for　so
many　hours　successfully　resisted　the　onslaught　of　the　Danes；
not　one　survived　save　a　few　fleet…footed　young　men　who；
throwing　away　their　arms；　succeeded　in　making　their　escape；
and　a　little　group；　consisting　of　Algar；　Toley；　Eldred；　and　the
other　leaders　who　had　gathered　together　when　their　men
broke　their　ranks　and　had　taken　up　their　position　on　a　knoll
of　ground　rising　above　the　plain。　Here　for　a　long　time　they
resisted　the　efforts　of　the　whole　of　the　Danes；　surrounding
themselves　with　a　heap　of　slain；　but　at　length　one　by　one　they
succumbed　to　the　Danish　onslaught；　each　fighting　valiantly
to　the　last。

》From　his　position　at　a　distance　Edmund　watched　the
last　desperate　struggle。　With　streaming　eyes　and　a　heart　torn
by　anxiety　for　his　father　he　could　see　the　Danish　foe　swarming
round　the　little　band　who　defended　the　crest。　These
were　lost　from　his　sight；　and　only　the　flashing　of　swords
showed　where　the　struggle　was　still　going　on　in　the　centre　of
the　confused　mass。　Edmund　had　been　on　his　knees　for　some
time；　but　he　now　rose。

〃Come；　old　boy；〃　he　said　to　the　hound；　who　lay　beside
him　watching　the　distant　conflict　and　occasionally　uttering
deep　angry　growls。　〃I　must　obey　my　father's　last　command；
let　us　away。〃

He　took　one　more　glance　at　the　distant　conflict　before
turning。　It　was　plain　that　it　was　nearly　finished。　The　swords
had　well…nigh　ceased　to　rise　and　fall　when　he　saw　a　sudden
movement　in　the　throng　of　Danes　and　suddenly　a　man　burst
out　from　them　and　started　at　headlong　speed　towards　him；
pursued　by　a　number　of　Danes。　Even　at　that　distance　Edmund
thought　that