the dragon and the raven-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


that　they　should　be　paid　as　when　at　work　was　considered
perfectly　satisfactory。

The　men　of　Sherborne　had　under　their　young　leader
gained　great　credit　by　their　steadiness　and　valour　in　the
battles　four　years　before；　and　they　looked　forward　to　fresh
victories　over　the　invader。　The　result　was　that　ninety　young
men　assembled　for　service。　Edmund　had　sent　off　a　messenger　to
the　king　saying　that　the　people　were　utterly　weary　of　war　and
refused　to　take　up　arms；　but　that　he　was　gathering　a　band　of
young　men　with　whom　he　would　ere　long　join　him；　but　he
prayed　for　a　short　delay　in　order　that　he　might　get　them　into
a　condition　to　be　useful　on　the　day　of　battle。

After　consultation　with　Egbert；　Edmund　drew　up　a　series
of　orders　somewhat　resembling　those　of　modern　drill。
King　Alfred　had　once；　in　speaking　to　him；　described　the
manner　in　which　the　Thebans；　a　people　of　Northern　Greece；
had　fought；　placing　their　troops　in　the　form　of　a　wedge。　The
formation　he　now　taught　his　men。　From　morning　to　night
they　were　practised　at　rallying　from　pursuit　or　flight；　or
changing　from　a　line　into　the　form　of　a　wedge。　Each　man　had
his　appointed　place　both　in　the　line　and　wedge。　Those　who
formed　the　outside　line　of　this　formation　were　armed　with
large　shields　which　covered　them　from　chin　to　foot；　and　with
short　spears；　those　in　the　inner　lines　carried　no　shields；　but
bore　spears　of　increasing　length；　so　that　four　lines　of　spears
projected　from　the　wedge　to　nearly　the　same　distance。　Inside
the　four　lines　were　twenty　men　armed　with　shields；　bows；
and　arrows。　The　sides　of　the　wedge　were　of　equal　length；　so
that　they　could　march　either　way。

Egbert's　place　was　at　the　apex　of　the　wedge　intended
generally　for　attack。　He　carried　no　spear；　nor　did　those　at
the　other　corners；　as　they　would　be　covered　by　those　beside
and　behind　them；　he　was　armed　with　a　huge　battle…axe。　The
other　leaders　were　also　chosen　for　great　personal　strength。
Edmund's　place　was　on　horseback　in　the　middle　of　the　wedge；
whence　he　could　overlook　the　whole　and　direct　their　movements。

In　three　weeks　the　men　could　perform　their　simple
movements　to　perfection；　and　at　a　sound　from　Edmund's
horn　would　run　in　as　when　scattered　in　pursuit　or　flight；
or　could　form　from　line　into　the　wedge；　without　the　least
confusion；　every　man　occupying　his　assigned　place。

The　men　were　delighted　with　their　new　exercises；　and
felt　confident　that　the　weight　of　the　solid　mass　thickly
bristling　with　spears　would　break　through　the　Danish　line
without　difficulty；　or　could　draw　off　from　the　field　in　perfect
order　and　safety　in　case　of　a　defeat；　however　numerous　their
foes。　The　two　front　lines　were　to　thrust　with　their　pikes；　the
others　keeping　their　long　spears　immovable　to　form　a　solid
hedge。　Each　man　carried　a　short　heavy　sword　to　use　in　case；
by　any　fatality；　the　wedge　should　get　broken　up。

When　assured　that　his　band　were　perfect　in　their　new
exercise　Edmund　marched　and　joined　the　king。　He　found
on　his　arrival　that　the　summons　to　arms　had　been　everywhere
disregarded。　Many　men　had　indeed　come　in；　but　these
were　in　no　way　sufficient　to　form　a　force　which　would　enable
him　to　take　the　field　against　the　Danes。

Edmund　therefore　solicited　and　obtained　permission　to
march　with　his　band　to　endeavour　to　check　the　plundering
bands　of　Danes；　who　were　already　committing　devastations
throughout　the　country。

〃Be　not　rash；　Edmund；〃　the　monarch　said；　〃you　have
but　a　handful　of　men；　and　I　should　grieve　indeed　did　aught
of　harm　befall　you。　If　you　can　fall　upon　small　parties　of
plunderers　and　destroy　them　you　will　do　good　service；　not
only　by　compelling　them　to　keep　together　but　by　raising　the
spirits　of　the　Saxons；　but　avoid　conflict　with　parties　likely　to
defeat　you。〃

〃You　shall　hear　of　us　soon；　I　promise　you；〃　Edmund　replied；
〃and　I　trust　that　the　news　will　be　good。〃

The　little　party　set　out　towards　the　border；　and　before
long　met　numbers　of　fugitives；　weeping　women　carrying　children；
old　men　and　boys；　making　their　way　from　the　neighbourhood　of
the　Danes。　The　men　had　for　the　most　part　driven　their
herds　into　the　woods；　where　they　were　prepared　to　defend　them
as　best　they　could　against　roving　parties。　They　learned　that
Haffa；　a　Danish　jarl；　with　about　600　followers；　was　plundering
and　ravaging　the　country　about　twelve　miles　away。　The　force
was　a　formidable　one；　but　after　consultation　with　Egbert；
Edmund　determined　to　advance；　deeming　that　he　might　find
the　Danes　scattered　and　cut　off　some　of　their　parties。

As　they　neared　the　country　of　which　the　Danes　were　in
possession　the　smoke　of　burning　villages　and　homesteads
was　seen　rising　heavily　in　the　air。　Edmund　halted　for　the
night　in　a　wood　about　a　mile　distant　from　a　blazing　farm；
and　the　band　lay　down　for　some　hours。

Before　daybreak　three　or　four　of　the　swiftest…footed　of
the　men　were　sent　out　to　reconnoitre。　They　learned；　from
badly　wounded　men　whom　they　found　lying　near　the　burning
farms；　that　the　Danes　had　been　plundering　in　parties　of
twenty　or　thirty；　but　that　the　main　body　under　Haffa　lay　five
miles　away　at　the　village　of　Bristowe。

A　consultation　was　held；　and　it　was　agreed　that　the　party
should　remain　hidden　in　the　wood　during　the　day；　and　that
upon　the　following　night　they　should　fall　upon　the　Danes；
trusting　to　the　surprise　to　inflict　much　damage　upon　them；
and　to　be　able　to　draw　off　before　the　enemy　could　recover
sufficiently　to　rally　and　attack　them。

Accordingly　about　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening　they
started；　and　marching　rapidly　approached　Bristowe　an　hour
and　a　half　later。　They　could　see　great　fires　blazing；　and　round
them　the　Danes　were　carousing　after　their　forays　of　the　day。
Great　numbers　of　cattle　were　penned　up　near　the　village。

Edmund　and　Egbert　having　halted　their　men　stole　forward
until　close　to　the　village　in　order　to　learn　the　nature　of
the　ground　and　the　position　of　the　Danes。　Upon　their　return
they　waited　until　the　fires　burned　low　and　the　sound　of
shouting　and　singing　decreased。　It　was　useless　to　wait　longer；
for　they　knew　that　many　of　the　Danes　would；　according　to
their　custom；　keep　up　their　revelry　all　night。　Crawling　along
the　ground　the　band　made　for　the　great　pen　where　were
herded　the　cattle　which　the　Danes　had　driven　in　from　the
surrounding　country；　and　over　which　several　guards　had　been
placed。　Before　starting　Egbert　assigned　to　each　man　the
special　duties　which　he　was　to　fulfil。

The　Saxons　crept　up　quite　close　to　the　Danish　guards
unobserved。　To　each　of　these　three　or　four　bowmen　had
been　told　off；　and　they；　on　nearing　the　sentries　lay　prone　on
the　ground　with　bows　bent　and　arrows　fixed　until　a　whistle
from　Edmund　gave　the　signal。　Then　the　arrows　were　loosed；
and　the　distance　being　so　short　the　Danish　sentries　were　all
slain。　Then　a　party　of　men　removed　the　side　of　the　pen
facing　the　village；　the　rest　mingled　with　the　cattle；　and　soon
with　the　points　of　their　spears　goaded　them　into　flight。　In　a
mass　the　herd　thundered　down　upon　the　village；　the　Saxons
keeping　closely　behind　them　and　adding　to　their　terror　by
goading　the　hindermost。

The　Danes；　astonished　at　the　sudden　thunder　of　hoofs
bearing　down　upon　them；　leaped　to　their　feet　and
endeavoured　to　turn　the　course　of　the　herd；　which　they
deemed　to　have　accidentally　broken　loose；　by　loud　shouts
and　by　rattling　their　swords　against　their　shields。　The　oxen；
however；　were　too　terrified　by　those　in　their　rear　to　check
their　course；　and　charged　impetuously　down　upon　the　Danes。

Numbers　of　these　were　hurled　to　the　ground　and
trampled　under　foot；　and　the　wildest　confusion　reigned　in
the　camp。　This　was　increased　when；　as　the　herds　swept　along；
a　number　of　active　men　with　spear　and　sword　fell　suddenly
upon　them。　Scores　were　cut　down　or　run　through　before
they　could　prepare　for　defence；　or　recover　from　their
surprise　at　the　novel　method　of　attack。

At　last；　as　the　thunder　of　the　herd　died　away　in　the　distance；
and　they　became　aware　of　the　comparative　fewness　of
their　foes；　they　began　to　rally　and　make　head　against　their
assailants。　No　sooner　was　this　the　case　than　the　note　of　a
horn　was　heard；　and　as　if　by　magic　their　assailants　instantly
darted　away　into　the　night；　leaving　the　superstitious　Danes
in　some　doubt　whether　the　whole　attack　upon　them　had　not
been　of　a　supernatural　nature。

Long　before　they　recovered　themselves；　and　were　ready
for　pursuit；　the　Saxons　were　far　away；　no　less　than　200　of　the
Danes　having　been　slain　or　trampled　to　death；　while　of
Edmund's　band　not　one　had　received　so　much　as　a　wound。

The　Saxons　regained　the　wood　in　the　highest　state　of
exultation　at　their　success；　and　more　confident　than　before
in　themselves　and　their　leader。

〃I　am　convinced；〃　Edmund　said；　〃that　this　is　the　true
way　to　fight　the　Danes；　to　harry　and　attack　them　by　night
assaults　until　they　dare　not　break　up　into　parties；　and　become
so　worn　out　by　constant　alarms　that　they　will　be　glad　to
leave　a　country　where　plunder　and　booty　are　only　to　be　earned
at　so　great　a　cost。〃

Knowing　that　Haffa's　band　would　for　some　time　be　thoroughly
on　the　alert　Edmund　moved　his　party　to　another　portion　of
the　country；　where　he　inflicted　a　blow；　almost　as　heavy
as　he