the dragon and the raven-第14节

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the　country；　where　he　inflicted　a　blow；　almost　as　heavy
as　he　had　dealt　Haffa；　upon　Sigbert；　another　of　the　Danish
jarls。　Three　or　four　more　very　successful　night　attacks　were
made；　and　then　the　Danes；　by　this　time　thoroughly　alarmed；
obtained　from　some　Saxon　country　people　whom　they　took
prisoners　news　as　to　the　strength　of　Edmund's　band。

Furious　at　the　heavy　losses　which　had　been　inflicted
upon　them　by　so　small　a　number；　they　determined　to　unite
in　crushing　them。　By　threats　of　instant　death；　and　by　the
offers　of　a　high　reward；　they　succeeded　in　persuading　two
Saxon　prisoners　to　act　as　spies；　and　one　day　these　brought　in
to　Haffa　the　news　that　the　band　had　that　morning；　after
striking　a　successful　blow　at　the　Danes　ten　miles　away；
entered　at　daybreak　a　wood　but　three　miles　from　his　camp。

The　Northman；　disdaining　to　ask　for　assistance　from
one　of　the　other　bands　against　so　small　a　foe；　moved　out　at
once　with　300　of　his　men　towards　the　wood。　The　Saxons　had
posted　guards；　who　on　the　approach　of　the　Danes　roused
Edmund　with　the　news　that　the　enemy　were　close　at　hand。
The　Saxons　were　soon　on　their　feet。

〃Now；　my　friends；〃　Edmund　said　to　them；　〃here　is　the
time　for　trying　what　benefit　we　have　got　from　our　exercise。
We　cannot　well　draw　off；　for　the　Danes　are　as　fleet…footed　as
we；　therefore　let　us　fight　and　conquer　them。〃

The　men　formed　up　cheerfully；　and　the　little　body　moved
out　from　the　wood　to　meet　the　Danes。　The　latter　gave　a
shout　of　triumph　as　they　saw　them。　The　Saxon　force；　from
its　compact　formation；　appeared　even　smaller　than　it　was；
and　the　Norsemen　advanced　in　haste；　each　eager　to　be　the
first　to　fall　upon　an　enemy　whom　they　regarded　as　an　easy
prey。　As　they　arrived　upon　the　spot；　however；　and　saw　the
thick　hedge　of　spears　which　bristled　round　the　little　body　of
Saxons；　the　first　comers　checked　their　speed　and　waited　till
Haffa　himself　came　up；　accompanied　by　his　principal　warriors。

Without　a　moment's　hesitation　the　jarl　flung　himself
upon　the　Saxons。　In　vain；　however；　he　tried　to　reach　them
with　his　long　sword。　As　he　neared　them　the　front　line　of　the
Saxons　dropped　on　one　knee；　and　as　the　Danes　with　their
shields　dashed　against　the　spears　and　strove　to　cut　through
them；　the　kneeling　men　were　able　with　their　pikes　to　thrust
at　the　unguarded　portions　of　the　bodies　below　their　shields；
and　many　fell　grievously　wounded。　After　trying　for　some
time　in　vain；　Haffa；　finding　that　individual　effort　did　not
suffice　to　break　through　the　Saxon　spears；　formed　his　men
up　in　line　four　deep；　and　advanced　in　a　solid　body　so　as　to
overwhelm　them。

The　Saxons　now　rose　to　their　feet。　The　spears；　instead
of　being　pointed　outwards；　were　inclined　towards　the　front；
and　the　wedge　advanced　against　the　Danes。　The　Saxon　war　cry
rose　loud　as　they　neared　the　Danish　line；　and　then；　still
maintaining　their　close　formation；　they　charged　upon　it。　The
assault　was　irresistible。　The　whole　weight　was　thrown　upon
a　point；　and　preceded；　as　it　was；　by　the　densely…packed　spears；
it　burst　through　the　Danish　line　as　if　the　latter　had　been
composed　of　osier　twigs；　bearing　down　all　in　its　way。

With　shouts　of　surprise　the　Danes　broke　up　their　line
and　closed　in　a　thick　mass　round　the　Saxons；　those　behind
pressing　forward　and　impeding　the　motions　of　the　warriors
actually　engaged。　The　Saxons　no　longer　kept　stationary。　In
obedience　to　Edmund's　orders　the　triangle　advanced；　sometimes
with　one　angle　in　front；　sometimes　with　another；　but
whichever　way　it　moved　sweeping　away　the　Danes　opposed
to　it；　while　the　archers　from　the　centre　shot　fast　and　strong
into　the　mass　of　the　enemy。

Haffa　himself；　trying　to　oppose　the　advance　of　the
wedge；　was　slain　by　a　blow　of　Egbert's　axe；　and　after　half　an
hour's　fierce　fighting；　the　Danes；　having　lost　upwards　of　fifty
of　their　best　men；　and　finding　all　their　efforts　to　produce　an
impression　upon　the　Saxons　vain；　desisted　from　the　attack
and　fled。

At　once　the　wedge　broke　up；　and　the　Saxons　followed
in　hot　pursuit；　cutting　down　their　flying　enemies。　Obedient；
however；　to　Edmund's　repeated　shouts　they　kept　fairly　together；
and　when　the　Danes；　thinking　them　broken　and　disordered；
turned　to　fall　upon　them；　a　single　note　of　the　horn
brought　them　instantly　together　again；　and　the　astonished
Danes　saw　the　phalanx　which　had　proved　so　fatal　to　them
prepared　to　receive　their　attack。　This　they　did　not　attempt　to
deliver；　but　took　to　flight；　the　Saxons；　as　before；　pursuing；
and　twice　as　many　of　the　Danes　were　slain　in　the　retreat　as　in
the　first　attack。

The　pursuit　was　continued　for　many　miles；　and　then；
fearing　that　he　might　come　across　some　fresh　body　of　the
enemy；　Edmund　called　off　his　men。　Great　was　the　triumph
of　the　Saxons。　A　few　of　them　had　suffered　from　wounds
more　or　less　serious；　but　not　one　had　fallen。　They　had
defeated　a　body　of　Danes　four　times　their　own　force；　and　had
killed　nearly　half　of　them；　and　they　felt　confident　that　the
tactics　which　they　had　adopted　would　enable　them　in　future
to　defeat　any　scattered　bodies　of　Danes　they　might　meet。

For　a　week　after　the　battle　they　rested；　spending　their
time　in　further　improving　themselves　in　their　drill；
practicing　especially　the　alterations　of　the　position　of
the　spears　requisite　when　changing　from　a　defensive　attitude；
with　the　pikes　at　right　angles　to　each　face；　to　that　of　an
attack；　when　the　spears　of　both　faces　of　the　advancing　wedge
were　all　directed　forward。　A　messenger　arrived　from　the　king；
to　whom　Edmund　had　sent　the　news　of　his　various　successes；
and　Alfred　sent　his　warmest　congratulations　and　thanks　for
the　great　results　which　had　been　gained　with　so　small　a　force；
the　king　confessing　that　he　was　unable　to　understand　how　with
such　disproportionate　numbers　Edmund　could　so　totally　have
routed　the　force　of　so　distinguished　a　leader　as　Haffa。

For　some　weeks　Edmund　continued　the　work　of　checking
the　depredations　of　the　Danes；　and　so　successful　was　he
that　the　freebooters　became　seized　with　a　superstitious　awe
of　his　band。　The　rapidity　of　its　maneuvering；　the　manner　in
which　men；　at　one　moment　scattered；　were　in　another　formed
in　a　serried　mass；　against　which　all　their　efforts　broke　as
waves　against　a　rock；　seemed　to　them　to　be　something
superhuman。　In　that　part　of　Wessex；　therefore；　the　invaders
gradually　withdrew　their　forces　across　the　frontier；　but　in
other　parts　of　the　country；　the　tide　of　invasion　being
unchecked；　large　tracts　of　country　had　been　devastated；　and
the　West　Saxons　could　nowhere　make　head　against　them。　One　day
a　messenger　reached　Edmund　telling　him　that　a　large　Danish
army　was　approaching　Sherborne；　and　urging　him　to　return
instantly　to　the　defence　of　his　earldom。

With　rapid　marches　he　proceeded　thither；　and　on　arriving
at　his　house　he　found　that　the　Danes　were　but　a　few　miles
away；　and　that　the　whole　country　was　in　a　state　of　panic。　He
at　once　sent　off　messengers　in　all　directions；　bidding　the
people　hasten　with　their　wives　and　families；　their　herds　and
valuables；　to　the　fort。　His　return　to　some　extent　restored
confidence。　The　news　of　the　victories　he　had　gained　over
the　Danes　had　reached　Sherborne；　and　the　confidence　of
their　power　to　defeat　the　invaders　which　his　followers
expressed　as　they　scattered　to　their　respective　farms　again
raised　the　courage　of　the　people。

All　through　the　night　bands　of　fugitives　poured　into　the
fort；　and　by　morning　the　whole　of　the　people　for　many　miles
round　were　assembled　there。　Egbert　and　Edmund　busied
themselves　in　assigning　to　each　his　duty　and　station。　All　the
men　capable　of　bearing　arms　were　told　off　to　posts　on　the
walls。　The　old　men　and　young　boys　were　to　draw　water　and
look　after　the　cattle；　the　women　to　cook　and　attend　to　the
wounded。　The　men　of　his　own　band　were　not　placed　upon
the　walls；　but　were　held　in　readiness　as　a　reserve　to　move　to
any　point　which　might　be　threatened；　and　to　take　part　in
sorties　against　the　enemy。

Soon　smoke　was　seen　rising　up　in　many　directions；　showing
that　the　enemy　were　at　their　accustomed　work。　Cries
broke　from　the　women；　and　exclamations　of　rage　from　the
men；　as　they　recognized　by　the　direction　of　the　smoke　that
their　own　homesteads　and　villages　were　in　the　hands　of　the
spoilers。　About　mid…day　a　party　of　mounted　Danes　rode　up
towards　the　fort　and　made　a　circuit　of　it。　When　they　had
satisfied　themselves　as　to　the　formidable　nature　of　its
defences　they　rode　off　again；　and　for　the　rest　of　the　day
none　of　the　enemy　approached　the　fort。





CHARTER　VI：　THE　SAXON　FORT



A　strict　watch　was　kept　all　night；　and　several　scouts
were　sent　out。　These　on　their　return　reported　that
the　Danes　were　feasting；　having　slain　many　cattle　and
broached　the　casks　of　mead　which　they　found　in　the　cellars
of　Edmund's　house。　This　they　had　not　burned　nor　the　houses
around　it；　intending；　as　the　scouts　supposed；　to　make　it　their
headquarters　while　they　attacked　the　fort。

Edmund　and　Egbert　agreed　that　it　would　be　well　to　show
the　Danes　at　once　that　they　had　an　active　and　enterprising
foe　to　deal　with；　they　therefore　awakened　their　band；　who
were　sleeping　on　skins　close　to　the　gate；　and　with　them　started
out。

It　was　still　two　hours　before