the dragon and the raven-第27节

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Such　a　challenge　the　Saxon　will　hardly　refuse。〃

In　accordance　with　the　customs　of　the　day　it　would　have
been　impossible　for　Edmund　to　have　refused　such　a　challenge
without　disgrace；　and　he　did　not　for　a　moment　think　of
doing　so。

〃I　am　ready　to　fight　Sweyn；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　no　great
cause　of　quarrel　with　him；　but　if　he　conceives　that　he　has
grounds　of　quarrel　with　me；　that　is　enough。　As　to　championship
of　the　Saxons；　we　have　no　champions；　we　fight　not　for
personal　honour　or　glory；　but　for　our　homes；　our　countries；
and　our　religion；　each　doing　his　best　according　to　the　strength
God　has　given　him；　and　without　thought　of　pride　on　the　one
hand　or　envy　on　the　other　because　the　strength　or　courage
of　one　may　be　somewhat　greater　than　that　of　another。　Still；
as　a　Saxon　standing　here　as　the　only　representative　of　my
nation　in　an　assembly　of　Northmen；　I　cannot　refuse　such　a
challenge；　for　to　do　so　would　be　to　infer　that　we　Saxons　are
less　brave　than　you。　Therefore　I　am　ready　for　the　combat。〃

The　Northmen　clashed　their　weapons　against　their　shields
in　token　of　their　approval　of　the　young　Saxon's　words；　and
the　young　champions　prepared　for　the　combat。　They　were
naked　to　the　waist　save　for　shield　and　helmet；　below　the　waist
each　wore　a　short　and　tightly…fitting　garment　covered　with
plates　of　brass；　the　legs　were　naked；　and　each　wore　a　pair　of
light　sandals；　their　weapons　were　long　straight　swords。　The
weapon　Edmund　had　chosen　was　considerably　lighter　than
that　of　his　opponent；　but　was　of　toughest　steel；　on　which
were　engraved　in　rough　characters　〃Prayers　to　Woden　for
victory。〃

The　difference　in　height　between　the　combatants　was
considerable。　Edmund　stood　five　feet　ten；　but　looked　shorter
from　the　squareness　and　width　of　his　shoulders。　Sweyn　was
nearly　four　inches　taller；　and　he　too　was　very　strongly　built。
His　muscles　indeed　stood　out　in　stronger　development　than
did　those　of　Edmund；　and　if　pure　strength　was　to　win　the　day
few　of　those　who　looked　on　doubted　that　the　Dane　would　be
the　victor。

The　combat　was　a　long　one。　For　some　time　Edmund　contented
himself　with　standing　upon　the　defensive　and　guarding　the
tremendous　blows　which　Sweyn　rained　upon　him。　In　spite　of　the
efforts　of　the　Northman；　he　could　neither　beat　down　the　Saxon's
guard　nor　force　him　to　fall　back　a　single　step。

Again　and　again　the　rattle　of　the　spectators'　arms　clashed
an　approval　of　Edmund's　steady　resistance　to　his　opponent's
assaults。　The　Norsemen　delighted　beyond　all　things　in　a
well…fought　encounter。　Each　man；　himself　a　warrior；　was　able　to
appreciate　the　value　of　the　strokes　and　parries。　The　betting
at　the　commencement　had　run　high　upon　Sweyn；　and　horses；
armour；　arms；　and　slaves　had　been　freely　wagered　upon　his
success；　but　as　the　fight　went　on　the　odds　veered　round；　and
the　demeanour　of　the　combatants　had　as　much　to　do　with
this　as　the　skill　and　strength　shown　by　Edmund　in　his　defence。
The　Dane　was　flushed　and　furious；　his　temper　gave　way　under
the　failure　of　his　assaults。　The　Saxon；　on　the　contrary；
fought　as　calmly　and　coolly　as　if　practicing　with　blunted
weapons；　his　eyes　never　left　those　of　his　adversary；　a　half
smile　played　on　his　lips；　and　although　drops　of　perspiration
from　his　forehead　showed　how　great　were　his　exertions；　his
breathing　hardly　quickened。

Twice　Sweyn　drew　back　for　breath；　and　Edmund　each
time；　instead　of　pressing　him；　dropped　the　point　of　his　sword
and　waited　for　him　to　renew　the　combat。　At　present　he　had
scarce　struck　a　blow；　and　while　his　own　shield　was　riven　in
several　places　and　his　helmet　dinted；　those　of　Sweyn　were
unmarked。

At　the　third　assault　Sweyn　came　up　determined　to　end
the　conflict；　and　renewed　the　attack　with　greater　fury　than
before。　Three　times　his　sword　descended　with　tremendous
force；　but　each　time　it　met　the　blade　of　the　Saxon；　the　fourth
time　his　arm　was　raised；　then　there　was　a　flash　and　a　sudden
shout　from　the　crowd。

With　a　mighty　blow　Edmund　had　smitten　full　on　his　opponent's
uplifted　arm；　and；　striking　it　just　above　the　elbow；　the　sword
clove　through　flesh　and　bone；　and　the　severed　limb；　still　grasping
the　sword；　fell　to　the　ground。

A　loud　shout　of　approval　burst　from　the　Danes。　Although　the
conqueror　was　their　enemy　they　appreciated　so　highly　the　virtues
of　coolness　and　courage　that　their　applause　was　no　less　hearty
than　if　the　victor　had　been　a　countryman。　Sweyn　had　fallen
almost　the　instant　the　blow　had　been　struck。　The　ring　was
at　once　broken　up；　and　his　friends　ran　to　him。　The　Norsemen
were　adepts　at　the　treatment　of　wounds；　and　everything　had　been
prepared　in　case　of　emergencies。

A　bandage　was　instantly　tied　tightly　round　the　upper
part　of　the　arm　to　stop　the　rush　of　blood；　and　the　stump　was
then　dipped　into　boiling　pitch；　and　Sweyn；　who　had　become
almost　instantly　insensible　from　the　loss　of　blood；　was　carried
to　his　father's　tent。　According　to　custom　handsome　presents
of　swords　and　armour　were　made　to　Edmund　by　those　who　had　won
by　his　success。

It　would　have　been　considered　churlish　to　refuse　them；
and　Edmund　had　no　thought　of　doing　so；　for　he　needed
money；　and　these　things　in　those　days　were　equivalent　to
wealth。

〃You　have　done　well　and　gallantly　indeed；　my　young
friend；〃　Siegbert　said　as；　followed　by　several　slaves　bearing
Edmund's　presents；　they　returned　to　the　tent。　〃I　am　glad　you
did　not　slay　him；　for　I　think　not　that　he　will　die。　Such　a　blow
given　in　battle　would　assuredly　have　been　fatal；　but　here　the
means　of　stanching　the　blood　were　at　hand；　and　I　trust　for
Bijorn's　sake　that　he　will　recover；　but　whether　or　no　he
brought　it　on　himself。〃

On　reaching　the　tent　Freda　ran　out　radiant。

〃I　hear　that　you　have　conquered；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　am
glad　indeed；　it　serves　him　right；　for　all　say　that　he　forced　the
fight　upon　you。〃

〃I　did　not　know　that　your　sympathies　were　so　strongly
against　Sweyn；〃　Siegbert　said　in　a　somewhat　reproachful　tone。
〃He　has　always　been　your　devoted　follower。〃

〃He　has　always　been　my　tyrant；　father；　for　he　has　always
insisted　on　my　doing　his　pleasure；　but　if　he　had　been　ten
times　my　follower；　and　had　been　a　valiant　warrior　instead　of
a　youth；　and　I　a　maiden　of　twenty　instead　of　a　girl　of　fifteen；
I　should　still　be　glad　that　he　was　conquered；　because　without
any　reason　for　quarrel　he　has　sought　to　slay　this　Saxon　youth
who　did　us　such　great　service；　and　to　whom　as　he　knew　we　were
so　indebted。〃

Siegbert　smiled。　〃Hitherto　I　have　wondered；　daughter
mine；　at　the　reason　which　induced　Sweyn　to　challenge
Edmund；　but　now　methinks　I　understand　it。　Sweyn　has；　as
his　father　has　told　me；　youth　as　he　is；　set　his　heart　on
winning　your　hand　when　you　shall　reach　the　age　of　womanhood；
and　it　is　just　because　Edmund　has　done　you　and　me　service
that　he　hates　him。　You　are　young；　child；　for　your　bright　eyes
to　have　caused　bloodshed；　if　you　go　on　like　this　there　will　be
no　end　to　the　trouble　I　shall　have　on　your　account　before　I
get　you　fairly　wedded。〃

Freda　coloured　hotly。

〃That　is　nonsense；　father；　another　five　years　will　be　soon
enough　to　begin　to　think　of　such　things。　At　any　rate；〃　she
said　with　a　laugh；　〃I　am　rid　of　Sweyn；　for　he　can　hardly
expect　me　ever　to　love　a　one…armed　man。〃

〃There　have　been　brave　warriors；〃　Seigbert　said；　〃with
but　one　arm。〃

〃It　makes　no　difference；〃　Freda　laughed；　〃if　he　had　fifty
arms　I　should　never　love　him。〃

Edmund　now　entreated　Siegbert　to　repay　himself　from
the　presents　he　had　received　for　the　goods　he　had　the　evening
before　given　to　Bijorn　as　the　price　of　his　liberty；　but　this　the
jarl　would　not　hear　of。　Edmund　then　begged　him　to　buy
with　them；　of　Bijorn；　the　four　Saxon　slaves　with　whom　he
had　agreed　to　attempt　an　escape；　and　to　expend　the　rest　of
the　presents　in　freeing　as　many　other　Saxon　prisoners　as　he
could。

This　Siegbert　did；　and　by　the　evening　Edmund　had　the
satisfaction　of　finding　around　him　twelve　Saxons　whose　freedom
he　had　purchased。　He　remained　as　the　guest　of　Siegbert
until　the　expedition　sailed　in　the　last　week　of　March。　Then
with　the　twelve　Saxons　he　embarked　in　Siegbert's　ship；　which；
instead　of　keeping　with　the　others；　sailed　for　the　mouth　of
the　Thames。　The　wind　was　favourable　and　the　passage　quick；
and　three　days　after　sailing　Edmund　and　his　companions　were
disembarked　on　the　coast　of　Kent。　His　adieus　with　Siegbert
were　hearty　and　earnest。

〃I　would　you　had　been　a　Northman；〃　the　jarl　said；　〃for　I
love　you　as　a　son；　and　methinks　that　when　the　time　comes；
had　you　been　so　inclined；　you　might　have　really　stood　in　that
relation　to　me；　for　I　guess　that　my　little　Freda　would　not　have
said　no　had　you　asked　her　hand；　but　now　our　paths　are　to
part。　I　shall　never　war　again　with　the　Saxons；　for　indeed
there　is　but　scant　booty　to　be　gained　there；　while　you　are　not
likely　again　to　be　cast　upon　our　shores；　but　should　the　fates
ever　throw　us　together　again；　remember　that　you　have　a　friend
for　life　in　Jarl　Siegbert。〃

Freda；　who　had　accompanied　her　father　as　usual；　wept
bitterly　at　the　parting；　which；　however；　she　did　not　deem　to
be　as　final　as　it　appeared　to　her　father；　for　the　evening　before；
as　she　was　standing　on　the　poop　with　Edmund；　he　had
said　to　her　〃You　will　not　forget