the dragon and the raven-第37节

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the　command　of　the　defence　of　the　tower。　It　was　against
this　point　that　the　Danes　again　made　their　most　desperate
effort。　Their　main　body　advanced　against　it；　and　smaller
parties　attacked　the　city　at　other　points；　while　the　rowing
galleys；　divided　into　two　bodies；　strove　to　destroy　the　bridge；
and　so　isolate　the　defenders　of　the　post。

Around　the　tower　the　combat　was　desperate。　The　assailants
were　well…nigh　hidden　under　their　great　bucklers。
Their　shouts；　and　the　constant　clashing　of　arms　which　they
maintained；　made　a　terrific　uproar；　a　storm　of　missiles　from
the　fleet　poured　upon　the　tower；　while　from　the　crevices
between　the　shields　the　bowmen　shot　incessantly　at　the　defenders。
The　very　number　of　the　Danes　hindered　their　attack；　for　the
tower　was　so　small　that　comparatively　few　could　approach　at　once。

It　had　been　greatly　strengthened　since　the　last　assault；
and　through　the　loopholes　in　the　walls　the　archers　did　their
best　to　answer　the　storm　of　missiles　poured　into　the　fort。
Edmund　and　Egbert　went　among　them；　begging　them　not　to
fire　at　random；　but　to　choose　moments　when　the　movements
of　the　assailants　opened　a　space　in　the　roof　of　shields　which
covered　them。

Whenever　this　took　place　a　dozen　arrows　fell　true　to　the
mark。　Some　of　those　bearing　the　shield　would　be　struck；
and　these　falling；　a　gap　would　be　caused　through　which　the
arrows　of　the　defenders　flew　thickly；　causing　death　and　confusion
until　the　shield　could　be　raised　in　its　place　again。
Boiling　liquids　were　poured　over　those　who　approached　the
walls；　and　huge　stones　crushed　the　shields　and　their　bearers。

Eudes　and　his　men　valiantly　defended　the　wall；　and　the
Danes　in　vain　strove　to　scale　it。　All　day　long　the　battle
continued；　but　at　nightfall　the　tower　still　remained　in　the　hands
of　the　defenders；　the　deep　ditch　which　they　had　dug　round　it
having　prevented　the　Danes　from　working　at　the　wall；　as　they
had　done　in　the　previous　assault。

When　darkness　came　on　the　Danes　did　not　retire；　but
lay　down　in　the　positions　they　occupied；　under　their　shields。
In　the　morning　many　ships　were　seen　crossing　the　river　again；
and　the　defenders　saw　to　their　surprise　numbers　of　captives
who　had　been　collected　from　the　surrounding　country；　troops
of　oxen；　ship…loads　of　branches　of　trees；　trusses　of　hay　and
corn；　and　faggots　of　vines　landed。　Their　surprise　became
horror　when　they　saw　the　captives　and　the　cattle　alike
slaughtered　as　they　landed。　Their　bodies　were　brought　forward
under　cover　of　the　shields　and　thrown　into　the　moat；　in　which；
too；　were　cast　the　hay；　straw；　faggots；　and　trees。

At　the　sight　of　the　massacre　the　archbishop　prayed　to
the　Virgin　to　give　him　strength；　and　drawing　a　bow　to　its　full
strength；　let　fly　an　arrow；　which；　great　as　was　the　distance；
flew　true　to　its　mark　and　struck　the　executioner　full　in　the
face。　This　apparent　miracle　of　the　Virgin　in　their　favour
re…animated　the　spirit　of　the　defenders；　and　a　solemn　service
was　instantly　held　in　the　church　in　her　honour；　and　prayers
were　offered　to　her　to　save　Lutece；　which　was　the　original
name　of　Paris；　and　was　still　cherished　by　its　inhabitants。

The　Danes　were　occupied　all　day　at　their　work　of　filling
up　the　moat。　The　besieged　were　not　idle；　but　laboured　at　the
construction　of　several　mangonels　capable　of　casting　huge
blocks　of　stone。　In　the　morning　the　Danes　planted　their
battering…rams；　one　on　each　side　of　the　tower；　and　recommenced
the　assault。　The　new　machines　of　the　defenders　did　great
havoc　in　their　ranks；　their　heavy　stones　crashing　through　the
roof　of　bucklers　and　crushing　those　who　held　them；　and　for
a　time　the　Norsemen　desisted　from　the　attack。

They　now　filled　three　of　their　largest　vessels　with
combustibles；　and　placing　them　on　the　windward　side　of　the
bridge；　set　them　alight。　The　people　of　Paris　beheld　with
afright　these　fire…ships　bearing　down　upon　the　bridge；　and
old　and　young　burst　into　tears　and　cries　at　the　view　of　the
approaching　destruction；　and；　led　by　the　archbishop；　all
joined　in　a　prayer　to　St。　Germain；　the　patron　saint　of　Paris；
to　protect　the　city。　The　exulting　Danes　replied　to　the　cries　of
those　on　the　walls　with　triumphant　shouts。　Thanks；　as　the
Franks　believed；　to　the　interposition　of　St。　Germain；　the
fireships　struck　against　the　pile　of　stones　from　which　the　beams
supporting　the　bridge　in　the　centre　were　raised。　Eudes　and
his　companions　leaped　down　from　the　bridge　and　with　hatchets
hewed　holes　in　the　sides　of　the　ships　at　the　water…line；
and　they　sank　without　having　effected　any　damage　to　the
bridge。

It　was　now　the　turn　of　the　Franks　to　raise　triumphant
shouts；　while　the　Danes；　disheartened；　fell　back　from　the　attack；
and　at　night　recrossed　the　river；　leaving　two　of　their
battering…rams　as　tokens　of　the　triumph　of　the　besieged。　Paris
had　now　a　respite　while　the　Danes　again　spread　over　the
surrounding　country；　many　of　them　ascending　the　river　in　their
ships　and　wasting　the　country　as　far　as　Burgundy。

The　monastery　of　St。　Germain　and　the　church　in　which
the　body　of　the　saint　was　buried　still　remained　untouched。
The　bands　of　Northmen　who　had　invaded　England　had　never
hesitated　to　plunder　and　destroy　the　churches　and　shrines　of
the　Christians；　but　hitherto　some　thought　of　superstition　had
kept　the　followers　of　Siegfroi　from　assailing　the　monastery
of　St。　Germain。

One　soldier；　bolder　than　the　rest；　now　approached　the
church　and　with　his　spear　broke　some　of　the　windows。　The
Abbe　D'Abbon；　an　eye…witness　and　minute　historian　of　the
siege　of　Paris；　states　that　the　impious　Dane　was　at　once　struck
dead。　The　same　fate　befell　one　of　his　comrades；　who　mounted
to　the　platform　at　the　top　of　the　church　and　in　descending
fell　off　and　was　killed。　A　third　who　entered　the　church　and
looked　round　lost　his　sight　for　ever。　A　fourth　entering　it　fell
dead；　and　a　fifth；　who；　more　bold　than　all；　tried　to　break　into
the　tomb　of　the　saint；　was　killed　by　a　stone　which　fell　upon
him。

One　night　after　a　continuance　of　heavy　rain　the　Seine；
being　greatly　swollen；　swept　away　the　centre　of　the　bridge
connecting　the　tower　with　the　town。　At　daybreak　the
Northmen；　seeing　what　had　taken　place；　hastened　across　the
river　and　attacked　the　tower。　The　garrison　was　but　a　small
one；　no　more　than　twenty　men　having　slept　there。　For　a
time　these　repulsed　every　effort　of　the　Danes；　but　gradually
their　numbers　were　lessened　until　at　last　fourteen　only　remained。
Their　names　have　come　down　to　us。　Besides　Edmund　and　Egbert
there　were　Hermanfroi；　Herivee；　Herilard；　Odoacre；
Herric；　Arnold；　Sohie；　Gerbert；　Elvidon；　Havderad；　Ermard；
and　Gossuin。　These　resisted　so　valiantly　that　the　Danes；
after　losing　large　numbers　in　the　vain　attempt　to　storm
the　walls；　brought　up　a　wagonful　of　grain；　this　they
rolled　forward　to　the　gate　of　the　tower　and　set　it　on　fire。

The　flames　rapidly　spread　from　the　gates　to　the　walls；
which　were　all　of　wood；　and　soon　the　whole　were　a　sheet　of
flames。　The　little　band　of　defenders　retreated　on　to　the　end
of　the　bridge；　and　there；　when　the　flames　had　sufficiently
abated　to　allow　them　to　pass；　the　Northmen　attacked　them。
Edmund　and　Egbert　were　both　good　swimmers；　but　this　was
an　accomplishment　which　but　few　of　the　Franks　possessed；
and　none　of　the　remnant　of　the　garrison　were　able　to　swim。
For　a　long　time　the　little　band　repulsed　all　the　efforts　of　the
Danes；　but　were　gradually　driven　back　foot　by　foot　until　they
reached　the　edge　of　the　chasm。　Here　they　made　a　last　desperate
stand；　but　were　at　length　cut　down　or　driven　over　by
sheer　weight　of　numbers。　Egbert　and　Edmund　had　disencumbered
themselves　of　all　their　defensive　armour；　and　at　the　last
moment；　throwing　off　their　helmets　and　relinquishing
their　spears；　they　plunged　into　the　stream；　diving　deeply
to　avoid　the　arrows　of　the　Northmen。

The　fact　of　the　river　being　in　flood；　which　had　caused
the　destruction　of　the　tower；　now　proved　the　cause　of　their
safety。　Had　the　water　been　clear；　the　Danes　on　the　bridge
above　could　have　marked　their　progress　and　poured　a　storm
of　arrows　upon　them　as　they　came　to　the　surface；　but　its
yellow　and　turbid　waters　concealed　them　from　sight；　and　each
time　they　rose　to　the　surface　for　air　they　were　enabled　to　take
a　rapid　breath　and　dive　again　before　their　enemies　could
direct　and　launch　their　arrows　at　them。

As　they　drifted　far　down　the　stream；　they　reached　the
land　beyond　bowshot　of　the　Danes；　and　they　soon　entered
the　town　amid　the　loud　acclamations　of　the　citizens。　The
Danes　now　for　the　most　part　drew　off　from　the　neighbourhood；
and　the　Abbe　Ebble　led　out　a　sortie；　which　reached
the　Danish　camp；　and　driving　back　those　whom　they　found
within　it；　set　it　on　fire　and　effected　their　retreat　to
Paris　without　loss；　in　spite　of　the　efforts　of　the　enemy；
who　rapidly　assembled　at　the　sight　of　the　flames。

The　Danes　had　brought　in　from　the　surrounding　country
such　vast　quantities　of　cattle；　sheep；　and　goats；　that　their
camps　would　not　suffice　to　hold　them；　and　they　turned　the
church　of　St。　Germain　into　a　stable　and　crowded　it　with　these
animals。　The　saint；　as　the　Abbe　D'Abbon　relates；　indignant
at　this　desecration；　sent　a　terrible　plague　among　the　cattle；
and　when　the　Danes　in　the