the dragon and the raven-第38节

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at　this　desecration；　sent　a　terrible　plague　among　the　cattle；
and　when　the　Danes　in　the　morning　entered　the　church　it
contained　nothing　but　carcasses　in　the　last　state　of
decomposition。

The　valiant　defence　of　Paris　had　given　time　for　the　rest
of　France　to　arm；　and　the　Danes　scattered　over　the　country
now　met　with　a　stout　resistance。　The　Northmen　were　defeated
in　their　efforts　to　capture　Le　Mans；　Chartres；　and　other
towns；　and　were　defeated　in　several　battles　near　Chartres　by
Godefroi　and　Odon。

In　March　Henri　advanced　with　a　strong　force　to　the　relief
of　Paris；　and　arriving　at　night　attacked　the　camp　of　the
Danes；　slew　great　numbers；　and　captured　a　vast　booty；　and
then；　having　supplied　Paris　with　a　considerable　amount　of
provisions；　retired　with　his　band　before　the　Danes　had　time
to　assemble　in　sufficient　strength　to　oppose　him。　Shortly
afterwards　the　Danes　expressed　the　desire　of　Siegfroi　to　hold
parley　with　the　Count　Eudes。　Siegfroi　and　a　number　of　his
warriors　landed；　and　Eudes　left　the　city　and　advanced　to　meet
them。　No　sooner　had　he　reached　them　than　he　was　attacked
by　the　Northmen；　but　drawing　his　sword　he　defended　himself
with　immense　bravery　until　the　garrison　ran　down　to　his
succour；　and　the　Danes　were　driven　back　to　their　ship　with
loss　of　nearly　half　of　their　party。

The　Danes　now　left　the　church　of　St。　Germain　L'Auxerrois
and　surrounded　the　monastery　of　St。　Germain　des　Pres；
but　the　monks　there　paid　him　sixty　pounds　of　pure　silver
to　leave　them　in　peace。　Siegfroi　now　wished　to　abandon
the　siege　which　had　already　cost　him　so　dear；　but　the
Northmen；　furious　at　their　losses；　determined　upon　another
assault。

〃Very　well；〃　the　king　said；　〃have　your　way　then。　Attack
Paris　on　all　sides；　hew　down　its　towers；　and　make　breaches　in
its　walls；　for　once　I　will　remain　a　spectator。〃

The　Danes　crossed　the　river　and　landed　on　the　island；
but　owing　to　the　absence　of　large　numbers　on　other　expeditions；
and　the　heavy　losses　which　they　had　suffered；　their
numbers　were　no　longer　so　over…whelming；　and　Count　Eudes
led　out　his　forces　to　oppose　them　outside　the　walls。　This
time　Edmund　headed　his　band　of　Saxons；　who　until　now　had
only　taken　part　as　archers　in　the　defence。

The　combat　was　a　furious　one。　In　spite　of　the　valour　of
Eudes　and　Ebble　the　Danes　pressed　hard　upon　the　Franks；
and　were　driving　them　back　towards　the　gates　when　Edmund
led　his　Saxons；　in　the　close　phalanx　in　which　they　had　so
often　met　the　Danes　in　the　field；　to　the　front。　With　irresistible
force　the　wedge　burst　its　way　through　the　ranks　of　the
Danes；　bearing　all　before　it　with　its　wedge　of　spears。　Into　the
gap　thus　formed　Eudes　and　Ebble　with　their　bravest　men
threw　themselves；　and　the　Danes；　severed　in　two；　were　driven
back　towards　their　ships。　But　for　some　hours　the　rain　had
been　falling　heavily　and　the　river　was　rapidly　rising　and　had
already　overflowed　a　portion　of　the　island。　Thus　the　Danes
had　great　difficulty　in　getting　on　board　their　ships　again；
and　great　numbers　were　killed　in　doing　so。

There　was　no　longer　any　resistance　to　Siegfroi's　wishes。
A　parley　was　held　with　the　city；　and　a　further　sum　being　added
to　that　contributed　by　the　monks　of　St。　Germain　des　Pres
the　Danes　drew　off　from　the　town。

At　this　time　the　long　confinement　of　so　many　men　within
the　walls　had　caused　a　pestilence　to　break　out　in　Paris。　The
Archbishop　Goslin；　the　Bishop　Everard　of　Sens；　the　Prince
Hugues；　and　many　others　died。　The　16th　of　April　was　the
day　on　which　the　Parisians　were　accustomed　to　go　in　solemn
procession　to　the　church　of　St。　Germain。　The　Northmen；
knowing　this；　in　mockery　filled　a　wagon　with　grain　and　organized
a　mock　procession。　The　bullocks　who　drew　the　chariot
suddenly　became　lame；　numbers　of　other　bullocks　were　attached；
but　although　goaded　by　spears　their　united　efforts
were　unable　to　drag　the　wagon　an　inch；　and　the　Danes　were
obliged　at　last　to　abandon　their　intention。

The　same　day　St。　Germain　is　reported　to　have　further
shown　his　power。　One　of　the　Northmen；　condemned　for
some　offence　to　be　executed；　fled　to　the　church　for　refuge；
and　was　there　slain　by　his　countrymen；　but　all　who　took　part
in　the　deed　at　once　fell　dead。　The　Northmen；　struck　by　these
miracles；　placed　a　certain　number　as　guard　over　the　church
to　prevent　any　from　touching　aught　that　it　contained。　One
of　these　men；　a　Dane　of　great　stature；　spread　his　bed　in　the
church　and　slept　there；　but　to　the　astonishment　of　his　comrades
he　was　found　in　the　morning　to　have　shrunk　to　the　size
of　a　new…born　infant；　at　which　stature　he　remained　for　the
rest　of　his　life。

A　miracle　of　an　opposite　kind　was　at　the　same　time　performed
in　the　town。　A　valiant　warrior　had　from　the　effects
of　fever　fallen　into　an　extreme　weakness；　and　was　devoured
with　grief　at　the　thought　that　he　should　no　longer　be　able　to
take　share　in　the　defence　of　the　town。　To　him　St。　Germain
appeared　at　night　and　told　him　that　his　prayers　had　been
heard；　and　that　his　strength　should　be　restored　to　him。　On
awakening　in　the　morning　he　found　that　he　was　as　vigorous
and　as　robust　as　ever。

Another　day　when　the　soldiers　were　carrying　the　banner
of　the　saint　round　the　walls　of　the　town；　followed　by　the
citizens　chanting　hymns；　one　of　the　bearers　of　the　holy　relics；
named　Gozbert；　was　struck　by　a　stone　from　a　catapult。
The　man　who　had　fired　it　fell　dead；　while　Gozbert　continued
his　promenade　in　no　way　injured　by　the　blow。　The　Abbe　D'Abbon
vouches　for　these　miracles　on　the　part　of　St。　Germain
in　defence　of　his　faithful　city。





CHAPTER　XV：　FRIENDS　IN　TROUBLE



Although　for　a　time　the　Northmen　abstained　from　grand　assaults；
continued　skirmishes　took　place。　Sometimes　parties　landed　beneath
the　walls；　and　strove　to　carry　off　the　cattle　which　the　besieged
turned　out　to　gather　a　little　fresh　food　there。　Sometimes　the
citizens；　led　by　Eudes　or　Ebble；　would　take　boat　and　cross；　and
endeavour　to　cut　off　small　parties　of　the　enemy。　They　had
now　sufficient　boats　at　their　disposal　for　expeditions　of　this
kind；　for；　in　their　last　defeat；　the　Danes　had　in　their　haste
left　several　boats　behind　them。　Of　one　of　the　largest　of　these
Edmund　took　possession；　and　going　out　in　her　at　night；　several
times　succeeded　in　capturing　Danish　vessels；　sometimes
while　they　were　rowing　along　the　river　unsuspicious　that　any
foes　were　near；　sometimes　by　boarding　them　as　they　lay
alongside　the　bank。

As　the　vessels　so　captured　were　too　large　to　be　dragged
ashore；　and　could　have　been　easily　recaptured　by　the　Danes；
they　were；　after　being　emptied　of　their　contents；　always
burned。　The　plague　continued　its　ravages；　and　the　city　became
straitened　for　provisions。　Count　Eudes　therefore　determined
to　go　to　King　Charles　to　urge　him　to　hurry　to　the
succour　of　the　town。　Almost　all　the　chiefs　of　the　defence
had　fallen　victims　to　the　pest；　or　had　been　killed　in　battle
with　the　Danes；　and　the　count　at　his　departure　committed
the　defence　of　the　city　to　the　Abbe　Ebble　and　Edmund。　He
then　crossed　the　stream　at　night；　and　made　his　way
successfully　through　the　Danes。

The　abbe　and　Edmund　vied　with　each　other　in　keeping
up　the　spirits　of　the　garrison　with　successful　little　forays
with　the　Danes；　frequently　crossing　the　river　to　the　one　bank
or　the　other；　sometimes　with　parties　of　only　five　or　six　men；
and　falling　upon　similar　bodies　of　the　enemy。　Several　times
they　pounced　upon　small　herds　of　the　enemy's　cattle；　and
driving　them　into　the　river；　directed　them　in　their　boats　across
the　stream。

In　the　commencement　of　July　Eudes　appeared　on　the
slopes　on　Mont　Martre　with　three　battalions　of　soldiers。　The
enemy；　who　were　for　the　most　part　on　the　other　side　of　the
Seine；　crossed　the　river。　A　desperate　battle　ensued。　A　portion
of　the　garrison　crossed　in　boats　to　the　assistance　of　their
friends；　Edmund　leading　over　his　band　of　Saxons。　With　these
he　fell　upon　the　rear　of　the　Danes　engaged　in　fighting　with
the　force　under　the　count；　and　the　Northmen；　attacked　on
both　sides；　gave　way　and　took　to　flight。　They　were　hotly
pursued　by　the　Franks。

The　reinforcements　entered　Paris　triumphantly　by　the
bridge；　which　had　long　since　been　repaired。　But　the　siege
was　not　yet　over。　When　the　news　of　the　victory　of　Eudes
spread；　the　Danes　again　drew　together　from　all　parts；　and
crossing　the　river；　attacked　the　city　on　every　side。　The
onslaught　was　more　furious　than　any　which　had　preceded　it。
The　Danes　had　provided　themselves　with　large　numbers　of
mangonels　and　catapults。　Every　man　capable　of　bearing　arms
was　upon　the　walls；　but　so　furious　was　the　attack；　so　vast　the
number　of　the　assailants；　so　prodigious　were　the　clouds　of
missiles　which　they　rained　upon　the　walls；　that　the　besieged
almost　lost　heart。

The　relics　of　St。　Genevieve　were　taken　round　the　walls。
In　several　places　the　Danes　had　formed　breaches　in　the　walls；
and　although　the　besieged　still　struggled；　hope　had　well…nigh
left　them；　and　abject　terror　reigned　in　the　city。　Women　ran
about　the　streets　screaming；　and　crying　that　the　end　was　at
hand。　The　church　bells　tolled　dismally；　and　the　shouts　of　the
exultant　Danes　rose　higher　and　higher。　Again　a　general　cry
rose　to　St。　Germain　to　come　to　the　aid　of　the　to