the dragon and the raven-第41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！


your　arms。　If　I　come　not　you　will　know　that　I　have　perished。〃

A　minute　later；　after　a　few　parting　words　with　Egbert；
Edmund　mounted　his　horse；　and　followed　by　his　six　companions；
rode　off　at　full　speed。　He　knew　that　it　would　be　useless
making　any　inquiries　about　Sweyn　and　his　party。　But　few　of
the　inhabitants　of　the　country　were　to　be　seen　about；　for　the
Danes　had　burned　every　house　within　very　many　miles　of
Paris；　and　the　peasants　would　assuredly　not　have　paid　any
special　attention　to　a　party　of　Danes；　for　whenever　they　saw
the　dreaded　marauders　even　at　a　distance　they　forsook　their
homes　and　fled　to　the　forests。　The　party　therefore　rode　eastward
until　nightfall；　then　picketed　their　horses；　and　having
lit　a　fire；　made　their　supper　from　the　store　of　provisions　they
had　brought　with　them；　and　then　lay　down　to　sleep　for　the
night。

At　daybreak　they　again　started　and　continued　their　journey
until　it　was　necessary　to　halt　to　give　their　horses　a　rest。
They　had　passed　several　parties　of　Danes；　for　these　in　great
numbers；　after　the　siege　of　Paris　had　been　given　up；　were
journeying　towards　Burgundy。　There　was　but　slight　greeting
as　they　passed；　but　on　one　occasion　a　horseman　rode　out
from　one　of　the　bands　and　entered　into　conversation　with
the　two　Danes　who　rode　at　the　head　of　the　party。　They　told
them　that　they　were　followers　of　the　Jarl　Siegbert；　and　were
riding　to　join　the　rest　of　his　band；　who　were　with　the　company
of　Jarl　Eric；　as　Siegbert　would　be　long　before　he　would
be　able　to　move；　and　had　therefore　kept　only　a　few　of　his
followers　with　him。

〃Eric　is　a　long　way　ahead；〃　the　Dane　said；　〃he　must　be
full　as　far　as　Nancy　by　this　time。　Those　who　left　first；〃　he
grumbled；　〃will　have　the　pick　of　the　country。　We　were　fools
to　linger　so　long　before　Paris。〃　Then　turning　his　horse；　he
rode　back　to　his　comrades；　and　the　party　continued　their
way。

They　avoided　all　towns　and　large　Danish　encampments
on　the　way；　but　made　inquiries　from　all　small　parties　they
met　after　the　party　of　Sweyn。　They　learned　without　diffculty
the　place　where　he　had　been　encamped　a　few　days　before；
but　on　their　arriving　in　the　neighbourhood　they　found
that　the　place　was　deserted；　nor　could　any　tell　them　the
direction　in　which　the　Northmen　had　travelled。





CHAPTER　XVI：　FREDA



For　some　days　Edmund　and　his　party　scoured　the　country
round；　journeying　now　in　one　direction；　now　in　another；
but　without　hearing　ought　of　Sweyn's　party。
Certainly　they　had　not　gone　along　the　track　which　the　main
body　of　the　Danes　had　followed；　but　the　question　was　whether
they　had　turned　rather　to　the　south　in　order　to　cross　the
mountain　ranges　between　them　and　the　Rhine；　or　had　turned
north　and　journeyed　through　the　great　forest　of　Ardennes；
and　so　to　some　of　the　other　rivers　which　run　down　into　the
North　Sea。

The　latter　was　in　some　respects　the　most　likely　course　to
have　been　chosen。　By　taking　it　Sweyn　would　avoid　altogether
the　track　which　the　majority　of　his　countrymen　were　taking；
and　this　would　naturally　be　his　object。　Siegbert　had　many
powerful　friends；　and　the　carrying　off　of　the　jarl's　daughter
from　the　side　of　her　wounded　father　would　be　regarded　as　a
grave　offence；　and　Sweyn　might　well　wish　to　keep　clear　of　his
countrymen　until　he　had　forced　Freda　to　become　his　wife。
Even　then　it　would　not　be　safe　for　him　for　a　long　time　to
return　to　his　country。　Striking　through　the　Ardennes　he　would
come　down　upon　the　Scheldt；　the　Moselle；　the　Maas；　or　other
rivers　flowing　into　the　North　Sea　direct；　or　into　the　Rhine。

Edmund　knew　nothing　of　these　streams；　but　the　Danes
with　him　said　there　were　several　rivers　so　situated；　for　they
had　sailed　up　them。　Where　they　took　their　rise　they　knew
not；　but　it　would　probably　be　in　or　beyond　the　forest　of
Ardennes。

〃Then　in　that　way　we　will　search；〃　Edmund　said。　〃If
they　come　upon　a　river　they　will　doubtless　set　to　work　to
build　galleys　to　carry　them　to　the　sea；　for　with　only　three
hundred　men　Sweyn　will　not　venture　to　march　by　land　through
a　country　which　has　but　lately　suffered　heavily　at　the　hands
of　the　Danes。　It　will　take　him　a　month　or　six　weeks　to　cut
down　trees　and　build　his　ships；　therefore　we　may　hope　to
find　him　before　he　is　ready　to　embark。　First　we　will　push
through　the　forest　to　the　other　side；　there　we　will　question
the　inhabitants　concerning　the　position　of　the　nearest　rivers；
then　we　will　divide　into　parties　and　go　on　the　search；　appointing
a　place　of　rendezvous　where　we　may　rejoin　each　other。
It　can　hardly　be　that　we　shall　fail　to　find　them　if　they
have　taken　that　way。〃

Before　entering　the　forest　they　obtained　a　considerable
store　of　provisions；　for　they　had　no　idea　of　its　extent；　and
had　no　time　to　spend　in　hunting　game。　The　forest　of
Ardennes　was　at　that　time　of　immense　size；　extending　from
Verdun　and　Metz　on　the　south；　to　Liege　and　Aix　on　the　north。

Men　of　the　present　day　would　have　found　it　impossible
to　find　their　way　through；　but　would　speedily　have　been　lost
in　its　trackless　recesses；　but　the　Saxons　and　Danes　were
accustomed　to　travel　in　forests；　and　knew　the　signs　as　well　as
did　the　Red…skins　and　hunters　of　the　American　forests。
Therefore　they　felt　no　hesitation　in　entering　the　forest
without　a　guide。

The　danger　which　might　beset　them　was　of　a　different
kind。　Immense　numbers　of　the　inhabitants　of　France；　Champagne；
and　Burgundy　had　taken　refuge　in　the　forests；　driving　their
flocks　and　herds　before　them。　Here　they　lived　a　wild　life；
hoping　that　the　emperor　would　ere　long　clear　the
country　of　the　invaders。　No　mercy　could　be　expected　if
Edmund　and　his　party　fell　in　with　a　number　of　these　fugitives。
They　would　have　no　time　to　tell　their　story；　but　would
be　attacked　at　once　as　a　party　of　plundering　Danes。

Knowing　that　the　horses　would　be　an　encumbrance　to
them　in　the　forest；　they　were　sold　to　the　last　party　of
Northmen　they　encountered　before　entering　it；　and　they
pursued　their　way　on　foot。　The　greatest　caution　was　observed；
every　sound　was　marked；　and　at　the　call　of　a　human　voice；
the　low　of　cattle；　or　the　bleating　of　sheep；　they　turned　their
course　so　as　to　avoid　encounter　with　the　inhabitants　of　the
forest。　They　lit　no　fires　at　night；　and　scarce　a　word　was　spoken
on　the　march。　Several　times　they　had　to　take　refuge　in
thickets　when　they　heard　the　sound　of　approaching　voices；
and　it　needed　all　their　knowledge　of　woodcraft　to　maintain
their　direction　steadily　towards　the　north。　At　last；　after　six
days'　journey；　they　issued　out　into　the　open　country　beyond
the　forest　and　soon　arrived　at　a　cottage。

The　peasant　was　struck　with　terror　and　astonishment　at
the　appearance　of　seven　Danes；　and　he　could　with　difficulty
be　made　to　understand　that　their　object　was　neither　plunder
nor　murder；　but　that　they　wished　only　information　from　him
of　the　situation　and　direction　of　the　various　rivers　of　the
country。　After　learning　from　him　all　that　he　knew　Edmund
arrived　at　the　conclusion　that　Sweyn　would　probably　attempt
to　descend　either　by　a　branch　of　the　Moselle；　and　so　to　the
Rhine　on　the　right；　or　by　one　of　the　Maas　on　the　left　of　the
place　at　which　they　had　emerged　from　the　forest。

Edmund　decided　to　strike　the　Maas；　and　to　follow　its
course　up　into　the　forest；　taking　with　him　one　of　the　Danes
and　two　of　his　Saxons；　and　to　send　the　others　to　search　the
banks　of　the　tributary　of　the　Moselle。　Before　starting　he　sent
the　peasant　to　the　nearest　village　to　purchase　garments　of
the　country　for　the　whole　party。　He　had　already　told　the
man　that　they　were　not　Danes　but　Saxons；　the　bitter　enemies
of　the　Northmen；　and　that　he　had　been　aiding　in　the　defence
of　Paris　against　them。

The　peasant　did　not　doubt　what　Edmund　told　him；　for
the　conduct　of　his　visitors　was　so　opposed　to　all　that　he　had
heard　of　the　doings　of　the　Danes　that　he　well　believed　they
could　not　belong　to　that　nation。　He　was　away　some　hours；
and　returned　with　the　required　dresses。　Having　put　these
on；　and　laying　aside　their　helmets　and　shields；　the　two　parties
started；　the　Danes　alone　carrying　with　them　their　former
garments。　The　next　day　Edmund　arrived　at　the　river；　and　at
once　followed　its　course　upwards；　for　Sweyn　and　his　party
would　be　building　their　ships　in　the　forest。

They　had　not　proceeded　many　miles　before　they　heard
the　sound　of　axes。　Edmund　gave　an　exclamation　of　delight。
It　was　almost　certain　that　he　had　hit　upon　Sweyn's　track；　for
it　was　unlikely　that　any　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　country　would
have　gone　so　far　into　the　forest　for　timber。　They　now　moved
with　the　greatest　caution；　and　as　they　approached　the　place
whence　the　sound　proceeded　Edmund　halted　the　two　Saxons
and　bade　them　conceal　themselves。　The　Dane　resumed
his　own　garments　and　put　on　his　helmet　and　shield；　and　then；
taking　advantage　of　every　clump　of　undergrowth；　and　moving
with　the　greatest　caution；　he　and　Edmund　made　their　way　forward。
Presently　they　came　within　sight　of　an　animated　scene。

A　large　number　of　trees　had　been　felled　by　the　banks　of
the　river　and　three　hundred　Northmen　were　busily　at　work。
The　frames　of　two　great　galleys　had　already　been　set　up；　and
they　were　now　engaged　in　chopping　out　planks　for　their　sides。
Two　huts　were　er