the dragon and the raven-第24章

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they　say　that　you　Christians　look　to　a　place　where　arms　will
be　laid　aside　and　the　sound　of　feasting　be　unheardI　will
say　farewell。　For　myself；　I　thank　you　not　for　my　life；　for　I
would　rather　have　died　as　I　have　lived　with　my　sword　in　my
hand；　but　for　my　daughter's　sake　I　thank　you；　for　she　is　but
young　to　be　left　unprotected　in　the　world。〃

A　few　minutes　later；　the　Danish　vessel　continued　on　her
way；　and　the　Dragon　again　took　her　station　on　the　look…out。
She　was　now　deep　in　the　water；　and　after　picking　up　one　or
two　more　small　prizes；　Edmund　and　Egbert　determined　to
return　home。

It　was　probable　that　the　Danes　would　soon　take　the　alarm
and　despatch　a　fleet　to　attack　them。　Laden　down　as　the
Dragon　was；　her　speed　under　oars　was　materially　affected；
and　it　was　advisable　to　stow　away　their　booty　before　proceeding
with　further　adventures。　Her　head　was　turned　south；
and　she　coasted　down　the　eastern　shores　of　England　without
adventure。　Several　Danish　vessels　were　seen　arriving　at　or
quitting　the　coast；　but　the　Dragon　continued　her　course　without
heeding　them；　and　rounding　the　Forelands；　sailed　along
the　south　coast　and　made　her　way　up　the　Parrot。

Upon　inquiry　they　learnt　that　no　event　of　any　importance
had　taken　place　during　their　absence。　The　Danes　were
complete　masters　of　the　country。　King　Alfred　was　in　hiding；
none　knew　where。　The　greater　portion　of　the　Danes　were　at
their　camp　at　Chippenham；　but　parties　roamed　here　and　there
through　the　land。

Dressed　as　countrymen；　Edmund　and　Egbert　made　their
way　to　Exeter；　and　there　arranged　with　some　traders　for　the
purchase　of　the　less　valuable　portion　of　the　Dragons　cargo。
This　consisted　of　rich　clothing；　silks　and　other　stuffs；　wine；
vestments；　and　altar　hangings　from　churches；　arms　and
armour；　hides　and　skins。　The　prices　obtained　were　far　below
the　real　value　of　the　articles；　for　money　was　scarce；　and　none
could　say　when　the　Danes　might　again　swoop　down　and　clear
out　the　contents　of　the　warehouses。　Nevertheless　the　sum
obtained　was　a　large　one　for　those　days；　and　this　did　not
include　the　value　of　the　gold　and　silver　goblets；　salvers；　vases；
and　utensils　used　in　the　celebration　of　religious　services。

Of　these；　spoiled　from　the　houses　of　the　wealthy；　and
the　churches　and　monasteries；　they　had　obtained　a　considerable
number。　These　were　buried　in　the　wood　near　the　lonely
spot　at　which　the　Dragon　was　moored；　the　rest　of　the　cargo
was　sent　in　wagonsthe　more　valuable　portions　hidden　under
the　hides　and　skinsto　Exeter。　The　amount　which　had　been
obtained　from　the　cargo　was　divided　as　agreed　before　starting：
twenty…five　shares　were　set　apart　for　the　king；　twenty…five
shares　were　divided　between　the　two　leaders；　and　each
soldier　and　sailor　had　one　share。　All　were　well　satisfied　with
the　success　of　the　adventure；　and　with　the　damage　which
they　had　inflicted　upon　the　Danes。

A　fortnight's　leave　was　given；　for　the　men　to　visit　their
homes；　and　the　money　which　they　had　gained　in　their　trip
was　of　great　use　to　their　friends　in　enabling　them　to　repair
the　damages　effected　by　the　Danes。　Not　a　man　was　absent　at
the　appointed　time；　and　the　Dragon　again　made　her　way　down
to　the　sea。

It　was　midwinter　now；　and　they　cruised　along　the　southern
coast　of　England　without　perceiving　a　single　hostile　sail。
They　lay　for　a　week　off　the　mouth　of　the　Thames；　and　then
saw　four　large　Danish　vessels　making　their　way　down　the　river。
They　were　all　vessels　of　the　largest　size；　strongly　built；　and
full　of　men；　and　the　Saxons　judged　them　to　be　too　strong　to
be　attacked　in　company。　The　Northmen；　on　seeing　the　golden
dragon　flying　at　the　mast…head　of　the　Saxon　ship；　at　once
made　towards　her；　keeping　in　a　close　body；　but　the　Dragon
with　sails　and　oars　easily　left　them　behind；　and　the　Danes
giving　up　the　pursuit　continued　on　their　way。

The　Dragon　fell　into　their　wake　and　followed　at　a　distance；
hoping　that　one　might　prove　slower　than　the　others；
or　that　they　might　in　the　night　get　separated。　At　nightfall；
however；　the　Danes　lit　cressets　of　tar　and　hemp；　which　enabled
them　not　only　to　keep　close　together；　but　sent　out　a
wide　circle　of　light；　so　that　they　could　perceive　the　Dragon
should　she　venture　to　approach。

For　two　days　and　nights　the　Dragon　followed　patiently。

〃The　weather　is　about　to　change；〃　Egbert　said　on　the
third　morning。　〃Methinks　that　there　is　a　storm　brewing；　and
if　this　be　so　the　Northmen　may　well　get　separated；　and　we
may　pick　up　one　away　from　her　fellows。〃

Darker　and　darker　grew　the　sky；　and　the　wind　soon　blew
in　furious　gusts；　raising　a　sea　so　heavy　that　the　Saxons　were
obliged　to　lay　in　their　oars。　By　nightfall　it　was　blowing　a
furious　gale。　In　the　gathering　darkness　and　the　flying　scud
the　ships　of　the　Danes　were　lost　sight　of；　but　this　was　of　little
consequence　now；　for　the　attention　of　the　Saxons　was　directed
to　their　own　safety。

For　the　next　three　days　their　position　was　one　of　the
greatest　danger。　With　only　a　rag　of　sail　set　they　ran　before
the　gale　from　the　south…west。　Every　wave　as　it　overtook　them
threatened　the　destruction　of　the　ship；　but　the　Dragon；　light
and　buoyant；　and　ably　handled；　rode　safely　over　the　waves。
On　the　fourth　morning　the　wind　was　still　blowing　fiercely；
although　its　force　had　in　some　degree　moderated。　As　the
daylight　dawned　Edmund　and　Egbert；　who　had　hardly　left
the　poop　since　the　storm　began；　looked　anxiously　ahead。

〃Surely；　Edmund；　I　see　a　dark　mass　ahead？〃　Egbert　exclaimed。

For　a　minute　or　two　Edmund　gazed　silently　ahead。

〃It　is　so；　Egbert；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　a　rocky　coast。　Do　you　not
see　a　white　fringe　below　where　the　waves　strike　against　it？〃

As　the　light　became　clearer　the　imminence　of　their　peril
grew　more　distinct。　A　lofty　iron…bound　coast　rose　in　front　of
them；　and　extended　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach　on　either
hand。　The　seas　broke　with　terrible　force　against　its　base；
sending　its　spray　far　up　on　the　cliffs。

〃Could　we　bring　her　about？〃　Edmund　asked　the　chief　of
the　sailors。

〃It　would　be　useless；〃　the　man　said。　〃She　could　not　make
her　way　in　the　teeth　of　this　gale。〃

〃That　I　see；〃　Edmund　said；　〃but　at　present　we　are　rushing
on　to　destruction。　If　we　bring　her　to　the　wind　we　may
run　some　distance　along　the　coast　before　we　are　driven　ashore；
and　may　perceive　some　spot　towards　which　we　may　direct
her　with　a　chance　of　making　land　ere　she　goes　to　pieces。〃

The　sail　was　still　further　lessened　and　the　ship's　head
brought　round　parallel　with　the　coast。

The　Dragon　laboured　tremendously　as　the　sea　struck　her
full　on　the　beam；　and　every　wave　flooded　her　low　waist。　Each
sea　which　struck　her　lifted　her　bodily　to　leeward；　and　for
every　foot　she　sailed　forward　she　was　driven　one　towards　the
coast。　This　was　now　but　three　miles　distant；　and　another
hour　would　ensure　her　destruction；　for　none　there　hoped
that　the　anchors；　even　should　they　find　bottom；　could　hold
her　for　an　instant　in　the　teeth　of　the　gale。　Every　eye　was
directed　towards　the　shore；　but　no　break　could　be　seen　in　the
wall　of　rock　which　rose　almost　perpendicularly　from　the　water。

〃I　fear　it　is　hopeless；〃　Edmund　said　to　Egbert；　〃the　strongest
swimmer　would　be　dashed　to　pieces　in　an　instant　against
those　rocks。〃

〃He　would　indeed；〃　Egbert　replied。　〃I　wish　now　that　we
had　boldly　engaged　the　four　Danish　ships。　Far　better　would
it　have　been　for　us　to　have　died　fighting　for　England　on　her
decks　than　to　have　perished　here。〃

The　time　passed　slowly。　Every　minute　the　Dragon　was
swept　nearer　and　nearer　towards　the　rocks。

〃She　will　just　make　that　headland；〃　the　master　sailor　said；
〃and　that　is　all。　Once　round　it　we　had　best　turn　her　head　to
the　rocks。　If　the　cliffs　rise　as　here　sheer　from　the　water；　the
moment　she　strikes　will　be　the　last　for　all　of　us；　but　if　the
rocks　are；　as　in　some　places；　piled　high　at　the　foot　of　the
cliffs；　a　few　may　possibly　manage　to　leap　from　her　forecastle
as　she　strikes　and　to　clamber　up。〃

Scarce　a　word　was　spoken　on　board　the　Dragon　as　she
came　abreast　of　the　headland。　It　was　but　a　few　hundred　yards
away。　The　roar　of　the　seas　as　they　struck　its　base　sounded
high　above　the　din　of　the　storm。　Great　sheets　of　foam　were
thrown　up　to　a　vast　hei