the dragon and the raven-第4章

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do　the　serfs；　only　they　receive　a　somewhat　larger　guerdon
for　their　toil；　but　had　the　two　races　mixed　more　closely
together；　had　serfdom　been　abolished　and　all　men　been　free
and　capable　of　bearing　arms；　we　should　have　been　able　to
show　a　far　better　front　to　the　Danes；　seeing　that　the　serfs　are
as　three　to　one　to　the　freemen。〃

〃But　the　serfs　are　cowardly　and　spiritless；〃　Edmund　said；
〃they　are　not　of　a　fighting　race；　and　fell　almost　without
resistance　before　our　ancestors　when　they　landed　here。〃

〃Their　race　is　no　doubt　inferior　to　our　own；　Edmund；〃
his　father　said；　〃seeing　that　they　are　neither　so　tall　nor　so
strong　as　we　Saxons；　but　of　old　they　were　not　deficient　in
bravery；　for　they　fought　as　stoutly　against　the　Romans　as　did
our　own　hardy　ancestors。　After　having　been　for　hundreds　of
years　subject　to　the　Roman　yoke；　and　having　no　occasion　to
use　arms；　they　lost　their　manly　virtues；　and　when　the　Romans
left　them　were　an　easy　prey　for　the　first　comer。　Our
fathers　could　not　foresee　that　the　time　would　come　when
they　too　in　turn　would　be　invaded。　Had　they　done　so；
methinks　they　would　not　have　set　up　so　broad　a　line　of
separation　between　themselves　and　the　Britons；　but　would　have
admitted　the　latter　to　the　rights　of　citizenship；　in　which　case
intermarriage　would　have　taken　place　freely；　and　the　whole
people　would　have　become　amalgamated。　The　Britons；　accustomed
to　our　free　institutions；　and　taking　part　in　the　wars
between　the　various　Saxon　kingdoms；　would　have　recovered
their　warlike　virtues；　and　it　would　be　as　one　people　that　we
should　resist　the　Danes。　As　it　is；　the　serfs；　who　form　by　far
the　largest　part　of　the　population；　are　apathetic　and　cowardly；
they　view　the　struggle　with　indifference；　for　what　signifies
to　them　whether　Dane　or　Saxon　conquer；　they　have　no
interest　in　the　struggle；　nothing　to　lose　or　to　gain；
it　is　but　a　change　of　masters。〃

Edmund　was　silent；　The　very　possibility　of　a　state　of
things　in　which　there　should　be　no　serfs；　and　when　all　men
should　be　free　and　equal；　had　never　occurred　to　him；　but　he
had　a　deep　respect　for　his　father；　who　bore　indeed　the
reputation　of　being　one　of　the　wisest　and　most　clear…headed　of
the　nobles　of　East　Anglia；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　this
strange　and　novel　doctrine　contained　much　truth　in　it。　Still
the　idea　was　as　strange　to　him　as　it　would　have　been　to　the
son　of　a　southern　planter　in　America　half　a　century　ago。　The
existence　of　slaves　seemed　as　much　a　matter　of　course　as　that
of　horses　or　dogs；　and　although　he　had　been　accustomed　to
see　from　time　to　time　freedom　bestowed　upon　some　favourite
serf　as　a　special　reward　for　services；　the　thought　of　a　general
liberation　of　the　slaves　was　strange　and　almost　bewildering；
and　he　lay　awake　puzzling　over　the　problem　long　after　his
father　and　kinsman　had　fallen　asleep。





CHAPTER　II：　THE　BATTLE　OF　KESTEVEN



The　following　morning　early　the　little　party　started。
The　great　chest　was　dug　up　from　its　place　of　concealment；
and　they　resumed　their　ordinary　dresses。　The　ealdorman
attired　himself　in　a　white　tunic　with　a　broad　purple
band　round　the　lower　edge；　with　a　short　cloak　of　green　cloth。
This　was　fastened　with　a　gold　brooch　at　the　neck；　a　necklet
of　the　same　metal　and　several　gold　bracelets　completed　his
costume；　except　that　he　wore　a　flat　cap　and　sandals。　Edmund
had　a　green　tunic　and　cloak　of　deep　red　colour；　while　Egbert
was　dressed　in　yellow　with　a　green　cloakthe　Saxons　being
extremely　fond　of　bright　colours。

All　wore　daggers；　whose　sheaths　were　incrusted　in　silver；
in　their　belts；　and　the　ealdorman　and　his　kinsman　carried
short　broad…bladed　swords；　while　Edmund　had　his　boar…spear。
Eldred　placed　in　the　pouch　which　hung　at　his　side　a
bag　containing　a　number　of　silver　cubes　cut　from　a　long　bar
and　roughly　stamped。　The　chest　was　then　buried　again　in　its
place　of　concealment　among　the　bushes　near　the　hut；
Edmund　placed　his　bows　and　arrows　in　the　boatnot　that　in
which　Edmund　had　fished；　but　the　much　larger　and　heavier
craft　which　Eldred　and　Egbert　had　usedand　then　the　party；
with　the　hound；　took　their　places　in　it。　The　ealdorman　and
Egbert　were　provided　with　long　poles；　and　with　these　they
sent　the　little　boat　rapidly　through　the　water。

After　poling　their　way　for　some　eight　hours　they　reached
the　town　of　Norwich；　to　which　the　Danes　had　not　yet　penetrated；
here；　procuring　what　articles　they　needed；　they　proceeded　on
their　journey　to　Croyland；　making　a　great　circuit
to　avoid　the　Danes　at　Thetford。　The　country　was　for　the
most　part　covered　with　thick　forests；　where　the　wild　boar
and　deer　roamed　undisturbed　by　man；　and　where　many　wolves
still　lurked；　although　the　number　in　the　country　had　been
greatly　diminished　by　the　energetic　measures　which　King
Egbert　had　taken　for　the　destruction　of　these　beasts。　Their
halting…places　were　for　the　most　part　at　religious　houses；　which
then　served　the　purpose　of　inns　for　travellers；　being　freely
opened　to　those　whom　necessity　or　pleasure　might　cause　to
journey。　Everywhere　they　found　the　monks　in　a　state　of　alarm
at　the　progress　of　the　Danes；　who；　wherever　they　went；
destroyed　the　churches　and　religious　houses；　and　slew
the　monks。

Eldred　was　everywhere　received　with　marked　honour；
being　known　as　a　wise　and　valiant　noble；　his　opinions　on　the
chances　of　the　situation　were　eagerly　listened　to；　and　he　found
the　monks　at　all　their　halting…places　prepared；　if　need　be；　to
take　up　arms　and　fight　the　pagan　invaders；　as　those　of　Mercia
and　Wessex　had　done　in　the　preceding　autumn。　The　travellers；
on　arriving　at　Croyland；　were　warmly　welcomed。

〃I　heard；　brother；〃　the　abbot　said；　〃that　you　had　bravely
fought　against　the　Danes　near　Thetford；　and　have　been　sorely
anxious　since　the　news　came　of　the　dispersal　of　your　force。〃

〃I　have　been　in　hiding；〃　Eldred　said；　〃hoping　that　a　general
effort　would　be　made　against　the　invaders。　My　own　power
was　broken；　since　all　my　lands　are　in　their　hands。　The　people
of　East　Anglia　foolishly　seem　to　suppose　that；　so　long　as　the
Danes　remain　quiet；　the　time　has　not　come　for　action。　They
will　repent　their　lethargy　some　day；　for；　as　the　Danes　gather
in　strength；　they　will　burst　out　over　the　surrounding　country
as　a　dammed…up　river　breaks　its　banks。　No；　brother；　I　regard
East　Anglia　as　lost　so　far　as　depends　upon　itself；　its　only　hope
is　in　the　men　of　Kent　and　Wessex；　whom　we　must　now　look
upon　as　our　champions；　and　who　may　yet　stem　the　tide　of
invasion　and　drive　back　the　Danes。　This　abbey　of　yours　stands
in　a　perilous　position；　being　not　far　removed　from　the
Humber；　where　so　many　of　the　Danes　find　entrance　to
England。〃

〃It　is　not　without　danger；　Eldred；　but　the　men　of　the
fens　are　numerous；　hardy　and　brave；　and　will　offer　a　tough
resistance　to　any　who　may　venture　to　march　hitherward；　and
if；　as　I　hope；　you　will　stay　with　us；　and　will　undertake　their
command；　we　may　yet　for　a　long　time　keep　the　Danes　from
our　doors。〃

For　some　weeks　the　time　passed　quietly。　Edmund　spent
most　of　his　time　in　hunting；　being　generally　accompanied　by
Egbert。　The　Saxon　was　an　exceedingly　tall　and　powerful
man；　slow　and　scanty　of　speech；　who　had　earned　for　himself
the　title　of　Egbert　the　Silent。　He　was　devoted　to　his　kinsmen
and　regarded　himself　as　special　guardian　of　Edmund。　He
had　instructed　him　in　the　use　of　arms；　and　always　accompanied
him　when　he　went　out　to　hunt　the　boar；　standing　ever
by　his　side　to　aid　him　to　receive　the　rush　of　the　wounded　and
furious　beasts；　and　more　than　once；　when　Edmund　had　been
borne　down　by　their　onslaughts；　and　would　have　been　severely
wounded；　if　not　killed；　a　sweeping　blow　of　Egbert's
sword　had　rid　him　of　his　assailant。

Sometimes　Edmund　made　excursions　in　the　fens；　where
with　nets　and　snares　he　caught　the　fish　which　swarmed　in
the　sluggish　waters；　or；　having　covered　his　boat　with　a　leafy
bower　until　it　resembled　a　floating　bush；　drifted　close　to　the
flocks　of　wild…fowl；　and　with　his　bow　and　arrows　obtained
many　a　plump　wild　duck。　Smaller　birds　were　caught　in　snares
or　traps；　or　with　bird…lime　smeared　on　twigs。　Eldred　seldom
joined　his　son　in　his　hunting　excursions；　as　he　was　busied
with　his　brother　the　abbot　in　concerting　the