the dragon and the raven-第51章

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have　men　on　board　his　ship　who　have　sailed　in　these　seas
before；　and　will　not　need　to　grope　his　way　along　as　we　have
done。　If　he　enters　the　straits　at　night　we　shall　see　nothing　of
him；　and　the　current　runs　so　fast　that　he　would　sweep　speedily
by。　It　is　possible；　indeed；　that　he　has　already　passed。　If　he
continued　to　row　down　the　shores　of　France　all　the　time　we
were　lying　wind…bound　he　would　have　had　so　long　a　start　when
the　east　wind　began　to　blow；　that；　although　the　galleys　carry
but　little　sail；　they　might　well　have　been　here　some　days
before　us。　Sweyn　would　be　anxious　to　join　Hasting　as　soon　as
he　could。　The　men　would　be　thirsting　for　booty；　and　would
make　but　short　halt　anywhere。　I　will　stay　but　a　week。　If　in
that　time　they　come　not　we　will　enter　this　southern　sea　and
seek　the　fleet　of　Hasting。　When　we　find　that　we　shall　find
Sweyn；　but　I　fear　that　the　search　will　be　a　long　one；　for　these
people　speak　not　our　tongue；　and　we　shall　have　hard　work　in
gaining　tidings　of　the　whereabouts　of　the　Northmen's　fleet。〃

Day　and　night　a　vigilant　watch　was　kept　up　from　the
mast…head　of　the　Dragon；　but　without　success。　Each　day　they
became　more　and　more　convinced　that　Sweyn　must　be　ahead
of　them；　and　on　the　morning　of　the　seventh　they　lifted　their
anchor　and　proceeded　through　the　straits。　Many　had　been
the　consultations　between　Edmund　and　his　friends；　and　it
had　been　determined　at　last　to　sail　direct　for　Rome。　Siegbert
knew　that　by　sailing　somewhat　to　the　north　of　east；　after
issuing　from　the　passage；　they　would　in　time　arrive　at　Italy。

At　Rome　there　was　a　monastery　of　Saxon　monks；　and
through　them　they　would　be　able　to　obtain　full　information
as　to　the　doings　and　whereabouts　of　the　squadron　of　Hasting。
Scarcely　were　they　through　the　straits　than　the　wind；
veering　to　the　south…east；　prevented　them　from　making　the
course　they　had　fixed　upon；　but　they　were　able　to　coast　along
by　the　shore　of　Spain。　They　put　into　several　small　ports　as
they　cruised　up；　but　could　obtain　no　intelligence　of　the　Danes；
being　unable　to　converse　except　by　signs。

When　they　reached　Marseilles　they　were　pleased　to　meet
with　Franks；　with　whom　they　could　converse；　and　hired　a
pilot　acquainted　with　the　coasts　of　the　Mediterranean。　They
learned　that　Hasting　and　his　fleet　had　harried　the　coasts　of
Provence　and　Italy；　that　the　Genoese　galleys　had　had　several
engagements　with　them；　but　had　been　worsted。

The　Danish　fleet　was　now　off　the　coast　of　Sicily；　and
the　Northmen　were　ravaging　that　rich　and　fertile　island。
They　were　reported　to　have　even　threatened　to　ascend　the　Tiber
and　to　burn　Rome。　Having　obtained　the　services　of　a　man
who　spoke　both　the　Italian　and　Frankish　tongues；　Edmund
started　again。　He　first　went　to　Genoa；　as　he　thought　that　the
people　there　might　be　despatching　another　fleet　against　the
Northmen　in　which　case　he　would　have　joined　himself　to
them。　On　his　arrival　there　he　was　well　entertained　by　the
Genoese　when　they　learned；　through　the　interpreter；　who
they　were；　and　that　they　had　come　from　England　as　enemies
of　the　Danes。

Edmund　and　his　Saxons　were　much　surprised　at　the
splendour　of　Genoa；　which　immensely　surpassed　anything
they　had　hitherto　seen　in　the　magnificence　of　its　buildings；
the　dress　and　appearance　of　its　inhabitants；　the　variety　of
the　goods　displayed　by　the　traders；　and　the　wealth　and　luxury
which　distinguished　it。　It　was　indeed　their　first　sight　of
civilization；　and　Edmund　felt　how　vastly　behind　was　Northern
Europe；　and　understood　for　the　first　time　Alfred's　extreme
eagerness　to　raise　the　condition　of　his　people。　On　the　other
hand；　the　Genoese　were　surprised　at　the　dress　and　appearance
of　the　Saxons。

The　crew　of　the　Dragon　were　picked　men；　and　their
strength　and　stature；　the　width　of　their　shoulders；　and　the
muscles　of　their　arms；　and；　above　all；　their　fair　hair　and　blue
eyes；　greatly　astonished　the　Genoese。　Edmund　and　his　companions
might　have　remained　in　Genoa　and　received　entertainment
and　hospitality　from　its　people　for　a　long　time；　but
after　a　stay　of　a　day　or　two；　and　having　obtained　the　various
stores　necessary　for　their　voyage；　Edmund　determined　to
proceed。　Three　of　the　young　Genoese　nobles；　fired　by　the
story　which　they　heard　of　the　adventures　which　the　Dragon
had　gone　through；　and　desirous　of　taking　part　in　any　action
which　she　might　fight　against　the　Danes；　begged　leave　to
accompany　them。

Edmund　gladly　acceded　to　the　request；　as　their　presence
would　be　of　great　utility　in　other　ports　at　which　the
Dragon　might　touch。　At　Genoa　Edmund　procured　garments
for　his　men　similar　to　those　worn　by　the　Italian　soldiers　and
sailors；　and　here　he　sold　to　the　gold　and　silversmiths　a　large
number　of　articles　of　value　which　they　had　captured　from
the　Danes；　or　with　which　the　Count　Eudes　and　the　people　of
Paris　had　presented　them。

The　Dragon　differed　but　little　in　appearance　from　the
galleys　of　the　Genoese；　and　Edmund　determined　when　he
approached　the　shores　where　the　Northmen　were　plundering
to　pass　as　a　Genoese　ship；　for　should　the　news　come　to
Sweyn's　ears　that　a　Saxon　galley　was　in　the　Mediterranean　it
might　put　him　on　his　guard；　as　he　would　believe　that　she　was
specially　in　pursuit　of　his　own　vessel。

On　arriving　at　the　mouth　of　the　Tiber　the　Dragon　ascended
the　river　and　anchored　under　the　walls　of　the　imperial　city。
The　Genoese　nobles　had　many　friends　and　relations　there；
and　Edmund；　Egbert；　and　Siegbert　were　at　once　installed　as
guests　in　a　stately　palace。

The　pope；　upon　hearing　that　the　strange　galley　which
had　anchored　in　the　river　was　a　Saxon；　sent　an　invitation　to
its　commander　to　visit　him；　and　Edmund　and　his　kinsman
were　taken　by　their　Italian　friends　to　his　presence。　The　pope
received　them　most　graciously；　and　after　inquiring　after　King
Alfred　and　the　state　of　things　in　England；　asked　how　it　was
that　a　Saxon　ship　had　made　so　long　a　voyage。

Edmund　explained　that　he　was　in　search　of　a　Danish
damsel　who　had　once　shown　him　great　kindness；　and　who
had　been　carried　off　from　her　father　by　one　of　the　vikings　of
Hasting's　fleet。　When　he　said　that　they　had　taken　part　in　the
defence　of　Paris　the　holy　father　told　him　that　he　now　recognized
his　name；　for　that　a　full　account　of　the　siege　had　been
sent　to　him　by　one　of　the　monks　there；　and　that　he　had　spoken
much　of　the　valour　of　a　Saxon　captain　and　the　crew　of
his　galley；　to　whom　indeed　their　successful　resistance　to　the
Northmen　was　in　no　slight　degree　due。

〃Would　I　could　aid　you；　my　son；　in　your　enterprise　against
these　northern　pirates。　The　depredations　which　they　are
committing　on　the　shores　of　Italy　are　terrible　indeed；　and　we
are　powerless　to　resist　them；　they　have　even　threatened　to
ascend　the　Tiber　and　attack　Rome；　and　though　I　trust　that
we　might　resist　their　attacks；　yet　rather　than　such　misfortune
as　a　siege　should　fall　upon　my　people　I　have　paid　a　large　sum
of　money　to　the　leader　of　the　Northmen　to　abstain　from　coming
hither；　but　I　know　that　the　greed　of　these　pirates　does
but　increase　with　their　gains；　and　that　ere　long　we　may　see
their　pagan　banner　floated　before　our　walls。　A　few　galleys　I
could　man　and　place　under　your　orders；　but　in　truth　the
people　of　this　town　are　not　skilled　in　naval　fighting。　I　have
already　endeavoured　to　unite　the　states　of　Genoa；　Pisa；　and
Venice　against　them；　for　it　is　only　by　common　effort　that　we
can　hope　to　overwhelm　these　wolves　of　the　sea。〃

Edmund　expressed　his　thanks　to　the　pope　for　his　offer；
but　said　that　he　would　rather　proceed　with　the　Dragon　alone。

〃She　is　to　the　full　as　swift　as　the　Northmen's　vessels；〃　he
said；　〃and　although　I　would　right　gladly　join　any　great　fleet
which　might　be　assembled　for　an　attack　upon　them；　I　would
rather　proceed　alone　than　with　a　few　other　ships。　Not　being
strong　enough　to　attack　their　whole　armament　I　must　depend
upon　stratagem　to　capture　the　galley　of　which　I　am
specially　in　pursuit；　and　will　with　your　permission　set　out　as
soon　as　I　have　transformed　my　ship　so　that　she　will　pass　muster
as　a　galley　of　Genoa　or　Venice。〃

The　holy　father　gave　orders　that　every　assistance　should
be　afforded　to　Edmund　to　carry　out　his　designs；　and　the　next
morning　a　large　number　o