the dragon and the raven-第2章

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It　was　some　minutes　after　he　reached　the　edge　of　the
swamp　before　the　boy　could　hear　the　sounds　which　the　quick
ears　of　the　hound　had　detected。　Then　he　heard　a　faint　splashing
noise；　and　a　minute　or　two　later　two　figures　were　seen　wading
through　the　water。

〃Welcome　back；　father；〃　the　lad　cried。　〃I　was　beginning
to　be　anxious　about　you；　for　here　we　are　at　the　end　of　the
fourth　day。〃

〃I　did　not　name　any　hour；　Edmund；〃　the　boy's　father
said；　as　he　stepped　from　the　water；　〃but　I　own　that　I　did　not
reckon　upon　being　so　late；　but　in　truth　Egbert　and　I　missed
our　way　in　the　windings　of　these　swamps；　and　should　not
have　been　back　to…night　had　we　not　luckily　fallen　upon　a　man
fishing；　who　was　able　to　put　us　right。　You　have　got　some
supper；　I　hope；　for　Egbert　and　I　are　as　hungry　as　wolves；　for
we　have　had　nothing　since　we　started　before　sunrise。〃

〃I　have　plenty　to　eat；　father；　but　you　will　have　to　wait　till
it　is　cooked；　for　it　was　no　use　putting　it　over　the　fire　until　I
knew　that　you　would　return；　but　there　is　a　good　fire；　and　you
will　not　have　to　wait　long。　And　how　has　it　fared　with　you；
and　what　is　the　news？〃

〃The　news　is　bad；　Edmund。　The　Danes　are　ever　receiving
reinforcements　from　Mercia；　and　scarce　a　day　passes　but
fresh　bands　arrive　at　Thetford；　and　I　fear　that　ere　long　East
Anglia；　like　Northumbria；　will　fall　into　their　clutches。　Nay；
unless　we　soon　make　head　against　them　they　will　come　to
occupy　all　the　island；　just　as　did　our　forefathers。〃

〃That　were　shame　indeed；〃　Edmund　exclaimed。　〃We
know　that　the　people　conquered　by　our　ancestors　were
unwarlike　and　cowardly；　but　it　would　be　shame　indeed　were
we　Saxons　so　to　be　overcome　by　the　Danes；　seeing　moreover
that　we　have　the　help　of　God；　being　Christians；　while　the
Danes　are　pagans　and　idolaters。〃

〃Nevertheless；　my　son；　for　the　last　five　years　these　heathen
have　been　masters　of　Northumbria；　have　wasted　the
whole　country；　and　have　plundered　and　destroyed　the
churches　and　monasteries。　At　present　they　have　but　made　a
beginning　here　in　East　Anglia；　but　if　they　continue　to　flock
in　they　will　soon　overrun　the　whole　country；　instead　of　having；
as　at　present；　a　mere　foothold　near　the　rivers　except　for
those　who　have　come　down　to　Thetford。　We　have　been　among
the　first　sufferers；　seeing　that　our　lands　lie　round　Thetford；
and　hitherto　I　have　hoped　that　there　would　be　a　general　rising
against　these　invaders；　but　the　king　is　indolent　and　unwarlike；
and　I　see　that　he　will　not　arouse　himself　and　call
his　ealdormen　and　thanes　together　for　a　united　effort　until　it
is　too　late。　Already　from　the　north　the　Danes　are　flocking
down　into　Mercia；　and　although　the　advent　of　the　West　Saxons
to　the　aid　of　the　King　of　Mercia　forced　them　to　retreat
for　a　while；　I　doubt　not　that　they　will　soon　pour　down　again。〃

〃'Tis　a　pity；　father；　that　the　Saxons　are　not　all　under　one
leading；　then　we　might　surely　defend　England　against　the
Danes。　If　the　people　did　but　rise　and　fall　upon　each　band　of
Northmen　as　they　arrived　they　would　get　no　footing　among　us。〃

〃Yes；〃　the　father　replied；　〃it　is　the　unhappy　divisions
between　the　Saxon　kingdoms　which　have　enabled　the　Danes
to　get　so　firm　a　footing　in　the　land。　Our　only　hope　now　lies
in　the　West　Saxons。　Until　lately　they　were　at　feud　with　Mercia；
but　the　royal　families　are　now　related　by　marriage；　seeing
that　the　King　of　Mercia　is　wedded　to　a　West　Saxon　princess；
and　that　Alfred；　the　West　Saxon　king's　brother　and　heir　to
the　throne；　has　lately　espoused　one　of　the　royal　blood　of
Mercia。　The　fact　that　they　marched　at　the　call　of　the　King　of
Mercia　and　drove　the　Danes　from　Nottingham　shows　that
the　West　Saxon　princes　are　alive　to　the　common　danger　of
the　country；　and　if　they　are　but　joined　heartily　by　our　people
of　East　Anglia　and　the　Mercians；　they　may　yet　succeed　in
checking　the　progress　of　these　heathen。　And　now；　Edmund；
as　we　see　no　hope　of　any　general　effort　to　drive　the　Danes
off　our　coasts；　'tis　useless　for　us　to　lurk　here　longer。
I　propose　to…morrow；　then；　to　journey　north　into　Lincolnshire；
to　the　Abbey　of　Croyland；　where；　as　you　know；　my　brother
Theodore　is　the　abbot；　there　we　can　rest　in　peace　for　a　time；
and　watch　the　progress　of　events。　If　we　hear　that　the　people
of　these　parts　are　aroused　from　their　lethargy；　we　will　come
back　and　fight　for　our　home　and　lands；　if　not；　I　will　no　longer
stay　in　East　Anglia；　which　I　see　is　destined　to　fall　piecemeal
into　the　hands　of　the　Danes；　but　we　will　journey　down　to
Somerset；　and　I　will　pray　King　Ethelbert　to　assign　me　lands
there；　and　to　take　me　as　his　thane。〃

While　they　had　been　thus　talking　Egbert　had　been　broiling
the　eels　and　wild　ducks　over　the　fire。　He　was　a　freeman；
and　a　distant　relation　of　Edmund's　father；　Eldred；　who　was
an　ealdorman　in　West　Norfolk；　his　lands　lying　beyond
Thetford；　and　upon　whom；　therefore；　the　first　brunt　of　the
Danish　invasion　from　Mercia　had　fallen。　He　had　made　a
stout　resistance；　and　assembling　his　people　had　given　battle
to　the　invaders。　These；　however；　were　too　strong　and　numerous；
and　his　force　having　been　scattered　and　dispersed；　he
had　sought　refuge　with　Egbert　and　his　son　in　the　fen　country。
Here　he　had　remained　for　two　months　in　hopes　that　some
general　effort　would　be　made　to　drive　back　the　Danes；　but
being　now　convinced　that　at　present　the　Angles　were　too
disunited　to　join　in　a　common　effort；　he　determined　to
retire　for　a　while　from　the　scene。

〃I　suppose；　father；〃　Edmund　said；　〃you　will　leave　your
treasures　buried　here？〃

〃Yes；〃　his　father　replied；　〃we　have　no　means　of　transporting
them；　and　we　can　at　ally　time　return　and　fetch　them。
We　must　dig　up　the　big　chest　and　take　such　garments　as　we
may　need；　and　the　personal　ornaments　of　our　rank；　but　the
rest；　with　the　gold　and　silver　vessels；　can　remain　here　till　we
need　them。〃

Gold　and　silver　vessels　seem　little　in　accordance　with
the　primitive　mode　of　life　prevailing　in　the　ninth　century。
The　Saxon　civilization　was　indeed　a　mixed　one。　Their　mode
of　life　was　primitive；　their　dwellings；　with　the　exception　of
the　religious　houses　and　the　abodes　of　a　few　of　the　great
nobles；　simple　in　the　extreme；　but　they　possessed　vessels　of
gold　and　silver；　armlets；　necklaces；　and　ornaments　of　the　same
metals；　rich　and　brightly　coloured　dresses；　and　elaborate　bed
furniture　while　their　tables　and　household　utensils　were　of
the　roughest　kind；　and　their　floors　strewn　with　rushes。　When
they　invaded　and　conquered　England　they　found　existing　the
civilization　introduced　by　the　Romans；　which　was　far　in　advance
of　their　own；　much　of　this　they　adopted。　The　introduction　of
Christianity　further　advanced　them　in　the　scale。

The　prelates　and　monks　from　Rome　brought　with　them
a　high　degree　of　civilization；　and　this　to　no　small　extent　the
Saxons　imitated　and　borrowed。　The　church　was　held　in　much
honour；　great　wealth　and　possessions　were　bestowed　upon　it；
and　the　bishops　and　abbots　possessed　large　temporal　as　well
as　spiritual　power；　and　bore　a　prominent　part　in　the　councils
of　the　kingdoms。　But　even　in　the　handsome　and　well…built
monasteries；　with　their　stately　services　and　handsome　vestments；
learning　was　at　the　lowest　ebbso　low；　indeed；　that
when　Prince　Alfred　desired　to　learn　Latin　he　could　find　no
one　in　his　father's　dominions　capable　of　teaching　him；　and
his　studies　were　for　a　long　time　hindered　for　want　of　an
instructor；　and　at　the　time　he　ascended　the　throne　he　was
probably　the　only　Englishman　outside　a　monastery　who　was　able
to　read　and　write　fluently。

〃Tell　me；　father；〃　Edmund　said　after　the　meal　was　concluded；
〃about　the　West　Saxons；　since　it　is　to　them；　as　it　seems；
that　we　must　look　for　the　protection　of　England　against　the
Danes。　This　Prince　Alfred；　of　whom　I　before　heard　you　speak
in　terms　of　high　praise；　is　the　brother；　is　he　not；　of　the　king？
In　that　case　how　is　it　that　he　does　not　reign　in　Kent；　which　I
thought；　though　joined　to　the　West　Saxon　kingdom；　was　always
ruled　over　by　the　eldest　son　of　the　king。〃

〃Such　has　been　the　rule；　Edmund；　but　seeing　the
troubled　times　when　Ethelbert　came　to　the　throne；　it　was
thought　better　to　unite　the　two　kingdoms　under　one　crown
with　the　understanding　that　at　Ethelbert's　death　Alfred　should
succeed　him。　Their　father；　Ethelwulf；　was　a　weak　king；　and
should　have　been　born　a　churchman　rather　than　a　prince。
He　nominally　reigned　over　Wessex；　Kent；　and　Mercia；　but
the　last　paid　him　but　a　slight　allegiance。　Alfred　was　his
favourite　son；　and　he　sent　him；　when　quite　a　child；　to　Rome
for　a　visit。　In　855　he　himself；　with　a　magnificent　retinue；　and
accompanied　by　Alfred；　visited　Rome；　travelling　through　the
land　of　the　Franks；　and　it　was　there；　doubtless；　that　Alfred
acquired　that　love　of　learning；　and　many　of　those　ideas；　far
in　advance　of　his　people；　which　distinguish　him。　His　mother；
Osburgha；　died　before　he　and　his　father　started　on　the
pilgrimage。　The　king　was　received　with　much　honour　by　the
pope；　to　whom　he　presented　a　gold　crown　of　four　pounds
weight；　ten　dishes　of　the　purest　gold；　a　sword　richly　set　in
gold；　two　gold　images；　some　silver…gilt　urns；　stoles　bordered
with　gold　and　purple；　white　silken　robes　embroidered　with
figures；　and　other　costly　articles　of　clothing　for　the
celebration　of　the　service　of　the　church；　together　with　rich
presents　in　gold　and　silver　to　the　churches；　bishops；　clergy；
and　other　dwellers　in　Rome。　They　say　that　the　people　of　Rome
marvelled　much　at　these　magnificent　gifts　from　a　king　of　a
country　which　they　had　considered　as　barbarous。　On　his　way
back　he　married　Judith；　daughter　of　the　King　of　the　Franks；
a　foolish　marriage；　for　the　king　was　far　advanced　in　years
and　Judith　was　but　a　girl。

〃Ethelbald；　Ethelwulf's　eldest　son；　had　acted　as　regent
in　his　father's　absence；　and　so　angered　was　he　at　this　marriage
that　he　raised　his　standard　of　revolt　against　his　father。
At　her　marriage　Judith　had　been　crowned　queen；　and　this
was　contrary　to　the　customs　of　the　West　Saxons；　therefore
Ethelbald　was　supported　by　the　people　of　that　country；　on
his　father's　return　to　England；　however；　father　and　son　met；
and　a　division　of　the　kingdom　was　agreed　upon。

〃Ethelbald　received　Wessex；　the　principal　part　of　the
kingdom；　and　Ethelwulf　took　Kent；　which　he　had　already
ruled　over　in　the　time　of　his　father　Egbert。　Ethelwulf　died　a
few　months　afterwards；　leaving　Kent　to　Ethelbert；　his　second
surviving　son。　The　following　year；　to　the　horror　and
indignation　of　the　people　of　the　country；　Ethelbald　married　his
stepmother　Judith；　but　two　years　afterwards　died；　and
Ethelbert；　King　of　Kent；　again　united　Wessex　to　his　own
dominions；　which　consisted　of　Kent；　Surrey；　and　Sussex。
Ethelbert　reigned　but　a　short　time；　and　at　his　death　Ethelred；
his　next　brother；　ascended　the　throne。　Last　year　Alfred；　the
youngest　brother；　married　Elswitha；　the　daughter　of　Ethelred
Mucil；　Earl　of　the　Gaini；　in　Lincolnshire；　whose　mother　was
one　of　the　royal　family　of　Mercia。

〃It　was　but　a　short　time　after　the　marriage　that　the　Danes
poured　into　Mercia　from　the　north。　Messengers　were　sent　to
ask　the　assistance　of　the　West　Saxons。　These　at　once　obeyed
the　summons；　and；　joining　the　Mercians；　marched　against
the　Danes；　who　shut　themselves　up　in　the　strong　city