Edwy the Fair or the First Chronicle of Aescendune Part 24

The conversation then became desultory and, finally, when the gleemen began the well known _piece de resistance_, the battle of Brunanburgh, Edwy yawned and Redwald looked sleepy, while the old thane actually slept in his huge armchair, and was awakened only by the cessation of the music and singing.

Even in the presence of royalty itself Ella did not suffer the company to disperse before the chaplain had said the customary compline service, after which the guard was doubled at the door, and soon the whole household was buried in sweet and peaceful sleep.

Yet, although they knew it not, they nourished the deadliest foe of their race in the bosom of the family. There was one at least who could not sleep that night who now paced his narrow chamber, now looked forth at the meadows, woods, and hills, sleeping in the summer twilight; now, unchecked, burst into the wildest excitement, and paced his chamber as a wild beast might pace the floor of his cage; now calmed down into a sarcastic smile.

"Yes!" he said in soliloquy, "and here I am at last; here in the halls which should have been his and mine, and shall be mine yet; here! and they know it not; here! and the reward of years of patient endurance is at hand; here! yes, here, in the halls of Aescendune--dreamed of, sighed after, prayed for at the shrine of such G.o.ds as promise vengeance; here, by Woden and Thor; here by Satan's help, if there be a Satan!--here! here! here!"

CHAPTER XVI. NAKED THOUGH LOCKED IN STEEL.

Early in the morning the whole household was astir, and the breakfast alone preceded the preparations for the departure of Edwy and his retinue. Redwald did not appear, and they became uneasy at his prolonged absence, until, sending to his room, they found him suffering from sudden, but severe illness; which, as the leech shortly decided, would absolutely prevent his travelling that day.

It was evident that Edwy was annoyed by this, but it was not until after a long conference with Redwald that he took Ella aside, and pointing out to him the exposed position of the hall, besought his permission to leave a garrison of fifty men under the command of this trusty officer, which would ensure their safety, in case of any sudden attack on the part of Edgar's troops.

"I can hardly feel that I need such protection, my royal master,"

replied Ella; "I dwell among my own people, and am perhaps safer when quite unprotected."

"In that case, may I press my own poor claims?" replied the king. "In case of the worst, I should have Aescendune to fall back upon, a retreat secured by chosen men behind me, where one might halt and turn to bay; again, Redwald's sudden illness necessitates my leaving him to your hospitality."

Thus pressed on every side, Ella felt he could but yield to a request which the speaker had not only the power but the right, as his feudal superior, to enforce; for Ella was not prepared to throw off his allegiance, as most of his neighbours had done, and to make common cause with Edgar. Again, the conversation of the previous night had given him more confidence in Edwy, and more hope of seeing Elfric again, like the returning prodigal, than he had previously had.

Edwy saw this, and continued:

"And it is but a few days hence, ere I propose to return with Elfric-- whom I could indeed put in command of such forces as are necessary to secure you against our mutual foes, when I return southward. Redwald and his troops will hold the place in trust for Elfric, till he arrives."

The last lingering feeling of reluctance was now forcibly banished, and Ella consented to receive Redwald as his guest, with a picked troop of fifty men.

"They shall be the best behaved warriors you have ever seen, my own hus-carles--men who go to ma.s.s every morning, and shrift every week,"

added the deceitful prince; "at least," he added, as he saw the look of incredulity Ella could not suppress, "some of them do, I can't say how many."

In the course of an hour from this conversation, the royal party took its departure, reduced to half its numbers.

Edwy left amidst the regret of all, so amiable had been his manners, so winning his ways.

"I take a son's liberty," said he, as he saluted the venerable cheek of the lady Edith; "but I will bring your other son back with me in a few days."

The road leading over the hill and through the forest had swallowed up the retreating force, when Ella personally superintended the distribution of quarters to the guard of Redwald, many of whom afterwards volunteered to follow him to the harvest field, and displayed uncommon alacrity in carrying the wheat safely to its granaries, saying the rebels should never have the reaping thereof.

There was, however, a kind of gloom over the whole party through that day. The thought that deadly strife impended close at hand weighed upon the spirits of Ella, but they brightened again at the renewed hope of meeting his prodigal, and he now hoped repentant, son in peace.

Meanwhile, very different scenes were on the point of being enacted only twice ten miles from the spot.

The main body of the army left its quarters on the right bank of the Avon, at the same hour in which Edwy left Aescendune to join them on their march and they proceeded in safety all through the morning. At midday they lay down to feed and to rest, and while thus resigning themselves to repose, with the guards posted carefully around, the sound of cavalry was heard in the distance, and shortly the royal party appeared. Elfric was alert to receive them, but could not conceal his surprise when he saw their diminished numbers, and perceived the absence of Redwald.

Edwy saw his look of embarra.s.sment, and hastened to reply to the question it conveyed.

"They are left at Aescendune, fifty under the command of Redwald, to fortify the house until we return. You must go home this time, and you need not fear, for I have been a very saint at Aescendune, and they are expecting Dunstan will speedily return and canonise me. Elfric, I have used my sanct.i.ty for your advantage, since I have represented you as sharing it at least in some degree."

"I fear me, my father is too wise to be so easily deceived."

"Nothing of the kind; he really seemed to believe in it; at all events, I have promised you shall return with me."

"Did they really seem to wish to see me?"

"They did really, especially your brother Alfred."

Elfric started as if an arrow had struck him.

"Alfred. Alfred!" he said.

"Yes, why not Alfred?"

"And you saw him alive and well?"

"To be sure, why not? Did you think he was dead."

Elfric became confused, and muttered some incoherent answer, but he rejoiced in his very heart; he felt as if a mountain were removed from him, and a sweet longing for home, such as he had not felt since a certain Good Friday, sprang up in his mind, so strongly that he would have gone then and there, had circ.u.mstances permitted.

Alas, poor boy! his wish was not thus easily to be gratified: he had sinned very deeply--his penance had yet to be accomplished; well has the poet written:

"_Facilis descensus Averno . . . . Sed retrograre gradum, superasque evadere ad auras, Hoc opus--hic labor est._" [xxvii]

The midday halt concluded, the troops resumed their march for Alcester, where they hoped to arrive about nightfall, and to surprise Edgar and his few followers. All that afternoon they proceeded through a dense woodland country; and the evening was setting in upon them, when suddenly the scouts in front came galloping back, and gave the startling information that entrenchments were thrown up across their path, and that a large force was evidently entrenched behind.

At first Edwy could scarcely believe the report; but Cynewulf, the experienced commander upon whom, as we have said, the real command of the force devolved, rode forward, and soon returned, having previously ordered a general halt, and that entrenchments should be thrown up for their own protection during the night.

"Ealdorman," said Edwy, impatiently, "why throw up entrenchments? can we not carry theirs by storm? we are all ready, are we not, for a valiant charge?"

"Nay, my lord, we are but ill prepared," was the reply, "for such desperate measures. I am not certain they do not outnumber us; even so, we probably excel them in discipline and skill, and have every chance of victory tomorrow, which we should lose by fighting in the dark."

So Edwy, who did not lack personal courage, and would gladly have ended the short raid then and there, was forced to be governed by wiser heads, and accordingly the bivouacs were made, the fires lighted, and the royal tent pitched upon the slope of a gentle valley, which descended to a brook in the bottom, where the ground rose similarly on the other side, and was crowned by the hostile entrenchment, behind which rose the smoke of the enemy's fires. The heads of numerous soldiers, seen over the mound, showed how well they were prepared.

The entrenchment was dug, the mound thrown up, the sentinels posted, and all in so short a s.p.a.ce of time that to the uninitiated in the art of war, it would have seemed little short of miraculous; but the discipline of the Danes, who owed their success generally to the skill with which they fortified their camps, had been partially inherited by their adversaries, and the hus-carles were not even all English: there were many Danes amongst them.

The suppers were soon cooked and eaten, the wine circulated freely, and patriotic songs began to be heard: but there was one who seemed to have no heart for them--Elfric. At the huge fire, which blazed near the royal tent, Edwy sat as master of the feast, and he was in a state of boisterous merriment. But all Elfric's efforts could not hide the depression of his spirits, and Edwy, who loved him sincerely--for the reader has seen that he was quite capable of love--tried to rouse him from it, anxious that no one should suspect the courage of his favourite.

Once or twice Elfric seemed to make great efforts to overcome this feeling of depression, and partially succeeded in veiling it from all but the observant young king.

At last the feast was over.

"My friends," said the king, "we must be stirring early in the morning, so we will now disperse for the night."

They drank a parting cup, then separated, while the king took Elfric's arm and led him aside.

"Elfric," said he, "did I not know my friend and most faithful follower, I should suspect that he feared the morrow's conflict."

"I cannot help it," said Elfric; "perhaps I do fear it, yet, had I but my father's forgiveness, could I but see him once more, I could laugh at the danger. It is not pain or death I fear, but I long to be where you have been, I would I had gone with you now."