CHAPTER XIII. A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAD.
How shall I tell what it was like when the bishop, standing aloft at thehead of the abbey steps with all the monks round him, gave into myhands, as I knelt, his standard to bear at the head of his men?
Very early in the morning it was, and all the roofs were golden inbright sunlight, and the men, drawn up in a hollow square fronting theabbey, were silent and attentive as mass was sung in the great church,so that the sound of the chanting came out to them through the opendoors. And when the sacring [xi] bell rang, as though awave went along the ranks, all knelt, and there was a clash and ring ofsteel, and then silence for a space, very wonderful.
Then came out, when mass was said, bishop, and thanes, and monks, andthere gave me the banner, Wulfhere and Wislac kneeling on either side ofme, and behind us those six stout housecarles whom the bishop had chosenand armed for me. So the banner was given and blessed, and I rose up,grasping the golden-hafted cross from which it hung, and lifted it thatall might see.
Then was a great shout from all the men, and swords were drawn andbrandished on every side, and, without need of command, all the Dorsethost swore to follow it even to the death. And that was good to hear.
But as for me, my thoughts were more than I may write, but it seems tome that they were as those of Saint George when he rode out to slay thedragon in the old days, so great were they.
After that a little wait, and then the horses; and the bishop mounted agreat bay charger, managing him as a master. And to me was brought mywhite horse by the collier, looking a grim fighting man enough in hisarms, and to Wulfhere and Wislac black and gray steeds given by Ealhstanhimself.
Now the bishop rode, followed by us, to the centre of the levy, andagain a great shout rose up even mightier than that first, and when itended he spoke to the men as he was wont to speak but even yet morefreely, and then put himself at their head, and so began the march toBrent. And all the town was out to see us go, never doubting of ourvictory, nor thinking of how few might return of all that long line ofsturdy and valiant fighting men.
When we were clear of the town at last, and went, the men singing asthey marched, down the ancient green lanes that had seen ourforefathers' levies and the Roman legions alike, I had time to lookaround me at my own following, being conscious in some way that, mixedup as it were with the war song, there had been the sound of the droningof a chant as by monks close by me. And I could see no monks near. Thethanes were riding round and after the bishop, who came next me as I ledthe way with the standard, and Ealhstan indeed had on his robes; butthere was a stiffness about him, and a glint of steel also, when abreeze shifted the loose fold of his garments, that seemed to say thathis was not all peaceful gear.
Just behind me, as I rode with Wulfhere and Wislac to right and left,came my six men, big powerful housecarles, all in black armour andcarrying red and black shields, and with a red cross on their helms'fronts. And the squarest of these six, he who seemed to be their leader,looked up at me, when I turned again, with a grin that I seemed to know.So I took closer notice of him, and lo! it was Guthlac, the reader ofBeowulf, and the other five were his brethren. Small wonder that I hadnot recognized the holy men in their war gear, so little looked theylike the peaceful brethren who had walked in the abbey cloisters.
With them was my collier, keeping step and holding himself with the bestof them, and I thought that they would be seven hardy Danes who shouldovermatch my standard guard. So I was well content with the bishop'schoice for me.
Now of that march to Brent, and the meeting there with the Somersetlevy, there is no need to tell. But by the time we marched from thenceagainst the Danes, there were five hundred men of Dorset, and near ninehundred of Somerset. Of the Danes some judged that there would be eighthundred or more, but if that was so, they were tried men, and ournumbers were none too great. Moreover, we must separate, so as to drivethem down to their ships, for they were spread over the country, burningand destroying on every side.
We lay but one night on Brent, while the leaders held counsel, and evenas we sat gathered, we could see plainly the fires the Danes had lit, ofburning hamlet and homestead, far and wide across the marshes of Parret.And the end of that council was that Eanulf should take his Somerset menup Parret valley, and so drive down the Danes, while Ealhstan shouldfall on them by Bridgwater as they came down, and so scatter them.
Therefore would the Somerset levy march very early, before light; whilewe should wait till the next night, unless word should come beforehand.
So we went to sleep. And as I slept in my place, with the standardflapping above me, and my comrades on either side and behind, it seemedto me that one came and waked me. And when I sat up and looked, thinkingit was a messenger from the bishop, I saw that it was Matelgar.
Now this time I had no fear of him, and I waited for him to speak, justas though he had been before me in the flesh, for there seemed naughtuncanny about the matter to me. And yet even at the moment that seemedstrange, though it was so.
But for a while he looked not at me, but out over the low lands towardsParret mouth and Stert, shading his eyes with his hand as though it werebroad noonday. And then he turned back to me and spoke.
"Heregar; I promised to stand by you again when the time came. Now I bidyou go to Combwich hill, there to wait what betides. So, if you will dothe bidding of the dead who has wronged you, but would now make amends,shall you thank me for this hereafter--aye, and not you only."
Then out over Parret he gazed again and faded from beside me, so that Icould ask him nothing. Then knew I that I was awake, and that this hadbeen no dream; for a great fear came on me for a little, knowing what Ihad seen to be not of this world. Yet all around me my comrades slept,and only round the rim of the trenched hill went the wakeful sentries,too far for speech--for we leaders were in the centre of the camp.
But presently I began to think less of the vision, and more of thewords. And at first they seemed vain, for Combwich hill was over near toStert; nor did I see how I could reach the place without cutting throughthe Danes (who would doubtless leave a strong guard with the ships, andwere also in and about Bridgwater), seeing that the river must be crossed.
Then as I turned over the matter, not doubting but that a message sogiven was sooth, and by no means lightly to be disregarded, I seemed towake to a resolve concerning the meaning of the whole thing. What if Icould win there under cover of darkness, and so fall on the Danish hostas Eanulf drove them back and the bishop and Osric chased them to theships?
That seemed possible, if only I could cross Parret with men enough, andunseen. I would ask Wulfhere and Wislac, when morning came, and so, ifthey could help, lay the matter before the bishop himself. So thinking Ifell asleep again, peacefully enough, nor dreamt I aught.
With morning light that vision and the bidding to Combwich, and what Ihad thought thereon, seemed yet stronger. Very early the Somerset menwent with Eanulf, and we of the bishop's levy only remained on Brentafter the morning meal.
Then as we three stood on the edge of the hill, and looked out whereMatelgar had looked, I told my two friends of his coming and of his words.
"Three things there are," said Wislac, "that hinder this ghost'sbusiness; namely, want of wings, uncertainty of darkness, and ignoranceof the time when the Danes shall come."
"There are also three things that make for it, brother," said Wulfhere."Namely: that men can swim, that there is no moon, and that the Danesare careless in their watch of the waste they leave behind them."
"Think you that the hill will be unguarded?" asked I, glad that Wulfheredid not put away the plan at once.
"Why should they guard it? There are Danes at the ships--though few, Iexpect, for we have been well beaten. And more in plenty from Parret toQuantocks, and no Saxon left between the two forces."
"Why not burn the ships then?" asked Wislac.
"Doubtless that could we, once over Parret," answered Wulfhere, "butwhat then? Away go the Danes through Somerset
, burning and plunderingeven to Cornwall, and there bide till ships come, and then can be gonein safety. That is not what we need. We have to trap them and beat themhere."
"So then, Wulfhere," I said, "think you that the plan is good?"
"Aye," he answered, "good enough; but not easy. Moreover, I doubt if thebishop would let his standard bearer part from him."
That was likely enough to stop all the plan; but yet I would lay itbefore Ealhstan, for it seemed to us that such a message might by nomeans go untold at least.
So we sought him, and asked for speech with him; and at that he laughed,saying that surely his council had the best right to that. Osric waswith him, and the bishop told him how that we three had been his firstadvisers in this matter.
Then we sat down and I told Ealhstan all, asking nothing.
When I had ended, Osric looked at me, and said that the plan wasventuresome; but no doubt possible to be carried out, and if so, by nonebetter than myself, who knew every inch of that country. Then, thinkingover it, as it were, he added that the woods beyond Matelgar's hallwould shelter any force that must needs seek cover, so that, even wereCombwich hill unsafe, there was yet a refuge whence attack could againbe made.
Then Ealhstan, who had listened quietly, said that such messages wererare, but all the less to be despised. Therefore would he think thereofmore fully.
"What," he asked, "is the main difficulty?"
I said that the crossing of Parret was like to be hard in any case; butat night and unobserved yet more so. But that, could we reach thefarther bank, I could find places where we might lie in wait for a day,if need were, with many men.
Thereupon the bishop took that great book of Caesar's wars, and lookedinto it. But he seemed long in finding aught to meet that case, while wetalked of one thing or another concerning it among ourselves.
At last he shut the book and said, very gravely: "I would that I couldswim."
"I also, Father," said Wislac, "and why I cannot, save for sheercowardice, I know not, having been brought up on Thames side, and neverdaring to go out of depth."
At that we were fain to laugh, so dismally did the broad-shoulderedMercian blame himself. But the bishop said that if I went, needs mustthat he came also. But he did not dissuade me in any way.
"Wulfhere the Counsellor," he said then, "have you no plan?"
"To cross the river?" answered the veteran. "Aye, many, if they may bemanaged. Rafts for those who cannot swim, surely."
Now I bethought me of the many boats that ever lay in the creek underCombwich, and wondered if any were yet whole. For if they were, surelyone might swim over and bring one back. And that I said.
Then of a sudden, the bishop rose up, and seemed to have come to adecision, saying:
"See here, thanes; ever as we march to Bridgwater, we draw nearerParret. Now by this evening, we shall be close over against this placeCombwich, so that one may go thither and spy what there is to be done,and come back in good time and tell us if crossing may be made by raftor boat. Let this rest till then. But if it may be so, then I, andHeregar and his following, and two hundred men will surely cross, andwait for what may betide. For I think this plan is good."
So he would say no more of it then. And presently all his men weremustered, and we marched from Brent slowly along the way to Bridgwater.