"
After his ringing tones, the unmoved voice of the messenger fell flat on the
ear. "It has happened as we supposed, that you would answer unfavorably," he
said as he turned. "It was seen in battle that you are a brave man. Otherwise
the chief would not have thought it necessary to hew a path through the forest
in order to take you by surprise." Saluting with some appearance of respect,
he joined his conductors at the door and passed out of sight down the stair.
Like smoke in the wake of a firebrand, confusion rose behind him; a din of
exclamations loosed on the air and the clangor of weapons caught down from the
wall. Through it, the Etheling's voice sounded strongly. "To the palisade, all
of you! They may not wait till morning. To the forest side; and keep them from
it as you would keep off death!" He bent and shook the crouching page. "My
armor, boy! How! Would you have me read treason in your sluggishness? My
armor!"
The page started up, but it was only to stare past him and fling out his hand
toward a window, where a bright light had suddenly shot athwart the darkness:
"Lord, they have set fire to something!"
The voice of old Morcard rose shrill: "To the storehouses! Save the grain!"
There was a wild rush for the door; but on the threshold they were met by the
shouts of watchmen hurrying from the parapets.
Pages:
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157