The Dragon and the Raven; Or, The Days of King AlfredHenty, G. A. (George Alfred)
History
The Dragon and the Raven; Or, The Days of King Alfred
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
Great Britain -- History -- Alfred, 871-899 -- Fiction
The reinforcements entered Paris triumphantly by the bridge, which had
long since been repaired. But the siege was not yet over. When the news
of the victory of Eudes spread, the Danes again drew together from all
parts, and crossing the river, attacked the city on every side. The
onslaught was more furious than any which had preceded it. The Danes
had provided themselves with large numbers of mangonels and catapults.
Every man capable of bearing arms was upon the walls; but so furious
was the attack, so vast the number of the assailants, so prodigious
were the clouds of missiles which they rained upon the walls, that the
besieged almost lost heart.
The relics of St. Genevieve were taken round the walls. In several
places the Danes had formed breaches in the walls, and although the
besieged still struggled, hope had well-nigh left them, and abject
terror reigned in the city. Women ran about the streets screaming, and
crying that the end was at hand. The church bells tolled dismally, and
the shouts of the exultant Danes rose higher and higher. Again a
general cry rose to St. Germain to come to the aid of the town. Just at
this moment Edmund and Egbert, who had till now held the Saxons in
reserve, feeling that a desperate effort must be made, formed up their
band, and advancing to the principal breach, passed through the ranks
of the disheartened Franks, and with levelled pikes charged headlong
down into the crowd of Danes. The latter, already exhausted by their
efforts, were at once borne back before the serried pikes of their
fresh assailants. In vain their chiefs at that point tried to rally
them; nothing could withstand the impetus of the Saxon attack.
Astonished at seeing the tide of battle swept away from the breach, the
French believed that St. Germain had wrought a miracle in their favour,
and taking heart poured out in the rear of the Saxons. The news of the
miracle spread rapidly. Through the breaches, and from every gate, they
poured out suddenly upon the Danes, who, struck with consternation at
this sudden onslaught by a foe whom they had already regarded as
beaten, hesitated, and soon took to flight. Vast numbers were cut down
before they could reach their vessels. A great portion fled towards the
bridge and endeavoured to cross there; but their numbers impeded them,
and the Saxons and Franks, falling upon their rear, effected a terrible
slaughter.
Two days after the battle a force of six hundred Franks arrived from
the Emperor Charles. The Danes sought to oppose their entrance to the
city, but were defeated with a loss of three thousand men. The siege
was now virtually over, and in a short time the emperor himself with a
great army arrived. It was now November, and after some negotiations
the Danes agreed upon the receipt of seven hundred pounds of silver to
retire to Burgundy and to leave the country at the beginning of March.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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