But though
I had seemed to think little of the dream, it went strangely with my
thoughts of what might lie before Havelok in days to come.
As we went inland from the sea, the track of the pestilence was more
dread, for we passed house after house that had none living in them, and
some held the deserted dead. I might say many things of what we saw, but
I do not like to think of them much. Many a battlefield have I seen
since that day, but I do not think them so terrible as the field over
which has gone the foe that is unseen ere he smites. One knows the worst
of the battle when it is over and the roll is called, but who knows
where famine and pestilence stay? And those have given life for king or
land willingly, but these were helpless.
It was good to climb the welds and look back, for in the high lands
there was none of this. Below us the levels, with their bright waters,
were wrapped in a strange blue haze, that had come with the famine at
its worst, and, as men said, had brought or made the sickness. I had
heard of it; but it was not so plain when one was in it, or else our
shore was free, which is likely, seeing how little we suffered.
After that we kept to the high land, not so much fearing the blue robe
of the pestilence as what things of its working we might see; and so it
was late in the afternoon that we came in sight of Lincoln town, on its
hill, with the wide meres and river at its feet.
Pages:
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115