It was not hard to find our men, for they lay in a
great wedge as we had fought. There had been no straggling from that
array, and no break had been made in its lines. Alsi had lost more than
we, for his men had beaten against that steel wall in vain, and the arms
of the Northman are better than those of any other nation.
We took the wounded back to the camp, and there Goldberga and the wives
of our English thanes tended them; and as we gathered up the slain the
Lindsey men were among us at the same work, and we spoke to them as if
naught was amiss between us, nor any fight to begin again in the
morning. And then we learned how few knew what we had come for. It was
with them as with the Earl of Chester. They had no knowledge of
Goldberga's homecoming, and least of all thought that at the back of the
trouble were the wiles of Alsi. It was two years ago that Goldberga had
gone, and her wedding had seemed to end her story. Now the men heard and
wondered; and it is said that very many left Alsi that night and went
home, angry with him for his falsehood.
Now when all was done we sought rest, and weary we were. I will say for
myself that I did not feel like fighting next morning at all, for I was
tired out, and the one or two wounds that I had were getting sorely
stiff. Raven was much in the same case, and grumbled, sailor-wise, at
the weight of the banner and aught else that came uppermost in his mind.
Pages:
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353