And I feared
greatly, for not one of the sleepers stirred as the warriors went among
us, and I had looked on the faces of those who passed me, and I knew
that they were the dead whom I had seen the men gather even now and lay
in their last rank beyond our line.
Then I saw that on the far bank was gathered another host, and that was
of Alsi's men, and among them I knew the forms of some who had fallen in
the first onset when I led the charge.
I tried to put forth my hand to wake Withelm, but I could not stir, and
when I would have spoken, I could frame no word, so that alone in all
the host I saw the slain men fight their battle over again, step by
step. The wedge of the Northmen won to the far shore as we had won--as
they had won in life but a few hours ago--and into the line of foemen
they cut their way, and on the far side of the stream they stayed and
fought, as it had been in the battle. Yet though one could see that the
men shouted and cried, there was no sound at all, and among the wildest
turmoil walked the sentries of Alsi's host unconcerned and unknowing.
And to me they seemed to be the ghosts, and the phantom strife that
which was real.
Then I was ware of a stranger thing yet than all I had seen so far, for
on the field were more than those whom I knew. There stood watching on
either side of the battle two other ghostly hosts, taking no part in the
struggle, but watching it as we had watched from our place when we fell
back into the rear to rest, pointing and seeming to cheer strokes that
were good and deeds that were valiant.
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