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Sundering Flood, The
Chapter 47. The Battle In The Square
William Morris
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       _ Chapter XLVII. The Battle in the Square
       On the morrow's morn, the leaders of the town met Osberne and his captains in council, and their rede was that they should do warily and not throw the helve after the hatchet. This they deemed best, that they should now, while they might, make strong with mound and wall their quarter of the town, since, until Sir Godrick was come to them, they might even now look to it to have much might against them. This reded the Red Lad nowise gainsaid, knowing well how valiant and stout these men would be behind walls; but he said: "Yet, my masters, the more leisure you have for this spade and mattock work, the better it shall be for you and the work. Wherefore my rede is that some of your chosen men go with the best of mine, and that we issue out of our quarter and fall upon the others, and make a good space clear of foes of the streets and carfaxes that march unto your quarter, which forsooth shall serve you as an outwork to your castle until Sir Godrick comes with a great host and fills up all that and more. And, sooth to say, now at once is the best time to do this, while the foe is all astonied at what befel last night."
       That seemed good to one and all; so when they had eaten and were duly arrayed they issued forth into the streets, and at first indeed wended those that were truly of their quarter, only on the day before they deemed them not big enough to hold all that; but now it was their mind to bring it within their defences. So the Red Lad and his rode on warily, taking heed that they should not be cut off by any at their backs. So at last they came unto a great carfax with a wide square round about it. There they drew up their folk in a long line with a wide face to the foe, well furnished of bows and other shot-weapons; for the townsmen were archers exceeding good.
       There was nought in the square or on the carfax at first but themselves; but after a little there entered by the east way and the west a rout of archers, and fell to shooting at Osberne's, and they back again. The archers of the Porte did not dare to show much face to the Red Lad, but were gathered together in plumps at each incoming into the square. Said the Red Lad to himself: Let us make an end of this folly. And he bade his men leave shooting, and then gave the word, and they rode at the carles right and left with spear and sword. Straightway the archers ran all they might, yet not so fast but that the Red Lad and his captains got amidst them ere they could take to the narrow byways, so that a many were slain. And this was a matter of but ten minutes. But when the horsemen had been along with the bowmen a little while, they heard great horns blowing from the south, and therewith great noise of horse, and presently a great rout of men-at-arms in the best of armour began to come in by the southern road, and the Red Lad's men were all agog to fall on them straightway, but he made them forbear till they had filled the square over-full. They were not long about it, but meanwhile the townsmen shot all they might; and so nigh they were that, despite their armour, not a few fell, both of men and horses; yet did they fall not on till the square was full of them, so that it looked far bigger than might have been deemed. Then they thrust on, but so close that they might scarce handle their arms, and the Red Lad and his cried their cry, The Red Lad for Longshaw! and rushed forward, smiting and thrusting, till the front of the foemen began to try to turn about if they might; but scarce they could, though if they might not flee they might not fall. And they behind strove to get forward to smite, for they said they were many more than the others; but they could get but little done, for their forward men who had been overthrown were hindering them. Now also the carles of the town laid aside their bows and entered among them with short swords and axes, and hewed and slew and took none to mercy, and it seemed hard to know how that would end, save by all those men-at-arms falling in the place.
       Now, as ye may deem, Osberne was more thrust forward than any other, and somewhat of a space he had cleared before him, and his yellow hair came down from under his basnet, and his long red surcoat streamed all rent and tattered in the wind, and Boardcleaver was bare and bloody in his fist, and his face was stern but not exceeding fierce; for he would the slaughter of the day were over. Now he hove up Boardcleaver, and before him was a tall man in gilded armour and a gay yellow surcoat of silk, and his armour was little rent and his sword unscathed in his hand; a stark man he was of aspect, but terror was come into his soul because of the slaughter of the press and that there was no escape therefrom. So when he saw Boardcleaver arising he cried out, "O Red Lad, Red Lad, O thou seeker, let me live, that I may tell thee what thou wouldst give many lives to know!"
       Then Osberne restrained Boardcleaver and let him fall to his wrist, and stretched out his hand to the gilded man. But even therewith his hand was thrust aside, for many a man there was mad and drunk with the slaying: and a short, dark, long-armed man of the weavers' craft, armed with nought else save a heavy short-sword cutting on the inner edge, drew him on to the gilded man's horse, and brought his sword back-handed across his face and neck, and fell with him as he fell, and mangled him that he was more than dead, and then got up again amidst the horses and fell to work again. Then Osberne, when he saw the tale was done, groaned aloud; but none heeded him, for it was to them but as a cry of the wounded. Then he uphove Boardcleaver again and cried out shrilly: "The Red Lad, the Red Lad for Longshaw and the Crafts! On, on at them!" And that all heard, both his and theirs. And now they of the foemen began to cease pressing forward, and many fled without a stroke stricken, till there was somewhat more room for the rest to flee, but little leave, for even so was more room for the pursuers, and soon was the square clear of all but dead and sore hurt; and the chase endured all up and along the carfax, and mad-fierce it was, and that mostly at the hands of the townsmen, who deemed that they had much to pay back to the men of the King and the Porte.
       Now after this Osberne and his drew not back from the carfax, but by the rede of him the townsmen made trenches and walls to strengthen them right up to the said carfax. And for three days the King's men durst not fall upon them there, save that they tried a little arrow-shot from afar, but did not much hurt thereby.
       But the next day thereafter comes Sir Godrick with his host to the help of the townsmen, and rides into the North Gate amidst the joy of all men. And the next day they push on to their outworks and fall on. Three days of battle they have thereafter, wherein Sir Godrick will not suffer the Red Lad to deal: "For," saith he, "it is thou that hath won, and now we have little to do, but as it were the woodwright's and the carpenter's work. Wherefore now I bid thee to rest." Laughed Osberne, and tarried in the North quarter, while Sir Godrick and his with all deliberation set to work on clearing the quarters on that side of the river; and they were four days about the business albeit the men of the Porte and the King were scarce so stubborn and enduring as they looked to find them.
       But Osberne did all he might to keep good order and good heart amongst his men, and they made their strongholds strong to the letter, and looked to it that all their forward places should be ready for battle at a moment's notice. _
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本书目录

Chapter 1. Of A River Called The Sundering Flood...
Chapter 2. Of Wethermel And The Child Osberne
Chapter 3. Wolves Harry The Flock
Chapter 4. Surly John Falls Out With The Goodman
Chapter 5. Osberne Slays The Wolves
Chapter 6. They Fare To The Cloven Mote
Chapter 7. Of A Newcomer, And His Gift To Osberne
Chapter 8. The Goodman Gets A New Hired Man
Chapter 9. The Bight Of The Cloven Knoll
Chapter 10. Osberne And Elfhild Hold Converse Together
Chapter 11. Osberne Shoots A Gift Across The Flood
Chapter 12. Of A Guest Called Waywearer
Chapter 13. Steelhead Gives Osberne The Sword Boardcleaver
Chapter 14. The Gifts Of Steelhead
Chapter 15. Surly John Brings A Guest To Wethermel
Chapter 16. Hardcastle Would Seize Wethermel
Chapter 17. The Slaying Of Hardcastle
Chapter 18. Elfhild Hears Of The Slaying
Chapter 19. The Winter Passes...
Chapter 20. Osberne Fares To Eastcheaping...
Chapter 21. Warriors From Eastcheaping Ride Into The Dale
Chapter 22. Osberne Takes Leave Of Elfhild
Chapter 23. Osberne Is Chosen Captain Of The Dalesmen
Chapter 24. A Skirmish With The Baron Of Deepdale In The Marshes
Chapter 25. Stephen Tells Of An Adventure In The Camp Of The Foemen
Chapter 26. They Bring The Baron Into Eastcheaping
Chapter 27. They Parley From The Walls
Chapter 28. The Baron Of Deepdale Makes Peace
Chapter 29. Osberne And His Men Return To Wethermel
Chapter 30. Osberne Goes To The Trysting-Place
Chapter 31. They Meet Through Autumn And Winter
Chapter 32. Foemen Among The West Dalers
Chapter 33. Osberne Seeks Tidings Of Elfhild
Chapter 34. Osberne Sorrows For The Loss Of Elfhild
Chapter 35. Osberne Seeks Counsel Of Steelhead
Chapter 36. The Staves Which Osberne Taught To The Dalesmen
Chapter 37. Osberne Takes Leave Of Wethermel
Chapter 38. Osberne Parts From Stephen The Eater
Chapter 39. Osberne Gets Him A New Master
Chapter 40. Osberne Rides With Sir Godrick
Chapter 41. They Joust With The Knight Of The Fish
Chapter 42. They Deliver The Thorp-Dwellers From The Black Skinners
Chapter 43. They Come To The Edge Of The Wood Masterless
Chapter 44. They Reach Longshaw And Osberne Gets Him A New Name
Chapter 45. The Red Lad Scatters The Host Of The Barons
Chapter 46. Osberne Enters The City Of The Sundering Flood
Chapter 47. The Battle In The Square
Chapter 48. Sir Godrick Is Chosen Burgreve Of The City
Chapter 49. Of The City King And The Outland King
Chapter 50. The Red Lad Speaks Privily With Sir Godrick
Chapter 51. Osberne Is Beguiled By Felons
Chapter 52. The Meeting Of Osberne And Elfhild
Chapter 53. Strangers Come To Wethermel
Chapter 54. The Carline Beginneth Her Tale
Chapter 55. The Blue Knight Buys The Maiden Of The Chapman
Chapter 56. The Blue Knight Talks With The Maiden By The Way
Chapter 57. They Come To Brookside
Chapter 58. Peaceful Days In The Castle Of Brookside
Chapter 59. Tidings Of Longshaw...
Chapter 60. The Blue Knight Gathers Men And Departs From Brookside
Chapter 61. The Maiden And The Carline Flee To The Grey Sisters
Chapter 62. They Fall In With Three Chapmen
Chapter 63. They Escape From The Chapmen By The Carline's Wizardry
Chapter 64. The Carline Endeth Her Tale
Chapter 65. Osberne And Elfhild Make Themselves Known To Their People
Chapter 66. The Lip Of The Sundering Flood
Chapter 67. A Friend At Need
Chapter 68. The Knight Of Longshaw Gathereth Force