Part 10 (1/2)
The fleet was headed by the _drekar_ of Rolf the Sea-King. This vessel was named Grimsnoth. Rolf captured it from another pirate after a murderous combat. According to the saga of Gothrek, Grimsnoth surpa.s.sed the other _drekars_ of the seas of the North by its beauty and size as much as Rolf himself surpa.s.sed the other pirates by his valor. Indeed, never yet was s.h.i.+p seen comparable with Grimsnoth. The _drekar_ resembled a gigantic dragon, whose copper head and scaly neck protruded from the prow that represented the monster's ma.s.sive breast equipped with two folded and gilded wings, thrown backward and fas.h.i.+oned in such manner as to represent the coil of the marine monster's tail. In the middle of the huge square red sail of the _drekar_ another dragon was designed. At its p.o.o.p rose the _kastali_--the little semicircular fortress in itself, constructed of strong smooth beams circled by iron bands and pierced by narrow loop-holes through which the archers on the inside could shoot their darts from cover, in case the foe attempted to board the _drekar_. A wide platform, s.p.a.cious enough to hold twenty armed men, crowned the fortification, and had a belt of iron bucklers for its parapet.
Old Rolf stood erect on top of his _kastali_. His mien was savage. It looked inspired. His weapon and hands streamed blood. At his feet, stretched out in a pool of blood, and still palpitating with its ebbing life, lay the body of a white horse that was taken from the stables of the Abbot of St. Denis, bound by the four feet, and raised with the aid of pulleys and cordage to the platform of the _kastali_ in order to be there solemnly sacrificed to Odin and the G.o.ds of the North. When the sacrifice was done, the old pirate took his ivory horn and blew three times, giving a particular intonation to each blast. The chief of each vessel put his horn to his own lips and repeated the signal given by Rolf. Thus the signal ran from mouth to mouth, from one end of the fleet to the other. The war-songs of the pirates were hushed, and immediately, obedient to the order given by the blast from their chief's horn, the Northmans maneuvered their sails in such manner that their vessels remained motionless on the current of the stream. The _holkers_ of Gaelo and of s.h.i.+gne served as scouts to the _drekar_ of Rolf and sailed a little distance ahead of him. The old pirate hailed the two young leaders and ordered them to board his _drekar_. Both obeyed and crossed over a narrow plank furnished with solid cramp-irons that was thrown out to each of the _holkers_ from the sides of Grimsnoth. The Buckler Maiden, still pale from the loss of blood, wore her head bandaged under the iron hair-net that she used for a casque. At the moment when she was about to ascend the _kastali_ of Rolf, Gaelo said to the heroine:
”s.h.i.+gne, war has its hazards; I may be killed to-morrow. Become my wife this night. Let our union be consummated.”
The Buckler Maiden blushed; her eyes, that never before were dropped at the sight of man, now felt veiled by a mist before the ardent gaze of Gaelo; in a low and trembling voice she answered:
”Gaelo, you vanquished me; I belong to you; I am proud that I do; I could belong to no braver man. Rolf has been a father to me. I should consult him on your request. If he says yes, I will say yes, and from to-night I shall be yours.” Without another word the warrior maid preceded Gaelo to the platform of the _kastali_ where the old pirate stood awaiting them.
”Gaelo,” said Rolf, ”you and s.h.i.+gne shall precede the fleet; ply your oars and reach Paris with your two _holkers_.”
”Never shall I have obeyed you with greater joy.”
”Order yourselves to be conducted before the Count of Paris. s.h.i.+gne is to say to him: 'The King of the Franks has a young and handsome daughter. Rolf demands that daughter in marriage.'” The pirate thereupon rubbed his beard, laughed aloud with his usual roar, and added: ”I have taken it into my head to wed a maid of royal race!” And addressing Gaelo, the pirate continued: ”As to you, Gaelo, you shall tell the Count of Paris that I shall want, together with the daughter, and for dower, the territory of Neustria. It is a rich and fertile region, and it is washed by the sea, exactly suitable to a mariner who loves the ocean.
Old Hastain obtained from Charles the Bald the country of Chartres; Rolf, the Chief of the Northmans will have Neustria, which we shall call Northmandy, and where I shall establish you both, my champions!”
”We shall carry your orders to the Count of Paris, who, for all answer, will have us stabbed, both of us, s.h.i.+gne and myself.”
”By Odin, he will not dare to! You will tell the count that my fleet will cast anchor under the walls of Paris; and that if, to-morrow, before sunset, you and s.h.i.+gne are not back on my _drekar_, I shall set the city on fire, sack it, and kill all its inhabitants. If to-morrow, before the close of day, Charles the Simple has not granted me his daughter, Neustria, and ten thousand pounds of silver for the ransom of Paris, there will be left not one stone upon the other in the city. That is my message.”
”Rolf, we shall immediately depart to carry out your orders. To-morrow we shall be either dead or back to you before sunset. I have requested s.h.i.+gne to accept me for her husband this very night. She answered saying: 'I shall say yes, if Rolf says yes, and from to-night I shall be yours.'!”
”Gaelo,” answered the old pirate with a sly look, ”will wed the Beautiful s.h.i.+gne the day that Rolf weds Ghisele, the daughter of the King of the Franks! Go on the mission that I have charged you with--duty and love, each in its season.”
CHAPTER XI.
BRENN--KARNAK.
Upon quitting the _drekar_ of Rolf, s.h.i.+gne and Gaelo reembarked upon their own _holkers_ and ordered their oarsmen to ply their oars vigorously. The two _holkers_ glided swiftly over the water and they were steered towards the fortified point of the island where Paris was situated. The rest of the fleet followed slowly behind.
”Gaelo,” said Simon Large-Ears, keeping in swing with the quick and vigorous stroke of his companions, ”just look at those bands of serfs who have been following us along the river bank since yesterday. Look at them running like a pack of wolves hungering for the abbeys that we see strewn hither and thither.”
”I fear they mean to start the pillaging without waiting for us!”
exclaimed Robin Jaws in a tone of lamentation, which was soon joined by the voices of the other pirates, who ceased rowing for a moment in order to cast their angry looks at the ragged rabble rout. The latter, wholly unconcerned by the indignation that they had provoked, ran apace brandis.h.i.+ng their staves, their forks and their scythes, and from time to time emitting furious yells.
”If Lodbrog had not died like a true berserker, such a sight as this would throw the fit of frenzy upon him. What evidences of misery do we not see on all sides!”
”To your oars, my champions! To your oars!” cried Gaelo. ”You need not worry about your share in the pillage. Now, however, row!” saying which Gaelo pointed to the _holker_ of s.h.i.+gne which had taken the lead of them, and he added: ”Will you allow yourselves to be beaten by the Buckler Maidens? Fall to, champions!”
Grumbling at Gaelo's orders the pirates bent to their oars and strove to overtake the white _holker_. On the right bank of the Seine there rose large clumps of trees, planted in the middle of wide meadows that belonged to the abbey of St. Germain-des-Pres. On the left side of the river, the bank, which rose much higher than on the opposite side, made a sharp turn and shut off the horizon. From the foot of the slope, a jetty constructed of stones closely set together ran out some fifty feet into the river. It was the breakwater of the port of Greve, now deserted, but where vessels took refuge when the current was strong.
Propelled by their oars and steered so as just to clear the jetty, the two _holkers_ were pus.h.i.+ng vigorously forward, when, suddenly das.h.i.+ng from behind the further side of the stone structure, a Parisian vessel manned by Eidiol, Guyrion, Rustic the Gay and several other Gallic skippers intercepted the progress of the Northman boats. The men on board the vessel shot a volley of arrows at the Northmans, threw a grappling iron into the _holker_ nearer to them, which happened to be Gaelo's, and as quickly taking up their cutla.s.ses, pikes and axes leaped forward resolutely to the fray, while Eidiol cried out to them:
”Exterminate the Northmans, but seize the two chiefs alive. They shall serve us for hostages!”
At the moment of this unexpected attack, s.h.i.+gne and Gaelo, the latter of whom was struck by a barbed arrow just below his armlet, were, as was their wont, standing near the helm. Both dashed forward to engage the Gauls, but the same instant that Eidiol issued the order to exterminate the pirates, a cry of glad surprise went up from the _holker_ of the Buckler Maidens, and immediately after, these words reached the ear of the aged dean of the Skippers' Guild:
”Father! Father! Do not hurt these young warrior maids. Their chief has protected me. She was taking me to Paris, back to you! She is charged with a pacific mission,” and standing up in the middle of the _holker_, Anne the Sweet extended her arms to Eidiol.
”Guy! Rustic! Drop your arms,” the old man cried. ”Anne, my dear child, is in the vessel of the warrior maids!”