The Last of the Vikings, Page 3

  CHAPTER II.

  STORM CLOUDS.

  "Yet the first bringer of unwelcome news Hath but a losing office; and his tongue Sounds ever after as a sullen bell, Remembered knolling a departed friend."

  Shakespeare.

  "Whilst the cooks are busy with our spoil, Beowulf, I propose wepractise at the joust," said Oswald. "Rumour hath it this Count William,of Normandy, is collecting an army in order to eject our rightful Saxonking, Harold, from the throne, and ere long we may have these Normanknights tilting through the ranks of our simple yeomen, who are unusedto this method of warfare; and King Harold and his brothers would bepleased to have sturdy comrades who would be a match for the Norman athis own weapons," remarked Oswald.

  "Leave the joust to Norman fops, say I, neighbour Oswald, and theirtilting methods to our hardy pikemen, who will know how to deal withthem, never fear. The honest Saxon broadsword is a match for any weapon,I warrant you. As for this new-fangled Norman joust, as they call it,why I despise it. Playing at war, with women looking on, and wavingtheir 'kerchiefs, and simpering, and whimpering about--bah! I wonderyou'll meddle with such stuff, neighbour!" growled Beowulfcontemptuously.

  "Thank you, Beowulf, for your compliments, but if I am permitted towitness your feat of arms, I'll endeavour not to 'simper and whimperabout' if it annoys you. But you men folk can find nothing better to dothan play at war, I know, and therefore I rule it shall be with both thebroadsword and lance," said Ethel.

  "Agreed!" cried Oswald; "and our fair cousin Ethel shall be queen ofbeauty _a la joute_."

  "Mind you don't make a fool or a dolt of yourself, neighbour Oswald,with your Norman fooleries. But I'll humour you in your folly for thesake of a bout with the broadsword, in honest Saxon fashion," growledBeowulf.

  When they reached the hall the two young men retired to the armoury, andpresently reappeared clad in complete armour, several lances being borneby the housecarles. The pair then sprang into their saddles, and Oswald,partly to joke his opponent, careened round in a circle, mimicking thegallantry of the Normans, displaying the paces of his charger and hisskill in horsemanship. As he passed Ethel, in mock seriousness he dippedthe point of his lance in salutation of her as queen of beauty. Ethelendeavoured to disguise it, but the crimson blushes suffused hercountenance for an instant; but there was a quick revolt of maidenlydignity; her eye flashed, and her foot beat the ground impatiently, asshe exclaimed under her breath,--"I presume he thinks I am but a childto tease and joke."

  Presently the pair took up a position some twenty paces apart, andprepared to charge. Ethel, fearful of her brother's temper, which wasmost uncertain, cried to them, "Will you remember this is but play, andsee you two don't come to blows in good earnest? for I know byexperience that brother Beowulf flies into a rage with me if I poke funat him, and what he will do if you poke him in the ribs with that uglyweapon, Master Oswald, I know not."

  "Go to, wench, your tongue is too ready! You would be better seensuperintending the wenches who are roasting hogsflesh, than wagging yourtongue in the presence of men." Then, turning to his friend and comradeOswald, he said, "Now, sir, are you ready? Let us be done with thisNorman folly as soon as maybe."

  So they laid their lances in rest, and prepared to tilt. Oswald was muchmore tall and lithe than his opponent, and much more skilful in thehandling of his charger. Indeed, it seemed almost as though one mindanimated the pair. Beowulf was rather older, bulkier in build, andbetter set up, being twenty-three. But he cherished a deep-rootedaversion and contempt of the Norman leaven which had been stealing overthe land during the late reign of Edward the Confessor, and his petaversion was the mode of warfare current amongst Norman gentlemen; andso he never practised it, except on occasions like the present.

  "Now, sirs," iterated Ethel, still fearful, "and especially you,Beowulf, don't get mad and knock each other's heads off, I tell youagain!"

  "Hold your tongue, chattering magpie, and go inside as I bid you! Thatis where petticoated jades like you should be when weapons are about,"said Beowulf. "Now, come on, sir. If we listen to her she'll prate likea half-fed fowl by the hour together."

  So the tilt commenced, and continued for some time, more in play than indead earnest, Oswald showing his superior skill by striking Beowulf howand where he pleased, at the same time handling his horse so perfectlythat Beowulf found no opportunity of striking him squarely. The roughknocks which he receives, and his want of skill, are most exasperatingto Beowulf, especially so when at last by a skilful manoeuvre Oswaldflings his charger's flank round, bringing his head broadside on of hisopponent, and then ignominiously tilts him out of his saddle to theground. Beowulf sprang to his feet, mad with rage, and shouted,--

  "Come down from that perch! I'll soon give you quits with a betterweapon!" and away he marched for a couple of broadswords.

  Forgetting her dignity in her anxiety over Beowulf's temper, Etheltripped up to Oswald and with girlish freedom grasped his arm. "Now,Master Oswald, you have driven Beowulf mad, as I thought you would. If Imay use his not very complimentary term, I would say, Will you, toplease a _jade_ like me, take care to come off second best in thissword-play, if it be only to mollify him? for if you don't I am afraidhe will be quite furious."

  Oswald laughed and stroked the fair hair of the maiden as he remarked,"It is well advised, my bright-eyed little dame; I do believe that fairface is index to a kindly and wholesome mother-wit."

  Presently Beowulf returned with a couple of broadswords, but his temperhad abated nothing in the interval. The quick-witted and irrepressibleEthel noticed this at once, and she banteringly called out to him, "Now,brother Beowulf, remember this is only sword-play. Don't go and cutMaster Oswald's head off!"

  "What! you are still there, are you, jade? I saw you titter when MasterOswald pushed me out of the saddle. When I've dealt with him, I'll giveyou a taste of an ash sapling, since you won't mend your manners whentold."

  Ethel burst into a most provoking, merry laugh. "Thank you, brotherBeowulf, for your good intentions; but haven't I told you many timesbefore, that ash sapling hasn't grown yet?"

  "Go to, you chit, you provoke me past endurance!" and he made for her inan ungovernable rage; but Ethel turned and fled like a gazelle, andBeowulf knew by past experience that to catch the fleet-footed maidenwas a hopeless task, so he returned to his sword-play.

  The diversion of Beowulf's wrath, however, did good, and especially asOswald took Ethel's hint, and was clearly second best. So Beowulf's goodhumour was completely restored when Ethel pronounced Oswald victor atthe joust, and Beowulf at sword-play. Then Ethel grasped Beowulf's arm,and they adjourned to the hall.

  "How shocking of you, brother Beowulf, to talk of using an ash saplingto a young lady! You quite humiliated me in Master Oswald's eyes."

  "Now go to, Ethel! If you don't give up teasing me I shall do somethingto you I shall have to repent of some time."

  "Oh, no, you won't, brother Beowulf, I know better than that," saidEthel, with true sisterly affection.

  The castle, or what is more correct, the hall of the Thane Beowulf madeno pretension to architectural style or beauty. It was like its master,rough, but stout and of massive build. One saw the stoutness of itswalls by a glance at its deep mullion windows, and its massive doors,formed of double layers of oak, securely fastened and strengthened byiron bands and bolts. In the large hall there was set a long table downthe centre, loaded with viands and large jugs of ale. Down each side ofthe hall also there were side tables, where the housecarles and villeinsfed. But the centre table was reserved for guests, and the more favouredretainers of the thane. A glance round the hall told at once thatBeowulf still held by the heathenish customs which his viking ancestorsbrought over with them. For, conspicuous everywhere, upon wood and stoneand vessels, were carved the characters and devices of theirsuperstition, known as runes. Here and there also there looked down uponthe banqueters the carved images of Thor and Woden.

  On the thane's right hand sat his
daughter Ethel, who, since the deathof her mother many years ago, had become a greatly privileged object ofhis affection. On his left sat Oswald, son of a Saxon chieftain who hadextensive lands in a neighbouring valley. At the foot of the table sathis son, who took his own name of Beowulf.

  "I hear you have been out hawking to-day, Ethel girl," said the grizzledold thane, turning to his daughter.

  "Yes, father, brother Beowulf said it wasn't fitting for a girl like meto go to the boar hunt, and Master Oswald then, to his shame, neverspoke a word in my favour, so I must needs perforce stay at home.Therefore I went out hawking; for brother Beowulf kindly allows that."

  "Ha, ha!" giggled the old thane gleefully; "thou art a wild slip of agirl; too much wit for honest Beowulf. But curb thy tongue," hecontinued, stroking her fair hair. "He means thee well. He is honest, isBeowulf, and brave too. He will do! He will do! Like his old fathermaybe, not overloaded with wit, but honest, and never turned back onfriend or foe."

  The banquet proceeded in very hearty fashion, which atoned for itsroughness. But there seldom sat at the thane's table any guest afflictedwith a squeamish appetite. So beef, venison, pork, and sundries, alongwith wheaten cake and ale, disappeared at an alarming rate.

  Whilst the banquet was proceeding, one of the housecarles drew near andwhispered to the thane that Saxon runners had arrived with messages fromthe king which permitted no delay.

  "Have them ushered in. Kings will be obeyed," said the thane; "andtruly, if they rule well, honest men will never be slack to obey."

  So these messengers were ushered in, and the thane addressed them: "Whatbe your message, gallant fellows, that will not tarry till we have fed,and ye yourselves have tasted our hospitality? Speak out, men! we haveno secrets here!"

  "If it please you, worthy thane, the king hath sent round the war arrow,and summons all loyal gentlemen, together with their men-at-arms, torepair to him at York instantly; for the Danes be landed in the Humberunder King Hardrada. Also, Count William, of Normandy, hath prepared hima fleet of vessels, a thousand in number, and threatens an invasion ofthe southern coasts."

  "Ye bear a sorry message, my worthy fellows, truly, but ye have onlydone your errand. But if two overladen mountain torrents join theirforces in one pent-up little burn, there follows desolation in theirwake. A sorry day for merry England, this, gentlemen--north and southtogether distraught."

  Then, addressing his guests and retainers, he said, "My guests are theirown masters in this matter. But the men of my household--my son, myretainers and vassals--most of us come of viking stock; and it may besorry work to march against these Danes. But we live on the land, and wemust defend the land."

  Immediately a wild shout of approval greeted that saying.

  "Further, these greedy plunderers will treat us as Saxons, nor spareaught we have of goods or cattle; or even our lives. So in this quarrelwe are Saxons, and we will prove it at the sword's point."

  This also was greeted with shouts of approval. So the feast cameabruptly to an end. The guests withdrew, to meet again within a week todo battle with the Danes at Stanford Bridge, since known asBattle-bridge, and from thence to Hastings' bloody field.