One
after another the thanes were smitten down. Not one asked for quarter, not
one turned his back upon the foe.
Beorn and Wulf had, through the long fight, stood side by side, and the
watchfulness with which they guarded each other had carried them so far
unharmed through it.
"It is all over now, Beorn," Wulf said. "But it is not hard to die, for
with Harold the cause of England is lost."
"At any rate we will sell our lives dearly," Beorn said, as he struck a
Norman knight from his horse. But they were the last defenders of the
standards, and the end was at hand. Blows rained down upon them. Beorn was
beaten on to one knee; Wulf was so exhausted by his exertions that he could
scarce swing his axe, when a Norman baron pressed his horse through the
throng, and springing to the ground held his sword aloft and shouted:
"Stand back! stand back! these two men hold the duke's solemn pledge for
their lives!" Some of the others still pressed on, but he shouted again:
"Whoever strikes at them strikes at me!"
There was still hesitation, so furious were the Normans at the resistance
they had met with and the tremendous losses they had suffered. But another
baron exclaimed, "De Burg is right! I heard the pledge given, and so did
many of you. This is the young Saxon who saved the duke's camp from the
attack by the Bretons, and bore the brunt of their assault till we had time
to arm. The other brought with him the news that Harold was wrecked.
Pages:
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445