"Back!" shouted Torfrida, raised almost to madness, by fasting,
self-torture, and religious frenzy. "Out of yon fort, every man. Why waste
your lives under that artillery? Stand still this day, and see how the
saints of Heaven shall fight for you."
So utter was the reverence which she commanded for the moment, that every
man drew back, and crowded round her feet outside the fort.
"The cowards are fleeing already. Let your men go, Sir King!" shouted
Taillebois.
"On to the assault! Strike for Normandy!" shouted William.
"I fear much," said he to himself, "that this is some stratagem of that
Hereward's. But conquered they must be."
The evening breeze curled up the reach. The great pike splashed out from
the weedy shores, and sent the white-fish flying in shoals into the low
glare of the setting sun; and heeded not, stupid things, the barges packed
with mailed men, which swarmed in the reeds on either side the bridge, and
began to push out into the river.
The starlings swung in thousands round the reed-ronds, looking to settle
in their wonted place: but dare not; and rose and swung round again,
telling each other, in their manifold pipings, how all the reed-ronds
teemed with mailed men. And all above, the sky was cloudless blue.
And then came a trample, a roll of many feet on the soft spongy peat, a
low murmur which rose into wild shouts of "Dex Aie!" as a human tide
poured along the causeway, and past the witch of Brandon Heath.
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