fight for our country and faith against these heathen invaders.
Hitherto, Edmund, as you know, I have deeply mourned
the death of your mother, and of your sisters who died in
infancy; but now I feel that it is for the best, for a terrible
time is before us. We men can take refuge in swamp and
forest, but it would have been hard for delicate women; and
those men are best off who stand alone and are able to give
every thought and energy to the defence of their country.
'Tis well that you are now approaching an age when the Saxon
youth are wont to take their place in the ranks of battle.
I have spared no pains with your training in arms, and though
assuredly you lack strength yet to cope in hand-to-hand conflict
with these fierce Danes, you may yet take your part in
battle, with me on one side of you and Egbert on the other.
I have thought over many things of late, and it seems to me
that we Saxons have done harm in holding the people of this
country as serfs."

"Why, father," Edmund exclaimed in astonishment,
"surely you would not have all men free and equal."

"The idea seems strange to you, no doubt, Edmund, and
it appears only natural that some men should be born to rule
and others to labour, but this might be so even without serfdom,
since, as you know, the poorer freemen labour just as
do the serfs, only they receive a somewhat larger guerdon
for their toil; but had the two races mixed more closely
together, had serfdom been abolished and all men been free
and capable of bearing arms, we should have been able to
show a far better front to the Danes, seeing that the serfs are