after being
emptied of their contents, always burned. The plague continued its
ravages, and the city became straitened for provisions. Count Eudes
therefore determined to go to King Charles to urge him to hurry to the
succour of the town. Almost all the chiefs of the defence had fallen
victims to the pest, or had been killed in battle with the Danes, and
the count at his departure committed the defence of the city to the
Abbe Ebble and Edmund. He then crossed the stream at night, and made
his way successfully through the Danes.

The abbe and Edmund vied with each other in keeping up the spirits of
the garrison with successful little forays with the Danes, frequently
crossing the river to the one bank or the other, sometimes with parties
of only five or six men, and falling upon similar bodies of the enemy.
Several times they pounced upon small herds of the enemy's cattle, and
driving them into the river, directed them in their boats across the
stream.

In the commencement of July Eudes appeared on the slopes on Mont Martre
with three battalions of soldiers. The enemy, who were for the most
part on the other side of the Seine, crossed the river. A desperate
battle ensued. A portion of the garrison crossed in boats to the
assistance of their friends, Edmund leading over his band of Saxons.
With these he fell upon the rear of the Danes engaged in fighting with
the force under the count, and the Northmen, attacked on both sides,
gave way and took to flight. They were hotly pursued by the Franks.

The reinforcements entered Paris triumphantly by the bridge, which had
long since been repaired. But the siege was not yet over. When the news
of the victory of Eudes spread, the Danes again drew together from all
parts, and crossing the river, attacked the city on every side. The
onslaught was more furious than any which had preceded it. The Danes
had provided themselves with large numbers of mangonels and catapults.
Every man capable of bearing arms was upon the walls; but so furious
was the attack, so vast the number of the assailants, so prodigious
were the clouds of missiles which they rained upon the walls, that the
besieged almost lost heart.

The relics of St. Genevieve were taken round the walls. In several
places the Danes had formed breaches in the walls, and although the
besieged still struggled, hope had well-nigh left them, and abject
terror reigned in the city. Women ran about the streets screaming, and
crying t