the merry adventures of robin hood-第59节

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Then　the　Sheriff　laughed　aloud　for　joy。　　〃This　is　a　good　day！〃　cried　he。　〃The　great　outlaw　dead　and　his　right…hand　man　in　my　hands！　Ask　what　thou　wilt　of　me；　Guy　of　Gisbourne；　and　it　is　thine！〃

〃Then　this　I　ask　of　thee；〃　said　Robin。　　〃As　I　have　slain　the　master　I　would　now　kill　the　man。　　Give　this　fellow's　life　into　my　hands；　Sir　Sheriff。〃

〃Now　thou　art　a　fool！〃　cried　the　Sheriff。　　〃Thou　mightst　have　had　money　enough　for　a　knight's　ransom　if　thou　hadst　asked　for　it。　I　like　ill　to　let　this　fellow　pass　from　my　hands；　but　as　I　have　promised；　thou　shalt　have　him。〃

〃I　thank　thee　right　heartily　for　thy　gift；〃　cried　Robin。　　〃Take　the　rogue　down　from　the　horse；　men；　and　lean　him　against　yonder　tree；　while　I　show　you　how　we　stick　a　porker　whence　I　come！〃

At　these　words　some　of　the　Sheriff's　men　shook　their　heads；　for；　though　they　cared　not　a　whit　whether　Little　John　were　hanged　or　not；　they　hated　to　see　him　butchered　in　cold　blood。　But　the　Sheriff　called　to　them　in　a　loud　voice；　ordering　them　to　take　the　yeoman　down　from　the　horse　and　lean　him　against　the　tree；　as　the　other　bade。

While　they　were　doing　this　Robin　Hood　strung　both　his　bow　and　that　of　Guy　of　Gisbourne；　albeit　none　of　them　took　notice　of　his　doing　so。　　Then；　when　Little　John　stood　against　the　tree；　he　drew　Guy　of　Gisbourne's　sharp；　double…edged　dagger。　〃Fall　back！　fall　back！〃　cried　he。　　〃Would　ye　crowd　so　on　my　pleasure；　ye　unmannerly　knaves？　　Back；　I　say！　　Farther　yet！〃　So　they　crowded　back；　as　he　ordered；　many　of　them　turning　their　faces　away；　that　they　might　not　see　what　was　about　to　happen。

〃Come！〃　cried　Little　John。　　〃Here　is　my　breast。　　It　is　meet　that　the　same　hand　that　slew　my　dear　master　should　butcher　me　also！　I　know　thee；　Guy　of　Gisbourne！〃

〃Peace；　Little　John！〃　said　Robin　in　a　low　voice。　　〃Twice　thou　hast　said　thou　knowest　me；　and　yet　thou　knowest　me　not　at　all。　Couldst　thou　not　tell　me　beneath　this　wild　beast's　hide？　　Yonder；　just　in　front　of　thee；　lie　my　bow　and　arrows；　likewise　my　broadsword。　Take　them　when　I　cut　thy　bonds。　　Now！　　Get　them　quickly！〃　So　saying；　he　cut　the　bonds；　and　Little　John；　quick　as　a　wink；　leaped　forward　and　caught　up　the　bow　and　arrows　and　the　broadsword。　At　the　same　time　Robin　Hood　threw　back　the　cowl　of　horse's　hide　from　his　face　and　bent　Guy　of　Gisbourne's　bow；　with　a　keen；　barbed　arrow　fitted　to　the　string。　　〃Stand　back！〃　cried　he　sternly。　〃The　first　man　that　toucheth　finger　to　bowstring　dieth！　I　have　slain　thy　man；　Sheriff；　take　heed　that　it　is　not　thy　turn　next。〃　　Then；　seeing　that　Little　John　had　armed　himself；　he　clapped　his　bugle　horn　to　his　lips　and　blew　three　blasts　both　loud　and　shrill。

Now　when　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　saw　whose　face　it　was　beneath　Guy　of　Gisbourne's　hood；　and　when　he　heard　those　bugle　notes　ring　in　his　ear；　he　felt　as　if　his　hour　had　come。　〃Robin　Hood！〃　roared　he；　and　without　another　word　he　wheeled　his　horse　in　the　road　and　went　off　in　a　cloud　of　dust。　The　Sheriff's　men；　seeing　their　master　thus　fleeing　for　his　life；　thought　that　it　was　not　their　business　to　tarry　longer；　so；　clapping　spurs　to　their　horses；　they　also　dashed　away　after　him。　But　though　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　went　fast；　he　could　not　outstrip　a　clothyard　arrow。　　Little　John　twanged　his　bowstring　with　a　shout；　and　when　the　Sheriff　dashed　in　through　the　gates　of　Nottingham　Town　at　full　speed；　a　gray　goose　shaft　stuck　out　behind　him　like　a　moulting　sparrow　with　one　feather　in　its　tail。　For　a　month　afterward　the　poor　Sheriff　could　sit　upon　nought　but　the　softest　cushions　that　could　be　gotten　for　him。

Thus　the　Sheriff　and　a　score　of　men　ran　away　from　Robin　Hood　and　Little　John；　so　that　when　Will　Stutely　and　a　dozen　or　more　of　stout　yeomen　burst　from　out　the　covert；　they　saw　nought　of　their　master's　enemies；　for　the　Sheriff　and　his　men　were　scurrying　away　in　the　distance；　hidden　within　a　cloud　of　dust　like　a　little　thunderstorm。

Then　they　all　went　back　into　the　forest　once　more；　where　they　found　the　widow's　three　sons；　who　ran　to　Little　John　and　kissed　his　hands。　But　it　would　not　do　for　them　to　roam　the　forest　at　large　any　more；　so　they　promised　that；　after　they　had　gone　and　told　their　mother　of　their　escape；　they　would　come　that　night　to　the　greenwood　tree；　and　thenceforth　become　men　of　the　band。



King　Richard　Comes　to　Sherwood　Forest

NOT　MORE　than　two　months　had　passed　and　gone　since　these　stirring　adventures　befell　Robin　Hood　and　Little　John；　when　all　Nottinghamshire　was　a　mighty　stir　and　tumult；　for　King　Richard　of　the　Lion's　Heart　was　making　a　royal　progress　through　merry　England；　and　everyone　expected　him　to　come　to　Nottingham　Town　in　his　journeying。　Messengers　went　riding　back　and　forth　between　the　Sheriff　and　the　King；　until　at　last　the　time　was　fixed　upon　when　His　Majesty　was　to　stop　in　Nottingham；　as　the　guest　of　his　worship。

And　now　came　more　bustle　than　ever；　a　great　running　hither　and　thither；　a　rapping　of　hammers　and　a　babble　of　voices　sounded　everywhere　through　the　place；　for　the　folk　were　building　great　arches　across　the　streets；　beneath　which　the　King　was　to　pass；　and　were　draping　these　arches　with　silken　banners　and　streamers　of　many　colors。　Great　hubbub　was　going　on　in　the　Guild　Hall　of　the　town；　also；　for　here　a　grand　banquet　was　to　be　given　to　the　King　and　the　nobles　of　his　train；　and　the　best　master　carpenters　were　busy　building　a　throne　where　the　King　and　the　Sheriff　were　to　sit　at　the　head　of　the　table；　side　by　side。

It　seemed　to　many　of　the　good　folk　of　the　place　as　if　the　day　that　should　bring　the　King　into　the　town　would　never　come；　but　all　the　same　it　did　come　in　its　own　season；　and　bright　shone　the　sun　down　into　the　stony　streets；　which　were　all　alive　with　a　restless　sea　of　people。　　On　either　side　of　the　way　great　crowds　of　town　and　country　folk　stood　packed　as　close　together　as　dried　herring　in　a　box；　so　that　the　Sheriffs　men；　halberds　in　hands；　could　hardly　press　them　back　to　leave　space　for　the　King's　riding。

〃Take　care　whom　thou　pushest　against！〃　cried　a　great；　burly　friar　to　one　of　these　men。　　〃Wouldst　thou　dig　thine　elbows　into　me；　sirrah？　By'r　Lady　of　the　Fountain；　an　thou　dost　not　treat　me　with　more　deference　I　will　crack　thy　knave's　pate　for　thee；　even　though　thou　be　one　of　the　mighty　Sheriff's　men。〃

At　this　a　great　shout　of　laughter　arose　from　a　number　of　tall　yeomen　in　Lincoln　green　that　were　scattered　through　the　crowd　thereabouts；　but　one　that　seemed　of　more　authority　than　the　others　nudged　the　holy　man　with　his　elbow。　〃Peace；　Tuck；〃　said　he；　〃didst　thou　not　promise　me；　ere　thou　camest　here；　that　thou　wouldst　put　a　check　upon　thy　tongue？〃

〃Ay；　marry；〃　grumbled　the　other；　〃but　'a　did　not　think　to　have　a　hard…footed　knave　trample　all　over　my　poor　toes　as　though　they　were　no　more　than　so　many　acorns　in　the　forest。〃

But　of　a　sudden　all　this　bickering　ceased；　for　a　clear　sound　of　many　bugle　horns　came　winding　down　the　street。　　Then　all　the　people　craned　their　necks　and　gazed　in　the　direction　whence　the　sound　came；　and　the　crowding　and　the　pushing　and　the　swaying　grew　greater　than　ever。　And　now　a　gallant　array　of　men　came　gleaming　into　sight；　and　the　cheering　of　the　people　ran　down　the　crowd　as　the　fire　runs　in　dry　grass。

Eight　and　twenty　heralds　in　velvet　and　cloth　of　gold　came　riding　forward。　Over　their　heads　fluttered　a　cloud　of　snow…white　feathers；　and　each　herald　bore　in　his　hand　a　long　silver　trumpet；　which　he　blew　musically。　From　each　trumpet　hung　a　heavy　banner　of　velvet　and　cloth　of　gold；　with　the　royal　arms　of　England　emblazoned　thereon。　　After　these　came　riding　fivescore　noble　knights；　two　by　two；　all　fully　armed；　saving　that　their　heads　were　uncovered。　　In　their　hands　they　bore　tall　lances；　from　the　tops　of　which　fluttered　pennons　of　many　colors　and　devices。　By　the　side　of　each　knight　walked　a　page　clad　in　rich　clothes　of　silk　and　velvet；　and　each　page　bore　in　his　hands　his　master's　helmet；　from　which　waved　long；　floating　plumes　of　feathers。　　Never　had　Nottingham　seen　a　fairer　sight　than　those　fivescore　noble　knights；　from　whose　armor　the　sun　blazed　in　dazzling　light　as　they　came　riding　on　their　great　war　horses；　with　clashing　of　arms　and　jingling　of　chains。　　Behind　the　knights　came　the　barons　and　the　nobles　of　the　mid…country；　in　robes　of　silk　and　cloth　of　gold；　with　golden　chains　about　their　necks　and　jewels　at　their　girdles。　Behind　these　again　came　a　great　array　of　men…at…arms；　with　spears　and　halberds　in　their　hands；　and；　in　the　midst　of　these；　two　riders　side　by　side。　One　of　the　horsemen　was　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　in　his　robes　of　office。　The　other；　who　was　a　head　taller　than　the　Sheriff；　was　clad　in　a　rich　but　simple　garb；　with　a　broad；　heavy　chain　about　his　neck。　　His　hair　and　beard　were　like　threads　of　gold；　and　his　eyes　were　as　blue　as　the　summer　sky。　As　he　rode　along　he　bowed　to　the　right　hand　and　the　left；　and　a　mighty　roar　of　voices　followed　him　as　he　passed；　for　this　was　King　Richard。

Then；　above　all　the　tumult　and　the　shouting　a　great　voice　was　heard　roaring；　〃Heaven；　its　saints　bless　thee；　our　gracious　King　Richard！　and　likewise　Our　Lady　of　the　Fountain；　bless　thee！〃　Then　King　Richard；　looking　toward　the　spot　whence　the　sound　came；　saw　a　tall；　burly；　strapping　priest　standing　in　front　of　all　the　crowd　with　his　legs　wide　apart　a