the merry adventures of robin hood-第64节

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uld　not　rest　until　he　had　Robin　Hood　in　his　power；　dead　or　alive。　Now　there　was　present　at　court　a　certain　knight；　Sir　William　Dale；　as　gallant　a　soldier　as　ever　donned　harness。　　Sir　William　Dale　was　well　acquainted　with　Sherwood　Forest；　for　he　was　head　keeper　over　that　part　of　it　that　lay　nigh　to　good　Mansfield　Town；　so　to　him　the　King　turned；　and　bade　him　take　an　army　of　men　and　go　straightway　to　seek　Robin　Hood。　　Likewise　the　King　gave　Sir　William　his　signet　ring　to　show　to　the　Sheriff；　that　he　might　raise　all　his　armed　men　to　aid　the　others　in　their　chase　of　Robin。　　So　Sir　William　and　the　Sheriff　set　forth　to　do　the　King's　bidding　and　to　search　for　Robin　Hood；　and　for　seven　days　they　hunted　up　and　down；　yet　found　him　not。

Now；　had　Robin　Hood　been　as　peaceful　as　of　old；　everything　might　have　ended　in　smoke；　as　other　such　ventures　had　always　done　before；　but　he　had　fought　for　years　under　King　Richard；　and　was　changed　from　what　he　used　to　be。　It　galled　his　pride　to　thus　flee　away　before　those　sent　against　him；　as　a　chased　fox　flees　from　the　hounds；　so　thus　it　came　about；　at　last；　that　Robin　Hood　and　his　yeomen　met　Sir　William　and　the　Sheriff　and　their　men　in　the　forest；　and　a　bloody　fight　followed。　　The　first　man　slain　in　that　fight　was　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham；　for　he　fell　from　his　horse　with　an　arrow　in　his　brain　ere　half　a　score　of　shafts　had　been　sped。　Many　a　better　man　than　the　Sheriff　kissed　the　sod　that　day；　but　at　last；　Sir　William　Dale　being　wounded　and　most　of　his　men　slain；　he　withdrew；　beaten；　and　left　the　forest。　　But　scores　of　good　fellows　were　left　behind　him；　stretched　out　all　stiff　beneath　the　sweet　green　boughs。

But　though　Robin　Hood　had　beaten　off　his　enemies　in　fair　fight；　all　this　lay　heavily　upon　his　mind；　so　that　he　brooded　over　it　until　a　fever　seized　upon　him。　　For　three　days　it　held　him；　and　though　he　strove　to　fight　it　off；　he　was　forced　to　yield　at　last。　Thus　it　came　that；　on　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day；　he　called　Little　John　to　him；　and　told　him　that　he　could　not　shake　the　fever　from　him；　and　that　he　would　go　to　his　cousin；　the　prioress　of　the　nunnery　near　Kirklees；　in　Yorkshire；　who　was　a　skillful　leech；　and　he　would　have　her　open　a　vein　in　his　arm　and　take　a　little　blood　from　him；　for　the　bettering　of　his　health。　　Then　he　bade　Little　John　make　ready　to　go　also；　for　he　might　perchance　need　aid　in　his　journeying。　So　Little　John　and　he　took　their　leave　of　the　others；　and　Robin　Hood　bade　Will　Stutely　be　the　captain　of　the　band　until　they　should　come　back。　Thus　they　came　by　easy　stages　and　slow　journeying　until　they　reached　the　Nunnery　of　Kirklees。

Now　Robin　had　done　much　to　aid　this　cousin　of　his；　for　it　was　through　King　Richard's　love　of　him　that　she　had　been　made　prioress　of　the　place。　But　there　is　nought　in　the　world　so　easily　forgot　as　gratitude；　so；　when　the　Prioress　of　Kirklees　had　heard　how　her　cousin；　the　Earl　of　Huntingdon；　had　thrown　away　his　earldom　and　gone　back　again　to　Sherwood；　she　was　vexed　to　the　soul；　and　feared　lest　her　cousinship　with　him　should　bring　the　King's　wrath　upon　her　also。　Thus　it　happened　that　when　Robin　came　to　her　and　told　her　how　he　wished　her　services　as　leech；　she　began　plotting　ill　against　him　in　her　mind；　thinking　that　by　doing　evil　to　him　she　might　find　favor　with　his　enemies。　Nevertheless；　she　kept　this　well　to　herself　and　received　Robin　with　seeming　kindness。　　She　led　him　up　the　winding　stone　stair　to　a　room　which　was　just　beneath　the　eaves　of　a　high；　round　tower；　but　she　would　not　let　Little　John　come　with　him。

So　the　poor　yeoman　turned　his　feet　away　from　the　door　of　the　nunnery；　and　left　his　master　in　the　hands　of　the　women。　But；　though　he　did　not　come　in；　neither　did　he　go　far　away；　for　he　laid　him　down　in　a　little　glade　near　by；　where　he　could　watch　the　place　that　Robin　abided；　like　some　great；　faithful　dog　turned　away　from　the　door　where　his　master　has　entered。

After　the　women　had　gotten　Robin　Hood　to　the　room　beneath　the　eaves；　the　Prioress　sent　all　of　the　others　away；　then；　taking　a　little　cord；　she　tied　it　tightly　about　Robin's　arm；　as　though　she　were　about　to　bleed　him。　　And　so　she　did　bleed　him；　but　the　vein　she　opened　was　not　one　of　those　that　lie　close　and　blue　beneath　the　skin；　deeper　she　cut　than　that；　for　she　opened　one　of　those　veins　through　which　the　bright　red　blood　runs　leaping　from　the　heart。　Of　this　Robin　knew　not；　for；　though　he　saw　the　blood　flow；　it　did　not　come　fast　enough　to　make　him　think　that　there　was　anything　ill　in　it。

Having　done　this　vile　deed；　the　Prioress　turned　and　left　her　cousin；　locking　the　door　behind　her。　　All　that　livelong　day　the　blood　ran　from　Robin　Hood's　arm；　nor　could　he　check　it；　though　he　strove　in　every　way　to　do　so。　　Again　and　again　he　called　for　help；　but　no　help　came；　for　his　cousin　had　betrayed　him；　and　Little　John　was　too　far　away　to　hear　his　voice。　So　he　bled　and　bled　until　he　felt　his　strength　slipping　away　from　him。　Then　he　arose；　tottering；　and　bearing　himself　up　by　the　palms　of　his　hands　against　the　wall；　he　reached　his　bugle　horn　at　last。　Thrice　he　sounded　it；　but　weakly　and　faintly；　for　his　breath　was　fluttering　through　sickness　and　loss　of　strength；　nevertheless；　Little　John　heard　it　where　he　lay　in　the　glade；　and；　with　a　heart　all　sick　with　dread；　he　came　running　and　leaping　toward　the　nunnery。　　Loudly　he　knocked　at　the　door；　and　in　a　loud　voice　shouted　for　them　to　let　him　in；　but　the　door　was　of　massive　oak；　strongly　barred；　and　studded　with　spikes；　so　they　felt　safe；　and　bade　Little　John　begone。

Then　Little　John's　heart　was　mad　with　grief　and　fear　for　his　master's　life。　Wildly　he　looked　about　him；　and　his　sight　fell　upon　a　heavy　stone　mortar；　such　as　three　men　could　not　lift　nowadays。　　Little　John　took　three　steps　forward；　and；　bending　his　back；　heaved　the　stone　mortar　up　from　where　it　stood　deeply　rooted。　　Staggering　under　its　weight；　he　came　forward　and　hurled　it　crashing　against　the　door。　　In　burst　the　door；　and　away　fled　the　frightened　nuns；　shrieking；　at　his　coming。　Then　Little　John　strode　in；　and　never　a　word　said　he；　but　up　the　winding　stone　steps　he　ran　till　he　reached　the　room　wherein　his　master　was。　Here　he　found　the　door　locked　also；　but；　putting　his　shoulder　against　it；　he　burst　the　locks　as　though　they　were　made　of　brittle　ice。

There　he　saw　his　own　dear　master　leaning　against　the　gray　stone　wall；　his　face　all　white　and　drawn；　and　his　head　swaying　to　and　fro　with　weakness。　　Then；　with　a　great；　wild　cry　of　love　and　grief　and　pity；　Little　John　leaped　forward　and　caught　Robin　Hood　in　his　arms。　Up　he　lifted　him　as　a　mother　lifts　her　child；　and　carrying　him　to　the　bed；　laid　him　tenderly　thereon。

And　now　the　Prioress　came　in　hastily；　for　she　was　frightened　at　what　she　had　done；　and　dreaded　the　vengeance　of　Little　John　and　the　others　of　the　band；　then　she　stanched　the　blood　by　cunning　bandages；　so　that　it　flowed　no　more。　All　the　while　Little　John　stood　grimly　by；　and　after　she　had　done　he　sternly　bade　her　to　begone；　and　she　obeyed；　pale　and　trembling。　Then；　after　she　had　departed；　Little　John　spake　cheering　words；　laughing　loudly；　and　saying　that　all　this　was　a　child's　fright；　and　that　no　stout　yeoman　would　die　at　the　loss　of　a　few　drops　of　blood。　〃Why；〃　quoth　he；　〃give　thee　a　se'ennight　and　thou　wilt　be　roaming　the　woodlands　as　boldly　as　ever。〃

But　Robin　shook　his　head　and　smiled　faintly　where　he　lay。　〃Mine　own　dear　Little　John；〃　whispered　he；　〃Heaven　bless　thy　kind；　rough　heart。　　But；　dear　friend；　we　will　never　roam　the　woodlands　together　again。〃

〃Ay；　but　we　will！〃　quoth　Little　John　loudly。　　〃I　say　again；　ayout　upon　it　who　dares　say　that　any　more　harm　shall　come　upon　thee？　　Am　I　not　by？　　Let　me　see　who　dares　touch〃Here　he　stopped　of　a　sudden；　for　his　words　choked　him。　At　last　he　said；　in　a　deep；　husky　voice；　〃Now；　if　aught　of　harm　befalls　thee　because　of　this　day's　doings；　I　swear　by　Saint　George　that　the　red　cock　shall　crow　over　the　rooftree　of　this　house；　for　the　hot　flames　shall　lick　every　crack　and　cranny　thereof。　　As　for　these　women〃here　he　ground　his　teeth　〃it　will　be　an　ill　day　for　them！〃

But　Robin　Hood　took　Little　John's　rough；　brown　fist　in　his　white　hands；　and　chid　him　softly　in　his　low；　weak　voice；　asking　him　since　what　time　Little　John　had　thought　of　doing　harm　to　women；　even　in　vengeance。　Thus　he　talked　till；　at　last；　the　other　promised；　in　a　choking　voice；　that　no　ill　should　fall　upon　the　place；　no　matter　what　happened。　Then　a　silence　fell；　and　Little　John　sat　with　Robin　Hood's　hand　in　his；　gazing　out　of　the　open　window；　ever　and　anon　swallowing　a　great　lump　that　came　in　his　throat。　　Meantime　the　sun　dropped　slowly　to　the　west；　till　all　the　sky　was　ablaze　with　a　red　glory。　Then　Robin　Hood；　in　a　weak；　faltering　voice；　bade　Little　John　raise　him　that　he　might　look　out　once　more　upon　the　woodlands；　so　the　yeoman　lifted　him　in　his　arms；　as　he　bade；　and　Robin　Hood's　head　lay　on　his　friend's　shoulder。　　Long　he　gazed；　with　a　wide；　lingering　look；　while　the　other　sat　with　bowed　head；　the　hot　tears　rolling　one　after　another　from　his　eyes；　and　dripping　upon　his　bosom；　for　he　felt　that　the　time　of　parting　was　near　at　hand。　Then；　presently；　Robin　Hood　bade　him　string　his　stout　bow　for　him；　and　choose　a　smooth　fair　arrow　from　his　quiver。　　This　Little　John　did；