the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第43节

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But　Little　John　caught　the　horses　by　the　bridle　reins；　one　in　either　hand。
〃Ha'　ye　in　truth　no　money　about　you　whatsoever？〃　said　he。
〃Now；　I　pray　you；　brothers；　for　charity's　sake；　give　me　somewhat
to　buy　a　crust　of　bread；　e'en　though　it　be　only　a　penny。〃

〃I　tell　thee；　fellow；　we　have　no　money；〃　thundered　the　fat　little
Friar　with　the　great　voice。

〃Ha'　ye；　in　holy　truth；　no　money？〃　asked　Little　John。

〃Not　a　farthing；〃　said　the　lean　Friar　sourly。

〃Not　a　groat；〃　said　the　fat　Friar　loudly。

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃this　must　not　be。　　Far　be　it　from　me
to　see　such　holy　men　as　ye　are　depart　from　me　with　no　money。
Get　both　of　you　down　straightway　from　off　your　horses；
and　we　will　kneel　here　in　the　middle　of　the　crossroads　and　pray
the　blessed　Saint　Dunstan　to　send　us　some　money　to　carry　us
on　our　journey。〃

〃What　sayest　thou；　thou　limb　of　evil！〃　cried　the　lean　Friar；
fairly　gnashing　his　teeth　with　rage。　　〃Doss　thou　bid　me；　the　high
cellarer　of　Fountain　Abbey；　to　get　down　from　my　horse　and　kneel
in　the　dirty　road　to　pray　to　some　beggarly　Saxon　saint？〃

〃Now；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃I　ha'　a　great　part　of　a　mind　to　crack　thy
head　for　thee　for　speaking　thus　of　the　good　Saint　Dunstan！　　But　get
down　straightway；　for　my　patience　will　not　last　much　longer；
and　I　may　forget　that　ye　are　both　in　holy　orders。〃　　So　saying；
he　twirled　his　stout　staff　till　it　whistled　again。

At　this　speech　both　friars　grew　as　pale　as　dough。
Down　slipped　the　fat　Brother　from　off　his　horse　on　one　side；
and　down　slipped　the　lean　Brother　on　the　other。

〃Now；　brothers；　down　on　your　knees　and　pray；〃　said　Little　John；
thereupon；　putting　his　heavy　hands　upon　the　shoulder　of　each；
he　forced　them　to　their　knees；　he　kneeling　also。　　Then　Little　John　began
to　beseech　Saint　Dunstan　for　money；　which　he　did　in　a　great　loud　voice。
After　he　had　so　besought　the　Saint　for　a　time；　he　bade　the　friars
feel　in　their　pouches　and　see　if　the　Saint　had　sent　them　anything；
so　each　put　his　hand　slowly　in　the　pouch　that　hung　beside　him；
but　brought　nothing　thence。

〃Ha！〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃have　your　prayers　so　little　virtue？
Then　let　us　at　it　again。〃　　Then　straightway　he　began　calling
on　Saint　Dunstan　again；　somewhat　in　this　wise：　　〃O　gracious
Saint　Dunstan！　　Send　some　money　straightway　to　these　poor　folk；
lest　the　fat　one　waste　away　and　grow　as　lean　as　the　lean　one；
and　the　lean　one　waste　away　to　nothing　at　all；　ere　they　get　to
Lincoln　Town；　but　send　them　only　ten　shillings　apiece；　lest　they
grow　puffed　up　with　pride；　Any　more　than　that　that　thou　sendest；
send　to　me。

〃Now；〃　quoth　he；　rising；　〃let　us　see　what　each　man　hath。〃
Then　he　thrust　his　hand　into　his　pouch　and　drew　thence　four　golden　angels。
〃What　have　ye；　brothers？〃　said　he。

Then　once　again　each　friar　slowly　thrust　his　hand　into　his　pouch；
and　once　again　brought　it　out　with　nothing　in　it。

〃Have　ye　nothing？〃　quoth　Little　John。　　〃Nay；　I　warrant　there　is　somewhat
that　hath　crept　into　the　seams　of　your　pouches；　and　so　ye　ha'　missed　it。
Let　me　look。〃

So　he　went　first　to　the　lean　Friar；　and；　thrusting　his　hand　into　the　pouch；
he　drew　forth　a　leathern　bag　and　counted　therefrom　one　hundred　and　ten　pounds
of　golden　money。　　〃I　thought；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃that　thou　hadst　missed；
in　some　odd　corner　of　thy　pouch；　the　money　that　the　blessed　Saint　had
sent　thee。　　And　now　let　me　see　whether　thou　hast　not　some；　also；　brother。〃
Thereupon　he　thrust　his　hand　into　the　pouch　of　the　fat　Friar　and　drew　thence
a　bag　like　the　other　and　counted　out　from　it　threescore　and　ten　pounds。
〃Look　ye　now；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　knew　the　good　Saint　had　sent　thee　some　pittance
that　thou；　also；　hadst　missed。〃

Then；　giving　them　one　pound　between　them；　he　slipped　the　rest
of　the　money　into　his　own　pouch；　saying；　〃Ye　pledged　me
your　holy　word　that　ye　had　no　money。　　Being　holy　men；　I　trust
that　ye　would　not　belie　your　word　so　pledged；　therefore　I　know
the　good　Saint　Dunstan　hath　sent　this　in　answer　to　my　prayers。
But　as　I　only　prayed　for　ten　shillings　to　be　sent　to　each　of　you；
all　over　and　above　that　belongeth　by　rights　to　me；　and　so　I　take　it。
I　give　you　good　den；　brothers；　and　may　ye　have　a　pleasant
journey　henceforth。〃　　So　saying；　he　turned　and　left　them；
striding　away。　　The　friars　looked　at　one　another　with　a　woeful　look；
and　slowly　and　sadly　they　mounted　their　horses　again　and　rode
away　with　never　a　word。

But　Little　John　turned　his　footsteps　back　again　to　Sherwood　Forest；
and　merrily　he　whistled　as　he　strode　along。

And　now　we　will　see　what　befell　Robin　Hood　in　his　venture　as　beggar。



Robin　Hood　Turns　Beggar

AFTER　JOLLY　ROBIN　had　left　Little　John　at　the　forking　of　the　roads；
he　walked　merrily　onward　in　the　mellow　sunshine　that　shone　about　him。
Ever　and　anon　he　would　skip　and　leap　or　sing　a　snatch　of　song；
for　pure　joyousness　of　the　day；　for；　because　of　the　sweetness
of　the　springtide；　his　heart　was　as　lusty　within　him　as　that
of　a　colt　newly　turned　out　to　grass。　　Sometimes　he　would　walk
a　long　distance；　gazing　aloft　at　the　great　white　swelling　clouds
that　moved　slowly　across　the　deep　blue　sky；　anon　he　would　stop
and　drink　in　the　fullness　of　life　of　all　things；　for　the　hedgerows
were　budding　tenderly　and　the　grass　of　the　meadows　was　waxing　long
and　green；　again　he　would　stand　still　and　listen　to　the　pretty
song　of　the　little　birds　in　the　thickets　or　hearken　to　the　clear
crow　of　the　cock　daring　the　sky　to　rain；　whereat　he　would　laugh；
for　it　took　but　little　to　tickle　Robin's　heart　into　merriment。
So　he　trudged　manfully　along；　ever　willing　to　stop　for　this
reason　or　for　that；　and　ever　ready　to　chat　with　such　merry
lasses　as　he　met　now　and　then。　　So　the　morning　slipped　along；
but　yet　he　met　no　beggar　with　whom　he　could　change　clothes。
Quoth　he；　〃If　I　do　not　change　my　luck　in　haste；　I　am　like　to
have　an　empty　day　of　it；　for　it　is　well　nigh　half　gone　already；
and；　although　I　have　had　a　merry　walk　through　the　countryside；
I　know　nought　of　a　beggar's　life。〃

Then；　after　a　while；　he　began　to　grow　hungry；　whereupon　his　mind　turned
from　thoughts　of　springtime　and　flowers　and　birds　and　dwelled　upon
boiled　capons；　Malmsey；　white　bread；　and　the　like；　with　great　tenderness。
Quoth　he　to　himself；　〃I　would　I　had　Willie　Wynkin's　wishing　coat；
I　know　right　well　what　I　should　wish　for；　and　this　it　should　be。〃
Here　he　marked　upon　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand　with　the
forefinger　of　his　right　hand　those　things　which　he　wished　for。
〃Firstly；　I　would　have　a　sweet　brown　pie　of　tender　larks；　mark　ye；
not　dry　cooked；　but　with　a　good　sop　of　gravy　to　moisten　it　withal。
Next；　I　would　have　a　pretty　pullet；　fairly　boiled；　with　tender　pigeons'
eggs；　cunningly　sliced；　garnishing　the　platter　around。
With　these　I　would　have　a　long；　slim　loaf　of　wheaten　bread　that　hath
been　baked　upon　the　hearth；　it　should　be　warm　from　the　fire；
with　glossy　brown　crust；　the　color　of　the　hair　of　mine　own　Maid　Marian；
and　this　same　crust　should　be　as　crisp　and　brittle　as　the　thin　white
ice　that　lies　across　the　furrows　in　the　early　winter's　morning。
These　will　do　for　the　more　solid　things；　but　with　these　I
must　have　three　potties；　fat　and　round；　one　full　of　Malmsey；
one　of　Canary；　and　one　brimming　full　of　mine　own　dear　lusty　sack。〃
Thus　spoke　Robin　to　himself；　his　mouth　growing　moist　at　the　corners
with　the　thoughts　of　the　good　things　he　had　raised　in　his　own　mind。

So；　talking　to　himself；　he　came　to　where　the　dusty　road　turned　sharply
around　the　hedge；　all　tender　with　the　green　of　the　coming　leaf；
and　there　he　saw　before　him　a　stout　fellow　sitting　upon　a　stile；
swinging　his　legs　in　idleness。　　All　about　this　lusty　rogue　dangled
divers　pouches　and　bags　of　different　sizes　and　kinds；　a　dozen　or　more；
with　great；　wide；　gaping　mouths；　like　a　brood　of　hungry　daws。
His　coat　was　gathered　in　at　his　waist；　and　was　patched　with　as　many
colors　as　there　are　stripes　upon　a　Maypole　in　the　springtide。
On　his　head　he　wore　a　great　tall　leathern　cap；　and　across　his　knees
rested　a　stout　quarterstaff　of　blackthorn；　full　as　long　and　heavy
as　Robin's。　As　jolly　a　beggar　was　he　as　ever　trod　the　lanes
and　byways　of　Nottinghamshire；　for　his　eyes　were　as　gray　as　slate；
and　snapped　and　twinkled　and　danced　with　merriment；　and　his　black
hair　curled　close　all　over　his　head　in　little　rings　of　kinkiness。

〃Halloa；　good　fellow；〃　quoth　Robin；　when　he　had　come　nigh　to　the　other；
〃what　art　thou　doing　here　this　merry　day；　when　the　flowers　are　peeping
and　the　buds　are　swelling？〃

Then　the　other　winked　one　eye　and　straightway　trolled　forth
in　a　merry　voice：

　　　　　〃_I　sit　upon　the　stile；
　　　　　And　I　sing　a　little　while
　As　I　wait　for　my　own　true　dear；　O；
　　　　　For　the　sun　is　shining　bright；
　　　　　And　the　leaves　are　dancing　light；
　And　the　little　fowl　sings　she　is　near；　O_。


〃And　so　it　is　with　me；　bully　boy；　saving　that　my　doxy　cometh　not。〃

〃Now　that　is　a　right　sweet　song；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and；　were　I　in
the　right　mind　to　listen　to　thee；　I　could　bear　well　to　hear　more；
but　I　have　two　things　of　seriousness　to　ask　of　thee；
so　listen；　I　prythee。〃

At　this　the　jolly　Beggar　cocked　his　head　on　one　side；　like　a　rogue
of　a　magpie。　　Quoth　he；　〃I　am　an　ill　jug　to　pour　heavy　things　into；
good　friend；　and；　if　I