the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第50节

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But　here　come　forth　the　others；　let　them　shoot；　and　then　I　will　match
those　that　win　against　all　the　world。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　the　Queen。　　Thereupon；　beckoning　to　young
Richard　Partington；　she　whispered　something　in　his　ear；　and　straightway
the　Page　bowed　and　left　the　place；　crossing　the　meadow　to　the　other
side　of　the　range；　where　he　was　presently　lost　in　the　crowd。
At　this；　all　that　stood　around　whispered　to　one　another；
wondering　what　it　all　meant；　and　what　three　men　the　Queen　was
about　to　set　against　those　famous　archers　of　the　King's　guard。

And　now　the　ten　archers　of　the　King's　guard　took　their　stand　again；
and　all　the　great　crowd　was　hushed　to　the　stillness　of　death。
Slowly　and　carefully　each　man　shot　his　shafts；　and　so　deep　was
the　silence　that　you　could　hear　every　arrow　rap　against　the　target
as　it　struck　it。　　Then；　when　the　last　shaft　had　sped；　a　great　roar
went　up；　and　the　shooting；　I　wot；　was　well　worthy　of　the　sound。
Once　again　Gilbert　had　lodged　three　arrows　in　the　white；　Tepus　came
second　with　two　in　the　white　and　one　in　the　black　ring　next　to　it；
but　stout　Clifton　had　gone　down　and　Hubert　of　Suffolk　had　taken
the　third　place；　for；　while　both　those　two　good　yeomen　had　lodged
two　in　the　white；　Clifton　had　lost　one　shot　upon　the　fourth　ring；
and　Hubert　came　in　with　one　in　the　third。

All　the　archers　around　Gilbert's　booth　shouted　for　joy　till　their　throats
were　hoarse；　tossing　their　caps　aloft；　and　shaking　hands　with　one　another。

In　the　midst　of　all　the　noise　and　hubbub　five　men　came　walking　across
the　lawn　toward　the　King's　pavilion。　　The　first　was　Richard　Partington；
and　was　known　to　most　folk　there；　but　the　others　were　strange　to　everybody。
Beside　young　Partington　walked　a　yeoman　clad　in　blue；　and　behind
came　three　others；　two　in　Lincoln　green　and　one　in　scarlet。
This　last　yeoman　carried　three　stout　bows　of　yew　tree；　two　fancifully
inlaid　with　silver　and　one　with　gold。　　While　these　five　men　came
walking　across　the　meadow；　a　messenger　came　running　from　the　King's
booth　and　summoned　Gilbert　and　Tepus　and　Hubert　to　go　with　him。
And　now　the　shouting　quickly　ceased；　for　all　saw　that　something
unwonted　was　toward；　so　the　folk　stood　up　in　their　places　and　leaned
forward　to　see　what　was　the　ado。

When　Partington　and　the　others　came　before　the　spot　where　the　King　and
Queen　sat；　the　four　yeomen　bent　their　knees　and　doffed　their　caps　unto　her。
King　Henry　leaned　far　forward　and　stared　at　them　closely；　but　the　Bishop
of　Hereford；　when　he　saw　their　faces；　started　as　though　stung　by　a　wasp。
He　opened　his　mouth　as　though　about　to　speak；　but；　looking　up；　he　saw
the　Queen　gazing　at　him　with　a　smile　upon　her　lips；　so　he　said　nothing；
but　bit　his　nether　lip；　while　his　face　was　as　red　as　a　cherry。

Then　the　Queen　leaned　forward　and　spake　in　a　clear　voice。
〃Locksley；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　made　a　wager　with　the　King　that　thou
and　two　of　thy　men　can　outshoot　any　three　that　he　can　send　against　you。
Wilt　thou　do　thy　best　for　my　sake？〃

〃Yea；〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　to　whom　she　spake；　〃I　will　do　my　best　for　thy　sake；
and；　if　I　fail；　I　make　my　vow　never　to　finger　bowstring　more。〃

Now；　although　Little　John　had　been　somewhat　abashed　in　the　Queen's　bower；
he　felt　himself　the　sturdy　fellow　he　was　when　the　soles　of　his　feet　pressed
green　grass　again；　so　he　said　boldly；　〃Now；　blessings　on　thy　sweet　face；
say　I。　An　there　lived　a　man　that　would　not　do　his　best　for　theeI　will
say　nought；　only　I　would　like　to　have　the　cracking　of　his　knave's　pate！

〃Peace；　Little　John！〃　said　Robin　Hood　hastily；　in　a　low　voice；
but　good　Queen　Eleanor　laughed　aloud；　and　a　ripple　of　merriment
sounded　all　over　the　booth。

The　Bishop　of　Hereford　did　not　laugh；　neither　did　the　King；
but　he　turned　to　the　Queen；　and　quoth　he；　〃Who　are　these　men
that　thou　hast　brought　before　us？〃

Then　up　spoke　the　Bishop　hastily；　for　he　could　hold　his　peace　no　longer：
〃Your　Majesty；〃　quoth　he；　〃yon　fellow　in　blue　is　a　certain　outlawed
thief　of　the　mid…country；　named　Robin　Hood；　yon　tall；　strapping　villain
goeth　by　the　name　of　Little　John；　the　other　fellow　in　green　is　a　certain
backsliding　gentleman；　known　as　Will　Scarlet；　the　man　in　red　is　a　rogue
of　a　northern　minstrel；　named　Allan　a　Dale。〃

At　this　speech　the　King's　brows　drew　together　blackly；　and　he　turned
to　the　Queen。　　〃Is　this　true？〃　said　he　sternly。

〃Yea；〃　said　the　Queen；　smiling；　〃the　Bishop　hath　told　the　truth；
and　truly　he　should　know　them　well；　for　he　and　two　of　his　friars　spent
three　days　in　merry　sport　with　Robin　Hood　in　Sherwood　Forest。　　I　did
little　think　that　the　good　Bishop　would　so　betray　his　friends。
But　bear　in　mind　that　thou　hast　pledged　thy　promise　for　the　safety
of　these　good　yeomen　for　forty　days。〃

〃I　will　keep　my　promise；〃　said　the　King；　in　a　deep　voice
that　showed　the　anger　in　his　heart；　〃but　when　these　forty
days　are　gone　let　this　outlaw　look　to　himself；　for　mayhap
things　will　not　go　so　smoothly　with　him　as　he　would　like。〃
Then　he　turned　to　his　archers；　who　stood　near　the　Sherwood　yeomen；
listening　and　wondering　at　all　that　passed。　　Quoth　he；
〃Gilbert；　and　thou；　Tepus；　and　thou；　Hubert；　I　have　pledged
myself　that　ye　shall　shoot　against　these　three　fellows。
If　ye　outshoot　the　knaves　I　will　fill　your　caps　with　silver　pennies；
if　ye　fail　ye　shall　lose　your　prizes　that　ye　have　won　so　fairly；
and　they　go　to　them　that　shoot　against　you；　man　to　man。
Do　your　best；　lads；　and　if　ye　win　this　bout　ye　shall　be　glad
of　it　to　the　last　days　of　your　life。　　Go；　now；　and　get　you　gone
to　the　butts。〃

Then　the　three　archers　of　the　King　turned　and　went　back　to　their　booths；
and　Robin　and　his　men　went　to　their　places　at　the　mark　from　which　they
were　to　shoot。　　Then　they　strung　their　bows　and　made　themselves　ready；
looking　over　their　quivers　of　arrows；　and　picking　out　the　roundest
and　the　best　feathered。

But　when　the　King's　archers　went　to　their　tents；　they　told
their　friends　all　that　had　passed；　and　how　that　these　four
men　were　the　famous　Robin　Hood　and　three　of　his　band；　to　wit；
Little　John；　Will　Scarlet；　and　Allan　a　Dale。　　The　news　of　this
buzzed　around　among　the　archers　in　the　booths；　for　there　was　not
a　man　there　that　had　not　heard　of　these　great　mid…country　yeomen。
From　the　archers　the　news　was　taken　up　by　the　crowd　that　looked
on　at　the　shooting；　so　that　at　last　everybody　stood　up；
craning　their　necks　to　catch　sight　of　the　famous　outlaws。

Six　fresh　targets　were　now　set　up；　one　for　each　man　that　was　to　shoot；
whereupon　Gilbert　and　Tepus　and　Hubert　came　straightway　forth
from　the　booths。　　Then　Robin　Hood　and　Gilbert　of　the　White　Hand
tossed　a　farthing　aloft　to　see　who　should　lead　in　the　shooting；
and　the　lot　fell　to　Gilbert's　side；　thereupon　he　called　upon　Hubert
of　Suffolk　to　lead。

Hubert　took　his　place；　planted　his　foot　firmly；　and　fitted　a　fair；
smooth　arrow；　then；　breathing　upon　his　fingertips；　he　drew　the　string
slowly　and　carefully。　　The　arrow　sped　true；　and　lodged　in　the　white；
again　he　shot；　and　again　he　hit　the　clout；　a　third　shaft　he　sped；
but　this　time　failed　of　the　center；　and　but　struck　the　black；
yet　not　more　than　a　finger's…breadth　from　the　white。
At　this　a　shout　went　up；　for　it　was　the　best　shooting　that　Hubert
had　yet　done　that　day。

Merry　Robin　laughed；　and　quoth　he；　〃Thou　wilt　have　an　ill
time　bettering　that　round；　Will；　for　it　is　thy　turn　next。
Brace　thy　thews；　lad；　and　bring　not　shame　upon　Sherwood。〃

Then　Will　Scarlet　took　his　place；　but；　because　of　overcaution；
he　spoiled　his　target　with　the　very　first　arrow　that　he　sped；
for　he　hit　the　next　ring　to　the　black；　the　second　from　the　center。
At　this　Robin　bit　his　lips。　　〃Lad；　lad；〃　quoth　he；　〃hold　not　the　string
so　long！　　Have　I　not　often　told　thee　what　Gaffer　Swanthold　sayeth；
that　‘overcaution　spilleth　the　milk'？〃　To　this　Will　Scarlet　took　heed；
so　the　next　arrow　he　shot　lodged　fairly　in　the　center　ring；
again　he　shot；　and　again　he　smote　the　center；　but；　for　all　that；
stout　Hubert　had　outshot　him；　and　showed　the　better　target。
Then　all　those　that　looked　on　clapped　their　hands　for　joy　because
that　Hubert　had　overcome　the　stranger。

Quoth　the　King　grimly；　to　the　Queen；　〃If　thy　archers　shoot
no　better　than　that；　thou　art　like　to　lose　thy　wager；　lady。〃
But　Queen　Eleanor　smiled；　for　she　looked　for　better　things
from　Robin　Hood　and　Little　John。

And　now　Tepus　took　his　place　to　shoot。　　He；　also；　took　overheed
to　what　he　was　about；　and　so　he　fell　into　Will　Scarlet's　error。
The　first　arrow　he　struck　into　the　center　ring；　but　the　second　missed
its　mark；　and　smote　the　black；　the　last　arrow　was　tipped　with　luck；　for　it
smote　the　very　center　of　the　clout；　upon　the　black　spot　that　marked　it。
Quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃That　is　the　sweetest　shot　that　hath　been　sped
this　day；　but；　nevertheless；　friend　Tepus；　thy　cake　is　burned；　methinks。
Little　John；　it　is　thy　turn　next。〃

So　Little　John　took　his　place　as　bidden；　and　shot　his　three　arrows　quickly。
He　never　lowered　his　bow　arm　in　all　the　shooting；　but　fitted　each　shaft
with　his　longbow　raised；　yet　all　three　of　his　arrows　smote　the　center
within　easy　distance　of　the　black。　　At　this　no　sound　of　shouting　was　heard；
for；　although　it　was　the　best　shooting　that　had　been　done　that　day；
the