the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第51节

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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　folk　of　London　Town　did　not　like　to　see　the　stout　Tepus　overcome
by　a　fellow　from　the　countryside；　even　were　he　as　famous　as　Little　John。

And　now　stout　Gilbert　of　the　White　Hand　took　his　place　and　shot
with　the　greatest　care；　and　again；　for　the　third　time　in　one　day；
he　struck　all　three　shafts　into　the　clout。

〃Well　done；　Gilbert！〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　smiting　him　upon　the　shoulder。
〃I　make　my　vow；　thou　art　one　of　the　best　archers　that　ever　mine　eyes　beheld。
Thou　shouldst　be　a　free　and　merry　ranger　like　us；　lad；　for　thou　art
better　fitted　for　the　greenwood　than　for　the　cobblestones　and　gray
walls　of　London　Town。〃　　So　saying；　he　took　his　place；　and　drew　a　fair；
round　arrow　from　his　quiver；　which　he　turned　over　and　over　ere　he　fitted
it　to　his　bowstring。

Then　the　King　muttered　in　his　beard；　〃Now；　blessed　Saint　Hubert；　if　thou　wilt
but　jog　that　rogue's　elbow　so　as　to　make　him　smite　even　the　second　ring；
I　will　give　eightscore　waxen　candles　three　fingers'…breadth　in　thickness
to　thy　chapel　nigh　Matching。〃　　But　it　may　be　Saint　Hubert's　ears　were　stuffed
with　tow；　for　he　seemed　not　to　hear　the　King's　prayer　this　day。

Having　gotten　three　shafts　to　his　liking；　merry　Robin　looked
carefully　to　his　bowstring　ere　he　shot。　　〃Yea；〃　quoth　he　to　Gilbert；
who　stood　nigh　him　to　watch　his　shooting；　〃thou　shouldst　pay　us
a　visit　at　merry　Sherwood。〃　　Here　he　drew　the　bowstring　to　his　ear。
〃In　London〃here　he　loosed　his　shaft〃thou　canst　find　nought
to　shoot　at　but　rooks　and　daws；　there　one　can　tickle　the　ribs
of　the　noblest　stags　in　England。〃　　So　he　shot　even　while　he　talked；
yet　the　shaft　lodged　not　more　than　half　an　inch　from　the　very　center。

〃By　my　soul！〃　cried　Gilbert。　　〃Art　thou　the　devil　in　blue；
to　shoot　in　that　wise？〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing；　〃not　quite　so　ill　as　that；　I　trust。〃
And　he　took　up　another　shaft　and　fitted　it　to　the　string。
Again　he　shot；　and　again　he　smote　his　arrow　close　beside
the　center；　a　third　time　he　loosed　his　bowstring　and　dropped
his　arrow　just　betwixt　the　other　two　and　into　the　very　center；
so　that　the　feathers　of　all　three　were　ruffled　together；
seeming　from　a　distance　to　be　one　thick　shaft。

And　now　a　low　murmur　ran　all　among　that　great　crowd；
for　never　before　had　London　seen　such　shooting　as　this；
and　never　again　would　it　see　it　after　Robin　Hood's　day　had　gone。
All　saw　that　the　King's　archers　were　fairly　beaten；　and　stout　Gilbert
clapped　his　palm　to　Robin's；　owning　that　he　could　never　hope　to　draw
such　a　bowstring　as　Robin　Hood　or　Little　John。　　But　the　King；
full　of　wrath；　would　not　have　it　so；　though　he　knew　in　his
mind　that　his　men　could　not　stand　against　those　fellows。
〃Nay！〃　cried　he；　clenching　his　hands　upon　the　arms　of　his　seat；
〃Gilbert　is　not　yet　beaten！　　Did　he　not　strike　the　clout　thrice？
Although　I　have　lost　my　wager；　he　hath　not　yet　lost　the　first　prize。
They　shall　shoot　again；　and　still　again；　till　either　he　or　that　knave
Robin　Hood　cometh　off　the　best。　　Go　thou；　Sir　Hugh；　and　bid　them　shoot
another　round；　and　another；　until　one　or　the　other　is　overcome。〃
Then　Sir　Hugh；　seeing　how　wroth　the　King　was；　said　never　a　word；
but　went　straightway　to　do　his　bidding；　so　he　came　to　where　Robin　Hood
and　the　other　stood；　and　told　them　what　the　King　had　said。

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　〃I　will　shoot　from　this
time　till　tomorrow　day　if　it　can　pleasure　my　most　gracious　lord
and　King。　　Take　thy　place；　Gilbert　lad；　and　shoot。〃

So　Gilbert　took　his　place　once　more；　but　this　time　he　failed；　for；
a　sudden　little　wind　arising；　his　shaft　missed　the　center　ring；
but　by　not　more　than　the　breadth　of　a　barley　straw。

〃Thy　eggs　are　cracked；　Gilbert；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing；　and　straightway
he　loosed　a　shaft；　and　once　more　smote　the　white　circle　of　the　center。

Then　the　King　arose　from　his　place；　and　not　a　word　said　he；
but　he　looked　around　with　a　baleful　look；　and　it　would　have　been　an　ill
day　for　anyone　that　he　saw　with　a　joyous　or　a　merry　look　upon　his　face。
Then　he　and　his　Queen　and　all　the　court　left　the　place；　but　the　King's
heart　was　brimming　full　of　wrath。

After　the　King　had　gone；　all　the　yeomen　of　the　archer　guard　came
crowding　around　Robin；　and　Little　John；　and　Will；　and　Allan；
to　snatch　a　look　at　these　famous　fellows　from　the　mid…country；
and　with　them　came　many　that　had　been　onlookers　at　the　sport；
for　the　same　purpose。　　Thus　it　happened　presently　that　the　yeomen；
to　whom　Gilbert　stood　talking；　were　all　surrounded　by　a　crowd
of　people　that　formed　a　ring　about　them。

After　a　while　the　three　judges　that　had　the　giving　away　of　the　prizes
came　forward；　and　the　chief　of　them　all　spake　to　Robin　and　said；
〃According　to　agreement；　the　first　prize　belongeth　rightly　to　thee；
so　here　I　give　thee　the　silver　bugle；　here　the　quiver　of　ten　golden　arrows；
and　here　a　purse　of　twoscore　and　ten　golden　pounds。〃　　And　as　he　spake
he　handed　those　things　to　Robin；　and　then　turned　to　Little　John。　　〃To　thee；〃
he　said；　〃belongeth　the　second　prize；　to　wit；　fivescore　of　the　finest　harts
that　run　on　Dallen　Lea。　　Thou　mayest　shoot　them　whensoever　thou　dost　list。〃
Last　of　all　he　turned　to　stout　Hubert。　　〃Thou；〃　said　he；　〃hast　held
thine　own　against　the　yeomen　with　whom　thou　didst　shoot；　and　so　thou
hast　kept　the　prize　duly　thine；　to　wit；　two　tuns　of　good　Rhenish　wine。
These　shall　be　delivered　to　thee　whensoever　thou　dost　list。〃
Then　he　called　upon　the　other　seven　of　the　King's　archers　who　had　last　shot；
and　gave　each　fourscore　silver　pennies。

Then　up　spake　Robin；　and　quoth　he；　〃This　silver　bugle　I　keep　in　honor
of　this　shooting　match；　but　thou；　Gilbert；　art　the　best　archer　of　all
the　King's　guard；　and　to　thee　I　freely　give　this　purse　of　gold。
Take　it；　man；　and　would　it　were　ten　times　as　much；　for　thou　art
a　right　yeoman；　good　and　true。　　Furthermore；　to　each　of　the　ten
that　last　shot　I　give　one　of　these　golden　shafts　apiece。
Keep　them　always　by　you；　so　that　ye　may　tell　your　grandchildren；
an　ye　are　ever　blessed　with　them；　that　ye　are　the　very　stoutest
yeomen　in　all　the　wide　world。〃

At　this　all　shouted　aloud；　for　it　pleased　them　to　hear　Robin
speak　so　of　them。

Then　up　spake　Little　John。　　〃Good　friend　Tepus；〃　said　he；　〃I　want
not　those　harts　of　Dallen　Lea　that　yon　stout　judge　spoke　of　but　now；
for　in　truth　we　have　enow　and　more　than　enow　in　our　own　country。
Twoscore　and　ten　I　give　to　thee　for　thine　own　shooting；　and　five
I　give　to　each　band　for　their　pleasure。

At　this　another　great　shout　went　up；　and　many　tossed　their　caps　aloft；
and　swore　among　themselves　that　no　better　fellows　ever　walked　the　sod
than　Robin　Hood　and　his　stout　yeomen。

While　they　so　shouted　with　loud　voices；　a　tall　burly　yeoman
of　the　King's　guard　came　forward　and　plucked　Robin　by　the　sleeve。
〃Good　master；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　have　somewhat　to　tell　thee　in　thine　ear；
a　silly　thing；　God　wot；　for　one　stout　yeoman　to　tell　another；
but　a　young　peacock　of　a　page；　one　Richard　Partington；　was　seeking　thee
without　avail　in　the　crowd；　and；　not　being　able　to　find　thee；　told　me
that　he　bore　a　message　to　thee　from　a　certain　lady　that　thou　wottest　of。
This　message　he　bade　me　tell　thee　privily；　word　for　word；　and　thus　it　was。
Let　me　seeI　trust　I　have　forgot　it　notyea；　thus　it　was：
‘The　lion　growls。　　Beware　thy　head。'　　〃

〃Is　it　so？〃　quoth　Robin；　starting；　for　he　knew　right　well　that　it　was
the　Queen　sent　the　message；　and　that　she　spake　of　the　King's　wrath。
〃Now；　I　thank　thee；　good　fellow；　for　thou　hast　done　me　greater　service
than　thou　knowest　of　this　day。〃　　Then　he　called　his　three　yeomen　together
and　told　them　privately　that　they　had　best　be　jogging；　as　it　was　like　to
be　ill　for　them　so　nigh　merry　London　Town。　　So；　without　tarrying　longer；
they　made　their　way　through　the　crowd　until　they　had　come　out　from　the　press。
Then；　without　stopping；　they　left　London　Town　and　started　away　northward。



The　Chase　of　Robin　Hood

SO　ROBIN　HOOD　and　the　others　left　the　archery　range　at　Finsbury　Fields；
and；　tarrying　not；　set　forth　straightway　upon　their　homeward　journey。
It　was　well　for　them　that　they　did　so；　for　they　had　not　gone　more
than　three　or　four　miles　upon　their　way　when　six　of　the　yeomen　of
the　King's　guard　came　bustling　among　the　crowd　that　still　lingered；
seeking　for　Robin　and　his　men；　to　seize　upon　them　and　make　them　prisoners。
Truly；　it　was　an　ill…done　thing　in　the　King　to　break　his　promise；
but　it　all　came　about　through　the　Bishop　of　Hereford's　doing；
for　thus　it　happened：

After　the　King　left　the　archery　ground；　he　went　straightway　to　his　cabinet；
and　with　him　went　the　Bishop　of　Hereford　and　Sir　Robert　Lee；
but　the　King　said　never　a　word　to　these　two；　but　sat　gnawing　his
nether　lip；　for　his　heart　was　galled　within　him　by　what　had　happened。
At　last　the　Bishop　of　Hereford　spoke；　in　a　low；　sorrowful　voice：
〃It　is　a　sad　thing；　Your　Majesty；　that　this　knavish　outlaw　should　be　let
to　escape　in　this　wise；　for；　let　him　but　get　back　to　Sherwood　Forest
safe　and　sound；　and　he　may　snap　his　fingers　at　king　and　king's　men。〃

At　these　words　the　King　raised　his　eyes　and　looked　grimly　upon
the　Bish