the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第66节

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from　the　bow。

For　some　minutes　Little　John　sat　motionless；　but　presently　he　laid
that　which　he　held　gently　down；　then；　folding　the　hands　upon　the　breast
and　covering　up　the　face；　he　turned　upon　his　heel　and　left　the　room
without　a　word　or　a　sound。

Upon　the　steep　stairway　he　met　the　Prioress　and　some　of　the　chief
among　the　sisters。　　To　them　he　spoke　in　a　deep；　quivering　voice；
and　said　he；　〃An　ye　go　within　a　score　of　feet　of　yonder　room；　I　will
tear　down　your　rookery　over　your　heads　so　that　not　one　stone　shall
be　left　upon　another。　　Bear　my　words　well　in　mind；　for　I　mean　them。〃
So　saying；　he　turned　and　left　them；　and　they　presently　saw　him
running　rapidly　across　the　open；　through　the　falling　of　the　dusk；
until　he　was　swallowed　up　by　the　forest。

The　early　gray　of　the　coming　morn　was　just　beginning　to　lighten
the　black　sky　toward　the　eastward　when　Little　John　and　six　more
of　the　band　came　rapidly　across　the　open　toward　the　nunnery。
They　saw　no　one；　for　the　sisters　were　all　hidden　away
from　sight；　having　been　frightened　by　Little　John's　words。
Up　the　stone　stair　they　ran；　and　a　great　sound　of　weeping
was　presently　heard。　　After　a　while　this　ceased；　and　then
came　the　scuffling　and　shuffling　of　men's　feet　as　they
carried　a　heavy　weight　down　the　steep　and　winding　stairs。
So　they　went　forth　from　the　nunnery；　and；　as　they　passed　through
the　doors　thereof；　a　great；　loud　sound　of　wailing　arose　from
the　glade　that　lay　all　dark　in　the　dawning；　as　though　many　men；
hidden　in　the　shadows；　had　lifted　up　their　voices　in　sorrow。

Thus　died　Robin　Hood；　at　Kirklees　Nunnery；　in　fair　Yorkshire；
with　mercy　in　his　heart　toward　those　that　had　been　his　undoing；
for　thus　he　showed　mercy　for　the　erring　and　pity　for　the　weak
through　all　the　time　of　his　living

His　yeomen　were　scattered　henceforth；　but　no　great　ill　befell　them　thereafter；
for　a　more　merciful　sheriff　and　one　who　knew　them　not　so　well　succeeding
the　one　that　had　gone；　and　they　being　separated　here　and　there　throughout
the　countryside；　they　abided　in　peace　and　quietness；　so　that　many　lived
to　hand　down　these　tales　to　their　children　and　their　children's　children。

A　certain　one　sayeth　that　upon　a　stone　at　Kirklees　is　an　old　inscription。
This　I　give　in　the　ancient　English　in　which　it　was　written；　and　thus　it　runs：

HEAR　UNDERNEAD　DIS　LAITL　STEAN　LAIS　ROBERT　EARL　OF　HUNTINGTUN　NEA　ARCIR
VER　AS　HIE　SAE　GEUD　AN　PIPL　KAULD　IM　ROBIN　HEUD　SICK　UTLAWS　AS　HI　AN　IS
MEN　VIL　ENGLAND　NIDIR　SI　AGEN　OBIIT　24　KAL。　　DEKEMBRIS　1247。


And　now；　dear　friend；　we　also　must　part；　for　our　merry　journeyings　have　ended；
and　here；　at　the　grave　of　Robin　Hood；　we　turn；　each　going　his　own　way。





End