maid marian-第11章

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games　and　Gamwell　feasts。　My　lands　and　castle　would　be　the　forfeit　of　a　few　more　such　pranks；　and　I　think　they　are　as　well　in　my　hands　as　the　king's；　quite　as　well。〃

〃You　know；　father；〃　said　Matilda；　〃the　condition　of　keeping　me　at　home：　I　get　out　if　I　can；　and　not　on　parole。〃

〃Ay！　ay！〃　said　the　baron；　〃if　you　can；　very　true：　watch　and　ward；　Mawd；　watch　and　ward　is　my　word：　　if　you　can；　is　yours。　　The　mark　is　set；　and　so　start　fair。〃

The　baron　would　have　gone　on　in　this　way　for　an　hour；　but　the　friar　made　his　appearance　with　a　long　oak　staff　in　his　hand；　singing；

　Drink　and　sing；　and　eat　and　laugh；　　　　　　And　so　go　forth　to　battle：　　For　the　top　of　a　skull　and　the　end　of　a　staff　　　　　　Do　make　a　ghostly　rattle。


〃Ho！　ho！　friar！〃　said　the　baron〃singing　friar；　laughing　friar；　roaring　friar；　fighting　friar；　hacking　friar；　thwacking　friar；　cracking；　cracking；　cracking　friar；　joke…cracking；　bottle…cracking；　skull…cracking　friar！〃

〃And　ho！　ho！〃　said　the　friar；〃bold　baron；　old　baron；　sturdy　baron；　wordy　baron；　long　baron；　strong　baron；　mighty　baron；　flighty　baron；　mazed　baron；　crazed　baron；　hacked　baron；　thwacked　baron；　cracked；　cracked；　cracked　baron；　bone…cracked；　sconce…cracked；　brain…cracked　baron！〃

〃What　do　you　mean；〃　said　the　baron；　〃bully　friar；　by　calling　me　hacked　and　thwacked？〃

〃Were　you　not　in　the　wars？〃　said　the　friar；　〃where　he　who　escapes　untracked　does　more　credit　to　his　heels　than　his　arms。　I　pay　tribute　to　your　valour　in　calling　you　hacked　and　thwacked。〃

〃I　never　was　thwacked　in　my　life；〃　said　the　baron；　〃I　stood　my　ground　manfully；　and　covered　my　body　with　my　sword。　If　I　had　had　the　luck　to　meet　with　a　fighting　friar　indeed；　I　might　have　been　thwacked；　and　soundly　too；　but　I　hold　myself　a　match　for　any　two　laymen；　it　takes　nine　fighting　laymen　to　make　a　fighting　friar。〃

〃Whence　come　you　now；　holy　father？〃　asked　Matilda。

〃From　Rubygill　Abbey；〃　said　the　friar；　〃whither　I　never　return：

　For　I　must　seek　some　hermit　cell；　　Where　I　alone　my　beads　may　tell；　　And　on　the　wight　who　that　way　fares　　Levy　a　toll　for　my　ghostly　pray'rs；　　　　　　Levy　a　toll；　levy　a　toll；　　　　　　Levy　a　toll　for　my　ghostly　pray'rs。〃


〃What　is　the　matter　then；　father？〃　said　Matilda。

〃This　is　the　matter；〃　said　the　friar：　　〃my　holy　brethren　have　held　a　chapter　on　me；　and　sentenced　me　to　seven　years'　privation　of　wine。　I　therefore　deemed　it　fitting　to　take　my　departure；　which　they　would　fain　have　prohibited。　　I　was　enforced　to　clear　the　way　with　my　staff。　I　have　grievously　beaten　my　dearly　beloved　brethren：　　I　grieve　thereat；　but　they　enforced　me　thereto。　　I　have　beaten　them　much；　I　mowed　them　down　to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　and　left　them　like　an　ill…reaped　field　of　wheat；　ear　and　straw　pointing　all　ways；　scattered　in　singleness　and　jumbled　in　masses；　and　so　bade　them　farewell；　saying；　Peace　be　with　you。　But　I　must　not　tarry；　lest　danger　be　in　my　rear：　　therefore；　farewell；　sweet　Matilda；　and　farewell；　noble　baron；　and　farewell；　sweet　Matilda　again；　the　alpha　and　omega　of　father　Michael；　the　first　and　the　last。〃

〃Farewell；　father；〃　said　the　baron；　a　little　softened；　〃and　God　send　you　be　never　assailed　by　more　than　fifty　men　at　a　time。〃

〃Amen；〃　said　the　friar；　〃to　that　good　wish。〃

〃And　we　shall　meet　again；　father；　I　trust；〃　said　Matilda。

〃When　the　storm　is　blown　over；〃　said　the　baron。

〃Doubt　it　not；〃　said　the　friar；　〃though　flooded　Trent　were　between　us；　and　fifty　devils　guarded　the　bridge。〃

He　kissed　Matilda's　forehead；　and　walked　away　without　a　song。




CHAPTER　VIII

Let　gallows　gape　for　dog：　　let　man　go　free。　　Henry　V。


A　page　had　been　brought　up　in　Gamwell…Hall；　who；　while　he　was　little；　had　been　called　Little　John；　and　continued　to　be　so　called　after　he　had　grown　to　be　a　foot　taller　than　any　other　man　in　the　house。　He　was　full　seven　feet　high。　　His　latitude　was　worthy　of　his　longitude；　and　his　strength　was　worthy　of　both；　and　though　an　honest　man　by　profession；　he　had　practiced　archery　on　the　king's　deer　for　the　benefit　of　his　master's　household；　and　for　the　improvement　of　his　own　eye　and　hand；　till　his　aim　had　become　infallible　within　the　range　of　two　miles。　He　had　fought　manfully　in　defence　of　his　young　master；　took　his　captivity　exceedingly　to　heart；　and　fell　into　bitter　grief　and　boundless　rage　when　he　heard　that　he　had　been　tried　in　Nottingham　and　sentenced　to　die。　Alice　Gamwell；　at　Little　John's　request；　wrote　three　letters　of　one　tenour；　and　Little　John；　having　attached　them　to　three　blunt　arrows；　saddled　the　fleetest　steed　in　old　Sir　Guy　of　Gamwell's　stables；　mounted；　and　rode　first　to　Arlingford　Castle；　where　he　shot　one　of　the　three　arrows　over　the　battlements；　then　to　Rubygill　Abbey；　where　he　shot　the　second　into　the　abbey…garden；　then　back　past　Gamwell…Hall　to　the　borders　of　Sherwood　Forest；　where　he　shot　the　third　into　the　wood。　　Now　the　first　of　these　arrows　lighted　in　the　nape　of　the　neck　of　Lord　Fitzwater；　and　lodged　itself　firmly　between　his　skin　and　his　collar；　the　second　rebounded　with　the　hollow　vibration　of　a　drumstick　from　the　shaven　sconce　of　the　abbot　of　Rubygill；　and　the　third　pitched　perpendicularly　into　the　centre　of　a　venison　pasty　in　which　Robin　Hood　was　making　incision。

Matilda　ran　up　to　her　father　in　the　court　of　Arlingford　Castle；　seized　the　arrow；　drew　off　the　letter；　and　concealed　it　in　her　bosom　before　the　baron　had　time　to　look　round；　which　he　did　with　many　expressions　of　rage　against　the　impudent　villain　who　had　shot　a　blunt　arrow　into　the　nape　of　his　neck。

〃But　you　know；　father；〃　said　Matilda；　〃a　sharp　arrow　in　the　same　place　would　have　killed　you；　therefore　the　sending　a　blunt　one　was　very　considerate。〃

〃Considerate；　with　a　vengeance！〃　said　the　baron。　〃Where　was　the　consideration　of　sending　it　at　all？　This　is　some　of　your　forester's　pranks。　　He　has　missed　you　in　the　forest；　since　I　have　kept　watch　and　ward　over　you；　and　by　way　of　a　love…token　and　a　remembrance　to　you　takes　a　random　shot　at　me。〃

The　abbot　of　Rubygill　picked　up　the　missile…missive　or　messenger　arrow；　which　had　rebounded　from　his　shaven　crown；　with　a　very　unghostly　malediction　on　the　sender；　which　he　suddenly　checked　with　a　pious　and　consolatory　reflection　on　the　goodness　of　Providence　in　having　blessed　him　with　such　a　thickness　of　skull；　to　which　he　was　now　indebted　for　temporal　preservation；　as　he　had　before　been　for　spiritual　promotion。　He　opened　the　letter；　which　was　addressed　to　father　Michael；　and　found　it　to　contain　an　intimation　that　William　Gamwell　was　to　be　hanged　on　Monday　at　Nottingham。

〃And　I　wish；〃　said　the　abbot；　〃father　Michael　were　to　be　hanged　with　him：　an　ungrateful　monster；　after　I　had　rescued　him　from　the　fangs　of　civil　justice；　to　reward　my　lenity　by　not　leaving　a　bone　unbruised　among　the　holy　brotherhood　of　Rubygill。〃

Robin　Hood　extracted　from　his　venison　pasty　a　similar　intimation　of　the　evil　destiny　of　his　cousin；　whom　he　determined；　if　possible；　to　rescue　from　the　jaws　of　Cerberus。

The　sheriff　of　Nottingham；　though　still　sore　with　his　bruises；　was　so　intent　on　revenge；　that　he　raised　himself　from　his　bed　to　attend　the　execution　of　William　Gamwell。　　He　rode　to　the　august　structure　of　retributive　Themis；　as　the　French　call　a　gallows；　in　all　the　pride　and　pomp　of　shrievalty；　and　with　a　splendid　retinue　of　well…equipped　knaves　and　varlets；　as　our　ancestors　called　honest　serving…men。

Young　Gamwell　was　brought　forth　with　his　arms　pinioned　behind　him；　his　sister　Alice　and　his　father；　Sir　Guy；　attending　him　in　disconsolate　mood。　He　had　rejected　the　confessor　provided　by　the　sheriff；　and　had　insisted　on　the　privilege　of　choosing　his　own；　whom　Little　John　had　promised　to　bring。　Little　John；　however；　had　not　made　his　appearance　when　the　fatal　procession　began　its　march；　but　when　they　reached　the　place　of　execution；　Little　John　appeared；　accompanied　by　a　ghostly　friar。

〃Sheriff；〃　said　young　Gamwell；　〃let　me　not　die　with　my　hands　pinioned：　give　me　a　sword；　and　set　any　odds　of　your　men　against　me；　and　let　me　die　the　death　of　a　man；　like　the　descendant　of　a　noble　house；　which　has　never　yet　been　stained　with　ignominy。〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　the　sheriff；　〃I　have　had　enough　of　setting　odds　against　you。　I　have　sworn　you　shall　be　hanged；　and　hanged　you　shall　be