maid marian-第14章

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　all　to　kill；　his　fair　opponent。　Matilda　was　only　intent　to　get　rid　of　her　antagonist　at　any　rate：　the　edge　of　her　weapon　painted　his　complexion　with　streaks　of　very　unloverlike　crimson；　and　she　would　probably　have　marred　John's　hand　for　ever　signing　Magna　Charta；　but　that　he　was　backed　by　the　advantage　of　numbers；　and　that　her　sword　broke　short　on　the　boss　of　his　buckler。　John　was　following　up　his　advantage　to　make　a　captive　of　the　lady；　when　he　was　suddenly　felled　to　the　earth　by　an　unseen　antagonist。　Some　of　his　men　picked　him　carefully　up；　and　conveyed　him　to　his　tent；　stunned　and　stupified。

When　he　recovered；　he　found　Harpiton　diligently　assisting　in　his　recovery；　more　in　the　fear　of　losing　his　place　than　in　that　of　losing　his　master：　the　prince's　first　inquiry　was　for　the　prisoner　he　had　been　on　the　point　of　taking　at　the　moment　when　his　habeas　corpus　was　so　unseasonably　suspended。　He　was　told　that　his　people　had　been　on　the　point　of　securing　the　said　prisoner；　when　the　devil　suddenly　appeared　among　them　in　the　likeness　of　a　tall　friar；　having　his　grey　frock　cinctured　with　a　sword…belt；　and　his　crown；　which　whether　it　were　shaven　or　no　they　could　not　see；　surmounted　with　a　helmet；　and　flourishing　an　eight…foot　staff；　with　which　he　laid　about　him　to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　knocking　down　the　prince　and　his　men　as　if　they　had　been　so　many　nine…pins：　in　fine；　he　had　rescued　the　prisoner；　and　made　a　clear　passage　through　friend　and　foe；　and　in　conjunction　with　a　chosen　party　of　archers；　had　covered　the　retreat　of　the　baron's　men　and　the　foresters；　who　had　all　gone　off　in　a　body　towards　Sherwood　forest。

Harpiton　suggested　that　it　would　be　desirable　to　sack　the　castle；　and　volunteered　to　lead　the　van　on　the　occasion；　as　the　defenders　were　withdrawn；　and　the　exploit　seemed　to　promise　much　profit　and　little　danger：　John　considered　that　the　castle　would　in　itself　be　a　great　acquisition　to　him；　as　a　stronghold　in　furtherance　of　his　design　on　his　brother's　throne；　and　was　determining　to　take　possession　with　the　first　light　of　morning；　when　he　had　the　mortification　to　see　the　castle　burst　into　flames　in　several　places　at　once。　　A　piteous　cry　was　heard　from　within；　and　while　the　prince　was　proclaiming　a　reward　to　any　one　who　would　enter　into　the　burning　pile；　and　elucidate　the　mystery　of　the　doleful　voice；　forth　waddled　the　little　fat　friar　in　an　agony　of　fear；　out　of　the　fire　into　the　frying…pan；　for　he　was　instantly　taken　into　custody　and　carried　before　Prince　John；　wringing　his　hands　and　tearing　his　hair。

〃Are　you　the　friar；〃　said　Prince　John；　in　a　terrible　voice；　〃that　laid　me　prostrate　in　battle；　mowed　down　my　men　like　grass；　rescued　my　captive；　and　covered　the　retreat　of　my　enemies？　And；　not　content　with　this；　have　you　now　set　fire　to　the　castle　in　which　I　intended　to　take　up　my　royal　quarters？〃

The　little　friar　quaked　like　a　jelly：　　he　fell　on　his　knees；　and　attempted　to　speak；　but　in　his　eagerness　to　vindicate　himself　from　this　accumulation　of　alarming　charges；　he　knew　not　where　to　begin；　his　ideas　rolled　round　upon　each　other　like　the　radii　of　a　wheel；　the　words　he　desired　to　utter；　instead　of　issuing；　as　it　were；　in　a　right　line　from　his　lips；　seemed　to　conglobate　themselves　into　a　sphere　turning　on　its　own　axis　in　his　throat：　after　several　ineffectual　efforts；　his　utterance　totally　failed　him；　and　he　remained　gasping；　with　his　mouth　open；　his　lips　quivering；　his　hands　clasped　together；　and　the　whites　of　his　eyes　turned　up　towards　the　prince　with　an　expression　most　ruefully　imploring。

〃Are　you　that　friar？〃　repeated　the　prince。

Several　of　the　by…standers　declared　that　he　was　not　that　friar。　　The　little　friar；　encouraged　by　this　patronage；　found　his　voice；　and　pleaded　for　mercy。　The　prince　questioned　him　closely　concerning　the　burning　of　the　castle。　The　little　friar　declared；　that　he　had　been　in　too　great　fear　during　the　siege　to　know　much　of　what　was　going　forward；　except　that　he　had　been　conscious　during　the　last　few　days　of　a　lamentable　deficiency　of　provisions；　and　had　been　present　that　very　morning　at　the　broaching　of　the　last　butt　of　sack。　Harpiton　groaned　in　sympathy。　　The　little　friar　added；　that　he　knew　nothing　of　what　had　passed　since　till　he　heard　the　flames　roaring　at　his　elbow。

〃Take　him　away；　Harpiton；〃　said　the　prince；　〃fill　him　with　sack；　and　turn　him　out。〃

〃Never　mind　the　sack；〃　said　the　little　friar；　〃turn　me　out　at　once。〃

〃A　sad　chance；〃　said　Harpiton；　〃to　be　turned　out　without　sack。〃

But　what　Harpiton　thought　a　sad　chance　the　little　friar　thought　a　merry　one；　and　went　bounding　like　a　fat　buck　towards　the　abbey　of　Rubygill。

An　arrow；　with　a　letter　attached　to　it；　was　shot　into　the　camp；　and　carried　to　the　prince。　　The　contents　were　these：

〃Prince　John；I　do　not　consider　myself　to　have　resisted　lawful　authority　in　defending　my　castle　against　you；　seeing　that　you　are　at　present　in　a　state　of　active　rebellion　against　your　liege　sovereign　Richard：　and　if　my　provisions　had　not　failed　me；　I　would　have　maintained　it　till　doomsday。　　As　it　is；　I　have　so　well　disposed　my　combustibles　that　it　shall　not　serve　you　as　a　strong　hold　in　your　rebellion。　If　you　hunt　in　the　chases　of　Nottinghamshire；　you　may　catch　other　game　than　my　daughter。　　Both　she　and　I　are　content　to　be　houseless　for　a　time；　in　the　reflection　that　we　have　deserved　your　enmity；　and　the　friendship　of　Coeur…de…Lion。　〃FITZWATER。〃




CHAPTER　XI

　Tuck；　the　merry　friar；　who　many　a　sermon　made　　In　praise　of　Robin　Hood；　his　outlaws；　and　their　trade。　　DRAYTON。


The　baron；　with　some　of　his　retainers　and　all　the　foresters；　halted　at　daybreak　in　Sherwood　forest。　　The　foresters　quickly　erected　tents；　and　prepared　an　abundant　breakfast　of　venison　and　ale。

〃Now；　Lord　Fitzwater；〃　said　the　chief　forester；　〃recognise　your　son…in…law　that　was　to　have　been；　in　the　outlaw　Robin　Hood。〃

〃Ay；　ay；〃　said　the　baron；　〃I　have　recognised　you　long　ago。〃

〃And　recognise　your　young　friend　Gamwell；〃　said　the　second；　〃in　the　outlaw　Scarlet。〃

〃And　Little　John；　the　page；〃　said　the　third；　〃in　Little　John　the　outlaw。〃

〃And　Father　Michael；　of　Rubygill　Abbey；〃　said　the　friar；　〃in　Friar　Tuck；　of　Sherwood　forest。　　Truly；　I　have　a　chapel　here　hard　by；　in　the　shape　of　a　hollow　tree；　where　I　put　up　my　prayers　for　travellers；　and　Little　John　holds　the　plate　at　the　door；　for　good　praying　deserves　good　paying。〃

〃I　am　in　fine　company；〃　said　the　baron。

〃In　the　very　best　of　company；〃　said　the　friar；　〃in　the　high　court　of　Nature；　and　in　the　midst　of　her　own　nobility。　Is　it　not　so？　　This　goodly　grove　is　our　palace：　the　oak　and　the　beech　are　its　colonnade　and　its　canopy：　the　sun　and　the　moon　and　the　stars　are　its　everlasting　lamps：　the　grass；　and　the　daisy；　and　the　primrose；　and　the　violet；　are　its　many…coloured　floor　of　green；　white；　yellow；　and　blue；　the　may…flower；　and　the　woodbine；　and　the　eglantine；　and　the　ivy；　are　its　decorations；　its　curtains；　and　its　tapestry：　　the　lark；　and　the　thrush；　and　the　linnet；　and　the　nightingale；　are　its　unhired　minstrels　and　musicians。　　Robin　Hood　is　king　of　the　forest　both　by　dignity　of　birth　and　by　virtue　of　his　standing　army：　to　say　nothing　of　the　free　choice　of　his　people；　which　he　has　indeed；　but　I　pass　it　by　as　an　illegitimate　basis　of　power。　He　holds　his　dominion　over　the　forest；　and　its　horned　multitude　of　citizen…deer；　and　its　swinish　multitude　or　peasantry　of　wild　boars；　by　right　of　conquest　and　force　of　arms。　He　levies　contributions　among　them　by　the　free　consent　of　his　archers；　their　virtual　representatives。　　If　they　should　find　a　voice　to　complain　that　we　are　'tyrants　and　usurpers　to　kill　and　cook　them　up　in　their　assigned　and　native　dwelling…place；'　we　should　most　convincingly　admonish　them；　with　point　of　arrow；　that　they　have　nothing　to　do　with　our　laws　but　to　obey　them。　Is　it　not　written　that　the　fat　ribs　of　the　herd　shall　be　fed　upon　by　the　mighty　in　the　land？　　And　have　not　they　withal　my　blessing？　my　orthodox；　canonical；　and　archiepiscopal　blessing？　Do　I　not　give　thanks　for　them　when　they　are　well　roasted　and　smoking　under　my　nose？　　What　title　had　William　of　Normandy　to　England；　that　Robin　of　Locksley　has　not　to　merry　Sherwood？　　William　fought　for　his　claim。　　So　does　Robin。　　With　whom；　both？