maid marian-第15章

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cksley　has　not　to　merry　Sherwood？　　William　fought　for　his　claim。　　So　does　Robin。　　With　whom；　both？　　With　any　that　would　or　will　dispute　it。　　William　raised　contributions。　So　does　Robin。　　From　whom；　both？　　From　all　that　they　could　or　can　make　pay　them。　　Why　did　any　pay　them　to　William？　　Why　do　any　pay　them　to　Robin？　　For　the　same　reason　to　both：　because　they　could　not　or　cannot　help　it。　　They　differ　indeed；　in　this；　that　William　took　from　the　poor　and　gave　to　the　rich；　and　Robin　takes　from　the　rich　and　gives　to　the　poor：　　and　therein　is　Robin　illegitimate；　though　in　all　else　he　is　true　prince。　Scarlet　and　John；　are　they　not　peers　of　the　forest？　lords　temporal　of　Sherwood？　　And　am　not　I　lord　spiritual？　　Am　I　not　archbishop？　Am　I　not　pope？　　Do　I　not　consecrate　their　banner　and　absolve　their　sins？　　Are　not　they　state；　and　am　not　I　church？　Are　not　they　state　monarchical；　and　am　not　I　church　militant？　Do　I　not　excommunicate　our　enemies　from　venison　and　brawn；　and　by　'r　Lady；　when　need　calls；　beat　them　down　under　my　feet？　The　state　levies　tax；　and　the　church　levies　tithe。　Even　so　do　we。　　Mass；　we　take　all　at　once。　　What　then？　It　is　tax　by　redemption　and　tithe　by　commutation。　Your　William　and　Richard　can　cut　and　come　again；　but　our　Robin　deals　with　slippery　subjects　that　come　not　twice　to　his　exchequer。　What　need　we　then　to　constitute　a　court；　except　a　fool　and　a　laureate？　For　the　fool；　his　only　use　is　to　make　false　knaves　merry　by　art；　and　we　are　true　men　and　are　merry　by　nature。　　For　the　laureate；　his　only　office　is　to　find　virtues　in　those　who　have　none；　and　to　drink　sack　for　his　pains。　　We　have　quite　virtue　enough　to　need　him　not；　and　can　drink　our　sack　for　ourselves。〃　〃Well　preached；　friar；〃　said　Robin　Hood：　　〃yet　there　is　one　thing　wanting　to　constitute　a　court；　and　that　is　a　queen。　And　now；　lovely　Matilda；　look　round　upon　these　sylvan　shades　where　we　have　so　often　roused　the　stag　from　his　ferny　covert。　The　rising　sun　smiles　upon　us　through　the　stems　of　that　beechen　knoll。　Shall　I　take　your　hand；　Matilda；　in　the　presence　of　this　my　court？　Shall　I　crown　you　with　our　wild…wood　coronal；　and　hail　you　queen　of　the　forest？　　Will　you　be　the　queen　Matilda　of　your　own　true　king　Robin？〃

Matilda　smiled　assent。

〃Not　Matilda；〃　said　the　friar：　　〃the　rules　of　our　holy　alliance　require　new　birth。　　We　have　excepted　in　favour　of　Little　John；　because　he　is　great　John；　and　his　name　is　a　misnomer。　I　sprinkle；　not　thy　forehead　with　water；　but　thy　lips　with　wine；　and　baptize　thee　MARIAN。〃

〃Here　is　a　pretty　conspiracy；〃　exclaimed　the　baron。　〃Why；　you　villanous　friar；　think　you　to　nickname　and　marry　my　daughter　before　my　face　with　impunity？〃

〃Even　so；　bold　baron；〃　said　the　friar；　〃we　are　strongest　here。　Say　you；　might　overcomes　right？　　I　say　no。　　There　is　no　right　but　might：　and　to　say　that　might　overcomes　right　is　to　say　that　right　overcomes　itself：　an　absurdity　most　palpable。　　Your　right　was　the　stronger　in　Arlingford；　and　ours　is　the　stronger　in　Sherwood。　　Your　right　was　right　as　long　as　you　could　maintain　it；　so　is　ours。　　So　is　King　Richard's；　with　all　deference　be　it　spoken；　and　so　is　King　Saladin's；　and　their　two　mights　are　now　committed　in　bloody　fray；　and　that　which　overcomes　will　be　right；　just　as　long　as　it　lasts；　and　as　far　as　it　reaches。　And　now　if　any　of　you　know　any　just　impediment〃

〃Fire　and　fury；〃　said　the　baron。

〃Fire　and　fury；〃　said　the　friar；　〃are　modes　of　that　might　which　constitutes　right；　and　are　just　impediments　to　any　thing　against　which　they　can　be　brought　to　bear。　　They　are　our　good　allies　upon　occasion；　and　would　declare　for　us　now　if　you　should　put　them　to　the　test。〃

〃Father；〃　said　Matilda；　〃you　know　the　terms　of　our　compact：　from　the　moment　you　restrained　my　liberty；　you　renounced　your　claim　to　all　but　compulsory　obedience。　　The　friar　argues　well。　Right　ends　with　might。　　Thick　walls；　dreary　galleries；　and　tapestried　chambers；　were　indifferent　to　me　while　I　could　leave　them　at　pleasure；　but　have　ever　been　hateful　to　me　since　they　held　me　by　force。　　May　I　never　again　have　roof　but　the　blue　sky；　nor　canopy　but　the　green　leaves；　nor　barrier　but　the　forest…bounds；　with　the　foresters　to　my　train；　Little　John　to　my　page；　Friar　Tuck　to　my　ghostly　adviser；　and　Robin　Hood　to　my　liege　lord。　I　am　no　longer　lady　Matilda　Fitzwater；　of　Arlingford　Castle；　but　plain　Maid　Marian；　of　Sherwood　Forest。〃

〃Long　live　Maid　Marian！〃　re…echoed　the　foresters。

〃Oh　false　girl！〃　said　the　baron；　〃do　you　renounce　your　name　and　parentage？〃

〃Not　my　parentage；〃　said　Marian；　〃but　my　name　indeed：　do　not　all　maids　renounce　it　at　the　altar？〃

〃The　altar！〃　said　the　baron：　　〃grant　me　patience！　what　do　you　mean　by　the　altar？〃

〃Pile　green　turf；〃　said　the　friar；　〃wreathe　it　with　flowers；　and　crown　it　with　fruit；　and　we　will　show　the　noble　baron　what　we　mean　by　the　altar。〃

The　foresters　did　as　the　friar　directed。

〃Now；　Little　John；〃　said　the　friar；　〃on　with　the　cloak　of　the　abbot　of　Doubleflask。　　I　appoint　thee　my　clerk：　thou　art　here　duly　elected　in　full　mote。〃

〃I　wish　you　were　all　in　full　moat　together；〃　said　the　baron；　〃and　smooth　wall　on　both　sides。〃

〃Punnest　thou？〃　said　the　friar。　　〃A　heinous　anti…christian　offence。　Why　anti…christian？　Because　anti…catholic？　Why　anti…catholic？　Because　anti…roman。　Why　anti…roman？　Because　Carthaginian。　　Is　not　pun　from　Punic？　punica　fides：　　the　very　quint…essential　quiddity　of　bad　faith：　double…visaged：　double…tongued。　He　that　will　make　a　pun　will　I　say　no　more。　　Fie　on　it。　　Stand　forth；　clerk。　　Who　is　the　bride's　father？〃

〃There　is　no　bride's　father；〃　said　the　baron。　　〃I　am　the　father　of　Matilda　Fitzwater。〃

〃There　is　none　such；〃　said　the　friar。　　〃This　is　the　fair　Maid　Marian。　　Will　you　make　a　virtue　of　necessity；　or　will　you　give　laws　to　the　flowing　tide？　　Will　you　give　her；　or　shall　Robin　take　her？　Will　you　be　her　true　natural　father；　or　shall　I　commute　paternity？　Stand　forth；　Scarlet。〃

〃Stand　back；　sirrah　Scarlet；〃　said　the　baron。　　〃My　daughter　shall　have　no　father　but　me。　　Needs　must　when　the　devil　drives。〃

〃No　matter　who　drives；〃　said　the　friar；　〃so　that；　like　a　well…disposed　subject；　you　yield　cheerful　obedience　to　those　who　can　enforce　it。〃

〃Mawd；　sweet　Mawd；〃　said　the　baron；　〃will　you　then　forsake　your　poor　old　father　in　his　distress；　with　his　castle　in　ashes；　and　his　enemy　in　power？〃

〃Not　so；　father；〃　said　Marian；　〃I　will　always　be　your　true　daughter：　I　will　always　love；　and　serve；　and　watch；　and　defend　you：　　but　neither　will　I　forsake　my　plighted　love；　and　my　own　liege　lord；　who　was　your　choice　before　he　was　mine；　for　you　made　him　my　associate　in　infancy；　and　that　he　continued　to　be　mine　when　he　ceased　to　be　yours；　does　not　in　any　way　show　remissness　in　my　duties　or　falling　off　in　my　affections。　And　though　I　here　plight　my　troth　at　the　altar　to　Robin；　in　the　presence　of　this　holy　priest　and　pious　clerk；　yet。。。。　Father；　when　Richard　returns　from　Palestine；　he　will　restore　you　to　your　barony；　and　perhaps；　for　your　sake；　your　daughter's　husband　to　the　earldom　of　Huntingdon：　should　that　never　be；　should　it　be　the　will　of　fate　that　we　must　live　and　die　in　the　greenwood；　I　will　live　and　die　MAID　MARIAN。〃＇4＇


＇4＇　And　therefore　is　she　called　Maid　Marian　　Because　she　leads　a　spotless　maiden　life　　And　shall　till　Robin's　outlaw　life　have　end。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Old　Play。


〃A　pretty　resolution；〃　said　the　baron；　〃if　Robin　will　let　you　keep　it。〃

〃I　have　sworn　it；〃　said　Robin。　　〃Should　I　expose　her　tenderness　to　the　perils　of　maternity；　when　life　and　death　may　hang　on　shifting　at　a　moment's　notice　from　Sherwood　to　Barnsdale；　and　from　Barnsdale　to　the　sea…shore？　And　why　should　I　banquet　when　my　merry　men　starve？　Chastity　is　our　forest　law；　and　even　the　friar　has　kept　it　since　he　has　been　here。〃

〃Truly　so；〃　said　the　friar：　　〃for　temptation　dwells　with　ease　and　luxury：　but　the　hunter　is　Hippolytus；　and　the　huntress　is　Dian。　　And　now；　dearly　beloved〃

The　friar　went　through　the　ceremony　with　great　unction；　and　Little　John　was　most　clerical　in　the　intonation　of　his　responses。　After　which；　the　friar　sang；　and　Little　John　fiddled；　and　the　foresters　danced；　Robin　with　Marian；　and　Scarlet　with　the　baron；　and　the　venison　smoked；　and　the　ale　frothed；　and　the　win