maid marian-第18章

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〃It　is；　and　it　is　not；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃it　is；　because；　had　I　not　wanted　money　I　had　never　lost　my　love；　it　is　not；　because；　now　that　I　have　lost　her；　money　would　come　too　late　to　regain　her。〃

〃In　what　way　have　you　lost　her？〃　said　Robin：　　〃let　us　clearly　know　that　she　is　past　regaining；　before　we　give　up　our　wishes　to　restore　her　to　you。〃

〃She　is　to　be　married　this　day；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃and　perhaps　is　married　by　this；　to　a　rich　old　knight；　and　yesterday　I　knew　it　not。〃

〃What　is　your　name？〃　said　Robin。

〃Allen；〃　said　the　stranger。

〃And　where　is　the　marriage　to　take　place；　Allen？〃　said　Robin。

〃At　Edwinstow　church；〃　said　Allen；　〃by　the　bishop　of　Nottingham。〃

〃I　know　that　bishop；〃　said　Robin；　〃he　dined　with　me　a　month　since；　and　paid　three　hundred　pounds　for　his　dinner。　　He　has　a　good　ear　and　loves　music。　The　friar　sang　to　him　to　some　tune。　　Give　me　my　harper's　cloak；　and　I　will　play　a　part　at　this　wedding。

〃These　are　dangerous　times；　Robin；〃　said　Marian；　〃for　playing　pranks　out　of　the　forest。〃

〃Fear　not；〃　said　Robin；　〃Edwinstow　lies　not　Nottingham…ward；　and　I　will　take　my　precautions。〃

Robin　put　on　his　harper's　cloak；　while　Little　John　painted　his　eyebrows　and　cheeks；　tipped　his　nose　with　red；　and　tied　him　on　a　comely　beard。　Marian　confessed；　that　had　she　not　been　present　at　the　metamorphosis；　she　should　not　have　known　her　own　true　Robin。　　Robin　took　his　harp　and　went　to　the　wedding。

Robin　found　the　bishop　and　his　train　in　the　church　porch；　impatiently　expecting　the　arrival　of　the　bride　and　bridegroom。　The　clerk　was　observing　to　the　bishop　that　the　knight　was　somewhat　gouty；　and　that　the　necessity　of　walking　the　last　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　road　to　the　churchyard　probably　detained　the　lively　bridegroom　rather　longer　than　had　been　calculated　upon。

〃Oh！　by　my　fey；〃　said　the　music…loving　bishop；　〃here　comes　a　harper　in　the　nick　of　time；　and　now　I　care　not　how　long　they　tarry。　Ho！　honest　friend；　are　you　come　to　play　at　the　wedding？〃

〃I　am　come　to　play　anywhere；〃　answered　Robin；　〃where　I　can　get　a　cup　of　sack；　for　which　I　will　sing　the　praise　of　the　donor　in　lofty　verse；　and　emblazon　him　with　any　virtue　which　he　may　wish　to　have　the　credit　of　possessing；　without　the　trouble　of　practising。

〃A　most　courtly　harper；〃　said　the　bishop；　〃I　will　fill　thee　with　sack；　I　will　make　thee　a　walking　butt　of　sack；　if　thou　wilt　delight　my　ears　with　thy　melodies。〃

〃That　will　I；〃　said　Robin；　〃in　what　branch　of　my　art　shall　I　exert　my　faculty？　　I　am　passing　well　in　all；　from　the　anthem　to　the　glee；　and　from　the　dirge　to　the　coranto。〃

〃It　would　be　idle；〃　said　the　bishop；　〃to　give　thee　sack　for　playing　me　anthems；　seeing　that　I　myself　do　receive　sack　for　hearing　them　sung。　Therefore；　as　the　occasion　is　festive；　thou　shalt　play　me　a　coranto。〃

Robin　struck　up　and　played　away　merrily；　the　bishop　all　the　while　in　great　delight；　noddling　his　head；　and　beating　time　with　his　foot；　till　the　bride　and　bridegroom　appeared。　The　bridegroom　was　richly　apparelled；　and　came　slowly　and　painfully　forward；　hobbling　and　leering；　and　pursing　up　his　mouth　into　a　smile　of　resolute　defiance　to　the　gout；　and　of　tender　complacency　towards　his　lady　love；　who；　shining　like　gold　at　the　old　knight's　expense；　followed　slowly　between　her　father　and　mother；　her　cheeks　pale；　her　head　drooping；　her　steps　faltering；　and　her　eyes　reddened　with　tears。

Robin　stopped　his　minstrelsy；　and　said　to　the　bishop；　〃This　seems　to　me　an　unfit　match。〃

〃What　do　you　say；　rascal？〃　said　the　old　knight；　hobbling　up　to　him。

〃I　say；〃　said　Robin；　〃this　seems　to　me　an　unfit　match。　What；　in　the　devil's　name；　can　you　want　with　a　young　wife；　who　have　one　foot　in　flannels　and　the　other　in　the　grave？〃

〃What　is　that　to　thee；　sirrah　varlet？〃　said　the　old　knight；　〃stand　away　from　the　porch；　or　I　will　fracture　thy　sconce　with　my　cane。〃

〃I　will　not　stand　away　from　the　porch；〃　said　Robin；　〃unless　the　bride　bid　me；　and　tell　me　that　you　are　her　own　true　love。〃

〃Speak；〃　said　the　bride's　father；　in　a　severe　tone；　and　with　a　look　of　significant　menace。　　The　girl　looked　alternately　at　her　father　and　Robin。　　She　attempted　to　speak；　but　her　voice　failed　in　the　effort；　and　she　burst　into　tears。

〃Here　is　lawful　cause　and　just　impediment；〃　said　Robin；　〃and　I　forbid　the　banns。〃

〃Who　are　you；　villain？〃　said　the　old　knight；　stamping　his　sound　foot　with　rage。

〃I　am　the　Roman　law；〃　said　Robin；　〃which　says　that　there　shall　not　be　more　than　ten　years　between　a　man　and　his　wife；　and　here　are　five　times　ten：　and　so　says　the　law　of　nature。〃

〃Honest　harper；〃　said　the　bishop；　〃you　are　somewhat　over…officious　here；　and　less　courtly　than　I　deemed　you。　If　you　love　sack；　forbear；　for　this　course　will　never　bring　you　a　drop。　As　to　your　Roman　law；　and　your　law　of　nature；　what　right　have　they　to　say　any　thing　which　the　law　of　Holy　Writ　says　not？〃

〃The　law　of　Holy　Writ　does　say　it；〃　said　Robin；　〃I　expound　it　so　to　say；　and　I　will　produce　sixty　commentators　to　establish　my　exposition。〃

And　so　saying；　he　produced　a　horn　from　beneath　his　cloak；　and　blew　three　blasts；　and　threescore　bowmen　in　green　came　leaping　from　the　bushes　and　trees；　and　young　Allen　was　the　first　among　them　to　give　Robin　his　sword；　while　Friar　Tuck　and　Little　John　marched　up　to　the　altar。　Robin　stripped　the　bishop　and　clerk　of　their　robes；　and　put　them　on　the　friar　and　Little　John；　and　Allen　advanced　to　take　the　hand　of　the　bride。　Her　cheeks　grew　red　and　her　eyes　grew　bright；　as　she　locked　her　hand　in　her　lover's；　and　tripped　lightly　with　him　into　the　church。

〃This　marriage　will　not　stand；〃　said　the　bishop；　〃for　they　have　not　been　thrice　asked　in　church。〃

〃We　will　ask　them　seven　times；〃　said　Little　John；　〃lest　three　should　not　suffice。〃

〃And　in　the　meantime；〃　said　Robin；　〃the　knight　and　the　bishop　shall　dance　to　my　harping。〃

So　Robin　sat　in　the　church　porch　and　played　away　merrily；　while　his　foresters　formed　a　ring；　in　the　centre　of　which　the　knight　and　bishop　danced　with　exemplary　alacrity；　and　if　they　relaxed　their　exertions；　Scarlet　gently　touched　them　up　with　the　point　of　an　arrow。

The　knight　grimaced　ruefully；　and　begged　Robin　to　think　of　his　gout。

〃So　I　do；〃　said　Robin；　〃this　is　the　true　antipodagron：　you　shall　dance　the　gout　away；　and　be　thankful　to　me　while　you　live。　I　told　you；〃　he　added　to　the　bishop；　〃I　would　play　at　this　wedding；　but　you　did　not　tell　me　that　you　would　dance　at　it。　The　next　couple　you　marry；　think　of　the　Roman　law。〃

The　bishop　was　too　much　out　of　breath　to　reply；　and　now　the　young　couple　issued　from　church；　and　the　bride　having　made　a　farewell　obeisance　to　her　parents；　they　departed　together　with　the　foresters；　the　parents　storming；　the　attendants　laughing；　the　bishop　puffing　and　blowing；　and　the　knight　rubbing　his　gouty　foot；　and　uttering　doleful　lamentations　for　the　gold　and　jewels　with　which　he　had　so　unwittingly　adorned　and　cowered　the　bride。




CHAPTER　XIV

　As　ye　came　from　the　holy　land　　　　　　Of　blessed　Walsinghame；　　Oh　met　ye　not　with　my　true　love；　　　　　　As　by　the　way　ye　came？Old　Ballad。


In　pursuance　of　the　arrangement　recorded　in　the　twelfth　chapter；　the　baron；　Robin；　and　Marian　disguised　themselves　as　pilgrims　returned　from　Palestine；　and　travelling　from　the　sea…coast　of　Hampshire　to　their　home　in　Northumberland。　　By　dint　of　staff　and　cockle…shell；　sandal　and　scrip；　they　proceeded　in　safety　the　greater　part　of　the　way　（for　Robin　had　many　sly　inns　and　resting…places　between　Barnsdale　and　Sherwood）；　and　were　already　on　the　borders　of　Yorkshire；　when；　one　evening；　they　passed　within　view　of　a　castle；　where　they　saw　a　lady　standing　on　a　turret；　and　surveying　the　whole　extent　of　the　valley　through　which　they　were　passing。　A　servant　came　running　from　the　castle；　and　delivered　to　them　a　message　from　his　lady；　who　was　sick　with　expectation　of　news　from　her　lord　in　the　Holy　Land；　and　entreated　them　to　come　to　her；　that　she　might　question　them　concerning　him。　　This　was　an　awkward　occurrence：　but　there　was　no　presence　for　refusal；　and　they　followed　the　servant　into　the　castle。　　The　baron；　who　had　been　in　Palestine　in　his　youth；　undertook　to　be　spokesman　on　the　occasion；　and　to　relate　his　own　adventures　to　the　lady　as　having　happened　to　the　lo