maid marian-第24章

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d　hit。　Thou　owest　him　for　that；　lass。　　Marry；　stand　by；　I'll　pay　him　for　thee。〃

The　knight　turning　to　the　voice；　beheld　a　tall　friar　issuing　from　the　thicket；　brandishing　a　ponderous　cudgel。

〃Who　art　thou？〃　said　the　knight。

〃I　am　the　church　militant　of　Sherwood；〃　answered　the　friar。　〃Why　art　thou　in　arms　against　our　lady　queen？〃

〃What　meanest　thou？〃　said　the　knight。

〃Truly；　this；〃　said　the　friar；　〃is　our　liege　lady　of　the　forest；　against　whom　I　do　apprehend　thee　in　overt　act　of　treason。　What　sayest　thou　for　thyself？〃

〃I　say；〃　answered　the　knight；　〃that　if　this　be　indeed　a　lady；　man　never　yet　held　me　so　long。〃

〃Spoken；〃　said　the　friar；　〃like　one　who　hath　done　execution。　Hast　thou　thy　stomach　full　of　steel？　　Wilt　thou　diversify　thy　repast　with　a　taste　of　my　oak…graff？　Or　wilt　thou　incline　thine　heart　to　our　venison　which　truly　is　cooling？　　Wilt　thou　fight？　or　wilt　thou　dine？　or　wilt　thou　fight　and　dine？　or　wilt　thou　dine　and　fight？　I　am　for　thee；　choose　as　thou　mayest。〃

〃I　will　dine；〃　said　the　knight；　〃for　with　lady　I　never　fought　before；　and　with　friar　I　never　fought　yet；　and　with　neither　will　I　ever　fight　knowingly：　　and　if　this　be　the　queen　of　the　forest；　I　will　not；　being　in　her　own　dominions；　be　backward　to　do　her　homage。〃

So　saying；　he　kissed　the　hand　of　Marian；　who　was　pleased　most　graciously　to　express　her　approbation。

〃Gramercy；　sir　knight；〃　said　the　friar；　〃I　laud　thee　for　thy　courtesy；　which　I　deem　to　be　no　less　than　thy　valour。　Now　do　thou　follow　me；　while　I　follow　my　nose；　which　scents　the　pleasant　odour　of　roast　from　the　depth　of　the　forest　recesses。　I　will　lead　thy　horse；　and　do　thou　lead　my　lady。〃

The　knight　took　Marian's　hand；　and　followed　the　friar；　who　walked　before　them；　singing：

　When　the　wind　blows；　when　the　wind　blows　　From　where　under　buck　the　dry　log　glows；　　　　　　What　guide　can　you　follow；　　　　　　O'er　brake　and　o'er　hollow；　　So　true　as　a　ghostly；　ghostly　nose？




CHAPTER　XVIII

Robin　and　Richard　were　two　pretty　men。　　Mother　Goose's　Melody。


They　proceeded；　following　their　infallible　guide；　first　along　a　light　elastic　greensward　under　the　shade　of　lofty　and　wide…spreading　trees　that　skirted　a　sunny　opening　of　the　forest；　then　along　labyrinthine　paths；　which　the　deer；　the　outlaw；　or　the　woodman　had　made；　through　the　close　shoots　of　the　young　coppices；　through　the　thick　undergrowth　of　the　ancient　woods；　through　beds　of　gigantic　fern　that　filled　the　narrow　glades　and　waved　their　green　feathery　heads　above　the　plume　of　the　knight。　　Along　these　sylvan　alleys　they　walked　in　single　file；　the　friar　singing　and　pioneering　in　the　van；　the　horse　plunging　and　floundering　behind　the　friar；　the　lady　following　〃in　maiden　meditation　fancy　free；〃　and　the　knight　bringing　up　the　rear；　much　marvelling　at　the　strange　company　into　which　his　stars　had　thrown　him。　Their　path　had　expanded　sufficiently　to　allow　the　knight　to　take　Marian's　hand　again；　when　they　arrived　in　the　august　presence　of　Robin　Hood　and　his　court。

Robin's　table　was　spread　under　a　high　overarching　canopy　of　living　boughs；　on　the　edge　of　a　natural　lawn　of　verdure　starred　with　flowers；　through　which　a　swift　transparent　rivulet　ran　sparkling　in　the　sun。　The　board　was　covered　with　abundance　of　choice　food　and　excellent　liquor；　not　without　the　comeliness　of　snow…white　linen　and　the　splendour　of　costly　plate；　which　the　sheriff　of　Nottingham　had　unwillingly　contributed　to　supply；　at　the　same　time　with　an　excellent　cook；　whom　Little　John's　art　had　spirited　away　to　the　forest　with　the　contents　of　his　master's　silver　scullery。

An　hundred　foresters　were　here　assembled　over…ready　for　their　dinner；　some　seated　at　the　table　and　some　lying　in　groups　under　the　trees。

Robin　bade　courteous　welcome　to　the　knight；　who　took　his　seat　between　Robin　and　Marian　at　the　festal　board；　at　which　was　already　placed　one　strange　guest　in　the　person　of　a　portly　monk；　sitting　between　Little　John　and　Scarlet；　with；　his　rotund　physiognomy　elongated　into　an　unnatural　oval　by　the　conjoint　influence　of　sorrow　and　fear：　sorrow　for　the　departed　contents　of　his　travelling　treasury；　a　good…looking　valise　which　was　hanging　empty　on　a　bough；　and　fear　for　his　personal　safety；　of　which　all　the　flasks　and　pasties　before　him　could　not　give　him　assurance。　The　appearance　of　the　knight；　however；　cheered　him　up　with　a　semblance　of　protection；　and　gave　him　just　sufficient　courage　to　demolish　a　cygnet　and　a　rumble…pie；　which　he　diluted　with　the　contents　of　two　flasks　of　canary　sack。

But　wine；　which　sometimes　creates　and　often　increases　joy；　doth　also；　upon　occasion；　heighten　sorrow：　　and　so　it　fared　now　with　our　portly　monk；　who　had　no　sooner　explained　away　his　portion　of　provender；　than　he　began　to　weep　and　bewail　himself　bitterly。

〃Why　dost　thou　weep；　man？〃　said　Robin　Hood。　　〃Thou　hast　done　thine　embassy　justly；　and　shalt　have　thy　Lady's　grace。〃

〃Alack！　alack！〃　said　the　monk：　　〃no　embassy　had　I；　luckless　sinner；　as　well　thou　wottest；　but　to　take　to　my　abbey　in　safety　the　treasure　whereof　thou　hast　despoiled　me。〃

〃Propound　me　his　case；〃　said　Friar　Tuck；　〃and　I　will　give　him　ghostly　counsel。〃

〃You　well　remember；〃　said　Robin　Hood；　〃the　sorrowful　knight　who　dined　with　us　here　twelve　months　and　a　day　gone　by。〃

〃Well　do　I；〃　said　Friar　Tuck。　　〃His　lands　were　in　jeopardy　with　a　certain　abbot；　who　would　allow　him　no　longer　day　for　their　redemption。　Whereupon　you　lent　to　him　the　four　hundred　pounds　which　he　needed；　and　which　he　was　to　repay　this　day；　though　he　had　no　better　security　to　give　than　our　Lady　the　Virgin。〃

〃I　never　desired　better；〃　said　Robin；　〃for　she　never　yet　failed　to　send　me　my　pay；　and　here　is　one　of　her　own　flock；　this　faithful　and　well…favoured　monk　of　St。　Mary's；　hath　brought　it　me　duly；　principal　and　interest　to　a　penny；　as　Little　John　can　testify；　who　told　it　forth。　To　be　sure；　he　denied　having　it；　but　that　was　to　prove　our　faith。　We　sought　and　found　it。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　your　knight；〃　said　the　monk：　　〃and　the　money　was　our　own；　as　the　Virgin　shall　bless　me。〃

〃She　shall　bless　thee；〃　said　Friar　Tuck；　〃for　a　faithful　messenger。〃

The　monk　resumed　his　wailing。　　Little　John　brought　him　his　horse。　Robin　gave　him　leave　to　depart。　　He　sprang　with　singular　nimbleness　into　the　saddle；　and　vanished　without　saying；　God　give　you　good　day。

The　stranger　knight　laughed　heartily　as　the　monk　rode　off。

〃They　say；　sir　knight；〃　said　Friar　Tuck；　〃they　should　laugh　who　win：　but　thou　laughest　who　art　likely　to　lose。〃

〃I　have　won；〃　said　the　knight；　〃a　good　dinner；　some　mirth；　and　some　knowledge：　　and　I　cannot　lose　by　paying　for　them。〃

〃Bravely　said；〃　answered　Robin。　　〃Still　it　becomes　thee　to　pay：　for　it　is　not　meet　that　a　poor　forester　should　treat　a　rich　knight。　How　much　money　hast　thou　with　thee？〃

〃Troth；　I　know　not；〃　said　the　knight。　　〃Sometimes　much；　sometimes　little；　sometimes　none。　　But　search；　and　what　thou　findest；　keep：　and　for　the　sake　of　thy　kind　heart　and　open　hand；　be　it　what　it　may；　I　shall　wish　it　were　more。〃

〃Then；　since　thou　sayest　so；〃　said　Robin；　〃not　a　penny　will　I　touch。　Many　a　false　churl　comes　hither；　and　disburses　against　his　will：　and　till　there　is　lack　of　these；　I　prey　not　on　true　men。〃

〃Thou　art　thyself　a　true　man；　right　well　I　judge；　Robin；〃　said　the　stranger　knight；　〃and　seemest　more　like　one　bred　in　court　than　to　thy　present　outlaw　life。〃

〃Our　life；〃　said　the　friar；　〃is　a　craft；　an　art；　and　a　mystery。　How　much　of　it；　think　you；　could　be　learned　at　court？〃

〃Indeed；　I　cannot　say；〃　said　the　stranger　knight：　〃but　I　should　apprehend　very　little。〃

〃And　so　should　I；〃　said　the　friar：　　〃for　we　should　find　very　little　of　our　bold　open　practice；　but　should　hear　abundance　of　praise　of　our　principles。　To　live　in　seeming　fellowship　and　secret　rivalry；　to　have　a　hand　for　all；　and　a　heart　for　none；　to　be　everybody's　acquaintance；　and　nobody's　friend；　to　meditate　the　ruin　of　all　on　whom　we　smile；　and　to　dread　the　secret　stratagems　of　all　who　smile　on　us；　to　pilfer　honours　and　despoil　fortunes；　not　by　fighting　in　daylight；　but　by　sapping　in　darkness：　these　are　arts　which　the　court　can　teach；　but　which　we；　by　'r　Lady；　have　not　learned。　　But　let　your　court…minstrel　tune　up　his　throat　to　the　praise　of　your　cou