the merry adventures of robin hood-第10章

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saucy　knave　be　who　answered　me　to　my　beard　so　bravely？　I　wonder　that　I　did　not　have　him　beaten；　but　there　was　something　about　him　that　spoke　of　other　things　than　rags　and　tatters。〃

Then；　even　as　he　finished　speaking；　something　fell　rattling　among　the　dishes　on　the　table；　while　those　that　sat　near　started　up　wondering　what　it　might　be。　　After　a　while　one　of　the　men…at…arms　gathered　courage　enough　to　pick　it　up　and　bring　it　to　the　Sheriff。　　Then　everyone　saw　that　it　was　a　blunted　gray　goose　shaft；　with　a　fine　scroll；　about　the　thickness　of　a　goose　quill；　tied　near　to　its　head。　The　Sheriff　opened　the　scroll　and　glanced　at　it；　while　the　veins　upon　his　forehead　swelled　and　his　cheeks　grew　ruddy　with　rage　as　he　read；　for　this　was　what　he　saw：

　　　　　〃_Now　Heaven　bless　Thy　Grace　this　day　　　　　　Say　all　in　sweet　Sherwood　　　　　　For　thou　didst　give　the　prize　away　　　　　　To　merry　Robin　Hood_。〃


〃Whence　came　this？〃　cried　the　Sheriff　in　a　mighty　voice。

〃Even　through　the　window；　Your　Worship；〃　quoth　the　man　who　had　handed　the　shaft　to　him。



Will　Stutely　Rescued　by　His　Companions

NOW　WHEN　THE　SHERIFF　found　that　neither　law　nor　guile　could　overcome　Robin　Hood；　he　was　much　perplexed；　and　said　to　himself；　〃Fool　that　I　am！　Had　I　not　told　our　King　of　Robin　Hood；　I　would　not　have　gotten　myself　into　such　a　coil；　but　now　I　must　either　take　him　captive　or　have　wrath　visited　upon　my　head　from　his　most　gracious　Majesty。　　I　have　tried　law；　and　I　have　tried　guile；　and　I　have　failed　in　both；　so　I　will　try　what　may　be　done　with　might。〃

Thus　communing　within　himself；　he　called　his　constables　together　and　told　them　what　was　in　his　mind。　　〃Now　take　ye　each　four　men；　all　armed　in　proof；〃　said　he；　〃and　get　ye　gone　to　the　forest；　at　different　points；　and　lie　in　wait　for　this　same　Robin　Hood。　　But　if　any　constable　finds　too　many　men　against　him；　let　him　sound　a　horn；　and　then　let　each　band　within　hearing　come　with　all　speed　and　join　the　party　that　calls　them。　　Thus；　I　think；　shall　we　take　this　green…clad　knave。　　Furthermore；　to　him　that　first　meeteth　with　Robin　Hood　shall　one　hundred　pounds　of　silver　money　be　given；　if　he　be　brought　to　me　dead　or　alive；　and　to　him　that　meeteth　with　any　of　his　band　shall　twoscore　pounds　be　given；　if　such　be　brought　to　me　dead　or　alive。　So；　be　ye　bold　and　be　ye　crafty。〃

So　thus　they　went　in　threescore　companies　of　five　to　Sherwood　Forest；　to　take　Robin　Hood；　each　constable　wishing　that　he　might　be　the　one　to　find　the　bold　outlaw；　or　at　least　one　of　his　band。　For　seven　days　and　nights　they　hunted　through　the　forest　glades；　but　never　saw　so　much　as　a　single　man　in　Lincoln　green；　for　tidings　of　all　this　had　been　brought　to　Robin　Hood　by　trusty　Eadom　o'　the　Blue　Boar。

When　he　first　heard　the　news；　Robin　said；　〃If　the　Sheriff　dare　send　force　to　meet　force；　woe　will　it　be　for　him　and　many　a　better　man　besides；　for　blood　will　flow　and　there　will　be　great　trouble　for　all。　But　fain　would　I　shun　blood　and　battle；　and　fain　would　I　not　deal　sorrow　to　womenfolk　and　wives　because　good　stout　yeomen　lose　their　lives。　Once　I　slew　a　man；　and　never　do　I　wish　to　slay　a　man　again；　for　it　is　bitter　for　the　soul　to　think　thereon。　　So　now　we　will　abide　silently　in　Sherwood　Forest；　so　that　it　may　be　well　for　all；　but　should　we　be　forced　to　defend　ourselves；　or　any　of　our　band；　then　let　each　man　draw　bow　and　brand　with　might　and　main。〃

At　this　speech　many　of　the　band　shook　their　heads；　and　said　to　themselves；　〃Now　the　Sheriff　will　think　that　we　are　cowards；　and　folk　will　scoff　throughout　the　countryside；　saying　that　we　fear　to　meet　these　men。〃　But　they　said　nothing　aloud；　swallowing　their　words　and　doing　as　Robin　bade　them。

Thus　they　hid　in　the　depths　of　Sherwood　Forest　for　seven　days　and　seven　nights　and　never　showed　their　faces　abroad　in　all　that　time；　but　early　in　the　morning　of　the　eighth　day　Robin　Hood　called　the　band　together　and　said；　〃Now　who　will　go　and　find　what　the　Sheriff's　men　are　at　by　this　time？　For　I　know　right　well　they　will　not　bide　forever　within　Sherwood　shades。〃

At　this　a　great　shout　arose；　and　each　man　waved　his　bow　aloft　and　cried　that　he　might　be　the　one　to　go。　　Then　Robin　Hood's　heart　was　proud　when　he　looked　around　on　his　stout；　brave　fellows；　and　he　said；　〃Brave　and　true　are　ye　all；　my　merry　men；　and　a　right　stout　band　of　good　fellows　are　ye；　but　ye　cannot　all　go；　so　I　will　choose　one　from　among　you；　and　it　shall　be　good　Will　Stutely；　for　he　is　as　sly　as　e'er　an　old　dog　fox　in　Sherwood　Forest。〃

Then　Will　Stutely　leaped　high　aloft　and　laughed　loudly；　clapping　his　hands　for　pure　joy　that　he　should　have　been　chosen　from　among　them　all。　〃Now　thanks；　good　master；〃　quoth　he；　〃and　if　I　bring　not　news　of　those　knaves　to　thee；　call　me　no　more　thy　sly　Will　Stutely。〃

Then　he　clad　himself　in　a　friar's　gown；　and　underneath　the　robe　he　hung　a　good　broadsword　in　such　a　place　that　he　could　easily　lay　hands　upon　it。　Thus　clad；　he　set　forth　upon　his　quest；　until　he　came　to　the　verge　of　the　forest；　and　so　to　the　highway。　　He　saw　two　bands　of　the　Sheriff's　men；　yet　he　turned　neither　to　the　right　nor　the　left；　but　only　drew　his　cowl　the　closer　over　his　face；　folding　his　hands　as　if　in　meditation。　So　at　last　he　came　to　the　Sign　of　the　Blue　Boar。　　〃For；〃　quoth　he　to　himself；　〃our　good　friend　Eadom　will　tell　me　all　the　news。〃

At　the　Sign　of　the　Blue　Boar　he　found　a　band　of　the　Sheriffs　men　drinking　right　lustily；　so；　without　speaking　to　anyone；　he　sat　down　upon　a　distant　bench；　his　staff　in　his　hand；　and　his　head　bowed　forward　as　though　he　were　meditating。　Thus　he　sat　waiting　until　he　might　see　the　landlord　apart；　and　Eadom　did　not　know　him；　but　thought　him　to　be　some　poor　tired　friar；　so　he　let　him　sit　without　saying　a　word　to　him　or　molesting　him；　though　he　liked　not　the　cloth。　　〃For；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃it　is　a　hard　heart　that　kicks　the　lame　dog　from　off　the　sill。〃　As　Stutely　sat　thus；　there　came　a　great　house　cat　and　rubbed　against　his　knee；　raising　his　robe　a　palm's…breadth　high。　Stutely　pushed　his　robe　quickly　down　again；　but　the　constable　who　commanded　the　Sheriffs　men　saw　what　had　passed；　and　saw　also　fair　Lincoln　green　beneath　the　friar's　robe。　He　said　nothing　at　the　time；　but　communed　within　himself　in　this　wise：　〃Yon　is　no　friar　of　orders　gray；　and　also；　I　wot；　no　honest　yeoman　goeth　about　in　priest's　garb；　nor　doth　a　thief　go　so　for　nought。　Now　I　think　in　good　sooth　that　is　one　of　Robin　Hood's　own　men。〃　So；　presently；　he　said　aloud；　〃O　holy　father；　wilt　thou　not　take　a　good　pot　of　March　beer　to　slake　thy　thirsty　soul　withal？〃

But　Stutely　shook　his　head　silently；　for　he　said　to　himself；　〃Maybe　there　be　those　here　who　know　my　voice。〃

Then　the　constable　said　again；　〃Whither　goest　thou；　holy　friar；　upon　this　hot　summer's　day？〃

〃I　go　a　pilgrim　to　Canterbury　Town；〃　answered　Will　Stutely；　speaking　gruffly；　so　that　none　might　know　his　voice。

Then　the　constable　said；　for　the　third　time；　〃Now　tell　me；　holy　father；　do　pilgrims　to　Canterbury　wear　good　Lincoln　green　beneath　their　robes？　　Ha！　　By　my　faith；　I　take　thee　to　be　some　lusty　thief；　and　perhaps　one　of　Robin　Hood's　own　band！　Now；　by　Our　Lady's　grace；　if　thou　movest　hand　or　foot；　I　will　run　thee　through　the　body　with　my　sword！〃

Then　he　flashed　forth　his　bright　sword　and　leaped　upon　Will　Stutely；　thinking　he　would　take　him　unaware；　but　Stutely　had　his　own　sword　tightly　held　in　his　hand；　beneath　his　robe；　so　he　drew　it　forth　before　the　constable　came　upon　him。　　Then　the　stout　constable　struck　a　mighty　blow；　but　he　struck　no　more　in　all　that　fight；　for　Stutely；　parrying　the　blow　right　deftly；　smote　the　constable　back　again　with　all　his　might。　Then　he　would　have　escaped；　but　could　not；　for　the　other；　all　dizzy　with　the　wound　and　with　the　flowing　blood；　seized　him　by　the　knees　with　his　arms　even　as　he　reeled　and　fell。　　Then　the　others　rushed　upon　him；　and　Stutely　struck　again　at　another　of　the　Sheriff's　men；　but　the　steel　cap　glanced　the　blow；　and　though　the　blade　bit　deep；　it　did　not　kill。　Meanwhile；　the　constable；　fainting　as　he　was；　drew　Stutely　downward；　and　the　others；　seeing　the　yeoman　hampered　so；　rushed　upon　him　again；　and　one　smote　him　a　blow　upon　the　crown　so　that　the　blood　ran　down　his　face　and　blinded　him。　　Then；　staggering；　he　fell；　and　all