the merry adventures of robin hood-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Thus　he　shouted；　and　all　crowded　around；　laughing；　while　the　brown　ale　flowed；　and　they　called　Little　John　a　brave　fellow；　each　swearing　that　he　loved　him　as　his　own　brother；　for　when　one　has　entertainment　with　nothing　to　pay；　one　loves　the　man　that　gives　it　to　one。

Then　he　strolled　to　the　platform　where　they　were　at　cudgel　play；　for　he　loved　a　bout　at　quarterstaff　as　he　loved　meat　and　drink；　and　here　befell　an　adventure　that　was　sung　in　ballads　throughout　the　mid…country　for　many　a　day。

One　fellow　there　was　that　cracked　crowns　of　everyone　who　threw　cap　into　the　ring。　　This　was　Eric　o'　Lincoln；　of　great　renown；　whose　name　had　been　sung　in　ballads　throughout　the　countryside。　When　Little　John　reached　the　stand　he　found　none　fighting；　but　only　bold　Eric　walking　up　and　down　the　platform；　swinging　his　staff　and　shouting　lustily；　〃Now；　who　will　come　and　strike　a　stroke　for　the　lass　he　loves　the　best；　with　a　good　Lincolnshire　yeoman？　　How　now；　lads？　　Step　up！　Step　up！　　Or　else　the　lasses'　eyes　are　not　bright　hereabouts；　or　the　blood　of　Nottingham　youth　is　sluggish　and　cold。　Lincoln　against　Nottingham；　say　I！　　For　no　one　hath　put　foot　upon　the　boards　this　day　such　as　we　of　Lincoln　call　a　cudgel　player。〃

At　this；　one　would　nudge　another　with　his　elbow；　saying；　〃Go　thou；　Ned！〃　or　〃Go　thou；　Thomas！〃　but　no　lad　cared　to　gain　a　cracked　crown　for　nothing。

Presently　Eric　saw　where　Little　John　stood　among　the　others；　a　head　and　shoulders　above　them　all；　and　he　called　to　him　loudly；　〃Halloa；　thou　long…legged　fellow　in　scarlet！　Broad　are　thy　shoulders　and　thick　thy　head；　is　not　thy　lass　fair　enough　for　thee　to　take　cudgel　in　hand　for　her　sake？　In　truth；　I　believe　that　Nottingham　men　do　turn　to　bone　and　sinew；　for　neither　heart　nor　courage　have　they！　　Now；　thou　great　lout；　wilt　thou　not　twirl　staff　for　Nottingham？〃

〃Ay；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃had　I　but　mine　own　good　staff　here；　it　would　pleasure　me　hugely　to　crack　thy　knave's　pate；　thou　saucy　braggart！　I　wot　it　would　be　well　for　thee　an　thy　cock's　comb　were　cut！〃　Thus　he　spoke；　slowly　at　first；　for　he　was　slow　to　move；　but　his　wrath　gathered　headway　like　a　great　stone　rolling　down　a　hill；　so　that　at　the　end　he　was　full　of　anger。

Then　Eric　o'　Lincoln　laughed　aloud。　　〃Well　spoken　for　one　who　fears　to　meet　me　fairly；　man　to　man；〃　said　he。　　〃Saucy　art　thou　thine　own　self；　and　if　thou　puttest　foot　upon　these　boards；　I　will　make　thy　saucy　tongue　rattle　within　thy　teeth！〃





〃Now；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃is　there　never　a　man　here　that　will　lend　me　a　good　stout　staff　till　I　try　the　mettle　of　yon　fellow？〃　At　this；　half　a　score　reached　him　their　staves；　and　he　took　the　stoutest　and　heaviest　of　them　all。　　Then；　looking　up　and　down　the　cudgel；　he　said；　〃Now；　I　have　in　my　hand　but　a　splint　of　wooda　barley　straw；　as　it　wereyet　I　trow　it　will　have　to　serve　me；　so　here　goeth。〃　Thereupon　he　cast　the　cudgel　upon　the　stand　and；　leaping　lightly　after　it；　snatched　it　up　in　his　hand　again。

Then　each　man　stood　in　his　place　and　measured　the　other　with　fell　looks　until　he　that　directed　the　sport　cried；　〃Play！〃　　At　this　they　stepped　forth；　each　grasping　his　staff　tightly　in　the　middle。　Then　those　that　stood　around　saw　the　stoutest　game　of　quarterstaff　that　e'er　Nottingham　Town　beheld。　　At　first　Eric　o'　Lincoln　thought　that　he　would　gain　an　easy　advantage；　so　he　came　forth　as　if　he　would　say；　〃Watch；　good　people；　how　that　I　carve　you　this　cockerel　right　speedily〃；　but　he　presently　found　it　to　be　no　such　speedy　matter。　　Right　deftly　he　struck；　and　with　great　skill　of　fence；　but　he　had　found　his　match　in　Little　John。　　Once；　twice；　thrice；　he　struck；　and　three　times　Little　John　turned　the　blows　to　the　left　hand　and　to　the　right。　Then　quickly　and　with　a　dainty　backhanded　blow；　he　rapped　Eric　beneath　his　guard　so　shrewdly　that　it　made　his　head　ring　again。　Then　Eric　stepped　back　to　gather　his　wits；　while　a　great　shout　went　up　and　all　were　glad　that　Nottingham　had　cracked　Lincoln's　crown；　and　thus　ended　the　first　bout　of　the　game。

Then　presently　the　director　of　the　sport　cried；　〃Play！〃　and　they　came　together　again；　but　now　Eric　played　warily；　for　he　found　his　man　was　of　right　good　mettle；　and　also　he　had　no　sweet　memory　of　the　blow　that　he　had　got；　so　this　bout　neither　Little　John　nor　the　Lincoln　man　caught　a　stroke　within　his　guard。　　Then；　after　a　while；　they　parted　again；　and　this　made　the　second　bout。

Then　for　the　third　time　they　came　together；　and　at　first　Eric　strove　to　be　wary；　as　he　had　been　before；　but；　growing　mad　at　finding　himself　so　foiled；　he　lost　his　wits　and　began　to　rain　blows　so　fiercely　and　so　fast　that　they　rattled　like　hail　on　penthouse　roof；　but；　in　spite　of　all；　he　did　not　reach　within　Little　John's　guard。　Then　at　last　Little　John　saw　his　chance　and　seized　it　right　cleverly。　Once　more；　with　a　quick　blow；　he　rapped　Eric　beside　the　head；　and　ere　he　could　regain　himself；　Little　John　slipped　his　right　hand　down　to　his　left　and；　with　a　swinging　blow；　smote　the　other　so　sorely　upon　the　crown　that　down　he　fell　as　though　he　would　never　move　again。

Then　the　people　shouted　so　loud　that　folk　came　running　from　all　about　to　see　what　was　the　ado；　while　Little　John　leaped　down　from　the　stand　and　gave　the　staff　back　to　him　that　had　lent　it　to　him。　And　thus　ended　the　famous　bout　between　Little　John　and　Eric　o'　Lincoln　of　great　renown。

But　now　the　time　had　come　when　those　who　were　to　shoot　with　the　longbow　were　to　take　their　places；　so　the　people　began　flocking　to　the　butts　where　the　shooting　was　to　be。　　Near　the　target；　in　a　good　place；　sat　the　Sheriff　upon　a　raised　dais；　with　many　gentlefolk　around　him。　　When　the　archers　had　taken　their　places；　the　herald　came　forward　and　proclaimed　the　rules　of　the　game；　and　how　each　should　shoot　three　shots；　and　to　him　that　should　shoot　the　best　the　prize　of　two　fat　steers　was　to　belong。　A　score　of　brave　shots　were　gathered　there；　and　among　them　some　of　the　keenest　hands　at　the　longbow　in　Lincoln　and　Nottinghamshire；　and　among　them　Little　John　stood　taller　than　all　the　rest。　〃Who　is　yon　stranger　clad　all　in　scarlet？〃　said　some；　and　others　answered；　〃It　is　he　that　hath　but　now　so　soundly　cracked　the　crown　of　Eric　o'　Lincoln。〃　　Thus　the　people　talked　among　themselves；　until　at　last　it　reached　even　the　Sheriff's　ears。

And　now　each　man　stepped　forward　and　shot　in　turn；　but　though　each　shot　well；　Little　John　was　the　best　of　all；　for　three　times　he　struck　the　clout；　and　once　only　the　length　of　a　barleycorn　from　the　center。　　〃Hey　for　the　tall　archer！〃　shouted　the　crowd；　and　some　among　them　shouted；　〃Hey　for　Reynold　Greenleaf！〃　for　this　was　the　name　that　Little　John　had　called　himself　that　day。

Then　the　Sheriff　stepped　down　from　the　raised　seat　and　came　to　where　the　archers　stood；　while　all　doffed　their　caps　that　saw　him　coming。　He　looked　keenly　at　Little　John　but　did　not　know　him；　though　he　said；　after　a　while；　〃How　now；　good　fellow；　methinks　there　is　that　about　thy　face　that　I　have　seen　erewhile。〃

〃Mayhap　it　may　be　so；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃for　often　have　I　seen　Your　Worship。〃　　And；　as　he　spoke；　he　looked　steadily　into　the　Sheriff's　eyes　so　that　the　latter　did　not　suspect　who　he　was。

〃A　brave　blade　art　thou；　good　friend；〃　said　the　Sheriff；　〃and　I　hear　that　thou　hast　well　upheld　the　skill　of　Nottinghamshire　against　that　of　Lincoln　this　day。　　What　may　be　thy　name；　good　fellow？〃

〃Men　do　call　me　Reynold　Greenleaf；　Your　Worship；〃　said　Little　John；　and　the　old　ballad　that　tells　of　this；　adds；　〃So；　in　truth；　was　he　a　green　leaf；　but　of　what　manner　of　tree　the　Sheriff　wotted　not。〃

〃Now；　Reynold　Greenleaf；〃　quoth　the　Sheriff；　〃thou　art　the　fairest　hand　at　the　longbow　that　mine　eyes　ever　beheld；　next　to　that　false　knave；　Robin　Hood；　from　whose　wiles　Heaven　forfend　me！　　Wilt　thou　join　my　service；　good　fellow？　Thou　shalt　be　paid　right　well；　for　three　suits　of　clothes　shalt　thou　have　a　year；　with　good　food　and　as　much　ale　as　thou　canst　drink；　and；　besides　this；　I　will　pay　thee　forty　marks　each　Michaelmastide。〃

〃Then　here　stand　I　a　free　man；　and　right　gladly　will　I　enter　thy　household；〃　said　Little　John；　for　he　thought　he　might　find　some　merry　jest；　should　he　enter　the　Sheriff's　service。

〃Fairly　hast　thou　won　the　fat　steers；〃　said　the　Sheriff；　〃and　〃hereu