the merry adventures of robin hood-第17章

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e。

〃Fairly　hast　thou　won　the　fat　steers；〃　said　the　Sheriff；　〃and　〃hereunto　I　will　add　a　butt　of　good　March　beer；　for　joy　of　having　gotten　such　a　man；　for；　I　wot；　thou　shootest　as　fair　a　shaft　as　Robin　Hood　himself。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Little　John；　〃for　joy　of　having　gotten　myself　into　thy　service；　I　will　give　fat　steers　and　brown　ale　to　all　these　good　folk；　to　make　them　merry　withal。〃　　At　this　arose　a　great　shout；　many　casting　their　caps　aloft；　for　joy　of　the　gift。

Then　some　built　great　fires　and　roasted　the　steers；　and　others　broached　the　butt　of　ale；　with　which　all　made　themselves　merry。　Then；　when　they　had　eaten　and　drunk　as　much　as　they　could；　and　when　the　day　faded　and　the　great　moon　arose；　all　red　and　round；　over　the　spires　and　towers　of　Nottingham　Town；　they　joined　hands　and　danced　around　the　fires；　to　the　music　of　bagpipes　and　harps。　But　long　before　this　merrymaking　had　begun；　the　Sheriff　and　his　new　servant　Reynold　Greenleaf　were　in　the　Castle　of　Nottingham。



How　Little　John　Lived　at　the　Sheriff's

THUS　LITTLE　JOHN　entered　into　the　Sheriff's　service　and　found　the　life　he　led　there　easy　enough；　for　the　Sheriff　made　him　his　right…hand　man　and　held　him　in　great　favor。　He　sat　nigh　the　Sheriff　at　meat；　and　he　ran　beside　his　horse　when　he　went　a…hunting；　so　that；　what　with　hunting　and　hawking　a　little；　and　eating　rich　dishes　and　drinking　good　sack；　and　sleeping　until　late　hours　in　the　morning；　he　grew　as　fat　as　a　stall…fed　ox。　Thus　things　floated　easily　along　with　the　tide；　until　one　day　when　the　Sheriff　went　a…hunting；　there　happened　that　which　broke　the　smooth　surface　of　things。

This　morning　the　Sheriff　and　many　of　his　men　set　forth　to　meet　certain　lords；　to　go　a…hunting。　He　looked　all　about　him　for　his　good　man；　Reynold　Greenleaf；　but；　not　finding　him；　was　vexed；　for　he　wished　to　show　Little　John's　skill　to　his　noble　friends。　　As　for　Little　John；　he　lay　abed；　snoring　lustily；　till　the　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens。　At　last　he　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　about　him　but　did　not　move　to　arise。　Brightly　shone　the　sun　in　at　the　window；　and　all　the　air　was　sweet　with　the　scent　of　woodbine　that　hung　in　sprays　about　the　wall　without；　for　the　cold　winter　was　past　and　spring　was　come　again；　and　Little　John　lay　still；　thinking　how　sweet　was　everything　on　this　fair　morn。　Just　then　he　heard；　faint　and　far　away；　a　distant　bugle　note　sounding　thin　and　clear。　　The　sound　was　small；　but；　like　a　little　pebble　dropped　into　a　glassy　fountain；　it　broke　all　the　smooth　surface　of　his　thoughts；　until　his　whole　soul　was　filled　with　disturbance。　　His　spirit　seemed　to　awaken　from　its　sluggishness；　and　his　memory　brought　back　to　him　all　the　merry　greenwood　lifehow　the　birds　were　singing　blithely　there　this　bright　morning；　and　how　his　loved　companions　and　friends　were　feasting　and　making　merry；　or　perhaps　talking　of　him　with　sober　speech；　for　when　he　first　entered　the　Sheriff's　service　he　did　so　in　jest；　but　the　hearthstone　was　warm　during　the　winter；　and　the　fare　was　full；　and　so　he　had　abided；　putting　off　from　day　to　day　his　going　back　to　Sherwood；　until　six　long　months　had　passed。　　But　now　he　thought　of　his　good　master　and　of　Will　Stutely；　whom　he　loved　better　than　anyone　in　all　the　world；　and　of　young　David　of　Doncaster；　whom　he　had　trained　so　well　in　all　manly　sports；　till　there　came　over　his　heart　a　great　and　bitter　longing　for　them　all；　so　that　his　eyes　filled　with　tears。　Then　he　said　aloud；　〃Here　I　grow　fat　like　a　stall…fed　ox　and　all　my　manliness　departeth　from　me　while　I　become　a　sluggard　and　dolt。　But　I　will　arouse　me　and　go　back　to　mine　own　dear　friends　once　more；　and　never　will　I　leave　them　again　till　life　doth　leave　my　lips。〃　So　saying；　he　leaped　from　bed；　for　he　hated　his　sluggishness　now。

When　he　came　downstairs　he　saw　the　Steward　standing　near　the　pantry　door　a　great；　fat　man；　with　a　huge　bundle　of　keys　hanging　to　his　girdle。　Then　Little　John　said；　〃Ho；　Master　Steward；　a　hungry　man　am　I；　for　nought　have　I　had　for　all　this　blessed　morn。　　Therefore；　give　me　to　eat。〃

Then　the　Steward　looked　grimly　at　him　and　rattled　the　keys　in　his　girdle；　for　he　hated　Little　John　because　he　had　found　favor　with　the　Sheriff。　　〃So；　Master　Reynold　Greenleaf；　thou　art　anhungered；　art　thou？〃　quoth　he。　　〃But；　fair　youth；　if　thou　livest　long　enough；　thou　wilt　find　that　he　who　getteth　overmuch　sleep　for　an　idle　head　goeth　with　an　empty　stomach。　For　what　sayeth　the　old　saw；　Master　Greenleaf？　　Is　it　not　‘The　late　fowl　findeth　but　ill　faring'？〃

〃Now；　thou　great　purse　of　fat！〃　cried　Little　John；　〃I　ask　thee　not　for　fool's　wisdom；　but　for　bread　and　meat。　Who　art　thou；　that　thou　shouldst　deny　me　to　eat？　By　Saint　Dunstan；　thou　hadst　best　tell　me　where　my　breakfast　is；　if　thou　wouldst　save　broken　bones！〃

〃Thy　breakfast；　Master　Fireblaze；　is　in　the　pantry；〃　answered　the　Steward。

〃Then　fetch　it　hither！〃　cried　Little　John；　who　waxed　angry　by　this　time。

〃Go　thou　and　fetch　it　thine　own　self；〃　quoth　the　Steward。　　〃Am　I　thy　slave；　to　fetch　and　carry　for　thee？〃

〃I　say；　go　thou；　bring　it　me！〃

〃I　say；　go　thou；　fetch　it　for　thyself！〃

〃Ay；　marry；　that　will　I；　right　quickly！〃　quoth　Little　John　in　a　rage。　And；　so　saying；　he　strode　to　the　pantry　and　tried　to　open　the　door　but　found　it　locked；　whereat　the　Steward　laughed　and　rattled　his　keys。　Then　the　wrath　of　Little　John　boiled　over；　and；　lifting　his　clenched　fist；　he　smote　the　pantry　door；　bursting　out　three　panels　and　making　so　large　an　opening　that　he　could　easily　stoop　and　walk　through　it。

When　the　Steward　saw　what　was　done；　he　waxed　mad　with　rage；　and；　as　Little　John　stooped　to　look　within　the　pantry；　he　seized　him　from　behind　by　the　nape　of　the　neck；　pinching　him　sorely　and　smiting　him　over　the　head　with　his　keys　till　the　yeoman's　ears　rang　again。　　At　this　Little　John　turned　upon　the　Steward　and　smote　him　such　a　buffet　that　the　fat　man　fell　to　the　floor　and　lay　there　as　though　he　would　never　move　again。　〃There；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃think　well　of　that　stroke　and　never　keep　a　good　breakfast　from　a　hungry　man　again。〃

So　saying；　he　crept　into　the　pantry　and　looked　about　him　to　see　if　he　could　find　something　to　appease　his　hunger。　He　saw　a　great　venison　pasty　and　two　roasted　capons；　beside　which　was　a　platter　of　plover's　eggs；　moreover；　there　was　a　flask　of　sack　and　one　of　canarya　sweet　sight　to　a　hungry　man。　These　he　took　down　from　the　shelves　and　placed　upon　a　sideboard；　and　prepared　to　make　himself　merry。

Now　the　Cook；　in　the　kitchen　across　the　courtyard；　heard　the　loud　talking　between　Little　John　and　the　Steward；　and　also　the　blow　that　Little　John　struck　the　other；　so　he　came　running　across　the　court　and　up　the　stairway　to　where　the　Steward's　pantry　was；　bearing　in　his　hands　the　spit　with　the　roast　still　upon　it。　Meanwhile　the　Steward　had　gathered　his　wits　about　him　and　risen　to　his　feet；　so　that　when　the　Cook　came　to　the　Steward's　pantry　he　saw　him　glowering　through　the　broken　door　at　Little　John；　who　was　making　ready　for　a　good　repast；　as　one　dog　glowers　at　another　that　has　a　bone。　　When　the　Steward　saw　the　Cook；　he　came　to　him；　and；　putting　one　arm　over　his　shoulder；　〃Alas；　sweet　friend！〃　quoth　hefor　the　Cook　was　a　tall；　stout　man〃seest　thou　what　that　vile　knave　Reynold　Greenleaf　hath　done？　　He　hath　broken　in　upon　our　master's　goods；　and　hath　smitten　me　a　buffet　upon　the　ear；　so　that　I　thought　I　was　dead。　Good　Cook；　I　love　thee　well；　and　thou　shalt　have　a　good　pottle　of　our　master's　best　wine　every　day；　for　thou　art　an　old　and　faithful　servant。　　Also；　good　Cook；　I　have　ten　shillings　that　I　mean　to　give　as　a　gift　to　thee。　　But　hatest　thou　not　to　see　a　vile　upstart　like　this　Reynold　Greenleaf　taking　it　upon　him　so　bravely？〃

〃Ay；　marry；　that　do　I；〃　quoth　the　Cook　boldly；　for　he　liked　the　Steward　because　of　his　talk　of　the　wine　and　of　the　ten　shillings。　　〃Get　thee　gone　straightway　to　thy　room；　and　I　will　bring　out　this　knave　by　his　ears。〃　So　saying；　he　laid　aside　his　spit　and　drew　the　sword　that　hung　by　his　side；　whereupon　the　Steward　left　as　quickly　as　he　could；　for　he　hated　the　sight　of　naked　steel。

Then　the　Cook　walked　straightway　to　the　broken　pantry　door；　through　which　he　saw　Little　John　tucking　a　napkin　beneath　his　chin　and　preparing　to　make　himself　merry。

〃Why；　how　now；　Reyno