the merry adventures of robin hood-第19章

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〃Now；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃it　doth　seem　to　me　that　instead　of　striving　to　cut　one　another's　throats；　it　were　better　for　us　to　be　boon　companions。　　What　sayst　thou；　jolly　Cook；　wilt　thou　go　with　me　to　Sherwood　Forest　and　join　with　Robin　Hood's　band？　Thou　shalt　live　a　merry　life　within　the　woodlands；　and　sevenscore　good　companions　shalt　thou　have；　one　of　whom　is　mine　own　self。　Thou　shalt　have　three　suits　of　Lincoln　green　each　year；　and　forty　marks　in　pay。〃

〃Now；　thou　art　a　man　after　mine　own　heart！〃　cried　the　Cook　right　heartily；　〃and；　as　thou　speakest　of　it；　that　is　the　very　service　for　me。　I　will　go　with　thee；　and　that　right　gladly。　　Give　me　thy　palm；　sweet　fellow；　and　I　will　be　thine　own　companion　from　henceforth。　What　may　be　thy　name；　lad？〃

〃Men　do　call　me　Little　John；　good　fellow。〃

〃How？　　And　art　thou　indeed　Little　John；　and　Robin　Hood's　own　right…hand　man？　Many　a　time　and　oft　I　heard　of　thee；　but　never　did　I　hope　to　set　eyes　upon　thee。　　And　thou　art　indeed　the　famous　Little　John！〃　　And　the　Cook　seemed　lost　in　amazement；　and　looked　upon　his　companion　with　open　eyes。

〃I　am　Little　John；　indeed；　and　I　will　bring　to　Robin　Hood　this　day　a　right　stout　fellow　to　join　his　merry　band。　But　ere　we　go；　good　friend；　it　seemeth　to　me　to　be　a　vast　pity　that；　as　we　have　had　so　much　of　the　Sheriff's　food；　we　should　not　also　carry　off　some　of　his　silver　plate　to　Robin　Hood；　as　a　present　from　his　worship。〃

〃Ay；　marry　is　it；〃　said　the　Cook。　　And　so　they　began　hunting　about；　and　took　as　much　silver　as　they　could　lay　hands　upon；　clapping　it　into　a　bag；　and　when　they　had　filled　the　sack　they　set　forth　to　Sherwood　Forest。

Plunging　into　the　woods；　they　came　at　last　to　the　greenwood　tree；　where　they　found　Robin　Hood　and　threescore　of　his　merry　men　lying　upon　the　fresh　green　grass。　　When　Robin　and　his　men　saw　who　it　was　that　came；　they　leaped　to　their　feet。　　〃Now　welcome！〃　cried　Robin　Hood。　　〃Now　welcome；　Little　John！　　For　long　hath　it　been　since　we　have　heard　from　thee；　though　we　all　knew　that　thou　hadst　joined　the　Sheriff's　service。　And　how　hast　thou　fared　all　these　long　days？〃

〃Right　merrily　have　I　lived　at　the　Lord　Sheriff's；〃　answered　Little　John；　〃and　I　have　come　straight　thence。　　See；　good　master！　I　have　brought　thee　his　cook；　and　even　his　silver　plate。〃　Thereupon　he　told　Robin　Hood　and　his　merry　men　that　were　there；　all　that　had　befallen　him　since　he　had　left　them　to　go　to　the　Fair　at　Nottingham　Town。　　Then　all　shouted　with　laughter；　except　Robin　Hood；　but　he　looked　grave。

〃Nay；　Little　John；〃　said　he；　〃thou　art　a　brave　blade　and　a　trusty　fellow。　I　am　glad　thou　hast　brought　thyself　back　to　us；　and　with　such　a　good　companion　as　the　Cook；　whom　we　all　welcome　to　Sherwood。　　But　I　like　not　so　well　that　thou　hast　stolen　the　Sheriff's　plate　like　some　paltry　thief。　The　Sheriff　hath　been　punished　by　us；　and　hath　lost　three　hundred　pounds；　even　as　he　sought　to　despoil　another；　but　he　hath　done　nought　that　we　should　steal　his　household　plate　from　him。

Though　Little　John　was　vexed　with　this；　he　strove　to　pass　it　off　with　a　jest。　　〃Nay；　good　master；〃　quoth　he；　〃if　thou　thinkest　the　Sheriff　gave　us　not　the　plate；　I　will　fetch　him；　that　he　may　tell　us　with　his　own　lips　he　giveth　it　all　to　us。〃　So　saying　he　leaped　to　his　feet；　and　was　gone　before　Robin　could　call　him　back。

Little　John　ran　for　full　five　miles　till　he　came　to　where　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　and　a　gay　company　were　hunting　near　the　forest。　When　Little　John　came　to　the　Sheriff　he　doffed　his　cap　and　bent　his　knee。　〃God　save　thee；　good　master；〃　quoth　he。

〃Why；　Reynold　Greenleaf！〃　cried　the　Sheriff；　〃whence　comest　thou　and　where　hast　thou　been？〃

〃I　have　been　in　the　forest；〃　answered　Little　John；　speaking　amazedly；　〃and　there　I　saw　a　sight　such　as　ne'er　before　man's　eyes　beheld！　Yonder　I　saw　a　young　hart　all　in　green　from　top　to　toe；　and　about　him　was　a　herd　of　threescore　deer；　and　they；　too；　were　all　of　green　from　head　to　foot。　Yet　I　dared　not　shoot；　good　master；　for　fear　lest　they　should　slay　me。〃

〃Why；　how　now；　Reynold　Greenleaf；〃　cried　the　Sheriff；　〃art　thou　dreaming　or　art　thou　mad；　that　thou　dost　bring　me　such；　a　tale？〃

〃Nay；　I　am　not　dreaming　nor　am　I　mad；〃　said　Little　John；　〃and　if　thou　wilt　come　with　me；　I　will　show　thee　this　fair　sight；　for　I　have　seen　it　with　mine　own　eyes。　　But　thou　must　come　alone；　good　master；　lest　the　others　frighten　them　and　they　get　away。〃

So　the　party　all　rode　forward；　and　Little　John　led　them　downward　into　the　forest。

〃Now；　good　master；〃　quoth　he　at　last；　〃we　are　nigh　where　I　saw　this　herd。〃

Then　the　Sheriff　descended　from　his　horse　and　bade　them　wait　for　him　until　he　should　return；　and　Little　John　led　him　forward　through　a　close　copse　until　suddenly　they　came　to　a　great　open　glade；　at　the　end　of　which　Robin　Hood　sat　beneath　the　shade　of　the　great　oak　tree；　with　his　merry　men　all　about　him。　〃See；　good　Master　Sheriff；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃yonder　is　the　hart　of　which　I　spake　to　thee。〃

At　this　the　Sheriff　turned　to　Little　John　and　said　bitterly；　〃Long　ago　I　thought　I　remembered　thy　face；　but　now　I　know　thee。　Woe　betide　thee；　Little　John；　for　thou　hast　betrayed　me　this　day。〃

In　the　meantime　Robin　Hood　had　come　to　them。　　〃Now　welcome；　Master　Sheriff；〃　said　he。　　〃Hast　thou　come　today　to　take　another　feast　with　me？〃

〃Nay；　Heaven　forbid！〃　said　the　Sheriff　in　tones　of　deep　earnest。　〃I　care　for　no　feast　and　have　no　hunger　today。〃

〃Nevertheless；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃if　thou　hast　no　hunger；　maybe　thou　hast　thirst；　and　well　I　know　thou　wilt　take　a　cup　of　sack　with　me。　But　I　am　grieved　that　thou　wilt　not　feast　with　me；　for　thou　couldst　have　victuals　to　thy　liking；　for　there　stands　thy　Cook。〃

Then　he　led　the　Sheriff；　willy…nilly；　to　the　seat　he　knew　so　well　beneath　the　greenwood　tree。

〃Ho；　lads！〃　cried　Robin；　〃fill　our　good　friend　the　Sheriff　a　right　brimming　cup　of　sack　and　fetch　it　hither；　for　he　is　faint　and　weary。〃

Then　one　of　the　band　brought　the　Sheriff　a　cup　of　sack；　bowing　low　as　he　handed　it　to　him；　but　the　Sheriff　could　not　touch　the　wine；　for　he　saw　it　served　in　one　of　his　own　silver　flagons；　on　one　of　his　own　silver　plates。

〃How　now；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃dost　thou　not　like　our　new　silver　service？　We　have　gotten　a　bag　of　it　this　day。〃　　So　saying；　he　held　up　the　sack　of　silver　that　Little　John　and　the　Cook　had　brought　with　them。

Then　the　Sheriff's　heart　was　bitter　within　him；　but；　not　daring　to　say　anything；　he　only　gazed　upon　the　ground。　Robin　looked　keenly　at　him　for　a　time　before　he　spoke　again。　Then　said　he；　〃Now；　Master　Sheriff；　the　last　time　thou　camest　to　Sherwood　Forest　thou　didst　come　seeking　to　despoil　a　poor　spendthrift；　and　thou　wert　despoiled　thine　own　self；　but　now　thou　comest　seeking　to　do　no　harm；　nor　do　I　know　that　thou　hast　despoiled　any　man。　I　take　my　tithes　from　fat　priests　and　lordly　squires；　to　help　those　that　they　despoil　and　to　raise　up　those　that　they　bow　down；　but　I　know　not　that　thou　hast　tenants　of　thine　own　whom　thou　hast　wronged　in　any　way。　　Therefore；　take　thou　thine　own　again；　nor　will　I　dispossess　thee　today　of　so　much　as　one　farthing。　Come　with　me；　and　I　will　lead　thee　from　the　forest　back　to　thine　own　party　again。〃

Then；　slinging　the　bag　upon　his　shoulder；　he　turned　away；　the　Sheriff　following　him；　all　too　perplexed　in　mind　to　speak。　So　they　went　forward　until　they　came　to　within　a　furlong　of　the　spot　where　the　Sheriff's　companions　were　waiting　for　him。　Then　Robin　Hood　gave　the　sack　of　silver　back　to　the　Sheriff。　〃Take　thou　thine　own　again；〃　he　said；　〃and　hearken　to　me；　good　Sheriff；　take　thou　a　piece　of　advice　with　it。　Try　thy　servants　well　ere　thou　dost　engage　them　again　so　readily。〃　Then；　turning；　he　left　the　other　standing　bewildered；　with　the　sack　in　his　hands。

The　company　that　waited　for　the　Sheriff　were　all　amazed　to　see　him　come　out　of　the　forest　bearing　a　heavy　sack　upon　his　shoulders；　but　though　they　questioned　him；　he　answered　never　a　word；　acting　like　one　who　walks　in　a　dream。　　Without　a　word；　he　placed　the　bag　across　his　nag's　back　and　then；　mounting；　rode　away；　all　following　him；　but　all　the　time　there　was　a　great　turmoil　of　thoughts　within　his　head；　tumbling　one　over　the　other。　And　thus　ends　the　merry　tale　of　Little　John　and　how　he　entered　the　Sheriff's　ser