the merry adventures of robin hood-第2章

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of　Our　Lady；　I　cause　the　best　hart　among　them　to　die。〃

〃Now　done！〃　cried　he　who　had　spoken　first。　　〃And　here　are　twenty　marks。　I　wager　that　thou　causest　no　beast　to　die；　with　or　without　the　aid　of　Our　Lady。〃

Then　Robin　took　his　good　yew　bow　in　his　hand；　and　placing　the　tip　at　his　instep；　he　strung　it　right　deftly；　then　he　nocked　a　broad　clothyard　arrow　and；　raising　the　bow；　drew　the　gray　goose　feather　to　his　ear；　the　next　moment　the　bowstring　rang　and　the　arrow　sped　down　the　glade　as　a　sparrowhawk　skims　in　a　northern　wind。　High　leaped　the　noblest　hart　of　all　the　herd；　only　to　fall　dead；　reddening　the　green　path　with　his　heart's　blood。

〃Ha！〃　cried　Robin；　〃how　likest　thou　that　shot；　good　fellow？　I　wot　the　wager　were　mine；　an　it　were　three　hundred　pounds。〃

Then　all　the　foresters　were　filled　with　rage；　and　he　who　had　spoken　the　first　and　had　lost　the　wager　was　more　angry　than　all。

〃Nay；〃　cried　he；　〃the　wager　is　none　of　thine；　and　get　thee　gone；　straightway；　or；　by　all　the　saints　of　heaven；　I'll　baste　thy　sides　until　thou　wilt　ne'er　be　able　to　walk　again。〃　〃Knowest　thou　not；〃　said　another；　〃that　thou　hast　killed　the　King's　deer；　and；　by　the　laws　of　our　gracious　lord　and　sovereign　King　Harry；　thine　ears　should　be　shaven　close　to　thy　head？〃

〃Catch　him！〃　cried　a　third。

〃Nay；〃　said　a　fourth；　〃let　him　e'en　go　because　of　his　tender　years。〃

Never　a　word　said　Robin　Hood；　but　he　looked　at　the　foresters　with　a　grim　face；　then；　turning　on　his　heel；　strode　away　from　them　down　the　forest　glade。　But　his　heart　was　bitterly　angry；　for　his　blood　was　hot　and　youthful　and　prone　to　boil。

Now；　well　would　it　have　been　for　him　who　had　first　spoken　had　he　left　Robin　Hood　alone；　but　his　anger　was　hot；　both　because　the　youth　had　gotten　the　better　of　him　and　because　of　the　deep　draughts　of　ale　that　he　had　been　quaffing。　　So；　of　a　sudden；　without　any　warning；　he　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　seized　upon　his　bow　and　fitted　it　to　a　shaft。　〃Ay；〃　cried　he；　〃and　I'll　hurry　thee　anon。〃　　And　he　sent　the　arrow　whistling　after　Robin。

It　was　well　for　Robin　Hood　that　that　same　forester's　head　was　spinning　with　ale；　or　else　he　would　never　have　taken　another　step。　As　it　was；　the　arrow　whistled　within　three　inches　of　his　head。　Then　he　turned　around　and　quickly　drew　his　own　bow；　and　sent　an　arrow　back　in　return。

〃Ye　said　I　was　no　archer；〃　cried　he　aloud；　〃but　say　so　now　again！〃

The　shaft　flew　straight；　the　archer　fell　forward　with　a　cry；　and　lay　on　his　face　upon　the　ground；　his　arrows　rattling　about　him　from　out　of　his　quiver；　the　gray　goose　shaft　wet　with　his；　heart's　blood。　　Then；　before　the　others　could　gather　their　wits　about　them；　Robin　Hood　was　gone　into　the　depths　of　the　greenwood。　Some　started　after　him；　but　not　with　much　heart；　for　each　feared　to　suffer　the　death　of　his　fellow；　so　presently　they　all　came　and　lifted　the　dead　man　up　and　bore　him　away　to　Nottingham　Town。

Meanwhile　Robin　Hood　ran　through　the　greenwood。　　Gone　was　all　the　joy　and　brightness　from　everything；　for　his　heart　was　sick　within　him；　and　it　was　borne　in　upon　his　soul　that　he　had　slain　a　man。

〃Alas！〃　cried　he；　〃thou　hast　found　me　an　archer　that　will　make　thy　wife　to　wring！　　I　would　that　thou　hadst　ne'er　said　one　word　to　me；　or　that　I　had　never　passed　thy　way；　or　e'en　that　my　right　forefinger　had　been　stricken　off　ere　that　this　had　happened！　In　haste　I　smote；　but　grieve　I　sore　at　leisure！〃　　And　then；　even　in　his　trouble；　he　remembered　the　old　saw　that　〃What　is　done　is　done；　and　the　egg　cracked　cannot　be　cured。〃

And　so　he　came　to　dwell　in　the　greenwood　that　was　to　be　his　home　for　many　a　year　to　come；　never　again　to　see　the　happy　days　with　the　lads　and　lasses　of　sweet　Locksley　Town；　for　he　was　outlawed；　not　only　because　he　had　killed　a　man；　but　also　because　he　had　poached　upon　the　King's　deer；　and　two　hundred　pounds　were　set　upon　his　head；　as　a　reward　for　whoever　would　bring　him　to　the　court　of　the　King。

Now　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　swore　that　he　himself　would　bring　this　knave　Robin　Hood　to　justice；　and　for　two　reasons：　first；　because　he　wanted　the　two　hundred　pounds；　and　next；　because　the　forester　that　Robin　Hood　had　killed　was　of　kin　to　him。

But　Robin　Hood　lay　hidden　in　Sherwood　Forest　for　one　year；　and　in　that　time　there　gathered　around　him　many　others　like　himself；　cast　out　from　other　folk　for　this　cause　and　for　that。　Some　had　shot　deer　in　hungry　wintertime；　when　they　could　get　no　other　food；　and　had　been　seen　in　the　act　by　the　foresters；　but　had　escaped；　thus　saving　their　ears；　some　had　been　turned　out　of　their　inheritance；　that　their　farms　might　be　added　to　the　King's　lands　in　Sherwood　Forest；　some　had　been　despoiled　by　a　great　baron　or　a　rich　abbot　or　a　powerful　esquire　all；　for　one　cause　or　another；　had　come　to　Sherwood　to　escape　wrong　and　oppression。

So；　in　all　that　year；　fivescore　or　more　good　stout　yeomen　gathered　about　Robin　Hood；　and　chose　him　to　be　their　leader　and　chief。　Then　they　vowed　that　even　as　they　themselves　had　been　despoiled　they　would　despoil　their　oppressors；　whether　baron；　abbot；　knight；　or　squire；　and　that　from　each　they　would　take　that　which　had　been　wrung　from　the　poor　by　unjust　taxes；　or　land　rents；　or　in　wrongful　fines。　But　to　the　poor　folk　they　would　give　a　helping　hand　in　need　and　trouble；　and　would　return　to　them　that　which　had　been　unjustly　taken　from　them。　Besides　this；　they　swore　never　to　harm　a　child　nor　to　wrong　a　woman；　be　she　maid；　wife；　or　widow；　so　that；　after　a　while；　when　the　people　began　to　find　that　no　harm　was　meant　to　them；　but　that　money　or　food　came　in　time　of　want　to　many　a　poor　family；　they　came　to　praise　Robin　and　his　merry　men；　and　to　tell　many　tales　of　him　and　of　his　doings　in　Sherwood　Forest；　for　they　felt　him　to　be　one　of　themselves。

Up　rose　Robin　Hood　one　merry　morn　when　all　the　birds　were　singing　blithely　among　the　leaves；　and　up　rose　all　his　merry　men；　each　fellow　washing　his　head　and　hands　in　the　cold　brown　brook　that　leaped　laughing　from　stone　to　stone。　Then　said　Robin；　〃For　fourteen　days　have　we　seen　no　sport；　so　now　I　will　go　abroad　to　seek　adventures　forthwith。　　But　tarry　ye；　my　merry　men　all；　here　in　the　greenwood；　only　see　that　ye　mind　well　my　call。　Three　blasts　upon　the　bugle　horn　I　will　blow　in　my　hour　of　need；　then　come　quickly；　for　I　shall　want　your　aid。〃

So　saying；　he　strode　away　through　the　leafy　forest　glades　until　he　had　come　to　the　verge　of　Sherwood。　　There　he　wandered　for　a　long　time；　through　highway　and　byway；　through　dingly　dell　and　forest　skirts。　Now　he　met　a　fair　buxom　lass　in　a　shady　lane；　and　each　gave　the　other　a　merry　word　and　passed　their　way；　now　he　saw　a　fair　lady　upon　an　ambling　pad；　to　whom　he　doffed　his　cap；　and　who　bowed　sedately　in　return　to　the　fair　youth；　now　he　saw　a　fat　monk　on　a　pannier…laden　ass；　now　a　gallant　knight；　with　spear　and　shield　and　armor　that　flashed　brightly　in　the　sunlight；　now　a　page　clad　in　crimson；　and　now　a　stout　burgher　from　good　Nottingham　Town；　pacing　along　with　serious　footsteps；　all　these　sights　he　saw；　but　adventure　found　he　none。　　At　last　he　took　a　road　by　the　forest　skirts；　a　bypath　that　dipped　toward　a　broad；　pebbly　stream　spanned　by　a　narrow　bridge　made　of　a　log　of　wood。　　As　he　drew　nigh　this　bridge　he　saw　a　tall　stranger　coming　from　the　other　side。　Thereupon　Robin　quickened　his　pace；　as　did　the　stranger　likewise；　each　thinking　to　cross　first。

〃Now　stand　thou　back；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and　let　the　better　man　cross　first。〃

〃Nay；〃　answered　the　stranger；　〃then　stand　back　shine　own　self；　for　the　better　man；　I　wet；　am　I。〃

〃That　will　we　presently　see；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and　meanwhile　stand　thou　where　thou　art；　or　else；　by　the　bright　brow　of　Saint　AElfrida；　I　will　show　thee　right　good　Nottingham　play　with　a　clothyard　shaft　betwixt　thy　ribs。〃

〃Now；〃　quoth　the　stranger；　〃I　will　tan　thy　hide　till　it　be　as　many　colors　as　a　beggar's　cloak；　if　thou　darest　so　much　as　touch　a　string　of　that　same　bow　that　thou　holdest　in　thy　hands。〃

〃Thou　pratest　like　an　ass；〃　said　Robin；　〃for　I　could　send　this　shaft　clean　through　thy　proud　heart　before　a　curtal　friar　could　say　grace　over　a　roast　goose　at　Michaelmastide。〃

〃And　thou　pratest　like　a　coward；〃　answered　the　stranger；　〃for　thou　standest　there　with　a　good　yew　bow　to　shoot　at　my　heart；　while　I