the merry adventures of robin hood-第21章

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ayhap　I　may　chance　to　catch　a　sight　of　the　dainty　brown　darlings　thus　early　in　the　morn。〃　　For　there　was　nothing　he　loved　better　than　to　look　upon　a　tripping　herd　of　deer；　even　when　he　could　not　tickle　their　ribs　with　a　clothyard　shaft。　Accordingly；　quitting　the　path；　he　went　peeping　this　way　and　that　through　the　underbrush；　spying　now　here　and　now　there；　with　all　the　wiles　of　a　master　of　woodcraft；　and　of　one　who　had　more　than　once　donned　a　doublet　of　Lincoln　green。

Now　as　Little　John　stepped　blithely　along；　thinking　of　nothing　but　of　such　things　as　the　sweetness　of　the　hawthorn　buds　that　bedecked　the　hedgerows；　or　gazing　upward　at　the　lark；　that；　springing　from　the　dewy　grass；　hung　aloft　on　quivering　wings　in　the　yellow　sunlight；　pouring　forth　its　song　that　fell　like　a　falling　star　from　the　sky；　his　luck　led　him　away　from　the　highway；　not　far　from　the　spot　where　Arthur　a　Bland　was　peeping　this　way　and　that　through　the　leaves　of　the　thickets。　Hearing　a　rustling　of　the　branches；　Little　John　stopped　and　presently　caught　sight　of　the　brown　cowhide　cap　of　the　Tanner　moving　among　the　bushes

〃I　do　much　wonder；〃　quoth　Little　John　to　himself；　〃what　yon　knave　is　after；　that　he　should　go　thus　peeping　and　peering　about　I　verily　believe　that　yon　scurvy　varlet　is　no　better　than　a　thief；　and　cometh　here　after　our　own　and　the　good　King's　dun　deer。〃　For　by　much　roving　in　the　forest；　Little　John　had　come　to　look　upon　all　the　deer　in　Sherwood　as　belonging　to　Robin　Hood　and　his　band　as　much　as　to　good　King　Harry。　　〃Nay；〃　quoth　he　again；　after　a　time；　〃this　matter　must　e'en　be　looked　into。〃　　So；　quitting　the　highroad；　he　also　entered　the　thickets；　and　began　spying　around　after　stout　Arthur　a　Bland。

So　for　a　long　time　they　both　of　them　went　hunting　about；　Little　John　after　the　Tanner；　and　the　Tanner　after　the　deer。　At　last　Little　John　trod　upon　a　stick；　which　snapped　under　his　foot；　whereupon；　hearing　the　noise；　the　Tanner　turned　quickly　and　caught　sight　of　the　yeoman。　　Seeing　that　the　Tanner　had　spied　him　out；　Little　John　put　a　bold　face　upon　the　matter。

〃Hilloa；〃　quoth　he；　〃what　art　thou　doing　here；　thou　naughty　fellow？　Who　art　thou　that　comest　ranging　Sherwood's　paths？　In　very　sooth　thou　hast　an　evil　cast　of　countenance；　and　I　do　think；　truly；　that　thou　art　no　better　than　a　thief；　and　comest　after　our　good　King's　deer。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　the　Tanner　boldlyfor；　though　taken　by　surprise；　he　was　not　a　man　to　be　frightened　by　big　words〃thou　liest　in　thy　teeth。　I　am　no　thief；　but　an　honest　craftsman。　　As　for　my　countenance；　it　is　what　it　is；　and；　for　the　matter　of　that；　thine　own　is　none　too　pretty；　thou　saucy　fellow。〃

〃Ha！〃　quoth　Little　John　in　a　great　loud　voice；　〃wouldst　thou　give　me　backtalk？　　Now　I　have　a　great　part　of　a　mind　to　crack　thy　pate　for　thee。　　I　would　have　thee　know；　fellow；　that　I　am；　as　it　were；　one　of　the　King's　foresters。　　Leastwise；〃　muttered　he　to　himself；　〃I　and　my　friends　do　take　good　care　of　our　good　sovereign's　deer。〃

〃I　care　not　who　thou　art；〃　answered　the　bold　Tanner；　〃and　unless　thou　hast　many　more　of　thy　kind　by　thee；　thou　canst　never　make　Arthur　a　Bland　cry　‘A　mercy。'　　〃

〃Is　it　so？〃　cried　Little　John　in　a　rage。　　〃Now；　by　my　faith；　thou　saucy　rogue；　thy　tongue　hath　led　thee　into　a　pit　thou　wilt　have　a　sorry　time　getting　out　of；　for　I　will　give　thee　such　a　drubbing　as　ne'er　hast　thou　had　in　all　thy　life　before。　Take　thy　staff　in　thy　hand；　fellow；　for　I　will　not　smite　an　unarmed　man。

〃Marry　come　up　with　a　murrain！〃　cried　the　Tanner；　for　he；　too；　had　talked　himself　into　a　fume。　　〃Big　words　ne'er　killed　so　much　as　a　mouse。　Who　art　thou　that　talkest　so　freely　of　cracking　the　head　of　Arthur　a　Bland？　　If　I　do　not　tan　thy　hide　this　day　as　ne'er　I　tanned　a　calf's　hide　in　all　my　life　before；　split　my　staff　into　skewers　for　lamb's　flesh　and　call　me　no　more　brave　man！　Now　look　to　thyself；　fellow！〃

〃Stay！〃　said　Little　John。　　〃Let　us　first　measure　our　cudgels。　I　do　reckon　my　staff　longer　than　thine；　and　I　would　not　take　vantage　of　thee　by　even　so　much　as　an　inch。〃

〃Nay；　I　pass　not　for　length；〃　answered　the　Tanner。　　〃My　staff　is　long　enough　to　knock　down　a　calf；　so　look　to　thyself；　fellow；　I　say　again。〃

So；　without　more　ado；　each　gripped　his　staff　in　the　middle；　and；　with　fell　and　angry　looks；　they　came　slowly　together。


Now　news　had　been　brought　to　Robin　Hood　how　that　Little　John；　instead　of　doing　his　bidding；　had　passed　by　duty　for　pleasure；　and　so　had　stopped　overnight　with　merry　company　at　the　Blue　Boar　Inn；　instead　of　going　straight　to　Ancaster。　　So；　being　vexed　to　his　heart　by　this；　he　set　forth　at　dawn　of　day　to　seek　Little　John　at　the　Blue　Boar；　or　at　least　to　meet　the　yeoman　on　the　way；　and　ease　his　heart　of　what　he　thought　of　the　matter。　As　thus　he　strode　along　in　anger；　putting　together　the　words　he　would　use　to　chide　Little　John；　he　heard；　of　a　sudden；　loud　and　angry　voices；　as　of　men　in　a　rage；　passing　fell　words　back　and　forth　from　one　to　the　other。　At　this；　Robin　Hood　stopped　and　listened。　　〃Surely；〃　quoth　he　to　himself；　〃that　is　Little　John's　voice；　and　he　is　talking　in　anger　also。　Methinks　the　other　is　strange　to　my　ears。　　Now　Heaven　forfend　that　my　good　trusty　Little　John　should　have　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　King's　rangers。　I　must　see　to　this　matter；　and　that　quickly。〃

Thus　spoke　Robin　Hood　to　himself；　all　his　anger　passing　away　like　a　breath　from　the　windowpane；　at　the　thought　that　perhaps　his　trusty　right…hand　man　was　in　some　danger　of　his　life。　So　cautiously　he　made　his　way　through　the　thickets　whence　the　voices　came；　and；　pushing　aside　the　leaves；　peeped　into　the　little　open　space　where　the　two　men；　staff　in　hand；　were　coming　slowly　together。

〃Ha！〃　quoth　Robin　to　himself；　〃here　is　merry　sport　afoot。　Now　I　would　give　three　golden　angels　from　my　own　pocket　if　yon　stout　fellow　would　give　Little　John　a　right　sound　drubbing！　It　would　please　me　to　see　him　well　thumped　for　having　failed　in　my　bidding。　　I　fear　me；　though；　there　is　but　poor　chance　of　my　seeing　such　a　pleasant　sight。〃　　So　saying；　he　stretched　himself　at　length　upon　the　ground；　that　he　might　not　only　see　the　sport　the　better；　but　that　he　might　enjoy　the　merry　sight　at　his　ease。

As　you　may　have　seen　two　dogs　that　think　to　fight；　walking　slowly　round　and　round　each　other；　neither　cur　wishing　to　begin　the　combat；　so　those　two　stout　yeomen　moved　slowly　around；　each　watching　for　a　chance　to　take　the　other　unaware；　and　so　get　in　the　first　blow。　At　last　Little　John　struck　like　a　flash；　and〃rap！〃the　Tanner　met　the　blow　and　turned　it　aside；　and　then　smote　back　at　Little　John；　who　also　turned　the　blow；　and　so　this　mighty　battle　began。　Then　up　and　down　and　back　and　forth　they　trod；　the　blows　falling　so　thick　and　fast　that；　at　a　distance；　one　would　have　thought　that　half　a　score　of　men　were　fighting。　　Thus　they　fought　for　nigh　a　half　an　hour；　until　the　ground　was　all　plowed　up　with　the　digging　of　their　heels；　and　their　breathing　grew　labored　like　the　ox　in　the　furrow。　But　Little　John　suffered　the　most；　for　he　had　become　unused　to　such　stiff　labor；　and　his　joints　were　not　as　supple　as　they　had　been　before　he　went　to　dwell　with　the　Sheriff。

All　this　time　Robin　Hood　lay　beneath　the　bush；　rejoicing　at　such　a　comely　bout　of　quarterstaff。　　〃By　my　faith！〃　quoth　he　to　himself；　〃never　had　I　thought　to　see　Little　John　so　evenly　matched　in　all　my　life。　Belike；　though；　he　would　have　overcome　yon　fellow　before　this　had　he　been　in　his　former　trim。〃

At　last　Little　John　saw　his　chance；　and；　throwing　all　the　strength　he　felt　going　from　him　into　one　blow　that　might　have　felled　an　ox；　he　struck　at　the　Tanner　with　might　and　main。　And　now　did　the　Tanner's　cowhide　cap　stand　him　in　good　stead；　and　but　for　it　he　might　never　have　held　staff　in　hand　again。　As　it　was；　the　blow　he　caught　beside　the　head　was　so　shrewd　that　it　sent　him　staggering　across　the　little　glade；　so　that；　if　Little　John　had　had　the　strength　to　follow　up　his　vantage；　it　would　have　been　ill　for　stout　Arthur。　　But　he　regained　himself　quickly　and；　at　arm's　length；　struck　back　a　blow　at　Little　John；　and　this　time　the　stroke　reached　its　mark；　and　down　went　Little　John　at　full　length；　his　cudgel　flying　from　his　hand　as　he　fell。　Then；　raising　his　staff；　stout　Arthur　dealt　him　another　bl