the merry adventures of robin hood-第23章

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〃Pah！〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃the　sight　of　such　a　fellow　doth　put　a　nasty　taste　into　my　mouth！　　Look　how　he　doth　hold　that　fair　flower　betwixt　his　thumb　and　finger；　as　he　would　say；　‘Good　rose；　I　like　thee　not　so　ill　but　I　can　bear　thy　odor　for　a　little　while。'　I　take　it　ye　are　both　wrong；　and　verily　believe　that　were　a　furious　mouse　to　run　across　his　path；　he　would　cry；　‘La！'　or　‘Alack…a…day！'　and　fall　straightway　into　a　swoon。　I　wonder　who　he　may　be。〃

〃Some　great　baron's　son；　I　doubt　not；〃　answered　Little　John；　〃with　good　and　true　men's　money　lining　his　purse。〃

〃Ay；　marry；　that　is　true；　I　make　no　doubt；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃What　a　pity　that　such　men　as　he；　that　have　no　thought　but　to　go　abroad　in　gay　clothes；　should　have　good　fellows；　whose　shoes　they　are　not　fit　to　tie；　dancing　at　their　bidding。　　By　Saint　Dunstan；　Saint　Alfred；　Saint　Withold；　and　all　the　good　men　in　the　Saxon　calendar；　it　doth　make　me　mad　to　see　such　gay　lordlings　from　over　the　sea　go　stepping　on　the　necks　of　good　Saxons　who　owned　this　land　before　ever　their　great…grandsires　chewed　rind　of　brawn！　By　the　bright　bow　of　Heaven；　I　will　have　their　ill…gotten　gains　from　them；　even　though　I　hang　for　it　as　high　as　e'er　a　forest　tree　in　Sherwood！〃

〃Why；　how　now；　master；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃what　heat　is　this？　Thou　dost　set　thy　pot　a…boiling；　and　mayhap　no　bacon　to　cook！　Methinks　yon　fellow's　hair　is　overlight　for　Norman　locks。　He　may　be　a　good　man　and　true　for　aught　thou　knowest。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Robin；　〃my　head　against　a　leaden　farthing；　he　is　what　I　say。　So；　lie　ye　both　here；　I　say；　till　I　show　you　how　I　drub　this　fellow。〃　So　saying；　Robin　Hood　stepped　forth　from　the　shade　of　the　beech　tree；　crossed　the　stile；　and　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　with　his　hands　on　his　hips；　in　the　stranger's　path。

Meantime　the　stranger；　who　had　been　walking　so　slowly　that　all　this　talk　was　held　before　he　came　opposite　the　place　where　they　were；　neither　quickened　his　pace　nor　seemed　to　see　that　such　a　man　as　Robin　Hood　was　in　the　world。　So　Robin　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　waiting　while　the　other　walked　slowly　forward；　smelling　his　rose；　and　looking　this　way　and　that；　and　everywhere　except　at　Robin。

〃Hold！〃　cried　Robin；　when　at　last　the　other　had　come　close　to　him。　　〃Hold！　　Stand　where　thou　art！〃

〃Wherefore　should　I　hold；　good　fellow？〃　said　the　stranger　in　soft　and　gentle　voice。　　〃And　wherefore　should　I　stand　where　I　am？　Ne'ertheless；　as　thou　dost　desire　that　I　should　stay；　I　will　abide　for　a　short　time；　that　I　may　hear　what　thou　mayst　have　to　say　to　me。〃

〃Then；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃as　thou　dost　so　fairly　do　as　I　tell　thee；　and　dost　give　me　such　soft　speech；　I　will　also　treat　thee　with　all　due　courtesy。　I　would　have　thee　know；　fair　friend；　that　I　am；　as　it　were；　a　votary　at　the　shrine　of　Saint　Wilfred　who；　thou　mayst　know；　took；　willy…nilly；　all　their　gold　from　the　heathen；　and　melted　it　up　into　candlesticks。　Wherefore；　upon　such　as　come　hereabouts；　I　levy　a　certain　toll；　which　I　use　for　a　better　purpose；　I　hope；　than　to　make　candlesticks　withal。　Therefore；　sweet　chuck；　I　would　have　thee　deliver　to　me　thy　purse；　that　I　may　look　into　it；　and　judge；　to　the　best　of　my　poor　powers；　whether　thou　hast　more　wealth　about　thee　than　our　law　allows。　For；　as　our　good　Gaffer　Swanthold　sayeth；　‘He　who　is　fat　from　overliving　must　needs　lose　blood。'　　〃

All　this　time　the　youth　had　been　sniffing　at　the　rose　that　he　held　betwixt　his　thumb　and　finger。　　〃Nay；〃　said　he　with　a　gentle　smile；　when　Robin　Hood　had　done；　〃I　do　love　to　hear　thee　talk；　thou　pretty　fellow；　and　if；　haply；　thou　art　not　yet　done；　finish；　I　beseech　thee。　I　have　yet　some　little　time　to　stay。〃

〃I　have　said　all；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and　now；　if　thou　wilt　give　me　thy　purse；　I　will　let　thee　go　thy　way　without　let　or　hindrance　so　soon　as　I　shall　see　what　it　may　hold。　　I　will　take　none　from　thee　if　thou　hast　but　little。〃

〃Alas！　　It　doth　grieve　me　much；〃　said　the　other；　〃that　I　cannot　do　as　thou　dost　wish。　　I　have　nothing　to　give　thee。　　Let　me　go　my　way；　I　prythee。　I　have　done　thee　no　harm。〃

〃Nay；　thou　goest　not；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃till　thou　hast　shown　me　thy　purse。〃

〃Good　friend；〃　said　the　other　gently；　〃I　have　business　elsewhere。　I　have　given　thee　much　time　and　have　heard　thee　patiently。　Prythee；　let　me　depart　in　peace。〃

〃I　have　spoken　to　thee；　friend；〃　said　Robin　sternly；　〃and　I　now　tell　thee　again；　that　thou　goest　not　one　step　forward　till　thou　hast　done　as　I　bid　thee。〃　　So　saying；　he　raised　his　quarterstaff　above　his　head　in　a　threatening　way。

〃Alas！〃　said　the　stranger　sadly；　〃it　doth　grieve　me　that　this　thing　must　be。　　I　fear　much　that　I　must　slay　thee；　thou　poor　fellow！〃　So　saying；　he　drew　his　sword。

〃Put　by　thy　weapon；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃I　would　take　no　vantage　of　thee。　Thy　sword　cannot　stand　against　an　oaken　staff　such　as　mine。　I　could　snap　it　like　a　barley　straw。　　Yonder　is　a　good　oaken　thicket　by　the　roadside；　take　thee　a　cudgel　thence　and　defend　thyself　fairly；　if　thou　hast　a　taste　for　a　sound　drubbing。〃

First　the　stranger　measured　Robin　with　his　eye；　and　then　he　measured　the　oaken　staff。　　〃Thou　art　right；　good　fellow；〃　said　he　presently；　〃truly；　my　sword　is　no　match　for　that　cudgel　of　thine。　　Bide　thee　awhile　till　I　get　me　a　staff。〃　So　saying；　he　threw　aside　the　rose　that　he　had　been　holding　all　this　time；　thrust　his　sword　back　into　the　scabbard；　and；　with　a　more　hasty　step　than　he　had　yet　used；　stepped　to　the　roadside　where　grew　the　little　clump　of　ground　oaks　Robin　had　spoken　of。　Choosing　among　them；　he　presently　found　a　sapling　to　his　liking。　He　did　not　cut　it；　but；　rolling　up　his　sleeves　a　little　way；　he　laid　hold　of　it；　placed　his　heel　against　the　ground；　and；　with　one　mighty　pull；　plucked　the　young　tree　up　by　the　roots　from　out　the　very　earth。　Then　he　came　back；　trimming　away　the　roots　and　tender　stems　with　his　sword　as　quietly　as　if　he　had　done　nought　to　speak　of。

Little　John　and　the　Tanner　had　been　watching　all　that　passed；　but　when　they　saw　the　stranger　drag　the　sapling　up　from　the　earth；　and　heard　the　rending　and　snapping　of　its　roots；　the　Tanner　pursed　his　lips　together；　drawing　his　breath　between　them　in　a　long　inward　whistle。

〃By　the　breath　of　my　body！〃　said　Little　John；　as　soon　as　he




could　gather　his　wits　from　their　wonder；　〃sawest　thou　that；　Arthur？　　Marry；　I　think　our　poor　master　will　stand　but　an　ill　chance　with　yon　fellow。　By　Our　Lady；　he　plucked　up　yon　green　tree　as　it　were　a　barley　straw。〃

Whatever　Robin　Hood　thought；　he　stood　his　ground；　and　now　he　and　the　stranger　in　scarlet　stood　face　to　face。

Well　did　Robin　Hood　hold　his　own　that　day　as　a　mid…country　yeoman。　This　way　and　that　they　fought；　and　back　and　forth；　Robin's　skill　against　the　stranger's　strength。　The　dust　of　the　highway　rose　up　around　them　like　a　cloud；　so　that　at　times　Little　John　and　the　Tanner　could　see　nothing；　but　only　hear　the　rattle　of　the　staves　against　one　another。　Thrice　Robin　Hood　struck　the　stranger；　once　upon　the　arm　and　twice　upon　the　ribs；　and　yet　had　he　warded　all　the　other's　blows；　only　one　of　which；　had　it　met　its　mark；　would　have　laid　stout　Robin　lower　in　the　dust　than　he　had　ever　gone　before。　At　last　the　stranger　struck　Robin's　cudgel　so　fairly　in　the　middle　that　he　could　hardly　hold　his　staff　in　his　hand；　again　he　struck；　and　Robin　bent　beneath　the　blow；　a　third　time　he　struck；　and　now　not　only　fairly　beat　down　Robin's　guard；　but　gave　him　such　a　rap；　also；　that　down　he　tumbled　into　the　dusty　road。

〃Hold！〃　cried　Robin　Hood；　when　he　saw　the　stranger　raising　his　staff　once　more。　　〃I　yield　me！〃

〃Hold！〃　cried　Little　John；　bursting　from　his　cover；　with　the　Tanner　at　his　heels。　　〃Hold！　give　over；　I　say！〃

〃Nay；〃　answered　the　stranger　quietly；　〃if　there　be　two　more　of　you；　and　each　as　stout　as　this　good　fellow；　I　am　like　to　have　my　hands　full。　Nevertheless；　come　on；　and　I　will　strive　my　best　to　serve　you　all。〃

〃Stop！〃　cried　Robin　Hood；　〃we　will　fight　no　more。　　I　take　my　vow；　this　is　an　ill　day　for　thee　and　me；　Little　John。　　I　do　verily　believe　that　my　wrist；　and　eke　my　arm；　are　palsied　by　the　jar　of　the　blow　that　this　stranger　struck　me。〃

Then　Little　John　turned　to　Robin　Hood。　　〃Why；　how　now；　good　master；〃　said　he。　　〃Alas！　　Thou　art　in　an　ill　plight。　Marry；　thy　jerkin　is　all　befoul