the merry adventures of robin hood-第24章

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ight。　Marry；　thy　jerkin　is　all　befouled　with　the　dust　of　the　road。　Let　me　help　thee　to　arise。〃

〃A　plague　on　thy　aid！〃　cried　Robin　angrily。　　〃I　can　get　to　my　feet　without　thy　help；　good　fellow。〃

〃Nay；　but　let　me　at　least　dust　thy　coat　for　thee。　　I　fear　thy　poor　bones　are　mightily　sore；〃　quoth　Little　John　soberly；　but　with　a　sly　twinkle　in　his　eyes。

〃Give　over；　I　say！〃　quoth　Robin　in　a　fume。　　〃My　coat　hath　been　dusted　enough　already；　without　aid　of　thine。〃　　Then；　turning　to　the　stranger；　he　said；　〃What　may　be　thy　name；　good　fellow？〃

〃My　name　is　Gamwell；〃　answered　the　other。

〃Ha！〃　cried　Robin；　〃is　it　even　so？　　I　have　near　kin　of　that　name。　Whence　camest　thou；　fair　friend？〃

〃From　Maxfield　Town　I　come；〃　answered　the　stranger。　〃There　was　I　born　and　bred；　and　thence　I　come　to　seek　my　mother's　young　brother；　whom　men　call　Robin　Hood。　　So；　if　perchance　thou　mayst　direct　me〃

〃Ha！　　Will　Gamwell！〃　cried　Robin；　placing　both　hands　upon　the　other's　shoulders　and　holding　him　off　at　arm's　length。　〃Surely；　it　can　be　none　other！　　I　might　have　known　thee　by　that　pretty　maiden　air　of　thinethat　dainty；　finicking　manner　of　gait。　Dost　thou　not　know　me；　lad？　　Look　upon　me　well。〃

〃Now；　by　the　breath　of　my　body！〃　cried　the　other；　〃I　do　believe　from　my　heart　that　thou　art　mine　own　Uncle　Robin。　　Nay；　certain　it　is　so！〃　And　each　flung　his　arms　around　the　other；　kissing　him　upon　the　cheek。

Then　once　more　Robin　held　his　kinsman　off　at　arm's　length　and　scanned　him　keenly　from　top　to　toe。　　〃Why；　how　now；〃　quoth　he；　〃what　change　is　here？　　Verily；　some　eight　or　ten　years　ago　I　left　thee　a　stripling　lad；　with　great　joints　and　ill…hung　limbs；　and　lo！　here　thou　art；　as　tight　a　fellow　as　e'er　I　set　mine　eyes　upon。　Dost　thou　not　remember；　lad；　how　I　showed　thee　the　proper　way　to　nip　the　goose　feather　betwixt　thy　fingers　and　throw　out　thy　bow　arm　steadily？　　Thou　gayest　great　promise　of　being　a　keen　archer。　And　dost　thou　not　mind　how　I　taught　thee　to　fend　and　parry　with　the　cudgel？〃

〃Yea；〃　said　young　Gamwell；　〃and　I　did　so　look　up　to　thee；　and　thought　thee　so　above　all　other　men　that；　I　make　my　vow；　had　I　known　who　thou　wert；　I　would　never　have　dared　to　lift　hand　against　thee　this　day。　I　trust　I　did　thee　no　great　harm。〃

〃No；　no；〃　quoth　Robin　hastily；　and　looking　sideways　at　Little　John；　〃thou　didst　not　harm　me。　　But　say　no　more　of　that；　I　prythee。　Yet　I　will　say；　lad；　that　I　hope　I　may　never　feel　again　such　a　blow　as　thou　didst　give　me。　　By'r　Lady；　my　arm　doth　tingle　yet　from　fingernail　to　elbow。　　Truly；　I　thought　that　I　was　palsied　for　life。　I　tell　thee；　coz；　that　thou　art　the　strongest　man　that　ever　I　laid　mine　eyes　upon。　　I　take　my　vow；　I　felt　my　stomach　quake　when　I　beheld　thee　pluck　up　yon　green　tree　as　thou　didst。　But　tell　me；　how　camest　thou　to　leave　Sir　Edward　and　thy　mother？〃

〃Alas！〃　answered　young　Gamwell；　〃it　is　an　ill　story；　uncle；　that　I　have　to　tell　thee。　　My　father's　steward；　who　came　to　us　after　old　Giles　Crookleg　died；　was　ever　a　saucy　varlet；　and　I　know　not　why　my　father　kept　him；　saving　that　he　did　oversee　with　great　judgment。　It　used　to　gall　me　to　hear　him　speak　up　so　boldly　to　my　father；　who；　thou　knowest；　was　ever　a　patient　man　to　those　about　him；　and　slow　to　anger　and　harsh　words。　　Well；　one　dayand　an　ill　day　it　was　for　that　saucy　fellowhe　sought　to　berate　my　father；　I　standing　by。　I　could　stand　it　no　longer；　good　uncle；　so；　stepping　forth；　I　gave　him　a　box　o'　the　ear；　andwouldst　thou　believe　it？the　fellow　straightway　died　o't。　I　think　they　said　I　broke　his　neck；　or　something　o'　the　like。　　So　off　they　packed　me　to　seek　thee　and　escape　the　law。　I　was　on　my　way　when　thou　sawest　me；　and　here　I　am。〃

〃Well；　by　the　faith　of　my　heart；〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃for　anyone　escaping　the　law；　thou　wast　taking　it　the　most　easily　that　ever　I　beheld　in　all　my　life。　　Whenever　did　anyone　in　all　the　world　see　one　who　had　slain　a　man；　and　was　escaping　because　of　it；　tripping　along　the　highway　like　a　dainty　court　damsel；　sniffing　at　a　rose　the　while？〃

〃Nay；　uncle；〃　answered　Will　Gamwell；　〃overhaste　never　churned　good　butter；　as　the　old　saying　hath　it。　　Moreover；　I　do　verily　believe　that　this　overstrength　of　my　body　hath　taken　the　nimbleness　out　of　my　heels。　Why；　thou　didst　but　just　now　rap　me　thrice；　and　I　thee　never　a　once；　save　by　overbearing　thee　by　my　strength。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃let　us　say　no　more　on　that　score。　I　am　right　glad　to　see　thee；　Will；　and　thou　wilt　add　great　honor　and　credit　to　my　band　of　merry　fellows。　　But　thou　must　change　thy　name；　for　warrants　will　be　out　presently　against　thee；　so；　because　of　thy　gay　clothes；　thou　shalt　henceforth　and　for　aye　be　called　Will　Scarlet。〃

〃Will　Scarlet；〃　quoth　Little　John；　stepping　forward　and　reaching　out　his　great　palm；　which　the　other　took；　〃Will　Scarlet；　the　name　fitteth　thee　well。　Right　glad　am　I　to　welcome　thee　among　us。　　I　am　called　Little　John；　and　this　is　a　new　member　who　has　just　joined　us；　a　stout　tanner　named　Arthur　a　Bland。　　Thou　art　like　to　achieve　fame；　Will；　let　me　tell　thee；　for　there　will　be　many　a　merry　ballad　sung　about　the　country；　and　many　a　merry　story　told　in　Sherwood　of　how　Robin　Hood　taught　Little　John　and　Arthur　a　Bland　the　proper　way　to　use　the　quarterstaff；　likewise；　as　it　were；　how　our　good　master　bit　off　so　large　a　piece　of　cake　that　he　choked　on　it。〃

〃Nay；　good　Little　John；〃　quoth　Robin　gently；　for　he　liked　ill　to　have　such　a　jest　told　of　him。　　〃Why　should　we　speak　of　this　little　matter？　Prythee；　let　us　keep　this　day's　doings　among　ourselves。〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　quoth　Little　John。　　〃But；　good　master；　I　thought　that　thou　didst　love　a　merry　story；　because　thou　hast　so　often　made　a　jest　about　a　certain　increase　of　fatness　on　my　joints；　of　flesh　gathered　by　my　abiding　with　the　Sheriff　of〃

〃Nay；　good　Little　John；〃　said　Robin　hastily；　〃I　do　bethink　me　I　have　said　full　enough　on　that　score。〃

〃It　is　well；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃for　in　truth　I　myself　have　tired　of　it　somewhat。　　But　now　I　bethink　me；　thou　didst　also　seem　minded　to　make　a　jest　of　the　rain　that　threatened　last　night；　so〃

〃Nay；　then；〃　said　Robin　Hood　testily；　〃I　was　mistaken。　I　remember　me　now　it　did　seem　to　threaten　rain。〃

〃Truly；　I　did　think　so　myself；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃therefore；　no　doubt；　thou　dost　think　it　was　wise　of　me　to　abide　all　night　at　the　Blue　Boar　Inn；　instead　of　venturing　forth　in　such　stormy　weather；　dost　thou　not？〃

〃A　plague　of　thee　and　thy　doings！〃　cried　Robin　Hood。　　〃If　thou　wilt　have　it　so；　thou　wert　right　to　abide　wherever　thou　didst　choose。〃

〃Once　more；　it　is　well；〃　quoth　Little　John。　　〃As　for　myself；　I　have　been　blind　this　day。　　I　did　not　see　thee　drubbed；　I　did　not　see　thee　tumbled　heels　over　head　in　the　dust；　and　if　any　man　says　that　thou　wert；　I　can　with　a　clear　conscience　rattle　his　lying　tongue　betwixt　his　teeth。〃

〃Come；〃　cried　Robin；　biting　his　nether　lip；　while　the　others　could　not　forbear　laughing。　　〃We　will　go　no　farther　today；　but　will　return　to　Sherwood；　and　thou　shalt　go　to　Ancaster　another　time；　Little　John。〃

So　said　Robin；　for　now　that　his　bones　were　sore；　he　felt　as　though　a　long　journey　would　be　an　ill　thing　for　him。　　So；　turning　their　backs；　they　retraced　their　steps　whence　they　came。



The　Adventure　with　Midge　the　Miller's　Son

WHEN　THE　four　yeomen　had　traveled　for　a　long　time　toward　Sherwood　again；　high　noontide　being　past；　they　began　to　wax　hungry。　Quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃I　would　that　I　had　somewhat　to　eat。　Methinks　a　good　loaf　of　white　bread；　with　a　piece　of　snow…white　cheese；　washed　down　with　a　draught　of　humming　ale；　were　a　feast　for　a　king。〃

〃Since　thou　speakest　of　it；〃　said　Will　Scarlet；　〃methinks　it　would　not　be　amiss　myself。　　There　is　that　within　me　crieth　out；　‘Victuals；　good　friend；　victuals！'　〃

〃I　know　a　house　near　by；〃　said　Arthur　a　Bland；　〃and；　had　I　but　the　money；　I　would　bring　ye　that　ye　speak　of；　to　wit；　a　sweet　loaf　of　bread；　a　fair　cheese；　and　a　skin　of　brown　ale。〃

〃For　the　matter　of　that；　thou　knowest　I　have　money　by　me；　good　master；〃　quoth　Little　John。

〃Why；　so　thou　hast；　Little　John；〃　said　Robin。　　〃How　much　money　will　it　take；　good　Arthur；　to　buy　us　meat　and　drink？〃

〃I　think　that　six　broad　pennies　will　buy　food　enow　for　a　dozen　men；〃　said　the　Tanner。

〃Then　give　him　six　pennies；　L