the merry adventures of robin hood-第3章

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〃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　have　nought　in　my　hand　but　a　plain　blackthorn　staff　wherewith　to　meet　thee。〃

〃Now；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃by　the　faith　of　my　heart；　never　have　I　had　a　coward's　name　in　all　my　life　before。　　I　will　lay　by　my　trusty　bow　and　eke　my　arrows；　and　if　thou　darest　abide　my　coming；　I　will　go　and　cut　a　cudgel　to　test　thy　manhood　withal。〃

〃Ay；　marry；　that　will　I　abide　thy　coming；　and　joyously；　too；〃　quoth　the　stranger；　whereupon　he　leaned　sturdily　upon　his　staff　to　await　Robin。

Then　Robin　Hood　stepped　quickly　to　the　coverside　and　cut　a　good　staff　of　ground　oak；　straight；　without　new；　and　six　feet　in　length；　and　came　back　trimming　away　the　tender　stems　from　it；　while　the　stranger　waited　for　him；　leaning　upon　his　staff；　and　whistling　as　he　gazed　round　about。　　Robin　observed　him　furtively　as　he　trimmed　his　staff；　measuring　him　from　top　to　toe　from　out　the　corner　of　his　eye；　and　thought　that　he　had　never　seen　a　lustier　or　a　stouter　man。　Tall　was　Robin；　but　taller　was　the　stranger　by　a　head　and　a　neck；　for　he　was　seven　feet　in　height。　　Broad　was　Robin　across　the　shoulders；　but　broader　was　the　stranger　by　twice　the　breadth　of　a　palm；　while　he　measured　at　least　an　ell　around　the　waist。

〃Nevertheless；〃　said　Robin　to　himself；　〃I　will　baste　thy　hide　right　merrily；　my　good　fellow〃；　then；　aloud；　〃Lo；　here　is　my　good　staff；　lusty　and　tough。　Now　wait　my　coming；　an　thou　darest；　and　meet　me　an　thou　fearest　not。　Then　we　will　fight　until　one　or　the　other　of　us　tumble　into　the　stream　by　dint　of　blows。〃

〃Marry；　that　meeteth　my　whole　heart！〃　cried　the　stranger；　twirling　his　staff　above　his　head；　betwixt　his　fingers　and　thumb；　until　it　whistled　again。

Never　did　the　Knights　of　Arthur's　Round　Table　meet　in　a　stouter　fight　than　did　these　two。　　In　a　moment　Robin　stepped　quickly　upon　the　bridge　where　the　stranger　stood；　first　he　made　a　feint；　and　then　delivered　a　blow　at　the　stranger's　head　that；　had　it　met　its　mark；　would　have　tumbled　him　speedily　into　the　water。　But　the　stranger　turned　the　blow　right　deftly　and　in　return　gave　one　as　stout；　which　Robin　also　turned　as　the　stranger　had　done。　So　they　stood；　each　in　his　place；　neither　moving　a　finger's…breadth　back；　for　one　good　hour；　and　many　blows　were　given　and　received　by　each　in　that　time；　till　here　and　there　were　sore　bones　and　bumps；　yet　neither　thought　of　crying　〃Enough；〃　nor　seemed　likely　to　fall　from　off　the　bridge。　Now　and　then　they　stopped　to　rest；　and　each　thought　that　he　never　had　seen　in　all　his　life　before　such　a　hand　at　quarterstaff。　At　last　Robin　gave　the　stranger　a　blow　upon　the　ribs　that　made　his　jacket　smoke　like　a　damp　straw　thatch　in　the　sun。　　So　shrewd　was　the　stroke　that　the　stranger　came　within　a　hair's…breadth　of　falling　off　the　bridge；　but　he　regained　himself　right　quickly　and；　by　a　dexterous　blow；　gave　Robin　a　crack　on　the　crown　that　caused　the　blood　to　flow。　Then　Robin　grew　mad　with　anger　and　smote　with　all　his　might　at　the　other。　But　the　stranger　warded　the　blow　and　once　again　thwacked　Robin；　and　this　time　so　fairly　that　he　fell　heels　over　head　into　the　water；　as　the　queen　pin　falls　in　a　game　of　bowls。

〃And　where　art　thou　now；　my　good　lad？〃　shouted　the　stranger；　roaring　with　laughter。

〃Oh；　in　the　flood　and　floating　adown　with　the　tide；〃　cried　Robin；　nor　could　he　forbear　laughing　himself　at　his　sorry　plight。　Then；　gaining　his　feet；　he　waded　to　the　bank；　the　little　fish　speeding　hither　and　thither；　all　frightened　at　his　splashing。

〃Give　me　thy　hand；〃　cried　he；　when　he　had　reached　the　bank。　〃I　must　needs　own　thou　art　a　brave　and　a　sturdy　soul　and；　withal；　a　good　stout　stroke　with　the　cudgels。　　By　this　and　by　that；　my　head　hummeth　like　to　a　hive　of　bees　on　a　hot　June　day。〃

Then　he　clapped　his　horn　to　his　lips　and　winded　a　blast　that　went　echoing　sweetly　down　the　forest　paths。　　〃Ay；　marry；〃　quoth　he　again；　〃thou　art　a　tall　lad；　and　eke　a　brave　one；　for　ne'er；　I　bow；　is　there　a　man　betwixt　here　and　Canterbury　Town　could　do　the　like　to　me　that　thou　hast　done。〃

〃And　thou；〃　quoth　the　stranger；　laughing；　〃takest　thy　cudgeling　like　a　brave　heart　and　a　stout　yeoman。〃

But　now　the　distant　twigs　and　branches　rustled　with　the　coming　of　men；　and　suddenly　a　score　or　two　of　good　stout　yeomen；　all　clad　in　Lincoln　green；　burst　from　out　the　covert；　with　merry　Will　Stutely　at　their　head。

〃Good　master；〃　cried　Will；　〃how　is　this？　　Truly　thou　art　all　wet　from　head　to　foot；　and　that　to　the　very　skin。〃

〃Why；　marry；〃　answered　jolly　Robin；　〃yon　stout　fellow　hath　tumbled　me　neck　and　crop　into　the　water　and　hath　given　me　a　drubbing　beside。〃

〃Then　shall　he　not　go　without　a　ducking　and　eke　a　drubbing　himself！〃　cried　Will　Stutely。　　〃Have　at　him；　lads！〃

Then　Will　and　a　score　of　yeomen　leaped　upon　the　stranger；　but　though　they　sprang　quickly　they　found　him　ready　and　felt　him　strike　right　and　left　with　his　stout　staff；　so　that；　though　he　went　down　with　press　of　numbers；　some　of　them　rubbed　cracked　crowns　before　he　was　overcome。

〃Nay；　forbear！〃　cried　Robin；　laughing　until　his　sore　sides　ached　again。　〃He　is　a　right　good　man　and　true；　and　no　harm　shall　befall　him。　Now　hark　ye；　good　youth；　wilt　thou　stay　with　me　and　be　one　of　my　band？　Three　suits　of　Lincoln　green　shalt　thou　have　each　year；　beside　forty　marks　in　fee；　and　share　with　us　whatsoever　good　shall　befall　us。　Thou　shalt　eat　sweet　venison　and　quaff　the　stoutest　ale；　and　mine　own　good　right…hand　man　shalt　thou　be；　for　never　did　I　see　such　a　cudgel　player　in　all　my　life　before。　　Speak！　　Wilt　thou　be　one　of　my　good　merry　men？〃

〃That　know　I　not；〃　quoth　the　stranger　surlily；　for　he　was　angry　at　being　so　tumbled　about。　　〃If　ye　handle　yew　bow　and　apple　shaft　no　better　than　ye　do　oaken　cudgel；　I　wot　ye　are　not　fit　to　be　called　yeomen　in　my　country；　but　if　there　be　any　man　here　that　can　shoot　a　better　shaft　than　I；　then　will　I　bethink　me　of　joining　with　you。〃

〃Now　by　my　faith；〃　said　Robin；　〃thou　art　a　right　saucy　varlet；　sirrah；　yet　I　will　stoop　to　thee　as　I　never　stooped　to　man　before。　Good　Stutely；　cut　thou　a　fair　white　piece　of　bark　four　fingers　in　breadth；　and　set　it　fourscore　yards　distant　on　yonder　oak。　Now；　stranger；　hit　that　fairly　with　a　gray　goose　shaft　and　call　thyself　an　archer。〃

〃Ay；　marry；　that　will　I；〃　answered　he。　　〃Give　me　a　good　stout　bow　and　a　fair　broad　arrow；　and　if　I　hit　it　not；　strip　me　and　beat　me　blue　with　bowstrings。〃

Then　he　chose　the　stoutest　bow　among　them　all；　next　to　Robin's　own；　and　a　straight　gray　goose　shaft；　well…feathered　and　smooth；　and　stepping　to　the　markwhile　all　the　band；　sitting　or　lying　upon　the　greensward；　watched　to　see　him　shoothe　drew　the　arrow　to　his　cheek　and　loosed　the　shaft　right　deftly；　sending　it　so　straight　down　the　path　that　it　clove　the　mark　in　the　very　center。　〃Aha！〃　cried　he；　〃mend　thou　that　if　thou　canst〃；　while　even　the　yeomen　clapped　their　hands　at　so　fair　a　shot。

〃That　is　a　keen　shot　indeed；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃Mend　it　I　cannot；　but　mar　it　I　may；　perhaps。〃

Then　taking　up　his　own　good　stout　bow　and　nocking　an　arrow　with　care；　he　shot　with　his　very　greatest　skill。　　Straight　flew　the　arrow；　and　so　true　that　it　lit　fairly　upon　the　stranger's　shaft　and　split　it　into　splinters。　Then　all　the　yeomen　leaped　to　their　feet　and　shouted　for　joy　that　their　master　had　shot　so　well。

〃Now　by　the　lusty　yew　bow　of　good　Saint　Withold；〃　cried　the　stranger；　〃that　is　a　shot　indeed；　and　never　saw　I　the　like　in　all　my　life　before！　Now　truly　will　I　be　thy　man　henceforth　and　for　aye。　　Good　Adam　Bell＇1＇　was　a　fair　shot；　but　never　shot　he　so！〃


＇1＇　Adam　Bell；　Clym　o'　the　Clough；　and　William　of　Cloudesly　were　three　noted　north…country　bowmen　whose　names　have　been　celebrated　in　many　ballads　of　the　olden　time。


〃Then　have　I　gained　a　right　good　man　this　day；〃　quoth　jolly　Robin。　　〃What　name　goest　thou　by；　good　fellow？〃

〃Men　call　me　John　Little　whence　I　came；〃　answered　the　stranger。

Then　Will　Stutely；　who　loved　a　good　jest；　spoke　up。　〃Nay；　fair　little　stranger；〃　said　he；　〃I　like　not　thy　name　and　fain　would　I　have　it　otherwise。　　Little　art　thou　indeed；　and　small　of　bone　and　sinew；　therefore　shalt　thou　be　christened　Little　John；　and　I　will　be　thy　godfather。〃