the merry adventures of robin hood-第32章

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SHE　　〃Young　man；　turn　not　so　very　quick　away　　　　　　Another　fair　lass　to　find。　　Methinks　I　have　spoken　in　haste　today；　　　　　　Nor　have　I　made　up　my　mind_；　_　　　　　　　　　　　And　if　thou　only　wilt　stay　with　me；　　　　　　　　　　　I'll　love　no　other；　sweet　lad；　but　thee_。〃


Here　Robin　could　contain　himself　no　longer　but　burst　forth　into　a　mighty　roar　of　laughter；　then；　the　holy　Friar　keeping　on　with　the　song；　he　joined　in　the　chorus；　and　together　they　sang；　or；　as　one　might　say；　bellowed：

　　　　　　　　　　〃_So　it's　hark！　hark！　hark！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　To　the　joyous　lark　　　　　　　　　　　And　it's　hark　to　the　cooing　dove！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　For　the　bright　daffodil　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Groweth　down　by　the　rill　　　　　　　　　　　And　I'll　be　thine　own　true　love_。〃


So　they　sang　together；　for　the　stout　Friar　did　not　seem　to　have　heard　Robin's　laughter；　neither　did　he　seem　to　know　that　the　yeoman　had　joined　in　with　the　song；　but；　with　eyes　half　closed；　looking　straight　before　him　and　wagging　his　round　head　from　side　to　side　in　time　to　the　music；　he　kept　on　bravely　to　the　end；　he　and　Robin　finishing　up　with　a　mighty　roar　that　might　have　been　heard　a　mile。　　But　no　sooner　had　the　last　word　been　sung　than　the　holy　man　seized　his　steel　cap；　clapped　it　on　his　head；　and　springing　to　his　feet；　cried　in　a　great　voice；　〃What　spy　have　we　here？　Come　forth；　thou　limb　of　evil；　and　I　will　carve　thee　into　as　fine　pudding　meat　as　e'er　a　wife　in　Yorkshire　cooked　of　a　Sunday。〃　　Hereupon　he　drew　from　beneath　his　robes　a　great　broadsword　full　as　stout　as　was　Robin's。

〃Nay；　put　up　thy　pinking　iron；　friend；〃　quoth　Robin；　standing　up　with　the　tears　of　laughter　still　on　his　cheeks。　〃Folk　who　have　sung　so　sweetly　together　should　not　fight　thereafter。〃　Hereupon　he　leaped　down　the　bank　to　where　the　other　stood。　〃I　tell　thee；　friend；〃　said　he；　〃my　throat　is　as　parched　with　that　song　as　e'er　a　barley　stubble　in　October。　　Hast　thou　haply　any　Malmsey　left　in　that　stout　pottle？〃

〃Truly；〃　said　the　Friar　in　a　glum　voice；　〃thou　dost　ask　thyself　freely　where　thou　art　not　bidden。　　Yet　I　trust　I　am　too　good　a　Christian　to　refuse　any　man　drink　that　is　athirst。　Such　as　there　is　o't　thou　art　welcome　to　a　drink　of　the　same。〃　And　he　held　the　pottle　out　to　Robin。

Robin　took　it　without　more　ado　and　putting　it　to　his　lips；　tilted　his　head　back；　while　that　which　was　within　said　〃glug！　〃lug！　glug！〃　for　more　than　three　winks；　I　wot。　　The　stout　Friar　watched　Robin　anxiously　the　while；　and　when　he　was　done　took　the　pottle　quickly。　He　shook　it；　held　it　betwixt　his　eyes　and　the　light；　looked　reproachfully　at　the　yeoman；　and　straightway　placed　it　at　his　own　lips。　When　it　came　away　again　there　was　nought　within　it。

〃Doss　thou　know　the　country　hereabouts；　thou　good　and　holy　man？〃　asked　Robin；　laughing。

〃Yea；　somewhat；〃　answered　the　other　dryly。

〃And　dost　thou　know　of　a　certain　spot　called　Fountain　Abbey？〃

〃Yea；　somewhat。〃

〃Then　perchance　thou　knowest　also　of　a　certain　one　who　goeth　by　the　name　of　the　Curtal　Friar　of　Fountain　Abbey。〃

〃Yea；　somewhat。〃

〃Well　then；　good　fellow；　holy　father；　or　whatever　thou　art；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　would　know　whether　this　same　Friar　is　to　be　found　upon　this　side　of　the　river　or　the　other。〃

〃That；〃　quoth　the　Friar；　〃is　a　practical　question　upon　which　the　cunning　rules　appertaining　to　logic　touch　not。　I　do　advise　thee　to　find　that　out　by　the　aid　of　thine　own　five　senses；　sight；　feeling；　and　what　not。〃

〃I　do　wish　much；〃　quoth　Robin；　looking　thoughtfully　at　the　stout　priest；　〃to　cross　yon　ford　and　strive　to　find　this　same　good　Friar。〃

〃Truly；〃　said　the　other　piously；　〃it　is　a　goodly　wish　on　the　part　of　one　so　young。　　Far　be　it　from　me　to　check　thee　in　so　holy　a　quest。　Friend；　the　river　is　free　to　all。〃

〃Yea；　good　father；〃　said　Robin；　〃but　thou　seest　that　my　clothes　are　of　the　finest　and　I　fain　would　not　get　them　wet。　Methinks　thy　shoulders　are　stout　and　broad；　couldst　thou　not　find　it　in　thy　heart　to　carry　me　across？〃

〃Now；　by　the　white　hand　of　the　holy　Lady　of　the　Fountain！〃　burst　forth　the　Friar　in　a　mighty　rage；　〃dost　thou；　thou　poor　puny　stripling；　thou　kiss…my…lady…la　poppenjay；　thouthou　What　shall　I　call　thee？　Dost　thou　ask　me；　the　holy　Tuck；　to　carry　thee？　　Now　I　swear〃　Here　he　paused　suddenly；　then　slowly　the　anger　passed　from　his　face；　and　his　little　eyes　twinkled　once　more。　　〃But　why　should　I　not？〃　quoth　he　piously。

〃Did　not　the　holy　Saint　Christopher　ever　carry　the　stranger　across　the　river？　And　should　I；　poor　sinner　that　I　am；　be　ashamed　to　do　likewise？　Come　with　me；　stranger；　and　I　will　do　thy　bidding　in　an　humble　frame　of　mind。〃　　So　saying；　he　clambered　up　the　bank；　closely　followed　by　Robin；　and　led　the　way　to　the　shallow　pebbly　ford；　chuckling　to　himself　the　while　as　though　he　were　enjoying　some　goodly　jest　within　himself。

Having　come　to　the　ford；　he　girded　up　his　robes　about　his　loins；　tucked　his　good　broadsword　beneath　his　arm；　and　stooped　his　back　to　take　Robin　upon　it。　　Suddenly　he　straightened　up。　〃Methinks；〃　quoth　he；　〃thou'lt　get　thy　weapon　wet。　Let　me　tuck　it　beneath　mine　arm　along　with　mine　own。〃

〃Nay；　good　father；〃　said　Robin；　〃I　would　not　burden　thee　with　aught　of　mine　but　myself。〃

〃Dost　thou　think；〃　said　the　Friar　mildly；　〃that　the　good　Saint　Christopher　would　ha'　sought　his　own　ease　so？　　Nay；　give　me　thy　tool　as　I　bid　thee；　for　I　would　carry　it　as　a　penance　to　my　pride。〃

Upon　this；　without　more　ado；　Robin　Hood　unbuckled　his　sword　from　his　side　and　handed　it　to　the　other；　who　thrust　it　with　his　own　beneath　his　arm。　Then　once　more　the　Friar　bent　his　back；　and；　Robin　having　mounted　upon　it；　he　stepped　sturdily　into　the　water　and　so　strode　onward；　splashing　in　the　shoal；　and　breaking　all　the　smooth　surface　into　ever…widening　rings。　At　last　he　reached　the　other　side　and　Robin　leaped　lightly　from　his　back。

〃Many　thanks；　good　father；〃　quoth　he。　　〃Thou　art　indeed　a　good　and　holy　man。　Prythee　give　me　my　sword　and　let　me　away；　for　I　am　in　haste。〃

At　this　the　stout　Friar　looked　upon　Robin　for　a　long　time；　his　head　on　one　side；　and　with　a　most　waggish　twist　to　his　face；　then　he　slowly　winked　his　right　eye。　　〃Nay；　good　youth；〃　said　he　gently；　〃I　doubt　not　that　thou　art　in　haste　with　thine　affairs；　yet　thou　dost　think　nothing　of　mine。　　Thine　are　of　a　carnal　nature；　mine　are　of　a　spiritual　nature；　a　holy　work；　so　to　speak；　moreover；　mine　affairs　do　lie　upon　the　other　side　of　this　stream。　I　see　by　thy　quest　of　this　same　holy　recluse　that　thou　art　a　good　young　man　and　most　reverent　to　the　cloth。　I　did　get　wet　coming　hither；　and　am　sadly　afraid　that　should　I　wade　the　water　again　I　might　get　certain　cricks　and　pains　i'　the　joints　that　would　mar　my　devotions　for　many　a　day　to　come。　I　know　that　since　I　have　so　humbly　done　thy　bidding　thou　wilt　carry　me　back　again。　　Thou　seest　how　Saint　Godrick；　that　holy　hermit　whose　natal　day　this　is；　hath　placed　in　my　hands　two　swords　and　in　thine　never　a　one。　　Therefore　be　persuaded；　good　youth；　and　carry　me　back　again。〃

Robin　Hood　looked　up　and　he　looked　down；　biting　his　nether　lip。　Quoth　he；　〃Thou　cunning　Friar；　thou　hast　me　fair　and　fast　enow。　Let　me　tell　thee　that　not　one　of　thy　cloth　hath　so　hoodwinked　me　in　all　my　life　before。　　I　might　have　known　from　thy　looks　that　thou　wert　no　such　holy　man　as　thou　didst　pretend　to　be。〃

〃Nay；〃　interrupted　the　Friar；　〃I　bid　thee　speak　not　so　scurrilously　neither；　lest　thou　mayst　perchance　feel　the　prick　of　an　inch　or　so　of　blue　steel。〃

〃Tut；　tut；〃　said　Robin；　〃speak　not　so；　Friar；　the　loser　hath　ever　the　right　to　use　his　tongue　as　he　doth　list。　Give　me　my　sword；　I　do　promise　to　carry　thee　back　straightway。　Nay；　I　will　not　lift　the　weapon　against　thee。〃

〃Marry；　come　up；〃　quoth　the　Friar；　〃I　fear　thee　not；　fellow。　Here　is　thy　skewer；　and　get　thyself　presently　ready；　for　I　would　hasten　back。〃

So　Robin　took　his　sword　again　and　buckled　it　at　his　side；　then　he　bent　his　stout　back　and　took　the　Friar　upon　it。

Now　I　wot　Robin　Hood　had　a　heavier　load　to　carry　in　the　Friar　than　the　Friar　had　in　him。　　Moreover　he　did　not　know　the　ford；　so　he　went　stumbling　among　the　stones；　now　stepping　into　a　deep　hole；　and　now　nearly　tripping　over　a　boulder；　while　the　sweat　ran　down　his　face　in　beads　from　the　hardness　of　his　journey　and　the　heaviness　of　his　load。　　Meantime；　th