the merry adventures of robin hood-第34章

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〃Truly；　good　master；〃　said　the　Friar；　looking　somewhat　abashed　and　reaching　out　his　great　palm　to　Robin；　〃I　ha'　oft　heard　thy　name　both　sung　and　spoken　of；　but　I　never　thought　to　meet　thee　in　battle。　I　crave　thy　forgiveness；　and　do　wonder　not　that　I　found　so　stout　a　man　against　me。〃

〃Truly；　most　holy　father；〃　said　Little　John；　〃I　am　more　thankful　than　e'er　I　was　in　all　my　life　before　that　our　good　friend　Scarlet　knew　thee　and　thy　dogs。　　I　tell　thee　seriously　that　I　felt　my　heart　crumble　away　from　me　when　I　saw　my　shaft　so　miss　its　aim；　and　those　great　beasts　of　thine　coming　straight　at　me。〃

〃Thou　mayst　indeed　be　thankful；　friend；〃　said　the　Friar　gravely。　〃But；　Master　Will；　how　cometh　it　that　thou　dost　now　abide　in　Sherwood？〃

〃Why；　Tuck；　dost　thou　not　know　of　my　ill　happening　with　my　father's　steward？〃　answered　Scarlet。

〃Yea；　truly；　yet　I　knew　not　that　thou　wert　in　hiding　because　of　it。　Marry；　the　times　are　all　awry　when　a　gentleman　must　lie　hidden　for　so　small　a　thing。〃

〃But　we　are　losing　time；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and　I　have　yet　to　find　that　same　Curtal　Friar。〃

〃Why；　uncle；　thou　hast　not　far　to　go；〃　said　Will　Scarlet；　pointing　to　the　Friar；　〃for　there　he　stands　beside　thee。〃

〃How？〃　quoth　Robin；　〃art　thou　the　man　that　I　have　been　at　such　pains　to　seek　all　day；　and　have　got　such　a　ducking　for？〃

〃Why；　truly；〃　said　the　Friar　demurely；　〃some　do　call　me　the　Curtal　Friar　of　Fountain　Dale；　others　again　call　me　in　jest　the　Abbot　of　Fountain　Abbey；　others　still　again　call　me　simple　Friar　Tuck。〃

〃I　like　the　last　name　best；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃for　it　doth　slip　more　glibly　off　the　tongue。　　But　why　didst　thou　not　tell　me　thou　wert　he　I　sought；　instead　of　sending　me　searching　for　black　moonbeams？〃

〃Why；　truly；　thou　didst　not　ask　me；　good　master；〃　quoth　stout　Tuck；　〃but　what　didst　thou　desire　of　me？〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃the　day　groweth　late；　and　we　cannot　stand　longer　talking　here。　　Come　back　with　us　to　Sherwood；　and　I　will　unfold　all　to　thee　as　we　travel　along。〃

So；　without　tarrying　longer；　they　all　departed；　with　the　stout　dogs　at　their　heels；　and　wended　their　way　back　to　Sherwood　again；　but　it　was　long　past　nightfall　ere　they　reached　the　greenwood　tree。

Now　listen；　for　next　I　will　tell　how　Robin　Hood　compassed　the　happiness　of　two　young　lovers；　aided　by　the　merry　Friar　Tuck　of　Fountain　Dale。



Robin　Hood　Compasses　a　Marriage

AND　NOW　had　come　the　morning　when　fair　Ellen　was　to　be　married；　and　on　which　merry　Robin　had　sworn　that　Allan　a　Dale　should；　as　it　were；　eat　out　of　the　platter　that　had　been　filled　for　Sir　Stephen　of　Trent。　　Up　rose　Robin　Hood；　blithe　and　gay；　up　rose　his　merry　men　one　and　all；　and　up　rose　last　of　all　stout　Friar　Tuck；　winking　the　smart　of　sleep　from　out　his　eyes。　Then；　while　the　air　seemed　to　brim　over　with　the　song　of　many　birds；　all　blended　together　and　all　joying　in　the　misty　morn；　each　man　raved　face　and　hands　in　the　leaping　brook；　and　so　the　day　began。

〃Now；〃　quoth　Robin；　when　they　had　broken　their　fast；　and　each　man　had　eaten　his　fill；　〃it　is　time　for　us　to　set　forth　upon　the　undertaking　that　we　have　in　hand　for　today。　　I　will　choose　me　one　score　of　my　good　men　to　go　with　me；　for　I　may　need　aid；　and　thou；　Will　Scarlet；　wilt　abide　here　and　be　the　chief　while　I　am　gone。〃　　Then　searching　through　all　the　band；　each　man　of　whom　crowded　forward　eager　to　be　chosen；　Robin　called　such　as　he　wished　by　name；　until　he　had　a　score　of　stout　fellows；　the　very　flower　of　his　yeomanrie。　Besides　Little　John　and　Will　Stutely　were　nigh　all　those　famous　lads　of　whom　I　have　already　told　you。　　Then；　while　those　so　chosen　ran　leaping；　full　of　joy；　to　arm　themselves　with　bow　and　shaft　and　broadsword；　Robin　Hood　stepped　aside　into　the　covert；　and　there　donned　a　gay；　beribboned　coat　such　as　might　have　been　worn　by　some　strolling　minstrel；　and　slung　a　harp　across　his　shoulder；　the　better　to　carry　out　that　part。

All　the　band　stared　and　many　laughed；　for　never　had　they　seen　their　master　in　such　a　fantastic　guise　before。

〃Truly；〃　quoth　Robin；　holding　up　his　arms　and　looking　down　at　himself；　〃I　do　think　it　be　somewhat　of　a　gay；　gaudy；　grasshopper　dress；　but　it　is　a　pretty　thing　for　all　that；　and　doth　not　ill　befit　the　turn　of　my　looks；　albeit　I　wear　it　but　for　the　nonce。　But　stay；　Little　John；　here　are　two　bags　that　I　would　have　thee　carry　in　thy　pouch　for　the　sake　of　safekeeping。　I　can　ill　care　for　them　myself　beneath　this　motley。〃

〃Why；　master；〃　quoth　Little　John；　taking　the　bags　and　weighing　them　in　his　hand；　〃here　is　the　chink　of　gold。〃

〃Well；　what　an　there　be；〃　said　Robin；　〃it　is　mine　own　coin　and　the　band　is　none　the　worse　for　what　is　there。　　Come；　busk　ye；　lads；〃　and　he　turned　quickly　away。　　〃Get　ye　ready　straightway。〃　Then　gathering　the　score　together　in　a　close　rank；　in　the　midst　of　which　were　Allan　a　Dale　and　Friar　Tuck；　he　led　them　forth　upon　their　way　from　the　forest　shades。

So　they　walked　on　for　a　long　time　till　they　had　come　out　of　Sherwood　and　to　the　vale　of　Rotherstream。　　Here　were　different　sights　from　what　one　saw　in　the　forest；　hedgerows；　broad　fields　of　barley　corn；　pasture　lands　rolling　upward　till　they　met　the　sky　and　all　dotted　over　with　flocks　of　white　sheep；　hayfields　whence　came　the　odor　of　new…mown　hay　that　lay　in　smooth　swathes　over　which　skimmed　the　swifts　in　rapid　flight；　such　they　saw；　and　different　was　it；　I　wot；　from　the　tangled　depths　of　the　sweet　woodlands；　but　full　as　fair。　Thus　Robin　led　his　band；　walking　blithely　with　chest　thrown　out　and　head　thrown　back；　snuffing　the　odors　of　the　gentle　breeze　that　came　drifting　from　over　the　hayfields。

〃Truly；〃　quoth　he；　〃the　dear　world　is　as　fair　here　as　in　the　woodland　shades。　Who　calls　it　a　vale　of　tears？　　Methinks　it　is　but　the　darkness　in　our　minds　that　bringeth　gloom　to　the　world。　　For　what　sayeth　that　merry　song　thou　singest；　Little　John？　　Is　it　not　thus？

　〃_For　when　my　love's　eyes　do　thine；　do　thine；　　　　　　And　when　her　lips　smile　so　rare；　　The　day　it　is　jocund　and　fine；　so　fine；　　　　　　Though　let　it　be　wet　or　be　fair　　And　when　the　stout　ale　is　all　flowing　so　fast；　　Our　sorrows　and　troubles　are　things　of　the　past_。〃


〃Nay；〃　said　Friar　Tuck　piously；　〃ye　do　think　of　profane　things　and　of　nought　else；　yet；　truly；　there　be　better　safeguards　against　care　and　woe　than　ale　drinking　and　bright　eyes；　to　wit；　fasting　and　meditation。　Look　upon　me；　have　I　the　likeness　of　a　sorrowful　man？〃

At　this　a　great　shout　of　laughter　went　up　from　all　around；　for　the　night　before　the　stout　Friar　had　emptied　twice　as　many　canakins　of　ale　as　any　one　of　all　the　merry　men。

〃Truly；〃　quoth　Robin；　when　he　could　speak　for　laughter；　〃I　should　say　that　thy　sorrows　were　about　equal　to　thy　goodliness。〃

So　they　stepped　along；　talking；　singing；　jesting；　and　laughing；　until　they　had　come　to　a　certain　little　church　that　belonged　to　the　great　estates　owned　by　the　rich　Priory　of　Emmet。　　Here　it　was　that　fair　Ellen　was　to　be　married　on　that　morn；　and　here　was　the　spot　toward　which　the　yeomen　had　pointed　their　toes。　On　the　other　side　of　the　road　from　where　the　church　stood　with　waving　fields　of　barley　around；　ran　a　stone　wall　along　the　roadside。　Over　the　wall　from　the　highway　was　a　fringe　of　young　trees　and　bushes；　and　here　and　there　the　wall　itself　was　covered　by　a　mass　of　blossoming　woodbine　that　filled　all　the　warm　air　far　and　near　with　its　sweet　summer　odor。　　Then　straightway　the　yeomen　leaped　over　the　wall；　alighting　on　the　tall　soft　grass　upon　the　other　side；　frightening　a　flock　of　sheep　that　lay　there　in　the　shade　so　that　they　scampered　away　in　all　directions。　Here　was　a　sweet　cool　shadow　both　from　the　wall　and　from　the　fair　young　trees　and　bushes；　and　here　sat　the　yeomen　down；　and　glad　enough　they　were　to　rest　after　their　long　tramp　of　the　morning。

〃Now；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　would　have　one　of　you　watch　and　tell　me　when　he　sees　anyone　coming　to　the　church；　and　the　one　I　choose　shall　be　young　David　of　Doncaster。　　So　get　thee　upon　the　wall；　David；　and　hide　beneath　the　woodbine　so　as　to　keep　watch。〃

Accordingly　young　David　did　as　he　was　bidden；　the　others　stretching　themselves　at　length　upon　the　grass；　some　talking　together　and　others　sleeping。　Then　all　was　quiet　save　only　for　the　low　voices　of　those　that　talked　together；　and　for　Allan's