the merry adventures of robin hood-第35章

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hose　that　talked　together；　and　for　Allan's　restless　footsteps　pacing　up　and　down；　for　his　soul　was　so　full　of　disturbance　that　he　could　not　stand　still；　and　saving；　also；　for　the　mellow　snoring　of　Friar　Tuck；　who　enjoyed　his　sleep　with　a　noise　as　of　one　sawing　soft　wood　very　slowly。　Robin　lay　upon　his　back　and　gazed　aloft　into　the　leaves　of　the　trees；　his　thought　leagues　away；　and　so　a　long　time　passed。

Then　up　spoke　Robin；　〃Now　tell　us；　young　David　of　Doncaster；　what　dost　thou　see？〃

Then　David　answered；　〃I　see　the　white　clouds　floating　and　I　feel　the　wind　a…blowing　and　three　black　crows　are　flying　over　the　wold；　but　nought　else　do　I　see；　good　master。〃

So　silence　fell　again　and　another　time　passed；　broken　only　as　I　have　said；　till　Robin；　growing　impatient；　spake　again。　〃Now　tell　me；　young　David；　what　dost　thou　see　by　this？〃

And　David　answered；　〃I　see　the　windmills　swinging　and　three　tall　poplar　trees　swaying　against　the　sky；　and　a　flock　of　fieldfares　are　flying　over　the　hill；　but　nought　else　do　I　see；　good　master。〃

So　another　time　passed；　till　at　last　Robin　asked　young　David　once　more　what　he　saw；　and　David　said；　〃I　hear　the　cuckoo　singing；　and　I　see　how　the　wind　makes　waves　in　the　barley　field；　and　now　over　the　hill　to　the　church　cometh　an　old　friar；　and　in　his　hands　he　carries　a　great　bunch　of　keys；　and　lo！　Now　he　cometh　to　the　church　door。〃

Then　up　rose　Robin　Hood　and　shook　Friar　Tuck　by　the　shoulder。　〃Come；　rouse　thee；　holy　man！〃　cried　he；　whereupon；　with　much　grunting；　the　stout　Tuck　got　to　his　feet。　　〃Marry；　bestir　thyself；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃for　yonder；　in　the　church　door；　is　one　of　thy　cloth。　Go　thou　and　talk　to　him；　and　so　get　thyself　into　the　church；　that　thou　mayst　be　there　when　thou　art　wanted；　meantime；　Little　John；　Will　Stutely；　and　I　will　follow　thee　anon。〃

So　Friar　Tuck　clambered　over　the　wall；　crossed　the　road；　and　came　to　the　church；　where　the　old　friar　was　still　laboring　with　the　great　key；　the　lock　being　somewhat　rusty　and　he　somewhat　old　and　feeble。

〃Hilloa；　brother；〃　quoth　Tuck；　〃let　me　aid　thee。〃　　So　saying；　he　took　the　key　from　the　other's　hand　and　quickly　opened　the　door　with　a　turn　of　it。

〃Who　art　thou；　good　brother？〃　asked　the　old　friar；　in　a　high；　wheezing　voice。　　〃Whence　comest　thou；　and　whither　art　thou　going？〃　And　he　winked　and　blinked　at　stout　Friar　Tuck　like　an　owl　at　the　sun。

〃Thus　do　I　answer　thy　questions；　brother；〃　said　the　other。　〃My　name　is　Tuck；　and　I　go　no　farther　than　this　spot；　if　thou　wilt　haply　but　let　me　stay　while　this　same　wedding　is　going　forward。　I　come　from　Fountain　Dale　and；　in　truth；　am　a　certain　poor　hermit；　as　one　may　say；　for　I　live　in　a　cell　beside　the　fountain　blessed　by　that　holy　Saint　Ethelrada。　　But；　if　I　understand　aught；　there　is　to　be　a　gay　wedding　here　today；　so；　if　thou　mindest　not；　I　would　fain　rest　me　in　the　cool　shade　within；　for　I　would　like　to　see　this　fine　sight。〃

〃Truly；　thou　art　welcome；　brother；〃　said　the　old　man；　leading　the　way　within。　　Meantime；　Robin　Hood；　in　his　guise　of　harper；　together　with　Little　John　and　Will　Stutely；　had　come　to　the　church。　Robin　sat　him　down　on　a　bench　beside　the　door；　but　Little　John；　carrying　the　two　bags　of　gold；　went　within；　as　did　Will　Stutely。

So　Robin　sat　by　the　door；　looking　up　the　road　and　down　the　road　to　see　who　might　come；　till；　after　a　time；　he　saw　six　horsemen　come　riding　sedately　and　slowly；　as　became　them；　for　they　were　churchmen　in　high　orders。　　Then；　when　they　had　come　nearer；　Robin　saw　who　they　were；　and　knew　them。　The　first　was　the　Bishop　of　Hereford；　and　a　fine　figure　he　cut；　I　wot。　His　vestments　were　of　the　richest　silk；　and　around　his　neck　was　a　fair　chain　of　beaten　gold。　　The　cap　that　hid　his　tonsure　was　of　black　velvet；　and　around　the　edges　of　it　were　rows　of　jewels　that　flashed　in　the　sunlight；　each　stone　being　set　in　gold。　His　hose　were　of　flame…colored　silk；　and　his　shoes　of　black　velvet；　the　long；　pointed　toes　being　turned　up　and　fastened　to　his　knees；　and　on　either　instep　was　embroidered　a　cross　in　gold　thread。　Beside　the　Bishop　rode　the　Prior　of　Emmet　upon　a　mincing　palfrey。　Rich　were　his　clothes　also；　but　not　so　gay　as　the　stout　Bishop's。　Behind　these　were　two　of　the　higher　brethren　of　Emmet；　and　behind　these　again　two　retainers　belonging　to　the　Bishop；　for　the　Lord　Bishop　of　Hereford　strove　to　be　as　like　the　great　barons　as　was　in　the　power　of　one　in　holy　orders。

When　Robin　saw　this　train　drawing　near；　with　flash　of　jewels　and　silk　and　jingle　of　silver　bells　on　the　trappings　of　the　nags；　he　looked　sourly　upon　them。　　Quoth　he　to　himself；　〃Yon　Bishop　is　overgaudy　for　a　holy　man。　I　do　wonder　whether　his　patron；　who；　methinks；　was　Saint　Thomas；　was　given　to　wearing　golden　chains　about　his　neck；　silk　clothing　upon　his　body；　and　pointed　shoes　upon　his　feet；　the　money　for　all　of　which；　God　wot；　hath　been　wrung　from　the　sweat　of　poor　tenants。　　Bishop；　Bishop；　thy　pride　may　have　a　fall　ere　thou　wottest　of　it。〃

So　the　holy　men　came　to　the　church；　the　Bishop　and　the　Prior　jesting　and　laughing　between　themselves　about　certain　fair　dames；　their　words　more　befitting　the　lips　of　laymen；　methinks；　than　holy　clerks。　Then　they　dismounted；　and　the　Bishop；　looking　around；　presently　caught　sight　of　Robin　standing　in　the　doorway。　〃Hilloa；　good　fellow；〃　quoth　he　in　a　jovial　voice；　〃who　art　thou　that　struttest　in　such　gay　feathers？〃

〃A　harper　am　I　from　the　north　country；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and　I　can　touch　the　strings；　I　wot；　as　never　another　man　in　all　merry　England　can　do。　　Truly；　good　Lord　Bishop；　many　a　knight　and　burgher；　clerk　and　layman；　have　danced　to　my　music；　willy…nilly；　and　most　times　greatly　against　their　will；　such　is　the　magic　of　my　harping。　Now　this　day；　my　Lord　Bishop；　if　I　may　play　at　this　wedding；　I　do　promise　that　I　will　cause　the　fair　bride　to　love　the　man　she　marries　with　a　love　that　shall　last　as　long　as　that　twain　shall　live　together。〃

〃Ha！　is　it　so？〃　cried　the　Bishop。　　〃Meanest　thou　this　in　sooth？〃　And　he　looked　keenly　at　Robin；　who　gazed　boldly　back　again　into　his　eyes。　〃Now；　if　thou　wilt　cause　this　maiden　（who　hath　verily　bewitched　my　poor　cousin　Stephen）　thus　to　love　the　man　she　is　to　marry；　as　thou　sayst　thou　canst；　I　will　give　thee　whatsoever　thou　wilt　ask　me　in　due　measure。　Let　me　have　a　taste　of　thy　skill；　fellow。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃my　music　cometh　not　without　I　choose；　even　at　a　lord　bishop's　bidding。　　In　sooth；　I　will　not　play　until　the　bride　and　bridegroom　come。〃

〃Now；　thou　art　a　saucy　varlet　to　speak　so　to　my　crest；〃　quoth　the　Bishop；　frowning　on　Robin。　　〃Yet；　I　must　needs　bear　with　thee。　　Look；　Prior；　hither　cometh　our　cousin　Sir　Stephen；　and　his　ladylove。〃

And　now；　around　the　bend　of　the　highroad；　came　others；　riding　upon　horses。　The　first　of　all　was　a　tall；　thin　man；　of　knightly　bearing；　dressed　all　in　black　silk；　with　a　black　velvet　cap　upon　his　head；　turned　up　with　scarlet。　Robin　looked；　and　had　no　doubt　that　this　was　Sir　Stephen；　both　because　of　his　knightly　carriage　and　of　his　gray　hairs。　　Beside　him　rode　a　stout　Saxon　franklin；　Ellen's　father；　Edward　of　Deirwold；　behind　those　two　came　a　litter　borne　by　two　horses；　and　therein　was　a　maiden　whom　Robin　knew　must　be　Ellen。　　Behind　this　litter　rode　six　men…at…arms；　the　sunlight　flashing　on　their　steel　caps　as　they　came　jingling　up　the　dusty　road。

So　these　also　came　to　the　church；　and　there　Sir　Stephen　leaped　from　his　horse　and；　coming　to　the　litter；　handed　fair　Ellen　out　therefrom。　Then　Robin　Hood　looked　at　her；　and　could　wonder　no　longer　how　it　came　about　that　so　proud　a　knight　as　Sir　Stephen　of　Trent　wished　to　marry　a　common　franklin's　daughter；　nor　did　he　wonder　that　no　ado　was　made　about　the　matter；　for　she　was　the　fairest　maiden　that　ever　he　had　beheld。　Now；　however；　she　was　all　pale　and　drooping；　like　a　fair　white　lily　snapped　at　the　stem；　and　so；　with　bent　head　and　sorrowful　look；　she　went　within　the　church；　Sir　Stephen　leading　her　by　the　hand。

〃Why　dost　thou　not　play；　fellow？〃　quoth　the　Bishop；　looking　sternly　at　Robin。

〃Marry；〃　said　Robin　calmly；　〃I　will　play　in　greater　wise　than　Your　Lordship　thinks；　but　not　till　the　right　time　hath　come。〃

Said　the　Bishop　to　himself；　while　he　looked　grimly　at　Robin；　〃When　this　wedding　is　gone　by　I　will　have　this　fellow　well　whipped