the merry adventures of robin hood-第38章

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uest。　Thou　hadst　best　let　me　pass　on　my　way　in　peace。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃thou　mightst　go　thine　own　way　but　for　one　thing；　and　that　I　will　tell　thee。　　We　keep　an　inn；　as　it　were；　in　the　very　depths　of　Sherwood；　but　so　far　from　highroads　and　beaten　paths　that　guests　do　not　often　come　nigh　us；　so　I　and　my　friends　set　off　merrily　and　seek　them　when　we　grow　dull　of　ourselves。　Thus　the　matter　stands；　Sir　Knight；　yet　I　will　furthermore　tell　thee　that　we　count　upon　our　guests　paying　a　reckoning。〃

〃I　take　thy　meaning；　friend；〃　said　the　Knight　gravely；　〃but　I　am　not　thy　man；　for　I　have　no　money　by　me。〃

〃Is　it　sooth？〃　said　Robin；　looking　at　the　Knight　keenly。　　〃I　can　scarce　choose　but　believe　thee；　yet；　Sir　Knight；　there　be　those　of　thy　order　whose　word　is　not　to　be　trusted　as　much　as　they　would　have　others　believe。　Thou　wilt　think　no　ill　if　I　look　for　myself　in　this　matter。〃　Then；　still　holding　the　horse　by　the　bridle　rein；　he　put　his　fingers　to　his　lips　and　blew　a　shrill　whistle；　whereupon　fourscore　yeomen　came　leaping　over　the　stile　and　ran　to　where　the　Knight　and　Robin　stood。　〃These；〃　said　Robin；　looking　upon　them　proudly；　〃are　some　of　my　merry　men。　They　share　and　share　alike　with　me　all　joys　and　troubles；　gains　and　losses。　Sir　Knight；　I　prythee　tell　me　what　money　thou　hast　about　thee。〃

For　a　time　the　Knight　said　not　a　word；　but　a　slow　red　arose　into　his　cheeks；　at　last　he　looked　Robin　in　the　face　and　said；　〃I　know　not　why　I　should　be　ashamed；　for　it　should　be　no　shame　to　me；　but；　friend；　I　tell　thee　the　truth；　when　I　say　that　in　my　purse　are　ten　shillings；　and　that　that　is　every　groat　that　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea　hath　in　all　the　wide　world。〃

When　Sir　Richard　ended　a　silence　fell；　until　at　last　Robin　said；　〃And　dost　thou　pledge　me　thy　knightly　word　that　this　is　all　thou　hast　with　thee？〃

〃Yea；〃　answered　Sir　Richard；　〃I　do　pledge　thee　my　most　solemn　word；　as　a　true　knight；　that　it　is　all　the　money　I　have　in　the　world。　Nay；　here　is　my　purse；　ye　may　find　for　yourselves　the　truth　of　what　I　say。〃　And　he　held　his　purse　out　to　Robin。

〃Put　up　thy　purse；　Sir　Richard；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃Far　be　it　from　me　to　doubt　the　word　of　so　gentle　a　knight。　　The　proud　I　strive　to　bring　low；　but　those　that　walk　in　sorrow　I　would　aid　if　I　could。　Come；　Sir　Richard；　cheer　up　thy　heart　and　go　with　us　into　the　greenwood。　Even　I　may　perchance　aid　thee；　for　thou　surely　knowest　how　the　good　Athelstane　was　saved　by　the　little　blind　mole　that　digged　a　trench　over　which　he　that　sought　the　king's　life　stumbled。〃

〃Truly；　friend；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃methinks　thou　meanest　kindness　in　thine　own　way；　nevertheless　my　troubles　are　such　that　it　is　not　likely　that　thou　canst　cure　them。　　But　I　will　go　with　thee　this　day　into　Sherwood。〃　　Hereupon　he　turned　his　horse's　head；　and　they　all　wended　their　way　to　the　woodlands；　Robin　walking　on　one　side　of　the　Knight　and　Will　Scarlet　on　the　other；　while　the　rest　of　the　band　trudged　behind。

After　they　had　traveled　thus　for　a　time　Robin　Hood　spake。　〃Sir　Knight；〃　said　he；　〃I　would　not　trouble　thee　with　idle　questions；　but　dost　thou　find　it　in　thy　heart　to　tell　me　thy　sorrows？〃

〃Truly；　Robin；〃　quoth　the　Knight；　〃I　see　no　reason　why　I　should　not　do　so。　Thus　it　is：　　My　castle　and　my　lands　are　in　pawn　for　a　debt　that　I　owe。　Three　days　hence　the　money　must　be　paid　or　else　all　mine　estate　is　lost　forever；　for　then　it　falls　into　the　hands　of　the　Priory　of　Emmet；　and　what　they　swallow　they　never　give　forth　again。〃

Quoth　Robin；　〃I　understand　not　why　those　of　thy　kind　live　in　such　a　manner　that　all　their　wealth　passeth　from　them　like　snow　beneath　the　springtide　sun。〃

〃Thou　wrongest　me；　Robin；〃　said　the　Knight；　〃for　listen：　I　have　a　son　but　twenty　winters　old；　nevertheless　he　has　won　his　spurs　as　knight。　　Last　year；　on　a　certain　evil　day；　the　jousts　were　held　at　Chester；　and　thither　my　son　went；　as　did　I　and　my　lady　wife。　　I　wot　it　was　a　proud　time　for　us；　for　he　unhorsed　each　knight　that　he　tilted　against。　At　last　he　ran　a　course　with　a　certain　great　knight；　Sir　Walter　of　Lancaster；　yet；　though　my　son　was　so　youthful；　he　kept　his　seat；　albeit　both　spears　were　shivered　to　the　heft；　but　it　happened　that　a　splinter　of　my　boy's　lance　ran　through　the　visor　of　Sir　Walter's　helmet　and　pierced　through　his　eye　into　his　brain；　so　that　he　died　ere　his　esquire　could　unlace　his　helm。　　Now；　Robin；　Sir　Walter　had　great　friends　at　court；　therefore　his　kinsmen　stirred　up　things　against　my　son　so　that；　to　save　him　from　prison；　I　had　to　pay　a　ransom　of　six　hundred　pounds　in　gold。　　All　might　have　gone　well　even　yet；　only　that；　by　ins　and　outs　and　crookedness　of　laws；　I　was　shorn　like　a　sheep　that　is　clipped　to　the　quick。　　So　it　came　that　I　had　to　pawn　my　lands　to　the　Priory　of　Emmet　for　more　money；　and　a　hard　bargain　they　drove　with　me　in　my　hour　of　need。　Yet　I　would　have　thee　understand　I　grieve　so　for　my　lands　only　because　of　my　dear　lady　wife。〃

〃But　where　is　thy　son　now？〃　asked　Robin；　who　had　listened　closely　to　all　the　Knight　had　said。

〃In　Palestine；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃battling　like　a　brave　Christian　soldier　for　the　cross　and　the　holy　sepulcher。　Truly；　England　was　an　ill　place　for　him　because　of　Sir　Walter's　death　and　the　hate　of　the　Lancastrian's　kinsmen。〃

〃Truly；〃　said　Robin；　much　moved；　〃thine　is　a　hard　lot。　But　tell　me；　what　is　owing　to　Emmet　for　thine　estates？〃

〃Only　four　hundred　pounds；〃　said　Sir　Richard。

At　this；　Robin　smote　his　thigh　in　anger。　　〃O　the　bloodsuckers！〃　cried　he。　　〃A　noble　estate　to　be　forfeit　for　four　hundred　pounds！　But　what　will　befall　thee　if　thou　dost　lose　thy　lands；　Sir　Richard？〃

〃It　is　not　mine　own　lot　that　doth　trouble　me　in　that　case；〃　said　the　Knight；　〃but　my　dear　lady's；　for　should　I　lose　my　land　she　will　have　to　betake　herself　to　some　kinsman　and　there　abide　in　charity；　which；　methinks；　would　break　her　proud　heart。　As　for　me；　I　will　over　the　salt　sea；　and　so　to　Palestine　to　join　my　son　in　fight　for　the　holy　sepulcher。〃

Then　up　spake　Will　Scarlet。　　〃But　hast　thou　no　friend　that　will　help　thee　in　thy　dire　need？〃

〃Never　a　man；〃　said　Sir　Richard。　　〃While　I　was　rich　enow　at　home；　and　had　friends；　they　blew　great　boasts　of　how　they　loved　me。　But　when　the　oak　falls　in　the　forest　the　swine　run　from　beneath　it　lest　they　should　be　smitten　down　also。　　So　my　friends　have　left　me；　for　not　only　am　I　poor　but　I　have　great　enemies。〃

Then　Robin　said；　〃Thou　sayst　thou　hast　no　friends；　Sir　Richard。　　I　make　no　boast；　but　many　have　found　Robin　Hood　a　friend　in　their　troubles。　Cheer　up；　Sir　Knight；　I　may　help　thee　yet。〃

The　Knight　shook　his　head　with　a　faint　smile；　but　for　all　that；　Robin's　words　made　him　more　blithe　of　heart；　for　in　truth　hope；　be　it　never　so　faint；　bringeth　a　gleam　into　darkness；　like　a　little　rushlight　that　costeth　but　a　groat。

The　day　was　well…nigh　gone　when　they　came　near　to　the　greenwood　tree。　Even　at　a　distance　they　saw　by　the　number　of　men　that　Little　John　had　come　back　with　some　guest；　but　when　they　came　near　enough；　whom　should　they　find　but　the　Lord　Bishop　of　Hereford！　　The　good　Bishop　was　in　a　fine　stew；　I　wot。　Up　and　down　he　walked　beneath　the　tree　like　a　fox　caught　in　a　hencoop。　Behind　him　were　three　Black　Friars　standing　close　together　in　a　frightened　group；　like　three　black　sheep　in　a　tempest。　Hitched　to　the　branches　of　the　trees　close　at　hand　were　six　horses；　one　of　them　a　barb　with　gay　trappings　upon　which　the　Bishop　was　wont　to　ride；　and　the　others　laden　with　packs　of　divers　shapes　and　kinds；　one　of　which　made　Robin's　eyes　glisten；　for　it　was　a　box　not　overlarge；　but　heavily　bound　with　bands　and　ribs　of　iron。

When　the　Bishop　saw　Robin　and　those　with　him　come　into　the　open　he　made　as　though　he　would　have　run　toward　the　yeoman；　but　the　fellow　that　guarded　the　Bishop　and　the　three　friars　thrust　his　quarterstaff　in　front；　so　that　his　lordship　was　fain　to　stand　back；　though　with　frowning　brow　and　angry　speech。

〃Stay；　my　Lord　Bishop；〃　cried　jolly　Robin　in　a　loud　voice；　when　he　saw　what　had　passed；　〃I　will　come　to　thee　with　all　speed；　for　I　would　rather　see　thee　than　any　man　in　merry　England。〃　　So　saying；　he　quickened　his　steps　and　soon　came　to　where　the　Bishop　stood　fuming。

〃How　now；〃　quoth　the　Bishop　in　a　loud　and　angry　voice；　when　Robin　had　so　come　to　him