the merry adventures of robin hood-第39章

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tood　fuming。

〃How　now；〃　quoth　the　Bishop　in　a　loud　and　angry　voice；　when　Robin　had　so　come　to　him；　〃is　this　the　way　that　thou　and　thy　band　treat　one　so　high　in　the　church　as　I　am？　　I　and　these　brethren　were　passing　peacefully　along　the　highroad　with　our　pack　horses；　and　a　half　score　of　men　to　guard　them；　when　up　comes　a　great　strapping　fellow　full　seven　feet　high；　with　fourscore　or　more　men　back　of　him；　and　calls　upon　me　to　stopme；　the　Lord　Bishop　of　Hereford；　mark　thou！　Whereupon　my　armed　guardsbeshrew　them　for　cowards！straight　ran　away。　But　look　ye；　not　only　did　this　fellow　stop　me；　but　he　threatened　me；　saying　that　Robin　Hood　would　strip　me　as　bare　as　a　winter　hedge。　Then；　besides　all　this；　he　called　me　such　vile　names　as　‘fat　priest；'　‘man…eating　bishop；'　‘money…gorging　usurer；'　and　what　not；　as　though　I　were　no　more　than　a　strolling　beggar　or　tinker。〃

At　this；　the　Bishop　glared　like　an　angry　cat；　while　even　Sir　Richard　laughed；　only　Robin　kept　a　grave　face。　　〃Alas！　my　lord；〃　said　he；　〃that　thou　hast　been　so　ill…treated　by　my　band！　I　tell　thee　truly　that　we　greatly　reverence　thy　cloth。　Little　John；　stand　forth　straightway。〃

At　these　words　Little　John　came　forward；　twisting　his　face　into　a　whimsical　look；　as　though　he　would　say；　〃Ha'　mercy　upon　me；　good　master。〃　Then　Robin　turned　to　the　Bishop　of　Hereford　and　said；　〃Was　this　the　man　who　spake　so　boldly　to　Your　Lordship？〃

〃Ay；　truly　it　was　the　same；〃　said　the　Bishop；　〃a　naughty　fellow；　I　wot。

〃And　didst　thou；　Little　John；〃　said　Robin　in　a　sad　voice；　〃call　his　lordship　a　fat　priest？〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Little　John　sorrowfully。

〃And　a　man…eating　bishop？〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Little　John；　more　sorrowfully　than　before。

〃And　a　money…gorging　usurer？〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Little　John　in　so　sorrowful　a　voice　that　it　might　have　drawn　tears　from　the　Dragon　of　Wentley。

〃Alas；　that　these　things　should　be！〃　said　jolly　Robin；　turning　to　the　Bishop；　〃for　I　have　ever　found　Little　John　a　truthful　man。〃

At　this；　a　roar　of　laughter　went　up；　whereat　the　blood　rushed　into　the　Bishop's　face　till　it　was　cherry　red　from　crown　to　chin；　but　he　said　nothing　and　only　swallowed　his　words；　though　they　well…nigh　choked　him。

〃Nay；　my　Lord　Bishop；〃　said　Robin；　〃we　are　rough　fellows；　but　I　trust　not　such　ill　men　as　thou　thinkest；　after　all。　There　is　not　a　man　here　that　would　harm　a　hair　of　thy　reverence's　head。　I　know　thou　art　galled　by　our　jesting；　but　we　are　all　equal　here　in　the　greenwood；　for　there　are　no　bishops　nor　barons　nor　earls　among　us；　but　only　men；　so　thou　must　share　our　life　with　us　while　thou　dost　abide　here。　　Come；　busk　ye；　my　merry　men；　and　get　the　feast　ready。　Meantime；　we　will　show　our　guests　our　woodland　sports。〃

So；　while　some　went　to　kindle　the　fires　for　roasting　meats；　others　ran　leaping　to　get　their　cudgels　and　longbows。　Then　Robin　brought　forward　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea。　　〃My　Lord　Bishop；〃　said　he；　〃here　is　another　guest　that　we　have　with　us　this　day。　I　wish　that　thou　mightest　know　him　better；　for　I　and　all　my　men　will　strive　to　honor　you　both　at　this　merrymaking。〃

〃Sir　Richard；〃　said　the　Bishop　in　a　reproachful　tone；　〃methinks　thou　and　I　are　companions　and　fellow　sufferers　in　this　den　of〃　He　was　about　to　say　〃thieves；〃　but　he　stopped　suddenly　and　looked　askance　at　Robin　Hood。

〃Speak　out；　Bishop；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing。　　〃We　of　Sherwood　check　not　an　easy　flow　of　words。　　‘Den　of　thieves'　thou　west　about　to　say。〃

Quoth　the　Bishop；　〃Mayhap　that　was　what　I　meant　to　say；　Sir　Richard；　but　this　I　will　say；　that　I　saw　thee　just　now　laugh　at　the　scurrilous　jests　of　these　fellows。　　It　would　have　been　more　becoming　of　thee；　methinks；　to　have　checked　them　with　frowns　instead　of　spurring　them　on　by　laughter。〃

〃I　meant　no　harm　to　thee；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃but　a　merry　jest　is　a　merry　jest；　and　I　may　truly　say　I　would　have　laughed　at　it　had　it　been　against　mine　own　self。〃

But　now　Robin　Hood　called　upon　certain　ones　of　his　band　who　spread　soft　moss　upon　the　ground　and　laid　deerskins　thereon。　Then　Robin　bade　his　guests　be　seated；　and　so　they　all　three　sat　down；　some　of　the　chief　men；　such　as　Little　John；　Will　Scarlet；　Allan　a　Dale；　and　others；　stretching　themselves　upon　the　ground　near　by。　Then　a　garland　was　set　up　at　the　far　end　of　the　glade；　and　thereat　the　bowmen　shot；　and　such　shooting　was　done　that　day　as　it　would　have　made　one's　heart　leap　to　see。　And　all　the　while　Robin　talked　so　quaintly　to　the　Bishop　and　the　Knight　that；　the　one　forgetting　his　vexation　and　the　other　his　troubles；　they　both　laughed　aloud　again　and　again。

Then　Allan　a　Dale　came　forth　and　tuned　his　harp；　and　all　was　hushed　around；　and　he　sang　in　his　wondrous　voice　songs　of　love；　of　war；　of　glory；　and　of　sadness；　and　all　listened　without　a　movement　or　a　sound。　So　Allan　sang　till　the　great　round　silver　moon　gleamed　with　its　clear　white　light　amid　the　upper　tangle　of　the　mazy　branches　of　the　trees。　At　last　two　fellows　came　to　say　that　the　feast　was　ready　spread；　so　Robin；　leading　his　guests　with　either　hand；　brought　them　to　where　great　smoking　dishes　that　sent　savory　smells　far　and　near　stood　along　the　white　linen　cloth　spread　on　the　grass。　　All　around　was　a　glare　of　torches　that　lit　everything　up　with　a　red　light。　Then；　straightway　sitting　down；　all　fell　to　with　noise　and　hubbub；　the　rattling　of　platters　blending　with　the　sound　of　loud　talking　and　laughter。　　A　long　time　the　feast　lasted；　but　at　last　all　was　over；　and　the　bright　wine　and　humming　ale　passed　briskly。　Then　Robin　Hood　called　aloud　for　silence；　and　all　was　hushed　till　he　spoke。

〃I　have　a　story　to　tell　you　all；　so　listen　to　what　I　have　to　say；〃　quoth　he；　whereupon；　without　more　ado；　he　told　them　all　about　Sir　Richard；　and　how　his　lands　were　in　pawn。　　But；　as　he　went　on；　the　Bishop's　face；　that　had　erst　been　smiling　and　ruddy　with　merriment；　waxed　serious；　and　he　put　aside　the　horn　of　wine　he　held　in　his　hand；　for　he　knew　the　story　of　Sir　Richard；　and　his　heart　sank　within　him　with　grim　forebodings。　Then；　when　Robin　Hood　had　done；　he　turned　to　the　Bishop　of　Hereford。　　〃Now；　my　Lord　Bishop；〃　said　he；　〃dost　thou　not　think　this　is　ill　done　of　anyone；　much　more　of　a　churchman；　who　should　live　in　humbleness　and　charity？〃

To　this　the　Bishop　answered　not　a　word　but　looked　upon　the　ground　with　moody　eyes。

Quoth　Robin；　〃Now；　thou　art　the　richest　bishop　in　all　England；　canst　thou　not　help　this　needy　brother？〃　　But　still　the　Bishop　answered　not　a　word。

Then　Robin　turned　to　Little　John；　and　quoth　he；　〃Go　thou　and　Will　Stutely　and　bring　forth　those　five　pack　horses　yonder。〃　Whereupon　the　two　yeomen　did　as　they　were　bidden；　those　about　the　cloth　making　room　on　the　green；　where　the　light　was　brightest；　for　the　five　horses　which　Little　John　and　Will　Stutely　presently　led　forward。

〃Who　hath　the　score　of　the　goods？〃　asked　Robin　Hood；　looking　at　the　Black　Friars。

Then　up　spake　the　smallest　of　all；　in　a　trembling　voice　an　old　man　he　was；　with　a　gentle；　wrinkled　face。　〃That　have　I；　but；　I　pray　thee；　harm　me　not。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　have　never　harmed　harmless　man　yet；　but　give　it　to　me；　good　father。〃　　So　the　old　man　did　as　he　was　bidden；　and　handed　Robin　the　tablet　on　which　was　marked　down　the　account　of　the　various　packages　upon　the　horses。　This　Robin　handed　to　Will　Scarlet；　bidding　him　to　read　the　same。　So　Will　Scarlet；　lifting　his　voice　that　all　might　hear；　began：

〃Three　bales　of　silk　to　Quentin；　the　mercer　at　Ancaster。〃

〃That　we　touch　not；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃for　this　Quentin　is　an　honest　fellow；　who　hath　risen　by　his　own　thrift。〃　So　the　bales　of　silk　were　laid　aside　unopened。

〃　One　bale　of　silk　velvet　for　the　Abbey　of　Beaumont。〃

〃What　do　these　priests　want　of　silk　velvet？〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃Nevertheless；　though　they　need　it　not；　I　will　not　take　all　from　them。　　Measure　it　off　into　three　lots；　one　to　be　sold　for　charity；　one　for　us；　and　one　for　the　abbey。〃　So　this；　too；　was　done　as　Robin　Hood　bade。

〃Twoscore　of　great　wax　candles　for　the　Chapel　of　Saint　Thomas。〃

〃That　belongeth　fairly　to　the　chapel；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃so　lay　it　to　one　side。　Far　be　it　from　us　to　take　from　the　blessed　Saint　Thomas　that　which　belongeth　to　him。〃　　So　this；　also；　was　done　according　to　Robin's　bidding；　and　the　candles　were　laid　to　one　side；　along　with　honest　Que