the merry adventures of robin hood-第49章

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rawn；　and　here　a　fair　lump　of　white　bread。　　Here　I　find　four　oaten　cakes　and　a　cold　knuckle　of　ham。　　Ha！　　In　sooth；　'tis　strange；　but　here　I　behold　six　eggs　that　must　have　come　by　accident　from　some　poultry　yard　hereabouts。　They　are　raw；　but　roasted　upon　the　coals　and　spread　with　a　piece　of　butter　that　I　see〃

〃Peace；　good　friend！〃　cried　Robin；　holding　up　his　hand。　　〃Thou　makest　my　poor　stomach　quake　with　joy　for　what　thou　tellest　me　so　sweetly。　If　thou　wilt　give　me　to　eat；　I　will　straightway　hie　me　to　that　little　inn　thou　didst　tell　of　but　now；　and　will　bring　a　skin　of　ale　for　thy　drinking　and　mine。〃

〃Friend；　thou　hast　said　enough；〃　said　the　Beggar；　getting　down　from　the　stile。　　〃I　will　feast　thee　with　the　best　that　I　have　and　bless　Saint　Cedric　for　thy　company。　　But；　sweet　chuck；　I　prythee　bring　three　quarts　of　ale　at　least；　one　for　thy　drinking　and　two　for　mine；　for　my　thirst　is　such　that　methinks　I　can　drink　ale　as　the　sands　of　the　River　Dee　drink　salt　water。〃

So　Robin　straightway　left　the　Beggar；　who；　upon　his　part；　went　to　a　budding　lime　bush　back　of　the　hedge；　and　there　spread　his　feast　upon　the　grass　and　roasted　his　eggs　upon　a　little　fagot　fire；　with　a　deftness　gained　by　long　labor　in　that　line。　After　a　while　back　came　Robin　bearing　a　goodly　skin　of　ale　upon　his　shoulder；　which　he　laid　upon　the　grass。　　Then；　looking　upon　the　feast　spread　upon　the　groundand　a　fair　sight　it　was　to　look　upon　he　slowly　rubbed　his　hand　over　his　stomach；　for　to　his　hungry　eyes　it　seemed　the　fairest　sight　that　he　had　beheld　in　all　his　life。

〃Friend；〃　said　the　Beggar；　〃let　me　feel　the　weight　of　that　skin。

〃Yea；　truly；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃help　thyself；　sweet　chuck；　and　meantime　let　me　see　whether　thy　pigeon　pie　is　fresh　or　no。〃

So　the　one　seized　upon　the　ale　and　the　other　upon　the　pigeon　pie；　and　nothing　was　heard　for　a　while　but　the　munching　of　food　and　the　gurgle　of　ale　as　it　left　the　skin。

At　last；　after　a　long　time　had　passed　thus；　Robin　pushed　the　food　from　him　and　heaved　a　great　sigh　of　deep　content；　for　he　felt　as　though　he　had　been　made　all　over　anew。

〃And　now；　good　friend；〃　quoth　he；　leaning　upon　one　elbow；　〃I　would　have　at　thee　about　that　other　matter　of　seriousness　of　which　I　spoke　not　long　since。〃

〃How！〃　said　the　Beggar　reproachfully；　〃thou　wouldst　surely　not　talk　of　things　appertaining　to　serious　affairs　upon　such　ale　as　this！〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing。　　〃I　would　not　check　thy　thirst；　sweet　friend；　drink　while　I　talk　to　thee。　　Thus　it　is：　I　would　have　thee　know　that　I　have　taken　a　liking　to　thy　craft　and　would　fain　have　a　taste　of　a　beggar's　life　mine　own　self。〃

Said　the　Beggar；　〃I　marvel　not　that　thou　hast　taken　a　liking　to　my　manner　of　life；　good　fellow；　but　‘to　like'　and　‘to　do'　are　two　matters　of　different　sorts。　　I　tell　thee；　friend；　one　must　serve　a　long　apprenticeship　ere　one　can　learn　to　be　even　so　much　as　a　clapper…dudgeon；　much　less　a　crank　or　an　Abraham…man。＇3＇　I　tell　thee；　lad；　thou　art　too　old　to　enter　upon　that　which　it　may　take　thee　years　to　catch　the　hang　of。〃


＇3＇　Classes　of　traveling　mendicants　that　infested　England　as　late　as　the　middle　of　the　seventeenth　century。　VIDE　Dakkar's　ENGLISH　VILLAINIES；　etc。


〃Mayhap　that　may　be　so；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃for　I　bring　to　mind　that　Gaffer　Swanthold　sayeth　Jack　Shoemaker　maketh　ill　bread；　Tom　Baker　maketh　ill　shoon。　　Nevertheless；　I　have　a　mind　to　taste　a　beggar's　life；　and　need　but　the　clothing　to　be　as　good　as　any。〃

〃I　tell　thee；　fellow；〃　said　the　Beggar；　〃if　thou　wert　clad　as　sweetly　as　good　Saint　Wynten；　the　patron　of　our　craft；　thou　wouldst　never　make　a　beggar。　Marry；　the　first　jolly　traveler　that　thou　wouldst　meet　would　beat　thee　to　a　pudding　for　thrusting　thy　nose　into　a　craft　that　belongeth　not　to　thee。〃

〃Nevertheless；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　would　have　a　try　at　it；　and　methinks　I　shall　change　clothes　with　thee；　for　thy　garb　seemeth　to　be　pretty；　not　to　say　gay。　So　not　only　will　I　change　clothes；　but　I　will　give　thee　two　golden　angels　to　boot。　　I　have　brought　my　stout　staff　with　me；　thinking　that　I　might　have　to　rap　some　one　of　the　brethren　of　thy　cloth　over　the　head　by　way　of　argument　in　this　matter；　but　I　love　thee　so　much　for　the　feast　thou　hast　given　me　that　I　would　not　lift　even　my　little　finger　against　thee；　so　thou　needst　not　have　a　crumb　of　fear。〃

To　this　the　Beggar　listened　with　his　knuckles　resting　against　his　hips；　and　when　Robin　had　ended　he　cocked　his　head　on　one　side　and　thrust　his　tongue　into　his　cheek。

〃Marry；　come　up；〃　quoth　he　at　last。　　〃Lift　thy　finger　against　me；　forsooth！　　Art　thou　out　of　thy　wits；　man？　My　name　is　Riccon　Hazel；　and　I　come　from　Holywell；　in　Flintshire；　over　by　the　River　Dee。　　I　tell　thee；　knave；　I　have　cracked　the　head　of　many　a　better　man　than　thou　art；　and　even　now　I　would　scald　thy　crown　for　thee　but　for　the　ale　thou　hast　given　me。　Now　thou　shalt　not　have　so　much　as　one　tag…rag　of　my　coat；　even　could　it　save　thee　from　hanging。〃

〃Now；　fellow；〃　said　Robin；　〃it　would　ill　suit　me　to　spoil　thy　pretty　head　for　thee；　but　I　tell　thee　plainly；　that　but　for　this　feast　I　would　do　that　to　thee　would　stop　thy　traveling　the　country　for　many　a　day　to　come。　Keep　thy　lips　shut；　lad；　or　thy　luck　will　tumble　out　of　thy　mouth　with　thy　speech！〃

〃Now　out；　and　alas　for　thee；　man；　for　thou　hast　bred　thyself　ill　this　day！〃　cried　the　Beggar；　rising　and　taking　up　his　staff。　〃Take　up　thy　club　and　defend　thyself；　fellow；　for　I　will　not　only　beat　thee　but　I　will　take　from　thee　thy　money　and　leave　thee　not　so　much　as　a　clipped　groat　to　buy　thyself　a　lump　of　goose　grease　to　rub　thy　cracked　crown　withal。　So　defend　thyself；　I　say。〃

Then　up　leaped　merry　Robin　and　snatched　up　his　staff　also。　〃Take　my　money；　if　thou　canst；〃　quoth　he。　　〃I　promise　freely　to　give　thee　every　farthing　if　thou　dost　touch　me。〃　And　he　twirled　his　staff　in　his　fingers　till　it　whistled　again。

Then　the　Beggar　swung　his　staff　also；　and　struck　a　mighty　blow　at　Robin；　which　the　yeoman　turned。　　Three　blows　the　Beggar　struck；　yet　never　one　touched　so　much　as　a　hair　of　Robin's　head。　Then　stout　Robin　saw　his　chance；　and；　ere　you　could　count　three；　Riccon's　staff　was　over　the　hedge；　and　Riccon　himself　lay　upon　the　green　grass　with　no　more　motion　than　you　could　find　in　an　empty　pudding　bag。

〃How　now！〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　laughing。　　〃Wilt　thou　have　my　hide　or　my　money；　sweet　chuck？〃　　But　to　this　the　other　answered　never　a　word。　　Then　Robin；　seeing　his　plight；　and　that　he　was　stunned　with　the　blow；　ran；　still　laughing；　and　brought　the　skin　of　ale　and　poured　some　of　it　on　the　Beggar's　head　and　some　down　his　throat；　so　that　presently　he　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　around　as　though　wondering　why　he　lay　upon　his　back。

Then　Robin；　seeing　that　he　had　somewhat　gathered　the　wits　that　had　just　been　rapped　out　of　his　head；　said；　〃Now；　good　fellow；　wilt　thou　change　clothes　with　me；　or　shall　I　have　to　tap　thee　again？　　Here　are　two　golden　angels　if　thou　wilt　give　me　freely　all　thy　rags　and　bags　and　thy　cap　and　things。　If　thou　givest　them　not　freely；　I　much　fear　me　I　shall　have　to〃　and　he　looked　up　and　down　his　staff。

Then　Riccon　sat　up　and　rubbed　the　bump　on　his　crown。　　〃Now；　out　upon　it！〃　quoth　he。　　〃I　did　think　to　drub　thee　sweetly；　fellow。　　I　know　not　how　it　is；　but　I　seem；　as　it　were；　to　have　bought　more　beer　than　I　can　drink。　If　I　must　give　up　my　clothes；　I　must；　but　first　promise　me；　by　thy　word　as　a　true　yeoman；　that　thou　wilt　take　nought　from　me　but　my　clothes。〃

〃I　promise　on　the　word　of　a　true　yeoman；〃　quoth　Robin；　thinking　that　the　fellow　had　a　few　pennies　that　he　would　save。

Thereupon　the　Beggar　drew　a　little　knife　that　hung　at　his　side　and；　ripping　up　the　lining　of　his　coat；　drew　thence　ten　bright　golden　pounds；　which　he　laid　upon　the　ground　beside　him　with　a　cunning　wink　at　Robin。　　〃Now　thou　mayst　have　my　clothes　and　welcome；〃　said　he；　〃and　thou　mightest　have　had　them　in　exchange　for　thine　without　the　cost　of　a　single　farthing；　far　less　two　golden　angels。〃

〃Marry；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing；　〃thou　art　a　sly　fellow；　and　I　tell　thee　truly；　had　I　known　thou　hadst　so　much　money　by　thee　maybe　thou　mightst　not　have　carried　it　away；　for　I　warrant　thou　didst　not　come　honestly　by　it。〃

Then　each　stripped　off　his　clothes　and　put　on　those　of　the　other；　and