the merry adventures of robin hood-第50章

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t　not　come　honestly　by　it。〃

Then　each　stripped　off　his　clothes　and　put　on　those　of　the　other；　and　as　lusty　a　beggar　was　Robin　Hood　as　e'er　you　could　find　of　a　summer's　day。　But　stout　Riccon　of　Holywell　skipped　and　leaped　and　danced　for　joy　of　the　fair　suit　of　Lincoln　green　that　he　had　so　gotten。　　Quoth　he；　〃I　am　a　gay…feathered　bird　now。　　Truly；　my　dear　Moll　Peascod　would　never　know　me　in　this　dress。　Thou　mayst　keep　the　cold　pieces　of　the　feast；　friend；　for　I　mean　to　live　well　and　lustily　while　my　money　lasts　and　my　clothes　are　gay。〃

So　he　turned　and　left　Robin　and；　crossing　the　stile；　was　gone；　but　Robin　heard　him　singing　from　beyond　the　hedge　as　he　strode　away：

　　　　　〃_For　Polly　is　smiling　and　Molly　is　glad　　　　　　When　the　beggar　comes　in　at　the　door；　　And　Jack　and　Dick　call　him　a　fine　lusty　lad；　　　　　　And　the　hostess　runs　up　a　great　score。

　Then　hey；　Willy　Waddykin；　　　　　　Stay；　Billy　Waddykin；　　And　let　the　brown　ale　flow　free；　flow　free；　　　　　　The　beggar's　the　man　for　me_。〃


Robin　listened　till　the　song　ended　in　the　distance；　then　he　also　crossed　the　stile　into　the　road；　but　turned　his　toes　away　from　where　the　Beggar　had　gone。　The　road　led　up　a　gentle　hill　and　up　the　hill　Robin　walked；　a　half　score　or　more　of　bags　dangling　about　his　legs。　Onward　he　strolled　for　a　long　time；　but　other　adventure　he　found　not。　The　road　was　bare　of　all　else　but　himself；　as　he　went　kicking　up　little　clouds　of　dust　at　each　footstep；　for　it　was　noontide；　the　most　peaceful　time　of　all　the　day；　next　to　twilight。　All　the　earth　was　silent　in　the　restfulness　of　eating　time；　the　plowhorses　stood　in　the　furrow　munching；　with　great　bags　over　their　noses　holding　sweet　food；　the　plowman　sat　under　the　hedge　and　the　plowboy　also；　and　they；　too；　were　munching；　each　one　holding　a　great　piece　of　bread　in　one　fist　and　a　great　piece　of　cheese　in　the　other。

So　Robin；　with　all　the　empty　road　to　himself；　strode　along　whistling　merrily；　his　bags　and　pouches　bobbing　and　dangling　at　his　thighs。　　At　last　he　came　to　where　a　little　grass…grown　path　left　the　road　and；　passing　through　a　stile　and　down　a　hill；　led　into　a　little　dell　and　on　across　a　rill　in　the　valley　and　up　the　hill　on　the　other　side；　till　it　reached　a　windmill　that　stood　on　the　cap　of　the　rise　where　the　wind　bent　the　trees　in　swaying　motion。　Robin　looked　at　the　spot　and　liked　it；　and；　for　no　reason　but　that　his　fancy　led　him；　he　took　the　little　path　and　walked　down　the　grassy　sunny　slope　of　the　open　meadow；　and　so　came　to　the　little　dingle　and；　ere　he　knew　it；　upon　four　lusty　fellows　that　sat　with　legs　outstretched　around　a　goodly　feast　spread　upon　the　ground。

Four　merry　beggars　were　they；　and　each　had　slung　about　his　neck　a　little　board　that　rested　upon　his　breast。　One　board　had　written　upon　it；　〃I　am　blind；〃　another；　〃I　am　deaf；〃　another；　〃I　am　dumb；〃　and　the　fourth；　〃Pity　the　lame　one。〃　But　although　all　these　troubles　written　upon　the　boards　seemed　so　grievous；　the　four　stout　fellows　sat　around　feasting　as　merrily　as　though　Cain's　wife　had　never　opened　the　pottle　that　held　misfortunes　and　let　them　forth　like　a　cloud　of　flies　to　pester　us。

The　deaf　man　was　the　first　to　hear　Robin；　for　he　said；　〃Hark；　brothers；　I　hear　someone　coming。〃　　And　the　blind　man　was　the　first　to　see　him；　for　he　said；　〃He　is　an　honest　man；　brothers；　and　one　of　like　craft　to　ourselves。〃　Then　the　dumb　man　called　to　him　in　a　great　voice　and　said；　〃Welcome；　brother；　come　and　sit　while　there　is　still　some　of　the　feast　left　and　a　little　Malmsey　in　the　pottle。〃　　At　this；　the　lame　man；　who　had　taken　off　his　wooden　leg　and　unstrapped　his　own　leg；　and　was　sitting　with　it　stretched　out　upon　the　grass　so　as　to　rest　it；　made　room　for　Robin　among　them。　〃We　are　glad　to　see　thee；　brother；〃　said　he；　holding　out　the　flask　of　Malmsey。

〃Marry；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing；　and　weighing　the　flask　in　his　hands　ere　he　drank；　〃methinks　it　is　no　more　than　seemly　of　you　all　to　be　glad　to　see　me；　seeing　that　I　bring　sight　to　the　blind；　speech　to　the　dumb；　hearing　to　the　deaf；　and　such　a　lusty　leg　to　a　lame　man。　I　drink　to　your　happiness；　brothers；　as　I　may　not　drink　to　your　health；　seeing　ye　are　already　hale；　wind　and　limb。〃

At　this　all　grinned；　and　the　Blind　beggar；　who　was　the　chief　man　among　them；　and　was　the　broadest　shouldered　and　most　lusty　rascal　of　all；　smote　Robin　upon　the　shoulder；　swearing　he　was　a　right　merry　wag。

〃Whence　comest　thou；　lad？〃　asked　the　Dumb　man。

〃Why；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　came　this　morning　from　sleeping　overnight　in　Sherwood。〃

〃Is　it　even　so？〃　said　the　Deaf　man。　　〃I　would　not　for　all　the　money　we　four　are　carrying　to　Lincoln　Town　sleep　one　night　in　Sherwood。　　If　Robin　Hood　caught　one　of　our　trade　in　his　woodlands　he　would；　methinks；　clip　his　ears。〃

〃Methinks　he　would；　too；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing。　　〃But　what　money　is　this　that　ye　speak　of？〃

Then　up　spake　the　Lame　man。　　〃Our　king；　Peter　of　York；〃　said　he；　〃hath　sent　us　to　Lincoln　with　those　moneys　that〃

〃Stay；　brother　Hodge；〃　quoth　the　Blind　man；　breaking　into　the　talk；　〃I　would　not　doubt　our　brother　here；　but　bear　in　mind　we　know　him　not。　What　art　thou；　brother？　　Upright…man；　Jurkman；　Clapper…dudgeon；　Dommerer；　or　Abraham…man？〃

At　these　words　Robin　looked　from　one　man　to　the　other　with　mouth　agape。　〃Truly；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　trust　I　am　an　upright　man；　at　least；　I　strive　to　be；　but　I　know　not　what　thou　meanest　by　such　jargon；　brother。　　It　were　much　more　seemly；　methinks；　if　yon　Dumb　man；　who　hath　a　sweet　voice；　would　give　us　a　song。〃

At　these　words　a　silence　fell　on　all；　and　after　a　while　the　Blind　man　spoke　again。　　Quoth　he；　〃Thou　dost　surely　jest　when　thou　sayest　that　thou　dost　not　understand　such　words。　　Answer　me　this：　Hast　thou　ever　fibbed　a　chouse　quarrons　in　the　Rome　pad　for　the　loure　in　his　bung？〃＇4＇


＇4＇　I。E。；　in　old　beggar's　cant；　〃beaten　a　man　or　gallant　upon　the　highway　for　the　money　in　his　purse。〃　　Dakkar's　ENGLISH　VILLAINIES。


〃Now　out　upon　it；〃　quoth　Robin　Hood　testily；　〃an　ye　make　sport　of　me　by　pattering　such　gibberish；　it　will　be　ill　for　you　all；　I　tell　you。　I　have　the　best　part　of　a　mind　to　crack　the　heads　of　all　four　of　you；　and　would　do　so；　too；　but　for　the　sweet　Malmsey　ye　have　given　me。　Brother；　pass　the　pottle　lest　it　grow　cold。〃

But　all　the　four　beggars　leaped　to　their　feet　when　Robin　had　done　speaking；　and　the　Blind　man　snatched　up　a　heavy　knotted　cudgel　that　lay　beside　him　on　the　grass；　as　did　the　others　likewise。　Then　Robin；　seeing　that　things　were　like　to　go　ill　with　him；　albeit　he　knew　not　what　all　the　coil　was　about；　leaped　to　his　feet　also　and；　catching　up　his　trusty　staff；　clapped　his　back　against　the　tree　and　stood　upon　his　guard　against　them。　〃How；　now！〃　cried　he；　twirling　his　staff　betwixt　his　fingers；　〃would　you　four　stout　fellows　set　upon　one　man？　Stand　back；　ye　rascals；　or　I　will　score　your　pates　till　they　have　as　many　marks　upon　them　as　a　pothouse　door！　　Are　ye　mad？　I　have　done　you　no　harm。〃

〃Thou　liest！〃　quoth　the　one　who　pretended　to　be　blind　and　who；　being　the　lustiest　villain；　was　the　leader　of　the　others；　〃thou　liest！　　For　thou　hast　come　among　us　as　a　vile　spy。　But　thine　ears　have　heard　too　much　for　thy　body's　good；　and　thou　goest　not　forth　from　this　place　unless　thou　goest　feet　foremost；　for　this　day　thou　shalt　die！　　Come；　brothers；　all　together！　Down　with　him！〃　　Then；　whirling　up　his　cudgel；　he　rushed　upon　Robin　as　an　angry　bull　rushes　upon　a　red　rag。　But　Robin　was　ready　for　any　happening。　　〃Crick！　　Crack！〃　he　struck　two　blows　as　quick　as　a　wink；　and　down　went　the　Blind　man；　rolling　over　and　over　upon　the　grass。

At　this　the　others　bore　back　and　stood　at　a　little　distance　scowling　upon　Robin。　　〃Come　on；　ye　scum！〃　cried　he　merrily。　〃Here　be　cakes　and　ale　for　all。　　Now；　who　will　be　next　served？〃

To　this　speech　the　beggars　answered　never　a　word；　but　they　looked　at　Robin　as　great　Blunderbore　looked　upon　stout　Jack　the　slayer　of　giants；　as　though　they　would　fain　eat　him；　body　and　bones；　nevertheless；　they　did　not　care　to　come　nigher　to　him　and　his　terrible　staff。　　Then；　seeing　them　so　hesitate；　Robin　of　a　sudden　leaped　upon　them；　striking　even　as　he　leaped。　Down　went　the　Dumb　man；　and　away　flew　his　cudgel　from　his　hand　as　he　fell。　At　this　the　others　ducked　to　avoid　another　blow；　then；　taking　to　their