the merry adventures of robin hood-第54章

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　〃_Gentle　river；　gentle　river；　　　　　　Bright　thy　crystal　waters　flow；　　Sliding　where　the　aspens　shiver；　　　　　　Gliding　where　the　lilies　blow；

　〃Singing　over　pebbled　shallows；　　　　　　Kissing　blossoms　bending　low；　　Breaking　'neath　the　dipping　swallows；　　　　　　Purpling　where　the　breezes　blow。

　〃Floating　on　thy　breast　forever　　　　　　Down　thy　current　I　could　glide；　　Grief　and　pain　should　reach　me　never　　　　　　On　thy　bright　and　gentle　tide。

　〃So　my　aching　heart　seeks　thine；　love；　　　　　　There　to　find　its　rest　and　peace；　　For；　through　loving；　bliss　is　mine；　love；　　　　　　And　my　many　troubles　cease_。〃


Thus　Allan　sang；　and　as　he　sang　all　eyes　dwelled　upon　him　and　not　a　sound　broke　the　stillness；　and　even　after　he　had　done　the　silence　hung　for　a　short　space。　　So　the　time　passed　till　the　hour　drew　nigh　for　the　holding　of　the　great　archery　match　in　Finsbury　Fields。

A　gay　sight　were　famous　Finsbury　Fields　on　that　bright　and　sunny　morning　of　lusty　summertime。　　Along　the　end　of　the　meadow　stood　the　booths　for　the　different　bands　of　archers；　for　the　King's　yeomen　were　divided　into　companies　of　fourscore　men；　and　each　company　had　a　captain　over　it；　so　on　the　bright　greensward　stood　ten　booths　of　striped　canvas；　a　booth　for　each　band　of　the　royal　archers；　and　at　the　peak　of　each　fluttered　a　flag　in　the　mellow　air；　and　the　flag　was　the　color　that　belonged　to　the　captain　of　each　band。　From　the　center　booth　hung　the　yellow　flag　of　Tepus；　the　famous　bow　bearer　of　the　King；　next　to　it；　on　one　hand；　was　the　blue　flag　of　Gilbert　of　the　White　Hand；　and　on　the　other　the　blood…red　pennant　of　stout　young　Clifton　of　Buckinghamshire。　　The　seven　other　archer　captains　were　also　men　of　great　renown；　among　them　were　Egbert　of　Kent　and　William　of　Southampton；　but　those　first　named　were　most　famous　of　all。　　The　noise　of　many　voices　in　talk　and　laughter　came　from　within　the　booths；　and　in　and　out　ran　the　attendants　like　ants　about　an　ant…hill。　Some　bore　ale　and　beer；　and　some　bundles　of　bowstrings　or　sheaves　of　arrows。　On　each　side　of　the　archery　range　were　rows　upon　rows　of　seats　reaching　high　aloft；　and　in　the　center　of　the　north　side　was　a　raised　dais　for　the　King　and　Queen；　shaded　by　canvas　of　gay　colors；　and　hung　about　with　streaming　silken　pennants　of　red　and　blue　and　green　and　white。　　As　yet　the　King　and　Queen　had　not　come；　but　all　the　other　benches　were　full　of　people；　rising　head　above　head　high　aloft　till　it　made　the　eye　dizzy　to　look　upon　them。　Eightscore　yards　distant　from　the　mark　from　which　the　archers　were　to　shoot　stood　ten　fair　targets；　each　target　marked　by　a　flag　of　the　color　belonging　to　the　band　that　was　to　shoot　thereat。　So　all　was　ready　for　the　coming　of　the　King　and　Queen。

At　last　a　great　blast　of　bugles　sounded；　and　into　the　meadow　came　riding　six　trumpeters　with　silver　trumpets；　from　which　hung　velvet　banners　heavy　with　rich　workings　of　silver　and　gold　thread。　Behind　these　came　stout　King　Henry　upon　a　dapple…gray　stallion；　with　his　Queen　beside　him　upon　a　milk…white　palfrey。　On　either　side　of　them　walked　the　yeomen　of　the　guard；　the　bright　sunlight　flashing　from　the　polished　blades　of　the　steel　halberds　they　carried。　　Behind　these　came　the　Court　in　a　great　crowd；　so　that　presently　all　the　lawn　was　alive　with　bright　colors；　with　silk　and　velvet；　with　waving　plumes　and　gleaming　gold；　with　flashing　jewels　and　sword　hilts；　a　gallant　sight　on　that　bright　summer　day。

Then　all　the　people　arose　and　shouted；　so　that　their　voices　sounded　like　the　storm　upon　the　Cornish　coast；　when　the　dark　waves　run　upon　the　shore　and　leap　and　break；　surging　amid　the　rocks；　so；　amid　the　roaring　and　the　surging　of　the　people；　and　the　waving　of　scarfs　and　kerchiefs；　the　King　and　Queen　came　to　their　place；　and；　getting　down　from　their　horses；　mounted　the　broad　stairs　that　led　to　the　raised　platform；　and　there　took　their　seats　on　two　thrones　bedecked　with　purple　silks　and　cloths　of　silver　and　of　gold。

When　all　was　quiet　a　bugle　sounded；　and　straightway　the　archers　came　marching　in　order　from　their　tents。　　Fortyscore　they　were　in　all；　as　stalwart　a　band　of　yeomen　as　could　be　found　in　all　the　wide　world。　So　they　came　in　orderly　fashion　and　stood　in　front　of　the　dais　where　King　Henry　and　his　Queen　sat。　　King　Henry　looked　up　and　down　their　ranks　right　proudly；　for　his　heart　warmed　within　him　at　the　sight　of　such　a　gallant　band　of　yeomen。　　Then　he　bade　his　herald　Sir　Hugh　de　Mowbray　stand　forth　and　proclaim　the　rules　governing　the　game。　So　Sir　Hugh　stepped　to　the　edge　of　the　platform　and　spoke　in　a　loud　clear　voice；　and　thus　he　said：

That　each　man　should　shoot　seven　arrows　at　the　target　that　belonged　to　his　band；　and；　of　the　fourscore　yeomen　of　each　band；　the　three　that　shot　the　best　should　be　chosen。　　These　three　should　shoot　three　arrows　apiece；　and　the　one　that　shot　the　best　should　again　be　chosen。　Then　each　of　these　should　again　shoot　three　arrows　apiece；　and　the　one　that　shot　the　best　should　have　the　first　prize；　the　one　that　shot　the　next　best　should　have　the　second；　and　the　one　that　shot　the　next　best　should　have　the　third　prize。　Each　of　the　others　should　have　fourscore　silver　pennies　for　his　shooting。　The　first　prize　was　to　be　twoscore　and　ten　golden　pounds；　a　silver　bugle　horn　inlaid　with　gold；　and　a　quiver　with　ten　white　arrows　tipped　with　gold　and　feathered　with　the　white　swan's…wing　therein。　The　second　prize　was　to　be　fivescore　of　the　fattest　bucks　that　run　on　Dallen　Lea；　to　be　shot　when　the　yeoman　that　won　them　chose。　The　third　prize　was　to　be　two　tuns　of　good　Rhenish　wine。

So　Sir　Hugh　spoke；　and　when　he　had　done　all　the　archers　waved　their　bows　aloft　and　shouted。　　Then　each　band　turned　and　marched　in　order　back　to　its　place。

And　now　the　shooting　began；　the　captains　first　taking　stand　and　speeding　their　shafts　and　then　making　room　for　the　men　who　shot；　each　in　turn；　after　them。　　Two　hundred　and　eighty　score　shafts　were　shot　in　all；　and　so　deftly　were　they　sped　that　when　the　shooting　was　done　each　target　looked　like　the　back　of　a　hedgehog　when　the　farm　dog　snuffs　at　it。　A　long　time　was　taken　in　this　shooting；　and　when　it　was　over　the　judges　came　forward；　looked　carefully　at　the　targets；　and　proclaimed　in　a　loud　voice　which　three　had　shot　the　best　from　the　separate　bands。　Then　a　great　hubbub　of　voices　arose；　each　man　among　the　crowd　that　looked　on　calling　for　his　favorite　archer。　　Then　ten　fresh　targets　were　brought　forward；　and　every　sound　was　hushed　as　the　archers　took　their　places　once　more。

This　time　the　shooting　was　more　speedily　done；　for　only　nine　shafts　were　shot　by　each　band。　　Not　an　arrow　missed　the　targets；　but　in　that　of　Gilbert　of　the　White　Hand　five　arrows　were　in　the　small　white　spot　that　marked　the　center；　of　these　five　three　were　sped　by　Gilbert。　　Then　the　judges　came　forward　again；　and　looking　at　the　targets；　called　aloud　the　names　of　the　archer　chosen　as　the　best　bowman　of　each　band。　　Of　these　Gilbert　of　the　White　Hand　led；　for　six　of　the　ten　arrows　he　had　shot　had　lodged　in　the　center；　but　stout　Tepus　and　young　Clifton　trod　close　upon　his　heels；　yet　the　others　stood　a　fair　chance　for　the　second　or　third　place。

And　now；　amid　the　roaring　of　the　crowd；　those　ten　stout　fellows　that　were　left　went　back　to　their　tents　to　rest　for　a　while　and　change　their　bowstrings；　for　nought　must　fail　at　this　next　round；　and　no　hand　must　tremble　or　eye　grow　dim　because　of　weariness。

Then　while　the　deep　buzz　and　hum　of　talking　sounded　all　around　like　the　noise　of　the　wind　in　the　leafy　forest；　Queen　Eleanor　turned　to　the　King；　and　quoth　she；　〃Thinkest　thou　that　these　yeomen　so　chosen　are　the　very　best　archers　in　all　merry　England？〃

〃Yea；　truly；〃　said　the　King；　smiling；　for　he　was　well　pleased　with　the　sport　that　he　had　seen；　〃and　I　tell　thee；　that　not　only　are　they　the　best　archers　in　all　merry　England；　but　in　all　the　wide　world　beside。〃

〃But　what　wouldst　thou　say；〃　quoth　Queen　Eleanor；　〃if　I　were　to　find　three　archers　to　match　the　best　three　yeomen　of　all　thy　guard？〃

〃I　would　say　thou　hast　done　what　I　could　not　do；〃　said　the　King；　laughing；　〃for　I　tell　thee　there　lives　not　in　all　the　world　three　archers　to　match　Tepus　and　Gilbert　and　Clifton　of　Buckinghamshire。〃

〃Now；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃I　know　of　three　yeomen；　and　in　truth　I　have　see