the merry adventures of robin hood-第55章

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〃Now；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃I　know　of　three　yeomen；　and　in　truth　I　have　seen　them　not　long　since；　that　I　would　not　fear　to　match　against　any　three　that　thou　canst　choose　from　among　all　thy　fortyscore　archers；　and；　moreover；　I　will　match　them　here　this　very　day。　But　I　will　only　match　them　with　thy　archers　providing　that　thou　wilt　grant　a　free　pardon　to　all　that　may　come　in　my　behalf。〃

At　this；　the　King　laughed　loud　and　long。　　〃Truly；〃　said　he；　〃thou　art　taking　up　with　strange　matters　for　a　queen。　If　thou　wilt　bring　those　three　fellows　that　thou　speakest　of；　I　will　promise　faithfully　to　give　them　free　pardon　for　forty　days；　to　come　or　to　go　wheresoever　they　please；　nor　will　I　harm　a　hair　of　their　heads　in　all　that　time。　　Moreover；　if　these　that　thou　bringest　shoot　better　than　my　yeomen；　man　for　man；　they　shall　have　the　prizes　for　themselves　according　to　their　shooting。　But　as　thou　hast　so　taken　up　of　a　sudden　with　sports　of　this　kind；　hast　thou　a　mind　for　a　wager？〃

〃Why；　in　sooth；〃　said　Queen　Eleanor；　laughing；　〃I　know　nought　of　such　matters；　but　if　thou　hast　a　mind　to　do　somewhat　in　that　way；　I　will　strive　to　pleasure　thee。　　What　wilt　thou　wager　upon　thy　men？〃

Then　the　merry　King　laughed　again；　for　he　dearly　loved　goodly　jest；　so　he　said；　amidst　his　laughter；　〃I　will　wager　thee　ten　tuns　of　Rhenish　wine；　ten　tuns　of　the　stoutest　ale；　and　tenscore　bows　of　tempered　Spanish　yew；　with　quivers　and　arrows　to　match。〃

All　that　stood　around　smiled　at　this；　for　it　seemed　a　merry　wager　for　a　king　to　give　to　a　queen；　but　Queen　Eleanor　bowed　her　head　quietly。　〃I　will　take　thy　wager；〃　said　she；　〃for　I　know　right　well　where　to　place　those　things　that　thou　hast　spoken　of。　　Now；　who　will　be　on　my　side　in　this　matter？〃　　And　she　looked　around　upon　them　that　stood　about；　but　no　one　spake　or　cared　to　wager　upon　the　Queen's　side　against　such　archers　as　Tepus　and　Gilbert　and　Clifton。　　Then　the　Queen　spoke　again；　〃Now；　who　will　back　me　in　this　wager？　　Wilt　thou；　my　Lord　Bishop　of　Hereford？〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　the　Bishop　hastily；　〃it　ill　befits　one　of　my　cloth　to　deal　in　such　matters。　　Moreover；　there　are　no　such　archers　as　His　Majesty's　in　all　the　world；　therefore　I　would　but　lose　my　money。

〃Methinks　the　thought　of　thy　gold　weigheth　more　heavily　with　thee　than　the　wrong　to　thy　cloth；〃　said　the　Queen；　smiling；　and　at　this　a　ripple　of　laughter　went　around；　for　everyone　knew　how　fond　the　Bishop　was　of　his　money。　Then　the　Queen　turned　to　a　knight　who　stood　near；　whose　name　was　Sir　Robert　Lee。　　〃Wilt　thou　back　me　in　this　manner？〃　said　she。　〃Thou　art　surely　rich　enough　to　risk　so　much　for　the　sake　of　a　lady。〃

〃To　pleasure　my　Queen　I　will　do　it；〃　said　Sir　Robert　Lee；　〃but　for　the　sake　of　no　other　in　all　the　world　would　I　wager　a　groat；　for　no　man　can　stand　against　Tepus　and　Gilbert　and　Clifton。〃

Then　turning　to　the　King；　Queen　Eleanor　said；　〃I　want　no　such　aid　as　Sir　Robert　giveth　me；　but　against　thy　wine　and　beer　and　stout　bows　of　yew　I　wager　this　girdle　all　set　with　jewels　from　around　my　waist；　and　surely　that　is　worth　more　than　thine。〃

〃Now；　I　take　thy　wager；〃　quoth　the　King。　　〃Send　for　thy　archers　straightway。　But　here　come　forth　the　others；　let　them　shoot；　and　then　I　will　match　those　that　win　against　all　the　world。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　the　Queen。　　Thereupon；　beckoning　to　young　Richard　Partington；　she　whispered　something　in　his　ear；　and　straightway　the　Page　bowed　and　left　the　place；　crossing　the　meadow　to　the　other　side　of　the　range；　where　he　was　presently　lost　in　the　crowd。　At　this；　all　that　stood　around　whispered　to　one　another；　wondering　what　it　all　meant；　and　what　three　men　the　Queen　was　about　to　set　against　those　famous　archers　of　the　King's　guard。

And　now　the　ten　archers　of　the　King's　guard　took　their　stand　again；　and　all　the　great　crowd　was　hushed　to　the　stillness　of　death。　Slowly　and　carefully　each　man　shot　his　shafts；　and　so　deep　was　the　silence　that　you　could　hear　every　arrow　rap　against　the　target　as　it　struck　it。　　Then；　when　the　last　shaft　had　sped；　a　great　roar　went　up；　and　the　shooting；　I　wot；　was　well　worthy　of　the　sound。　Once　again　Gilbert　had　lodged　three　arrows　in　the　white；　Tepus　came　second　with　two　in　the　white　and　one　in　the　black　ring　next　to　it；　but　stout　Clifton　had　gone　down　and　Hubert　of　Suffolk　had　taken　the　third　place；　for；　while　both　those　two　good　yeomen　had　lodged　two　in　the　white；　Clifton　had　lost　one　shot　upon　the　fourth　ring；　and　Hubert　came　in　with　one　in　the　third。

All　the　archers　around　Gilbert's　booth　shouted　for　joy　till　their　throats　were　hoarse；　tossing　their　caps　aloft；　and　shaking　hands　with　one　another。

In　the　midst　of　all　the　noise　and　hubbub　five　men　came　walking　across　the　lawn　toward　the　King's　pavilion。　　The　first　was　Richard　Partington；　and　was　known　to　most　folk　there；　but　the　others　were　strange　to　everybody。　Beside　young　Partington　walked　a　yeoman　clad　in　blue；　and　behind　came　three　others；　two　in　Lincoln　green　and　one　in　scarlet。　This　last　yeoman　carried　three　stout　bows　of　yew　tree；　two　fancifully　inlaid　with　silver　and　one　with　gold。　　While　these　five　men　came　walking　across　the　meadow；　a　messenger　came　running　from　the　King's　booth　and　summoned　Gilbert　and　Tepus　and　Hubert　to　go　with　him。　And　now　the　shouting　quickly　ceased；　for　all　saw　that　something　unwonted　was　toward；　so　the　folk　stood　up　in　their　places　and　leaned　forward　to　see　what　was　the　ado。

When　Partington　and　the　others　came　before　the　spot　where　the　King　and　Queen　sat；　the　four　yeomen　bent　their　knees　and　doffed　their　caps　unto　her。　King　Henry　leaned　far　forward　and　stared　at　them　closely；　but　the　Bishop　of　Hereford；　when　he　saw　their　faces；　started　as　though　stung　by　a　wasp。　He　opened　his　mouth　as　though　about　to　speak；　but；　looking　up；　he　saw　the　Queen　gazing　at　him　with　a　smile　upon　her　lips；　so　he　said　nothing；　but　bit　his　nether　lip；　while　his　face　was　as　red　as　a　cherry。

Then　the　Queen　leaned　forward　and　spake　in　a　clear　voice。　〃Locksley；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　made　a　wager　with　the　King　that　thou　and　two　of　thy　men　can　outshoot　any　three　that　he　can　send　against　you。　Wilt　thou　do　thy　best　for　my　sake？〃

〃Yea；〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　to　whom　she　spake；　〃I　will　do　my　best　for　thy　sake；　and；　if　I　fail；　I　make　my　vow　never　to　finger　bowstring　more。〃

Now；　although　Little　John　had　been　somewhat　abashed　in　the　Queen's　bower；　he　felt　himself　the　sturdy　fellow　he　was　when　the　soles　of　his　feet　pressed　green　grass　again；　so　he　said　boldly；　〃Now；　blessings　on　thy　sweet　face；　say　I。　An　there　lived　a　man　that　would　not　do　his　best　for　theeI　will　say　nought；　only　I　would　like　to　have　the　cracking　of　his　knave's　pate！

〃Peace；　Little　John！〃　said　Robin　Hood　hastily；　in　a　low　voice；　but　good　Queen　Eleanor　laughed　aloud；　and　a　ripple　of　merriment　sounded　all　over　the　booth。

The　Bishop　of　Hereford　did　not　laugh；　neither　did　the　King；　but　he　turned　to　the　Queen；　and　quoth　he；　〃Who　are　these　men　that　thou　hast　brought　before　us？〃

Then　up　spoke　the　Bishop　hastily；　for　he　could　hold　his　peace　no　longer：　〃Your　Majesty；〃　quoth　he；　〃yon　fellow　in　blue　is　a　certain　outlawed　thief　of　the　mid…country；　named　Robin　Hood；　yon　tall；　strapping　villain　goeth　by　the　name　of　Little　John；　the　other　fellow　in　green　is　a　certain　backsliding　gentleman；　known　as　Will　Scarlet；　the　man　in　red　is　a　rogue　of　a　northern　minstrel；　named　Allan　a　Dale。〃

At　this　speech　the　King's　brows　drew　together　blackly；　and　he　turned　to　the　Queen。　　〃Is　this　true？〃　said　he　sternly。

〃Yea；〃　said　the　Queen；　smiling；　〃the　Bishop　hath　told　the　truth；　and　truly　he　should　know　them　well；　for　he　and　two　of　his　friars　spent　three　days　in　merry　sport　with　Robin　Hood　in　Sherwood　Forest。　　I　did　little　think　that　the　good　Bishop　would　so　betray　his　friends。　But　bear　in　mind　that　thou　hast　pledged　thy　promise　for　the　safety　of　these　good　yeomen　for　forty　days。〃

〃I　will　keep　my　promise；〃　said　the　King；　in　a　deep　voice　that　showed　the　anger　in　his　heart；　〃but　when　these　forty　days　are　gone　let　this　outlaw　look　to　himself；　for　mayhap　things　will　not　go　so　smoothly　with　him　as　he　would　like。〃　Then　he　turned　to　his　archers；　who　stood　near　the　Sherwood　yeomen；　listening　and　wondering　at　all　that　passed。　　Quoth　he；　〃Gilbert；　and　thou；　Tepus；　and　thou；　Hubert；　I　have　pledge