the merry adventures of robin hood-第58章

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…being　of　Robin　Hood；　but　because　he　would　save　his　lord's　honor　if　he　could。　　Thus　it　came　about　that　when；　after　a　while；　the　yeomen　of　the　guard　went　to　the　archery　field；　they　found　not　Robin　and　the　others；　and　so　got　no　cakes　at　that　fair。

The　afternoon　was　already　well…nigh　gone　when　Robin　Hood；　Little　John；　Will；　and　Allan　set　forth　upon　their　homeward　way；　trudging　along　merrily　through　the　yellow　slanting　light；　which　speedily　changed　to　rosy　red　as　the　sun　sank　low　in　the　heavens。　　The　shadows　grew　long；　and　finally　merged　into　the　grayness　of　the　mellow　twilight。　The　dusty　highway　lay　all　white　betwixt　the　dark　hedgerows；　and　along　it　walked　four　fellows　like　four　shadows；　the　pat　of　their　feet　sounding　loud；　and　their　voices；　as　they　talked；　ringing　clear　upon　the　silence　of　the　air。　The　great　round　moon　was　floating　breathlessly　up　in　the　eastern　sky　when　they　saw　before　them　the　twinkling　lights　of　Barnet　Town；　some　ten　or　twelve　miles　from　London。　　Down　they　walked　through　the　stony　streets　and　past　the　cosy　houses　with　overhanging　gables；　before　the　doors　of　which　sat　the　burghers　and　craftsmen　in　the　mellow　moonlight；　with　their　families　about　them；　and　so　came　at　last；　on　the　other　side　of　the　hamlet；　to　a　little　inn；　all　shaded　with　roses　and　woodbines。　Before　this　inn　Robin　Hood　stopped；　for　the　spot　pleased　him　well。　Quoth　he；　〃Here　will　we　take　up　our　inn　and　rest　for　the　night；　for　we　are　well　away　from　London　Town　and　our　King's　wrath。　Moreover；　if　I　mistake　not；　we　will　find　sweet　faring　within。　What　say　ye；　lads？〃

〃In　sooth；　good　master；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃thy　bidding　and　my　doing　ever　fit　together　like　cakes　and　ale。　Let　us　in；　I　say　also。〃

Then　up　spake　Will　Scarlet：　　〃I　am　ever　ready　to　do　what　thou　sayest；　uncle；　yet　I　could　wish　that　we　were　farther　upon　our　way　ere　we　rest　for　the　night。　Nevertheless；　if　thou　thinkest　best；　let　us　in　for　the　night；　say　I　also。〃

So　in　they　went　and　called　for　the　best　that　the　place　afforded。　Then　a　right　good　feast　was　set　before　them；　with　two　stout　bottles　of　old　sack　to　wash　it　down　withal。　　These　things　were　served　by　as　plump　and　buxom　a　lass　as　you　could　find　in　all　the　land；　so　that　Little　John；　who　always　had　an　eye　for　a　fair　lass；　even　when　meat　and　drink　were　by；　stuck　his　arms　akimbo　and　fixed　his　eyes　upon　her；　winking　sweetly　whenever　he　saw　her　looking　toward　him。　Then　you　should　have　seen　how　the　lass　twittered　with　laughter；　and　how　she　looked　at　Little　John　out　of　the　corners　of　her　eyes；　a　dimple　coming　in　either　cheek；　for　the　fellow　had　always　a　taking　way　with　the　womenfolk。

So　the　feast　passed　merrily；　and　never　had　that　inn　seen　such　lusty　feeders　as　these　four　stout　fellows；　but　at　last　they　were　done　their　eating；　though　it　seemed　as　though　they　never　would　have　ended；　and　sat　loitering　over　the　sack。　As　they　so　sat；　the　landlord　came　in　of　a　sudden；　and　said　that　there　was　one　at　the　door；　a　certain　young　esquire；　Richard　Partington；　of　the　Queen's　household；　who　wished　to　see　the　lad　in　blue；　and　speak　with　him；　without　loss　of　time。　So　Robin　arose　quickly；　and；　bidding　the　landlord　not　to　follow　him；　left　the　others　gazing　at　one　another；　and　wondering　what　was　about　to　happen。

When　Robin　came　out　of　the　inn；　he　found　young　Richard　Partington　sitting　upon　his　horse　in　the　white　moonlight；　awaiting　his　coming。

〃What　news　bearest　thou；　Sir　Page？〃　said　Robin。　　〃I　trust　that　it　is　not　of　an　ill　nature。〃

〃Why；〃　said　young　Partington；　〃for　the　matter　of　that；　it　is　ill　enow。　The　King　hath　been　bitterly　stirred　up　against　thee　by　that　vile　Bishop　of　Hereford。　　He　sent　to　arrest　thee　at　the　archery　butts　at　Finsbury　Fields；　but　not　finding　thee　there；　he　hath　gathered　together　his　armed　men；　fiftyscore　and　more；　and　is　sending　them　in　haste　along　this　very　road　to　Sherwood；　either　to　take　thee　on　the　way　or　to　prevent　thy　getting　back　to　the　woodlands　again。　He　hath　given　the　Bishop　of　Hereford　command　over　all　these　men；　and　thou　knowest　what　thou　hast　to　expect　of　the　Bishop　of　Hereford　short　shrift　and　a　long　rope。　　Two　bands　of　horsemen　are　already　upon　the　road；　not　far　behind　me；　so　thou　hadst　best　get　thee　gone　from　this　place　straightway；　for；　if　thou　tarriest　longer；　thou　art　like　to　sleep　this　night　in　a　cold　dungeon。　This　word　the　Queen　hath　bidden　me　bring　to　thee。〃

〃Now；　Richard　Partington；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃this　is　the　second　time　that　thou　hast　saved　my　life；　and　if　the　proper　time　ever　cometh　I　will　show　thee　that　Robin　Hood　never　forgets　these　things。　As　for　that　Bishop　of　Hereford；　if　I　ever　catch　him　nigh　to　Sherwood　again；　things　will　be　like　to　go　ill　with　him。　Thou　mayst　tell　the　good　Queen　that　I　will　leave　this　place　without　delay；　and　will　let　the　landlord　think　that　we　are　going　to　Saint　Albans；　but　when　we　are　upon　the　highroad　again；　I　will　go　one　way　through　the　country　and　will　send　my　men　the　other；　so　that　if　one　falleth　into　the　King's　hands　the　others　may　haply　escape。　　We　will　go　by　devious　ways；　and　so；　I　hope；　will　reach　Sherwood　in　safety。　And　now；　Sir　Page；　I　wish　thee　farewell。〃

〃Farewell；　thou　bold　yeoman；〃　said　young　Partington；　〃and　mayst　thou　reach　thy　hiding　in　safety。〃　　So　each　shook　the　other's　hand；　and　the　lad；　turning　his　horse's　head；　rode　back　toward　London；　while　Robin　entered　the　inn　once　more。

There　he　found　his　yeomen　sitting　in　silence；　waiting　his　coming；　likewise　the　landlord　was　there；　for　he　was　curious　to　know　what　Master　Partington　had　to　do　with　the　fellow　in　blue。　　〃Up；　my　merry　men！〃　quoth　Robin；　〃this　is　no　place　for　us；　for　those　are　after　us　with　whom　we　will　stand　but　an　ill　chance　an　we　fall　into　their　hands。　So　we　will　go　forward　once　more；　nor　will　we　stop　this　night　till　we　reach　Saint　Albans。〃　　Hereupon；　taking　out　his　purse；　he　paid　the　landlord　his　score；　and　so　they　left　the　inn。

When　they　had　come　to　the　highroad　without　the　town；　Robin　stopped　and　told　them　all　that　had　passed　between　young　Partington　and　himself；　and　how　that　the　King's　men　were　after　them　with　hot　heels。　Then　he　told　them　that　here　they　should　part　company；　they　three　going　to　the　eastward　and　he　to　the　westward；　and　so；　skirting　the　main　highroads；　would　come　by　devious　paths　to　Sherwood。　　〃So；　be　ye　wily；〃　said　Robin　Hood；　〃and　keep　well　away　from　the　northward　roads　till　ye　have　gotten　well　to　the　eastward。　　And　thou；　Will　Scarlet；　take　the　lead　of　the　others；　for　thou　hast　a　cunning　turn　to　thy　wits。〃　Then　Robin　kissed　the　three　upon　the　cheeks；　and　they　kissed　him；　and　so　they　parted　company。

Not　long　after　this；　a　score　or　more　of　the　King's　men　came　clattering　up　to　the　door　of　the　inn　at　Barnet　Town。　　Here　they　leaped　from　their　horses　and　quickly　surrounded　the　place；　the　leader　of　the　band　and　four　others　entering　the　room　where　the　yeomen　had　been。　But　they　found　that　their　birds　had　flown　again；　and　that　the　King　had　been　balked　a　second　time。

〃Methought　that　they　were　naughty　fellows；〃　said　the　host；　when　he　heard　whom　the　men…at…arms　sought。　　〃But　I　heard　that　blue…clad　knave　say　that　they　would　go　straight　forward　to　Saint　Albans；　so；　an　ye　hurry　forward；　ye　may；　perchance；　catch　them　on　the　highroad　betwixt　here　and　there。〃　For　this　news　the　leader　of　the　band　thanked　mine　host　right　heartily；　and；　calling　his　men　together；　mounted　and　set　forth　again；　galloping　forward　to　Saint　Albans　upon　a　wild　goose　chase。

After　Little　John　and　Will　Scarlet　and　Allan　a　Dale　had　left　the　highway　near　garnet；　they　traveled　toward　the　eastward；　without　stopping；　as　long　as　their　legs　could　carry　them；　until　they　came　to　Chelmsford；　in　Essex。　　Thence　they　turned　northward；　and　came　through　Cambridge　and　Lincolnshire；　to　the　good　town　of　Gainsborough。　　Then；　striking　to　the　westward　and　the　south；　they　came　at　last　to　the　northern　borders　of　Sherwood　Forest；　without　in　all　that　time　having　met　so　much　as　a　single　band　of　the　King's　men。　　Eight　days　they　journeyed　thus　ere　they　reached　the　woodlands　in　safety；　but　when　they　got　to　the　greenwood　glade；　they　found　that　Robin　had　not　yet　returned。

For　Robin　was　not　as　lucky　in　getting　back　as　his　men　had　been；　as　you　shall　presently　hear。

After　having　left　the　great　northern　road；　he　turned　his　face　to　the　w