the merry adventures of robin hood-第59章

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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　westward；　and　so　came　past　Aylesbury；　to　fair　Woodstock；　in　Oxfordshire。　　Thence　he　turned　his　footsteps　northward；　traveling　for　a　great　distance　by　way　of　Warwick　Town；　till　he　came　to　Dudley；　in　Staffordshire。　　Seven　days　it　took　him　to　journey　thus　far；　and　then　he　thought　he　had　gotten　far　enough　to　the　north；　so；　turning　toward　the　eastward；　shunning　the　main　roads；　and　choosing　byways　and　grassy　lanes；　he　went；　by　way　of　Litchfield　and　Ashby　de　la　Zouch；　toward　Sherwood；　until　he　came　to　a　place　called　Stanton。　　And　now　Robin's　heart　began　to　laugh　aloud；　for　he　thought　that　his　danger　had　gone　by；　and　that　his　nostrils　would　soon　snuff　the　spicy　air　of　the　woodlands　once　again。　　But　there　is　many　a　slip　betwixt　the　cup　and　the　lip；　and　this　Robin　was　to　find。　For　thus　it　was：

When　the　King's　men　found　themselves　foiled　at　Saint　Albans；　and　that　Robin　and　his　men　were　not　to　be　found　high　nor　low；　they　knew　not　what　to　do。　　Presently　another　band　of　horsemen　came；　and　another；　until　all　the　moonlit　streets　were　full　of　armed　men。　Betwixt　midnight　and　dawn　another　band　came　to　the　town；　and　with　them　came　the　Bishop　of　Hereford。　　When　he　heard　that　Robin　Hood　had　once　more　slipped　out　of　the　trap；　he　stayed　not　a　minute；　but；　gathering　his　bands　together；　he　pushed　forward　to　the　northward　with　speed；　leaving　orders　for　all　the　troops　that　came　to　Saint　Albans　to　follow　after　him　without　tarrying。　On　the　evening　of　the　fourth　day　he　reached　Nottingham　Town；　and　there　straightway　divided　his　men　into　bands　of　six　or　seven；　and　sent　them　all　through　the　countryside；　blocking　every　highway　and　byway　to　the　eastward　and　the　southward　and　the　westward　of　Sherwood。　　The　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　called　forth　all　his　men　likewise；　and　joined　with　the　Bishop；　for　he　saw　that　this　was　the　best　chance　that　had　ever　befallen　of　paying　back　his　score　in　full　to　Robin　Hood。　　Will　Scarlet　and　Little　John　and　Allan　a　Dale　had　just　missed　the　King's　men　to　the　eastward；　for　the　very　next　day　after　they　had　passed　the　line　and　entered　Sherwood　the　roads　through　which　they　had　traveled　were　blocked；　so　that；　had　they　tarried　in　their　journeying；　they　would　surely　have　fallen　into　the　Bishop's　hands。

But　of　all　this　Robin　knew　not　a　whit；　so　he　whistled　merrily　as　he　trudged　along　the　road　beyond　Stanton；　with　his　heart　as　free　from　care　as　the　yolk　of　an　egg　is　from　cobwebs。　　At　last　he　came　to　where　a　little　stream　spread　across　the　road　in　a　shallow　sheet；　tinkling　and　sparkling　as　it　fretted　over　its　bed　of　golden　gravel。　Here　Robin　stopped；　being　athirst；　and；　kneeling　down；　he　made　a　cup　of　the　palms　of　his　hands；　and　began　to　drink。　On　either　side　of　the　road；　for　a　long　distance；　stood　tangled　thickets　of　bushes　and　young　trees；　and　it　pleased　Robin's　heart　to　hear　the　little　birds　singing　therein；　for　it　made　him　think　of　Sherwood；　and　it　seemed　as　though　it　had　been　a　lifetime　since　he　had　breathed　the　air　of　the　woodlands。　　But　of　a　sudden；　as　he　thus　stooped；　drinking；　something　hissed　past　his　ear；　and　struck　with　a　splash　into　the　gravel　and　water　beside　him。　Quick　as　a　wink　Robin　sprang　to　his　feet；　and；　at　one　bound；　crossed　the　stream　and　the　roadside；　and　plunged　headlong　into　the　thicket；　without　looking　around；　for　he　knew　right　well　that　that　which　had　hissed　so　venomously　beside　his　ear　was　a　gray　goose　shaft；　and　that　to　tarry　so　much　as　a　moment　meant　death。　Even　as　he　leaped　into　the　thicket　six　more　arrows　rattled　among　the　branches　after　him；　one　of　which　pierced　his　doublet；　and　would　have　struck　deeply　into　his　side　but　for　the　tough　coat　of　steel　that　he　wore。　　Then　up　the　road　came　riding　some　of　the　King's　men　at　headlong　speed。　　They　leaped　from　their　horses　and　plunged　straightway　into　the　thicket　after　Robin。　　But　Robin　knew　the　ground　better　than　they　did；　so　crawling　here；　stooping　there；　and；　anon；　running　across　some　little　open；　he　soon　left　them　far　behind；　coming　out；　at　last；　upon　another　road　about　eight　hundred　paces　distant　from　the　one　he　had　left。　Here　he　stood　for　a　moment；　listening　to　the　distant　shouts　of　the　seven　men　as　they　beat　up　and　down　in　the　thickets　like　hounds　that　had　lost　the　scent　of　the　quarry。　　Then；　buckling　his　belt　more　tightly　around　his　waist；　he　ran　fleetly　down　the　road　toward　the　eastward　and　Sherwood。

But　Robin　had　not　gone　more　than　three　furlongs　in　that　direction　when　he　came　suddenly　to　the　brow　of　a　hill；　and　saw　beneath　him　another　band　of　the　King's　men　seated　in　the　shade　along　the　roadside　in　the　valley　beneath。　　Then　he　paused　not　a　moment；　but；　seeing　that　they　had　not　caught　sight　of　him；　he　turned　and　ran　back　whence　he　had　come；　knowing　that　it　was　better　to　run　the　chance　of　escaping　those　fellows　that　were　yet　in　the　thickets　than　to　rush　into　the　arms　of　those　in　the　valley。　So　back　he　ran　with　all　speed；　and　had　gotten　safely　past　the　thickets；　when　the　seven　men　came　forth　into　the　open　road。　They　raised　a　great　shout　when　they　saw　him；　such　as　the　hunter　gives　when　the　deer　breaks　cover；　but　Robin　was　then　a　quarter　of　a　mile　and　more　away　from　them；　coursing　over　the　ground　like　a　greyhound。　He　never　slackened　his　pace；　but　ran　along；　mile　after　mile；　till　he　had　come




nigh　to　Mackworth；　over　beyond　the　Derwent　River；　nigh　to　Derby　Town。　　Here；　seeing　that　he　was　out　of　present　danger；　he　slackened　in　his　running；　and　at　last　sat　him　down　beneath　a　hedge　where　the　grass　was　the　longest　and　the　shade　the　coolest；　there　to　rest　and　catch　his　wind。　　〃By　my　soul；　Robin；〃　quoth　he　to　himself；　〃that　was　the　narrowest　miss　that　e'er　thou　hadst　in　all　thy　life。　I　do　say　most　solemnly　that　the　feather　of　that　wicked　shaft　tickled　mine　ear　as　it　whizzed　past。　　This　same　running　hath　given　me　a　most　craving　appetite　for　victuals　and　drink。　Now　I　pray　Saint　Dunstan　that　he　send　me　speedily　some　meat　and　beer。〃

It　seemed　as　though　Saint　Dunstan　was　like　to　answer　his　prayer；　for　along　the　road　came　plodding　a　certain　cobbler；　one　Quince；　of　Derby；　who　had　been　to　take　a　pair　of　shoes　to　a　farmer　nigh　Kirk　Langly；　and　was　now　coming　back　home　again；　with　a　fair　boiled　capon　in　his　pouch　and　a　stout　pottle　of　beer　by　his　side；　which　same　the　farmer　had　given　him　for　joy　of　such　a　stout　pair　of　shoon。　Good　Quince　was　an　honest　fellow；　but　his　wits　were　somewhat　of　the　heavy　sort；　like　unbaked　dough；　so　that　the　only　thing　that　was　in　his　mind　was；　〃Three　shillings　sixpence　ha'penny　for　thy　shoon；　good　Quincethree　shillings　sixpence　ha'penny　for　thy　shoon；〃　and　this　traveled　round　and　round　inside　of　his　head；　without　another　thought　getting　into　his　noddle；　as　a　pea　rolls　round　and　round　inside　an　empty　quart　pot。

〃Halloa；　good　friend；〃　quoth　Robin；　from　beneath　the　hedge；　when　the　other　had　gotten　nigh　enough；　〃whither　away　so　merrily　this　bright　day？〃

Hearing　himself　so　called　upon；　the　Cobbler　stopped；　and；　seeing　a　well…clad　stranger　in　blue；　he　spoke　to　him　in　seemly　wise。　〃Give　ye　good　den；　fair　sir；　and　I　would　say　that　I　come　from　Kirk　Langly；　where　I　ha'　sold　my　shoon　and　got　three　shillings　sixpence　ha'penny　for　them　in　as　sweet　money　as　ever　thou　sawest；　and　honestly　earned　too；　I　would　ha'　thee　know。　But　an　I　may　be　so　bold；　thou　pretty　fellow；　what　dost　thou　there　beneath　the　hedge？〃

〃Marry；〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　〃I　sit　beneath　the　hedge　here　to　drop　salt　on　the　tails　of　golden　birds；　but　in　sooth　thou　art　the　first　chick　of　any　worth　I　ha'　seen　this　blessed　day。〃

At　these　words　the　Cobbler's　eyes　opened　big　and　wide；　and　his　mouth　grew　round　with　wonder；　like　a　knothole　in　a　board　fence。　〃slack…a…day；〃　quoth　he；　〃look　ye；　now！　　I　ha'　never　seen　those　same　golden　birds。　　And　dost　thou　in　sooth　find　them　in　these　hedges；　good　fellow？　　Prythee；　tell　me；　are　there　many　of　them？　I　would　fain　find　them　mine　own　self。〃

〃Ay；　truly；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃they　are　as　thick　here　as　fresh　herring　in　Cannock　Chase。〃

〃Look　ye；　now！〃　said　the　Cobbler；　all　drowned　in　wonder。　〃And　dost　thou　in　sooth　catch　them　by　dropping　salt　on　their　pretty　tails？〃

〃Yea；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃but　thi