the merry adventures of robin hood-第62章

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〃Yea；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　do　know　right　well　that　the　King　seeks　me；　and　therefore　I　have　come；　for；　surely；　no　ill　can　befall　me　when　he　hath　pledged　his　royal　word　to　Your　Majesty　for　my　safety。　Moreover；　I　know　Your　Majesty's　kindness　and　gentleness　of　heart；　and　so　I　lay　my　life　freely　in　your　gracious　hands。〃

〃I　take　thy　meaning；　Robin　Hood；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃and　that　thou　dost　convey　reproach　to　me；　as　well　thou　mayst；　for　I　know　that　I　have　not　done　by　thee　as　I　ought　to　have　done。　I　know　right　well　that　thou　must　have　been　hard　pressed　by　peril　to　leap　so　boldly　into　one　danger　to　escape　another。　Once　more　I　promise　thee　mine　aid；　and　will　do　all　I　can　to　send　thee　back　in　safety　to　Sherwood　Forest。　　Bide　thou　here　till　I　return。〃　So　saying；　she　left　Robin　in　the　garden　of　roses；　and　was　gone　a　long　time。

When　she　came　back　Sir　Robert　Lee　was　with　her；　and　the　Queen's　cheeks　were　hot　and　the　Queen's　eyes　were　bright；　as　though　she　had　been　talking　with　high　words。　　Then　Sir　Robert　came　straight　forward　to　where　Robin　Hood　stood；　and　he　spoke　to　the　yeoman　in　a　cold；　stern　voice。　Quoth　he；　〃Our　gracious　Sovereign　the　King　hath　mitigated　his　wrath　toward　thee；　fellow；　and　hath　once　more　promised　that　thou　shalt　depart　in　peace　and　safety。　　Not　only　hath　he　promised　this；　but　in　three　days　he　will　send　one　of　his　pages　to　go　with　thee　and　see　that　none　arrest　thy　journey　back　again。　　Thou　mayst　thank　thy　patron　saint　that　thou　hast　such　a　good　friend　in　our　noble　Queen；　for；　but　for　her　persuasion　and　arguments；　thou　hadst　been　a　dead　man；　I　can　tell　thee。　Let　this　peril　that　thou　hast　passed　through　teach　thee　two　lessons。　First；　be　more　honest。　　Second；　be　not　so　bold　in　thy　comings　and　goings。　A　man　that　walketh　in　the　darkness　as　thou　dost　may　escape　for　a　time；　but　in　the　end　he　will　surely　fall　into　the　pit。　　Thou　hast　put　thy　head　in　the　angry　lion's　mouth；　and　yet　thou　hast　escaped　by　a　miracle。　Try　it　not　again。〃　　So　saying；　he　turned　and　left　Robin　and　was　gone。

For　three　days　Robin　abided　in　London　in　the　Queen's　household；　and　at　the　end　of　that　time　the　King's　head　Page；　Edward　Cunningham；　came；　and　taking　Robin　with　him；　departed　northward　upon　his　way　to　Sherwood。　　Now　and　then　they　passed　bands　of　the　King's　men　coming　back　again　to　London；　but　none　of　those　bands　stopped　them；　and　so；　at　last；　they　reached　the　sweet；　leafy　woodlands。



Robin　Hood　and　Guy　of　Gisbourne

A　LONG　TIME　passed　after　the　great　shooting　match；　and　during　that　time　Robin　followed　one　part　of　the　advice　of　Sir　Robert　Lee；　to　wit；　that　of　being　less　bold　in　his　comings　and　his　goings；　for　though　mayhap　he　may　not　have　been　more　honest　（as　most　folks　regard　honesty）；　he　took　good　care　not　to　travel　so　far　from　Sherwood　that　he　could　not　reach　it　both　easily　and　quickly。

Great　changes　had　fallen　in　this　time；　for　King　Henry　had　died　and　King　Richard　had　come　to　the　crown　that　fitted　him　so　well　through　many　hard　trials；　and　through　adventures　as　stirring　as　any　that　ever　befell　Robin　Hood。　　But　though　great　changes　came；　they　did　not　reach　to　Sherwood's　shades；　for　there　Robin　Hood　and　his　men　dwelled　as　merrily　as　they　had　ever　done；　with　hunting　and　feasting　and　singing　and　blithe　woodland　sports；　for　it　was　little　the　outside　striving　of　the　world　troubled　them。

The　dawning　of　a　summer's　day　was　fresh　and　bright；　and　the　birds　sang　sweetly　in　a　great　tumult　of　sound。　So　loud　was　their　singing　that　it　awakened　Robin　Hood　where　he　lay　sleeping；　so　that　he　stirred；　and　turned；　and　arose。　Up　rose　Little　John　also；　and　all　the　merry　men；　then；　after　they　had　broken　their　fast；　they　set　forth　hither　and　thither　upon　the　doings　of　the　day。

Robin　Hood　and　Little　John　walked　down　a　forest　path　where　all　around　the　leaves　danced　and　twinkled　as　the　breeze　trembled　through　them　and　the　sunlight　came　flickering　down。　Quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃I　make　my　vow；　Little　John；　my　blood　tickles　my　veins　as　it　flows　through　them　this　gay　morn。　What　sayst　thou　to　our　seeking　adventures；　each　one　upon　his　own　account？〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　Little　John。　　〃We　have　had　more　than　one　pleasant　doing　in　that　way；　good　master。　Here　are　two　paths；　take　thou　the　one　to　the　right　hand；　and　I　will　take　the　one　to　the　left；　and　then　let　us　each　walk　straight　ahead　till　he　tumble　into　some　merry　doing　or　other。〃

〃I　like　thy　plan；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃therefore　we　will　part　here。　But　look　thee；　Little　John；　keep　thyself　out　of　mischief；　for　I　would　not　have　ill　befall　thee　for　all　the　world。〃

〃Marry；　come　up；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃how　thou　talkest！　Methinks　thou　art　wont　to　get　thyself　into　tighter　coils　than　I　am　like　to　do。〃

At　this　Robin　Hood　laughed。　　〃Why；　in　sooth；　Little　John；〃　said　he；　〃thou　hast　a　blundering　hard…headed　way　that　seemeth　to　bring　thee　right　side　uppermost　in　all　thy　troubles；　but　let　us　see　who　cometh　out　best　this　day。〃　　So　saying；　he　clapped　his　palm　to　Little　John's　and　each　departed　upon　his　way；　the　trees　quickly　shutting　the　one　from　the　other's　sight。

Robin　Hood　strolled　onward　till　he　came　to　where　a　broad　woodland　road　stretched　before　him。　　Overhead　the　branches　of　the　trees　laced　together　in　flickering　foliage；　all　golden　where　it　grew　thin　to　the　sunlight；　beneath　his　feet　the　ground　was　soft　and　moist　from　the　sheltering　shade。　Here　in　this　pleasant　spot　the　sharpest　adventure　that　ever　befell　Robin　Hood　came　upon　him；　for；　as　he　walked　down　the　woodland　path　thinking　of　nought　but　the　songs　of　the　birds；　he　came　of　a　sudden　to　where　a　man　was　seated　upon　the　mossy　roots　beneath　the　shade　of　a　broad…spreading　oak　tree。　Robin　Hood　saw　that　the　stranger　had　not　caught　sight　of　him；　so　he　stopped　and　stood　quite　still；　looking　at　the　other　a　long　time　before　he　came　forward。　　And　the　stranger；　I　wot；　was　well　worth　looking　at；　for　never　had　Robin　seen　a　figure　like　that　sitting　beneath　the　tree。　From　his　head　to　his　feet　he　was　clad　in　a　horse's　hide；　dressed　with　the　hair　upon　it。　　Upon　his　head　was　a　cowl　that　hid　his　face　from　sight；　and　which　was　made　of　the　horse's　skin；　the　ears　whereof　stuck　up　like　those　of　a　rabbit。　　His　body　was　clad　in　a　jacket　made　of　the　hide；　and　his　legs　were　covered　with　the　hairy　skin　likewise。　By　his　side　was　a　heavy　broadsword　and　a　sharp；　double…edged　dagger。　A　quiver　of　smooth　round　arrows　hung　across　his　shoulders；　and　his　stout　bow　of　yew　leaned　against　the　tree　beside　him。

〃Halloa；　friend；〃　cried　Robin；　coming　forward　at　last；　〃who　art　thou　that　sittest　there？　　And　what　is　that　that　thou　hast　upon　thy　body？　I　make　my　vow　I　ha'　never　seen　such　a　sight　in　all　my　life　before。　Had　I　done　an　evil　thing；　or　did　my　conscience　trouble　me；　I　would　be　afraid　of　thee；　thinking　that　thou　wast　someone　from　down　below　bringing　a　message　bidding　me　come　straightway　to　King　Nicholas。〃

To　this　speech　the　other　answered　not　a　word；　but　he　pushed　the　cowl　back　from　his　head　and　showed　a　knit　brow；　a　hooked　nose；　and　a　pair　of　fierce；　restless　black　eyes；　which　altogether　made　Robin　think　of　a　hawk　as　he　looked　on　his　face。　　But　beside　this　there　was　something　about　the　lines　on　the　stranger's　face；　and　his　thin　cruel　mouth；　and　the　hard　glare　of　his　eyes；　that　made　one's　flesh　creep　to　look　upon。

〃Who　art　thou；　rascal？〃　said　he　at　last；　in　a　loud；　harsh　voice。

〃Tut；　tut；〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　〃speak　not　so　sourly；　brother。　Hast　thou　fed　upon　vinegar　and　nettles　this　morning　that　thy　speech　is　so　stinging？〃

〃An　thou　likest　not　my　words；〃　said　the　other　fiercely；　〃thou　hadst　best　be　jogging；　for　I　tell　thee　plainly；　my　deeds　match　them。〃

〃Nay；　but　I　do　like　thy　words；　thou　sweet；　pretty　thing；〃　quoth　Robin；　squatting　down　upon　the　grass　in　front　of　the　other。　〃Moreover；　I　tell　thee　thy　speech　is　witty　and　gamesome　as　any　I　ever　heard　in　all　my　life。〃

The　other　said　not　a　word；　but　he　glared　upon　Robin　with　a　wicked　and　baleful　look；　such　as　a　fierce　dog　bestows　upon　a　man　ere　it　springs　at　his　throat。　Robin　returned　the　gaze　with　one　of　wide…eyed　innocence；　not　a　shadow　of　a　smile　twinkling　in　his　eyes　or　twitching　at　the　corners　of　his　mouth。　So　they　sat　staring　at　one　another　for　a　long　time；　until　the　stranger　broke　the　silence　suddenly。　　〃What　is　thy　name；　fellow？〃　said