the merry adventures of robin hood-第63章

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denly。　　〃What　is　thy　name；　fellow？〃　said　he。

〃Now；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　am　right　glad　to　hear　thee　speak；　for　I　began　to　fear　the　sight　of　me　had　stricken　thee　dumb。　As　for　my　name；　it　may　be　this　or　it　may　be　that；　but　methinks　it　is　more　meet　for　thee　to　tell　me　thine；　seeing　that　thou　art　the　greater　stranger　in　these　parts。　　Prythee；　tell　me；　sweet　chuck；　why　wearest　thou　that　dainty　garb　upon　thy　pretty　body？〃　At　these　words　the　other　broke　into　a　short；　harsh　roar　of　laughter。　〃By　the　bones　of　the　Daemon　Odin；〃　said　he；　〃thou　art　the　boldest…spoken　man　that　ever　I　have　seen　in　all　my　life。　I　know　not　why　I　do　not　smite　thee　down　where　thou　sittest；　for　only　two　days　ago　I　skewered　a　man　over　back　of　Nottingham　Town　for　saying　not　half　so　much　to　me　as　thou　hast　done。　I　wear　this　garb；　thou　fool；　to　keep　my　body　warm；　likewise　it　is　near　as　good　as　a　coat　of　steel　against　a　common　sword…thrust。　As　for　my　name；　I　care　not　who　knoweth　it。　It　is　Guy　of　Gisbourne；　and　thou　mayst　have　heard　it　before。　I　come　from　the　woodlands　over　in　Herefordshire；　upon　the　lands　of　the　Bishop　of　that　ilk。　　I　am　an　outlaw；　and　get　my　living　by　hook　and　by　crook　in　a　manner　it　boots　not　now　to　tell　of。　Not　long　since　the　Bishop　sent　for　me；　and　said　that　if　I　would　do　a　certain　thing　that　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　would　ask　of　me；　he　would　get　me　a　free　pardon；　and　give　me　tenscore　pounds　to　boot。　So　straightway　I　came　to　Nottingham　Town　and　found　my　sweet　Sheriff；　and　what　thinkest　thou　he　wanted　of　me？　Why；　forsooth；　to　come　here　to　Sherwood　to　hunt　up　one　Robin　Hood；　also　an　outlaw；　and　to　take　him　alive　or　dead。　It　seemeth　that　they　have　no　one　here　to　face　that　bold　fellow；　and　so　sent　all　the　way　to　Herefordshire；　and　to　me；　for　thou　knowest　the　old　saying；　‘Set　a　thief　to　catch　a　thief。'　As　for　the　slaying　of　this　fellow；　it　galleth　me　not　a　whit；　for　I　would　shed　the　blood　of　my　own　brother　for　the　half　of　two　hundred　pounds。〃

To　all　this　Robin　listened；　and　as　he　listened　his　gorge　rose。　Well　he　knew　of　this　Guy　of　Gisbourne；　and　of　all　the　bloody　and　murderous　deeds　that　he　had　done　in　Herefordshire；　for　his　doings　were　famous　throughout　all　the　land。　　Yet；　although　he　loathed　the　very　presence　of　the　man；　he　held　his　peace；　for　he　had　an　end　to　serve。　　〃Truly；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　have　heard　of　thy　gentle　doings。　Methinks　there　is　no　one　in　all　the　world　that　Robin　Hood　would　rather　meet　than　thee。〃

At　this　Guy　of　Gisbourne　gave　another　harsh　laugh。　　〃Why；〃　quoth　he；　〃it　is　a　merry　thing　to　think　of　one　stout　outlaw　like　Robin　Hood　meeting　another　stout　outlaw　like　Guy　of　Gisbourne。　　Only　in　this　case　it　will　be　an　ill　happening　for　Robin　Hood；　for　the　day　he　meets　Guy　of　Gisbourne　he　shall　die。〃

〃But　thou　gentle；　merry　spirit；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃dost　thou　not　think　that　mayhap　this　same　Robin　Hood　may　be　the　better　man　of　the　two？　I　know　him　right　well；　and　many　think　that　he　is　one　of　the　stoutest　men　hereabouts。〃

〃He　may　be　the　stoutest　of　men　hereabouts；〃　quoth　Guy　of　Gisbourne；　〃yet；　I　tell　thee；　fellow；　this　sty　of　yours　is　not　the　wide　world。　I　lay　my　life　upon　it　I　am　the　better　man　of　the　two。　He　an　outlaw；　forsooth！　　Why；　I　hear　that　he　hath　never　let　blood　in　all　his　life；　saving　when　he　first　came　to　the　forest。　Some　call　him　a　great　archer；　marry；　I　would　not　be　afraid　to　stand　against　him　all　the　days　of　the　year　with　a　bow　in　my　hand。〃

〃Why；　truly；　some　folk　do　call　him　a　great　archer；〃　said　Robin　Hood；　〃but　we　of　Nottinghamshire　are　famous　hands　with　the　longbow。　Even　I；　though　but　a　simple　hand　at　the　craft；　would　not　fear　to　try　a　bout　with　thee。〃

At　these　words　Guy　of　Gisbourne　looked　upon　Robin　with　wondering　eyes；　and　then　gave　another　roar　of　laughter　till　the　woods　rang。　〃Now；〃　quoth　he；　〃thou　art　a　bold　fellow　to　talk　to　me　in　this　way。　I　like　thy　spirit　in　so　speaking　up　to　me；　for　few　men　have　dared　to　do　so。　Put　up　a　garland；　lad；　and　I　will　try　a　bout　with　thee。〃

〃Tut；　tut；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃only　babes　shoot　at　garlands　hereabouts。　I　will　put　up　a　good　Nottingham　mark　for　thee。〃　So　saying；　he　arose；　and　going　to　a　hazel　thicket　not　far　off；　he　cut　a　wand　about　twice　the　thickness　of　a　man's　thumb。　From　this　he　peeled　the　bark；　and；　sharpening　the　point；　stuck　it　up　in　the　ground　in　front　of　a　great　oak　tree。　Thence　he　measured　off　fourscore　paces；　which　brought　him　beside　the　tree　where　the　other　sat。　　〃There；〃　quoth　he；　〃is　the　kind　of　mark　that　Nottingham　yeomen　shoot　at。　Now　let　me　see　thee　split　that　wand　if　thou　art　an　archer。〃

Then　Guy　of　Gisbourne　arose。　　〃Now　out　upon　it！〃　cried　he。　〃The　Devil　himself　could　not　hit　such　a　mark　as　that。〃

〃Mayhap　he　could　and　mayhap　he　could　not；〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　〃but　that　we　shall　never　know　till　thou　hast　shot　thereat。〃

At　these　words　Guy　of　Gisbourne　looked　upon　Robin　with　knit　brows；　but；　as　the　yeoman　still　looked　innocent　of　any　ill　meaning；　he　bottled　his　words　and　strung　his　bow　in　silence。　　Twice　he　shot；　but　neither　time　did　he　hit　the　wand；　missing　it　the　first　time　by　a　span　and　the　second　time　by　a　good　palm's…breadth。　Robin　laughed　and　laughed。　〃I　see　now；〃　quoth　he；　〃that　the　Devil　himself　could　not　hit　that　mark。　Good　fellow；　if　thou　art　no　better　with　the　broadsword　than　thou　art　with　the　bow　and　arrow；　thou　wilt　never　overcome　Robin　Hood。〃

At　these　words　Guy　of　Gisbourne　glared　savagely　upon　Robin。　　Quoth　he；　〃Thou　hast　a　merry　tongue；　thou　villain；　but　take　care　that　thou　makest　not　too　free　with　it；　or　I　may　cut　it　out　from　thy　throat　for　thee。〃

Robin　Hood　strung　his　bow　and　took　his　place　with　never　a　word；　albeit　his　heartstrings　quivered　with　anger　and　loathing。　Twice　he　shot；　the　first　time　hitting　within　an　inch　of　the　wand；　the　second　time　splitting　it　fairly　in　the　middle。　Then；　without　giving　the　other　a　chance　for　speech；　he　flung　his　bow　upon　the　ground。　　〃There；　thou　bloody　villain！〃　cried　he　fiercely；　〃let　that　show　thee　how　little　thou　knowest　of　manly　sports。　And　now　look　thy　last　upon　the　daylight；　for　the　good　earth　hath　been　befouled　long　enough　by　thee；　thou　vile　beast！　This　day；　Our　Lady　willing；　thou　diestI　am　Robin　Hood。〃　　So　saying；　he　flashed　forth　his　bright　sword　in　the　sunlight。

For　a　time　Guy　of　Gisbourne　stared　upon　Robin　as　though　bereft　of　wits；　but　his　wonder　quickly　passed　to　a　wild　rage。　　〃Art　thou　indeed　Robin　Hood？〃　cried　he。　　〃Now　I　am　glad　to　meet　thee；　thou　poor　wretch！　　Shrive　thyself；　for　thou　wilt　have　no　time　for　shriving　when　I　am　done　with　thee。〃　So　saying；　he　also　drew　his　sword。

And　now　came　the　fiercest　fight　that　ever　Sherwood　saw；　for　each　man　knew　that　either　he　or　the　other　must　die；　and　that　no　mercy　was　to　be　had　in　this　battle。　Up　and　down　they　fought；　till　all　the　sweet　green　grass　was　crushed　and　ground　beneath　the　trampling　of　their　heels。　More　than　once　the　point　of　Robin　Hood's　sword　felt　the　softness　of　flesh；　and　presently　the　ground　began　to　be　sprinkled　with　bright　red　drops；　albeit　not　one　of　them　came　from　Robin's　veins。　At　last　Guy　of　Gisbourne　made　a　fierce　and　deadly　thrust　at　Robin　Hood；　from　which　he　leaped　back　lightly；　but　in　so　leaping　he　caught　his　heel　in　a　root　and　fell　heavily　upon　his　back。　〃Now；　Holy　Mary　aid　me！〃　muttered　he；　as　the　other　leaped　at　him；　with　a　grin　of　rage　upon　his　face。　　Fiercely　Guy　of　Gisbourne　stabbed　at　the　other　with　his　great　sword；　but　Robin　caught　the　blade　in　his　naked　hand；　and；　though　it　cut　his　palm；　he　turned　the　point　away　so　that　it　plunged　deep　into　the　ground　close　beside　him；　then；　ere　a　blow　could　be　struck　again；　he　leaped　to　his　feet；　with　his　good　sword　in　his　hand。　And　now　despair　fell　upon　Guy　of　Gisbourne's　heart　in　a　black　cloud；　and　he　looked　around　him　wildly；　like　a　wounded　hawk。　Seeing　that　his　strength　was　going　from　him；　Robin　leaped　forward；　and；　quick　as　a　flash；　struck　a　back…handed　blow　beneath　the　sword　arm。　Down　fell　the　sword　from　Guy　of　Gisbourne's　grasp；　and　back　he　staggered　at　the　stroke；　and；　ere　he　could　regain　himself；　Robin's　sword　passed　through　and　through　his　body。　　Round　he　spun　upon　his　heel；　and；　flinging　his　hands　aloft　with　a　shrill；　wild　cry；　fell　prone　upon　his　face　upon　the　green　sod。

Then　Robin　Hood　wiped　his　sword　and　thrust　it　back　into



the　scabbard；　and；　com