the merry adventures of robin hood-第66章

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　Hood？〃　　At　these　words　the　Sheriff　shaded　his　eyes　and　looked　eagerly。　　〃Why；　certes；〃　quoth　he；　〃yon　fellow　is　the　same。　　Now；　Heaven　send　that　he　hath　slain　the　master　thief；　as　we　will　presently　slay　the　man！〃

When　Little　John　heard　this　speech　he　looked　up；　and　straightway　his　heart　crumbled　away　within　him；　for　not　only　were　the　man's　garments　all　covered　with　blood；　but　he　wore　Robin　Hood's　bugle　horn　and　carried　his　bow　and　broadsword。

〃How　now！〃　cried　the　Sheriff；　when　Robin　Hood；　in　Guy　of　Gisbourne's　clothes；　had　come　nigh　to　them。　　〃What　luck　hath　befallen　thee　in　the　forest？　Why；　man；　thy　clothes　are　all　over　blood！〃

〃An　thou　likest　not　my　clothes；〃　said　Robin　in　a　harsh　voice　like　that　of　Guy　of　Gisbourne；　〃thou　mayst　shut　thine　eyes。　Marry；　the　blood　upon　me　is　that　of　the　vilest　outlaw　that　ever　trod　the　woodlands；　and　one　whom　I　have　slain　this　day；　albeit　not　without　wound　to　myself。〃

Then　out　spake　Little　John；　for　the　first　time　since　he　had　fallen　into　the　Sheriff's　hands。　　〃O　thou　vile；　bloody　wretch！　I　know　thee；　Guy　of　Gisbourne；　for　who　is　there　that　hath　not　heard　of　thee　and　cursed　thee　for　thy　vile　deeds　of　blood　and　rapine？　Is　it　by　such　a　hand　as　thine　that　the　gentlest　heart　that　ever　beat　is　stilled　in　death？　　Truly；　thou　art　a　fit　tool　for　this　coward　Sheriff　of　Nottingham。　　Now　I　die　joyfully；　nor　do　I　care　how　I　die；　for　life　is　nought　to　me！〃　　So　spake　Little　John；　the　salt　tears　rolling　down　his　brown　cheeks。

But　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　clapped　his　hands　for　joy。　〃Now；　Guy　of　Gisbourne；〃　cried　he；　〃if　what　thou　tellest　me　is　true；　it　will　be　the　best　day's　doings　for　thee　that　ever　thou　hast　done　in　all　thy　life。〃

〃What　I　have　told　thee　is　sooth；　and　I　lie　not；〃　said　Robin；　still　in　Guy　of　Gisbourne's　voice。　　〃Look；　is　not　this　Robin　Hood's　sword；　and　is　not　this　his　good　bow　of　yew；　and　is　not　this　his　bugle　horn？　Thinkest　thou　he　would　have　given　them　to　Guy　of　Gisbourne　of　his　own　free　will？〃

Then　the　Sheriff　laughed　aloud　for　joy。　　〃This　is　a　good　day！〃　cried　he。　〃The　great　outlaw　dead　and　his　right…hand　man　in　my　hands！　Ask　what　thou　wilt　of　me；　Guy　of　Gisbourne；　and　it　is　thine！〃

〃Then　this　I　ask　of　thee；〃　said　Robin。　　〃As　I　have　slain　the　master　I　would　now　kill　the　man。　　Give　this　fellow's　life　into　my　hands；　Sir　Sheriff。〃

〃Now　thou　art　a　fool！〃　cried　the　Sheriff。　　〃Thou　mightst　have　had　money　enough　for　a　knight's　ransom　if　thou　hadst　asked　for　it。　I　like　ill　to　let　this　fellow　pass　from　my　hands；　but　as　I　have　promised；　thou　shalt　have　him。〃

〃I　thank　thee　right　heartily　for　thy　gift；〃　cried　Robin。　　〃Take　the　rogue　down　from　the　horse；　men；　and　lean　him　against　yonder　tree；　while　I　show　you　how　we　stick　a　porker　whence　I　come！〃

At　these　words　some　of　the　Sheriff's　men　shook　their　heads；　for；　though　they　cared　not　a　whit　whether　Little　John　were　hanged　or　not；　they　hated　to　see　him　butchered　in　cold　blood。　But　the　Sheriff　called　to　them　in　a　loud　voice；　ordering　them　to　take　the　yeoman　down　from　the　horse　and　lean　him　against　the　tree；　as　the　other　bade。

While　they　were　doing　this　Robin　Hood　strung　both　his　bow　and　that　of　Guy　of　Gisbourne；　albeit　none　of　them　took　notice　of　his　doing　so。　　Then；　when　Little　John　stood　against　the　tree；　he　drew　Guy　of　Gisbourne's　sharp；　double…edged　dagger。　〃Fall　back！　fall　back！〃　cried　he。　　〃Would　ye　crowd　so　on　my　pleasure；　ye　unmannerly　knaves？　　Back；　I　say！　　Farther　yet！〃　So　they　crowded　back；　as　he　ordered；　many　of　them　turning　their　faces　away；　that　they　might　not　see　what　was　about　to　happen。

〃Come！〃　cried　Little　John。　　〃Here　is　my　breast。　　It　is　meet　that　the　same　hand　that　slew　my　dear　master　should　butcher　me　also！　I　know　thee；　Guy　of　Gisbourne！〃

〃Peace；　Little　John！〃　said　Robin　in　a　low　voice。　　〃Twice　thou　hast　said　thou　knowest　me；　and　yet　thou　knowest　me　not　at　all。　Couldst　thou　not　tell　me　beneath　this　wild　beast's　hide？　　Yonder；　just　in　front　of　thee；　lie　my　bow　and　arrows；　likewise　my　broadsword。　Take　them　when　I　cut　thy　bonds。　　Now！　　Get　them　quickly！〃　So　saying；　he　cut　the　bonds；　and　Little　John；　quick　as　a　wink；　leaped　forward　and　caught　up　the　bow　and　arrows　and　the　broadsword。　At　the　same　time　Robin　Hood　threw　back　the　cowl　of　horse's　hide　from　his　face　and　bent　Guy　of　Gisbourne's　bow；　with　a　keen；　barbed　arrow　fitted　to　the　string。　　〃Stand　back！〃　cried　he　sternly。　〃The　first　man　that　toucheth　finger　to　bowstring　dieth！　I　have　slain　thy　man；　Sheriff；　take　heed　that　it　is　not　thy　turn　next。〃　　Then；　seeing　that　Little　John　had　armed　himself；　he　clapped　his　bugle　horn　to　his　lips　and　blew　three　blasts　both　loud　and　shrill。

Now　when　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　saw　whose　face　it　was　beneath　Guy　of　Gisbourne's　hood；　and　when　he　heard　those　bugle　notes　ring　in　his　ear；　he　felt　as　if　his　hour　had　come。　〃Robin　Hood！〃　roared　he；　and　without　another　word　he　wheeled　his　horse　in　the　road　and　went　off　in　a　cloud　of　dust。　The　Sheriff's　men；　seeing　their　master　thus　fleeing　for　his　life；　thought　that　it　was　not　their　business　to　tarry　longer；　so；　clapping　spurs　to　their　horses；　they　also　dashed　away　after　him。　But　though　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　went　fast；　he　could　not　outstrip　a　clothyard　arrow。　　Little　John　twanged　his　bowstring　with　a　shout；　and　when　the　Sheriff　dashed　in　through　the　gates　of　Nottingham　Town　at　full　speed；　a　gray　goose　shaft　stuck　out　behind　him　like　a　moulting　sparrow　with　one　feather　in　its　tail。　For　a　month　afterward　the　poor　Sheriff　could　sit　upon　nought　but　the　softest　cushions　that　could　be　gotten　for　him。

Thus　the　Sheriff　and　a　score　of　men　ran　away　from　Robin　Hood　and　Little　John；　so　that　when　Will　Stutely　and　a　dozen　or　more　of　stout　yeomen　burst　from　out　the　covert；　they　saw　nought　of　their　master's　enemies；　for　the　Sheriff　and　his　men　were　scurrying　away　in　the　distance；　hidden　within　a　cloud　of　dust　like　a　little　thunderstorm。

Then　they　all　went　back　into　the　forest　once　more；　where　they　found　the　widow's　three　sons；　who　ran　to　Little　John　and　kissed　his　hands。　But　it　would　not　do　for　them　to　roam　the　forest　at　large　any　more；　so　they　promised　that；　after　they　had　gone　and　told　their　mother　of　their　escape；　they　would　come　that　night　to　the　greenwood　tree；　and　thenceforth　become　men　of　the　band。



King　Richard　Comes　to　Sherwood　Forest

NOT　MORE　than　two　months　had　passed　and　gone　since　these　stirring　adventures　befell　Robin　Hood　and　Little　John；　when　all　Nottinghamshire　was　a　mighty　stir　and　tumult；　for　King　Richard　of　the　Lion's　Heart　was　making　a　royal　progress　through　merry　England；　and　everyone　expected　him　to　come　to　Nottingham　Town　in　his　journeying。　Messengers　went　riding　back　and　forth　between　the　Sheriff　and　the　King；　until　at　last　the　time　was　fixed　upon　when　His　Majesty　was　to　stop　in　Nottingham；　as　the　guest　of　his　worship。

And　now　came　more　bustle　than　ever；　a　great　running　hither　and　thither；　a　rapping　of　hammers　and　a　babble　of　voices　sounded　everywhere　through　the　place；　for　the　folk　were　building　great　arches　across　the　streets；　beneath　which　the　King　was　to　pass；　and　were　draping　these　arches　with　silken　banners　and　streamers　of　many　colors。　Great　hubbub　was　going　on　in　the　Guild　Hall　of　the　town；　also；　for　here　a　grand　banquet　was　to　be　given　to　the　King　and　the　nobles　of　his　train；　and　the　best　master　carpenters　were　busy　building　a　throne　where　the　King　and　the　Sheriff　were　to　sit　at　the　head　of　the　table；　side　by　side。

It　seemed　to　many　of　the　good　folk　of　the　place　as　if　the　day　that　should　bring　the　King　into　the　town　would　never　come；　but　all　the　same　it　did　come　in　its　own　season；　and　bright　shone　the　sun　down　into　the　stony　streets；　which　were　all　alive　with　a　restless　sea　of　people。　　On　either　side　of　the　way　great　crowds　of　town　and　country　folk　stood　packed　as　close　together　as　dried　herring　in　a　box；　so　that　the　Sheriffs　men；　halberds　in　hands；　could　hardly　press　them　back　to　leave　space　for　the　King's　riding。

〃Take　care　whom　thou　pushest　against！〃　cried　a　great；　burly　friar　to　one　of　these　men。　　〃Wouldst　thou　dig　thine　elbows　into　me；　sirrah？　By'r　Lady　of　the　Fountain；　an　thou　dost　not　treat　me　with　more　deference　I　will　crack　thy　knave's　pate　for　thee；　even　though　thou　be　one　of　the　mighty　Sheriff's　men。〃

At　this　a　gre