the merry adventures of robin hood-第68章

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ith　his　fist。　〃Alas！〃　said　he；　〃what　evil　counsel　is　this　that　hath　been　given　thee！　O　my　gracious　lord　and　King；　you　know　not　what　you　do！　This　villain　that　you　thus　go　to　seek　hath　no　reverence　either　for　king　or　king's　laws。〃

〃But　did　I　not　hear　aright　when　I　was　told　that　this　Robin　Hood　hath　shed　no　blood　since　he　was　outlawed；　saving　only　that　of　that　vile　Guy　of　Gisbourne；　for　whose　death　all　honest　men　should　thank　him？〃

〃Yea；　Your　Majesty；〃　said　the　Sheriff；　〃you　have　heard　aright。　　Nevertheless〃

〃Then；〃　quoth　the　King；　breaking　in　on　the　Sheriffs　speech；　〃what　have　I　to　fear　in　meeting　him；　having　done　him　no　harm？　Truly；　there　is　no　danger　in　this。　　But　mayhap　thou　wilt　go　with　us；　Sir　Sheriff。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　the　Sheriff　hastily；　〃Heaven　forbid！〃

But　now　seven　habits　such　as　Black　Friars　wear　were　brought；　and　the　King　and　those　about　him　having　clad　themselves　therein；　and　His　Majesty　having　hung　a　purse　with　a　hundred　golden　pounds　in　it　beneath　his　robes；　they　all　went　forth　and　mounted　the　mules　that　had　been　brought　to　the　door　for　them。　Then　the　King　bade　the　Sheriff　be　silent　as　to　their　doings；　and　so　they　set　forth　upon　their　way。　　Onward　they　traveled；　laughing　and　jesting；　until　they　passed　through　the　open　country；　between　bare　harvest　fields　whence　the　harvest　had　been　gathered　home；　through　scattered　glades　that　began　to　thicken　as　they　went　farther　along；　till　they　came　within　the　heavy　shade　of　the　forest　itself。　They　traveled　in　the　forest　for　several　miles　without　meeting　anyone　such　as　they　sought；　until　they　had　come　to　that　part　of　the　road　that　lay　nearest　to　Newstead　Abbey。

〃By　the　holy　Saint　Martin；〃　quoth　the　King；　〃I　would　that　I　had　a　better　head　for　remembering　things　of　great　need。　Here　have　we　come　away　and　brought　never　so　much　as　a　drop　of　anything　to　drink　with　us。　　Now　I　would　give　half　a　hundred　pounds　for　somewhat　to　quench　my　thirst　withal。〃

No　sooner　had　the　King　so　spoken；　than　out　from　the　covert　at　the　roadside　stepped　a　tall　fellow　with　yellow　beard　and　hair　and　a　pair　of　merry　blue　eyes。　　〃Truly；　holy　brother；〃　said　he；　laying　his　hand　upon　the　King's　bridle　rein；　〃it　were　an　unchristian　thing　to　not　give　fitting　answer　to　so　fair　a　bargain。　We　keep　an　inn　hereabouts；　and　for　fifty　pounds　we　will　not　only　give　thee　a　good　draught　of　wine；　but　will　give　thee　as　noble　a　feast　as　ever　thou　didst　tickle　thy　gullet　withal。〃　So　saying；　he　put　his　fingers　to　his　lips　and　blew　a　shrill　whistle。　Then　straightway　the　bushes　and　branches　on　either　side　of　the　road　swayed　and　crackled；　and　threescore　broad…shouldered　yeomen　in　Lincoln　green　burst　out　of　the　covert。

〃How　now；　fellow；〃　quoth　the　King；　〃who　art　thou；　thou　naughty　rogue？　Hast　thou　no　regard　for　such　holy　men　as　we　are？〃

〃Not　a　whit；〃　quoth　merry　Robin　Hood；　for　the　fellow　was　he；　〃for　in　sooth　all　the　holiness　belonging　to　rich　friars；　such　as　ye　are；　one　could　drop　into　a　thimble　and　the　goodwife　would　never　feel　it　with　the　tip　of　her　finger。　As　for　my　name；　it　is　Robin　Hood；　and　thou　mayst　have　heard　it　before。〃

〃Now　out　upon　thee！〃　quoth　King　Richard。　　〃Thou　art　a　bold　and　naughty　fellow　and　a　lawless　one　withal；　as　I　have　often　heard　tell。　　Now；　prythee；　let　me；　and　these　brethren　of　mine；　travel　forward　in　peace　and　quietness。〃

〃It　may　not　be；〃　said　Robin；　〃for　it　would　look　but　ill　of　us　to　let　such　holy　men　travel　onward　with　empty　stomachs。　But　I　doubt　not　that　thou　hast　a　fat　purse　to　pay　thy　score　at　our　inn　since　thou　offerest　freely　so　much　for　a　poor　draught　of　wine。　Show　me　thy　purse；　reverend　brother；　or　I　may　perchance　have　to　strip　thy　robes　from　thee　to　search　for　it　myself。〃

〃Nay；　use　no　force；〃　said　the　King　sternly。　　〃Here　is　my　purse；　but　lay　not　thy　lawless　hands　upon　our　person。〃

〃Hut；　tut；〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　〃what　proud　words　are　these？　Art　thou　the　King　of　England；　to　talk　so　to　me？　　Here；　Will；　take　this　purse　and　see　what　there　is　within。〃

Will　Scarlet　took　the　purse　and　counted　out　the　money。　　Then　Robin　bade　him　keep　fifty　pounds　for　themselves；　and　put　fifty　back　into　the　purse。　This　he　handed　to　the　King。　　〃Here；　brother；〃　quoth　he；　〃take　this　half　of　thy　money；　and　thank　Saint　Martin；　on　whom　thou　didst　call　before；　that　thou　hast　fallen　into　the　hands　of　such　gentle　rogues　that　they　will　not　strip　thee　bare；　as　they　might　do。　　But　wilt　thou　not　put　back　thy　cowl？　For　I　would　fain　see　thy　face。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　the　King；　drawing　back；　〃I　may　not　put　back　my　cowl；　for　we　seven　have　vowed　that　we　will　not　show　our　faces　for　four　and　twenty　hours。〃　　；

〃Then　keep　them　covered　in　peace；〃　said　Robin；　〃and　far　be　it　from　me　to　make　you　break　your　vows。〃

So　he　called　seven　of　his　yeomen　and　bade　them　each　one　take　a　mule　by　the　bridle；　then；　turning　their　faces　toward　the　depths　of　the　woodlands；　they　journeyed　onward　until　they　came　to　the　open　glade　and　the　greenwood　tree。

Little　John；　with　threescore　yeomen　at　his　heels；　had　also　gone　forth　that　morning　to　wait　along　the　roads　and　bring　a　rich　guest　to　Sherwood　glade；　if　such　might　be　his　luck；　for　many　with　fat　purses　must　travel　the　roads　at　this　time；　when　such　great　doings　were　going　on　in　Nottinghamshire；　but　though　Little　John　and　so　many　others　were　gone；　Friar　Tuck　and　twoscore　or　more　stout　yeomen　were　seated　or　lying　around　beneath　the　great　tree；　and　when　Robin　and　the　others　came　they　leaped　to　their　feet　to　meet　him。

〃By　my　soul；〃　quoth　merry　King　Richard；　when　he　had　gotten　down　from　his　mule　and　stood　looking　about　him；　〃thou　hast　in　very　truth　a　fine　lot　of　young　men　about　thee；　Robin。　　Methinks　King　Richard　himself　would　be　glad　of　such　a　bodyguard。〃

〃These　are　not　all　of　my　fellows；〃　said　Robin　proudly；　〃for　threescore　more　of　them　are　away　on　business　with　my　good　right…hand　man；　Little　John。　　But；　as　for　King　Richard；　I　tell　thee；　brother；　there　is　not　a　man　of　us　all　but　would　pour　out　our　blood　like　water　for　him。　Ye　churchmen　cannot　rightly　understand　our　King；　but　we　yeomen　love　him　right　loyally　for　the　sake　of　his　brave　doings　which　are　so　like　our　own。〃

But　now　Friar　Tuck　came　bustling　up。　　〃Gi'　ye　good　den；　brothers；〃　said　he。　〃I　am　right　glad　to　welcome　some　of　my　cloth　in　this　naughty　place。　Truly；　methinks　these　rogues　of　outlaws　would　stand　but　an　ill　chance　were　it　not　for　the　prayers　of　Holy　Tuck；　who　laboreth　so　hard　for　their　well…being。〃　Here　he　winked　one　eye　slyly　and　stuck　his　tongue　into　his　cheek。

〃Who　art　thou；　mad　priest？〃　said　the　King　in　a　serious　voice；　albeit　he　smiled　beneath　his　cowl。

At　this　Friar　Tuck　looked　all　around　with　a　slow　gaze。　　〃Look　you　now；〃　quoth　he；　〃never　let　me　hear　you　say　again　that　I　am　no　patient　man。　Here　is　a　knave　of　a　friar　calleth　me　a　mad　priest；　and　yet　I　smite　him　not。　My　name　is　Friar　Tuck；　fellowthe　holy　Friar　Tuck。〃

〃There；　Tuck；〃　said　Robin；　〃thou　hast　said　enow。　　Prythee；　cease　thy　talk　and　bring　some　wine。　　These　reverend　men　are　athirst；　and　sin'　they　have　paid　so　richly　for　their　score　they　must　e'en　have　the　best。〃

Friar　Tuck　bridled　at　being　so　checked　in　his　speech；　nevertheless　he　went　straightway　to　do　Robin's　bidding；　so　presently　a　great　crock　was　brought；　and　wine　was　poured　out　for　all　the　guests　and　for　Robin　Hood。　　Then　Robin　held　his　cup　aloft。　〃Stay！〃　cried　he。　　〃Tarry　in　your　drinking　till　I　give　you　a　pledge。　Here　is　to　good　King　Richard　of　great　renown；　and　may　all　enemies　to　him　be　confounded。〃

Then　all　drank　the　King's　health；　even　the　King　himself。　〃Methinks；　good　fellow；〃　said　he；　〃thou　hast　drunk　to　thine　own　confusion。〃

〃Never　a　whit；〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　〃for　I　tell　thee　that　we　of　Sherwood　are　more　loyal　to　our　lord　the　King　than　those　of　thine　order。　We　would　give　up　our　lives　for　his　benefiting；　while　ye　are　content　to　lie　snug　in　your　abbeys　and　priories　let　reign　who　will。〃

At　this　the　King　laughed。　　Quoth　he；　〃Perhaps　King　Richard's　welfare　is　more　to　me　than　thou　wottest　of；　fellow。　　But　enough　of　that　matter。　We　have　paid　well　for　our　fare；　so　canst　thou　not　show　us　some　merry　entertainment？　　I　have　oft　heard　that　ye　are　wondrous　archers；　wilt　thou　not　show　us　somewhat　of　your　skill？〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　Robin；　〃we　are　always　pleased　to　show　our　gue