the merry adventures of robin hood-第69章

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　somewhat　of　your　skill？〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　Robin；　〃we　are　always　pleased　to　show　our　guests　all　the　sport　that　is　to　be　seen。　　As　Gaffer　Swanthold　sayeth；　‘　'Tis　a　hard　heart　that　will　not　give　a　caged　starling　of　the　best'；　and　caged　starlings　ye　are　with　us。　　Ho；　lads！　　Set　up　a　garland　at　the　end　of　the　glade。〃

Then；　as　the　yeomen　ran　to　do　their　master's　bidding；　Tuck　turned　to　one　of　the　mock　friars。　　〃Hearest　thou　our　master？〃　quoth　he；　with　a　sly　wink。　〃Whenever　he　cometh　across　some　poor　piece　of　wit　he　straightway　layeth　it　on　the　shoulders　of　this　Gaffer　Swantholdwhoever　he　may　be　so　that　the　poor　goodman　goeth　traveling　about　with　all　the　odds　and　ends　and　tags　and　rags　of　our　master's　brain　packed　on　his　back。〃　Thus　spake　Friar　Tuck；　but　in　a　low　voice　so　that　Robin　could　not　hear　him；　for　he　felt　somewhat　nettled　at　Robin's　cutting　his　talk　so　short。

In　the　meantime　the　mark　at　which　they　were　to　shoot　was　set　up　at　sixscore　paces　distance。　　It　was　a　garland　of　leaves　and　flowers　two　spans　in　width；　which　same　was　hung　upon　a　stake　in　front　of　a　broad　tree　trunk。　〃There；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃yon　is　a　fair　mark；　lads。　　Each　of　you　shoot　three　arrows　thereat；　and　if　any　fellow　misseth　by　so　much　as　one　arrow；　he　shall　have　a　buffet　of　Will　Scarlet's　fist。〃

〃Hearken　to　him！〃　quoth　Friar　Tuck。　　〃Why；　master；　thou　dost　bestow　buffets　from　thy　strapping　nephew　as　though　they　were　love　taps　from　some　bouncing　lass。　　I　warrant　thou　art　safe　to　hit　the　garland　thyself；　or　thou　wouldst　not　be　so　free　of　his　cuffing。〃

First　David　of　Doncaster　shot；　and　lodged　all　three　of　his　arrows　within　the　garland。　　〃Well　done；　David！〃　cried　Robin；　〃thou　hast　saved　thine　ears　from　a　warming　this　day。〃　Next　Midge；　the　Miller；　shot；　and　he；　also；　lodged　his　arrows　in　the　garland。　　Then　followed　Wat；　the　Tinker；　but　alas　for　him！　For　one　of　his　shafts　missed　the　mark　by　the　breadth　of　two　fingers。

〃Come　hither；　fellow；〃　said　Will　Scarlet；　in　his　soft；　gentle　voice；　〃I　owe　thee　somewhat　that　I　would　pay　forthwith。〃　Then　Wat；　the　Tinker；　came　forward　and　stood　in　front　of　Will　Scarlet；　screwing　up　his　face　and　shutting　his　eyes　tightly；　as　though　he　already　felt　his　ears　ringing　with　the　buffet。　Will　Scarlet　rolled　up　his　sleeve；　and；　standing　on　tiptoe　to　give　the　greater　swing　to　his　arm；　he　struck　with　might　and　main。　〃WHOOF！〃　came　his　palm　against　the　Tinker's　head；　and　down　went　stout　Wat　to　the　grass；　heels　over　head；　as　the　wooden　image　at　the　fair　goes　down　when　the　skillful　player　throws　a　cudgel　at　it。　Then；　as　the　Tinker　sat　up　upon　the　grass；　rubbing　his　ear　and　winking　and　blinking　at　the　bright　stars　that　danced　before　his　eyes；　the　yeomen　roared　with　mirth　till　the　forest　rang。　As　for　King　Richard；　he　laughed　till　the　tears　ran　down　his　cheeks。　Thus　the　band　shot；　each　in　turn；　some　getting　off　scot　free；　and　some　winning　a　buffet　that　always　sent　them　to　the　grass。　　And　now；　last　of　all；　Robin　took　his　place；　and　all　was　hushed　as　he　shot。　The　first　shaft　he　shot　split　a　piece　from　the　stake　on　which　the　garland　was　hung；　the　second　lodged　within　an　inch　of　the　other。　〃By　my　halidom；〃　said　King　Richard　to　himself；　〃I　would　give　a　thousand　pounds　for　this　fellow　to　be　one　of　my　guard！〃　And　now；　for　the　third　time　Robin　shot；　but；　alas　for　him！　The　arrow　was　ill…feathered；　and；　wavering　to　one　side；　it　smote　an　inch　outside　the　garland。

At　this　a　great　roar　went　up；　those　of　the　yeomen　who　sat　upon　the　grass　rolling　over　and　over　and　shouting　with　laughter；　for　never　before　had　they　seen　their　master　so　miss　his　mark；　but　Robin　flung　his　bow　upon　the　ground　with　vexation。　〃Now；　out　upon　it！〃　cried　he。　　〃That　shaft　had　an　ill　feather　to　it；　for　I　felt　it　as　it　left　my　fingers。　　Give　me　a　clean　arrow；　and　I　will　engage　to　split　the　wand　with　it。〃

At　these　words　the　yeomen　laughed　louder　than　ever。　〃Nay；　good　uncle；〃　said　Will　Scarlet　in　his　soft；　sweet　voice；　〃thou　hast　had　thy　fair　chance　and　hast　missed　thine　aim　out　and　out。　I　swear　the　arrow　was　as　good　as　any　that　hath　been　loosed　this　day。　Come　hither；　I　owe　thee　somewhat；　and　would　fain　pay　it。〃

〃Go；　good　master；〃　roared　Friar　Tuck；　〃and　may　my　blessing　go　with　thee。　Thou　hast　bestowed　these　love　taps　of　Will　Scarlet's　with　great　freedom。　It　were　pity　an　thou　gottest　not　thine　own　share。〃

〃It　may　not　be；〃　said　merry　Robin。　　〃I　am　king　here；　and　no　subject　may　raise　hand　against　the　king。　　But　even　our　great　King　Richard　may　yield　to　the　holy　Pope　without　shame；　and　even　take　a　tap　from　him　by　way　of　penance；　therefore　I　will　yield　myself　to　this　holy　friar；　who　seemeth　to　be　one　in　authority；　and　will　take　my　punishment　from　him。〃　Thus　saying；　he　turned　to　the　King；　〃I　prythee；　brother；　wilt　thou　take　my　punishing　into　thy　holy　hands？〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　quoth　merry　King　Richard；　rising　from　where　he　was　sitting。　　〃I　owe　thee　somewhat　for　having　lifted　a　heavy　weight　of　fifty　pounds　from　my　purse。　So　make　room　for　him　on　the　green；　lads。〃

〃An　thou　makest　me　tumble；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　will　freely　give　thee　back　thy　fifty　pounds；　but　I　tell　thee；　brother；　if　thou　makest　me　not　feel　grass　all　along　my　back；　I　will　take　every　farthing　thou　hast　for　thy　boastful　speech。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　the　King；　〃I　am　willing　to　venture　it。〃　　Thereupon　he　rolled　up　his　sleeve　and　showed　an　arm　that　made　the　yeomen　stare。　　But　Robin；　with　his　feet　wide　apart；　stood　firmly　planted；　waiting　the　other；　smiling。　Then　the　King　swung　back　his　arm；　and；　balancing　himself　a　moment；　he　delivered　a　buffet　at　Robin　that　fell　like　a　thunderbolt。　　Down　went　Robin　headlong　upon　the　grass；　for　the　stroke　would　have　felled　a　stone　wall。　Then　how　the　yeomen　shouted　with　laughter　till　their　sides　ached；　for　never　had　they　seen　such　a　buffet　given　in　all　their　lives。　As　for　Robin；　he　presently　sat　up　and　looked　all　around　him；　as　though　he　had　dropped　from　a　cloud　and　had　lit　in　a　place　he　had　never　seen　before。　After　a　while；　still　gazing　about　him　at　his　laughing　yeomen；　he　put　his　fingertips　softly　to　his　ear　and　felt　all　around　it　tenderly。　〃Will　Scarlet；〃　said　he；　〃count　this　fellow　out　his　fifty　pounds；　I　want　nothing　more　either　of　his　money　or　of　him。　　A　murrain　seize　him　and　his　buffeting！　　I　would　that　I　had　taken　my　dues　from　thee；　for　I　verily　believe　he　hath　deafened　mine　ear　from　ever　hearing　again。〃

Then；　while　gusts　of　laughter　still　broke　from　the　band；　Will　Scarlet　counted　out　the　fifty　pounds；　and　the　King　dropped　it　back　into　his　purse　again。　〃I　give　thee　thanks；　fellow；〃　said　he；　〃and　if　ever　thou　shouldst　wish　for　another　box　of　the　ear　to　match　the　one　thou　hast；　come　to　me　and　I　will　fit　thee　with　it　for　nought。〃

So　spake　the　merry　King；　but；　even　as　he　ended；　there　came　suddenly　the　sound　of　many　voices；　and　out　from　the　covert　burst　Little　John　and　threescore　men；　with　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea　in　the　midst。　Across　the　glade　they　came　running；　and；　as　they　came；　Sir　Richard　shouted　to　Robin：　　〃Make　haste；　dear　friend；　gather　thy　band　together　and　come　with　me！　　King　Richard　left　Nottingham　Town　this　very　morning；　and　cometh　to　seek　thee　in　the　woodlands。　I　know　not　how　he　cometh；　for　it　was　but　a　rumor　of　this　that　reached　me；　nevertheless；　I　know　that　it　is　the　truth。　Therefore　hasten　with　all　thy　men；　and　come　to　Castle　Lea；　for　there　thou　mayst　lie　hidden　till　thy　present　danger　passeth。　Who　are　these　strangers　that　thou　hast　with　thee？〃

〃Why；〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　rising　from　the　grass；　〃these　are　certain　gentle　guests　that　came　with　us　from　the　highroad　over　by　Newstead　Abbey。　　I　know　not　their　names；　but　I　have　become　right　well　acquaint　with　this　lusty　rogue's　palm　this　morning。　Marry；　the　pleasure　of　this　acquaintance　hath　dost　me　a　deaf　ear　and　fifty　pounds　to　boot！〃

Sir　Richard　looked　keenly　at　the　tall　friar；　who；　drawing　himself　up　to　his　full　height；　looked　fixedly　back　at　the　knight。　Then　of　a　sudden　Sir　Richard's　cheeks　grew　pale；　for　he　knew　who　it　was　that　he　looked　upon。　　Quickly　he　leaped　from　off　his　horse's　back　and　flung　himself　upon　his　knees　before　the　other。　At　this；　the　King；　seeing　that　Sir　Richard　knew　him；　threw　back　his　cowl；　and　all　the　yeomen　saw　his　face　and　knew　him　also；　for　there　was　not　one　of　them　but　had　been