the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第21章

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blade　as　Little　John。　　Fresh　cans　of　ale　were　brought；　and　with　jest
and　song　and　merry　tales　the　hours　slipped　away　on　fleeting　wings。
None　thought　of　time　or　tide　till　the　night　was　so　far　gone　that　Little　John
put　by　the　thought　of　setting　forth　upon　his　journey　again　that　night；
and　so　bided　at　the　Blue　Boar　Inn　until　the　morrow。

Now　it　was　an　ill　piece　of　luck　for　Little　John　that　he　left
his　duty　for　his　pleasure；　and　he　paid　a　great　score　for　it；
as　we　are　all　apt　to　do　in　the　same　case；　as　you　shall　see。

Up　he　rose　at　the　dawn　of　the　next　day；　and；　taking　his　stout
pikestaff　in　his　hand；　he　set　forth　upon　his　journey　once　more；
as　though　he　would　make　up　for　lost　time。

In　the　good　town　of　Blyth　there　lived　a　stout　tanner；　celebrated　far　and　near
for　feats　of　strength　and　many　tough　bouts　at　wrestling　and　the　quarterstaff。
For　five　years　he　had　held　the　mid…country　champion　belt　for　wrestling；
till　the　great　Adam　o'　Lincoln　cast　him　in　the　ring　and　broke　one　of　his　ribs；
but　at　quarterstaff　he　had　never　yet　met　his　match　in　all　the　country　about。
Besides　all　this；　he　dearly　loved　the　longbow；　and　a　sly　jaunt　in　the　forest
when　the　moon　was　full　and　the　dun　deer　in　season；　so　that　the　King's　rangers
kept　a　shrewd　eye　upon　him　and　his　doings；　for　Arthur　a　Bland's　house　was　apt
to　have　aplenty　of　meat　in　it　that　was　more　like　venison　than　the　law　allowed。

Now　Arthur　had　been　to　Nottingham　Town　the　day　before　Little　John　set
forth　on　his　errand；　there　to　sell　a　halfscore　of　tanned　cowhides。
At　the　dawn　of　the　same　day　that　Little　John　left　the　inn；
he　started　from　Nottingham；　homeward　for　Blyth。　　His　way　led；
all　in　the　dewy　morn；　past　the　verge　of　Sherwood　Forest；　where　the　birds
were　welcoming　the　lovely　day　with　a　great　and　merry　jubilee。
Across　the　Tanner's　shoulders　was　slung　his　stout　quarterstaff；
ever　near　enough　to　him　to　be　gripped　quickly；　and　on　his　head　was
a　cap　of　doubled　cowhide；　so　tough　that　it　could　hardly　be　cloven
even　by　a　broadsword。

〃Now；〃　quoth　Arthur　a　Bland　to　himself；　when　he　had　come　to
that　part　of　the　road　that　cut　through　a　corner　of　the　forest；
〃no　doubt　at　this　time　of　year　the　dun　deer　are　coming
from　the　forest　depths　nigher　to　the　open　meadow　lands。
Mayhap　I　may　chance　to　catch　a　sight　of　the　dainty　brown
darlings　thus　early　in　the　morn。〃　　For　there　was　nothing
he　loved　better　than　to　look　upon　a　tripping　herd　of　deer；
even　when　he　could　not　tickle　their　ribs　with　a　clothyard　shaft。
Accordingly；　quitting　the　path；　he　went　peeping　this　way
and　that　through　the　underbrush；　spying　now　here　and　now　there；
with　all　the　wiles　of　a　master　of　woodcraft；　and　of　one　who　had
more　than　once　donned　a　doublet　of　Lincoln　green。

Now　as　Little　John　stepped　blithely　along；　thinking　of　nothing　but　of　such
things　as　the　sweetness　of　the　hawthorn　buds　that　bedecked　the　hedgerows；
or　gazing　upward　at　the　lark；　that；　springing　from　the　dewy　grass；
hung　aloft　on　quivering　wings　in　the　yellow　sunlight；　pouring　forth
its　song　that　fell　like　a　falling　star　from　the　sky；　his　luck　led　him
away　from　the　highway；　not　far　from　the　spot　where　Arthur　a　Bland
was　peeping　this　way　and　that　through　the　leaves　of　the　thickets。
Hearing　a　rustling　of　the　branches；　Little　John　stopped　and　presently
caught　sight　of　the　brown　cowhide　cap　of　the　Tanner　moving　among　the　bushes

〃I　do　much　wonder；〃　quoth　Little　John　to　himself；　〃what　yon　knave
is　after；　that　he　should　go　thus　peeping　and　peering　about　I
verily　believe　that　yon　scurvy　varlet　is　no　better　than　a　thief；
and　cometh　here　after　our　own　and　the　good　King's　dun　deer。〃
For　by　much　roving　in　the　forest；　Little　John　had　come　to　look　upon
all　the　deer　in　Sherwood　as　belonging　to　Robin　Hood　and　his　band
as　much　as　to　good　King　Harry。　　〃Nay；〃　quoth　he　again；　after　a　time；
〃this　matter　must　e'en　be　looked　into。〃　　So；　quitting　the　highroad；
he　also　entered　the　thickets；　and　began　spying　around　after　stout
Arthur　a　Bland。

So　for　a　long　time　they　both　of　them　went　hunting　about；
Little　John　after　the　Tanner；　and　the　Tanner　after　the　deer。
At　last　Little　John　trod　upon　a　stick；　which　snapped　under
his　foot；　whereupon；　hearing　the　noise；　the　Tanner　turned
quickly　and　caught　sight　of　the　yeoman。　　Seeing　that　the　Tanner
had　spied　him　out；　Little　John　put　a　bold　face　upon　the　matter。

〃Hilloa；〃　quoth　he；　〃what　art　thou　doing　here；　thou　naughty　fellow？
Who　art　thou　that　comest　ranging　Sherwood's　paths？
In　very　sooth　thou　hast　an　evil　cast　of　countenance；
and　I　do　think；　truly；　that　thou　art　no　better　than　a　thief；
and　comest　after　our　good　King's　deer。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　the　Tanner　boldlyfor；　though　taken　by　surprise；　he　was
not　a　man　to　be　frightened　by　big　words〃thou　liest　in　thy　teeth。
I　am　no　thief；　but　an　honest　craftsman。　　As　for　my　countenance；　it　is
what　it　is；　and；　for　the　matter　of　that；　thine　own　is　none　too　pretty；
thou　saucy　fellow。〃

〃Ha！〃　quoth　Little　John　in　a　great　loud　voice；　〃wouldst　thou　give
me　backtalk？　　Now　I　have　a　great　part　of　a　mind　to　crack　thy　pate
for　thee。　　I　would　have　thee　know；　fellow；　that　I　am；　as　it　were；
one　of　the　King's　foresters。　　Leastwise；〃　muttered　he　to　himself；
〃I　and　my　friends　do　take　good　care　of　our　good　sovereign's　deer。〃

〃I　care　not　who　thou　art；〃　answered　the　bold　Tanner；　〃and　unless
thou　hast　many　more　of　thy　kind　by　thee；　thou　canst　never　make
Arthur　a　Bland　cry　‘A　mercy。'　　〃

〃Is　it　so？〃　cried　Little　John　in　a　rage。　　〃Now；　by　my　faith；
thou　saucy　rogue；　thy　tongue　hath　led　thee　into　a　pit　thou
wilt　have　a　sorry　time　getting　out　of；　for　I　will　give　thee
such　a　drubbing　as　ne'er　hast　thou　had　in　all　thy　life　before。
Take　thy　staff　in　thy　hand；　fellow；　for　I　will　not　smite
an　unarmed　man。

〃Marry　come　up　with　a　murrain！〃　cried　the　Tanner；　for　he；　too；　had　talked
himself　into　a　fume。　　〃Big　words　ne'er　killed　so　much　as　a　mouse。
Who　art　thou　that　talkest　so　freely　of　cracking　the　head
of　Arthur　a　Bland？　　If　I　do　not　tan　thy　hide　this　day　as　ne'er
I　tanned　a　calf's　hide　in　all　my　life　before；　split　my　staff
into　skewers　for　lamb's　flesh　and　call　me　no　more　brave　man！
Now　look　to　thyself；　fellow！〃

〃Stay！〃　said　Little　John。　　〃Let　us　first　measure　our　cudgels。
I　do　reckon　my　staff　longer　than　thine；　and　I　would　not　take
vantage　of　thee　by　even　so　much　as　an　inch。〃

〃Nay；　I　pass　not　for　length；〃　answered　the　Tanner。　　〃My　staff　is　long　enough
to　knock　down　a　calf；　so　look　to　thyself；　fellow；　I　say　again。〃

So；　without　more　ado；　each　gripped　his　staff　in　the　middle；　and；　with　fell
and　angry　looks；　they　came　slowly　together。


Now　news　had　been　brought　to　Robin　Hood　how　that　Little　John；　instead　of
doing　his　bidding；　had　passed　by　duty　for　pleasure；　and　so　had　stopped
overnight　with　merry　company　at　the　Blue　Boar　Inn；　instead　of　going
straight　to　Ancaster。　　So；　being　vexed　to　his　heart　by　this；　he　set　forth
at　dawn　of　day　to　seek　Little　John　at　the　Blue　Boar；　or　at　least　to　meet
the　yeoman　on　the　way；　and　ease　his　heart　of　what　he　thought　of　the　matter。
As　thus　he　strode　along　in　anger；　putting　together　the　words　he　would
use　to　chide　Little　John；　he　heard；　of　a　sudden；　loud　and　angry　voices；
as　of　men　in　a　rage；　passing　fell　words　back　and　forth　from　one　to　the　other。
At　this；　Robin　Hood　stopped　and　listened。　　〃Surely；〃　quoth　he　to　himself；
〃that　is　Little　John's　voice；　and　he　is　talking　in　anger　also。
Methinks　the　other　is　strange　to　my　ears。　　Now　Heaven　forfend　that　my　good
trusty　Little　John　should　have　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　King's　rangers。
I　must　see　to　this　matter；　and　that　quickly。〃

Thus　spoke　Robin　Hood　to　himself；　all　his　anger　passing　away
like　a　breath　from　the　windowpane；　at　the　thought　that　perhaps
his　trusty　right…hand　man　was　in　some　danger　of　his　life。
So　cautiously　he　made　his　way　through　the　thickets　whence
the　voices　came；　and；　pushing　aside　the　leaves；　peeped　into
the　little　open　space　where　the　two　men；　staff　in　hand；
were　coming　slowly　together。

〃Ha！〃　quoth　Robin　to　himself；　〃here　is　merry　sport　afoot。
Now　I　would　give　three　golden　angels　from　my　own　pocket　if　yon
stout　fellow　would　give　Little　John　a　right　sound　drubbing！
It　would　please　me　to　see　him　well　thumped　for　hav