the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第32章
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take a drink of good Malmsey？ After thee； lad； after thee。
Nay； I beseech thee； sweeten the draught with thy lips
（here he passed the flask from his right hand to his left）。
An thou wilt force it on me so； I must needs do thy bidding；
yet with the more pleasure do I so as I drink thy very great health
（here he took a long； deep draught）。 And now； sweet lad；
'tis thy turn next （here he passed the bottle from his left
hand back again to his right）。 I take it； sweet chuck；
and here's wishing thee as much good as thou wishest me。〃
Saying this； he took another draught； and truly he drank
enough for two。
All this time merry Robin lay upon the bank and listened； while his
stomach so quaked with laughter that he was forced to press his palm
across his mouth to keep it from bursting forth； for； truly； he would
not have spoiled such a goodly jest for the half of Nottinghamshire。
Having gotten his breath from his last draught； the Friar began talking
again in this wise： 〃Now； sweet lad； canst thou not sing me a song？
La； I know not； I am but in an ill voice this day； prythee ask me not；
dost thou not hear how I croak like a frog？ Nay； nay； thy voice
is as sweet as any bullfinch； come； sing； I prythee； I would rather
hear thee sing than eat a fair feast。 Alas； I would fain not sing
before one that can pipe so well and hath heard so many goodly songs
and ballads； ne'ertheless； an thou wilt have it so； I will do my best。
But now methinks that thou and I might sing some fair song together；
dost thou not know a certain dainty little catch called ‘The Loving Youth
and the Scornful Maid'？ Why； truly； methinks I have heard it ere now。
Then dost thou not think that thou couldst take the lass's part gif
I take the lad's？ I know not but I will try； begin thou with the lad
and I will follow with the lass。〃
Then； singing first with a voice deep and gruff； and anon in one high
and squeaking； he blithely trolled the merry catch of
THE LOVING YOUTH AND THE SCORNFUL MAID _HE
〃Ah； it's wilt thou come with me； my love？
And it's wilt thou； love； he mine？
For I will give unto thee； my love；
Gay knots and ribbons so fine。
I'll woo thee； love； on my bended knee；
And I'll pipe sweet songs to none but thee。
Then it's hark！ hark！ hark！
To the winged lark
And it's hark to the cooing dove！
And the bright daffodil
Groweth down by the rill；
So come thou and be my love。
SHE
〃Now get thee away； young man so fine；
Now get thee away； I say；
For my true love shall never be thine；
And so thou hadst better not stay。
Thou art not a fine enough lad for me；
So I'll wait till a better young man I see。
For it's hark！ hark！ hark！
To the winged lark；
And it's hark to the cooing dove！
And the bright daffodil
Groweth down by the rill；
Yet never I'll be thy love。
HE
〃Then straight will I seek for another fair she；
For many a maid can be found；
And as thou wilt never have aught of me；
By thee will I never be bound。
For never is a blossom in the field so rare；
But others are found that are just as fair。
So it's hark！ hark！ hark！
To the joyous lark
And it's hark to the cooing dove！
And the bright daffodil
Groweth down by the rill；
And I'll seek me another dear love。
SHE
〃Young man； turn not so very quick away
Another fair lass to find。
Methinks I have spoken in haste today；
Nor have I made up my mind_；
_
And if thou only wilt stay with me；
I'll love no other； sweet lad； but thee_。〃
Here Robin could contain himself no longer but burst forth into a mighty
roar of laughter； then； the holy Friar keeping on with the song； he joined
in the chorus； and together they sang； or； as one might say； bellowed：
〃_So it's hark！ hark！ hark！
To the joyous lark
And it's hark to the cooing dove！
For the bright daffodil
Groweth down by the rill
And I'll be thine own true love_。〃
So they sang together； for the stout Friar did not seem to have heard
Robin's laughter； neither did he seem to know that the yeoman had joined
in with the song； but； with eyes half closed； looking straight before
him and wagging his round head from side to side in time to the music；
he kept on bravely to the end； he and Robin finishing up with a mighty
roar that might have been heard a mile。 But no sooner had the last word
been sung than the holy man seized his steel cap； clapped it on his head；
and springing to his feet； cried in a great voice； 〃What spy have we here？
Come forth； thou limb of evil； and I will carve thee into as fine pudding
meat as e'er a wife in Yorkshire cooked of a Sunday。〃 Hereupon he drew
from beneath his robes a great broadsword full as stout as was Robin's。
〃Nay； put up thy pinking iron； friend；〃 quoth Robin；
standing up with the tears of laughter still on his cheeks。
〃Folk who have sung so sweetly together should not fight thereafter。〃
Hereupon he leaped down the bank to where the other stood。
〃I tell thee； friend；〃 said he； 〃my throat is as parched
with that song as e'er a barley stubble in October。 Hast thou
haply any Malmsey left in that stout pottle？〃
〃Truly；〃 said the Friar in a glum voice； 〃thou dost ask
thyself freely where thou art not bidden。 Yet I trust I am
too good a Christian to refuse any man drink that is athirst。
Such as there is o't thou art welcome to a drink of the same。〃
And he held the pottle out to Robin。
Robin took it without more ado and putting it to his lips； tilted his
head back； while that which was within said 〃glug！ 〃lug！ glug！〃
for more than three winks； I wot。 The stout Friar watched Robin
anxiously the while； and when he was done took the pottle quickly。
He shook it； held it betwixt his eyes and the light； looked reproachfully
at the yeoman； and straightway placed it at his own lips。
When it came away again there was nought within it。
〃Doss thou know the country hereabouts； thou good and holy man？〃
asked Robin； laughing。
〃Yea； somewhat；〃 answered the other dryly。
〃And dost thou know of a certain spot called Fountain Abbey？〃
〃Yea； somewhat。〃
〃Then perchance thou knowest also of a certain one who goeth
by the name of the Curtal Friar of Fountain Abbey。〃
〃Yea； somewhat。〃
〃Well then； good fellow； holy father； or whatever thou art；〃
quoth Robin； 〃I would know whether this same Friar is to be found
upon this side of the river or the other。〃
〃That；〃 quoth the Friar； 〃is a practical question upon
which the cunning rules appertaining to logic touch not。
I do advise thee to find that out by the aid of thine own
five senses； sight； feeling； and what not。〃
〃I do wish much；〃 quoth Robin； looking thoughtfully at the stout priest；
〃to cross yon ford and strive to find this same good Friar。〃
〃Truly；〃 said the other piously； 〃it is a goodly wish on the part
of one so young。 Far be it from me to check thee in so holy a quest。
Friend； the river is free to all。〃
〃Yea； good father；〃 said Robin； 〃but thou seest that my
clothes are of the finest and I fain would not get them wet。
Methinks thy shoulders are stout and broad； couldst thou not
find it in thy heart to carry me across？〃
〃Now； by the white hand of the holy Lady of the Fountain！〃 burst forth
the Friar in a mighty rage； 〃dost thou； thou poor puny stripling；
thou kiss…my…lady…la poppenjay； thouthou What shall I call thee？
Dost thou ask me； the holy Tuck； to carry thee？ Now I swear〃
Here he paused suddenly； then slowly the anger passed from his face；
and his little eyes twinkled once more。 〃But why should I not？〃
quoth he piously。
〃Did not the holy Saint Christopher ever carry the stranger across the river？
And should I； poor sinner that I am； be ashamed to do likewise？
Come with me； stranger； and I will do thy bidding in an humble frame
of mind。〃 So saying； he clambered up the bank； closely followed by Robin；
and led the way to the shallow pebbly ford； chuckling
