the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第36章

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for　the　Lord　Bishop　of　Hereford　strove　to　be　as　like　the　great
barons　as　was　in　the　power　of　one　in　holy　orders。

When　Robin　saw　this　train　drawing　near；　with　flash　of　jewels　and　silk
and　jingle　of　silver　bells　on　the　trappings　of　the　nags；　he　looked　sourly
upon　them。　　Quoth　he　to　himself；　〃Yon　Bishop　is　overgaudy　for　a　holy　man。
I　do　wonder　whether　his　patron；　who；　methinks；　was　Saint　Thomas；　was　given
to　wearing　golden　chains　about　his　neck；　silk　clothing　upon　his　body；
and　pointed　shoes　upon　his　feet；　the　money　for　all　of　which；　God　wot；
hath　been　wrung　from　the　sweat　of　poor　tenants。　　Bishop；　Bishop；　thy　pride
may　have　a　fall　ere　thou　wottest　of　it。〃

So　the　holy　men　came　to　the　church；　the　Bishop　and　the　Prior　jesting
and　laughing　between　themselves　about　certain　fair　dames；　their　words
more　befitting　the　lips　of　laymen；　methinks；　than　holy　clerks。
Then　they　dismounted；　and　the　Bishop；　looking　around；
presently　caught　sight　of　Robin　standing　in　the　doorway。
〃Hilloa；　good　fellow；〃　quoth　he　in　a　jovial　voice；　〃who　art　thou
that　struttest　in　such　gay　feathers？〃

〃A　harper　am　I　from　the　north　country；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and　I　can
touch　the　strings；　I　wot；　as　never　another　man　in　all　merry　England
can　do。　　Truly；　good　Lord　Bishop；　many　a　knight　and　burgher；
clerk　and　layman；　have　danced　to　my　music；　willy…nilly；　and　most
times　greatly　against　their　will；　such　is　the　magic　of　my　harping。
Now　this　day；　my　Lord　Bishop；　if　I　may　play　at　this　wedding；
I　do　promise　that　I　will　cause　the　fair　bride　to　love　the　man
she　marries　with　a　love　that　shall　last　as　long　as　that　twain
shall　live　together。〃

〃Ha！　is　it　so？〃　cried　the　Bishop。　　〃Meanest　thou　this　in　sooth？〃
And　he　looked　keenly　at　Robin；　who　gazed　boldly　back　again　into　his　eyes。
〃Now；　if　thou　wilt　cause　this　maiden　（who　hath　verily　bewitched　my　poor
cousin　Stephen）　thus　to　love　the　man　she　is　to　marry；　as　thou　sayst
thou　canst；　I　will　give　thee　whatsoever　thou　wilt　ask　me　in　due　measure。
Let　me　have　a　taste　of　thy　skill；　fellow。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃my　music　cometh　not　without　I　choose；
even　at　a　lord　bishop's　bidding。　　In　sooth；　I　will　not　play
until　the　bride　and　bridegroom　come。〃

〃Now；　thou　art　a　saucy　varlet　to　speak　so　to　my　crest；〃
quoth　the　Bishop；　frowning　on　Robin。　　〃Yet；　I　must　needs　bear
with　thee。　　Look；　Prior；　hither　cometh　our　cousin　Sir　Stephen；
and　his　ladylove。〃

And　now；　around　the　bend　of　the　highroad；　came　others；　riding　upon　horses。
The　first　of　all　was　a　tall；　thin　man；　of　knightly　bearing；　dressed　all　in
black　silk；　with　a　black　velvet　cap　upon　his　head；　turned　up　with　scarlet。
Robin　looked；　and　had　no　doubt　that　this　was　Sir　Stephen；　both　because
of　his　knightly　carriage　and　of　his　gray　hairs。　　Beside　him　rode　a　stout
Saxon　franklin；　Ellen's　father；　Edward　of　Deirwold；　behind　those　two　came
a　litter　borne　by　two　horses；　and　therein　was　a　maiden　whom　Robin　knew　must
be　Ellen。　　Behind　this　litter　rode　six　men…at…arms；　the　sunlight　flashing
on　their　steel　caps　as　they　came　jingling　up　the　dusty　road。

So　these　also　came　to　the　church；　and　there　Sir　Stephen　leaped　from
his　horse　and；　coming　to　the　litter；　handed　fair　Ellen　out　therefrom。
Then　Robin　Hood　looked　at　her；　and　could　wonder　no　longer　how　it　came
about　that　so　proud　a　knight　as　Sir　Stephen　of　Trent　wished　to　marry
a　common　franklin's　daughter；　nor　did　he　wonder　that　no　ado　was　made
about　the　matter；　for　she　was　the　fairest　maiden　that　ever　he　had　beheld。
Now；　however；　she　was　all　pale　and　drooping；　like　a　fair　white　lily
snapped　at　the　stem；　and　so；　with　bent　head　and　sorrowful　look；
she　went　within　the　church；　Sir　Stephen　leading　her　by　the　hand。

〃Why　dost　thou　not　play；　fellow？〃　quoth　the　Bishop；　looking　sternly　at　Robin。

〃Marry；〃　said　Robin　calmly；　〃I　will　play　in　greater　wise　than
Your　Lordship　thinks；　but　not　till　the　right　time　hath　come。〃

Said　the　Bishop　to　himself；　while　he　looked　grimly　at　Robin；　〃When　this
wedding　is　gone　by　I　will　have　this　fellow　well　whipped　for　his　saucy
tongue　and　bold　speech。〃

And　now　fair　Ellen　and　Sir　Stephen　stood　before　the　altar；
and　the　Bishop　himself　came　in　his　robes　and　opened　his　book；
whereat　fair　Ellen　looked　up　and　about　her　in　bitter　despair；
like　the　fawn　that　finds　the　hounds　on　her　haunch。
Then；　in　all　his　fluttering　tags　and　ribbons　of　red　and　yellow；
Robin　Hood　strode　forward。　　Three　steps　he　took　from　the　pillar
whereby　he　leaned；　and　stood　between　the　bride　and　bridegroom。

〃Let　me　look　upon　this　lass；〃　he　said　in　a　loud　voice。　　〃Why；　how　now！
What　have　we　here？　　Here　be　lilies　in　the　cheeks；　and　not　roses　such
as　befit　a　bonny　bride。　　This　is　no　fit　wedding。　　Thou；　Sir　Knight；
so　old；　and　she　so　young；　and　thou　thinkest　to　make　her　thy　wife？
I　tell　thee　it　may　not　be；　for　thou　art　not　her　own　true　love。〃

At　this　all　stood　amazed；　and　knew　not　where　to　look　nor　what　to　think　or　say；
for　they　were　all　bewildered　with　the　happening；　so；　while　everyone　looked
at　Robin　as　though　they　had　been　changed　to　stone；　he　clapped　his　bugle
horn　to　his　lips　and　blew　three　blasts　so　loud　and　clear；　they　echoed
from　floor　to　rafter　as　though　they　were　sounded　by　the　trump　of　doom。
Then　straightway　Little　John　and　Will　Stutely　came　leaping　and　stood
upon　either　side　of　Robin　Hood；　and　quickly　drew　their　broadswords；
the　while　a　mighty　voice　rolled　over　the　heads　of　all；　〃Here　be　I；
good　master；　when　thou　wantest　me〃；　for　it　was　Friar　Tuck　that　so　called
from　the　organ　loft。

And　now　all　was　hubbub　and　noise。　　Stout　Edward　strode　forward　raging；
and　would　have　seized　his　daughter　to　drag　her　away；　but　Little　John
stepped　between　and　thrust　him　back。　　〃Stand　back；　old　man；〃　said　he；
〃thou　art　a　hobbled　horse　this　day。〃

〃Down　with　the　villains！〃　cried　Sir　Stephen；　and　felt　for　his　sword；
but　it　hung　not　beside　him　on　his　wedding　day。

Then　the　men…at…arms　drew　their　swords；　and　it　seemed　like　that　blood
would　wet　the　stones；　but　suddenly　came　a　bustle　at　the　door　and
loud　voices；　steel　flashed　in　the　light；　and　the　crash　of　blows　sounded。
The　men…at…arms　fell　back；　and　up　the　aisle　came　leaping　eighteen　stout
yeomen　all　clad　in　Lincoln　green；　with　Allan　a　Dale　at　their　head。
In　his　hand　he　bore　Robin　Hood's　good　stout　trusty　bow　of　yew；
and　this　he　gave　to　him；　kneeling　the　while　upon　one　knee。

Then　up　spake　Edward　of　Deirwold　in　a　deep　voice　of　anger；　〃Is　it　thou；
Allan　a　Dale；　that　hath　bred　all　this　coil　in　a　church？〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　〃that　have　I　done；　and　I　care　not　who　knoweth　it；
for　my　name　is　Robin　Hood。〃

At　this　name　a　sudden　silence　fell。　　The　Prior　of　Emmet　and　those
that　belonged　to　him　gathered　together　like　a　flock　of　frightened
sheep　when　the　scent　of　the　wolf　is　nigh；　while　the　Bishop
of　Hereford；　laying　aside　his　book；　crossed　himself　devoutly。
〃Now　Heaven　keep　us　this　day；〃　said　he；　〃from　that　evil　man！〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　mean　you　no　harm；　but　here　is　fair　Ellen's
betrothed　husband；　and　she　shall　marry　him　or　pain　will　be　bred
to　some　of　you。〃

Then　up　spake　stout　Edward　in　a　loud　and　angry　voice；　〃Now　I　say　nay！
I　am　her　father；　and　she　shall　marry　Sir　Stephen　and　none　other。〃

Now　all　this　time；　while　everything　was　in　turmoil　about　him；
Sir　Stephen　had　been　standing　in　proud　and　scornful　silence。
〃Nay；　fellow；〃　said　he　coldly；　〃thou　mayst　take　thy　daughter　back　again；
I　would　not　marry　her　after　this　day's　doings　could　I　gain　all
merry　England　thereby。　　I　tell　thee　plainly；　I　loved　thy　daughter；
old　as　I　am；　and　would　have　taken　her　up　like　a　jewel　from
the　sty；　yet；　truly；　I　knew　not　that　she　did　love　this　fellow；
and　was　beloved　by　him。　　Maiden；　if　thou　dost　rather　choose
a　beggarly　minstrel　than　a　high…born　knight；　take　thy　choice。
I　do　feel　it　shame　that　I　should　thus　stand　talking　amid　this　herd；
and　so　I　will　leave　you。〃　　Thus　saying；　he　turned　and；
gathering　his　men　about　him；　walked　proudly　down　the　aisle。
Then　all　the　yeomen　were　silenced　by　the　scorn　of　his　words。
Only　Friar　Tuck　leaned　over　the　edge　of　the　choir　loft　and　called
out　to　him　ere　he　had　gone；　〃Good　den；　Sir　Knight。　　Thou　wottest
old　bones　must　alway　make　room　for　young　blood。〃　　Sir　Stephen
neither　answered　n