the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第38章

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Robin　called　upon　them　to　stop；　for　here　on　either　side　was　shelter
of　high　hedgerows；　behind　which　was　good　hiding；　whence　they　could
watch　the　roads　at　their　ease；　while　they　ate　their　midday　meal。
Quoth　merry　Robin；　〃Here；　methinks；　is　good　lodging；　where　peaceful　folk；
such　as　we　be；　can　eat　in　quietness；　therefore　we　will　rest　here；
and　see　what　may；　perchance；　fall　into　our　luck…pot。〃　So　they　crossed
a　stile　and　came　behind　a　hedgerow　where　the　mellow　sunlight　was　bright
and　warm；　and　where　the　grass　was　soft；　and　there　sat　them　down。
Then　each　man　drew　from　the　pouch　that　hung　beside　him　that
which　he　had　brought　to　eat；　for　a　merry　walk　such　as　this　had
been　sharpens　the　appetite　till　it　is　as　keen　as　a　March　wind。
So　no　more　words　were　spoken；　but　each　man　saved　his　teeth　for　better　use
munching　at　brown　crust　and　cold　meat　right　lustily。

In　front　of　them；　one　of　the　highroads　crawled　up　the　steep　hill
and　then　dipped　suddenly　over　its　crest；　sharp…cut　with　hedgerow
and　shaggy　grass　against　the　sky。　　Over　the　top　of　the　windy　hill
peeped　the　eaves　of　a　few　houses　of　the　village　that　fell　back
into　the　valley　behind；　there；　also；　showed　the　top　of　a　windmill；
the　sails　slowly　rising　and　dipping　from　behind　the　hill　against
the　clear　blue　sky；　as　the　light　wind　moved　them　with　creaking
and　labored　swing。

So　the　yeomen　lay　behind　the　hedge　and　finished　their　midday　meal；
but　still　the　time　slipped　along　and　no　one　came。　　At　last；
a　man　came　slowly　riding　over　the　hill　and　down　the　stony
road　toward　the　spot　where　Robin　and　his　band　lay　hidden。
He　was　a　good　stout　knight；　but　sorrowful　of　face　and　downcast
of　mien。　　His　clothes　were　plain　and　rich；　but　no　chain　of　gold；
such　as　folk　of　his　stand　in　life　wore　at　most　times；
hung　around　his　neck；　and　no　jewel　was　about　him；　yet　no　one
could　mistake　him　for　aught　but　one　of　proud　and　noble　blood。
His　head　was　bowed　upon　his　breast　and　his　hands　drooped　limp
on　either　side；　and　so　he　came　slowly　riding；　as　though　sunk
in　sad　thoughts；　while　even　his　good　horse；　the　reins　loose
upon　his　neck；　walked　with　hanging　head；　as　though　he　shared
his　master's　grief。

Quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃Yon　is　verily　a　sorry…looking　gallant；
and　doth　seem　to　have　donned　ill…content　with　his　jerkin
this　morning；　nevertheless；　I　will　out　and　talk　with　him；
for　there　may　be　some　pickings　here　for　a　hungry　daw。
Methinks　his　dress　is　rich；　though　he　himself　is　so　downcast。
Bide　ye　here　till　I　look　into　this　matter。〃　　So　saying；
he　arose　and　left　them；　crossed　the　road　to　the　shrine；
and　there　stood；　waiting　for　the　sorrowful　knight　to　come　near　him。
So；　presently；　when　the　knight　came　riding　slowly　along；
jolly　Robin　stepped　forward　and　laid　his　hand　upon　the　bridle　rein。
〃Hold；　Sir　Knight；〃　quoth　he。　　〃I　prythee　tarry　for　a　short　time；
for　I　have　a　few　words　to　say　to　thee。〃

〃What　art　thou；　friend；　who　dost　stop　a　traveler　in　this　manner
upon　his　most　gracious　Majesty's　highway？〃　said　the　Knight。

〃Marry；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃that　is　a　question　hard　to　answer。
One　man　calleth　me　kind；　another　calleth　me　cruel；　this　one
calleth　me　good　honest　fellow；　and　that　one；　vile　thief。
Truly；　the　world　hath　as　many　eyes　to　look　upon　a　man　withal
as　there　are　spots　on　a　toad；　so；　with　what　pair　of　eyes
thou　regardest　me　lieth　entirely　with　thine　own　self。
My　name　is　Robin　Hood。〃

〃Truly；　good　Robin；〃　said　the　Knight；　a　smile　twitching
at　the　corners　of　his　mouth；　〃thou　hast　a　quaint　conceit。
As　for　the　pair　of　eyes　with　which　I　regard　thee；　I　would　say
that　they　are　as　favorable　as　may　be；　for　I　hear　much　good
of　thee　and　little　ill。　　What　is　thy　will　of　me？〃

〃Now；　I　make　my　vow；　Sir　Knight；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃thou　hast　surely　learned
thy　wisdom　of　good　Gaffer　Swanthold；　for　he　sayeth；　‘Fair　words　are
as　easy　spoke　as　foul；　and　bring　good　will　in　the　stead　of　blows。'
Now　I　will　show　thee　the　truth　of　this　saying；　for；　if　thou　wilt　go
with　me　this　day　to　Sherwood　Forest；　I　will　give　thee　as　merry　a　feast
as　ever　thou　hadst　in　all　thy　life。〃

〃Thou　art　indeed　kind；〃　said　the　Knight；　〃but　methinks
thou　wilt　find　me　but　an　ill…seeming　and　sorrowful　guest。
Thou　hadst　best　let　me　pass　on　my　way　in　peace。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃thou　mightst　go　thine　own　way　but　for　one　thing；
and　that　I　will　tell　thee。　　We　keep　an　inn；　as　it　were；
in　the　very　depths　of　Sherwood；　but　so　far　from　highroads　and　beaten
paths　that　guests　do　not　often　come　nigh　us；　so　I　and　my　friends
set　off　merrily　and　seek　them　when　we　grow　dull　of　ourselves。
Thus　the　matter　stands；　Sir　Knight；　yet　I　will　furthermore　tell
thee　that　we　count　upon　our　guests　paying　a　reckoning。〃

〃I　take　thy　meaning；　friend；〃　said　the　Knight　gravely；　〃but　I　am　not　thy　man；
for　I　have　no　money　by　me。〃

〃Is　it　sooth？〃　said　Robin；　looking　at　the　Knight　keenly。　　〃I　can　scarce
choose　but　believe　thee；　yet；　Sir　Knight；　there　be　those　of　thy　order　whose
word　is　not　to　be　trusted　as　much　as　they　would　have　others　believe。
Thou　wilt　think　no　ill　if　I　look　for　myself　in　this　matter。〃
Then；　still　holding　the　horse　by　the　bridle　rein；　he　put　his　fingers
to　his　lips　and　blew　a　shrill　whistle；　whereupon　fourscore　yeomen　came
leaping　over　the　stile　and　ran　to　where　the　Knight　and　Robin　stood。
〃These；〃　said　Robin；　looking　upon　them　proudly；　〃are　some　of　my　merry　men。
They　share　and　share　alike　with　me　all　joys　and　troubles；　gains　and　losses。
Sir　Knight；　I　prythee　tell　me　what　money　thou　hast　about　thee。〃

For　a　time　the　Knight　said　not　a　word；　but　a　slow　red　arose　into　his　cheeks；
at　last　he　looked　Robin　in　the　face　and　said；　〃I　know　not　why　I　should
be　ashamed；　for　it　should　be　no　shame　to　me；　but；　friend；　I　tell　thee
the　truth；　when　I　say　that　in　my　purse　are　ten　shillings；　and　that　that　is
every　groat　that　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea　hath　in　all　the　wide　world。〃

When　Sir　Richard　ended　a　silence　fell；　until　at　last　Robin　said；
〃And　dost　thou　pledge　me　thy　knightly　word　that　this　is　all　thou
hast　with　thee？〃

〃Yea；〃　answered　Sir　Richard；　〃I　do　pledge　thee　my　most　solemn　word；
as　a　true　knight；　that　it　is　all　the　money　I　have　in　the　world。
Nay；　here　is　my　purse；　ye　may　find　for　yourselves　the　truth　of　what　I　say。〃
And　he　held　his　purse　out　to　Robin。

〃Put　up　thy　purse；　Sir　Richard；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃Far　be　it　from　me
to　doubt　the　word　of　so　gentle　a　knight。　　The　proud　I　strive　to
bring　low；　but　those　that　walk　in　sorrow　I　would　aid　if　I　could。
Come；　Sir　Richard；　cheer　up　thy　heart　and　go　with　us　into　the　greenwood。
Even　I　may　perchance　aid　thee；　for　thou　surely　knowest　how　the　good
Athelstane　was　saved　by　the　little　blind　mole　that　digged　a　trench
over　which　he　that　sought　the　king's　life　stumbled。〃

〃Truly；　friend；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃methinks　thou　meanest　kindness
in　thine　own　way；　nevertheless　my　troubles　are　such　that　it　is
not　likely　that　thou　canst　cure　them。　　But　I　will　go　with　thee
this　day　into　Sherwood。〃　　Hereupon　he　turned　his　horse's　head；
and　they　all　wended　their　way　to　the　woodlands；　Robin　walking
on　one　side　of　the　Knight　and　Will　Scarlet　on　the　other；
while　the　rest　of　the　band　trudged　behind。

After　they　had　traveled　thus　for　a　time　Robin　Hood　spake。
〃Sir　Knight；〃　said　he；　〃I　would　not　trouble　thee　with　idle　questions；
but　dost　thou　find　it　in　thy　heart　to　tell　me　thy　sorrows？〃

〃Truly；　Robin；〃　quoth　the　Knight；　〃I　see　no　reason　why　I　should　not　do　so。
Thus　it　is：　　My　castle　and　my　lands　are　in　pawn　for　a　debt　that　I　owe。
Three　days　hence　the　money　must　be　paid　or　else　all　mine　estate　is
lost　forever；　for　then　it　falls　into　the　hands　of　the　Priory　of　Emmet；
and　what　they　swallow　they　never　give　forth　again。〃

Quoth　Robin；　〃I　understand　not　why　those　of　thy　kind　live　in　such
a　manner　that　all　their　wealth　passeth　from　them　like　snow　beneath
the　springtide　sun。〃

〃Thou　wrongest　me；　Robin；〃　said　the　Knight；　〃for　listen：
I　have　a　son　but　twenty　winters　old；　nevertheless　he　has
won　his　spurs　as　knight。　　Last　year；　on　a　certain　evil　day；
the　jousts　were　held　at　Chester；　and　thither　my　son　went；
as　did　I　and　my　lady　wife。　　I　wot　it　was　a　proud　time　for　us；
for　he　unhorsed　each　knight　that　he　tilted　against。
At　last　he　ran　a　course　with　a　certain　great　knig