the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第44章

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his　men　about　him　and；　tightening　the　girths　of　his　saddle；
he　mounted　his　horse　once　more。

Meanwhile　the　young　stranger　had　made　his　way　through　the　crowd；
but；　as　he　passed；　he　heard　all　around　him　such　words　muttered
as　〃Look　at　the　cockerel！〃　　〃Behold　how　he　plumeth　himself！〃
〃I　dare　swear　he　cast　good　William　unfairly！〃　　〃Yea；　truly；
saw　ye　not　birdlime　upon　his　hands？〃　　〃It　would　be　well　to　cut
his　cock's　comb！〃　　To　all　this　the　stranger　paid　no　heed；
but　strode　proudly　about　as　though　he　heard　it　not。
So　he　walked　slowly　across　the　green　to　where　the　booth　stood　wherein
was　dancing；　and　standing　at　the　door　he　looked　in　on　the　sport。
As　he　stood　thus；　a　stone　struck　his　arm　of　a　sudden　with　a　sharp
jar；　and；　turning；　he　saw　that　an　angry　crowd　of　men　had　followed
him　from　the　wrestling　ring。　　Then；　when　they　saw　him　turn　so；
a　great　hooting　and　yelling　arose　from　all；　so　that　the　folk
came　running　out　from　the　dancing　booth　to　see　what　was　to　do。
At　last　a　tall；　broad…shouldered；　burly　blacksmith　strode　forward
from　the　crowd　swinging　a　mighty　blackthorn　club　in　his　hand。

〃Wouldst　thou　come　here　to　our　fair　town　of　Denby；　thou　Jack　in
the　Box；　to　overcome　a　good　honest　lad　with　vile；　juggling　tricks？〃
growled　he　in　a　deep　voice　like　the　bellow　of　an　angry　bull。
〃Take　that；　then！〃　　And　of　a　sudden　he　struck　a　blow　at　the　youth
that　might　have　felled　an　ox。　　But　the　other　turned　the　blow
deftly　aside；　and　gave　back　another　so　terrible　that　the　Denby　man
went　down　with　a　groan；　as　though　he　had　been　smitten　by　lightning。
When　they　saw　their　leader　fall；　the　crowd　gave　another　angry　shout；
but　the　stranger　placed　his　back　against　the　tent　near　which　he　stood；
swinging　his　terrible　staff；　and　so　fell　had　been　the　blow　that　he　struck
the　stout　smith　that　none　dared　to　come　within　the　measure　of　his　cudgel；
so　the　press　crowded　back；　like　a　pack　of　dogs　from　a　bear　at　bay。
But　now　some　coward　hand　from　behind　threw　a　sharp　jagged　stone　that
smote　the　stranger　on　the　crown；　so　that　he　staggered　back；　and　the　red
blood　gushed　from　the　cut　and　ran　down　his　face　and　over　his　jerkin。
Then；　seeing　him　dazed　with　this　vile　blow；　the　crowd　rushed　upon　him；
so　that　they　overbore　him　and　he　fell　beneath　their　feet。

Now　it　might　have　gone　ill　with　the　youth；　even　to　the　losing
of　his　young　life；　had　not　Sir　Richard　come　to　this　fair；
for　of　a　sudden；　shouts　were　heard；　and　steel　flashed　in　the　air；
and　blows　were　given　with　the　flat　of　swords；　while　through　the　midst
of　the　crowd　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea　came　spurring　on　his　white　horse。
Then　the　crowd；　seeing　the　steel…clad　knight　and　the　armed　men；
melted　away　like　snow　on　the　warm　hearth；　leaving　the　young　man
all　bloody　and　dusty　upon　the　ground。

Finding　himself　free；　the　youth　arose　and；　wiping　the　blood
from　his　face；　looked　up。　　Quoth　he；　〃Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea；
mayhap　thou　hast　saved　my　life　this　day。〃

〃Who　art　thou　that　knowest　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea　so　well？〃
quoth　the　Knight。　　〃Methinks　I　have　seen　thy　face　before；　young　man。〃

〃Yea；　thou　hast；〃　said　the　youth；　〃for　men　call　me　David　of　Doncaster。〃

〃Ha！〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃I　wonder　that　I　knew　thee　not；　David；
but　thy　beard　hath　grown　longer；　and　thou　thyself　art　more
set　in　manhood　since　this　day　twelvemonth。　　Come　hither
into　the　tent；　David；　and　wash　the　blood　from　thy　face。
And　thou；　Ralph；　bring　him　straightway　a　clean　jerkin。
Now　I　am




sorry　for　thee；　yet　I　am　right　glad　that　I　have　had　a　chance　to　pay
a　part　of　my　debt　of　kindness　to　thy　good　master　Robin　Hood；
for　it　might　have　gone　ill　with　thee　had　I　not　come；　young　man。〃

So　saying；　the　Knight　led　David　into　the　tent；　and　there　the　youth　washed
the　blood　from　his　face　and　put　on　the　clean　jerkin。

In　the　meantime　a　whisper　had　gone　around　from　those　that　stood
nearest　that　this　was　none　other　than　the　great　David　of　Doncaster；
the　best　wrestler　in　all　the　mid…country；　who　only　last　spring
had　cast　stout　Adam　o'　Lincoln　in　the　ring　at　Selby；　in　Yorkshire；
and　now　held　the　mid…country　champion　belt；　Thus　it　happened　that
when　young　David　came　forth　from　the　tent　along　with　Sir　Richard；
the　blood　all　washed　from　his　face；　and　his　soiled　jerkin　changed
for　a　clean　one；　no　sounds　of　anger　were　heard；　but　all　pressed
forward　to　see　the　young　man；　feeling　proud　that　one　of　the　great
wrestlers　of　England　should　have　entered　the　ring　at　Denby　fair。
For　thus　fickle　is　a　mass　of　men。

Then　Sir　Richard　called　aloud；　〃Friends；　this　is　David　of　Doncaster；
so　think　it　no　shame　that　your　Denby　man　was　cast　by　such　a　wrestler。
He　beareth　you　no　ill　will　for　what　hath　passed；　but　let　it　be　a　warning
to　you　how　ye　treat　strangers　henceforth。　　Had　ye　slain　him　it　would
have　been　an　ill　day　for　you；　for　Robin　Hood　would　have　harried　your
town　as　the　kestrel　harries　the　dovecote。　　I　have　bought　the　pipe
of　wine　from　him；　and　now　I　give　it　freely　to　you　to　drink　as　ye　list。
But　never　hereafterward　fall　upon　a　man　for　being　a　stout　yeoman。〃

At　this　all　shouted　amain；　but　in　truth　they　thought　more　of　the　wine
than　of　the　Knight's　words。　　Then　Sir　Richard；　with　David　beside　him
and　his　men…at…arms　around；　turned　about　and　left　the　fair。

But　in　after　days；　when　the　men　that　saw　that　wrestling　bout　were　bent
with　age；　they　would　shake　their　heads　when　they　heard　of　any　stalwart　game；
and　say；　〃Ay；　ay；　but　thou　shouldst　have　seen　the　great　David　of　Doncaster
cast　stout　William　of　the　Scar　at　Denby　fair。〃

Robin　Hood　stood　in　the　merry　greenwood　with　Little　John　and　most
of　his　stout　yeomen　around　him；　awaiting　Sir　Richard's　coming。
At　last　a　glint　of　steel　was　seen　through　the　brown　forest　leaves；　and　forth
from　the　covert　into　the　open　rode　Sir　Richard　at　the　head　of　his　men。
He　came　straight　forward　to　Robin　Hood　and　leaping　from　off　his　horse；
clasped　the　yeoman　in　his　arms。

〃Why；　how　now；〃　said　Robin；　after　a　time；　holding　Sir　Richard　off
and　looking　at　him　from　top　to　toe；　〃methinks　thou　art　a　gayer　bird
than　when　I　saw　thee　last。〃

〃Yes；　thanks　to　thee；　Robin；〃　said　the　Knight；　laying　his　hand　upon
the　yeoman's　shoulder。　　〃But　for　thee　I　would　have　been　wandering　in
misery　in　a　far　country　by　this　time。　　But　I　have　kept　my　word；　Robin；
and　have　brought　back　the　money　that　thou　didst　lend　me；　and　which　I
have　doubled　four　times　over　again；　and　so　become　rich　once　more。
Along　with　this　money　I　have　brought　a　little　gift　to　thee　and　thy
brave　men　from　my　dear　lady　and　myself。〃　　Then；　turning　to　his　men；
he　called　aloud；　〃Bring　forth　the　pack　horses。〃

But　Robin　stopped　him。　　〃Nay；　Sir　Richard；〃　said　he；　〃think　it　not　bold
of　me　to　cross　thy　bidding；　but　we　of　Sherwood　do　no　business　till　after
we　have　eaten　and　drunk。〃　　Whereupon；　taking　Sir　Richard　by　the　hand；
he　led　him　to　the　seat　beneath　the　greenwood　tree；　while　others
of　the　chief　men　of　the　band　came　and　seated　themselves　around。
Then　quoth　Robin；　〃How　cometh　it　that　I　saw　young　David　of　Doncaster
with　thee　and　thy　men；　Sir　Knight？〃

Then　straightway　the　Knight　told　all　about　his　stay　at　Denby
and　of　the　happening　at　the　fair；　and　how　it　was　like　to　go
hard　with　young　David；　so　he　told　his　tale；　and　quoth　he；
〃It　was　this；　good　Robin；　that　kept　me　so　late　on　the　way；
otherwise　I　would　have　been　here　an　hour　agone。〃

Then；　when　he　had　done　speaking；　Robin　stretched　out　his　hand
and　grasped　the　Knight's　palm。　　Quoth　he　in　a　trembling　voice；
〃I　owe　thee　a　debt　I　can　never　hope　to　repay；　Sir　Richard；
for　let　me　tell　thee；　I　would　rather　lose　my　right　hand　than　have
such　ill　befall　young　David　of　Doncaster　as　seemed　like　to　come
upon　him　at　Denby。〃

So　they　talked　until　after　a　while　one　came　forward　to　say
that　the　feast　was　spread；　whereupon　all　arose　and　went　thereto。
When　at　last　it　was　done；　the　Knight　called　upon　his　men　to　bring
the　pack　horses　forward；　which　they　did　according　to　his　bidding。
Then　one　of　the　men　brought　the　Knight　a　strongbox；　which　he　opened
and　took　from　it　a　bag　and　counted　out　five　hundred　pounds；
the　sum　he　had　gotten　from　Robin。

〃Sir　Richard；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃thou　wilt　pleasure　us　all　if　thou　wilt　keep
that　money　as　a　gift　from　us　of　Sherwood。　　Is　it　not