the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第54章

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I　prythee；　what　bringeth　one　of　so　fair　a　presence　and　clad　in　such
noble　garb　to　our　poor　forest　of　Sherwood？〃

Then　young　Partington　said；　〃If　I　err　not；　thou　art　the　famous
Robin　Hood；　and　these　thy　stout　band　of　outlawed　yeomen。
To　thee　I　bring　greetings　from　our　noble　Queen　Eleanor。　　Oft　hath
she　heard　thee　spoken　of　and　thy　merry　doings　hereabouts；
and　fain　would　she　behold　thy　face；　therefore　she　bids　me
tell　thee　that　if　thou　wilt　presently　come　to　London　Town；
she　will　do　all　in　her　power　to　guard　thee　against　harm；
and　will　send　thee　back　safe　to　Sherwood　Forest　again。
Four　days　hence；　in　Finsbury　Fields；　our　good　King　Henry；
of　great　renown；　holdeth　a　grand　shooting　match；　and　all
the　most　famous　archers　of　merry　England　will　be　thereat。
Our　Queen　would　fain　see　thee　strive　with　these；　knowing　that　if　thou
wilt　come　thou　wilt；　with　little　doubt；　carry　off　the　prize。
Therefore　she　hath　sent　me　with　this　greeting；　and　furthermore
sends　thee；　as　a　sign　of　great　good　will；　this　golden　ring　from
off　her　own　fair　thumb；　which　I　give　herewith　into　thy　hands。〃

Then　Robin　Hood　bowed　his　head　and　taking　the　ring；　kissed　it
right　loyally；　and　then　slipped　it　upon　his　little　finger。
Quoth　he；　〃Sooner　would　I　lose　my　life　than　this　ring；　and　ere
it　departs　from　me；　my　hand　shall　be　cold　in　death　or　stricken
off　at　the　wrist。　　Fair　Sir　Page；　I　will　do　our　Queen's　bidding；
and　will　presently　hie　with　thee　to　London；　but；　ere　we　go；
I　will　feast　thee　here　in　the　woodlands　with　the　very　best　we　have。〃

〃It　may　not　be；〃　said　the　Page；　〃we　have　no　time　to　tarry；
therefore　get　thyself　ready　straightway；　and　if　there　be　any
of　thy　band　that　thou　wouldst　take　with　thee；　our　Queen　bids
me　say　that　she　will　make　them　right　welcome　likewise。〃

〃Truly；　thou　art　right；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and　we　have　but　short
time　to　stay；　therefore　I　will　get　me　ready　presently。
I　will　choose　three　of　my　men；　only；　to　go　with　me；　and　these
three　shall　be　Little　John；　mine　own　true　right…hand　man；
Will　Scarlet；　my　cousin；　and　Allan　a　Dale；　my　minstrel。
Go；　lads；　and　get　ye　ready　straightway；　and　we　will　presently
off　with　all　speed　that　we　may。　　Thou；　Will　Stutely；　shall　be
the　chief　of　the　band　while　I　am　gone。〃

Then　Little　John　and　Will　Scarlet　and　Allan　a　Dale　ran　leaping；　full　of　joy；
to　make　themselves　ready；　while　Robin　also　prepared　himself　for　the　journey。
After　a　while　they　all　four　came　forth；　and　a　right　fair　sight　they　made；
for　Robin　was　clad　in　blue　from　head　to　foot；　and　Little　John　and
Will　Scarlet　in　good　Lincoln　green；　and　as　for　Allan　a　Dale；　he　was　dressed
in　scarlet　from　the　crown　of　his　head　to　the　toes　of　his　pointed　shoes。
Each　man　wore　beneath　his　cap　a　little　head　covering　of　burnished　steel
set　with　rivets　of　gold；　and　underneath　his　jerkin　a　coat　of　linked　mail；
as　fine　as　carded　wool；　yet　so　tough　that　no　arrow　could　pierce　it。
Then；　seeing　all　were　ready；　young　Partington　mounted　his　horse　again；
and　the　yeomen　having　shaken　hands　all　around；　the　five　departed
upon　their　way。

That　night　they　took　up　their　inn　in　Melton　Mowbray；　in　Leicestershire；
and　the　next　night　they　lodged　at　Kettering；　in　Northamptonshire；
and　the　next　at　Bedford　Town；　and　the　next　at　St。　Albans；
in　Hertfordshire。　　This　place　they　left　not　long　after　the　middle
of　the　night；　and　traveling　fast　through　the　tender　dawning　of
the　summer　day；　when　the　dews　lay　shining　on　the　meadows　and　faint
mists　hung　in　the　dales；　when　the　birds　sang　their　sweetest　and
the　cobwebs　beneath　the　hedges　glimmered　like　fairy　cloth　of　silver；
they　came　at　last　to　the　towers　and　walls　of　famous　London　Town；
while　the　morn　was　still　young　and　all　golden　toward　the　east。

Queen　Eleanor　sat　in　her　royal　bower；　through　the　open　casements　of
which　poured　the　sweet　yellow　sunshine　in　great　floods　of　golden　light。
All　about　her　stood　her　ladies…in…waiting　chatting　in　low　voices；
while　she　herself　sat　dreamily　where　the　mild　air　came　softly
drifting　into　the　room　laden　with　the　fresh　perfumes　of　the　sweet
red　roses　that　bloomed　in　the　great　garden　beneath　the　wall。
To　her　came　one　who　said　that　her　page；　Richard　Partington；
and　four　stout　yeomen　waited　her　pleasure　in　the　court　below。
Then　Queen　Eleanor　arose　joyously　and　bade　them　be　straightway
shown　into　her　presence。

Thus　Robin　Hood　and　Little　John　and　Will　Scarlet　and　Allan　a　Dale　came
before　the　Queen　into　her　own　royal　bower。　　Then　Robin　kneeled　before
the　Queen　with　his　hands　folded　upon　his　breast；　saying　in　simple　phrase；
〃Here　am　I；　Robin　Hood。　　Thou　didst　bid　me　come；　and　lo；　I　do　thy　bidding。
I　give　myself　to　thee　as　thy　true　servant；　and　will　do　thy　commanding；
even　if　it　be　to　the　shedding　of　the　last　drop　of　my　life's　blood。〃

But　good　Queen　Eleanor　smiled　pleasantly　upon　him；　bidding　him　to　arise。
Then　she　made　them　all　be　seated　to　rest　themselves　after　their　long　journey。
Rich　food　was　brought　them　and　noble　wines；　and　she　had　her　own　pages
to　wait　upon　the　wants　of　the　yeomen。　　At　last；　after　they　had　eaten
all　they　could；　she　began　questioning　them　of　their　merry　adventures。
Then　they　told　her　all　of　the　lusty　doings　herein　spoken　of；　and　among
others　that　concerning　the　Bishop　of　Hereford　and　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea；
and　how　the　Bishop　had　abided　three　days　in　Sherwood　Forest。　　At　this；
the　Queen　and　the　ladies　about　her　laughed　again　and　again；　for　they
pictured　to　themselves　the　stout　Bishop　abiding　in　the　forest　and　ranging
the　woods　in　lusty　sport　with　Robin　and　his　band。　　Then；　when　they　had
told　all　that　they　could　bring　to　mind；　the　Queen　asked　Allan　to　sing
to　her；　for　his　fame　as　a　minstrel　had　reached　even　to　the　court　at
London　Town。　　So　straightway　Allan　took　up　his　harp　in　his　hand；　and；
without　more　asking；　touched　the　strings　lightly　till　they　all　rang　sweetly；
then　he　sang　thus：

　〃_Gentle　river；　gentle　river；
　　　　　Bright　thy　crystal　waters　flow；
　Sliding　where　the　aspens　shiver；
　　　　　Gliding　where　the　lilies　blow；

　〃Singing　over　pebbled　shallows；
　　　　　Kissing　blossoms　bending　low；
　Breaking　'neath　the　dipping　swallows；
　　　　　Purpling　where　the　breezes　blow。

　〃Floating　on　thy　breast　forever
　　　　　Down　thy　current　I　could　glide；
　Grief　and　pain　should　reach　me　never
　　　　　On　thy　bright　and　gentle　tide。

　〃So　my　aching　heart　seeks　thine；　love；
　　　　　There　to　find　its　rest　and　peace；
　For；　through　loving；　bliss　is　mine；　love；
　　　　　And　my　many　troubles　cease_。〃


Thus　Allan　sang；　and　as　he　sang　all　eyes　dwelled　upon　him　and　not
a　sound　broke　the　stillness；　and　even　after　he　had　done　the　silence
hung　for　a　short　space。　　So　the　time　passed　till　the　hour　drew　nigh
for　the　holding　of　the　great　archery　match　in　Finsbury　Fields。

A　gay　sight　were　famous　Finsbury　Fields　on　that　bright　and　sunny
morning　of　lusty　summertime。　　Along　the　end　of　the　meadow　stood
the　booths　for　the　different　bands　of　archers；　for　the　King's　yeomen
were　divided　into　companies　of　fourscore　men；　and　each　company
had　a　captain　over　it；　so　on　the　bright　greensward　stood　ten　booths
of　striped　canvas；　a　booth　for　each　band　of　the　royal　archers；
and　at　the　peak　of　each　fluttered　a　flag　in　the　mellow　air；
and　the　flag　was　the　color　that　belonged　to　the　captain　of　each　band。
From　the　center　booth　hung　the　yellow　flag　of　Tepus；　the　famous
bow　bearer　of　the　King；　next　to　it；　on　one　hand；　was　the　blue
flag　of　Gilbert　of　the　White　Hand；　and　on　the　other　the　blood…red
pennant　of　stout　young　Clifton　of　Buckinghamshire。　　The　seven
other　archer　captains　were　also　men　of　great　renown；　among　them
were　Egbert　of　Kent　and　William　of　Southampton；　but　those　first
named　were　most　famous　of　all。　　The　noise　of　many　voices　in　talk
and　laughter　came　from　within　the　booths；　and　in　and　out　ran
the　attendants　like　ants　about　an　ant…hill。　Some　bore　ale
and　beer；　and　some　bundles　of　bowstrings　or　sheaves　of　arrows。
On　each　side　of　the　archery　range　were　rows　upon　rows　of　seats
reaching　high　aloft；　and　in　the　center　of　the　north　side　was　a　raised
dais　for　the　King　and　Queen；　shaded　by　canvas　of　gay　colors；
and　hung　about　with　streaming　silken　pennants　of　red　and　blue
and　green　and　white。　　As　yet　the　King　and　Queen　had　not　come；
but　al