the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第55章

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and　green　and　white。　　As　yet　the　King　and　Queen　had　not　come；
but　all　the　other　benches　were　full　of　people；　rising　head　above
head　high　aloft　till　it　made　the　eye　dizzy　to　look　upon　them。
Eightscore　yards　distant　from　the　mark　from　which　the　archers
were　to　shoot　stood　ten　fair　targets；　each　target　marked　by　a　flag
of　the　color　belonging　to　the　band　that　was　to　shoot　thereat。
So　all　was　ready　for　the　coming　of　the　King　and　Queen。

At　last　a　great　blast　of　bugles　sounded；　and　into　the　meadow　came
riding　six　trumpeters　with　silver　trumpets；　from　which　hung　velvet
banners　heavy　with　rich　workings　of　silver　and　gold　thread。
Behind　these　came　stout　King　Henry　upon　a　dapple…gray　stallion；
with　his　Queen　beside　him　upon　a　milk…white　palfrey。
On　either　side　of　them　walked　the　yeomen　of　the　guard；　the　bright
sunlight　flashing　from　the　polished　blades　of　the　steel　halberds
they　carried。　　Behind　these　came　the　Court　in　a　great　crowd；
so　that　presently　all　the　lawn　was　alive　with　bright　colors；
with　silk　and　velvet；　with　waving　plumes　and　gleaming　gold；
with　flashing　jewels　and　sword　hilts；　a　gallant　sight　on　that
bright　summer　day。

Then　all　the　people　arose　and　shouted；　so　that　their　voices
sounded　like　the　storm　upon　the　Cornish　coast；　when　the　dark
waves　run　upon　the　shore　and　leap　and　break；　surging　amid
the　rocks；　so；　amid　the　roaring　and　the　surging　of　the　people；
and　the　waving　of　scarfs　and　kerchiefs；　the　King　and　Queen
came　to　their　place；　and；　getting　down　from　their　horses；
mounted　the　broad　stairs　that　led　to　the　raised　platform；
and　there　took　their　seats　on　two　thrones　bedecked　with　purple
silks　and　cloths　of　silver　and　of　gold。

When　all　was　quiet　a　bugle　sounded；　and　straightway　the　archers　came
marching　in　order　from　their　tents。　　Fortyscore　they　were　in　all；
as　stalwart　a　band　of　yeomen　as　could　be　found　in　all　the　wide　world。
So　they　came　in　orderly　fashion　and　stood　in　front　of　the　dais　where
King　Henry　and　his　Queen　sat。　　King　Henry　looked　up　and　down　their
ranks　right　proudly；　for　his　heart　warmed　within　him　at　the　sight
of　such　a　gallant　band　of　yeomen。　　Then　he　bade　his　herald　Sir　Hugh
de　Mowbray　stand　forth　and　proclaim　the　rules　governing　the　game。
So　Sir　Hugh　stepped　to　the　edge　of　the　platform　and　spoke　in　a　loud
clear　voice；　and　thus　he　said：

That　each　man　should　shoot　seven　arrows　at　the　target　that　belonged
to　his　band；　and；　of　the　fourscore　yeomen　of　each　band；　the　three
that　shot　the　best　should　be　chosen。　　These　three　should　shoot　three
arrows　apiece；　and　the　one　that　shot　the　best　should　again　be　chosen。
Then　each　of　these　should　again　shoot　three　arrows　apiece；
and　the　one　that　shot　the　best　should　have　the　first　prize；
the　one　that　shot　the　next　best　should　have　the　second；
and　the　one　that　shot　the　next　best　should　have　the　third　prize。
Each　of　the　others　should　have　fourscore　silver　pennies　for　his　shooting。
The　first　prize　was　to　be　twoscore　and　ten　golden　pounds；　a　silver
bugle　horn　inlaid　with　gold；　and　a　quiver　with　ten　white　arrows
tipped　with　gold　and　feathered　with　the　white　swan's…wing　therein。
The　second　prize　was　to　be　fivescore　of　the　fattest　bucks　that　run
on　Dallen　Lea；　to　be　shot　when　the　yeoman　that　won　them　chose。
The　third　prize　was　to　be　two　tuns　of　good　Rhenish　wine。

So　Sir　Hugh　spoke；　and　when　he　had　done　all　the　archers　waved
their　bows　aloft　and　shouted。　　Then　each　band　turned　and　marched
in　order　back　to　its　place。

And　now　the　shooting　began；　the　captains　first　taking　stand　and　speeding
their　shafts　and　then　making　room　for　the　men　who　shot；　each　in　turn；
after　them。　　Two　hundred　and　eighty　score　shafts　were　shot　in　all；
and　so　deftly　were　they　sped　that　when　the　shooting　was　done　each　target
looked　like　the　back　of　a　hedgehog　when　the　farm　dog　snuffs　at　it。
A　long　time　was　taken　in　this　shooting；　and　when　it　was　over　the　judges
came　forward；　looked　carefully　at　the　targets；　and　proclaimed　in　a
loud　voice　which　three　had　shot　the　best　from　the　separate　bands。
Then　a　great　hubbub　of　voices　arose；　each　man　among　the　crowd　that
looked　on　calling　for　his　favorite　archer。　　Then　ten　fresh　targets
were　brought　forward；　and　every　sound　was　hushed　as　the　archers　took
their　places　once　more。

This　time　the　shooting　was　more　speedily　done；　for　only　nine
shafts　were　shot　by　each　band。　　Not　an　arrow　missed　the　targets；
but　in　that　of　Gilbert　of　the　White　Hand　five　arrows　were　in　the　small
white　spot　that　marked　the　center；　of　these　five　three　were　sped
by　Gilbert。　　Then　the　judges　came　forward　again；　and　looking　at
the　targets；　called　aloud　the　names　of　the　archer　chosen　as　the　best
bowman　of　each　band。　　Of　these　Gilbert　of　the　White　Hand　led；
for　six　of　the　ten　arrows　he　had　shot　had　lodged　in　the　center；
but　stout　Tepus　and　young　Clifton　trod　close　upon　his　heels；
yet　the　others　stood　a　fair　chance　for　the　second　or　third　place。

And　now；　amid　the　roaring　of　the　crowd；　those　ten　stout　fellows　that　were　left
went　back　to　their　tents　to　rest　for　a　while　and　change　their　bowstrings；
for　nought　must　fail　at　this　next　round；　and　no　hand　must　tremble　or　eye　grow
dim　because　of　weariness。

Then　while　the　deep　buzz　and　hum　of　talking　sounded　all　around
like　the　noise　of　the　wind　in　the　leafy　forest；　Queen　Eleanor
turned　to　the　King；　and　quoth　she；　〃Thinkest　thou　that　these　yeomen
so　chosen　are　the　very　best　archers　in　all　merry　England？〃

〃Yea；　truly；〃　said　the　King；　smiling；　for　he　was　well
pleased　with　the　sport　that　he　had　seen；　〃and　I　tell　thee；
that　not　only　are　they　the　best　archers　in　all　merry　England；
but　in　all　the　wide　world　beside。〃

〃But　what　wouldst　thou　say；〃　quoth　Queen　Eleanor；　〃if　I　were　to　find
three　archers　to　match　the　best　three　yeomen　of　all　thy　guard？〃

〃I　would　say　thou　hast　done　what　I　could　not　do；〃　said　the　King；　laughing；
〃for　I　tell　thee　there　lives　not　in　all　the　world　three　archers　to　match
Tepus　and　Gilbert　and　Clifton　of　Buckinghamshire。〃

〃Now；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃I　know　of　three　yeomen；　and　in　truth　I
have　seen　them　not　long　since；　that　I　would　not　fear　to　match
against　any　three　that　thou　canst　choose　from　among　all　thy
fortyscore　archers；　and；　moreover；　I　will　match　them　here　this　very　day。
But　I　will　only　match　them　with　thy　archers　providing　that　thou
wilt　grant　a　free　pardon　to　all　that　may　come　in　my　behalf。〃

At　this；　the　King　laughed　loud　and　long。　　〃Truly；〃　said　he；
〃thou　art　taking　up　with　strange　matters　for　a　queen。
If　thou　wilt　bring　those　three　fellows　that　thou　speakest　of；
I　will　promise　faithfully　to　give　them　free　pardon　for　forty　days；
to　come　or　to　go　wheresoever　they　please；　nor　will　I　harm　a　hair
of　their　heads　in　all　that　time。　　Moreover；　if　these　that　thou
bringest　shoot　better　than　my　yeomen；　man　for　man；　they　shall
have　the　prizes　for　themselves　according　to　their　shooting。
But　as　thou　hast　so　taken　up　of　a　sudden　with　sports　of　this　kind；
hast　thou　a　mind　for　a　wager？〃

〃Why；　in　sooth；〃　said　Queen　Eleanor；　laughing；　〃I　know　nought
of　such　matters；　but　if　thou　hast　a　mind　to　do　somewhat　in　that　way；
I　will　strive　to　pleasure　thee。　　What　wilt　thou　wager　upon　thy　men？〃

Then　the　merry　King　laughed　again；　for　he　dearly　loved　goodly　jest；
so　he　said；　amidst　his　laughter；　〃I　will　wager　thee　ten　tuns　of　Rhenish　wine；
ten　tuns　of　the　stoutest　ale；　and　tenscore　bows　of　tempered　Spanish　yew；
with　quivers　and　arrows　to　match。〃

All　that　stood　around　smiled　at　this；　for　it　seemed　a　merry　wager　for
a　king　to　give　to　a　queen；　but　Queen　Eleanor　bowed　her　head　quietly。
〃I　will　take　thy　wager；〃　said　she；　〃for　I　know　right　well　where　to　place
those　things　that　thou　hast　spoken　of。　　Now；　who　will　be　on　my　side
in　this　matter？〃　　And　she　looked　around　upon　them　that　stood　about；
but　no　one　spake　or　cared　to　wager　upon　the　Queen's　side　against
such　archers　as　Tepus　and　Gilbert　and　Clifton。　　Then　the　Queen
spoke　again；　〃Now；　who　will　back　me　in　this　wager？　　Wilt　thou；
my　Lord　Bishop　of　Hereford？〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　the　Bishop　hastily；　〃it　ill　befits　one　of　my　cloth　to　deal
in　such　matters。　　Moreover；　there　are　no　such　archers　as　His　Majesty's
in　all　the　world；　therefore　I　would　but　lose　my　money。

〃Methinks　the　thought　o