the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第57章

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yet　not　more　than　a　finger's…breadth　from　the　white。
At　this　a　shout　went　up；　for　it　was　the　best　shooting　that　Hubert
had　yet　done　that　day。

Merry　Robin　laughed；　and　quoth　he；　〃Thou　wilt　have　an　ill
time　bettering　that　round；　Will；　for　it　is　thy　turn　next。
Brace　thy　thews；　lad；　and　bring　not　shame　upon　Sherwood。〃

Then　Will　Scarlet　took　his　place；　but；　because　of　overcaution；
he　spoiled　his　target　with　the　very　first　arrow　that　he　sped；
for　he　hit　the　next　ring　to　the　black；　the　second　from　the　center。
At　this　Robin　bit　his　lips。　　〃Lad；　lad；〃　quoth　he；　〃hold　not　the　string
so　long！　　Have　I　not　often　told　thee　what　Gaffer　Swanthold　sayeth；
that　‘overcaution　spilleth　the　milk'？〃　To　this　Will　Scarlet　took　heed；
so　the　next　arrow　he　shot　lodged　fairly　in　the　center　ring；
again　he　shot；　and　again　he　smote　the　center；　but；　for　all　that；
stout　Hubert　had　outshot　him；　and　showed　the　better　target。
Then　all　those　that　looked　on　clapped　their　hands　for　joy　because
that　Hubert　had　overcome　the　stranger。

Quoth　the　King　grimly；　to　the　Queen；　〃If　thy　archers　shoot
no　better　than　that；　thou　art　like　to　lose　thy　wager；　lady。〃
But　Queen　Eleanor　smiled；　for　she　looked　for　better　things
from　Robin　Hood　and　Little　John。

And　now　Tepus　took　his　place　to　shoot。　　He；　also；　took　overheed
to　what　he　was　about；　and　so　he　fell　into　Will　Scarlet's　error。
The　first　arrow　he　struck　into　the　center　ring；　but　the　second　missed
its　mark；　and　smote　the　black；　the　last　arrow　was　tipped　with　luck；　for　it
smote　the　very　center　of　the　clout；　upon　the　black　spot　that　marked　it。
Quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃That　is　the　sweetest　shot　that　hath　been　sped
this　day；　but；　nevertheless；　friend　Tepus；　thy　cake　is　burned；　methinks。
Little　John；　it　is　thy　turn　next。〃

So　Little　John　took　his　place　as　bidden；　and　shot　his　three　arrows　quickly。
He　never　lowered　his　bow　arm　in　all　the　shooting；　but　fitted　each　shaft
with　his　longbow　raised；　yet　all　three　of　his　arrows　smote　the　center
within　easy　distance　of　the　black。　　At　this　no　sound　of　shouting　was　heard；
for；　although　it　was　the　best　shooting　that　had　been　done　that　day；
the　folk　of　London　Town　did　not　like　to　see　the　stout　Tepus　overcome
by　a　fellow　from　the　countryside；　even　were　he　as　famous　as　Little　John。

And　now　stout　Gilbert　of　the　White　Hand　took　his　place　and　shot
with　the　greatest　care；　and　again；　for　the　third　time　in　one　day；
he　struck　all　three　shafts　into　the　clout。

〃Well　done；　Gilbert！〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　smiting　him　upon　the　shoulder。
〃I　make　my　vow；　thou　art　one　of　the　best　archers　that　ever　mine　eyes　beheld。
Thou　shouldst　be　a　free　and　merry　ranger　like　us；　lad；　for　thou　art
better　fitted　for　the　greenwood　than　for　the　cobblestones　and　gray
walls　of　London　Town。〃　　So　saying；　he　took　his　place；　and　drew　a　fair；
round　arrow　from　his　quiver；　which　he　turned　over　and　over　ere　he　fitted
it　to　his　bowstring。

Then　the　King　muttered　in　his　beard；　〃Now；　blessed　Saint　Hubert；　if　thou　wilt
but　jog　that　rogue's　elbow　so　as　to　make　him　smite　even　the　second　ring；
I　will　give　eightscore　waxen　candles　three　fingers'…breadth　in　thickness
to　thy　chapel　nigh　Matching。〃　　But　it　may　be　Saint　Hubert's　ears　were　stuffed
with　tow；　for　he　seemed　not　to　hear　the　King's　prayer　this　day。

Having　gotten　three　shafts　to　his　liking；　merry　Robin　looked
carefully　to　his　bowstring　ere　he　shot。　　〃Yea；〃　quoth　he　to　Gilbert；
who　stood　nigh　him　to　watch　his　shooting；　〃thou　shouldst　pay　us
a　visit　at　merry　Sherwood。〃　　Here　he　drew　the　bowstring　to　his　ear。
〃In　London〃here　he　loosed　his　shaft〃thou　canst　find　nought
to　shoot　at　but　rooks　and　daws；　there　one　can　tickle　the　ribs
of　the　noblest　stags　in　England。〃　　So　he　shot　even　while　he　talked；
yet　the　shaft　lodged　not　more　than　half　an　inch　from　the　very　center。

〃By　my　soul！〃　cried　Gilbert。　　〃Art　thou　the　devil　in　blue；
to　shoot　in　that　wise？〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing；　〃not　quite　so　ill　as　that；　I　trust。〃
And　he　took　up　another　shaft　and　fitted　it　to　the　string。
Again　he　shot；　and　again　he　smote　his　arrow　close　beside
the　center；　a　third　time　he　loosed　his　bowstring　and　dropped
his　arrow　just　betwixt　the　other　two　and　into　the　very　center；
so　that　the　feathers　of　all　three　were　ruffled　together；
seeming　from　a　distance　to　be　one　thick　shaft。

And　now　a　low　murmur　ran　all　among　that　great　crowd；
for　never　before　had　London　seen　such　shooting　as　this；
and　never　again　would　it　see　it　after　Robin　Hood's　day　had　gone。
All　saw　that　the　King's　archers　were　fairly　beaten；　and　stout　Gilbert
clapped　his　palm　to　Robin's；　owning　that　he　could　never　hope　to　draw
such　a　bowstring　as　Robin　Hood　or　Little　John。　　But　the　King；
full　of　wrath；　would　not　have　it　so；　though　he　knew　in　his
mind　that　his　men　could　not　stand　against　those　fellows。
〃Nay！〃　cried　he；　clenching　his　hands　upon　the　arms　of　his　seat；
〃Gilbert　is　not　yet　beaten！　　Did　he　not　strike　the　clout　thrice？
Although　I　have　lost　my　wager；　he　hath　not　yet　lost　the　first　prize。
They　shall　shoot　again；　and　still　again；　till　either　he　or　that　knave
Robin　Hood　cometh　off　the　best。　　Go　thou；　Sir　Hugh；　and　bid　them　shoot
another　round；　and　another；　until　one　or　the　other　is　overcome。〃
Then　Sir　Hugh；　seeing　how　wroth　the　King　was；　said　never　a　word；
but　went　straightway　to　do　his　bidding；　so　he　came　to　where　Robin　Hood
and　the　other　stood；　and　told　them　what　the　King　had　said。

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　〃I　will　shoot　from　this
time　till　tomorrow　day　if　it　can　pleasure　my　most　gracious　lord
and　King。　　Take　thy　place；　Gilbert　lad；　and　shoot。〃

So　Gilbert　took　his　place　once　more；　but　this　time　he　failed；　for；
a　sudden　little　wind　arising；　his　shaft　missed　the　center　ring；
but　by　not　more　than　the　breadth　of　a　barley　straw。

〃Thy　eggs　are　cracked；　Gilbert；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing；　and　straightway
he　loosed　a　shaft；　and　once　more　smote　the　white　circle　of　the　center。

Then　the　King　arose　from　his　place；　and　not　a　word　said　he；
but　he　looked　around　with　a　baleful　look；　and　it　would　have　been　an　ill
day　for　anyone　that　he　saw　with　a　joyous　or　a　merry　look　upon　his　face。
Then　he　and　his　Queen　and　all　the　court　left　the　place；　but　the　King's
heart　was　brimming　full　of　wrath。

After　the　King　had　gone；　all　the　yeomen　of　the　archer　guard　came
crowding　around　Robin；　and　Little　John；　and　Will；　and　Allan；
to　snatch　a　look　at　these　famous　fellows　from　the　mid…country；
and　with　them　came　many　that　had　been　onlookers　at　the　sport；
for　the　same　purpose。　　Thus　it　happened　presently　that　the　yeomen；
to　whom　Gilbert　stood　talking；　were　all　surrounded　by　a　crowd
of　people　that　formed　a　ring　about　them。

After　a　while　the　three　judges　that　had　the　giving　away　of　the　prizes
came　forward；　and　the　chief　of　them　all　spake　to　Robin　and　said；
〃According　to　agreement；　the　first　prize　belongeth　rightly　to　thee；
so　here　I　give　thee　the　silver　bugle；　here　the　quiver　of　ten　golden　arrows；
and　here　a　purse　of　twoscore　and　ten　golden　pounds。〃　　And　as　he　spake
he　handed　those　things　to　Robin；　and　then　turned　to　Little　John。　　〃To　thee；〃
he　said；　〃belongeth　the　second　prize；　to　wit；　fivescore　of　the　finest　harts
that　run　on　Dallen　Lea。　　Thou　mayest　shoot　them　whensoever　thou　dost　list。〃
Last　of　all　he　turned　to　stout　Hubert。　　〃Thou；〃　said　he；　〃hast　held
thine　own　against　the　yeomen　with　whom　thou　didst　shoot；　and　so　thou
hast　kept　the　prize　duly　thine；　to　wit；　two　tuns　of　good　Rhenish　wine。
These　shall　be　delivered　to　thee　whensoever　thou　dost　list。〃
Then　he　called　upon　the　other　seven　of　the　King's　archers　who　had　last　shot；
and　gave　each　fourscore　silver　pennies。

Then　up　spake　Robin；　and　quoth　he；　〃This　silver　bugle　I　keep　in　honor
of　this　shooting　match；　but　thou；　Gilbert；　art　the　best　archer　of　all
the　King's　guard；　and　to　thee　I　freely　give　this　purse　of　gold。
Take　it；　man；　and　would　it　were　ten　times　as　much；　for　thou　art
a　right　yeoman；　good　and　true。　　Furthermore；　to　each　of　the　ten
that　last　shot　I　give　one　of　these　golden　shafts　apiece。
Keep　them　always　by　you；　so　that　ye　may　tell　your　grandchildren；
an　ye　are　ever　blessed　with　them；　that　ye　are　the　very　stoutest
yeomen　in　all　the　wide　world。〃

At　this　all　shouted　aloud；　for　it　pleased