the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第60章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　sent　them　all　through　the　countryside；　blocking　every　highway
and　byway　to　the　eastward　and　the　southward　and　the　westward
of　Sherwood。　　The　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　called　forth　all　his
men　likewise；　and　joined　with　the　Bishop；　for　he　saw　that　this
was　the　best　chance　that　had　ever　befallen　of　paying　back
his　score　in　full　to　Robin　Hood。　　Will　Scarlet　and　Little　John
and　Allan　a　Dale　had　just　missed　the　King's　men　to　the　eastward；
for　the　very　next　day　after　they　had　passed　the　line　and　entered
Sherwood　the　roads　through　which　they　had　traveled　were　blocked；
so　that；　had　they　tarried　in　their　journeying；　they　would　surely
have　fallen　into　the　Bishop's　hands。

But　of　all　this　Robin　knew　not　a　whit；　so　he　whistled　merrily
as　he　trudged　along　the　road　beyond　Stanton；　with　his　heart　as　free
from　care　as　the　yolk　of　an　egg　is　from　cobwebs。　　At　last　he　came
to　where　a　little　stream　spread　across　the　road　in　a　shallow　sheet；
tinkling　and　sparkling　as　it　fretted　over　its　bed　of　golden　gravel。
Here　Robin　stopped；　being　athirst；　and；　kneeling　down；
he　made　a　cup　of　the　palms　of　his　hands；　and　began　to　drink。
On　either　side　of　the　road；　for　a　long　distance；　stood　tangled
thickets　of　bushes　and　young　trees；　and　it　pleased　Robin's　heart
to　hear　the　little　birds　singing　therein；　for　it　made　him　think
of　Sherwood；　and　it　seemed　as　though　it　had　been　a　lifetime
since　he　had　breathed　the　air　of　the　woodlands。　　But　of　a　sudden；
as　he　thus　stooped；　drinking；　something　hissed　past　his　ear；
and　struck　with　a　splash　into　the　gravel　and　water　beside　him。
Quick　as　a　wink　Robin　sprang　to　his　feet；　and；　at　one　bound；
crossed　the　stream　and　the　roadside；　and　plunged　headlong　into
the　thicket；　without　looking　around；　for　he　knew　right　well　that
that　which　had　hissed　so　venomously　beside　his　ear　was　a　gray
goose　shaft；　and　that　to　tarry　so　much　as　a　moment　meant　death。
Even　as　he　leaped　into　the　thicket　six　more　arrows　rattled
among　the　branches　after　him；　one　of　which　pierced　his　doublet；
and　would　have　struck　deeply　into　his　side　but　for　the　tough
coat　of　steel　that　he　wore。　　Then　up　the　road　came　riding　some
of　the　King's　men　at　headlong　speed。　　They　leaped　from　their　horses
and　plunged　straightway　into　the　thicket　after　Robin。　　But　Robin
knew　the　ground　better　than　they　did；　so　crawling　here；
stooping　there；　and；　anon；　running　across　some　little　open；
he　soon　left　them　far　behind；　coming　out；　at　last；　upon　another
road　about　eight　hundred　paces　distant　from　the　one　he　had　left。
Here　he　stood　for　a　moment；　listening　to　the　distant　shouts　of
the　seven　men　as　they　beat　up　and　down　in　the　thickets　like　hounds
that　had　lost　the　scent　of　the　quarry。　　Then；　buckling　his　belt
more　tightly　around　his　waist；　he　ran　fleetly　down　the　road　toward
the　eastward　and　Sherwood。

But　Robin　had　not　gone　more　than　three　furlongs　in　that　direction
when　he　came　suddenly　to　the　brow　of　a　hill；　and　saw　beneath
him　another　band　of　the　King's　men　seated　in　the　shade　along
the　roadside　in　the　valley　beneath。　　Then　he　paused　not
a　moment；　but；　seeing　that　they　had　not　caught　sight　of　him；
he　turned　and　ran　back　whence　he　had　come；　knowing　that　it　was
better　to　run　the　chance　of　escaping　those　fellows　that　were　yet
in　the　thickets　than　to　rush　into　the　arms　of　those　in　the　valley。
So　back　he　ran　with　all　speed；　and　had　gotten　safely　past
the　thickets；　when　the　seven　men　came　forth　into　the　open　road。
They　raised　a　great　shout　when　they　saw　him；　such　as　the　hunter　gives
when　the　deer　breaks　cover；　but　Robin　was　then　a　quarter　of　a　mile
and　more　away　from　them；　coursing　over　the　ground　like　a　greyhound。
He　never　slackened　his　pace；　but　ran　along；　mile　after　mile；
till　he　had　come




nigh　to　Mackworth；　over　beyond　the　Derwent　River；　nigh　to
Derby　Town。　　Here；　seeing　that　he　was　out　of　present　danger；
he　slackened　in　his　running；　and　at　last　sat　him　down　beneath　a　hedge
where　the　grass　was　the　longest　and　the　shade　the　coolest；　there　to
rest　and　catch　his　wind。　　〃By　my　soul；　Robin；〃　quoth　he　to　himself；
〃that　was　the　narrowest　miss　that　e'er　thou　hadst　in　all　thy　life。
I　do　say　most　solemnly　that　the　feather　of　that　wicked　shaft
tickled　mine　ear　as　it　whizzed　past。　　This　same　running　hath
given　me　a　most　craving　appetite　for　victuals　and　drink。
Now　I　pray　Saint　Dunstan　that　he　send　me　speedily　some　meat　and　beer。〃

It　seemed　as　though　Saint　Dunstan　was　like　to　answer　his　prayer；
for　along　the　road　came　plodding　a　certain　cobbler；　one　Quince；
of　Derby；　who　had　been　to　take　a　pair　of　shoes　to　a　farmer　nigh
Kirk　Langly；　and　was　now　coming　back　home　again；　with　a　fair　boiled
capon　in　his　pouch　and　a　stout　pottle　of　beer　by　his　side；　which　same
the　farmer　had　given　him　for　joy　of　such　a　stout　pair　of　shoon。
Good　Quince　was　an　honest　fellow；　but　his　wits　were　somewhat　of
the　heavy　sort；　like　unbaked　dough；　so　that　the　only　thing　that　was
in　his　mind　was；　〃Three　shillings　sixpence　ha'penny　for　thy　shoon；
good　Quincethree　shillings　sixpence　ha'penny　for　thy　shoon；〃
and　this　traveled　round　and　round　inside　of　his　head；　without　another
thought　getting　into　his　noddle；　as　a　pea　rolls　round　and　round
inside　an　empty　quart　pot。

〃Halloa；　good　friend；〃　quoth　Robin；　from　beneath　the　hedge；
when　the　other　had　gotten　nigh　enough；　〃whither　away　so　merrily
this　bright　day？〃

Hearing　himself　so　called　upon；　the　Cobbler　stopped；　and；　seeing　a
well…clad　stranger　in　blue；　he　spoke　to　him　in　seemly　wise。
〃Give　ye　good　den；　fair　sir；　and　I　would　say　that　I　come
from　Kirk　Langly；　where　I　ha'　sold　my　shoon　and　got　three
shillings　sixpence　ha'penny　for　them　in　as　sweet　money　as　ever
thou　sawest；　and　honestly　earned　too；　I　would　ha'　thee　know。
But　an　I　may　be　so　bold；　thou　pretty　fellow；　what　dost　thou
there　beneath　the　hedge？〃

〃Marry；〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　〃I　sit　beneath　the　hedge　here　to　drop　salt
on　the　tails　of　golden　birds；　but　in　sooth　thou　art　the　first　chick
of　any　worth　I　ha'　seen　this　blessed　day。〃

At　these　words　the　Cobbler's　eyes　opened　big　and　wide；　and　his
mouth　grew　round　with　wonder；　like　a　knothole　in　a　board　fence。
〃slack…a…day；〃　quoth　he；　〃look　ye；　now！　　I　ha'　never　seen　those　same
golden　birds。　　And　dost　thou　in　sooth　find　them　in　these　hedges；
good　fellow？　　Prythee；　tell　me；　are　there　many　of　them？
I　would　fain　find　them　mine　own　self。〃

〃Ay；　truly；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃they　are　as　thick　here　as　fresh　herring
in　Cannock　Chase。〃

〃Look　ye；　now！〃　said　the　Cobbler；　all　drowned　in　wonder。
〃And　dost　thou　in　sooth　catch　them　by　dropping　salt　on
their　pretty　tails？〃

〃Yea；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃but　this　salt　is　of　an　odd　kind；　let　me
tell　thee；　for　it　can　only　be　gotten　by　boiling　down　a　quart
of　moonbeams　in　a　wooden　platter；　and　then　one　hath　but　a　pinch。
But　tell　me；　now；　thou　witty　man；　what　hast　thou　gotten　there
in　that　pouch　by　thy　side　and　in　that　pottle？〃

At　these　words　the　Cobbler　looked　down　at　those　things　of　which　merry
Robin　spoke；　for　the　thoughts　of　the　golden　bird　had　driven　them
from　his　mind；　and　it　took　him　some　time　to　scrape　the　memory　of　them
back　again。　　〃Why；〃　said　he　at　last；　〃in　the　one　is　good　March　beer；
and　in　the　other　is　a　fat　capon。　　Truly；　Quince　the　Cobbler　will　ha'
a　fine　feast　this　day　an　I　mistake　not。〃

〃But　tell　me；　good　Quince；〃　said　Robin；　〃hast　thou　a　mind　to　sell　those　things
to　me？　　For　the　hearing　of　them　sounds　sweet　in　mine　ears。　　I　will　give
thee　these　gay　clothes　of　blue　that　I　have　upon　my　body　and　ten　shillings
to　boot　for　thy　clothes　and　thy　leather　apron　and　thy　beer　and　thy　capon。
What　sayst　thou；　bully　boy？〃

〃Nay；　thou　dost　jest　with　me；〃　said　the　Cobbler；　〃for　my　clothes　are　coarse
and　patched；　and　thine　are　of　fine　stuff　and　very　pretty。〃

〃Never　a　jest　do　I　speak；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃Come；　strip　thy　jacket
off　and　I　will　show　thee；　for　I　tell　thee　I　like　thy　clothes　well。
Moreover；　I　will　be　kind　to　thee；　for　I　will　feast　straightway
upon　the　good　things　thou　hast　with　thee；　and　thou　shalt　be　bidden
to　the　eating。〃　　At　these　words　he　began　slipping　off　his　doublet；
and　the　Cobbler；　seeing　him　so　in　earnest；　began　pulling　off
his　clothes　also；　for　Robin　Hood's　garb　tickled　his　eye。
So　each　put　on　the　other　fellow'