the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第61章

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his　clothes　also；　for　Robin　Hood's　garb　tickled　his　eye。
So　each　put　on　the　other　fellow's　clothes；　and　Robin　gave　the　honest
Cobbler　ten　bright　new　shillings。　　Quoth　merry　Robin；　〃I　ha'
been　a　many　things　in　my　life　before；　but　never　have　I　been
an　honest　cobbler。　　Come；　friend；　let　us　fall　to　and　eat；
for　something　within　me　cackles　aloud　for　that　good　fat　capon。〃
So　both　sat　down　and　began　to　feast　right　lustily；　so　that　when　they
were　done　the　bones　of　the　capon　were　picked　as　bare　as　charity。

Then　Robin　stretched　his　legs　out　with　a　sweet　feeling　of　comfort　within　him。
Quoth　he；　〃By　the　turn　of　thy　voice；　good　Quince；　I　know　that　thou　hast
a　fair　song　or　two　running　loose　in　thy　head　like　colts　in　a　meadow。
I　prythee；　turn　one　of　them　out　for　me。〃

〃A　song　or　two　I　ha'；〃　quoth　the　Cobbler；　〃poor　things；　poor　things；
but　such　as　they　are　thou　art　welcome　to　one　of　them。〃
So；　moistening　his　throat　with　a　swallow　of　beer；　he　sang：

　〃_Of　all　the　joys；　the　best　I　love；
　　　　　Sing　hey　my　frisking　Nan；　O；
　And　that　which　most　my　soul　doth　move；
　　　　　It　is　the　clinking　can；　O。

　〃All　other　bliss　I'd　throw　away；
　　　　　Sing　hey　my　frisking　Nan；　O；
　But　this_〃


The　stout　Cobbler　got　no　further　in　his　song；　for　of　a　sudden
six　horsemen　burst　upon　them　where　they　sat；　and　seized
roughly　upon　the　honest　craftsman；　hauling　him　to　his　feet；
and　nearly　plucking　the　clothes　from　him　as　they　did　so。
〃Ha！〃　roared　the　leader　of　the　band　in　a　great　big　voice　of　joy；
〃have　we　then　caught　thee　at　last；　thou　blue…clad　knave？
Now；　blessed　be　the　name　of　Saint　Hubert；　for　we　are　fourscore
pounds　richer　this　minute　than　we　were　before；　for　the　good　Bishop
of　Hereford　hath　promised　that　much　to　the　band　that　shall
bring　thee　to　him。　　Oho！　thou　cunning　rascal！　thou　wouldst
look　so　innocent；　forsooth！　　We　know　thee；　thou　old　fox。
But　off　thou　goest　with　us　to　have　thy　brush　clipped　forthwith。〃
At　these　words　the　poor　Cobbler　gazed　all　around　him
with　his　great　blue　eyes　as　round　as　those　of　a　dead　fish；
while　his　mouth　gaped　as　though　he　had　swallowed　all　his　words
and　so　lost　his　speech。

Robin　also　gaped　and　stared　in　a　wondering　way；　just　as　the　Cobbler
would　have　done　in　his　place。　　〃Alack…a…daisy；　me；〃　quoth　he。
〃I　know　not　whether　I　be　sitting　here　or　in　No…man's…land！　What
meaneth　all　this　stir　i'　th'　pot；　dear　good　gentlemen？
Surely　this　is　a　sweet；　honest　fellow。〃

〃　‘Honest　fellow；'　sayst　thou；　clown？〃　quoth　one　of　the　men　〃Why；　I
tell　thee　that　this　is　that　same　rogue　that　men　call　Robin　Hood。〃

At　this　speech　the　Cobbler　stared　and　gaped　more　than　ever；
for　there　was　such　a　threshing　of　thoughts　going　on




within　his　poor　head　that　his　wits　were　all　befogged　with　the　dust
and　chaff　thereof。　　Moreover；　as　he　looked　at　Robin　Hood；　and　saw
the　yeoman　look　so　like　what　he　knew　himself　to　be；　he　began　to　doubt
and　to　think　that　mayhap　he　was　the　great　outlaw　in　real　sooth。
Said　he　in　a　slow；　wondering　voice；　〃Am　I　in　very　truth　that　fellow？
Now　I　had　thoughtbut　nay；　Quince；　thou　art　mistookyetam　I？Nay；　I　must
indeed　be　Robin　Hood！　　Yet；　truly；　I　had　never　thought　to　pass　from
an　honest　craftsman　to　such　a　great　yeoman。〃

〃Alas！〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃look　ye　there；　now！　　See　how　your　ill…treatment
hath　curdled　the　wits　of　this　poor　lad　and　turned　them　all　sour！
I；　myself；　am　Quince；　the　Cobbler　of　Derby　Town。〃

〃Is　it　so？〃　said　Quince。　　〃Then；　indeed；　I　am　somebody　else；　and　can　be　none
other　than　Robin　Hood。　　Take　me；　fellows；　but　let　me　tell　you　that　ye　ha'
laid　hand　upon　the　stoutest　yeoman　that　ever　trod　the　woodlands。〃

〃Thou　wilt　play　madman；　wilt　thou？〃　said　the　leader　of　the　band。
〃Here；　Giles；　fetch　a　cord　and　bind　this　knave's　hands　behind　him。
I　warrant　we　will　bring　his　wits　back　to　him　again　when　we　get
him　safe　before　our　good　Bishop　at　Tutbury　Town。〃　　Thereupon　they
tied　the　Cobbler's　hands　behind　him；　and　led　him　off　with　a　rope；
as　the　farmer　leads　off　the　calf　he　hath　brought　from　the　fair。
Robin　stood　looking　after　them；　and　when　they　were　gone　he　laughed
till　the　tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks；　for　he　knew　that　no　harm
would　befall　the　honest　fellow；　and　he　pictured　to　himself
the　Bishop's　face　when　good　Quince　was　brought　before　him　as
Robin　Hood。　　Then；　turning　his　steps　once　more　to　the　eastward；
he　stepped　out　right　foot　foremost　toward　Nottinghamshire
and　Sherwood　Forest。

But　Robin　Hood　had　gone　through　more　than　he　wotted　of。
His　journey　from　London　had　been　hard　and　long；　and　in　a　se'ennight
he　had　traveled　sevenscore　and　more　of　miles。　　He　thought　now　to
travel　on　without　stopping　until　he　had　come　to　Sherwood；　but　ere
he　had　gone　a　half　a　score　of　miles　he　felt　his　strength　giving　way
beneath　him　like　a　river　bank　which　the　waters　have　undermined。
He　sat　him　down　and　rested；　but　he　knew　within　himself　that
he　could　go　no　farther　that　day；　for　his　feet　felt　like　lumps
of　lead；　so　heavy　were　they　with　weariness。　　Once　more　he　arose
and　went　forward；　but　after　traveling　a　couple　of　miles　he　was
fain　to　give　the　matter　up；　so；　coming　to　an　inn　just　then；
he　entered　and　calling　the　landlord；　bade　him　show　him　to　a　room；
although　the　sun　was　only　then　just　sinking　in　the　western　sky。
There　were　but　three　bedrooms　in　the　place；　and　to　the　meanest
of　these　the　landlord　showed　Robin　Hood；　but　little　Robin　cared
for　the　looks　of　the　place；　for　he　could　have　slept　that　night
upon　a　bed　of　broken　stones。　　So；　stripping　off　his　clothes
without　more　ado；　he　rolled　into　the　bed　and　was　asleep　almost
ere　his　head　touched　the　pillow。

Not　long　after　Robin　had　so　gone　to　his　rest　a　great　cloud　peeped
blackly　over　the　hills　to　the　westward。　　Higher　and　higher　it　arose
until　it　piled　up　into　the　night　like　a　mountain　of　darkness。
All　around　beneath　it　came　ever　and　anon　a　dull　red　flash；
and　presently　a　short　grim　mutter　of　the　coming　thunder　was　heard。
Then　up　rode　four　stout　burghers　of　Nottingham　Town；　for　this　was
the　only　inn　within　five　miles'　distance；　and　they　did　not　care　to　be
caught　in　such　a　thunderstorm　as　this　that　was　coming　upon　them。
Leaving　their　nags　to　the　stableman；　they　entered　the　best　room
of　the　inn；　where　fresh　green　rushes　lay　all　spread　upon　the　floor；
and　there　called　for　the　goodliest　fare　that　the　place　afforded。
After　having　eaten　heartily　they　bade　the　landlord　show　them　to　their　rooms；
for　they　were　aweary；　having　ridden　all　the　way　from　Dronfield　that　day。
So　off　they　went；　grumbling　at　having　to　sleep　two　in　a　bed；
but　their　troubles　on　this　score；　as　well　as　all　others；　were　soon
lost　in　the　quietness　of　sleep。

And　now　came　the　first　gust　of　wind；　rushing　past　the　place；
clapping　and　banging　the　doors　and　shutters；　smelling　of　the
coming　rain；　and　all　wrapped　in　a　cloud　of　dust　and　leaves。
As　though　the　wind　had　brought　a　guest　along　with　it；　the　door
opened　of　a　sudden　and　in　came　a　friar　of　Emmet　Priory；　and　one
in　high　degree；　as　was　shown　by　the　softness　and　sleekness　of　his
robes　and　the　richness　of　his　rosary。　　He　called　to　the　landlord；
and　bade　him　first　have　his　mule　well　fed　and　bedded　in　the　stable；
and　then　to　bring　him　the　very　best　there　was　in　the　house。
So　presently　a　savory　stew　of　tripe　and　onions；　with　sweet　little
fat　dumplings；　was　set　before　him；　likewise　a　good　stout　pottle
of　Malmsey；　and　straightway　the　holy　friar　fell　to　with　great
courage　and　heartiness；　so　that　in　a　short　time　nought　was
left　but　a　little　pool　of　gravy　in　the　center　of　the　platter；
not　large　enow　to　keep　the　life　in　a　starving　mouse。

In　the　meantime　the　storm　broke。　　Another　gust　of　wind　went　rushing　by；
and　with　it　fell　a　few　heavy　drops　of　rain；　which　presently　came　rattling
down　in　showers；　beating　against　the　casements　like　a　hundred　little　hands。
Bright　flashes　of　lightning　lit　up　every　raindrop；　and　with　them　came　cracks
of　thunder　that　went　away　rumbling　and　bumping　as　though　Saint　Swithin
were　busy　rolling　great　casks　of　water　across　rough　ground　overhead。
The　womenfolks　screamed；　and　the　merry　wags　in　the　taproom　put　their　arms
around　their　waists　to　soothe　them　into　quietness。

At　last　the　holy　friar　bade　the　landlord　show　him　to　his　room；
but　when　he