the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第9章

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four　within　the　black；　and　only　two　smote　the　outer　ring；　so　that　when
the　last　arrow　sped　and　struck　the　target；　all　the　people　shouted　aloud；
for　it　was　noble　shooting。

And　now　but　ten　men　were　left　of　all　those　that　had　shot　before；
and　of　these　ten；　six　were　famous　throughout　the　land；　and　most
of　the　folk　gathered　there　knew　them。　　These　six　men　were　Gilbert　o'
the　Red　Cap；　Adam　o'　the　Dell；　Diccon　Cruikshank；　William　o'
Leslie；　Hubert　o'　Cloud；　and　Swithin　o'　Hertford。　　Two　others　were
yeomen　of　merry　Yorkshire；　another　was　a　tall　stranger　in　blue；
who　said　he　came　from　London　Town；　and　the　last　was　a　tattered
stranger　in　scarlet；　who　wore　a　patch　over　one　eye。

〃Now；〃　quoth　the　Sheriff　to　a　man…at…arms　who　stood　near　him；
〃seest　thou　Robin　Hood　among　those　ten？〃

〃Nay；　that　do　I　not；　Your　Worship；〃　answered　the　man。
〃Six　of　them　I　know　right　well。　　Of　those　Yorkshire　yeomen；
one　is　too　tall　and　the　other　too　short　for　that　bold　knave。
Robin's　beard　is　as　yellow　as　gold；　while　yon　tattered　beggar
in　scarlet　hath　a　beard　of　brown；　besides　being　blind　of　one　eye。
As　for　the　stranger　in　blue；　Robin's　shoulders；　I　ween；
are　three　inches　broader　than　his。〃

〃Then；〃　quoth　the　Sheriff；　smiting　his　thigh　angrily；　〃yon　knave
is　a　coward　as　well　as　a　rogue；　and　dares　not　show　his　face　among
good　men　and　true。〃

Then；　after　they　had　rested　a　short　time；　those　ten　stout　men　stepped
forth　to　shoot　again。　　Each　man　shot　two　arrows；　and　as　they　shot；
not　a　word　was　spoken；　but　all　the　crowd　watched　with　scarce　a　breath
of　sound；　but　when　the　last　had　shot　his　arrow　another　great　shout　arose；
while　many　cast　their　caps　aloft　for　joy　of　such　marvelous　shooting。

〃Now　by　our　gracious　Lady　fair；〃　quoth　old　Sir　Amyas　o'
the　Dell；　who；　bowed　with　fourscore　years　and　more；　sat　near
the　Sheriff；　〃ne'er　saw　I　such　archery　in　all　my　life　before；
yet　have　I　seen　the　best　hands　at　the　longbow　for　threescore
years　and　more。〃

And　now　but　three　men　were　left　of　all　those　that　had　shot　before。
One　was　Gill　o'　the　Red　Cap；　one　the　tattered　stranger　in　scarlet；
and　one　Adam　o'　the　Dell　of　Tamworth　Town。　　Then　all　the　people
called　aloud；　some　crying；　〃Ho　for　Gilbert　o'　the　Red　Cap！〃
and　some；　〃Hey　for　stout　Adam　o'　Tamworth！〃　　But　not　a　single
man　in　the　crowd　called　upon　the　stranger　in　scarlet。

〃Now；　shoot　thou　well；　Gilbert；〃　cried　the　Sheriff；　〃and　if　thine
be　the　best　shaft；　fivescore　broad　silver　pennies　will　I　give
to　thee　beside　the　prize。〃

〃Truly　I　will　do　my　best；〃　quoth　Gilbert　right　sturdily。
〃A　man　cannot　do　aught　but　his　best；　but　that　will　I　strive
to　do　this　day。〃　　So　saying；　he　drew　forth　a　fair　smooth　arrow
with　a　broad　feather　and　fitted　it　deftly　to　the　string；
then　drawing　his　bow　with　care　he　sped　the　shaft。
Straight　flew　the　arrow　and　lit　fairly　in　the　clout；
a　finger's…breadth　from　the　center。　　〃A　Gilbert；　a　Gilbert！〃
shouted　all　the　crowd；　and；　〃Now；　by　my　faith；〃　cried　the　Sheriff；
smiting　his　hands　together；　〃that　is　a　shrewd　shot。〃

Then　the　tattered　stranger　stepped　forth；　and　all　the　people　laughed
as　they　saw　a　yellow　patch　that　showed　beneath　his　arm　when　he　raised
his　elbow　to　shoot；　and　also　to　see　him　aim　with　but　one　eye。
He　drew　the　good　yew　bow　quickly；　and　quickly　loosed　a　shaft；
so　short　was　the　time　that　no　man　could　draw　a　breath　betwixt
the　drawing　and　the　shooting；　yet　his　arrow　lodged　nearer　the　center
than　the　other　by　twice　the　length　of　a　barleycorn。

〃Now　by　all　the　saints　in　Paradise！〃　cried　the　Sheriff；
〃that　is　a　lovely　shaft　in　very　truth！〃

Then　Adam　o'　the　Dell　shot；　carefully　and　cautiously；　and　his
arrow　lodged　close　beside　the　stranger's。　Then　after　a　short
space　they　all　three　shot　again；　and　once　more　each　arrow　lodged
within　the　clout；　but　this　time　Adam　o'　the　Dell's　was　farthest
from　the　center；　and　again　the　tattered　stranger's　shot　was
the　best。　　Then；　after　another　time　of　rest；　they　all　shot　for
the　third　time。　　This　time　Gilbert　took　great　heed　to　his　aim；
keenly　measuring　the　distance　and　shooting　with　shrewdest　care。
Straight　flew　the　arrow；　and　all　shouted　till　the　very　flags
that　waved　in　the　breeze　shook　with　the　sound；　and　the　rooks
and　daws　flew　clamoring　about　the　roofs　of　the　old　gray　tower；
for　the　shaft　had　lodged　close　beside　the　spot　that　marked
the　very　center。

〃Well　done；　Gilbert！〃　cried　the　Sheriff　right　joyously。
〃Fain　am　I　to　believe　the　prize　is　thine；　and　right　fairly　won。
Now；　thou　ragged　knave；　let　me　see　thee　shoot　a　better
shaft　than　that。〃

Nought　spake　the　stranger　but　took　his　place；　while　all　was　hushed；
and　no　one　spoke　or　even　seemed　to　breathe；　so　great　was　the　silence
for　wonder　what　he　would　do。　　Meanwhile；　also；　quite　still　stood
the　stranger；　holding　his　bow　in　his　hand；　while　one　could　count　five；
then　he　drew　his　trusty　yew；




holding　it　drawn　but　a　moment；　then　loosed　the　string。
Straight　flew　the　arrow；　and　so　true　that　it　smote　a　gray
goose　feather　from　off　Gilbert's　shaft；　which　fell　fluttering
through　the　sunlit　air　as　the　stranger's　arrow　lodged
close　beside　his　of　the　Red　Cap；　and　in　the　very　center。
No　one　spoke　a　word　for　a　while　and　no　one　shouted；　but　each　man
looked　into　his　neighbor's　face　amazedly。

〃Nay；〃　quoth　old　Adam　o'　the　Dell　presently；　drawing　a　long　breath
and　shaking　his　head　as　he　spoke；　〃twoscore　years　and　more　have　I
shot　shaft；　and　maybe　not　all　times　bad；　but　I　shoot　no　more　this　day；
for　no　man　can　match　with　yon　stranger；　whosoe'er　he　may　be。〃
Then　he　thrust　his　shaft　into　his　quiver；　rattling；　and　unstrung
his　bow　without　another　word。

Then　the　Sheriff　came　down　from　his　dais　and　drew　near；　in　all　his
silks　and　velvets；　to　where　the　tattered　stranger　stood　leaning　upon
his　stout　bow；　while　the　good　folk　crowded　around　to　see　the　man
who　shot　so　wondrously　well。　　〃Here；　good　fellow；〃　quoth　the　Sheriff；
〃take　thou　the　prize；　and　well　and　fairly　hast　thou　won　it；　I　bow。
What　may　be　thy　name；　and　whence　comest　thou？〃

〃Men　do　call　me　Jock　o'　Teviotdale；　and　thence　am　I　come；〃
said　the　stranger。

〃Then；　by　Our　Lady；　Jock；　thou　art　the　fairest　archer　that　e'er　mine
eyes　beheld；　and　if　thou　wilt　join　my　service　I　will　clothe　thee　with　a
better　coat　than　that　thou　hast　upon　thy　back；　thou　shalt　eat　and　drink
of　the　best；　and　at　every　Christmastide　fourscore　marks　shall　be　thy　wage。
I　trow　thou　drawest　better　bow　than　that　same　coward　knave　Robin　Hood；
that　dared　not　show　his　face　here　this　day。　　Say；　good　fellow；　wilt　thou
join　my　service？〃

〃Nay；　that　will　I　not；〃　quoth　the　stranger　roughly。
〃I　will　be　mine　own；　and　no　man　in　all　merry　England　shall
be　my　master。〃

〃Then　get　thee　gone；　and　a　murrain　seize　thee！〃　cried　the　Sheriff；
and　his　voice　trembled　with　anger。　　〃And　by　my　faith　and　troth；
I　have　a　good　part　of　a　mind　to　have　thee　beaten　for　thine　insolence！〃
Then　he　turned　upon　his　heel　and　strode　away。

It　was　a　right　motley　company　that　gathered　about　the　noble
greenwood　tree　in　Sherwood's　depths　that　same　day。
A　score　and　more　of　barefoot　friars　were　there；　and　some　that
looked　like　tinkers；　and　some　that　seemed　to　be　sturdy　beggars
and　rustic　hinds；　and　seated　upon　a　mossy　couch　was　one　all　clad
in　tattered　scarlet；　with　a　patch　over　one　eye；　and　in　his
hand　he　held　the　golden　arrow　that　was　the　prize　of　the　great
shooting　match。　　Then；　amidst　a　noise　of　talking　and　laughter；
he　took　the　patch　from　off　his　eye　and　stripped　away　the　scarlet
rags　from　off　his　body　and　showed　himself　all　clothed　in　fair
Lincoln　green；　and　quoth　he；　〃Easy　come　these　things　away；
but　walnut　stain　cometh　not　so　speedily　from　yellow　hair。〃
Then　all　laughed　louder　than　before；　for　it　was　Robin　Hood
himself　that　had　won　the　prize　from　the　Sheriff's　very　hands。

Then　all　sat　down　to　the　woodland　feast　and　talked　among　themselves
of　the　merry　jest　that　had　been　played　upon　the　Sheriff；　and　of　the
adventures　that　had　befallen　each　member　of　the　band　in　his　disguise。
But　when　the　feast　was　done；　Robin　Hood　took　Little　John　apart　and　said；
〃Truly　am　I　vexed　in　my　blood；　for　I　heard　the　Sheriff　say　today；
‘Thou　shootest　better　than　that　coward　knave　Robin　Hood；　that　dared
not　show　his　fac