the merry adventures of robin hood-第35部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



Quoth　Robin；　〃Now　will　I　go　to　seek　this　same　Friar　of　Fountain　Abbey　of　whom　we　spake　yesternight；　and　I　will　take　with　me　four　of　my　good　men；　and　these　four　shall　be　Little　John；　Will　Scarlet；　David　of　Doncaster；　and　Arthur　a　Bland。　　Bide　the　rest　of　you　here；　and　Will　Stutely　shall　be　your　chief　while　I　am　gone。〃　Then　straightway　Robin　Hood　donned　a　fine　steel　coat　of　chain　mail；　over　which　he　put　on　a　light　jacket　of　Lincoln　green。　Upon　his　head　he　clapped　a　steel　cap；　and　this　he　covered　by　one　of　soft　white　leather；　in　which　stood　a　nodding　cock's　plume。　By　his　side　he　hung　a　good　broadsword　of　tempered　steel；　the　bluish　blade　marked　all　over　with　strange　figures　of　dragons；　winged　women；　and　what　not。　　A　gallant　sight　was　Robin　so　arrayed；　I　wot；　the　glint　of　steel　showing　here　and　there　as　the　sunlight　caught　brightly　the　links　of　polished　mail　that　showed　beneath　his　green　coat。

So；　having　arrayed　himself；　he　and　the　four　yeomen　set　forth　upon　their　way；　Will　Scarlet　taking　the　lead；　for　he　knew　better　than　the　others　whither　to　go。　　Thus；　mile　after　mile；　they　strode　along；　now　across　a　brawling　stream；　now　along　a　sunlit　road；　now　adown　some　sweet　forest　path；　over　which　the　trees　met　in　green　and　rustling　canopy；　and　at　the　end　of　which　a　herd　of　startled　deer　dashed　away；　with　rattle　of　leaves　and　crackle　of　branches。　　Onward　they　walked　with　song　and　jest　and　laughter　till　noontide　was　passed；　when　at　last　they　came　to　the　banks　of　a　wide；　glassy；　and　lily…padded　stream。　Here　a　broad；　beaten　path　stretched　along　beside　the　banks；　on　which　path　labored　the　horses　that　tugged　at　the　slow…moving　barges；　laden　with　barley　meal　or　what　not；　from　the　countryside　to　the　many…towered　town。　But　now；　in　the　hot　silence　of　the　midday；　no　horse　was　seen　nor　any　man　besides　themselves。　　Behind　them　and　before　them　stretched　the　river；　its　placid　bosom　ruffled　here　and　there　by　the　purple　dusk　of　a　small　breeze。

〃Now；　good　uncle；〃　quoth　Will　Scarlet　at　last；　when　they　had　walked　for　a　long　time　beside　this　sweet；　bright　river；　〃just　beyond　yon　bend　ahead　of　us　is　a　shallow　ford　which　in　no　place　is　deeper　than　thy　mid…thigh；　and　upon　the　other　side　of　the　stream　is　a　certain　little　hermitage　hidden　amidst　the　bosky　tangle　of　the　thickets　wherein　dwelleth　the　Friar　of　Fountain　Dale。　　Thither　will　I　lead　thee；　for　I　know　the　way；　albeit　it　is　not　overhard　to　find。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　jolly　Robin；　stopping　suddenly；　〃had　I　thought　that　I　should　have　had　to　wade　water；　even　were　it　so　crystal　a　stream　as　this；　I　had　donned　other　clothes　than　I　have　upon　me。　But　no　matter　now；　for　after　all　a　wetting　will　not　wash　the　skin　away；　and　what　must　be；　must。　　But　bide　ye　here；　lads；　for　I　would　enjoy　this　merry　adventure　alone。　　Nevertheless；　listen　well；　and　if　ye　hear　me　sound　upon　my　bugle　horn；　come　quickly。〃　So　saying；　he　turned　and　left　them；　striding　onward　alone。

Robin　had　walked　no　farther　than　where　the　bend　of　the　road　hid　his　good　men　from　his　view；　when　he　stopped　suddenly；　for　he　thought　that　he　heard　voices。　　He　stood　still　and　listened；　and　presently　heard　words　passed　back　and　forth　betwixt　what　seemed　to　be　two　men；　and　yet　the　two　voices　were　wondrously　alike。　The　sound　came　from　over　behind　the　bank；　that　here　was　steep　and　high；　dropping　from　the　edge　of　the　road　a　half　a　score　of　feet　to　the　sedgy　verge　of　the　river。

〃'Tis　strange；〃　muttered　Robin　to　himself　after　a　space；　when　the　voices　had　ceased　their　talking；　〃surely　there　be　two　people　that　spoke　the　one　to　the　other；　and　yet　methinks　their　voices　are　mightily　alike。　I　make　my　vow　that　never　have　I　heard　the　like　in　all　my　life　before。　Truly；　if　this　twain　are　to　be　judged　by　their　voices；　no　two　peas　were　ever　more　alike。　　I　will　look　into　this　matter。〃　　So　saying；　he　came　softly　to　the　river　bank　and　laying　him　down　upon　the　grass；　peered　over　the　edge　and　down　below。

All　was　cool　and　shady　beneath　the　bank。　　A　stout　osier　grew；　not　straight　upward；　but　leaning　across　the　water；　shadowing　the　spot　with　its　soft　foliage。　　All　around　grew　a　mass　of　feathery　ferns　such　as　hide　and　nestle　in　cool　places；　and　up　to　Robin's　nostrils　came　the　tender　odor　of　the　wild　thyme；　that　loves　the　moist　verges　of　running　streams。　　Here；　with　his　broad　back　against　the　rugged　trunk　of　the　willow　tree；　and　half　hidden　by　the　soft　ferns　around　him；　sat　a　stout；　brawny　fellow；　but　no　other　man　was　there。　His　head　was　as　round　as　a　ball；　and　covered　with　a　mat　of　close…clipped；　curly　black　hair　that　grew　low　down　on　his　forehead。　But　his　crown　was　shorn　as　smooth　as　the　palm　of　one's　hand；　which；　together　with　his　loose　robe；　cowl；　and　string　of　beads；　showed　that　which　his　looks　never　would　have　done；　that　he　was　a　friar。　His　cheeks　were　as　red　and　shining　as　a　winter　crab；　albeit　they　were　nearly　covered　over　with　a　close　curly　black　beard；　as　were　his　chin　and　upper　lip　likewise。　　His　neck　was　thick　like　that　of　a　north　country　bull；　and　his　round　head　closely　set　upon　shoulders　e'en　a　match　for　those　of　Little　John　himself。　Beneath　his　bushy　black　brows　danced　a　pair　of　little　gray　eyes　that　could　not　stand　still　for　very　drollery　of　humor。　No　man　could　look　into　his　face　and　not　feel　his　heartstrings　tickled　by　the　merriment　of　their　look。　　By　his　side　lay　a　steel　cap；　which　he　had　laid　off　for　the　sake　of　the　coolness　to　his　crown。　His　legs　were　stretched　wide　apart；　and　betwixt　his　knees　he　held　a　great　pasty　compounded　of　juicy　meats　of　divers　kinds　made　savory　with　tender　young　onions；　both　meat　and　onions　being　mingled　with　a　good　rich　gravy。　　In　his　right　fist　he　held　a　great　piece　of　brown　crust　at　which　he　munched　sturdily；　and　every　now　and　then　he　thrust　his　left　hand　into　the　pie　and　drew　it　forth　full　of　meat；　anon　he　would　take　a　mighty　pull　at　a　great　bottle　of　Malmsey　that　lay　beside　him。

〃By　my　faith；〃　quoth　Robin　to　himself；　〃I　do　verily　believe　that　this　is　the　merriest　feast；　the　merriest　wight；　the　merriest　place；　and　the　merriest　sight　in　all　merry　England。　　Methought　there　was　another　here；　but　it　must　have　been　this　holy　man　talking　to　himself。〃

So　Robin　lay　watching　the　Friar；　and　the　Friar；　all　unknowing　that　he　was　so　overlooked；　ate　his　meal　placidly。　　At　last　he　was　done；　and；　having　first　wiped　his　greasy　hands　upon　the　ferns　and　wild　thyme　（and　sweeter　napkin　ne'er　had　king　in　all　the　world）；　he　took　up　his　flask　and　began　talking　to　himself　as　though　he　were　another　man；　and　answering　himself　as　though　he　were　somebody　else。

〃Dear　lad；　thou　art　the　sweetest　fellow　in　all　the　world；　I　do　love　thee　as　a　lover　loveth　his　lass。　　La；　thou　dost　make　me　shamed　to　speak　so　to　me　in　this　solitary　place；　no　one　being　by；　and　yet　if　thou　wilt　have　me　say　so；　I　do　love　thee　as　thou　lovest　me。　　Nay　then；　wilt　thou　not　take　a　drink　of　good　Malmsey？　　After　thee；　lad；　after　thee。　Nay；　I　beseech　thee；　sweeten　the　draught　with　thy　lips　（here　he　passed　the　flask　from　his　right　hand　to　his　left）。　An　thou　wilt　force　it　on　me　so；　I　must　needs　do　thy　bidding；　yet　with　the　more　pleasure　do　I　so　as　I　drink　thy　very　great　health　（here　he　took　a　long；　deep　draught）。　And　now；　sweet　lad；　'tis　thy　turn　next　（here　he　passed　the　bottle　from　his　left　hand　b