the merry adventures of robin hood-第44部分

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〃In　Palestine；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃battling　like　a　brave　Christian　soldier　for　the　cross　and　the　holy　sepulcher。　Truly；　England　was　an　ill　place　for　him　because　of　Sir　Walter's　death　and　the　hate　of　the　Lancastrian's　kinsmen。〃

〃Truly；〃　said　Robin；　much　moved；　〃thine　is　a　hard　lot。　But　tell　me；　what　is　owing　to　Emmet　for　thine　estates？〃

〃Only　four　hundred　pounds；〃　said　Sir　Richard。

At　this；　Robin　smote　his　thigh　in　anger。　　〃O　the　bloodsuckers！〃　cried　he。　　〃A　noble　estate　to　be　forfeit　for　four　hundred　pounds！　But　what　will　befall　thee　if　thou　dost　lose　thy　lands；　Sir　Richard？〃

〃It　is　not　mine　own　lot　that　doth　trouble　me　in　that　case；〃　said　the　Knight；　〃but　my　dear　lady's；　for　should　I　lose　my　land　she　will　have　to　betake　herself　to　some　kinsman　and　there　abide　in　charity；　which；　methinks；　would　break　her　proud　heart。　As　for　me；　I　will　over　the　salt　sea；　and　so　to　Palestine　to　join　my　son　in　fight　for　the　holy　sepulcher。〃

Then　up　spake　Will　Scarlet。　　〃But　hast　thou　no　friend　that　will　help　thee　in　thy　dire　need？〃

〃Never　a　man；〃　said　Sir　Richard。　　〃While　I　was　rich　enow　at　home；　and　had　friends；　they　blew　great　boasts　of　how　they　loved　me。　But　when　the　oak　falls　in　the　forest　the　swine　run　from　beneath　it　lest　they　should　be　smitten　down　also。　　So　my　friends　have　left　me；　for　not　only　am　I　poor　but　I　have　great　enemies。〃

Then　Robin　said；　〃Thou　sayst　thou　hast　no　friends；　Sir　Richard。　　I　make　no　boast；　but　many　have　found　Robin　Hood　a　friend　in　their　troubles。　Cheer　up；　Sir　Knight；　I　may　help　thee　yet。〃

The　Knight　shook　his　head　with　a　faint　smile；　but　for　all　that；　Robin's　words　made　him　more　blithe　of　heart；　for　in　truth　hope；　be　it　never　so　faint；　bringeth　a　gleam　into　darkness；　like　a　little　rushlight　that　costeth　but　a　groat。

The　day　was　well…nigh　gone　when　they　came　near　to　the　greenwood　tree。　Even　at　a　distance　they　saw　by　the　number　of　men　that　Little　John　had　come　back　with　some　guest；　but　when　they　came　near　enough；　whom　should　they　find　but　the　Lord　Bishop　of　Hereford！　　The　good　Bishop　was　in　a　fine　stew；　I　wot。　Up　and　down　he　walked　beneath　the　tree　like　a　fox　caught　in　a　hencoop。　Behind　him　were　three　Black　Friars　standing　close　together　in　a　frightened　group；　like　three　black　sheep　in　a　tempest。　Hitched　to　the　branches　of　the　trees　close　at　hand　were　six　horses；　one　of　them　a　barb　with　gay　trappings　upon　which　the　Bishop　was　wont　to　ride；　and　the　others　laden　with　packs　of　divers　shapes　and　kinds；　one　of　which　made　Robin's　eyes　glisten；　for　it　was　a　box　not　overlarge；　but　heavily　bound　with　bands　and　ribs　of　iron。

When　the　Bishop　saw　Robin　and　those　with　him　come　into　the　open　he　made　as　though　he　would　have　run　toward　the　yeoman；　but　the　fellow　that　guarded　the　Bishop　and　the　three　friars　thrust　his　quarterstaff　in　front；　so　that　his　lordship　was　fain　to　stand　back；　though　with　frowning　brow　and　angry　speech。

〃Stay；　my　Lord　Bishop；〃　cried　jolly　Robin　in　a　loud　voice；　when　he　saw　what　had　passed；　〃I　will　come　to　thee　with　all　speed；　for　I　would　rather　see　thee　than　any　man　in　merry　England。〃　　So　saying；　he　quickened　his　steps　and　soon　came　to　where　the　Bishop　stood　fuming。

〃How　now；〃　quoth　the　Bishop　in　a　loud　and　angry　voice；　when　Robin　had　so　come　to　him；　〃is　this　the　way　that　thou　and　thy　band　treat　one　so　high　in　the　church　as　I　am？　　I　and　these　brethren　were　passing　peacefully　along　the　highroad　with　our　pack　horses；　and　a　half　score　of　men　to　guard　them；　when　up　comes　a　great　strapping　fellow　full　seven　feet　high；　with　fourscore　or　more　men　back　of　him；　and　calls　upon　me　to　stopme；　the　Lord　Bishop　of　Hereford；　mark　thou！　Whereupon　my　armed　guardsbeshrew　them　for　cowards！straight　ran　away。　But　look　ye；　not　only　did　this　fellow　stop　me；　but　he　threatened　me；　saying　that　Robin　Hood　would　strip　me　as　bare　as　a　winter　hedge。　Then；　besides　all　this；　he　called　me　such　vile　names　as　‘fat　priest；'　‘man…eating　bishop；'　‘money…gorging　usurer；'　and　what　not；　as　though　I　were　no　more　than　a　strolling　beggar　or　tinker。〃

At　this；　the　Bishop　glared　like　an　angry　cat；　while　even　Sir　Richard　laughed；　only　Robin　kept　a　grave　face。　　〃Alas！　my　lord；〃　said　he；　〃that　thou　hast　been　so　ill…treated　by　my　band！　I　tell　thee　truly　that　we　greatly　reverence　thy　cloth。　Little　John；　stand　forth　straightway。〃

At　these　words　Little　John　came　forward；　twisting　his　face　into　a　whimsical　look；　as　though　he　would　say；　〃Ha'　mercy　upon　me；　good　master。〃　Then　Robin　turned　to　the　Bishop　of　Hereford　and　said；　〃Was　this　the　man　who　spake　so　boldly　to　Your　Lordship？〃

〃Ay；　truly　it　was　the　same；〃　said　the　Bishop；　〃a　naughty　fellow；　I　wot。

〃And　didst　thou；　Little　John；〃　said　Robin　in　a　sad　voice；　〃call　his　lordship　a　fat　priest？〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Little　John　sorrowfully。

〃And　a　man…eating　bishop？〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Little　John；　more　sorrowfully　than　before。

〃And　a　money…gorging　usurer？〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Little　John　in　so　sorrowful　a　voice　that　it　might　have　drawn　tears　from　the　Dragon　of　Wentley。

〃Alas；　that　these　things　should　be！〃　said　jolly　Robin；　turning　to　the　Bishop；　〃for　I　have　ever　found　Little　John　a　truthful　man。〃

At　this；　a　roar　of　laughter　went　up；　whereat　the　blood　rushed　into　the　Bishop's　face　till　it　was　cherry　red　from　crown　to　chin；　but　he　said　nothing　and　only　swallowed　his　words；　though　they　well…nigh　choked　him。

〃Nay；　my　Lord　Bishop；〃　said　Robin；　〃we　are　rough　fellows；　but　I　trust　not　such　ill　men　as　thou　thinkest；　after　all。　There　is　not　a　man　here　that　would　harm　a　hair　of　thy　reverence's　head。　I　know　thou　art　galled　by　our　jesting；　but　we　are　all　equal　here　in　the　greenwood；　for　there　are　no　bishops　nor　barons　nor　earls　among　us；　but　only　men；　so　thou　must　share　our　life　with　us　while　thou　dost　abide　here。　　Come；　busk　ye；　my　merry　men；　and　get　the　feast　ready。　Meantime；　we　will　show　our　guests　our　woodland　sports。〃

So；　while　some　went　to　kindle　the　fires　for　roasting　meats；　others　ran　leaping　to　get　their　cudgels　and　longbows。　Then　Robin　brought　forward　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea。　　〃My　Lord　Bishop；〃　said　he；　〃here　is　another　guest　that　we　have　with　us　this　day。　I　wish　that　thou　mightest　know　him　better；　for　I　and　all　my　men　will　strive　to　honor　you　both　at　this　merrymaking。〃

〃Sir　Richard；〃　said　the　Bishop　in　a　reproachful　tone；　〃methinks　thou　and　I　are　companions　and　fellow　sufferers　in　this　den　of〃　He　was　about　to　say　〃thieves；〃　but　he　stopped　suddenly　and　looked　askance　at　Robin　Hood。

〃Speak　out；　Bishop；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing。　　〃We　of　Sherwood　check　not　an　easy　flow　of　words。　　‘Den　of　thieves'　thou　west　about　to　say。〃

Quoth　the　Bishop；　〃Mayhap　that　was　what　I　meant　to　say；　Sir　Richard；　but　this　I　will　say；　that　I　saw　thee　just　now　laugh　at　the　scurrilous　jests　of　these　fellows。　　It　would　have　been　more　becoming　of　thee；　methinks；　to　have　checked　them　with　frowns　instead　of　spurring　them　on　by　laughter。〃

〃I　meant　no　harm　to　thee；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃but　a　merry　jest　is　a　merry　jest；　and　I　may　truly　say　I　would　have　laughed　at　it　had　it　been　against　mine　own　self。〃

But　now　Robin　Hood　called　upon　certain　ones　of　his　band　who　spread　soft　moss　upon　the　ground　and　laid　deerskins　thereon。　Then　Robin　bade　his　guests　be　seated；　and　so　they　all　three　sat　down；　some　of　the　chi