the merry adventures of robin hood-第48部分

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　called；　〃Come　hither；〃　and　beckoned　with　his　finger；　whereupon　the　tallest　of　them　all　came　forward　and　handed　him　a　long　leathern　bag。　Sir　Richard　took　the　bag　and　shot　from　it　upon　the　table　a　glittering　stream　of　golden　money。　　〃Bear　in　mind；　Sir　Prior；〃　said　he；　〃that　thou　hast　promised　me　quittance　for　three　hundred　pounds。　Not　one　farthing　above　that　shalt　thou　get。〃　　So　saying；　he　counted　out　three　hundred　pounds　and　pushed　it　toward　the　Prior。

But　now　the　Prior's　hands　dropped　at　his　sides　and　the　Prior's　head　hung　upon　his　shoulder；　for　not　only　had　he　lost　all　hopes　of　the　land；　but　he　had　forgiven　the　Knight　one　hundred　pounds　of　his　debt　and　had　needlessly　paid　the　man　of　law　fourscore　angels。　To　him　he　turned；　and　quoth　he；　〃Give　me　back　my　money　that　thou　hast。〃

〃Nay；〃　cried　the　other　shrilly；　〃it　is　but　my　fee　that　thou　didst　pay　me；　and　thou　gettest　it　not　back　again。〃　And　he　hugged　his　gown　about　him。

〃Now；　Sir　Prior；〃　quoth　Sir　Richard；　〃I　have　held　my　day　and　paid　all　the　dues　demanded　of　me；　so；　as　there　is　no　more　betwixt　us；　I　leave　this　vile　place　straightway。〃　So　saying；　he　turned　upon　his　heel　and　strode　away。

All　this　time　the　Sheriff　had　been　staring　with　wide…open　eyes　and　mouth　agape　at　the　tall　man…at…arms；　who　stood　as　though　carved　out　of　stone。　At　last　he　gasped　out；　〃Reynold　Greenleaf！〃

At　this；　the　tall　man…at…arms；　who　was　no　other　than　Little　John；　turned；　grinning；　to　the　Sheriff。　　〃I　give　thee　good　den；　fair　gossip；〃　quoth　he。　〃I　would　say；　sweet　Sheriff；　that　I　have　heard　all　thy　pretty　talk　this　day；　and　it　shall　be　duly　told　unto　Robin　Hood。　　So；　farewell　for　the　nonce；　till　we　meet　again　in　Sherwood　Forest。〃　　Then　he；　also；　turned　and　followed　Sir　Richard　down　the　hall；　leaving　the　Sheriff；　all　pale　and　amazed；　shrunk　together　upon　his　chair。

A　merry　feast　it　was　to　which　Sir　Richard　came；　but　a　sorry　lot　he　left　behind　him；　and　little　hunger　had　they　for　the　princely　food　spread　before　them。　Only　the　learned　doctor　was　happy；　for　he　had　his　fee。


Now　a　twelvemonth　and　a　day　passed　since　Prior　Vincent　of　Emmet　sat　at　feast；　and　once　more　the　mellow　fall　of　another　year　had　come。　But　the　year　had　brought　great　change；　I　wot；　to　the　lands　of　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea；　for；　where　before　shaggy　wild　grasses　grew　upon　the　meadow　lands；　now　all　stretch　away　in　golden　stubble；　betokening　that　a　rich　and　plentiful　crop　had　been　gathered　therefrom。　A　year　had　made　a　great　change　in　the　castle；　also；　for；　where　were　empty　moats　and　the　crumbling　of　neglect；　all　was　now　orderly　and　well　kept。

Bright　shone　the　sun　on　battlement　and　tower；　and　in　the　blue　air　overhead　a　Hock　of　clattering　jackdaws　flew　around　the　gilded　weather　vane　and　spire。　　Then；　in　the　brightness　of　the　morning；　the　drawbridge　fell　across　the　moat　with　a　rattle　and　clank　of　chains；　the　gate　of　the　castle　swung　slowly　open；　and　a　goodly　array　of　steel…clad　men…at…arms；　with　a　knight　all　clothed　in　chain　mail；　as　white　as　frost　on　brier　and　thorn　of　a　winter　morning；　came　flashing　out　from　the　castle　courtyard。　In　his　hand　the　Knight　held　a　great　spear；　from　the　point　of　which　fluttered　a　blood…red　pennant　as　broad　as　the　palm　of　one's　hand。　So　this　troop　came　forth　from　the　castle；　and　in　the　midst　of　them　walked　three　pack　horses　laden　with　parcels　of　divers　shapes　and　kinds。

Thus　rode　forth　good　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea　to　pay　his　debt　to　Robin　Hood　this　bright　and　merry　morn。　Along　the　highway　they　wended　their　way；　with　measured　tramp　of　feet　and　rattle　and　jingle　of　sword　and　harness。　Onward　they　marched　till　they　came　nigh　to　Denby；　where；　from　the　top　of　a　hill；　they　saw；　over　beyond　the　town；　many　gay　flags　and　streamers　floating　in　the　bright　air。　Then　Sir　Richard　turned　to　the　man…at…arms　nearest　to　him。　〃What　is　toward　yonder　at　Denby　today？〃　quoth　he。

〃Please　Your　Worship；〃　answered　the　man…at…arms；　〃a　merry　fair　is　held　there　today；　and　a　great　wrestling　match；　to　which　many　folk　have　come；　for　a　prize　hath　been　offered　of　a　pipe　of　red　wine；　a　fair　golden　ring；　and　a　pair　of　gloves；　all　of　which　go　to　the　best　wrestler。〃

〃Now；　by　my　faith；〃　quoth　Sir　Richard；　who　loved　good　manly　sports　right　well；　〃this　will　be　a　goodly　thing　to　see。　　Methinks　we　have　to　stay　a　little　while　on　our　journey；　and　see　this　merry　sport。〃　So　he　turned　his　horse's　head　aside　toward　Denby　and　the　fair；　and　thither　he　and　his　men　made　their　way。

There　they　found　a　great　hubbub　of　merriment。　　Flags　and　streamers　were　floating；　tumblers　were　tumbling　on　the　green；　bagpipes　were　playing；　and　lads　and　lasses　were　dancing　to　the　music。　　But　the　crowd　were　gathered　most　of　all　around　a　ring　where　the　wrestling　was　going　forward；　and　thither　Sir　Richard　and　his　men　turned　their　steps。

Now　when　the　judges　of　the　wrestling　saw　Sir　Richard　coming　and　knew　who　he　was；　the　chief　of　them　came　down　from　the　bench　where　he　and　the　others　sat；　and　went　to　the　Knight　and　took　him　by　the　hand；　beseeching　him　to　come　and　sit　with　them　and　judge　the　sport。　So　Sir　Richard　got　down　from　his　horse　and　went　with　the　others　to　the　bench　raised　beside　the　ring。

Now　there　had　been　great　doings　that　morning；　for　a　certain　yeoman　named　Egbert；　who　came　from　Stoke　over　in　Staffordshire；　had　thrown　with　ease　all　those　that　came　against　him；　but　a　man　of　Denby；　well　known　through　all　the　countryside　as　William　of　the　Scar；　had　been　biding　his　time　with　the　Stoke　man；　so；　when　Egbert　had　thrown　everyone　else；　stout　William　leaped　into　the　ring。　Then　a　tough　bout　followed；　and　at　last　he　threw　Egbert　heavily；　whereat　there　was　a　great　shouting　and　shaking　of　hands；　for　all　the　Denby　men　were　proud　of　their　wrestler。

When　Sir　Richard　came；　he　found　stout　William；　puffed　up　by　the　shouts　of　his　friends；　walking　up　and　down　the　ring；　daring　anyone　to　come　and　try　a　throw　with　him。　　〃Come　one；　come　all！〃　quoth　he。　　〃Here　stand　I；　William　of　the　Scar；　against　any　man。　If　there　is　none　in　Derbyshire　to　come　against　me；　come　all　who　will；　from　Nottingham；　Stafford；　or　York；　and　if　I　do　not　make　them　one　and　all　root　the　ground　with　their　noses　like　swine　in　the　forests；　call　me　no　more　brave　William　the　wrestler。〃

At　this　all　laughed；　but　above　all　the　laughter　a　loud　voice　was　heard　to　cry　out；　〃Sin'　thou　talkest　so　big；　here　cometh　one　from　Nottinghamshire　to　try　a　fall　with　thee；　fellow〃；　and　straightway　a　tall　youth　with　a　tough　quarterstaff　in　his　hand　came　pushing　his　way　through　the　crowd　and　at　last　leaped　lightly　over　the　rope　into　the　ring。　He　was　not　as　heavy　as　stout　William；　but　he　was　taller　and　broader　in　the　shoulders；　and　all　his　joints　were　well　knit。　Sir　Richard　looked　upon　him　keenly；　then；　turning　to　one　of　the　judges；　he　said；　〃Knowest　thou　who　this　youth　is？　Methinks　I　have　seen　him　before。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　the　judge；　〃he　is　a　stranger　to　me。〃

Meantime；　without　a　word；　the　young　man；　laying　aside　his　quarterstaff；　began　to　take　off　his　jerkin　and　body　clothing　until　he　presently　stood　with　naked　arms　and　body；　and　a　comely　sight　he　was　when　so　bared　to　the　view；　for　his　muscles　were　cut　round　and　smooth　and　sharp　like　swift…running　water。

And　now　each　man　spat　upon　his　hands　and；　clapping　them　upon　his　knees；