the merry adventures of robin hood-第53部分

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inds　are　blo…o…o…wing_。〃


Now　it　seemed　as　though　Little　John's　songs　were　never　to　get　sung；　for　he　had　got　no　farther　than　this　when　the　door　of　the　inn　opened　and　out　came　the　two　brothers　of　Fountain　Abbey；　the　landlord　following　them；　and；　as　the　saying　is；　washing　his　hands　with　humble　soap。　But　when　the　brothers　of　Fountain　Abbey　saw　who　it　was　that　sang；　and　how　he　was　clad　in　the　robes　of　a　Gray　Friar；　they　stopped　suddenly；　the　fat　little　Brother　drawing　his　heavy　eyebrows　together　in　a　mighty　frown；　and　the　thin　Brother　twisting　up　his　face　as　though　he　had　sour　beer　in　his　mouth。　　Then；　as　Little　John　gathered　his　breath　for　a　new　verse；　〃How；　now；〃　roared　forth　the　fat　Brother；　his　voice　coming　from　him　like　loud　thunder　from　a　little　cloud；　〃thou　naughty　fellow；　is　this　a　fit　place　for　one　in　thy　garb　to　tipple　and　sing　profane　songs？〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃sin'　I　cannot　tipple　and　sing；　like　Your　Worship's　reverence；　in　such　a　goodly　place　as　Fountain　Abbey；　I　must　e'en　tipple　and　sing　where　I　can。〃

〃Now；　out　upon　thee；〃　cried　the　tall　lean　Brother　in　a　harsh　voice；　〃now；　out　upon　thee；　that　thou　shouldst　so　disgrace　thy　cloth　by　this　talk　and　bearing。〃

〃Marry；　come　up！〃　quoth　Little　John。　　〃Disgrace；　sayest　thou？　Methinks　it　is　more　disgrace　for　one　of　our　garb　to　wring　hard…earned　farthings　out　of　the　gripe　of　poor　lean　peasants。　It　is　not　so；　brother？〃

At　this　the　Tinker　and　the　Peddler　and　the　Beggar　nudged　one　another；　and　all　grinned；　and　the　friars　scowled　blackly　at　Little　John；　but　they　could　think　of　nothing　further　to　say；　so　they　turned　to　their　horses。　Then　Little　John　arose　of　a　sudden　from　the　bench　where　he　sat；　and　ran　to　where　the　brothers　of　Fountain　Abbey　were　mounting。　Quoth　he；　〃Let　me　hold　your　horses'　bridles　for　you。　　Truly；　your　words　have　smitten　my　sinful　heart；　so　that　I　will　abide　no　longer　in　this　den　of　evil；　but　will　go　forward　with　you。　　No　vile　temptation；　I　wot；　will　fall　upon　me　in　such　holy　company。〃

〃Nay；　fellow；〃　said　the　lean　Brother　harshly；　for　he　saw　that　Little　John　made　sport　of　them；　〃we　want　none　of　thy　company；　so　get　thee　gone。〃

〃Alas；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃I　am　truly　sorry　that　ye　like　me　not　nor　my　company；　but　as　for　leaving　you；　it　may　not　be；　for　my　heart　is　so　moved；　that；　willy…nilly；　I　must　go　with　you　for　the　sake　of　your　holy　company。〃

Now；　at　this　talk　all　the　good　fellows　on　the　bench　grinned　till　their　teeth　glistened；　and　even　the　landlord　could　not　forbear　to　smile。　As　for　the　friars；　they　looked　at　one　another　with　a　puzzled　look；　and　knew　not　what　to　do　in　the　matter。　　They　were　so　proud　that　it　made　them　feel　sick　with　shame　to　think　of　riding　along　the　highroad　with　a　strolling　friar；　in　robes　all　too　short　for　him；　running　beside　them；　but　yet　they　could　not　make　Little　John　stay　against　his　will；　for　they　knew　he　could　crack　the　bones　of　both　of　them　in　a　twinkling　were　he　so　minded。　Then　up　spake　the　fat　Brother　more　mildly　than　he　had　done　before。　〃Nay；　good　brother；〃　said　he；　〃we　will　ride　fast；　and　thou　wilt　tire　to　death　at　the　pace。〃

〃Truly；　I　am　grateful　to　thee　for　the　thought　of　me；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃but　have　no　fear；　brother；　my　limbs　are　stout；　and　I　could　run　like　a　hare　from　here　to　Gainsborough。〃

At　these　words　a　sound　of　laughing　came　from　the　bench；　whereat　the　lean　Brother's　wrath　boiled　over；　like　water　into　the　fire；　with　great　fuss　and　noise。　　〃Now；　out　upon　thee；　thou　naughty　fellow！〃　he　cried。　〃Art　thou　not　ashamed　to　bring　disgrace　so　upon　our　cloth？　Bide　thee　here；　thou　sot；　with　these　porkers。　　Thou　art　no　fit　company　for　us。〃

〃La；　ye　there　now！〃　quoth　Little　John。　　〃Thou　hearest；　landlord；　thou　art　not　fit　company　for　these　holy　men；　go　back　to　thine　alehouse。　Nay；　if　these　most　holy　brothers　of　mine　do　but　give　me　the　word；　I'll　beat　thy　head　with　this　stout　staff　till　it　is　as　soft　as　whipped　eggs。〃

At　these　words　a　great　shout　of　laughter　went　up　from　those　on　the　bench；　and　the　landlord's　face　grew　red　as　a　cherry　from　smothering　his　laugh　in　his　stomach；　but　he　kept　his　merriment　down；　for　he　wished　not　to　bring　the　ill…will　of　the　brothers　of　Fountain　Abbey　upon　him　by　unseemly　mirth。　So　the　two　brethren；　as　they　could　do　nought　else；　having　mounted　their　nags；　turned　their　noses　toward　Lincoln　and　rode　away。

〃I　cannot　stay　longer；　sweet　friends；〃　quoth　Little　John；　as　he　pushed　in　betwixt　the　two　cobs；　〃therefore　I　wish　you　good　den。　　Off　we　go；　we　three。〃　So　saying；　he　swung　his　stout　staff　over　his　shoulder　and　trudged　off；　measuring　his　pace　with　that　of　the　two　nags。

The　two　brothers　glowered　at　Little　John　when　he　so　pushed　himself　betwixt　them；　then　they　drew　as　far　away　from　him　as　they　could；　so　that　the　yeoman　walked　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　while　they　rode　on　the　footpath　on　either　side　of　the　way。　As　they　so　went　away；　the　Tinker；　the　Peddler；　and　the　Beggar　ran　skipping　out　into　the　middle　of　the　highway；　each　with　a　pot　in　his　hand；　and　looked　after　them　laughing。

While　they　were　in　sight　of　those　at　the　inn；　the　brothers　walked　their　horses　soberly；　not　caring　to　make　ill　matters　worse　by　seeming　to　run　away　from　Little　John；　for　they　could　not　but　think　how　it　would　sound　in　folks'　ears　when　they　heard　how　the　brethren　of　Fountain　Abbey　scampered　away　from　a　strolling　friar；　like　the　Ugly　One；　when　the　blessed　Saint　Dunstan　loosed　his　nose　from　the　red…hot　tongs　where　he　had　held　it　fast；　but　when　they　had　crossed　the　crest　of　the　hill　and　the　inn　was　lost　to　sight；　quoth　the　fat　Brother　to　the　thin　Brother；　〃Brother　Ambrose；　had　we　not　better　mend　our　pace？〃

〃Why　truly；　gossip；〃　spoke　up　Little　John；　〃methinks　it　would　be　well　to　boil　our　pot　a　little　faster；　for　the　day　is　passing　on。　So　it　will　not　jolt　thy　fat　too　much；　onward；　say　I。〃

At　this　the　two　friars　said　nothing；　but　they　glared　again　on　Little　John　with　baleful　looks；　then；　without　another　word；　they　clucked　to　their　horses；　and　both　broke　into　a　canter。　So　they　galloped　for　a　mile　and　more；　and　Little　John　ran　betwixt　them　as　lightly　as　a　stag　and　never　turned　a　hair　with　the　running。　　At　last　the　fat　Brother　drew　his　horse's　rein　with　a　groan；　for　he　could　stand　the　shaking　no　longer。　〃Alas；〃　said　Little　John；　with　not　so　much　as　a　catch　in　his　breath；　〃I　did　sadly　fear　that　the　roughness　of　this　pace　would　shake　thy　poor　old　fat　paunch。〃

To　this　the　fat　Friar　said　never　a　word；　but　he　stared　straight　before　him；　and　he　gnawed　his　nether　lip。　　And　now　they　traveled　forward　more　quietly；　Little　John　in　the　middle　of　the　road　whistling　merrily　to　himself；　and　the　two　friars　in　the　footpath　on　either　side　saying　never　a　word。

Then　presently　they　met　three　merry　minstrels；　all　clad　in　red；　who　stared　amain　to　see　a　Gray　Friar　with　such　short　robes　walking　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　and　two　brothers。　with　heads　bowed　with　shame；　riding　upon　richly　caparisoned　cobs　on　the　footpaths。　　When　they　had　come　near　to　the　minstrels；　Little　John　waved　his　staff　like　an　usher　clearing　the　way。　〃Make　way！〃　he　cried　in　a　loud　voice。　　〃Make　way！　make　way！　For　here　we　go；　we　three！〃　　Then　how　the　minstrels　stared；　and　how　they　laughed！　　But　the　fat　Friar　shook　as　with　an　ague；　and　the　le