the merry adventures of robin hood-第59部分

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Then　merry　Robin　looked　up　and　down；　as　if　to　see　that　there　was　no　one　nigh；　and　then；　coming　close　to　the　Corn　Engrosser；　he　stood　on　tiptoe　and　spake　in　his　ear；　〃Thinkest　thou　in　sooth　that　I　am　a　beggar；　as　I　seem　to　be？　　Look　upon　me。　　There　is　not　a　grain　of　dirt　upon　my　hands　or　my　face　or　my　body。　　Didst　thou　ever　see　a　beggar　so？　I　tell　thee　I　am　as　honest　a　man　as　thou　art。　　Look；　friend。〃　Here　he　took　the　purse　of　money　from　his　breast　and　showed　to　the　dazzled　eyes　of　the　Corn　Engrosser　the　bright　golden　pieces。　〃Friend；　these　rags　serve　but　to　hide　an　honest　rich　man　from　the　eyes　of　Robin　Hood。〃

〃Put　up　thy　money；　lad；〃　cried　the　other　quickly。　　〃Art　thou　a　fool；　to　trust　to　beggar's　rags　to　shield　thee　from　Robin　Hood？　　If　he　caught　thee；　he　would　strip　thee　to　the　skin；　for　he　hates　a　lusty　beggar　as　he　doth　a　fat　priest　or　those　of　my　kind。〃

〃Is　it　indeed　so？〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃Had　I　known　this；　mayhap　I　had　not　come　hereabouts　in　this　garb。　But　I　must　go　forward　now；　as　much　depends　upon　my　journeying。　Where　goest　thou；　friend？〃

〃I　go　to　Grantham；〃　said　the　Corn　Engrosser；　〃but　I　shall　lodge　tonight　at　Newark；　if　I　can　get　so　far　upon　my　way。〃

〃Why；　I　myself　am　on　the　way　to　Newark；〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　〃so　that；　as　two　honest　men　are　better　than　one　in　roads　beset　by　such　a　fellow　as　this　Robin　Hood；　I　will　jog　along　with　thee；　if　thou　hast　no　dislike　to　my　company。〃

〃Why；　as　thou　art　an　honest　fellow　and　a　rich　fellow；〃　said　the　Corn　Engrosser；　〃I　mind　not　thy　company；　but；　in　sooth；　I　have　no　great　fondness　for　beggars。〃

〃Then　forward；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃for　the　day　wanes　and　it　will　be　dark　ere　we　reach　Newark。〃　　So　off　they　went；　the　lean　horse　hobbling　along　as　before；　and　Robin　running　beside；　albeit　he　was　so　quaking　with　laughter　within　him　that　he　could　hardly　stand；　yet　he　dared　not　laugh　aloud；　lest　the　Corn　Engrosser　should　suspect　something。　So　they　traveled　along　till　they　reached　a　hill　just　on　the　outskirts　of　Sherwood。　　Here　the　lean　man　checked　his　lean　horse　into　a　walk；　for　the　road　was　steep；　and　he　wished　to　save　his　nag's　strength；　having　far　to　go　ere　he　reached　Newark。　　Then　he　turned　in　his　saddle　and　spake　to　Robin　again；　for　the　first　time　since　they　had　left　the　cross。　〃Here　is　thy　greatest　danger；　friend；〃　said　he；　〃for　here　we　are　nighest　to　that　vile　thief　Robin　Hood；　and　the　place　where　he　dwells。　Beyond　this　we　come　again　to　the　open　honest　country；　and　so　are　more　safe　in　our　journeying。〃

〃Alas！〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　would　that　I　had　as　little　money　by　me　as　thou　hast；　for　this　day　I　fear　that　Robin　Hood　will　get　every　groat　of　my　wealth。〃

Then　the　other　looked　at　Robin　and　winked　cunningly。　　Quoth　he；　〃I　tell　thee；　friend；　that　I　have　nigh　as　much　by　me　as　thou　hast；　but　it　is　hidden　so　that　never　a　knave　in　Sherwood　could　find　it。〃

〃Thou　dost　surely　jest；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃How　could　one　hide　so　much　as　two　hundred　pounds　upon　his　person？〃

〃Now；　as　thou　art　so　honest　a　fellow；　and；　withal；　so　much　younger　than　I　am；　I　will　tell　thee　that　which　I　have　told　to　no　man　in　all　the　world　before；　and　thus　thou　mayst　learn　never　again　to　do　such　a　foolish　thing　as　to　trust　to　beggar's　garb　to　guard　thee　against　Robin　Hood。　　Seest　thou　these　clogs　upon　my　feet？〃

〃Yea；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing；　〃truly；　they　are　large　enough　for　any　man　to　see；　even　were　his　sight　as　foggy　as　that　of　Peter　Patter；　who　never　could　see　when　it　was　time　to　go　to　work。〃

〃Peace；　friend；〃　said　the　Corn　Engrosser；　〃for　this　is　no　matter　for　jesting。　The　soles　of　these　clogs　are　not　what　they　seem　to　be；　for　each　one　is　a　sweet　little　box；　and　by　twisting　the　second　nail　from　the　toe；　the　upper　of　the　shoe　and　part　of　the　sole　lifts　up　like　a　lid；　and　in　the　spaces　within　are　fourscore　and　ten　bright　golden　pounds　in　each　shoe；　all　wrapped　in　hair；　to　keep　them　from　clinking　and　so　telling　tales　of　themselves。〃

When　the　Corn　Engrosser　had　told　this；　Robin　broke　into　a　roar　of　laughter　and；　laying　his　hands　upon　the　bridle　rein；　stopped　the　sad…looking　nag。　　〃Stay；　good　friend；〃　quoth　he；　between　bursts　of　merriment；　〃thou　art　the　slyest　old　fox　that　e'er　I　saw　in　all　my　life！In　the　soles　of　his　shoon；　quotha！If　ever　I　trust　a　poor…seeming　man　again；　shave　my　head　and　paint　it　blue！　A　corn　factor；　a　horse　jockey；　an　estate　agent；　and　a　jackdaw　for　cunningness；　say　I！〃　　And　he　laughed　again　till　he　shook　in　his　shoes　with　mirth。

All　this　time　the　Corn　Engrosser　had　been　staring　at　Robin；　his　mouth　agape　with　wonder。　　〃Art　thou　mad；〃　quoth　he；　〃to　talk　in　this　way；　so　loud　and　in　such　a　place？　　Let　us　forward；　and　save　thy　mirth　till　we　are　safe　and　sound　at　Newark。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　the　tears　of　merriment　wet　on　his　cheeks；　〃on　second　thoughts　I　go　no　farther　than　here；　for　I　have　good　friends　hereabouts。　Thou　mayst　go　forward　if　thou　dost　list；　thou　sweet　pretty　fellow；　but　thou　must　go　forward　barefoot；　for　I　am　afraid　that　thy　shoon　must　be　left　behind。　Off　with　them；　friend；　for　I　tell　thee　I　have　taken　a　great　fancy　to　them。〃

At　these　words　the　corn　factor　grew　pale　as　a　linen　napkin。　〃Who　art　thou　that　talkest　so？〃　said　he。

Then　merry　Robin　laughed　again；　and　quoth　he；　〃Men　hereabouts　call　me　Robin　Hood；　so；　sweet　friend；　thou　hadst　best　do　my　bidding　and　give　me　thy　shoes；　wherefore　hasten；　I　prythee；　or　else　thou　wilt　not　get　to　fair　Newark　Town　till　after　dark。〃

At　the　sound　of　the　name　of　Robin　Hood；　the　corn　factor　quaked　with　fear；　so　that　he　had　to　seize　his　horse　by　the　mane　to　save　himself　from　falling　off　its　back。　　Then　straightway；　and　without　more　words；　he　stripped　off　his　clogs　and　let　them　fall　upon　the　road。　Robin；　still　holding　the　bridle　rein；　stooped　and　picked　them　up。　Then　he　said；　〃Sweet　friend；　I　am　used　to　ask　those　that　I　have　dealings　with　to　come　and　feast　at　Sherwood　with　me。　I　will　not　ask　thee；　because　of　our　pleasant　journey　together；　for　I　tell　thee　there　be　those　in　Sherwood　that　would　not　be　so　gentle　with　thee　as　I　have　been。　　The　name　of　Corn　Engrosser　leaves　a　nasty　taste　upon　the　tongue　of　all　honest　men。　Take　a　fool's　advice　of　me　and　come　no　more　so　nigh　to　Sherwood；　or　mayhap　some　day　thou　mayst　of　a　sudden　find　a　clothyard　shaft　betwixt　thy　ribs。　　So；　with　this；　I　give　thee　good　den。〃　　Hereupon　he　clapped　his　hand　to　the　horse's　flank　and　off　went　nag　and　rider。　But　the　man's　face　was　all　bedewed　with　the　sweat　of　fright；　and　never　again；　I　wot；　was　he　found　so　close　to　Sherwood　Forest　as　he　had　been　this　day。

Robin　stood　and　looked　after　him；　and；　when　he　was　fairly　gone；　turned；　laughing；　and　entered　the　forest　carrying　the　shoes　in　his　hand。

That　night　in　sweet　Sherwood　the　red　fires　glowed　brightly　in　wavering　light　on　tree　and　bush；　and　all　around　sat　or　lay　the　stout　fellows　of　the　band　to　hear　Robin　Hood　and　Little　John　tell　their　adventures。　All　listened　closely；　and　again　and　again　the　woods　rang　with　shouts　of　laughter。

When　all　was　told；　Friar　Tuck　spoke　up。　　〃Good　master；〃　said　he；　〃thou　hast　had　a　pretty　time；　but　still　I　hold　to　my　saying；　that　the　life　of　the　barefoot　friar　is　the　merrier　of　the　two。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Will　Stutely；　〃I　hold　with　our　master；　that　he　hath　had　the　pleasanter　doings　of　the