the merry adventures of robin hood-第74部分

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e　vile　outlaws　therein　what　they　may　expect　of　me　if　I　ever　have　the　good　luck　to　lay　hands　upon　them。〃　　So　saying；　he　mounted　his　horse；　as　did　his　men…at…arms　likewise；　and　all　together　they　set　forth　for　the　belt　of　woodlands　he　had　spoken　of；　the　poor　youths　walking　in　their　midst　guarded　by　the　rangers。　So　they　came　at　last　to　the　spot；　and　here　nooses　were　fastened　around　the　necks　of　the　three；　and　the　ends　of　the　cords　flung　over　the　branch　of　a　great　oak　tree　that　stood　there。　Then　the　three　youths　fell　upon　their　knees　and　loudly　besought　mercy　of　the　Sheriff；　but　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　laughed　scornfully。　〃Now；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　would　that　I　had　a　priest　here　to　shrive　you；　but；　as　none　is　nigh；　you　must　e'en　travel　your　road　with　all　your　sins　packed　upon　your　backs；　and　trust　to　Saint　Peter　to　let　you　in　through　the　gates　of　Paradise　like　three　peddlers　into　the　town。〃

In　the　meantime；　while　all　this　had　been　going　forward；　an　old　man　had　drawn　near　and　stood　leaning　on　his　staff；　looking　on。　His　hair　and　beard　were　all　curly　and　white；　and　across　his　back　was　a　bow　of　yew　that　looked　much　too　strong　for　him　to　draw。　As　the　Sheriff　looked　around　ere　he　ordered　his　men　to　string　the　three　youths　up　to　the　oak　tree；　his　eyes　fell　upon　this　strange　old　man。　　Then　his　worship　beckoned　to　him；　saying；　〃Come　hither；　father；　I　have　a　few　words　to　say　to　thee。〃　So　Little　John；　for　it　was　none　other　than　he；　came　forward；　and　the　Sheriff　looked　upon　him；　thinking　that　there　was　something　strangely　familiar　in　the　face　before　him。　〃How；　now；〃　said　he；　〃methinks　I　have　seen　thee　before。　What　may　thy　name　be；　father？〃

〃Please　Your　Worship；〃　said　Little　John；　in　a　cracked　voice　like　that　of　an　old　man；　〃my　name　is　Giles　Hobble；　at　Your　Worship's　service。〃

〃Giles　Hobble；　Giles　Hobble；〃　muttered　the　Sheriff　to　himself；　turning　over　the　names　that　he　had　in　his　mind　to　try　to　find　one　to　fit　to　this。　〃I　remember　not　thy　name；〃　said　he　at　last；　〃but　it　matters　not。　Hast　thou　a　mind　to　earn　sixpence　this　bright　morn？〃

〃Ay；　marry；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃for　money　is　not　so　plenty　with　me　that　I　should　cast　sixpence　away　an　I　could　earn　it　by　an　honest　turn。　What　is　it　Your　Worship　would　have　me　do？〃

〃Why；　this；〃　said　the　Sheriff。　　〃Here　are　three　men　that　need　hanging　as　badly　as　any　e'er　I　saw。　　If　thou　wilt　string　them　up　I　will　pay　thee　twopence　apiece　for　them。　　I　like　not　that　my　men…at…arms　should　turn　hangmen。　Wilt　thou　try　thy　hand？〃

〃In　sooth；〃　said　Little　John；　still　in　the　old　man's　voice；　〃I　ha'　never　done　such　a　thing　before；　but　an　a　sixpence　is　to　be　earned　so　easily　I　might　as　well　ha'　it　as　anybody。　　But；　Your　Worship；　are　these　naughty　fellows　shrived？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　the　Sheriff；　laughing；　〃never　a　whit；　but　thou　mayst　turn　thy　hand　to　that　also　if　thou　art　so　minded。　But　hasten；　I　prythee；　for　I　would　get　back　to　mine　inn　betimes。〃

So　Little　John　came　to　where　the　three　youths　stood　trembling；　and；　putting　his　face　to　the　first　fellow's　cheek　as　though　he　were　listening　to　him；　he　whispered　softly　into　his　ear；　〃Stand　still；　brother；　when　thou　feelest　thy　bonds　cut；　but　when　thou　seest　me　throw　my　woolen　wig　and　beard　from　my　head　and　face；　cast　the　noose　from　thy　neck　and　run　for　the　woodlands。〃　Then　he　slyly　cut　the　cord　that　bound　the　youth's　hands；　who；　upon　his　part；　stood　still　as　though　he　were　yet　bound。　Then　he　went　to　the　second　fellow；　and　spoke　to　him　in　the　same　way；　and　also　cut　his　bonds。　　This　he　did　to　the　third　likewise；　but　all　so　slyly　that　the　Sheriff；　who　sat　upon　his　horse　laughing；　wotted　not　what　was　being　done；　nor　his　men　either。

Then　Little　John　turned　to　the　Sheriff。　　〃Please　Your　Worship；〃　said　he；　〃will　you　give　me　leave　to　string　my　bow？　For　I　would　fain　help　these　fellows　along　the　way；　when　they　are　swinging；　with　an　arrow　beneath　the　ribs。〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　the　Sheriff；　〃only；　as　I　said　before；　make　thou　haste　in　thy　doings。〃

Little　John　put　the　tip　of　his　bow　to　his　instep；　and　strung　the　weapon　so　deftly　that　all　wondered　to　see　an　old　man　so　strong。　Next　he　drew　a　good　smooth　arrow　from　his　quiver　and　fitted　it　to　the　string；　then；　looking　all　around　to　see　that　the　way　was　clear　behind　him；　he　suddenly　cast　away　the　wool　from　his　head　and　face；　shouting　in　a　mighty　voice；　〃Run！〃　　Quick　as　a　flash　the　three　youths　flung　the　nooses　from　their　necks　and　sped　across　the　open　to　the　woodlands　as　the　arrow　speeds　from　the　bow。　　Little　John　also　flew　toward　the　covert　like　a　greyhound；　while　the　Sheriff　and　his　men　gazed　after　him　all　bewildered　with　the　sudden　doing。　But　ere　the　yeoman　had　gone　far　the　Sheriff　roused　himself。　〃After　him！〃　he　roared　in　a　mighty　voice；　for　he　knew　now　who　it　was　with　whom　he　had　been　talking；　and　wondered　that　he　had　not　known　him　before。

Little　John　heard　the　Sheriff's　words；　and　seeing　that　he　could　not　hope　to　reach　the　woodlands　before　they　would　be　upon　him；　he　stopped　and　turned　suddenly；　holding　his　bow　as　though　he　were　about　to　shoot。　　〃Stand　back！〃　cried　he　fiercely。　〃The　first　man　that　cometh　a　foot　forward；　or　toucheth　finger　to　bowstring；　dieth！〃

At　these　words　the　Sheriff's　men　stood　as　still　as　stocks；　for　they　knew　right　well　that　Little　John　would　be　as　good　as　his　word；　and　that　to　disobey　him　meant　death。　　In　vain　the　Sheriff　roared　at　them；　calling　them　cowards；　and　urging　them　forward　in　a　body；　they　would　not　budge　an　inch；　but　stood　and　watched　Little　John　as　he　moved　slowly　away　toward　the　forest；　keeping　his　gaze　fixed　upon　them。　But　when　the　Sheriff　saw　his　enemy　thus　slipping　betwixt　his　fingers　he　grew　mad　with　his　rage；　so　that　his　head　swam　and　he　knew　not　what　he　did。　Then　of　a　sudden　he　turned　his　horse's　head；　and　plunging　his　spurs　into　its　sides　he　gave　a　great　shout；　and；　rising　in　his　stirrups；　came　down　upon　Little　John　like　the　wind。　　Then　Little　John　raised　his　deadly　bow　and　drew　the　gray　goose　feather　to　his　cheek。　But　alas　for　him！　　For；　ere　he　could　loose　the　shaft；　the　good　bow　that　had　served　him　so　long；　split　in　his　hands；　and　the　arrow　fell　harmless　at　his　feet。　　Seeing　what　had　happened；　the　Sheriff's　men　raised　a　shout；　and；　following　their　master；　came　rushing　down　upon　Little　John。　　But　the　Sheriff　was　ahead　of　the　others；　and　so　caught　up　with　the　yeoman　before　he　reached　the　shelter　of　the　woodlands；　then　leaning　forward　he　struck　a　mighty　blow。　Little　John　ducked　and　the　Sheriff's　sword　turned　in　his　hand；　but　the　flat　of　the　blade　struck　the　other　upon　the　head　and　smote　him　down；　stunned　and　senseless。

〃Now；　I　am　right　glad；〃　said　the　Sheriff；　when　the　men　came　up　and　found　that　Little　John　was　not　dead；　〃that　I　have　not　slain　this　man　in　my　haste！　I　would　rather　lose　five　hundred　pounds　than　have　him　die　thus　instead　of　hanging；　as　such　a　vile　thief　should　do。　　Go；　get　some　water　from　yonder　fountain；　William；　and　pour　it　over　his　head。〃

The　man　did　as　he　was　bidden；　and　presently　Little　John　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　around　him；　all　dazed　and　bewildered　with　the　stun　of　the　blow。　Then　they　tied　his　hands　behind　him；　and　lifting　him　up　set　him　upon　the　back　of　one　of　the　horses；　with　his　face　to　its　tail　and　his　feet　strapped　beneath　its　belly。　　S