the merry adventures of robin hood-第43部分

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with　hanging　head；　as　though　he　shared　his　master's　grief。

Quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃Yon　is　verily　a　sorry…looking　gallant；　and　doth　seem　to　have　donned　ill…content　with　his　jerkin　this　morning；　nevertheless；　I　will　out　and　talk　with　him；　for　there　may　be　some　pickings　here　for　a　hungry　daw。　Methinks　his　dress　is　rich；　though　he　himself　is　so　downcast。　Bide　ye　here　till　I　look　into　this　matter。〃　　So　saying；　he　arose　and　left　them；　crossed　the　road　to　the　shrine；　and　there　stood；　waiting　for　the　sorrowful　knight　to　come　near　him。　So；　presently；　when　the　knight　came　riding　slowly　along；　jolly　Robin　stepped　forward　and　laid　his　hand　upon　the　bridle　rein。　〃Hold；　Sir　Knight；〃　quoth　he。　　〃I　prythee　tarry　for　a　short　time；　for　I　have　a　few　words　to　say　to　thee。〃

〃What　art　thou；　friend；　who　dost　stop　a　traveler　in　this　manner　upon　his　most　gracious　Majesty's　highway？〃　said　the　Knight。

〃Marry；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃that　is　a　question　hard　to　answer。　One　man　calleth　me　kind；　another　calleth　me　cruel；　this　one　calleth　me　good　honest　fellow；　and　that　one；　vile　thief。　Truly；　the　world　hath　as　many　eyes　to　look　upon　a　man　withal　as　there　are　spots　on　a　toad；　so；　with　what　pair　of　eyes　thou　regardest　me　lieth　entirely　with　thine　own　self。　My　name　is　Robin　Hood。〃

〃Truly；　good　Robin；〃　said　the　Knight；　a　smile　twitching　at　the　corners　of　his　mouth；　〃thou　hast　a　quaint　conceit。　As　for　the　pair　of　eyes　with　which　I　regard　thee；　I　would　say　that　they　are　as　favorable　as　may　be；　for　I　hear　much　good　of　thee　and　little　ill。　　What　is　thy　will　of　me？〃

〃Now；　I　make　my　vow；　Sir　Knight；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃thou　hast　surely　learned　thy　wisdom　of　good　Gaffer　Swanthold；　for　he　sayeth；　‘Fair　words　are　as　easy　spoke　as　foul；　and　bring　good　will　in　the　stead　of　blows。'　Now　I　will　show　thee　the　truth　of　this　saying；　for；　if　thou　wilt　go　with　me　this　day　to　Sherwood　Forest；　I　will　give　thee　as　merry　a　feast　as　ever　thou　hadst　in　all　thy　life。〃

〃Thou　art　indeed　kind；〃　said　the　Knight；　〃but　methinks　thou　wilt　find　me　but　an　ill…seeming　and　sorrowful　guest。　Thou　hadst　best　let　me　pass　on　my　way　in　peace。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃thou　mightst　go　thine　own　way　but　for　one　thing；　and　that　I　will　tell　thee。　　We　keep　an　inn；　as　it　were；　in　the　very　depths　of　Sherwood；　but　so　far　from　highroads　and　beaten　paths　that　guests　do　not　often　come　nigh　us；　so　I　and　my　friends　set　off　merrily　and　seek　them　when　we　grow　dull　of　ourselves。　Thus　the　matter　stands；　Sir　Knight；　yet　I　will　furthermore　tell　thee　that　we　count　upon　our　guests　paying　a　reckoning。〃

〃I　take　thy　meaning；　friend；〃　said　the　Knight　gravely；　〃but　I　am　not　thy　man；　for　I　have　no　money　by　me。〃

〃Is　it　sooth？〃　said　Robin；　looking　at　the　Knight　keenly。　　〃I　can　scarce　choose　but　believe　thee；　yet；　Sir　Knight；　there　be　those　of　thy　order　whose　word　is　not　to　be　trusted　as　much　as　they　would　have　others　believe。　Thou　wilt　think　no　ill　if　I　look　for　myself　in　this　matter。〃　Then；　still　holding　the　horse　by　the　bridle　rein；　he　put　his　fingers　to　his　lips　and　blew　a　shrill　whistle；　whereupon　fourscore　yeomen　came　leaping　over　the　stile　and　ran　to　where　the　Knight　and　Robin　stood。　〃These；〃　said　Robin；　looking　upon　them　proudly；　〃are　some　of　my　merry　men。　They　share　and　share　alike　with　me　all　joys　and　troubles；　gains　and　losses。　Sir　Knight；　I　prythee　tell　me　what　money　thou　hast　about　thee。〃

For　a　time　the　Knight　said　not　a　word；　but　a　slow　red　arose　into　his　cheeks；　at　last　he　looked　Robin　in　the　face　and　said；　〃I　know　not　why　I　should　be　ashamed；　for　it　should　be　no　shame　to　me；　but；　friend；　I　tell　thee　the　truth；　when　I　say　that　in　my　purse　are　ten　shillings；　and　that　that　is　every　groat　that　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea　hath　in　all　the　wide　world。〃

When　Sir　Richard　ended　a　silence　fell；　until　at　last　Robin　said；　〃And　dost　thou　pledge　me　thy　knightly　word　that　this　is　all　thou　hast　with　thee？〃

〃Yea；〃　answered　Sir　Richard；　〃I　do　pledge　thee　my　most　solemn　word；　as　a　true　knight；　that　it　is　all　the　money　I　have　in　the　world。　Nay；　here　is　my　purse；　ye　may　find　for　yourselves　the　truth　of　what　I　say。〃　And　he　held　his　purse　out　to　Robin。

〃Put　up　thy　purse；　Sir　Richard；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃Far　be　it　from　me　to　doubt　the　word　of　so　gentle　a　knight。　　The　proud　I　strive　to　bring　low；　but　those　that　walk　in　sorrow　I　would　aid　if　I　could。　Come；　Sir　Richard；　cheer　up　thy　heart　and　go　with　us　into　the　greenwood。　Even　I　may　perchance　aid　thee；　for　thou　surely　knowest　how　the　good　Athelstane　was　saved　by　the　little　blind　mole　that　digged　a　trench　over　which　he　that　sought　the　king's　life　stumbled。〃

〃Truly；　friend；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃methinks　thou　meanest　kindness　in　thine　own　way；　nevertheless　my　troubles　are　such　that　it　is　not　likely　that　thou　canst　cure　them。　　But　I　will　go　with　thee　this　day　into　Sherwood。〃　　Hereupon　he　turned　his　horse's　head；　and　they　all　wended　their　way　to　the　woodlands；　Robin　walking　on　one　side　of　the　Knight　and　Will　Scarlet　on　the　other；　while　the　rest　of　the　band　trudged　behind。

After　they　had　traveled　thus　for　a　time　Robin　Hood　spake。　〃Sir　Knight；〃　said　he；　〃I　would　not　trouble　thee　with　idle　questions；　but　dost　thou　find　it　in　thy　heart　to　tell　me　thy　sorrows？〃

〃Truly；　Robin；〃　quoth　the　Knight；　〃I　see　no　reason　why　I　should　not　do　so。　Thus　it　is：　　My　castle　and　my　lands　are　in　pawn　for　a　debt　that　I　owe。　Three　days　hence　the　money　must　be　paid　or　else　all　mine　estate　is　lost　forever；　for　then　it　falls　into　the　hands　of　the　Priory　of　Emmet；　and　what　they　swallow　they　never　give　forth　again。〃

Quoth　Robin；　〃I　understand　not　why　those　of　thy　kind　live　in　such　a　manner　that　all　their　wealth　passeth　from　them　like　snow　beneath　the　springtide　sun。〃

〃Thou　wrongest　me；　Robin；〃　said　the　Knight；　〃for　listen：　I　have　a　son　but　twenty　winters　old；　nevertheless　he　has　won　his　spurs　as　knight。　　Last　year；　on　a　certain　evil　day；　the　jousts　were　held　at　Chester；　and　thither　my　son　went；　as　did　I　and　my　lady　wife。　　I　wot　it　was　a　proud　time　for　us；　for　he　unhorsed　each　knight　that　he　tilted　against。　At　last　he　ran　a　course　with　a　certain　great　knight；　Sir　Walter　of　Lancaster；　yet；　though　my　son　was　so　youthful；　he　kept　his　seat；　albeit　both　spears　were　shivered　to　the　heft；　but　it　happened　that　a　splinter　of　my　boy's　lance　ran　through　the　visor　of　Sir　Walter's　helmet　and　pierced　through　his　eye　into　his　brain；　so　that　he　died　ere　his　esquire　could　unlace　his　helm。　　Now；　Robin；　Sir　Walter　had　great　friends　at　court；　therefore　his　kinsmen　stirred　up　things　against　my　son　so　that；　to　save　him　from　prison；　I　had　to　pay　a　ransom　of　six　hundred　pounds　in　gold。　　All　might　have　gone　well　even　yet；　only　that；　by　ins　and　outs　and　crookedness　of　laws；　I　was　shorn　like　a　sheep　that　is　clipped　to　the　quick。　　So　it　came　that　I　had　to　pawn　my　lands　to　the　Priory　of　Emmet　for　more　money；　and　a　hard　bargain　they　drove　with　me　in　my　hour　of　need。　Yet　I　would　have　thee　understand　I　grieve　so　for　my　lands　only　because　of　my　dear　lady　wife。〃

〃But　where　is　thy　son　now？〃　asked　Robin；　who　had　listened　closely　to　all　the　Knight　had　said。

〃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　th