the merry adventures of robin hood-第69部分

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At　this　speech　the　Cobbler　stared　and　gaped　more　than　ever；　for　there　was　such　a　threshing　of　thoughts　going　on




within　his　poor　head　that　his　wits　were　all　befogged　with　the　dust　and　chaff　thereof。　　Moreover；　as　he　looked　at　Robin　Hood；　and　saw　the　yeoman　look　so　like　what　he　knew　himself　to　be；　he　began　to　doubt　and　to　think　that　mayhap　he　was　the　great　outlaw　in　real　sooth。　Said　he　in　a　slow；　wondering　voice；　〃Am　I　in　very　truth　that　fellow？　Now　I　had　thoughtbut　nay；　Quince；　thou　art　mistookyetam　I？Nay；　I　must　indeed　be　Robin　Hood！　　Yet；　truly；　I　had　never　thought　to　pass　from　an　honest　craftsman　to　such　a　great　yeoman。〃

〃Alas！〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃look　ye　there；　now！　　See　how　your　ill…treatment　hath　curdled　the　wits　of　this　poor　lad　and　turned　them　all　sour！　I；　myself；　am　Quince；　the　Cobbler　of　Derby　Town。〃

〃Is　it　so？〃　said　Quince。　　〃Then；　indeed；　I　am　somebody　else；　and　can　be　none　other　than　Robin　Hood。　　Take　me；　fellows；　but　let　me　tell　you　that　ye　ha'　laid　hand　upon　the　stoutest　yeoman　that　ever　trod　the　woodlands。〃

〃Thou　wilt　play　madman；　wilt　thou？〃　said　the　leader　of　the　band。　〃Here；　Giles；　fetch　a　cord　and　bind　this　knave's　hands　behind　him。　I　warrant　we　will　bring　his　wits　back　to　him　again　when　we　get　him　safe　before　our　good　Bishop　at　Tutbury　Town。〃　　Thereupon　they　tied　the　Cobbler's　hands　behind　him；　and　led　him　off　with　a　rope；　as　the　farmer　leads　off　the　calf　he　hath　brought　from　the　fair。　Robin　stood　looking　after　them；　and　when　they　were　gone　he　laughed　till　the　tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks；　for　he　knew　that　no　harm　would　befall　the　honest　fellow；　and　he　pictured　to　himself　the　Bishop's　face　when　good　Quince　was　brought　before　him　as　Robin　Hood。　　Then；　turning　his　steps　once　more　to　the　eastward；　he　stepped　out　right　foot　foremost　toward　Nottinghamshire　and　Sherwood　Forest。

But　Robin　Hood　had　gone　through　more　than　he　wotted　of。　His　journey　from　London　had　been　hard　and　long；　and　in　a　se'ennight　he　had　traveled　sevenscore　and　more　of　miles。　　He　thought　now　to　travel　on　without　stopping　until　he　had　come　to　Sherwood；　but　ere　he　had　gone　a　half　a　score　of　miles　he　felt　his　strength　giving　way　beneath　him　like　a　river　bank　which　the　waters　have　undermined。　He　sat　him　down　and　rested；　but　he　knew　within　himself　that　he　could　go　no　farther　that　day；　for　his　feet　felt　like　lumps　of　lead；　so　heavy　were　they　with　weariness。　　Once　more　he　arose　and　went　forward；　but　after　traveling　a　couple　of　miles　he　was　fain　to　give　the　matter　up；　so；　coming　to　an　inn　just　then；　he　entered　and　calling　the　landlord；　bade　him　show　him　to　a　room；　although　the　sun　was　only　then　just　sinking　in　the　western　sky。　There　were　but　three　bedrooms　in　the　place；　and　to　the　meanest　of　these　the　landlord　showed　Robin　Hood；　but　little　Robin　cared　for　the　looks　of　the　place；　for　he　could　have　slept　that　night　upon　a　bed　of　broken　stones。　　So；　stripping　off　his　clothes　without　more　ado；　he　rolled　into　the　bed　and　was　asleep　almost　ere　his　head　touched　the　pillow。

Not　long　after　Robin　had　so　gone　to　his　rest　a　great　cloud　peeped　blackly　over　the　hills　to　the　westward。　　Higher　and　higher　it　arose　until　it　piled　up　into　the　night　like　a　mountain　of　darkness。　All　around　beneath　it　came　ever　and　anon　a　dull　red　flash；　and　presently　a　short　grim　mutter　of　the　coming　thunder　was　heard。　Then　up　rode　four　stout　burghers　of　Nottingham　Town；　for　this　was　the　only　inn　within　five　miles'　distance；　and　they　did　not　care　to　be　caught　in　such　a　thunderstorm　as　this　that　was　coming　upon　them。　Leaving　their　nags　to　the　stableman；　they　entered　the　best　room　of　the　inn；　where　fresh　green　rushes　lay　all　spread　upon　the　floor；　and　there　called　for　the　goodliest　fare　that　the　place　afforded。　After　having　eaten　heartily　they　bade　the　landlord　show　them　to　their　rooms；　for　they　were　aweary；　having　ridden　all　the　way　from　Dronfield　that　day。　So　off　they　went；　grumbling　at　having　to　sleep　two　in　a　bed；　but　their　troubles　on　this　score；　as　well　as　all　others；　were　soon　lost　in　the　quietness　of　sleep。

And　now　came　the　first　gust　of　wind；　rushing　past　the　place；　clapping　and　banging　the　doors　and　shutters；　smelling　of　the　coming　rain；　and　all　wrapped　in　a　cloud　of　dust　and　leaves。　As　though　the　wind　had　brought　a　guest　along　with　it；　the　door　opened　of　a　sudden　and　in　came　a　friar　of　Emmet　Priory；　and　one　in　high　degree；　as　was　shown　by　the　softness　and　sleekness　of　his　robes　and　the　richness　of　his　rosary。　　He　called　to　the　landlord；　and　bade　him　first　have　his　mule　well　fed　and　bedded　in　the　stable；　and　then　to　bring　him　the　very　best　there　was　in　the　house。　So　presently　a　savory　stew　of　tripe　and　onions；　with　sweet　little　fat　dumplings；　was　set　before　him；　likewise　a　good　stout　pottle　of　Malmsey；　and　straightway　the　holy　friar　fell　to　with　great　courage　and　heartiness；　so　that　in　a　short　time　nought　was　left　but　a　little　pool　of　gravy　in　the　center　of　the　platter；　not　large　enow　to　keep　the　life　in　a　starving　mouse。

In　the　meantime　the　storm　broke。　　Another　gust　of　wind　went　rushing　by；　and　with　it　fell　a　few　heavy　drops　of　rain；　which　presently　came　rattling　down　in　showers；　beating　against　the　casements　like　a　hundred　little　hands。　Bright　flashes　of　lightning　lit　up　every　raindrop；　and　with　them　came　cracks　of　thunder　that　went　away　rumbling　and　bumping　as　though　Saint　Swithin　were　busy　rolling　great　casks　of　water　across　rough　ground　overhead。　The　womenfolks　screamed；　and　the　merry　wags　in　the　taproom　put　their　arms　around　their　waists　to　soothe　them　into　quietness。

At　last　the　holy　friar　bade　the　landlord　show　him　to　his　room；　but　when　he　heard　that　he　was　to　bed　with　a　cobbler；　he　was　as　ill　contented　a　fellow　as　you　could　find　in　all　England；　nevertheless　there　was　nothing　for　it；　and　he　must　sleep　there　or　nowhere；　so；　taking　up　his　candle；　he　went　off；　grumbling　like　the　now　distant　thunder。　When　he　came　to　the　room　where　he　was　to　sleep　he　held　the　light　over　Robin　and　looked　at　him　from　top　to　toe；　then　he　felt　better　pleased；　for；　instead；　of　a　rough；　dirty…bearded　fellow；　he　beheld　as　fresh　and　clean　a　lad　as　one　could　find　in　a　week　of　Sundays；　so；　slipping　off　his　clothes；　he　also　huddled　into　the　bed；　where　Robin；　grunting　and　grumbling　in　his　sleep；　made　room　for　him。　Robin　was　more　sound　asleep；　I　wot；　than　he　had　been　for　many　a　day；　else　he　would　never　have　rested　so　quietly　with　one　of　the　friar's　sort　so　close　beside　him。　　As　for　the　friar；　had　he　known　who　Robin　Hood　was；　you　may　well　believe　he　would　almost　as　soon　have　slept　with　an　adder　as　with　the　man　he　had　for　a　bedfellow。

So　the　night　passed　comfortably　enough；　but　at　the　first　dawn　of　day　Robin　opened　his　eyes　and　turned　his　head　upon　the　pillow。　Then　how　he　gaped　and　how　he　stared；　for　there　beside　him　lay　one　all　shaven　and　shorn；　so　that　he　knew　that　it　must　be　a　fellow　in　holy　orders。　He　pinched　himself　sharply；　but；　finding　he　was　awake；　sat　up　in　bed；　while　the　other　slumbered　as　peacefully　as　though　he　were　safe　and　sound　at　home　in　Emmet　Priory。　　〃Now；〃　quoth　Robin　to　himself；　〃I　wonder　how　this　thing　hath　dropped　into　my　bed　during　the　night。〃　So　saying；　he　arose　softly；　so　as　not　to　waken　the　other；　and　looking　about　the　room　he　espied　the　friar's　clot