maid marian-第8部分

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the　forester　led　the　lady　to　the　station。　The　luckless　Sir　Ralph　drank　deep　draughts　of　love　from　the　matchless　grace　of　her　attitudes；　as；　taking　the　bow　in　her　left　hand；　and　adjusting　the　arrow　with　her　right；　advancing　her　left　foot；　and　gently　curving　her　beautiful　figure　with　a　slight　motion　of　her　head　that　waved　her　black　feathers　and　her　ringleted　hair；　she　drew　the　arrow　to　its　head；　and　loosed　it　from　her　open　fingers。　　The　arrow　struck　within　the　ring　of　gold；　so　close　to　that　of　the　victorious　forester　that　the　points　were　in　contact；　and　the　feathers　were　intermingled。　Great　acclamations　succeeded；　and　the　forester　led　Matilda　to　the　dance。　Sir　Ralph　gazed　on　her　fascinating　motions　till　the　torments　of　baffled　love　and　jealous　rage　became　unendurable；　and　approaching　young　Gamwell；　he　asked　him　if　he　knew　the　name　of　that　forester　who　was　leading　the　dance　with　the　Queen　of　the　May？

〃Robin；　I　believe；〃　said　young　Gamwell　carelessly；　〃I　think　they　call　him　Robin。〃

〃Is　that　all　you　know　of　him？〃　said　Sir　Ralph。

〃What　more　should　I　know　of　him？〃　said　young　Gamwell。

〃Then　I　can　tell　you；〃　said　Sir　Ralph；　〃he　is　the　outlawed　Earl　of　Huntingdon；　on　whose　head　is　set　so　large　a　price。〃

〃Ay；　is　he？〃　said　young　Gamwell；　in　the　same　careless　manner。

〃He　were　a　prize　worth　the　taking；〃　said　Sir　Ralph。

〃No　doubt；〃　said　young　Gamwell。

〃How　think　you？〃　said　Sir　Ralph：　　〃are　the　foresters　his　adherents？〃

〃I　cannot　say；〃　said　young　Gamwell。

〃Is　your　peasantry　loyal　and　well…disposed？〃　said　Sir　Ralph。

〃Passing　loyal；〃　said　young　Gamwell。

〃If　I　should　call　on　them　in　the　king's　name；〃　said　Sir　Ralph；　〃think　you　they　would　aid　and　assist？〃

〃Most　likely　they　would；〃　said　young　Gamwell；　〃one　side　or　the　other。〃

〃Ay；　but　which　side？〃　said　the　knight。

〃That　remains　to　be　tried；〃　said　young　Gamwell。

〃I　have　King　Henry's　commission；〃　said　the　knight；　〃to　apprehend　this　earl　that　was。　　How　would　you　advise　me　to　act；　being；　as　you　see；　without　attendant　force？〃

〃I　would　advise　you；〃　said　young　Gamwell；　〃to　take　yourself　off　without　delay；　unless　you　would　relish　the　taste　of　a　volley　of　arrows；　a　shower　of　stones；　and　a　hailstorm　of　cudgel…blows；　which　would　not　be　turned　aside　by　a　God　save　King　Henry。〃

Sir　Ralph's　squire　no　sooner　heard　this；　and　saw　by　the　looks　of　the　speaker　that　he　was　not　likely　to　prove　a　false　prophet；　than　he　clapped　spurs　to　his　horse　and　galloped　off　with　might　and　main。　　This　gave　the　knight　a　good　excuse　to　pursue　him；　which　he　did　with　great　celerity；　calling；　〃Stop；　you　rascal。〃　When　the　squire　fancied　himself　safe　out　of　the　reach　of　pursuit；　he　checked　his　speed；　and　allowed　the　knight　to　come　up　with　him。　They　rode　on　several　miles　in　silence；　till　they　discovered　the　towers　and　spires　of　Nottingham；　where　the　knight　introduced　himself　to　the　sheriff；　and　demanded　an　armed　force　to　assist　in　the　apprehension　of　the　outlawed　Earl　of　Huntingdon。　　The　sheriff；　who　was　willing　to　have　his　share　of　the　prize；　determined　to　accompany　the　knight　in　person；　and　regaled　him　and　his　man　with　good　store　of　the　best；　after　which；　they；　with　a　stout　retinue　of　fifty　men；　took　the　way　to　Gamwell　feast。

〃God's　my　life；〃　said　the　sheriff；　as　they　rode　along；　〃I　had　as　lief　you　would　tell　me　of　a　service　of　plate。　I　much　doubt　if　this　outlawed　earl；　this　forester　Robin；　be　not　the　man　they　call　Robin　Hood；　who　has　quartered　himself　in　Sherwood　Forest；　and　whom　in　endeavouring　to　apprehend　I　have　fallen　divers　times　into　disasters。　He　has　gotten　together　a　band　of　disinherited　prodigals；　outlawed　debtors；　excommunicated　heretics；　elder　sons　that　have　spent　all　they　had；　and　younger　sons　that　never　had　any　thing　to　spend；　and　with　these　he　kills　the　king's　deer；　and　plunders　wealthy　travellers　of　five…sixths　of　their　money；　but　if　they　be　abbots　or　bishops；　them　he　despoils　utterly。〃

The　sheriff　then　proceeded　to　relate　to　his　companion　the　adventure　of　the　abbot　of　Doubleflask　（which　some　grave　historians　have　related　of　the　abbot　of　Saint　Mary's；　and　others　of　the　bishop　of　Hereford）：　how　the　abbot；　returning　to　his　abbey　in　company　with　his　high　selerer；　who　carried　in　his　portmanteau　the　rents　of　the　abbey…lands；　and　with　a　numerous　train　of　attendants；　came　upon　four　seeming　peasants；　who　were　roasting　the　king's　venison　by　the　king's　highway：　　how；　in　just　indignation　at　this　flagrant　infringement　of　the　forest　laws；　he　asked　them　what　they　meant；　and　they　answered　that　they　meant　to　dine：　how　he　ordered　them　to　be　seized　and　bound；　and　led　captive　to　Nottingham；　that　they　might　know　wild…flesh　to　have　been　destined　by　Providence　for　licensed　and　privileged　appetites；　and　not　for　the　base　hunger　of　unqualified　knaves：　　how　they　prayed　for　mercy；　and　how　the　abbot　swore　by　Saint　Charity　that　he　would　show　them　none：　how　one　of　them　thereupon　drew　a　bugle　horn　from　under　his　smock…frock　and　blew　three　blasts；　on　which　the　abbot　and　his　train　were　instantly　surrounded　by　sixty　bowmen　in　green：　how　they　tied　him　to　a　tree；　and　made　him　say　mass　for　their　sins：　how　they　unbound　him；　and　sate　him　down　with　them　to　dinner；　and　gave　him　venison　and　wild…fowl　and　wine；　and　made　him　pay　for　his　fare　all　the　money　in　his　high　selerer's　portmanteau；　and　enforced　him　to　sleep　all　night　under　a　tree　in　his　cloak；　and　to　leave　the　cloak　behind　him　in　the　morning：　　how　the　abbot；　light　in　pocket　and　heavy　in　heart；　raised　the　country　upon　Robin　Hood；　for　so　he　had　heard　the　chief　forester　called　by　his　men；　and　hunted　him　into　an　old　woman's　cottage：　how　Robin　changed　dresses　with　the　old　woman；　and　how　the　abbot　rode　in　great　triumph　to　Nottingham；　having　in　custody　an　old　woman　in　a　green　doublet　and　breeches：　　how　the　old　woman　discovered　herself：　how　the　merrymen　of　Nottingham　laughed　at　the　abbot：　how　the　abbot　railed　at　the　old　woman；　and　how　the　old　woman　out…railed　the　abbot；　telling　him　that　Robin　had　given　her　food　and　fire　through　the　winter；　which　no　abbot　would　ever　do；　but　would　rather　take　it　from　her　for　what　he　called　the　good　of　the　church；　by　which　he　meant　his　own　laziness　and　gluttony；　and　that　she　knew　a　true　man　from　a　false　thief；　and　a　free　forester　from　a　greedy　abbot。

〃Thus　you　see；〃　added　the　sheriff；　〃how　this　villain　perverts　the　deluded　people　by　making　them　believe　that　those　who　tithe　and　toll　upon　them　for　their　spiritual　and　temporal　benefit　are　not　their　best　friends　and　fatherly　guardians；　for　he　holds　that　in　giving　to　boors　and　old　women　what　he　takes　from　priests　and　peers；　he　does　but　restore　to　the　former　what　the　latter　had　taken　from　them；　and　this　the　impudent　varlet　calls　distributive　justice。　Judge　now　if　any　loyal　subject　can　be　safe　in　such　neighbourhood。〃

While　the　sheriff　was　thus　enlightening　his　companion　concerning　the　offenders；　and　whetting　his　own　indignation　against　them；　the　sun　was　fast　sinking　to　the　west。　　They　rode　on　till　they　came　in　view　of　a　bridge；　which　they　saw　a　party　approaching　from　the　opposite　side；　and　the　knight　presently　discovered　that　the　party　consisted　of　the　lady　Matilda　and　friar　Michael；　young　Gamwell；　cousin　Robin；　and　about　half…a…dozen　foresters。　The　knight　pointed　out　the　earl　to　the　sheriff；　who　exclaimed；　〃Here；　then；　we　have　him　an　easy　prey；〃　and　they　rode　on　manfully　towards　the　bridge；　on　which　the　other　party　made　halt。

〃Who　be　these；〃　said　the　friar；　〃that　come　riding　so　fast　this　way？　Now；　as　God　shall　judge　me；　it　is　that　false　knight　Sir　Ralph　Montfaucon；　and　the　sheriff　of　Nottingham；　with　a　posse　of　men。　　We　must　make　good　our　post；　and　let　them　dislodge　us　if　they　may。〃

The　two　parties　were　now　near　enough　to　parley；　and　the　sheriff　and　the　knight；　advancing　in　the　front　of　the　cavalcade；　called　on　the　lady；　the　friar；　young　Gamwell；　and　the　foresters；　to　deliver　up　that　false…traitor；　Robert；　formerly　Earl　of　Huntingdon。　　Robert　himself　made　answer　by　letting　fly　an　arrow　that　struck　the　ground　between　the　fore　feet　of　the　sheriff's　horse。　　The　horse　reared　up　from　the　whizzing；　and　lodged　the　sheriff　in　the　dust；　and；　at　the　same　time；　the　fair　Matilda　favoured　the　knight　with　an　arrow　in　his　right　arm；　that　compelled　him　to　withdraw　from　the　affray。　His　men　lifted　the　sheriff　carefully　up；　and　replaced　him　on　his　horse；　whom　he　immediately　with　great　rage　and　zeal　urged　on　to　the　assault　with　his　fifty　men　at　his　heels；　some　of　whom　were　intercepted　in　their　advance　by　the　arrows　of　the　foresters　and　Matilda；　while　the　friar；　with　an　eight…foot　staff；　dislodged　the　sheriff　a　second　time；　and　laid　on　him　with　all　the　vigour　of　the　church　militant　on　earth；　in　spite　of　his　ejaculations　of　〃Hey；　friar　Michael！　　What　means　this；　honest　friar？　Hold；　ghostly　friar！　　Hold；　holy　friar！〃till　Matilda　interposed；　and　delivered　the　battered　sheriff　to　the　care　of　the　foresters。　The　friar　continued　flourishing　his　staff　among　the　sheriff's　men；　knocking　down　one；　breaking　the　ribs　of　another；　dislocating　the　shoulder　of　a　third；　flattening　the　nose　of　a　fourth；　cracking　the　skull　of　a　fifth；　and　pitching　a　sixth　into　the　river；　till　the　few；　who　were　lucky　enough　to　escape　with　whole　bones；　clapped　spurs　to　their　horses　and　fled　for　their　lives；　under　a　farewell　volley　of　arrows。