the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第56章

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in　all　the　world；　therefore　I　would　but　lose　my　money。

〃Methinks　the　thought　of　thy　gold　weigheth　more　heavily
with　thee　than　the　wrong　to　thy　cloth；〃　said　the　Queen；
smiling；　and　at　this　a　ripple　of　laughter　went　around；
for　everyone　knew　how　fond　the　Bishop　was　of　his　money。
Then　the　Queen　turned　to　a　knight　who　stood　near；　whose　name　was
Sir　Robert　Lee。　　〃Wilt　thou　back　me　in　this　manner？〃　said　she。
〃Thou　art　surely　rich　enough　to　risk　so　much　for　the　sake
of　a　lady。〃

〃To　pleasure　my　Queen　I　will　do　it；〃　said　Sir　Robert　Lee；
〃but　for　the　sake　of　no　other　in　all　the　world　would　I　wager　a　groat；
for　no　man　can　stand　against　Tepus　and　Gilbert　and　Clifton。〃

Then　turning　to　the　King；　Queen　Eleanor　said；　〃I　want　no　such　aid
as　Sir　Robert　giveth　me；　but　against　thy　wine　and　beer　and　stout　bows
of　yew　I　wager　this　girdle　all　set　with　jewels　from　around　my　waist；
and　surely　that　is　worth　more　than　thine。〃

〃Now；　I　take　thy　wager；〃　quoth　the　King。　　〃Send　for　thy　archers　straightway。
But　here　come　forth　the　others；　let　them　shoot；　and　then　I　will　match
those　that　win　against　all　the　world。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　the　Queen。　　Thereupon；　beckoning　to　young
Richard　Partington；　she　whispered　something　in　his　ear；　and　straightway
the　Page　bowed　and　left　the　place；　crossing　the　meadow　to　the　other
side　of　the　range；　where　he　was　presently　lost　in　the　crowd。
At　this；　all　that　stood　around　whispered　to　one　another；
wondering　what　it　all　meant；　and　what　three　men　the　Queen　was
about　to　set　against　those　famous　archers　of　the　King's　guard。

And　now　the　ten　archers　of　the　King's　guard　took　their　stand　again；
and　all　the　great　crowd　was　hushed　to　the　stillness　of　death。
Slowly　and　carefully　each　man　shot　his　shafts；　and　so　deep　was
the　silence　that　you　could　hear　every　arrow　rap　against　the　target
as　it　struck　it。　　Then；　when　the　last　shaft　had　sped；　a　great　roar
went　up；　and　the　shooting；　I　wot；　was　well　worthy　of　the　sound。
Once　again　Gilbert　had　lodged　three　arrows　in　the　white；　Tepus　came
second　with　two　in　the　white　and　one　in　the　black　ring　next　to　it；
but　stout　Clifton　had　gone　down　and　Hubert　of　Suffolk　had　taken
the　third　place；　for；　while　both　those　two　good　yeomen　had　lodged
two　in　the　white；　Clifton　had　lost　one　shot　upon　the　fourth　ring；
and　Hubert　came　in　with　one　in　the　third。

All　the　archers　around　Gilbert's　booth　shouted　for　joy　till　their　throats
were　hoarse；　tossing　their　caps　aloft；　and　shaking　hands　with　one　another。

In　the　midst　of　all　the　noise　and　hubbub　five　men　came　walking　across
the　lawn　toward　the　King's　pavilion。　　The　first　was　Richard　Partington；
and　was　known　to　most　folk　there；　but　the　others　were　strange　to　everybody。
Beside　young　Partington　walked　a　yeoman　clad　in　blue；　and　behind
came　three　others；　two　in　Lincoln　green　and　one　in　scarlet。
This　last　yeoman　carried　three　stout　bows　of　yew　tree；　two　fancifully
inlaid　with　silver　and　one　with　gold。　　While　these　five　men　came
walking　across　the　meadow；　a　messenger　came　running　from　the　King's
booth　and　summoned　Gilbert　and　Tepus　and　Hubert　to　go　with　him。
And　now　the　shouting　quickly　ceased；　for　all　saw　that　something
unwonted　was　toward；　so　the　folk　stood　up　in　their　places　and　leaned
forward　to　see　what　was　the　ado。

When　Partington　and　the　others　came　before　the　spot　where　the　King　and
Queen　sat；　the　four　yeomen　bent　their　knees　and　doffed　their　caps　unto　her。
King　Henry　leaned　far　forward　and　stared　at　them　closely；　but　the　Bishop
of　Hereford；　when　he　saw　their　faces；　started　as　though　stung　by　a　wasp。
He　opened　his　mouth　as　though　about　to　speak；　but；　looking　up；　he　saw
the　Queen　gazing　at　him　with　a　smile　upon　her　lips；　so　he　said　nothing；
but　bit　his　nether　lip；　while　his　face　was　as　red　as　a　cherry。

Then　the　Queen　leaned　forward　and　spake　in　a　clear　voice。
〃Locksley；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　made　a　wager　with　the　King　that　thou
and　two　of　thy　men　can　outshoot　any　three　that　he　can　send　against　you。
Wilt　thou　do　thy　best　for　my　sake？〃

〃Yea；〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　to　whom　she　spake；　〃I　will　do　my　best　for　thy　sake；
and；　if　I　fail；　I　make　my　vow　never　to　finger　bowstring　more。〃

Now；　although　Little　John　had　been　somewhat　abashed　in　the　Queen's　bower；
he　felt　himself　the　sturdy　fellow　he　was　when　the　soles　of　his　feet　pressed
green　grass　again；　so　he　said　boldly；　〃Now；　blessings　on　thy　sweet　face；
say　I。　An　there　lived　a　man　that　would　not　do　his　best　for　theeI　will
say　nought；　only　I　would　like　to　have　the　cracking　of　his　knave's　pate！

〃Peace；　Little　John！〃　said　Robin　Hood　hastily；　in　a　low　voice；
but　good　Queen　Eleanor　laughed　aloud；　and　a　ripple　of　merriment
sounded　all　over　the　booth。

The　Bishop　of　Hereford　did　not　laugh；　neither　did　the　King；
but　he　turned　to　the　Queen；　and　quoth　he；　〃Who　are　these　men
that　thou　hast　brought　before　us？〃

Then　up　spoke　the　Bishop　hastily；　for　he　could　hold　his　peace　no　longer：
〃Your　Majesty；〃　quoth　he；　〃yon　fellow　in　blue　is　a　certain　outlawed
thief　of　the　mid…country；　named　Robin　Hood；　yon　tall；　strapping　villain
goeth　by　the　name　of　Little　John；　the　other　fellow　in　green　is　a　certain
backsliding　gentleman；　known　as　Will　Scarlet；　the　man　in　red　is　a　rogue
of　a　northern　minstrel；　named　Allan　a　Dale。〃

At　this　speech　the　King's　brows　drew　together　blackly；　and　he　turned
to　the　Queen。　　〃Is　this　true？〃　said　he　sternly。

〃Yea；〃　said　the　Queen；　smiling；　〃the　Bishop　hath　told　the　truth；
and　truly　he　should　know　them　well；　for　he　and　two　of　his　friars　spent
three　days　in　merry　sport　with　Robin　Hood　in　Sherwood　Forest。　　I　did
little　think　that　the　good　Bishop　would　so　betray　his　friends。
But　bear　in　mind　that　thou　hast　pledged　thy　promise　for　the　safety
of　these　good　yeomen　for　forty　days。〃

〃I　will　keep　my　promise；〃　said　the　King；　in　a　deep　voice
that　showed　the　anger　in　his　heart；　〃but　when　these　forty
days　are　gone　let　this　outlaw　look　to　himself；　for　mayhap
things　will　not　go　so　smoothly　with　him　as　he　would　like。〃
Then　he　turned　to　his　archers；　who　stood　near　the　Sherwood　yeomen；
listening　and　wondering　at　all　that　passed。　　Quoth　he；
〃Gilbert；　and　thou；　Tepus；　and　thou；　Hubert；　I　have　pledged
myself　that　ye　shall　shoot　against　these　three　fellows。
If　ye　outshoot　the　knaves　I　will　fill　your　caps　with　silver　pennies；
if　ye　fail　ye　shall　lose　your　prizes　that　ye　have　won　so　fairly；
and　they　go　to　them　that　shoot　against　you；　man　to　man。
Do　your　best；　lads；　and　if　ye　win　this　bout　ye　shall　be　glad
of　it　to　the　last　days　of　your　life。　　Go；　now；　and　get　you　gone
to　the　butts。〃

Then　the　three　archers　of　the　King　turned　and　went　back　to　their　booths；
and　Robin　and　his　men　went　to　their　places　at　the　mark　from　which　they
were　to　shoot。　　Then　they　strung　their　bows　and　made　themselves　ready；
looking　over　their　quivers　of　arrows；　and　picking　out　the　roundest
and　the　best　feathered。

But　when　the　King's　archers　went　to　their　tents；　they　told
their　friends　all　that　had　passed；　and　how　that　these　four
men　were　the　famous　Robin　Hood　and　three　of　his　band；　to　wit；
Little　John；　Will　Scarlet；　and　Allan　a　Dale。　　The　news　of　this
buzzed　around　among　the　archers　in　the　booths；　for　there　was　not
a　man　there　that　had　not　heard　of　these　great　mid…country　yeomen。
From　the　archers　the　news　was　taken　up　by　the　crowd　that　looked
on　at　the　shooting；　so　that　at　last　everybody　stood　up；
craning　their　necks　to　catch　sight　of　the　famous　outlaws。

Six　fresh　targets　were　now　set　up；　one　for　each　man　that　was　to　shoot；
whereupon　Gilbert　and　Tepus　and　Hubert　came　straightway　forth
from　the　booths。　　Then　Robin　Hood　and　Gilbert　of　the　White　Hand
tossed　a　farthing　aloft　to　see　who　should　lead　in　the　shooting；
and　the　lot　fell　to　Gilbert's　side；　thereupon　he　called　upon　Hubert
of　Suffolk　to　lead。

Hubert　took　his　place；　planted　his　foot　firmly；　and　fitted　a　fair；
smooth　arrow；　then；　breathing　upon　his　fingertips；　he　drew　the　string
slowly　and　carefully。　　The　arrow　sped　true；　and　lodged　in　the　white；
again　he　shot；　and　again　he　hit　the　clout；　a　third　shaft　he　sped；
but　this　time　failed　of　the　center；　and　but　struck　the　black；
yet　not　more　than　a　finger's…breadth　from　the　white。
At　this　a　shout　went　up；　for　it　was　the　best　shooting