the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第7章

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muttering　to　himself　and　shaking　his　head　like　an　angry　bull；
and　so；　at　a　sudden　bend；　they　met　sharply　face　to　face。
Each　stood　still　for　a　time；　and　then　Robin　spoke：

〃Halloa；　my　sweet　bird；〃　said　he；　laughing　merrily；　〃how　likest
thou　thine　ale？　　Wilt　not　sing　to　me　another　song？〃

The　Tinker　said　nothing　at　first　but　stood　looking　at　Robin　with　a　grim　face。
〃Now；〃　quoth　he　at　last；　〃I　am　right　glad　I　have　met　thee；　and　if　I　do　not
rattle　thy　bones　within　thy　hide　this　day；　I　give　thee　leave　to　put　thy　foot
upon　my　neck。〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　cried　merry　Robin。　　〃Rattle　my　bones；　an　thou　canst。〃
So　saying；　he　gripped　his　staff　and　threw　himself　upon　his　guard。
Then　the　Tinker　spat　upon　his　hands　and；　grasping　his　staff；
came　straight　at　the　other。　　He　struck　two　or　three　blows；　but　soon
found　that　he　had　met　his　match；　for　Robin　warded　and　parried　all
of　them；　and；　before　the　Tinker　thought；　he　gave　him　a　rap　upon
the　ribs　in　return。　　At　this　Robin　laughed　aloud；　and　the　Tinker　grew
more　angry　than　ever；　and　smote　again　with　all　his　might　and　main。
Again　Robin　warded　two　of　the　strokes；　but　at　the　third；　his　staff
broke　beneath　the　mighty　blows　of　the　Tinker。　　〃Now；　ill　betide　thee；
traitor　staff；〃　cried　Robin；　as　it　fell　from　his　hands；　〃a　foul　stick
art　thou　to　serve　me　thus　in　mine　hour　of　need。〃

〃Now　yield　thee；〃　quoth　the　Tinker；　〃for　thou　art　my　captive；
and　if　thou　do　not；　I　will　beat　thy　pate　to　a　pudding。〃

To　this　Robin　Hood　made　no　answer；　but；　clapping　his　horn　to　his　lips；
he　blew　three　blasts；　loud　and　clear。

〃Ay；〃　quoth　the　Tinker；　〃blow　thou　mayest；　but　go　thou　must　with　me
to　Nottingham　Town；　for　the　Sheriff　would　fain　see　thee　there。
Now　wilt　thou　yield　thee；　or　shall　I　have　to　break　thy　pretty　head？〃

〃An　I　must　drink　sour　ale；　I　must；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃but　never
have　I　yielded　me　to　man　before；　and　that　without　wound　or　mark
upon　my　body。　　Nor；　when　I　bethink　me；　will　I　yield　now。
Ho；　my　merry　men！　　Come　quickly！〃

Then　from　out　the　forest　leaped　Little　John　and　six　stout　yeomen　clad
in　Lincoln　green。

〃How　now；　good　master；〃　cried　Little　John；　〃what　need　hast　thou
that　thou　dost　wind　thy　horn　so　loudly？〃

〃There　stands　a　tinker；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃that　would　fain　take　me　to　Nottingham；
there　to　hang　upon　the　gallows　tree。〃

〃Then　shall　he　himself　hang　forthwith；〃　cried　Little　John；
and　he　and　the　others　made　at　the　Tinker；　to　seize　him。

〃Nay；　touch　him　not；〃　said　Robin；　〃for　a　right　stout　man　is　he。
A　metal　man　he　is　by　trade；　and　a　mettled　man　by　nature；　moreover；　he　doth
sing　a　lovely　ballad。　　Say；　good　fellow；　wilt　thou　join　my　merry　men　all？
Three　suits　of　Lincoln　green　shalt　thou　have　a　year；　besides　forty
marks　in　fee；　thou　shalt　share　all　with　us　and　lead　a　right　merry　life
in　the　greenwood；　for　cares　have　we　not；　and　misfortune　cometh　not　upon
us　within　the　sweet　shades　of　Sherwood；　where　we　shoot　the　dun　deer
and　feed　upon　venison　and　sweet　oaten　cakes；　and　curds　and　honey。
Wilt　thou　come　with　me？〃

〃Ay；　marry；　will　I　join　with　you　all；〃　quoth　the　Tinker；
〃for　I　love　a　merry　life；　and　I　love　thee；　good　master；
though　thou　didst　thwack　my　ribs　and　cheat　me　into　the　bargain。
Fain　am　I　to　own　thou　art　both　a　stouter　and　a　slyer　man　than　I；
so　I　will　obey　thee　and　be　thine　own　true　servant。〃

So　all　turned　their　steps　to　the　forest　depths；　where　the　Tinker
was　to　live　henceforth。　　For　many　a　day　he　sang　ballads
to　the　band；　until　the　famous　Allan　a　Dale　joined　them；
before　whose　sweet　voice　all　others　seemed　as　harsh　as　a　raven's；
but　of　him　we　will　learn　hereafter。



The　Shooting　Match　at　Nottingham　Town

THEN　THE　SHERIFF　was　very　wroth　because　of　this　failure　to　take
jolly　Robin；　for　it　came　to　his　ears；　as　ill　news　always　does；
that　the　people　laughed　at　him　and　made　a　jest　of　his　thinking
to　serve　a　warrant　upon　such　a　one　as　the　bold　outlaw。
And　a　man　hates　nothing　so　much　as　being　made　a　jest　of；　so　he　said：
〃Our　gracious　lord　and　sovereign　King　himself　shall　know　of　this；
and　how　his　laws　are　perverted　and　despised　by　this　band　of　rebel　outlaws。
As　for　yon　traitor　Tinker；　him　will　I　hang；　if　I　catch　him；
upon　the　very　highest　gallows　tree　in　all　Nottinghamshire。〃

Then　he　bade　all　his　servants　and　retainers　to　make　ready　to　go
to　London　Town；　to　see　and　speak　with　the　King。

At　this　there　was　bustling　at　the　Sheriff's　castle；　and　men
ran　hither　and　thither　upon　this　business　and　upon　that；
while　the　forge　fires　of　Nottingham　glowed　red　far　into　the　night
like　twinkling　stars；　for　all　the　smiths　of　the　town　were　busy
making　or　mending　armor　for　the　Sheriff's　troop　of　escort。
For　two　days　this　labor　lasted；　then；　on　the　third；　all　was　ready
for　the　journey。　　So　forth　they　started　in　the　bright　sunlight；
from　Nottingham　Town　to　Fosse　Way　and　thence　to　Watling　Street；
and　so　they　journeyed　for　two　days；　until　they　saw　at　last
the　spires　and　towers　of　great　London　Town；　and　many　folks　stopped；
as　they　journeyed　along；　and　gazed　at　the　show　they　made
riding　along　the　highways　with　their　flashing　armor　and　gay
plumes　and　trappings。

In　London　King　Henry　and　his　fair　Queen　Eleanor　held　their　court；
gay　with　ladies　in　silks　and　satins　and　velvets　and　cloth　of　gold；
and　also　brave　knights　and　gallant　courtiers。

Thither　came　the　Sheriff　and　was　shown　into　the　King's　presence。

〃A　boon；　a　boon；〃　quoth　he；　as　he　knelt　upon　the　ground。

〃Now　what　wouldst　thou　have？〃　said　the　King。　　〃Let　us　hear
what　may　be　thy　desires。〃

〃O　good　my　Lord　and　Sovereign；〃　spake　the　Sheriff；　〃in　Sherwood　Forest
in　our　own　good　shire　of　Nottingham；　liveth　a　bold　outlaw　whose　name
is　Robin　Hood。〃

〃In　good　sooth；〃　said　the　King；　〃his　doings　have　reached　even　our　own
royal　ears。　　He　is　a　saucy；　rebellious　varlet；　yet；　I　am　fain　to　own；
a　right　merry　soul　withal。〃

〃But　hearken；　O　my　most　gracious　Sovereign；〃　said　the　Sheriff。　　〃I　sent
a　warrant　to　him　with　thine　own　royal　seal　attached；　by　a　right
lusty　knave；　but　he　beat　the　messenger　and　stole　the　warrant。
And　he　killeth　thy　deer　and　robbeth　thine　own　liege　subjects　even　upon
the　great　highways。〃

〃Why；　how　now；〃　quoth　the　King　wrathfully。　　〃What　wouldst　thou　have　me　do？
Comest　thou　not　to　me　with　a　great　array　of　men…at…arms　and　retainers；
and　yet　art　not　able　to　take　a　single　band　of　lusty　knaves　without　armor
on　breast；　in　thine　own　county！　　What　wouldst　thou　have　me　do？　　Art　thou
not　my　Sheriff？　　Are　not　my　laws　in　force　in　Nottinghamshire？　　Canst　thou
not　take　thine　own　course　against　those　that　break　the　laws　or　do　any
injury　to　thee　or　thine？　　Go；　get　thee　gone；　and　think　well；　devise　some
plan　of　thine　own；　but　trouble　me　no　further。　　But　look　well　to　it；
Master　Sheriff；　for　I　will　have　my　laws　obeyed　by　all　men　within　my　kingdom；
and　if　thou　art　not　able　to　enforce　them　thou　art　no　sheriff　for　me。
So　look　well　to　thyself；　I　say；　or　ill　may　befall　thee　as　well　as　all
the　thieving　knaves　in　Nottinghamshire。　　When　the　flood　cometh　it　sweepeth
away　grain　as　well　as　chaff。〃

Then　the　Sheriff　turned　away　with　a　sore　and　troubled　heart；
and　sadly　he　rued　his　fine　show　of　retainers；　for　he　saw　that
the　King　was　angry　because　he　had　so　many　men　about　him　and　yet
could　not　enforce　the　laws。　　So；　as　they　all　rode　slowly　back
to　Nottingham；　the　Sheriff　was　thoughtful　and　full　of　care。
Not　a　word　did　he　speak　to　anyone；　and　no　one　of　his　men
spoke　to　him；　but　all　the　time　he　was　busy　devising　some　plan
to　take　Robin　Hood。

〃Aha！〃　cried　he　suddenly；　smiting　his　hand　upon　his　thigh　〃I　have　it　now！
Ride　on；　my　merry　men　all；　and　let　us　get　back　to　Nottingham　Town　as　speedily
as　we　may。　　And　mark　well　my　words：　　before　a　fortnight　is　passed；　that　evil
knave　Robin　Hood　will　be　safely　clapped　into　Nottingham　gaol。〃

But　what　was　the　Sheriff's　plan？

As　a　usurer　takes　each　one　of　a　bag　of　silver　angels；　feeling　each　coin
to　find　whether　it　be　clipped　or　not；　so　the　Sheriff；　as　all　rode　slowly
and　sadly　back　toward　Nottingham；　took　up　thought　after　thought　in　turn；
feeling　around　the　edges　of　each　but　finding　in　every　one　some　flaw。
At　last　he　thought　of　the　daring　soul　of　jolly　Robin　and　how；　as　he　the
Sheriff　knew；　he　often　came　ev