the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第58部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


So　he　went　straightway　to　King　John　and　besought　leave　of　him
to　visit　Nottingham　for　a　short　season。　　The　King　gave　him　leave
to　come　and　to　go；　but　bade　him　not　stay　longer　than　three　days
at　Sherwood。　　So　Robin　Hood　and　Allan　a　Dale　set　forth　without
delay　to　Nottinghamshire　and　Sherwood　Forest。

The　first　night　they　took　up　their　inn　at　Nottingham　Town；
yet　they　did　not　go　to　pay　their　duty　to　the　Sheriff；
for　his　worship　bore　many　a　bitter　grudge　against　Robin　Hood；
which　grudges　had　not　been　lessened　by　Robin's　rise　in　the　world。
The　next　day　at　an　early　hour　they　mounted　their　horses　and　set　forth
for　the　woodlands。　　As　they　passed　along　the　road　it　seemed　to　Robin
that　he　knew　every　stick　and　stone　that　his　eyes　looked　upon。
Yonder　was　a　path　that　he　had　ofttimes　trod　of　a　mellow　evening；
with　Little　John　beside　him；　here　was　one；　now　nigh　choked
with　brambles；　along　which　he　and　a　little　band　had　walked
when　they　went　forth　to　seek　a　certain　curtal　friar。

Thus　they　rode　slowly　onward；　talking　about　these　old；　familiar　things；
old　and　yet　new；　for　they　found　more　in　them　than　they　had　ever　thought
of　before。　　Thus　at　last　they　came　to　the　open　glade；　and　the　broad；
wide…spreading　greenwood　tree　which　was　their　home　for　so　many　years。
Neither　of　the　two　spoke　when　they　stood　beneath　that　tree。
Robin　looked　all　about　him　at　the　well…known　things；　so　like　what　they
used　to　be　and　yet　so　different；　for；　where　once　was　the　bustle　of　many
busy　fellows　was　now　the　quietness　of　solitude；　and；　as　he　looked；
the　woodlands；　the　greensward；　and　the　sky　all　blurred　together　in　his　sight
through　salt　tears；　for　such　a　great　yearning　came　upon　him　as　he　looked
on　these　things　（as　well　known　to　him　as　the　fingers　of　his　right　hand）
that　he　could　not　keep　back　the　water　from　his　eyes。

That　morning　he　had　slung　his　good　old　bugle　horn　over　his　shoulder；　and　now；
with　the　yearning；　came　a　great　longing　to　sound　his　bugle　once　more。
He　raised　it　to　his　lips；　he　blew　a　blast。　　〃Tirila；　lirila；〃
the　sweet；　clear　notes　went　winding　down　the　forest　paths；　coming　back
again　from　the　more　distant　bosky　shades　in　faint　echoes　of　sound；
〃Tirila；　lirila；　tirila；　lirila；〃　until　it　faded　away　and　was　lost。

Now　it　chanced　that　on　that　very　morn　Little　John　was　walking
through　a　spur　of　the　forest　upon　certain　matters　of　business；
and　as　he　paced　along；　sunk　in　meditation；　the　faint；
clear　notes　of　a　distant　bugle　horn　came　to　his　ear。
As　leaps　the　stag　when　it　feels　the　arrow　at　its　heart；
so　leaped　Little　John　when　that　distant　sound　met　his　ear。
All　the　blood　in　his　body　seemed　to　rush　like　a　flame　into
his　cheeks　as　he　bent　his　head　and　listened。　　Again　came
the　bugle　note；　thin　and　clear；　and　yet　again　it　sounded。
Then　Little　John　gave　a　great；　wild　cry　of　yearning；　of　joy；　and　yet
of　grief；　and；　putting　down　his　head；　he　dashed　into　the　thicket。
Onward　he　plunged；　crackling　and　rending；　as　the　wild　boar
rushes　through　the　underbrush。　　Little　recked　he　of　thorns
and　briers　that　scratched　his　flesh　and　tore　his　clothing；
for　all　he　thought　of　was　to　get；　by　the　shortest　way；
to　the　greenwood　glade　whence　he　knew　the　sound　of　the　bugle
horn　came。　　Out　he　burst　from　the　covert；　at　last；　a　shower
of　little　broken　twigs　falling　about　him；　and；　without　pausing
a　moment；　rushed　forward　and　flung　himself　at　Robin's　feet。
Then　he　clasped　his　arms　around　the　master's　knees；　and　all
his　body　was　shaken　with　great　sobs；　neither　could　Robin　nor
Allan　a　Dale　speak；　but　stood　looking　down　at　Little　John；
the　tears　rolling　down　their　cheeks。

While　they　thus　stood；　seven　royal　rangers　rushed　into　the　open
glade　and　raised　a　great　shout　of　joy　at　the　sight　of　Robin；
and　at　their　head　was　Will　Stutely。　　Then；　after　a　while；
came　four　more；　panting　with　their　running；　and　two　of
these　four　were　Will　Scathelock　and　Midge；　the　Miller；
for　all　of　these　had　heard　the　sound　of　Robin　Hood's　horn。
All　these　ran　to　Robin　and　kissed　his　hands　and　his　clothing；
with　great　sound　of　weeping。

After　a　while　Robin　looked　around　him　with　tear…dimmed　eyes　and　said；
in　a　husky　voice；　〃Now；　I　swear　that　never　again　will　I　leave　these
dear　woodlands。　　I　have　been　away　from　them　and　from　you　too　long。
Now　do　I　lay　by　the　name　of　Robert；　Earl　of　Huntingdon；　and　take　upon　me
once　again　that　nobler　title；　Robin　Hood；　the　Yeoman。〃　　At　this　a　great
shout　went　up；　and　all　the　yeomen　shook　one　another's　hands　for　joy。

The　news　that　Robin　Hood　had　come　back　again　to　dwell　in　Sherwood　as　of　old
spread　like　wildfire　all　over　the　countryside；　so　that　ere　a　se'ennight
had　passed　nearly　all　of　his　old　yeomen　had　gathered　about　him　again。
But　when　the　news　of　all　this　reached　the　ears　of　King　John；
he　swore　both　loud　and　deep；　and　took　a　solemn　vow　that　he　would
not　rest　until　he　had　Robin　Hood　in　his　power；　dead　or　alive。
Now　there　was　present　at　court　a　certain　knight；　Sir　William　Dale；
as　gallant　a　soldier　as　ever　donned　harness。　　Sir　William　Dale
was　well　acquainted　with　Sherwood　Forest；　for　he　was　head　keeper
over　that　part　of　it　that　lay　nigh　to　good　Mansfield　Town；　so　to　him
the　King　turned；　and　bade　him　take　an　army　of　men　and　go　straightway
to　seek　Robin　Hood。　　Likewise　the　King　gave　Sir　William　his　signet　ring
to　show　to　the　Sheriff；　that　he　might　raise　all　his　armed　men　to　aid
the　others　in　their　chase　of　Robin。　　So　Sir　William　and　the　Sheriff
set　forth　to　do　the　King's　bidding　and　to　search　for　Robin　Hood；
and　for　seven　days　they　hunted　up　and　down；　yet　found　him　not。

Now；　had　Robin　Hood　been　as　peaceful　as　of　old；　everything　might　have　ended
in　smoke；　as　other　such　ventures　had　always　done　before；　but　he　had　fought
for　years　under　King　Richard；　and　was　changed　from　what　he　used　to　be。
It　galled　his　pride　to　thus　flee　away　before　those　sent　against　him；
as　a　chased　fox　flees　from　the　hounds；　so　thus　it　came　about；　at　last；
that　Robin　Hood　and　his　yeomen　met　Sir　William　and　the　Sheriff　and　their
men　in　the　forest；　and　a　bloody　fight　followed。　　The　first　man　slain
in　that　fight　was　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham；　for　he　fell　from　his　horse
with　an　arrow　in　his　brain　ere　half　a　score　of　shafts　had　been　sped。
Many　a　better　man　than　the　Sheriff　kissed　the　sod　that　day；　but　at　last；
Sir　William　Dale　being　wounded　and　most　of　his　men　slain；　he　withdrew；　beaten；
and　left　the　forest。　　But　scores　of　good　fellows　were　left　behind　him；
stretched　out　all　stiff　beneath　the　sweet　green　boughs。

But　though　Robin　Hood　had　beaten　off　his　enemies　in　fair　fight；
all　this　lay　heavily　upon　his　mind；　so　that　he　brooded　over　it
until　a　fever　seized　upon　him。　　For　three　days　it　held　him；
and　though　he　strove　to　fight　it　off；　he　was　forced　to　yield　at　last。
Thus　it　came　that；　on　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day；　he　called　Little　John
to　him；　and　told　him　that　he　could　not　shake　the　fever　from　him；
and　that　he　would　go　to　his　cousin；　the　prioress　of　the　nunnery
near　Kirklees；　in　Yorkshire；　who　was　a　skillful　leech；　and　he　would
have　her　open　a　vein　in　his　arm　and　take　a　little　blood　from　him；
for　the　bettering　of　his　health。　　Then　he　bade　Little　John　make　ready
to　go　also；　for　he　might　perchance　need　aid　in　his　journeying。
So　Little　John　and　he　took　their　leave　of　the　others；　and　Robin　Hood　bade
Will　Stutely　be　the　captain　of　the　band　until　they　should　come　back。
Thus　they　came　by　easy　stages　and　slow　journeying　until　they　reached
the　Nunnery　of　Kirklees。

Now　Robin　had　done　much　to　aid　this　cousin　of　his；　for　it　was　through
King　Richard's　love　of　him　that　she　had　been　made　prioress　of　the　place。
But　there　is　nought　in　the　world　so　easily　forgot　as　gratitude；
so；　when　the　Prioress　of　Kirklees　had　heard　how　her　cousin；
the　Earl　of　Huntingdon；　had　thrown　away　his　earldom　and　gone　back
again　to　Sherwood；　she　was　vexed　to　the　soul；　and　feared　lest　her
cousinship　with　him　should　bring　the　King's　wrath　upon　her　also。
Thus　it　happened　that　when　Robin　came　to　her　and　told　her　how　he　wished
her　services　as　leech；　she　began　plotting　ill　against　him　in　her　mind；
thinking　that　by　doing　evil　to　him　she　might　find　favor　with　his　enemies。
Nevertheless；　she　kept　this　well　to　herself　and　received　Robin
with　seeming　kindness。　　She　led　him　up　the　winding　stone　stair
to　a　room　which　was　just　beneath　the　eaves　of　a　high；　round　tower；
but　she　would　not　let　Little　John　come　with　him。

So　the　poor　yeoman　turned　his　feet　away　from　the　door　of
the　nunnery；　and　left　his　master　in　the　hands　of　the　women。
But；　though　he　did　not　come　in；　neither　did　he　go　far　away；
for　he　laid　him　down　in　a　little　glade　near　by；　where　he　could
watch　the　place　that　Robin　abided；　like　some　great；　faithful　dog
turned　away　from　the　door　where　his　master　has　entered。

After　the　women　had　gotten　Robin　Hood　to　the　room　beneath　the　eaves；
the　Prioress　sent　all　of　the　others　away；　then；　taking　a　little　cord；
she　tied　it　tightly　about　Robin's　arm；　as　though　she　were　about
to　bleed　him。　　And　so　she　did　bleed　him；　but　the　vein　she　opened
was　not　one　of　those　that　lie　close　and　blue　beneath　the　skin；
deeper　she　cut　than　that；　for　she　opened　one　of　those　veins
through　which　the　bright　red　blood　runs　leaping　from　the　heart。
Of　this　Robin　knew　not；　for；　though　he　saw　the　blood　flow；
it　did　not　come　fast　enough　to　make　him　think　that　there　was
anything　ill　in　it。

Having　done　this　vile　deed；　the　Prioress　turned　and　left　her　cousin；
locking　the　door　behind　her。　　All　that　livelong　day　the　blood　ran　from
Robin　Hood's　arm；　nor　could　he　check　it；　though　he　strove　in　every　way
to　do　so。　　Again　and　again　he　called　for　help；　but　no　help　came；　for　his
cousin　had　betrayed　him；　and　Little　John　was　too　far　away　to　hear　his　voice。
So　he　bled　and　bled　until　he　felt　his　strength　slipping　away　from　him。
Then　he　arose；　tottering；　and　bearing　himself　up　by　the　palms
of　his　hands　against　the　wall；　he　reached　his　bugle　horn　at　last。
Thrice　he　sounded　it；　but　weakly　and　faintly；　for　his　breath　was　fluttering
through　sickness　and　loss　of　strength；　nevertheless；　Little　John　heard
it　where　he　lay　in　the　glade；　and；　with　a　heart　all　sick　with　dread；
he　came　running　and　leaping　toward　the　nunnery。　　Loudly　he　knocked
at　the　door；　and　in　a　loud　voice　shou