the merry adventures of robin hood- 第43部分

〃Truly；　thou　art　right；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and　we　have　but　short　time　to　stay；　therefore　I　will　get　me　ready　presently。　I　will　choose　three　of　my　men；　only；　to　go　with　me；　and　these　three　shall　be　Little　John；　mine　own　true　right…hand　man；　Will　Scarlet；　my　cousin；　and　Allan　a　Dale；　my　minstrel。　Go；　lads；　and　get　ye　ready　straightway；　and　we　will　presently　off　with　all　speed　that　we　may。　　Thou；　Will　Stutely；　shall　be　the　chief　of　the　band　while　I　am　gone。〃

Then　Little　John　and　Will　Scarlet　and　Allan　a　Dale　ran　leaping；　full　of　joy；　to　make　themselves　ready；　while　Robin　also　prepared　himself　for　the　journey。　After　a　while　they　all　four　came　forth；　and　a　right　fair　sight　they　made；　for　Robin　was　clad　in　blue　from　head　to　foot；　and　Little　John　and　Will　Scarlet　in　good　Lincoln　green；　and　as　for　Allan　a　Dale；　he　was　dressed　in　scarlet　from　the　crown　of　his　head　to　the　toes　of　his　pointed　shoes。　Each　man　wore　beneath　his　cap　a　little　head　covering　of　burnished　steel　set　with　rivets　of　gold；　and　underneath　his　jerkin　a　coat　of　linked　mail；　as　fine　as　carded　wool；　yet　so　tough　that　no　arrow　could　pierce　it。　Then；　seeing　all　were　ready；　young　Partington　mounted　his　horse　again；　and　the　yeomen　having　shaken　hands　all　around；　the　five　departed　upon　their　way。

That　night　they　took　up　their　inn　in　Melton　Mowbray；　in　Leicestershire；　and　the　next　night　they　lodged　at　Kettering；　in　Northamptonshire；　and　the　next　at　Bedford　Town；　and　the　next　at　St。　Albans；　in　Hertfordshire。　　This　place　they　left　not　long　after　the　middle　of　the　night；　and　traveling　fast　through　the　tender　dawning　of　the　summer　day；　when　the　dews　lay　shining　on　the　meadows　and　faint　mists　hung　in　the　dales；　when　the　birds　sang　their　sweetest　and　the　cobwebs　beneath　the　hedges　glimmered　like　fairy　cloth　of　silver；　they　came　at　last　to　the　towers　and　walls　of　famous　London　Town；　while　the　morn　was　still　young　and　all　golden　toward　the　east。

Queen　Eleanor　sat　in　her　royal　bower；　through　the　open　casements　of　which　poured　the　sweet　yellow　sunshine　in　great　floods　of　golden　light。　All　about　her　stood　her　ladies…in…waiting　chatting　in　low　voices；　while　she　herself　sat　dreamily　where　the　mild　air　came　softly　drifting　into　the　room　laden　with　the　fresh　perfumes　of　the　sweet　red　roses　that　bloomed　in　the　great　garden　beneath　the　wall。　To　her　came　one　who　said　that　her　page；　Richard　Partington；　and　four　stout　yeomen　waited　her　pleasure　in　the　court　below。　Then　Queen　Eleanor　arose　joyously　and　bade　them　be　straightway　shown　into　her　presence。

Thus　Robin　Hood　and　Little　John　and　Will　Scarlet　and　Allan　a　Dale　came　before　the　Queen　into　her　own　royal　bower。　　Then　Robin　kneeled　before　the　Queen　with　his　hands　folded　upon　his　breast；　saying　in　simple　phrase；　〃Here　am　I；　Robin　Hood。　　Thou　didst　bid　me　come；　and　lo；　I　do　thy　bidding。　I　give　myself　to　thee　as　thy　true　servant；　and　will　do　thy　commanding；　even　if　it　be　to　the　shedding　of　the　last　drop　of　my　life's　blood。〃

But　good　Queen　Eleanor　smiled　pleasantly　upon　him；　bidding　him　to　arise。　Then　she　made　them　all　be　seated　to　rest　themselves　after　their　long　journey。　Rich　food　was　brought　them　and　noble　wines；　and　she　had　her　own　pages　to　wait　upon　the　wants　of　the　yeomen。　　At　last；　after　they　had　eaten　all　they　could；　she　began　questioning　them　of　their　merry　adventures。　Then　they　told　her　all　of　the　lusty　doings　herein　spoken　of；　and　among　others　that　concerning　the　Bishop　of　Hereford　and　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea；　and　how　the　Bishop　had　abided　three　days　in　Sherwood　Forest。　　At　this；　the　Queen　and　the　ladies　about　her　laughed　again　and　again；　for　they　pictured　to　themselves　the　stout　Bishop　abiding　in　the　forest　and　ranging　the　woods　in　lusty　sport　with　Robin　and　his　band。　　Then；　when　they　had　told　all　that　they　could　bring　to　mind；　the　Queen　asked　Allan　to　sing　to　her；　for　his　fame　as　a　minstrel　had　reached　even　to　the　court　at　London　Town。　　So　straightway　Allan　took　up　his　harp　in　his　hand；　and；　without　more　asking；　touched　the　strings　lightly　till　they　all　rang　sweetly；　then　he　sang　thus：

　〃_Gentle　river；　gentle　river；　　　　　　Bright　thy　crystal　waters　flow；　　Sliding　where　the　aspens　shiver；　　　　　　Gliding　where　the　lilies　blow；

　〃Singing　over　pebbled　shallows；　　　　　　Kissing　blossoms　bending　low；　　Breaking　'neath　the　dipping　swallows；　　　　　　Purpling　where　the　breezes　blow。

　〃Floating　on　thy　breast　forever　　　　　　Down　thy　current　I　could　glide；　　Grief　and　pain　should　reach　me　never　　　　　　On　thy　bright　and　gentle　tide。

　〃So　my　aching　heart　seeks　thine；　love；　　　　　　There　to　find　its　rest　and　peace；　　For；　through　loving；　bliss　is　mine；　love；　　　　　　And　my　many　troubles　cease_。〃


Thus　Allan　sang；　and　as　he　sang　all　eyes　dwelled　upon　him　and　not　a　sound　broke　the　stillness；　and　even　after　he　had　done　the　silence　hung　for　a　short　space。　　So　the　time　passed　till　the　hour　drew　nigh　for　the　holding　of　the　great　archery　match　in　Finsbury　Fields。

A　gay　sight　were　famous　Finsbury　Fields　on　that　bright　and　sunny　morning　of　lusty　summertime。　　Along　the　end　of　the　meadow　stood　the　booths　for　the　different　bands　of　archers；　for　the　King's　yeomen　were　divided　into　companies　of　fourscore　men；　and　each　company　had　a　captain　over　it；　so　on　the　bright　greensward　stood　ten　booths　of　striped　canvas；　a　booth　for　each　band　of　the　royal　archers；　and　at　the　peak　of　each　fluttered　a　flag　in　the　mellow　air；　and　the　flag　was　the　color　that　belonged　to　the　captain　of　each　band。　From　the　center　booth　hung　the　yellow　flag　of　Tepus；　the　famous　bow　bearer　of　the　King；　next　to　it；　on　one　hand；　was　the　blue　flag　of　Gilbert　of　the　White　Hand；　and　on　the　other　the　blood…red　pennant　of　stout　young　Clifton　of　Buckinghamshire。　　The　seven　other　archer　captains　were　also　men　of　great　renown；　among　them　were　Egbert　of　Kent　and　William　of　Southampton；　but　those　first　named　were　most　famous　of　all。　　The　noise　of　many　voices　in　talk　and　laughter　came　from　within　the　booths；　and　in　and　out　ran　the　attendants　like　ants　about　an　ant…hill。　Some　bore　ale　and　beer；　and　some　bundles　of　bowstrings　or　sheaves　of　arrows。　On　each　side　of　the　archery　range　were　rows　upon　rows　of　seats　reaching　high　aloft；　and　in　the　center　of　the　north　side　was　a　raised　dais　for　the　King　and　Queen；　shaded　by　canvas　of　gay　colors；　and　hung　about　with　streaming　silken　pennants　of　red　and　blue　and　green　and　white。　　As　yet　the　King　and　Queen　had　not　come；　but　all　the　other　benches　were　full　of　people；　rising　head　above　head　high　aloft　till　it　made　the　eye　dizzy　to　look　upon　them。　Eightscore　yards　distant　from　the　mark　from　which　the　archers　were　to　shoot　stood　ten　fair　targets；　each　target　marked　by　a　flag　of　the　color　belonging　to　the　band　that　was　to　shoot　thereat。　So　all　was　ready　for　the　coming　of　the　King　and　Queen。

At　last　a　great　blast　of　bugles　sounded；　and　into　the　meadow　came　riding　six　trumpeters　with　silver　trumpets；　from　which　hung　velvet　banners　heavy　with　rich　workings　of　silver　and　gold　thread。　Behind　these　came　stout　King　Henry　upon　a　dapple…gray　stallion；　with　his　Queen　beside　him　upon　a　milk…white　palfrey。　On　either　side　of　them　walked　the　yeomen　of　the　guard；　the　bright　sunlight　flashing　from　the　polished　blades　of　the　steel　halberds　they　carried。　　Behind　these　came　the　Court　in　a　great　crowd；　so　that　presently　all　the　lawn　was　alive　with　bright　colors；　with　silk　and　velvet；　with　waving　plumes　and　gleaming　gold；　with　flashing　jewels　and　sword　hilts；　a　gallant　sight　on　that　bright　summer　day。

Then　all　the　people　arose　and　shouted；　so　that　their　voices　sounded　like　the　storm　upon　the　Cornish　coast；　when　the　dark　waves　run　upon　the　shore　and　leap　and　break；　surging　amid　the　rocks；　so；　amid　the　roaring　and　the　surging　of　the　people；　and　the　waving　of　scarfs　and　kerchiefs；　the　King　and　Queen　came　to　their　place；　and；　getting　down　from　their　horses；　mounted　the　broad　stairs　that　led　to　the　raised　platform；　and　there　took　their　seats　on　two　thrones　bedecked　with　purple　silks　and　cloths　of　silver　and　of　gold。

When　all　was　quiet　a　bugle　sounded；　and　straightway　the　archers　came　marching　in　order　from　their　tents。　　Fortyscore　they　were　in　all；　as　stalwart　a　band　of　yeomen　as　could　be　found　in　all　the　wide　world。　So　they　came　in　orderly　fashion　and　stood　in　front　of　the　dais　where　King　Henry　and　his　Queen　sat。　　King　Henry　looked　up　and　down　their　ranks　right　proudly；　for　his　heart　warmed　within　him　at　the　sight　of　such　a　gallant　band　of　yeomen。　　Then　he　bade　his　herald　Sir　Hugh　de　Mowbray　stand　forth　and　proclaim　the　rules　governing　the　game。　So　Sir　Hugh　stepped　to　the　edge　of　the　platform　and　spoke　in　a　loud　clear　voice；　and　thus　he　said：

That　each　man　should　shoot　seven　arrows　at　the　target　that　belonged　to　his　band；　and；　of　the　fourscore　yeomen　of　each　band；　the　three　that　shot　the　best　should　be　chosen。　　These　three　should　shoot　three　arrows　apiece；　and　the　one　that　shot　the　best　should　again　be　chosen。　Then　each　of　these　should　again　shoot　three　arrows　apiece；　and　the　one　that　shot　the　best　should　have　the　first　prize；　the　one　that　shot　the　next　best　should　have　the　second；　and　the　one　that　shot　the　next　best　should　have　the　third　prize。　Each　of　the　others　should　have　fourscore　silver　pennies　for　his　shooting。　The　first　prize　was　to　be　twoscore　and　ten　golden　pounds；　a　silver　bugle　horn　inlaid　with　gold；　and　a　quiver　with　ten　white　arrows　tipped　with　gold　and　feathered　with　the　white　swan's…wing　therein。　The　second　prize　was　to　be　fivescore　of　the　fattest　bucks　that　run　on　Dallen　Lea；　to　be　shot　when　the　yeoman　that　won　them　chose。　The　third　prize　was　to　be　two　tuns　of　good　Rhenish　wine。

So　Sir　Hugh　spoke；　and　when　he　had　done　all　the　archers　waved　their　bows　aloft　and　shouted。　　Then　each　band　turned　and　marched　in　order　back　to　its　place。

And　now　the　shooting　began；　the　captains　first　taking　stand　and　speeding　their　shafts　and　then　making　room　for　the　men　who　shot；　each　in　turn；　after　them。　　Two　hundred　and　eighty　score　shafts　were　shot　in　all；　and　so　deftly　were　they　sped　that　when　the　shooting　was　done　each　target　looked　like　the　back　of　a　hedgehog　when　the　farm　dog　snuffs　at　it。　A　long　time　was　taken　in　this　shooting；　and　when　it　was　over　the　judges　came　forward；　looked　carefully　at　the　targets；　and　proclaimed　in　a　loud　voice　which　three　had　shot　the　best　from　the　separate　bands。　The