father and Robin。 She attempted to speak； but her voice failed in the effort； and she burst into tears。
〃Here is lawful cause and just impediment；〃 said Robin； 〃and I forbid the banns。〃
〃Who are you； villain？〃 said the old knight； stamping his sound foot with rage。
〃I am the Roman law；〃 said Robin； 〃which says that there shall not be more than ten years between a man and his wife； and here are five times ten： and so says the law of nature。〃
〃Honest harper；〃 said the bishop； 〃you are somewhat over…officious here； and less courtly than I deemed you。 If you love sack； forbear； for this course will never bring you a drop。 As to your Roman law； and your law of nature； what right have they to say any thing which the law of Holy Writ says not？〃
〃The law of Holy Writ does say it；〃 said Robin； 〃I expound it so to say； and I will produce sixty commentators to establish my exposition。〃
And so saying； he produced a horn from beneath his cloak； and blew three blasts； and threescore bowmen in green came leaping from the bushes and trees； and young Allen was the first among them to give Robin his sword； while Friar Tuck and Little John marched up to the altar。 Robin stripped the bishop and clerk of their robes； and put them on the friar and Little John； and Allen advanced to take the hand of the bride。 Her cheeks grew red and her eyes grew bright； as she locked her hand in her lover's； and tripped lightly with him into the church。
〃This marriage will not stand；〃 said the bishop； 〃for they have not been thrice asked in church。〃
〃We will ask them seven times；〃 said Little John； 〃lest three should not suffice。〃
〃And in the meantime；〃 said Robin； 〃the knight and the bishop shall dance to my harping。〃
So Robin sat in the church porch and played away merrily； while his foresters formed a ring； in the centre of which the knight and bishop danced with exemplary alacrity； and if they relaxed their exertions； Scarlet gently touched them up with the point of an arrow。
The knight grimaced ruefully； and begged Robin to think of his gout。
〃So I do；〃 said Robin； 〃this is the true antipodagron： you shall dance the gout away； and be thankful to me while you live。 I told you；〃 he added to the bishop； 〃I would play at this wedding； but you did not tell me that you would dance at it。 The next couple you marry； think of the Roman law。〃
The bishop was too much out of breath to reply； and now the young couple issued from church； and the bride having made a farewell obeisance to her parents； they departed together with the foresters； the parents storming； the attendants laughing； the bishop puffing and blowing； and the knight rubbing his gouty foot； and uttering doleful lamentations for the gold and jewels with which he had so unwittingly adorned and cowered the bride。
CHAPTER XIV
As ye came from the holy land Of blessed Walsinghame； Oh met ye not with my true love； As by the way ye came？Old Ballad。
In pursuance of the arrangement recorded in the twelfth chapter； the baron； Robin； and Marian disguised themselves as pilgrims returned from Palestine； and travelling from the sea…coast of Hampshire to their home in Northumberland。 By dint of staff and cockle…shell； sandal and scrip； they proceeded in safety the greater part of the way （for Robin had many sly inns and resting…places between Barnsdale and Sherwood）； and were already on the borders of Yorkshire； when； one evening； they passed within view of a castle； where they saw a lady standing on a turret； and surveying the whole extent of the valley through which they were passing。 A servant came running from the castle； and delivered to them a message from his lady； who was sick with expectation of news from her lord in the Holy Land； and entreated them to come to her； that she might question them concerning him。 This was an awkward occurrence： but there was no presence for refusal； and they followed the servant into the castle。 The baron； who had been in Palestine in his youth； undertook to be spokesman on the occasion； and to relate his own adventures to the lady as having happened to the lord in question。 This preparation enabled him to be so minute and circumstantial in his detail； and so coherent in his replies to her questions； that the lady fell implicitly into the delusion； and was delighted to find that her lord was alive and in health； and in high favour with the king； and performing prodigies of valour in the name of his lady； whose miniature he always wore in his bosom。 The baron guessed at this circumstance from the customs of that age； and happened to be in the right。
〃This miniature；〃 added the baron； 〃I have had the felicity to see； and should have known you by it among a million。〃 The baron was a little embarrassed by some questions of the lady concerning her lord's personal appearance； but Robin came to his aid； observing a picture suspended opposite to him on the wall； which he made a bold conjecture to be that of the lord in question； and making a calculation of the influences of time and war； which he weighed with a comparison of the lady's age； he gave a description of her lord sufficiently like the picture in its groundwork to be a true resemblance； and sufficiently differing from it in circumstances to be more an original than a copy。 The lady was completely deceived； and entreated them to partake her hospitality for the night； but this they deemed it prudent to decline； and with many humble thanks for her kindness； and representations of the necessity of not delaying their homeward course； they proceeded on their way。
As they passed over the drawbridge； they met Sir Ralph Montfaucon and his squire； who were wandering in quest of Marian； and were entering to claim that hospitality which the pilgrims had declined。 Their countenances struck Sir Ralph with a kind of imperfect recognition； which would never have been matured； but that the eyes of Marian； as she passed him； encountered his； and the images of those stars of beauty continued involuntarily twinkling in his sensorium to the exclusion of all other ideas； till memory； love； and hope concurred with imagination to furnish a probable reason for their haunting him so pertinaciously。 Those eyes； he thought； were certainly the eyes of Matilda Fitzwater； and if the eyes were hers； it was extremely probable； if not logically consecutive； that the rest of the body they belonged to was hers also。 Now； if it were really Matilda Fitzwater； who were her two companions？ The baron？ Aye； and the elder pilgrim was something like him。 And the earl of Huntingdon？ Very probably。 The earl and the baron might be good friends again； now that they were both in disgrace together。 While he was revolving these cogitations； he was introduced to the lady； and after claiming and receiving the promise of hospitality； he inquired what she knew of the pilgrims who had just departed？ The lady told him they were newly returned from Palestine； having been long in the Holy Land。 The knight expressed some scepticism on this point。 The lady replied； that they had given her so minute a detail of her lord's proceedings； and so accurate a description of his person； that she could not be deceived in them。 This staggered the knight's confidence in his own penetration； and if it had not been a heresy in knighthood to suppose for a moment that there could be in rerum natura such another pair of eyes as those of his mistress； he would have acquiesced implicitly in the lady's judgment。 But while the lady and the knight were conversing； the warder blew his bugle…horn； and presently entered a confidential messenger from Palestine； who gave her to understand that her lord was well； but entered into a detail of his adventures most completely at variance with the baron's narrative； to which not the correspondence of a single incident gave the remotest colouring of similarity。 It now became manifest that the pilgrims were not true men； and Sir Ralph Montfaucon sate down to supper with his head full of cogitations； which we shall leave him to chew and digest with his pheasant and canary。
Meanwhile our three pilgrims proceeded on their way。 The evening set in black and lowering； when Robin turned aside from the main track； to seek an asylum for the night； along a narrow way that led between rocky and woody hills。 A peasant observed the pilgrims as they entered that narrow pass； and called after them： 〃Whither go you； my masters？ there are rogues in that direction。〃
〃Can you show us a direction；〃 said Robin； 〃in which there are none？ If so we will take it in preference。〃 The peasant grinned； and walked away whistling。
The pass widened as they advanced； and the woods grew thicker and darker around them。 Their path wound along the slope of a woody declivity； which rose high above them in a thick rampart of foliage； and descended almost precipitously to the bed of a small river； which they heard dashing in its rocky channel； and saw its white foam gleaming at intervals in the last faint glimmerings of twilight。 In a short time all was dark； and the rising voice of the wind foretold a coming storm。 They turned a point of the valley； and saw a light below them in the depth of the hollow； shining through a cottage…casement and dancing in its reflection on the restless stream。 Robin blew his horn； which was answered from below。 The cottage door opened： a boy came forth with a torch； ascended the steep； showed tokens of great delight at meeting with Robin； and lighted them down a flight of steps rudely cut in the rock； and over a series of rugged stepping…stones； that crossed the channel of the river。 They entered the cottage； which exhibited neatness； comfort； and plenty； being amply enriched with pots； pans； and pipkins； and adorned with flitches of bacon and sundry similar ornaments； that gave goodly promise in the firelight that gleamed upon the rafters。 A woman； who seemed just old enough to be the boy's mother； had thrown down her spinning wheel in her joy at the sound of Robin's horn； and was bustling with singular alacrity to set forth her festal ware and prepare an abundant supper。 Her features； though not beautiful； were agreeable and expressive； and were now lighted up with such manifest joy at the sight of