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The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood-Part42_Howard Pyle(1853-1911)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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At this Robin Hood laughed. "Why, in sooth, Little John,"

said he, "thou hast a blundering hard-headed way that seemeth



to bring thee right side uppermost in all thy troubles;

but let us see who cometh out best this day." So saying,



he clapped his palm to Little John's and each departed upon his way,

the trees quickly shutting the one from the other's sight.



Robin Hood strolled onward till he came to where a broad woodland road

stretched before him. Overhead the branches of the trees laced together



in flickering foliage, all golden where it grew thin to the sunlight;

beneath his feet the ground was soft and moist from the sheltering shade.



Here in this pleasant spot the sharpest adventure that ever befell Robin Hood

came upon him; for, as he walked down the woodland path thinking of nought



but the songs of the birds, he came of a sudden to where a man was seated

upon the mossy roots beneath the shade of a broad-spreading oak tree.



Robin Hood saw that the stranger had not caught sight of him,

so he stopped and stood quite still, looking at the other a long time



before he came forward. And the stranger, I wot, was well worth looking at,

for never had Robin seen a figure like that sitting beneath the tree.



From his head to his feet he was clad in a horse's hide, dressed with

the hair upon it. Upon his head was a cowl that hid his face



from sight, and which was made of the horse's skin, the ears whereof

stuck up like those of a rabbit. His body was clad in a jacket made



of the hide, and his legs were covered with the hairy skin likewise.

By his side was a heavy broadsword and a sharp, double-edged dagger.



A quiver of smooth round arrows hung across his shoulders, and his stout

bow of yew leaned against the tree beside him.



"Halloa, friend," cried Robin, coming forward at last, "who art thou

that sittest there? And what is that that thou hast upon thy body?



I make my vow I ha' never seen such a sight in all my life before.

Had I done an evil thing, or did my conscience trouble me, I would



be afraid of thee, thinking that thou wast someone from down below

bringing a message bidding me come straightway to King Nicholas."



To this speech the other answered not a word, but he pushed

the cowl back from his head and showed a knit brow, a hooked nose,



and a pair of fierce, restless black eyes, which altogether made

Robin think of a hawk as he looked on his face. But beside this



there was something about the lines on the stranger's face,

and his thin cruel mouth, and the hard glare of his eyes,



that made one's flesh creep to look upon.

"Who art thou, rascal?" said he at last, in a loud, harsh voice.



"Tut, tut," quoth merry Robin, "speak not so sourly, brother.

Hast thou fed upon vinegar and nettles this morning that thy



speech is so stinging?"

"An thou likest not my words," said the other fiercely, "thou hadst



best be jogging, for I tell thee plainly, my deeds match them."

"Nay, but I do like thy words, thou sweet, pretty thing,"



quoth Robin, squatting down upon the grass in front of the other.

"Moreover, I tell thee thy speech is witty and gamesome as any I



ever heard in all my life."

The other said not a word, but he glared upon Robin with a wicked and baleful



look, such as a fierce dog bestows upon a man ere it springs at his throat.

Robin returned the gaze with one of wide-eyed innocence, not a shadow



of a smile twinkling in his eyes or twitching at the corners of his mouth.

So they sat staring at one another for a long time, until the stranger broke



the silence suddenly. "What is thy name, fellow?" said he.

"Now," quoth Robin, "I am right glad to hear thee speak,



for I began to fear the sight of me had stricken thee dumb.

As for my name, it may be this or it may be that; but methinks



it is more meet for thee to tell me thine, seeing that thou art

the greater stranger in these parts. Prythee, tell me, sweet chuck,



why wearest thou that dainty garb upon thy pretty body?"

At these words the other broke into a short, harsh roar of laughter.



"By the bones of the Daemon Odin," said he, "thou art

the boldest-spoken man that ever I have seen in all my life.



I know not why I do not smite thee down where thou sittest,

for only two days ago I skewered a man over back of Nottingham Town



for saying not half so much to me as thou hast done.

I wear this garb, thou fool, to keep my body warm;



likewise it is near as good as a coat of steel against a common

sword-thrust. As for my name, I care not who knoweth it.



It is Guy of Gisbourne, and thou mayst have heard it before.

I come from the woodlands over in Herefordshire, upon the lands



of the Bishop of that ilk. I am an outlaw, and get my living

by hook and by crook in a manner it boots not now to tell of.



Not long since the Bishop sent for me, and said that if I would

do a certain thing that the Sheriff of Nottingham would ask of me,



he would get me a free pardon, and give me tenscore pounds to boot.




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