the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第41部分

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Four　merry　beggars　were　they；　and　each　had　slung　about
his　neck　a　little　board　that　rested　upon　his　breast。
One　board　had　written　upon　it；　〃I　am　blind；〃　another；　〃I　am　deaf；〃
another；　〃I　am　dumb；〃　and　the　fourth；　〃Pity　the　lame　one。〃
But　although　all　these　troubles　written　upon　the　boards　seemed
so　grievous；　the　four　stout　fellows　sat　around　feasting
as　merrily　as　though　Cain's　wife　had　never　opened　the　pottle
that　held　misfortunes　and　let　them　forth　like　a　cloud　of　flies
to　pester　us。

The　deaf　man　was　the　first　to　hear　Robin；　for　he　said；　〃Hark；　brothers；　I　hear
someone　coming。〃　　And　the　blind　man　was　the　first　to　see　him；　for　he　said；
〃He　is　an　honest　man；　brothers；　and　one　of　like　craft　to　ourselves。〃
Then　the　dumb　man　called　to　him　in　a　great　voice　and　said；　〃Welcome；　brother；
come　and　sit　while　there　is　still　some　of　the　feast　left　and　a　little
Malmsey　in　the　pottle。〃　　At　this；　the　lame　man；　who　had　taken　off　his
wooden　leg　and　unstrapped　his　own　leg；　and　was　sitting　with　it　stretched
out　upon　the　grass　so　as　to　rest　it；　made　room　for　Robin　among　them。
〃We　are　glad　to　see　thee；　brother；〃　said　he；　holding　out　the　flask　of　Malmsey。

〃Marry；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing；　and　weighing　the　flask　in　his　hands
ere　he　drank；　〃methinks　it　is　no　more　than　seemly　of　you　all　to　be
glad　to　see　me；　seeing　that　I　bring　sight　to　the　blind；　speech　to
the　dumb；　hearing　to　the　deaf；　and　such　a　lusty　leg　to　a　lame　man。
I　drink　to　your　happiness；　brothers；　as　I　may　not　drink　to　your　health；
seeing　ye　are　already　hale；　wind　and　limb。〃

At　this　all　grinned；　and　the　Blind　beggar；　who　was　the　chief　man　among　them；
and　was　the　broadest　shouldered　and　most　lusty　rascal　of　all；　smote　Robin
upon　the　shoulder；　swearing　he　was　a　right　merry　wag。

〃Whence　comest　thou；　lad？〃　asked　the　Dumb　man。

〃Why；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　came　this　morning　from　sleeping　overnight　in　Sherwood。〃

〃Is　it　even　so？〃　said　the　Deaf　man。　　〃I　would　not　for　all　the　money　we　four
are　carrying　to　Lincoln　Town　sleep　one　night　in　Sherwood。　　If　Robin　Hood
caught　one　of　our　trade　in　his　woodlands　he　would；　methinks；　clip　his　ears。〃

〃Methinks　he　would；　too；〃　quoth　Robin；　laughing。　　〃But　what　money
is　this　that　ye　speak　of？〃

Then　up　spake　the　Lame　man。　　〃Our　king；　Peter　of　York；〃　said　he；
〃hath　sent　us　to　Lincoln　with　those　moneys　that〃

〃Stay；　brother　Hodge；〃　quoth　the　Blind　man；　breaking　into　the　talk；
〃I　would　not　doubt　our　brother　here；　but　bear　in　mind　we　know　him　not。
What　art　thou；　brother？　　Upright…man；　Jurkman；　Clapper…dudgeon；　Dommerer；
or　Abraham…man？〃

At　these　words　Robin　looked　from　one　man　to　the　other　with　mouth　agape。
〃Truly；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　trust　I　am　an　upright　man；　at　least；　I　strive　to　be；
but　I　know　not　what　thou　meanest　by　such　jargon；　brother。　　It　were　much
more　seemly；　methinks；　if　yon　Dumb　man；　who　hath　a　sweet　voice；　would　give
us　a　song。〃

At　these　words　a　silence　fell　on　all；　and　after　a　while　the　Blind
man　spoke　again。　　Quoth　he；　〃Thou　dost　surely　jest　when　thou
sayest　that　thou　dost　not　understand　such　words。　　Answer　me　this：
Hast　thou　ever　fibbed　a　chouse　quarrons　in　the　Rome　pad　for　the　loure
in　his　bung？〃＇4＇


＇4＇　I。E。；　in　old　beggar's　cant；　〃beaten　a　man　or　gallant　upon　the　highway
for　the　money　in　his　purse。〃　　Dakkar's　ENGLISH　VILLAINIES。


〃Now　out　upon　it；〃　quoth　Robin　Hood　testily；　〃an　ye　make　sport　of　me
by　pattering　such　gibberish；　it　will　be　ill　for　you　all；　I　tell　you。
I　have　the　best　part　of　a　mind　to　crack　the　heads　of　all　four　of　you；
and　would　do　so；　too；　but　for　the　sweet　Malmsey　ye　have　given　me。
Brother；　pass　the　pottle　lest　it　grow　cold。〃

But　all　the　four　beggars　leaped　to　their　feet　when　Robin　had
done　speaking；　and　the　Blind　man　snatched　up　a　heavy　knotted　cudgel
that　lay　beside　him　on　the　grass；　as　did　the　others　likewise。
Then　Robin；　seeing　that　things　were　like　to　go　ill　with　him；
albeit　he　knew　not　what　all　the　coil　was　about；　leaped　to　his
feet　also　and；　catching　up　his　trusty　staff；　clapped　his　back
against　the　tree　and　stood　upon　his　guard　against　them。
〃How；　now！〃　cried　he；　twirling　his　staff　betwixt　his　fingers；
〃would　you　four　stout　fellows　set　upon　one　man？
Stand　back；　ye　rascals；　or　I　will　score　your　pates　till　they
have　as　many　marks　upon　them　as　a　pothouse　door！　　Are　ye　mad？
I　have　done　you　no　harm。〃

〃Thou　liest！〃　quoth　the　one　who　pretended　to　be　blind　and　who；
being　the　lustiest　villain；　was　the　leader　of　the　others；
〃thou　liest！　　For　thou　hast　come　among　us　as　a　vile　spy。
But　thine　ears　have　heard　too　much　for　thy　body's　good；　and　thou
goest　not　forth　from　this　place　unless　thou　goest　feet　foremost；
for　this　day　thou　shalt　die！　　Come；　brothers；　all　together！
Down　with　him！〃　　Then；　whirling　up　his　cudgel；　he　rushed
upon　Robin　as　an　angry　bull　rushes　upon　a　red　rag。
But　Robin　was　ready　for　any　happening。　　〃Crick！　　Crack！〃　he　struck
two　blows　as　quick　as　a　wink；　and　down　went　the　Blind　man；
rolling　over　and　over　upon　the　grass。

At　this　the　others　bore　back　and　stood　at　a　little　distance
scowling　upon　Robin。　　〃Come　on；　ye　scum！〃　cried　he　merrily。
〃Here　be　cakes　and　ale　for　all。　　Now；　who　will　be　next　served？〃

To　this　speech　the　beggars　answered　never　a　word；　but　they　looked　at
Robin　as　great　Blunderbore　looked　upon　stout　Jack　the　slayer　of　giants；
as　though　they　would　fain　eat　him；　body　and　bones；　nevertheless；　they　did
not　care　to　come　nigher　to　him　and　his　terrible　staff。　　Then；　seeing　them
so　hesitate；　Robin　of　a　sudden　leaped　upon　them；　striking　even　as　he　leaped。
Down　went　the　Dumb　man；　and　away　flew　his　cudgel　from　his　hand　as　he　fell。
At　this　the　others　ducked　to　avoid　another　blow；　then；　taking　to
their　heels；　scampered；　the　one　one　way　and　the　other　the　other；
as　though　they　had　the　west　wind's　boots　upon　their　feet。　　Robin　looked
after　them；　laughing；　and　thought　that　never　had　he　seen　so　fleet　a　runner
as　the　Lame　man；　but　neither　of　the　beggars　stopped　nor　turned　around；
for　each　felt　in　his　mind　the　wind　of　Robin's　cudgel　about　his　ears。

Then　Robin　turned　to　the　two　stout　knaves　lying　upon　the　ground。
Quoth　he；　〃These　fellows　spake　somewhat　about　certain　moneys
they　were　taking　to　Lincoln；　methinks　I　may　find　it　upon　this
stout　blind　fellow；　who　hath　as　keen　sight　as　e'er　a　trained
woodsman　in　Nottingham　or　Yorkshire。　　It　were　a　pity　to　let
sound　money　stay　in　the　pockets　of　such　thieving　knaves。〃
So　saying；　he　stooped　over　the　burly　rascal　and　searched
among　his　rags　and　tatters；　till　presently　his　fingers　felt
a　leathern　pouch　slung　around　his　body　beneath　his　patched
and　tattered　coat。　　This　he　stripped　away　and；　weighing　it
in　his　hands；　bethought　himself　that　it　was　mighty　heavy。
〃It　were　a　sweet　thing；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃if　this　were
filled　with　gold　instead　of　copper　pence。〃　　Then；　sitting　down
upon　the　grass；　he　opened　the　pocket　and　looked　into　it。
There　he　found　four　round　rolls　wrapped　up　in　dressed　sheepskin；
one　of　these　rolls　he　opened；　then　his　mouth　gaped　and　his
eyes　stared；　I　wot；　as　though　they　would　never　close　again；
for　what　did　he　see　but　fifty　pounds　of　bright　golden　money？
He　opened　the　other　pockets　and　found　in　each　one　the　same；
fifty　bright　new…stamped　golden　pounds。　　Quoth　Robin；　〃I　have　oft
heard　that　the　Beggars'　Guild　was　over…rich；　but　never　did　I　think
that　they　sent　such　sums　as　this　to　their　treasury。　　I　shall　take
it　with　me；　for　it　will　be　better　used　for　charity　and　the　good
of　my　merry　band　than　in　the　enriching　of　such　knaves　as　these。〃
So　saying；　he　rolled　up　the　money　in　the　sheepskin　again；　and　putting
it　back　in　the　purse；　he　thrust　the　pouch　into　his　own　bosom。
Then　taking　up　the　flask　of　Malmsey；　he　held　it　toward　the　two
fellows　lying　on　the　grass；　and　quoth　he；　〃Sweet　friends；
I　drink　your　health　and　thank　you　dearly　for　what　ye　have
so　kindly　given　me　this　day；　and　so　I　wish　you　good　den。〃
Then；　taking　up　his　staff；　he　left　the　spot　and　went　merrily
on　his　way。

But　when　the　two　stout　beggars　that　had　been　rapped　upon　the　head　roused
themselves　and　sat　up；　and　when　the　others　had　gotten　over　their　fright
and　come　back；　they　were　as　sad　and　woebegone　as　four　frogs　in　dry　weather；
for　two　of　them　had　cracked　crowns；　their　Malmsey　was　all　gone；　and　they
had　not　so　much　as　a　farthing　to　cross　their　palms　withal。

But　after　Robin　left　the　little　dell　he　strode　along　merrily；　singing　as
he　went；　and　so　blithe　was　he　and　such　a　stout　beggar；　and；　withal；　so　fresh
and　clean；　that　every　merry　lass　he　met　had　a　sweet　word　for　him　and　felt
no　fear；　while　the　very　dogs；　that　most　times　hate　the　sight　of　a　beggar；
snuffed　at　his　legs　in　friendly　wise　and　wagged　their　tails　pleasantly；
for　dogs　know　an　honest　man　by　his　smell；　and　an　honest　man　Robin　was
in　his　own　way。

Thus　he　went　along　till　at　last　he　had　come　to　the　wayside　cross
nigh　Ollerton；　and；　being　somewhat　tired；　he　sat　him　down　to　rest
upon　the　grassy　bank　in　front　of　it。　　〃It　groweth　nigh　time；〃
quoth　he　to　himself；　〃that　I　were　getting　back　again　to　Sherwood；
yet　it　would　please　me　well　to　have　one　more　merry　adventure　ere
I　go　back　again　to　my　jolly　band。〃




So　he　looked　up　the　road　and　down　the　road　to　see　who　might　come；
until　at　last　he　saw　someone　drawing　near；　riding　upon　a　horse。
When　the　traveler　came　nigh　enough　for　him　to　see　him　well；
Robin　laughed；　for　a　strange　enough　figure　he　cut。　　He　was　a　thin；
wizened　man；　and；　to　look　upon　him；　you　could　not　tell　whether　he　was
thirty　years　old　or　sixty；　so　dried　up　was　he　even　to　skin　and　bone。
As　for　the　nag；　it　was　as　thin　as　the　rider；　and　both　looked
as　though　they　had　been　baked　in　Mother　Huddle's　Oven；　where　folk
are　dried　up　so　that　they　live　forever。

But　although　Robin　laughed　at　the　droll　sight；　he　knew　the　wayfarer　to　be
a　certain　rich　corn　engrosser　of　Worksop；　who　more　than　once　had　bought　all
the　grain　in　the　countryside　and　held　it　till　it　reached　even　famine　prices；
thus　making　much　money　from　the　needs　of　poor　people；　and　for　this　he　was
hated　far　and　near　by　everyone　that　knew　aught　of　him。

So；　after　a　while；　the　Corn　Engrosser　came　riding　up　to　where　Robin　sat；
whereupon　merry　Robin　stepped　straightway　forth；　in　all　his　rags　and　tatters；
his　bags　and　pouches　dang