酷兔英语

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his fill, "it is time for us to set forth upon the taking" target="_blank" title="n.任务;事业;计划">undertaking that we have
in hand for today. I will choose me one score of my good men to go with me,

for I may need aid; and thou, Will Scarlet, wilt abide here and be the chief
while I am gone." Then searching through all the band, each man of whom

crowded forward eager to be chosen, Robin called such as he wished by name,
until he had a score of stout fellows, the very flower of his yeomanrie.

Besides Little John and Will Stutely were nigh all those famous lads of whom I
have already told you. Then, while those so chosen ran leaping, full of joy,

to arm themselves with bow and shaft and broadsword, Robin Hood stepped aside
into the covert, and there donned a gay, beribboned coat such as might have

been worn by some strolling minstrel, and slung a harp across his shoulder,
the better to carry out that part.

All the band stared and many laughed, for never had they seen
their master in such a fantastic guise before.

"Truly," quoth Robin, holding up his arms and looking down at himself,
"I do think it be somewhat of a gay, gaudy, grasshopper dress;

but it is a pretty thing for all that, and doth not ill befit
the turn of my looks, albeit I wear it but for the nonce.

But stay, Little John, here are two bags that I would
have thee carry in thy pouch for the sake of safekeeping.

I can ill care for them myself beneath this motley."
"Why, master," quoth Little John, taking the bags and weighing them

in his hand, "here is the chink of gold."
"Well, what an there be," said Robin, "it is mine own coin and

the band is none the worse for what is there. Come, busk ye, lads,"
and he turned quickly away. "Get ye ready straightway."

Then gathering the score together in a close rank, in the midst
of which were Allan a Dale and Friar Tuck, he led them forth upon

their way from the forest shades.
So they walked on for a long time till they had come out of Sherwood and

to the vale of Rotherstream. Here were different sights from what one saw
in the forest; hedgerows, broad fields of barley corn, pasture lands rolling

upward till they met the sky and all dotted over with flocks of white sheep,
hayfields whence came the odor of new-mown hay that lay in smooth swathes over

which skimmed the swifts in rapid flight; such they saw, and different was it,
I wot, from the tangled depths of the sweet woodlands, but full as fair.

Thus Robin led his band, walking blithely with chest thrown out and head
thrown back, snuffing the odors of the gentle breeze that came drifting

from over the hayfields.
"Truly," quoth he, "the dear world is as fair here as in the woodland shades.

Who calls it a vale of tears? Methinks it is but the darkness in our
minds that bringeth gloom to the world. For what sayeth that merry song

thou singest, Little John? Is it not thus?
"_For when my love's eyes do thine, do thine,

And when her lips smile so rare,
The day it is jocund and fine, so fine,

Though let it be wet or be fair
And when the stout ale is all flowing so fast,

Our sorrows and troubles are things of the past_."
"Nay," said Friar Tuck piously, "ye do think of profane things and of

nought else; yet, truly, there be better safeguards against care and woe
than ale drinking and bright eyes, to wit, fasting and meditation.

Look upon me, have I the likeness of a sorrowful man?"
At this a great shout of laughter went up from all around,

for the night before the stout Friar had emptied twice as many
canakins of ale as any one of all the merry men.

"Truly," quoth Robin, when he could speak for laughter, "I should say
that thy sorrows were about equal to thy goodliness."

So they stepped along, talking, singing, jesting, and laughing,
until they had come to a certain little church that belonged

to the great estates owned by the rich Priory of Emmet. Here it
was that fair Ellen was to be married on that morn, and here

was the spot toward which the yeomen had pointed their toes.
On the other side of the road from where the church stood with waving

fields of barley around, ran a stone wall along the roadside.
Over the wall from the highway was a fringe of young trees

and bushes, and here and there the wall itself was covered
by a mass of blossoming woodbine that filled all the warm air

far and near with its sweet summer odor. Then straightway
the yeomen leaped over the wall, alighting on the tall soft grass

upon the other side, frightening a flock of sheep that lay there
in the shade so that they scampered away in all directions.

Here was a sweet cool shadow both from the wall and from
the fair young trees and bushes, and here sat the yeomen down,

and glad enough they were to rest after their long tramp
of the morning.

"Now," quoth Robin, "I would have one of you watch and tell me when he sees
anyone coming to the church, and the one I choose shall be young David

of Doncaster. So get thee upon the wall, David, and hide beneath the woodbine
so as to keep watch."

Accordingly young David did as he was bidden, the others stretching themselves
at length upon the grass, some talking together and others sleeping.

Then all was quiet save only for the low voices of those that
talked together, and for Allan's restless footsteps pacing up and down,

for his soul was so full of disturbance that he could not stand still,
and saving, also, for the mellow snoring of Friar Tuck, who enjoyed

his sleep with a noise as of one sawing soft wood very slowly.
Robin lay upon his back and gazed aloft into the leaves of the trees,

his thought leagues away, and so a long time passed.
Then up spoke Robin, "Now tell us, young David of Doncaster,

what dost thou see?"
Then David answered, "I see the white clouds floating and I feel

the wind a-blowing and three black crows are flying over the wold;
but nought else do I see, good master."

So silence fell again and another time passed, broken only
as I have said, till Robin, growing impatient, spake again.

"Now tell me, young David, what dost thou see by this?"
And David answered, "I see the windmills swinging and three tall poplar trees

swaying against the sky, and a flock of fieldfares are flying over the hill;
but nought else do I see, good master."

So another time passed, till at last Robin asked young David once
more what he saw; and David said, "I hear the cuckoo singing,

and I see how the wind makes waves in the barley field;
and now over the hill to the church cometh an old friar,

and in his hands he carries a great bunch of keys; and lo!
Now he cometh to the church door."

Then up rose Robin Hood and shook Friar Tuck by the shoulder.
"Come, rouse thee, holy man!" cried he; whereupon, with much grunting,

the stout Tuck got to his feet. "Marry, bestir thyself,"
quoth Robin, "for yonder, in the church door, is one of thy cloth.

Go thou and talk to him, and so get thyself into the church, that thou
mayst be there when thou art wanted; meantime, Little John, Will Stutely,

and I will follow thee anon."
So Friar Tuck clambered over the wall, crossed the road, and came to

the church, where the old friar was still laboring with the great key,
the lock being somewhat rusty and he somewhat old and feeble.

"Hilloa, brother," quoth Tuck, "let me aid thee." So saying,
he took the key from the other's hand and quickly opened the door

with a turn of it.
"Who art thou, good brother?" asked the old friar, in a high,

wheezing voice. "Whence comest thou, and whither art thou going?"
And he winked and blinked at stout Friar Tuck like an owl at the sun.

"Thus do I answer thy questions, brother," said the other.
"My name is Tuck, and I go no farther than this spot, if thou wilt

haply but let me stay while this same wedding is going forward.
I come from Fountain Dale and, in truth, am a certain poor hermit,

as one may say, for I live in a cell beside the fountain blessed
by that holy Saint Ethelrada. But, if I understand aught,

there is to be a gay wedding here today; so, if thou mindest not,
I would fain rest me in the cool shade within, for I would

like to see this fine sight."
"Truly, thou art welcome, brother," said the old man, leading the

way within. Meantime, Robin Hood, in his guise of harper,
together with Little John and Will Stutely, had come to the church.

Robin sat him down on a bench beside the door, but Little John,
carrying the two bags of gold, went within, as did Will Stutely.

So Robin sat by the door, looking up the road and down
the road to see who might come, till, after a time, he saw

six horsemen come riding sedately and slowly, as became them,
for they were churchmen in high orders. Then, when they

had come nearer, Robin saw who they were, and knew them.
The first was the Bishop of Hereford, and a fine figure he cut, I wot.

His vestments were of the richest silk, and around his neck was
a fair chain of beaten gold. The cap that hid his tonsure was

of black velvet, and around the edges of it were rows of jewels
that flashed in the sunlight, each stone being set in gold.

His hose were of flame-colored silk, and his shoes of black velvet,
the long, pointed toes being turned up and fastened to his knees,

and on either instep was embroidered a cross in gold thread.
Beside the Bishop rode the Prior of Emmet upon a mincing palfrey.

Rich were his clothes also, but not so gay as the stout
Bishop's. Behind these were two of the higher brethren of Emmet,

and behind these again two retainers belonging to the Bishop;
for the Lord Bishop of Hereford strove to be as like the great

barons as was in the power of one in holy orders.
When Robin saw this train drawing near, with flash of jewels and silk

and jingle of silver bells on the trappings of the nags, he looked sourly
upon them. Quoth he to himself, "Yon Bishop is overgaudy for a holy man.

I do wonder whether his patron, who, methinks, was Saint Thomas, was given
to wearing golden chains about his neck, silk clothing upon his body,

and pointed shoes upon his feet; the money for all of which, God wot,
hath been wrung from the sweat of poor tenants. Bishop, Bishop, thy pride

may have a fall ere thou wottest of it."
So the holy men came to the church; the Bishop and the Prior jesting

and laughing between themselves about certain fair dames, their words
more befitting the lips of laymen, methinks, than holy clerks.

Then they dismounted, and the Bishop, looking around,
presently caught sight of Robin standing in the doorway.

"Hilloa, good fellow," quoth he in a jovial voice, "who art thou
that struttest in such gay feathers?"

"A harper am I from the north country," quoth Robin, "and I can
touch the strings, I wot, as never another man in all merry England

can do. Truly, good Lord Bishop, many a knight and burgher,
clerk and layman, have danced to my music, willy-nilly, and most

times greatly against their will; such is the magic of my harping.
Now this day, my Lord Bishop, if I may play at this wedding,

I do promise that I will cause the fair bride to love the man
she marries with a love that shall last as long as that twain

shall live together."
"Ha! is it so?" cried the Bishop. "Meanest thou this in sooth?"

And he looked keenly at Robin, who gazed boldly back again into his eyes.
"Now, if thou wilt cause this maiden (who hath verily bewitched my poor

cousin Stephen) thus to love the man she is to marry, as thou sayst
thou canst, I will give thee whatsoever thou wilt ask me in due measure.

Let me have a taste of thy skill, fellow."
"Nay," quoth Robin, "my music cometh not without I choose,

even at a lord bishop's bidding. In sooth, I will not play
until the bride and bridegroom come."

"Now, thou art a saucy varlet to speak so to my crest,"
quoth the Bishop, frowning on Robin. "Yet, I must needs bear

with thee. Look, Prior, hither cometh our cousin Sir Stephen,
and his ladylove."

And now, around the bend of the highroad, came others, riding upon horses.
The first of all was a tall, thin man, of knightly bearing, dressed all in

black silk, with a black velvet cap upon his head, turned up with scarlet.
Robin looked, and had no doubt that this was Sir Stephen, both because

of his knightly carriage and of his gray hairs. Beside him rode a stout
Saxon franklin, Ellen's father, Edward of Deirwold; behind those two came

a litter borne by two horses, and therein was a maiden whom Robin knew must
be Ellen. Behind this litter rode six men-at-arms, the sunlight flashing

on their steel caps as they came jingling up the dusty road.


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