maid marian-第19部分

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f　his　men　had；　as　usual；　a　patron　saint　according　to　his　name　or　taste。　The　friar　chose　a　saint　for　himself；　and　fixed　on　Saint　Botolph；　whom　he　euphonised　into　Saint　Bottle；　and　maintained　that　he　was　that　very　Panomphic　Pantagruelian　saint；　well　known　in　ancient　France　as　a　female　divinity；　by　the　name　of　La　Dive　Bouteille；　whose　oracular　monosyllable　〃Trincq；'；　is　celebrated　and　under…stood　by　all　nations；　and　is　expounded　by　the　learned　doctor　Alcofribas；＇6＇　who　has　treated　at　large　on　the　subject；　to　signify　〃drink。〃　Saint　Bottle；　then；　was　the　saint　of　Friar　Tuck；　who　did　not　yield　even　to　Robin　and　Marian　in　the　assiduity　of　his　devotions　to　his　chosen　patron。　　Such　was　their　summer　life；　and　in　their　winter　caves　they　had　sufficient　furniture；　ample　provender；　store　of　old　wine；　and　assuredly　no　lack　of　fuel；　with　joyous　music　and　pleasant　discourse　to　charm　away　the　season　of　darkness　and　storms。


＇6＇　Alcofribas　Nasier：　　an　anagram　of　Francois　Rabelais；　and　his　assumed　appellation。

The　reader　who　desires　to　know　more　about　this　oracular　divinity；　may　consult　the　said　doctor　Alcofribas　Nasier；　who　will　usher　him　into　the　adytum　through　the　medium　of　the　high　priestess　Bacbuc。



Many　moons　had　waxed　and　waned；　when　on　the　afternoon　of　a　lovely　summer　day　a　lusty　broad…boned　knight　was　riding　through　the　forest　of　Sherwood。　　The　sun　shone　brilliantly　on　the　full　green　foliage；　and　afforded　the　knight　a　fine　opportunity　of　observing　picturesque　effects；　of　which　it　is　to　be　feared　he　did　not　avail　himself。　But　he　had　not　proceeded　far；　before　he　had　an　opportunity　of　observing　something　much　more　interesting；　namely；　a　fine　young　outlaw　leaning；　in　the　true　Sherwood　fashion；　with　his　back　against　a　tree。　The　knight　was　preparing　to　ask　the　stranger　a　question；　the　answer　to　which；　if　correctly　given；　would　have　relieved　him　from　a　doubt　that　pressed　heavily　on　his　mind；　as　to　whether　he　was　in　the　right　road　or　the　wrong；　when　the　youth　prevented　the　inquiry　by　saying：　〃In　God's　name；　sir　knight；　you　are　late　to　your　meals。　My　master　has　tarried　dinner　for　you　these　three　hours。〃

〃I　doubt；〃　said　the　knight；　〃I　am　not　he　you　wot　of。　I　am　no　where　bidden　to　day　and　I　know　none　in　this　vicinage。〃

〃We　feared；〃　said　the　youth；　〃your　memory　would　be　treacherous：　therefore　am　I　stationed　here　to　refresh　it。〃

〃Who　is　your　master？〃　said　the　knight；　〃and　where　does　he　abide？〃

〃My　master；〃　said　the　youth；　〃is　called　Robin　Hood；　and　he　abides　hard　by。〃

〃And　what　knows　he　of　me？〃　said　the　knight。

〃He　knows　you；〃　answered　the　youth　〃as　he　does　every　way…faring　knight　and　friar；　by　instinct。〃

〃Gramercy；〃　said　the　knight；　〃then　I　understand　his　bidding：　but　how　if　I　say　I　will　not　come？〃

〃I　am　enjoined　to　bring　you；〃　said　the　youth。　　〃If　persuasion　avail　not；　I　must　use　other　argument。〃

〃Say'st　thou　so？〃　said　the　knight；　〃I　doubt　if　thy　stripling　rhetoric　would　convince　me。〃

〃That；〃　said　the　young　forester；　〃we　will　see。〃

〃We　are　not　equally　matched；　boy；〃　said　the　knight。　〃I　should　get　less　honour　by　thy　conquest；　than　grief　by　thy　injury。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　the　youth；　〃my　strength　is　more　than　my　seeming；　and　my　cunning　more　than　my　strength。　　Therefore　let　it　please　your　knighthood　to　dismount。〃

〃It　shall　please　my　knighthood　to　chastise　thy　presumption；〃　said　the　knight；　springing　from　his　saddle。

Hereupon；　which　in　those　days　was　usually　the　result　of　a　meeting　between　any　two　persons　anywhere；　they　proceeded　to　fight。

The　knight　had　in　an　uncommon　degree　both　strength　and　skill：　the　forester　had　less　strength；　but　not　less　skill　than　the　knight；　and　showed　such　a　mastery　of　his　weapon　as　reduced　the　latter　to　great　admiration。

They　had　not　fought　many　minutes　by　the　forest　clock；　the　sun；　and　had　as　yet　done　each　other　no　worse　injury　than　that　the　knight　had　wounded　the　forester's　jerkin；　and　the　forester　had　disabled　the　knight's　plume；　when　they　were　interrupted　by　a　voice　from　a　thicket；　exclaiming；　〃Well　fought；　girl：　well　fought。　　Mass；　that　had　nigh　been　a　shrewd　hit。　Thou　owest　him　for　that；　lass。　　Marry；　stand　by；　I'll　pay　him　for　thee。〃

The　knight　turning　to　the　voice；　beheld　a　tall　friar　issuing　from　the　thicket；　brandishing　a　ponderous　cudgel。

〃Who　art　thou？〃　said　the　knight。

〃I　am　the　church　militant　of　Sherwood；〃　answered　the　friar。　〃Why　art　thou　in　arms　against　our　lady　queen？〃

〃What　meanest　thou？〃　said　the　knight。

〃Truly；　this；〃　said　the　friar；　〃is　our　liege　lady　of　the　forest；　against　whom　I　do　apprehend　thee　in　overt　act　of　treason。　What　sayest　thou　for　thyself？〃

〃I　say；〃　answered　the　knight；　〃that　if　this　be　indeed　a　lady；　man　never　yet　held　me　so　long。〃

〃Spoken；〃　said　the　friar；　〃like　one　who　hath　done　execution。　Hast　thou　thy　stomach　full　of　steel？　　Wilt　thou　diversify　thy　repast　with　a　taste　of　my　oak…graff？　Or　wilt　thou　incline　thine　heart　to　our　venison　which　truly　is　cooling？　　Wilt　thou　fight？　or　wilt　thou　dine？　or　wilt　thou　fight　and　dine？　or　wilt　thou　dine　and　fight？　I　am　for　thee；　choose　as　thou　mayest。〃

〃I　will　dine；〃　said　the　knight；　〃for　with　lady　I　never　fought　before；　and　with　friar　I　never　fought　yet；　and　with　neither　will　I　ever　fight　knowingly：　　and　if　this　be　the　queen　of　the　forest；　I　will　not；　being　in　her　own　dominions；　be　backward　to　do　her　homage。〃

So　saying；　he　kissed　the　hand　of　Marian；　who　was　pleased　most　graciously　to　express　her　approbation。

〃Gramercy；　sir　knight；〃　said　the　friar；　〃I　laud　thee　for　thy　courtesy；　which　I　deem　to　be　no　less　than　thy　valour。　Now　do　thou　follow　me；　while　I　follow　my　nose；　which　scents　the　pleasant　odour　of　roast　from　the　depth　of　the　forest　recesses。　I　will　lead　thy　horse；　and　do　thou　lead　my　lady。〃

The　knight　took　Marian's　hand；　and　followed　the　friar；　who　walked　before　them；　singing：

　When　the　wind　blows；　when　the　wind　blows　　From　where　under　buck　the　dry　log　glows；　　　　　　What　guide　can　you　follow；　　　　　　O'er　brake　and　o'er　hollow；　　So　true　as　a　ghostly；　ghostly　nose？




CHAPTER　XVIII

Robin　and　Richard　were　two　pretty　men。　　Mother　Goose's　Melody。


They　proceeded；　following　their　infallible　guide；　first　along　a　light　elastic　greensward　under　the　shade　of　lofty　and　wide…spreading　trees　that　skirted　a　sunny　opening　of　the　forest；　then　along　labyrinthine　paths；　which　the　deer；　the　outlaw；　or　the　woodman　had　made；　through　the　close　shoots　of　the　young　coppices；　through　the　thick　undergrowth　of　the　ancient　woods；　through　beds　of　gigantic　fern　that　filled　the　narrow　glades　and　waved　their　green　feathery　heads　above　the　plume　of　the　knight。　　Along　these　sylvan　alleys　they　walked　in　single　file；　the　friar　singing　and　pioneering　in　the　van；　the　horse　plunging　and　floundering　behind　the　friar；　the　lady　following　〃in　maiden　meditation　fancy　free；〃　and　the　knight　bringing　up　the　rear；　much　marvelling　at　the　strange　company　into　which　his　stars　had　thrown　him。　Their　path　had　expanded　sufficiently　to　allow　the　knight　to　take　Marian's　hand　again；　when　they　arrived　in　the　august　presence　of　Robin　Hood　and　his　court。

Robin's　table　was　spread　under　a　high　overarching　canopy　of　living　boughs；　on　the　edge　of　a　natural　lawn　of　verdure　starred　with　flowers；　through　which　a　swift　transparent　rivulet　ran　sparkling　in　the　sun。　The　board　was　covered　with　abundance　of　choice　food　and　excellent　liquor；　not　without　the　comeliness　of　snow…white　linen　and　the　splendour　of　costly　plate；　which　the　sheriff　of　Nottingham　had　unwillingly　contributed　to　supply；　at　the　same　time　with　an　excellent　cook；　whom　Little　John's　art　had　spirited　away　to　the　forest　with　the　contents　of　his　master's　silver　scullery。

An　hundred　foresters　were　here　assembled　over…ready　for　their　dinner；　some　seated　at　the　table　and　some　lying　in　groups　under　the　trees。

Robin　bade　courteous　welcome　to　the　knight；　who　took　his　seat　between　Robin　and　Marian　at　the　festal　board；　at　which　was　already　placed　one　strange　guest　in　the　person　of　a　portly　monk；　sitting　between　Little　John　and　Scarlet；　with；　his　rotund　physiognomy　elongated　into　an　unnatural　oval　by　the　conjoint　influence　of　sorrow　and　fear：　sorrow　for　the　departed　contents　of　his　travelling　treasury；　a　good…looking　valise　which　was　hanging　empty　on　a　bough；　and　fear　for　his　personal　safety；　of　which　all　the　flasks　and　pasties　before　him　could　not　give　him　assurance。　The　appearance　of　the　knight；　however；　cheered　him　up　with　a　semblance　of　protection；　and　gave　him　just　sufficient　courage　to　demolish　a　cygnet　and　a　rumble…pie；　which　he　diluted　with　the　contents　of　two　flasks　of　canary　sack。

But　wine；　which　sometimes　creates　and　often　increases　joy；　doth　also；　upon　occasion；　heighten　sorrow：　　and　so　it　fared　now　with　our　portly　monk；　who　had　no　sooner　explained　away　his　portion　of　provender；　than　he　began　to　weep　and　bewail　himself　bitterly。

〃Why　dost　thou　weep；　man？〃　said　Robin　Hood。　　〃Thou　hast　done　thine　embassy　justly；　and　shalt　have　thy　Lady's　grace。〃

〃Alack！　alack！〃　said　the　monk：　　〃no　embassy　had　I；　luckless　sinner；　as　well　thou　wottest；　but　to　take　to　my　abbey　in　safety　the　treasure　whereof　thou　hast　despoiled　me。〃

〃Propound　me　his　case；〃　said　Friar　Tuck；　〃and　I　will　give　him　ghostly　counsel。〃

〃You　well　remember；〃　said　Robin　Hood；　〃the　sorrowful　knight　who　dined　with　us　here　twelve　months　and　a　day　gone　by。〃

〃Well　do　I；〃　said　Friar　Tuck。　　〃His　lands　were　in　jeopardy　with　a　certain　abbot；　who　would　allow　him　no　longer　day　for　their　redemption。　Whereupon　you　lent　to　him　the　four　hundred　pounds　which　he　needed；　and　which　he　was　to　repay　this　day；　though　he　had　no　better　security　to　give　than　our　Lady　the　Virgin。〃

〃I　never　desired　better；〃　said　Robin；　〃for　she　never　yet　failed　to　send　me　my　pay；　and　here　is　one　of　her　own　flock；　this　faithful　and　well…favoured　monk　of　St。　Mary's；　hath　brought　it　me　duly；　principal　and　interest　to　a　penny；　as　Little　John　can　testify；　who　told　it　forth。　To　be　sure；　he　denied　having　it；　but　that　was　to　prove　our　faith。　We　sought　and　found　it。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　your　knight；〃　said　the　monk：　　〃and　the　money　was　our　own；　as　the　Virgin　shall　bless　me。〃

〃She　shall　bless　thee；〃　said　Friar　Tuck；　〃for　a　faithful　messenger。〃

The　monk　resumed　his　wailing。　　Little　John　brought　him　his　horse。　Robin　gave　him　leave　to　d