第 20 节
作者:
空白协议书 更新:2021-02-19 21:36 字数:9320
〃For none can I find in the good greenwood; All on the fallen leaves so
brown。〃
〃No money have we; good brother;〃 said they: 〃Then;〃 said he; 〃we
three for money will pray: Singing; hey down; ho down; down;
derry down: And whatever shall come at the end of our prayer; We
three holy friars will piously share; All on the fallen leaves so
brown。〃
〃We will not pray with thee; good brother; God wot: For truly; good
brother; thou pleasest us not; Singing hey down; ho down; down;
derry down:〃 Then up they both started from Robin to run; But down
on their knees Robin pulled them each one; All on the fallen leaves
so brown。
The grey friars prayed with a doleful face; But bold Robin prayed
with a right merry grace; Singing; hey down; ho down; down; derry
down: And when they had prayed; their portmanteau he took; And
from it a hundred good angels he shook; All on the fallen leaves so
brown。
〃The saints;〃 said bold Robin; 〃have hearkened our prayer; And
here's a good angel apiece for your share: If more you would have; you
must win ere you wear: Singing hey down; ho down; down; derry
down:〃 Then he blew his good horn with a musical cheer; And fifty
green bowmen came trooping full near; And away the grey friars they
bounded like deer; All on the fallen leaves so brown。
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CHAPTER XIII
What can a young lassie; what shall a young lassie; What can a
young lassie do wi'an auld man?BURNS。
〃Here is but five shillings and a ring;〃 said Little John; 〃and the
young man has spoken true。〃
〃Then;〃 said Robin to the stranger; 〃if want of money be the cause of
your melancholy; speak。 Little John is my treasurer; and he shall
disburse to you。〃
〃It is; and it is not;〃 said the stranger; 〃it is; because; had I not wanted
money I had never lost my love; it is not; because; now that I have lost her;
money would come too late to regain her。〃
〃In what way have you lost her?〃 said Robin: 〃let us clearly know
that she is past regaining; before we give up our wishes to restore her to
you。〃
〃She is to be married this day;〃 said the stranger; 〃and perhaps is
married by this; to a rich old knight; and yesterday I knew it not。〃
〃What is your name?〃 said Robin。
〃Allen;〃 said the stranger。
〃And where is the marriage to take place; Allen?〃 said Robin。
〃At Edwinstow church;〃 said Allen; 〃by the bishop of Nottingham。〃
〃I know that bishop;〃 said Robin; 〃he dined with me a month since;
and paid three hundred pounds for his dinner。 He has a good ear and
loves music。 The friar sang to him to some tune。 Give me my harper's
cloak; and I will play a part at this wedding。
〃These are dangerous times; Robin;〃 said Marian; 〃for playing pranks
out of the forest。〃
〃Fear not;〃 said Robin; 〃Edwinstow lies not Nottingham…ward; and I
will take my precautions。〃
Robin put on his harper's cloak; while Little John painted his eyebrows
and cheeks; tipped his nose with red; and tied him on a comely beard。
Marian confessed; that had she not been present at the metamorphosis; she
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should not have known her own true Robin。 Robin took his harp and
went to the wedding。
Robin found the bishop and his train in the church porch; impatiently
expecting the arrival of the bride and bridegroom。 The clerk was observing
to the bishop that the knight was somewhat gouty; and that the necessity of
walking the last quarter of a mile from the road to the churchyard probably
detained the lively bridegroom rather longer than had been calculated
upon。
〃Oh! by my fey;〃 said the music…loving bishop; 〃here comes a harper
in the nick of time; and now I care not how long they tarry。 Ho! honest
friend; are you come to play at the wedding?〃
〃I am come to play anywhere;〃 answered Robin; 〃where I can get a
cup of sack; for which I will sing the praise of the donor in lofty verse; and
emblazon him with any virtue which he may wish to have the credit of
possessing; without the trouble of practising。
〃A most courtly harper;〃 said the bishop; 〃I will fill thee with sack; I
will make thee a walking butt of sack; if thou wilt delight my ears with thy
melodies。〃 〃That will I;〃 said Robin; 〃in what branch of my art shall I
exert my faculty? I am passing well in all; from the anthem to the glee;
and from the dirge to the coranto。〃
〃It would be idle;〃 said the bishop; 〃to give thee sack for playing me
anthems; seeing that I myself do receive sack for hearing them sung。
Therefore; as the occasion is festive; thou shalt play me a coranto。〃
Robin struck up and played away merrily; the bishop all the while in
great delight; noddling his head; and beating time with his foot; till the
bride and bridegroom appeared。 The bridegroom was richly apparelled;
and came slowly and painfully forward; hobbling and leering; and pursing
up his mouth into a smile of resolute defiance to the gout; and of tender
complacency towards his lady love; who; shining like gold at the old
knight's expense; followed slowly between her father and mother; her
cheeks pale; her head drooping; her steps faltering; and her eyes reddened
with tears。
Robin stopped his minstrelsy; and said to the bishop; 〃This seems to
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me an unfit match。〃
〃What do you say; rascal?〃 said the old knight; hobbling up to him。
〃I say;〃 said Robin; 〃this seems to me an unfit match。 What; in the
devil's name; can you want with a young wife; who have one foot in
flannels and the other in the grave?〃
〃What is that to thee; sirrah varlet?〃 said the old knight; 〃stand away
from the porch; or I will fracture thy sconce with my cane。〃
〃I will not stand away from the porch;〃 said Robin; 〃unless the bride
bid me; and tell me that you are her own true love。〃
〃Speak;〃 said the bride's father; in a severe tone; and with a look of
significant menace。 The girl looked alternately at her 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
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grew red and her eyes grew bright; as she locked her hand in her lover's;
and tripped lightly with him into the church。