Приключения Робин Гуда
The Adventure with Midge the Miller’s Son
Then,whileallfourstumbledabout,roaringwiththesmartofthemealintheireyeballs,andwhiletheyrubbedtheireyestillthetearsmadegreatchannelsontheirfacesthroughthemeal,theMillerseizedanotherhandfulofflourandanotherandanother,throwingitintheirfaces,sothatevenhadtheyhadaglimmeringoflightbeforetheywerenowasblindaseverabeggarinNottinghamshire,whiletheirhairandbeardsandclotheswereaswhiteassnow.
Thencatchinguphisgreatcrabstaff,theMillerbeganlayingabouthimasthoughhewerecleangonemad.Thiswayandthatskippedthefour,likepeasonadrumhead,buttheycouldseeneithertodefendthemselvesnortorunaway.Thwack!thwack!wenttheMiller’scudgelacrosstheirbacks,andateveryblowgreatwhitecloudsofflourroseintheairfromtheirjacketsandwentdriftingdownthebreeze.
"Stop!"roaredRobinatlast."Giveover,goodfriend,IamRobinHood!"
"Thouliest,thouknave,"criedtheMiller,givinghimarapontheribsthatsentupagreatcloudofflourlikeapuffofsmoke."StoutRobinneverrobbedanhonesttradesman.Ha!thouwouldsthavemymoney,wouldstthou?"Andhegavehimanotherblow."Nay,thouartnotgettingthyshare,thoulong-leggedknave.Shareandsharealike."AndhesmoteLittleJohnacrosstheshoulderssothathesenthimskippinghalfacrosstheroad."Nay,fearnot,itisthyturnnow,blackbeard."AndhegavetheTanneracrackthatmadehimroarforallhiscoughing.
