Приключения Робин Гуда

           Butnomatternow,forafterallawettingwillnotwashtheskinaway,andwhatmustbe,must.Butbideyehere,lads,forIwouldenjoythismerryadventurealone.Nevertheless,listenwell,andifyehearmesounduponmybuglehorn,comequickly."Sosaying,heturnedandleftthem,stridingonwardalone.

           Robinhadwalkednofartherthanwherethebendoftheroadhidhisgoodmenfromhisview,whenhestoppedsuddenly,forhethoughtthatheheardvoices.Hestoodstillandlistened,andpresentlyheardwordspassedbackandforthbetwixtwhatseemedtobetwomen,andyetthetwovoiceswerewondrouslyalike.Thesoundcamefromoverbehindthebank,thatherewassteepandhigh,droppingfromtheedgeoftheroadahalfascoreoffeettothesedgyvergeoftheriver.

           "’Tisstrange,"mutteredRobintohimselfafteraspace,whenthevoiceshadceasedtheirtalking,"surelytherebetwopeoplethatspoketheonetotheother,andyetmethinkstheirvoicesaremightilyalike.ImakemyvowthatneverhaveIheardthelikeinallmylifebefore.Truly,ifthistwainaretobejudgedbytheirvoices,notwopeaswereevermorealike.Iwilllookintothismatter."Sosaying,hecamesoftlytotheriverbankandlayinghimdownuponthegrass,peeredovertheedgeanddownbelow.

           Allwascoolandshadybeneaththebank.Astoutosiergrew,notstraightupward,butleaningacrossthewater,shadowingthespotwithitssoftfoliage.