Приключения Робин Гуда
The Chase of Robin Hood
Then,bucklinghisbeltmoretightlyaroundhiswaist,heranfleetlydowntheroadtowardtheeastwardandSherwood.
ButRobinhadnotgonemorethanthreefurlongsinthatdirectionwhenhecamesuddenlytothebrowofahill,andsawbeneathhimanotherbandoftheKing’smenseatedintheshadealongtheroadsideinthevalleybeneath.Thenhepausednotamoment,but,seeingthattheyhadnotcaughtsightofhim,heturnedandranbackwhencehehadcome,knowingthatitwasbettertorunthechanceofescapingthosefellowsthatwereyetinthethicketsthantorushintothearmsofthoseinthevalley.Sobackheranwithallspeed,andhadgottensafelypastthethickets,whenthesevenmencameforthintotheopenroad.Theyraisedagreatshoutwhentheysawhim,suchasthehuntergiveswhenthedeerbreakscover,butRobinwasthenaquarterofamileandmoreawayfromthem,coursingoverthegroundlikeagreyhound.Heneverslackenedhispace,butranalong,mileaftermile,tillhehadcomenightoMackworth,overbeyondtheDerwentRiver,nightoDerbyTown.Here,seeingthathewasoutofpresentdanger,heslackenedinhisrunning,andatlastsathimdownbeneathahedgewherethegrasswasthelongestandtheshadethecoolest,theretorestandcatchhiswind."Bymysoul,Robin,"quothhetohimself,"thatwasthenarrowestmissthate’erthouhadstinallthylife.Idosaymostsolemnlythatthefeatherofthatwickedshafttickledmineearasitwhizzedpast.
