Приключения Робин Гуда

           Nay,goodDavid,whatthoutellestmemakethmetodesiretheprizeevenmorethanIelseshoulddo.ButwhatsayethourgoodgossipSwanthold?Isitnot‘Ahastymanburnethhismouth,andthefoolthatkeepethhiseyesshutfallethintothepit’?Thushesays,truly,thereforewemustmeetguilewithguile.Nowsomeofyouclotheyourselvesascurtalfriars,andsomeasrusticpeasants,andsomeastinkers,orasbeggars,butseethateachmantakethagoodboworbroadsword,incaseneedshouldarise.Asformyself,Iwillshootforthissamegoldenarrow,andshouldIwinit,wewillhangittothebranchesofourgoodgreenwoodtreeforthejoyofalltheband.Howlikeyoutheplan,mymerrymenall?"

           Then"Good,good!"criedallthebandrightheartily.

           AfairsightwasNottinghamTownonthedayoftheshootingmatch.Allalonguponthegreenmeadowbeneaththetownwallstretchedarowofbenches,oneabovetheother,whichwereforknightandlady,squireanddame,andrichburghersandtheirwives;fornonebutthoseofrankandqualityweretositthere.Attheendoftherange,nearthetarget,wasaraisedseatbedeckedwithribbonsandscarfsandgarlandsofflowers,fortheSheriffofNottinghamandhisdame.Therangewastwoscorepacesbroad.Atoneendstoodthetarget,attheotheratentofstripedcanvas,fromthepoleofwhichflutteredmany-coloredflagsandstreamers.Inthisboothwerecasksofale,freetobebroachedbyanyofthearcherswhomightwishtoquenchtheirthirst.

           Acrosstherangefromwheretheseatsforthebetterfolkwereraisedwasarailingtokeepthepoorerpeoplefromcrowdinginfrontofthetarget.Already,whileitwasearly,thebencheswerebeginningtofillwithpeopleofquality,whokeptconstantlyarrivinginlittlecartsoruponpalfreysthatcurvetedgailytothemerrytinkleofsilverbellsatbridlereins.