Пригоди Робін Гуда
Robin Hood Aids a Sorrowful Knight
Onwardtheyjourneyed,throughhighwayandbyway,throughvillageswheregoodwivesandmerrylassespeepedthroughthecasementsatthefineshowofyoungmen,untilatlasttheycameoverbeyondAlvertoninDerbyshire.Bythistimehighnoontidehadcome,yettheyhadmetnoguestsuchaswasworththeirwhiletotakebacktoSherwood;so,comingatlasttoacertainspotwhereashrinestoodatthecrossingoftworoads,Robincalleduponthemtostop,forhereoneithersidewasshelterofhighhedgerows,behindwhichwasgoodhiding,whencetheycouldwatchtheroadsattheirease,whiletheyatetheirmiddaymeal.QuothmerryRobin,"Here,methinks,isgoodlodging,wherepeacefulfolk,suchaswebe,caneatinquietness;thereforewewillresthere,andseewhatmay,perchance,fallintoourluck-pot."Sotheycrossedastileandcamebehindahedgerowwherethemellowsunlightwasbrightandwarm,andwherethegrasswassoft,andtheresatthemdown.Theneachmandrewfromthepouchthathungbesidehimthatwhichhehadbroughttoeat,foramerrywalksuchasthishadbeensharpenstheappetitetillitisaskeenasaMarchwind.Sonomorewordswerespoken,buteachmansavedhisteethforbetteruse—munchingatbrowncrustandcoldmeatrightlustily.
Infrontofthem,oneofthehighroadscrawledupthesteephillandthendippedsuddenlyoveritscrest,sharp-cutwithhedgerowandshaggygrassagainstthesky.
