Пригоди Робін Гуда
The Chase of Robin Hood
"Then,indeed,Iamsomebodyelse,andcanbenoneotherthanRobinHood.Takeme,fellows;butletmetellyouthatyeha’laidhanduponthestoutestyeomanthatevertrodthewoodlands."
"Thouwiltplaymadman,wiltthou?"saidtheleaderoftheband."Here,Giles,fetchacordandbindthisknave’shandsbehindhim.IwarrantwewillbringhiswitsbacktohimagainwhenwegethimsafebeforeourgoodBishopatTutburyTown."ThereupontheytiedtheCobbler’shandsbehindhim,andledhimoffwitharope,asthefarmerleadsoffthecalfhehathbroughtfromthefair.Robinstoodlookingafterthem,andwhentheyweregonehelaughedtillthetearsrolleddownhischeeks;forheknewthatnoharmwouldbefallthehonestfellow,andhepicturedtohimselftheBishop’sfacewhengoodQuincewasbroughtbeforehimasRobinHood.Then,turninghisstepsoncemoretotheeastward,hesteppedoutrightfootforemosttowardNottinghamshireandSherwoodForest.
ButRobinHoodhadgonethroughmorethanhewottedof.HisjourneyfromLondonhadbeenhardandlong,andinase’ennighthehadtraveledsevenscoreandmoreofmiles.HethoughtnowtotravelonwithoutstoppinguntilhehadcometoSherwood,buterehehadgoneahalfascoreofmileshefelthisstrengthgivingwaybeneathhimlikeariverbankwhichthewatershaveundermined.Hesathimdownandrested,butheknewwithinhimselfthathecouldgonofartherthatday,forhisfeetfeltlikelumpsoflead,soheavyweretheywithweariness.
