Пригоди Робін Гуда
Robin Hood and Guy of Gisbourne
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"Mayhaphecouldandmayhaphecouldnot,"quothmerryRobin,"butthatweshallneverknowtillthouhastshotthereat."
AtthesewordsGuyofGisbournelookeduponRobinwithknitbrows,but,astheyeomanstilllookedinnocentofanyillmeaning,hebottledhiswordsandstrunghisbowinsilence.Twiceheshot,butneithertimedidhehitthewand,missingitthefirsttimebyaspanandthesecondtimebyagoodpalm’s-breadth.Robinlaughedandlaughed."Iseenow,"quothhe,"thattheDevilhimselfcouldnothitthatmark.Goodfellow,ifthouartnobetterwiththebroadswordthanthouartwiththebowandarrow,thouwiltneverovercomeRobinHood."
AtthesewordsGuyofGisbourneglaredsavagelyuponRobin.Quothhe,"Thouhastamerrytongue,thouvillain;buttakecarethatthoumakestnottoofreewithit,orImaycutitoutfromthythroatforthee."
RobinHoodstrunghisbowandtookhisplacewithneveraword,albeithisheartstringsquiveredwithangerandloathing.Twiceheshot,thefirsttimehittingwithinaninchofthewand,thesecondtimesplittingitfairlyinthemiddle.Then,withoutgivingtheotherachanceforspeech,heflunghisbowupontheground."There,thoubloodyvillain!"criedhefiercely,"letthatshowtheehowlittlethouknowestofmanlysports.Andnowlookthylastuponthedaylight,forthegoodearthhathbeenbefouledlongenoughbythee,thouvilebeast!Thisday,OurLadywilling,thoudiest—IamRobinHood.
