Пригоди Робін Гуда

           Presentlythecastlegatesopenedwideandagreatarrayofmen-at-armscameforthwithnoiseandclatter,theSheriff,allcladinshiningmailoflinkedchain,ridingattheirhead.Inthemidstofalltheguard,inacart,withahalterabouthisneck,rodeWillStutely.Hisfacewaspalewithhiswoundandwithlossofblood,likethemooninbroaddaylight,andhisfairhairwasclottedinpointsuponhisforehead,wherethebloodhadhardened.Whenhecameforthfromthecastlehelookedupandhelookeddown,butthoughhesawsomefacesthatshowedpityandsomethatshowedfriendliness,hesawnonethatheknew.Thenhisheartsankwithinhimlikeaplummetoflead,butneverthelesshespokeupboldly.

           "Giveaswordintomyhand,SirSheriff,"saidhe,"andwoundedmanthoughIbe,Iwillfighttheeandallthymentilllifeandstrengthbegone."

           "Nay,thounaughtyvarlet,"quoththeSheriff,turninghisheadandlookingrightgrimlyuponWillStutely,"thoushalthavenoswordbutshalldieameandeath,asbeseemethavilethieflikethee."

           "ThendobutuntiemyhandsandIwillfighttheeandthymenwithnoweaponbutonlymynakedfists.Icravenoweapon,butletmenotbemeanlyhangedthisday."

           ThentheSherifflaughedaloud."Why,hownow,"quothhe,"isthyproudstomachquailing?Shrivethyself,thouvileknave,forImeanthatthoushalthangthisday,andthatwherethreeroadsmeet,sothatallmenshallseetheehang,forcarrioncrowsanddawstopeckat."