maid marian-第13部分

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in　with　Marian；　and　Scarlet　with　the　baron；　and　the　venison　smoked；　and　the　ale　frothed；　and　the　wine　sparkled；　and　the　sun　went　down　on　their　unwearied　festivity：　which　they　wound　up　with　the　following　song；　the　friar　leading　and　the　foresters　joining　chorus：

　Oh！　bold　Robin　Hood　is　a　forester　good；　　As　ever　drew　bow　in　the　merry　greenwood：　　At　his　bugle's　shrill　singing　the　echoes　are　ringing；　　The　wild　deer　are　springing　for　many　a　rood：　　Its　summons　we　follow；　through　brake；　over　hollow；　　The　thrice…blown　shrill　summons　of　bold　Robin　Hood。

　And　what　eye　hath　e'er　seen　such　a　sweet　Maiden　Queen；　　As　Marian；　the　pride　of　the　forester's　green？　　A　sweet　garden…flower；　she　blooms　in　the　bower；　　Where　alone　to　this　hour　the　wild　rose　has　been：　　We　hail　her　in　duty　the　queen　of　all　beauty：　　We　will　live；　we　will　die；　by　our　sweet　Maiden　queen。

　And　here's　a　grey　friar；　good　as　heart　can　desire；　　To　absolve　all　our　sins　as　the　case　may　require：　　Who　with　courage　so　stout；　lays　his　oak…plant　　about；　　And　puts　to　the　rout　all　the　foes　of　his　choir：　　For　we　are　his　choristers；　we　merry　foresters；　　Chorussing　thus　with　our　militant　friar

　And　Scarlet　cloth　bring　his　good　yew…bough　and　　string；　　Prime　minister　is　he　of　Robin　our　king：　　No　mark　is　too　narrow　for　little　John's　arrow；　　That　hits　a　cock　sparrow　a　mile　on　the　wing；　　Robin　and　Marion；　Scarlet；　and　Little　John；　　Long　with　their　glory　old　Sherwood　shall　ring。

　Each　a　good　liver；　for　well…feathered　quiver　　Doth　furnish　brawn；　venison；　and　fowl　of　the　river：　　But　the　best　game　we　dish　up；　it　is　a　fat　bishop：　　When　his　angels　we　fish　up；　he　proves　a　free　giver：　　For　a　prelate　so　lowly　has　angels　more　holy；　　And　should　this　world's　false　angels　to　sinners　deliver。

　Robin　and　Marion；　Scarlet　and　Little　John；　　Drink　to　them　one　by　one；　drink　as　ye　sing：　　Robin　and　Marion；　Scarlet　and　Little　John；　　Echo　to　echo　through　Sherwood　shall　fling：　　Robin　and　Marion；　Scarlet　and　Little　John；　　Long　with　their　glory　old　Sherwood　shall　ring。




CHAPTER　XII

　A　single　volume　paramount：　a　code：　　A　master　spirit：　a　determined　road。　　WORDSWORTH。


The　next　morning　Robin　Hood　convened　his　foresters；　and　desired　Little　John；　for　the　baron's　edification；　to　read　over　the　laws　of　their　forest　society。　Little　John　read　aloud　with　a　stentorophonic　voice。

〃At　a　high　court　of　foresters；　held　under　the　greenwood　tree；　an　hour　after　sun…rise；　Robin　Hood　President；　William　Scarlet　Vice…President；　Little　John　Secretary：　　the　following　articles；　moved　by　Friar　Tuck　in　his　capacity　of　Peer　Spiritual；　and　seconded　by　Much　the　Miller；　were　unanimously　agreed　to。

〃The　principles　of　our　society　are　six：　Legitimacy；　Equity；　Hospitality；　Chivalry；　Chastity；　and　Courtesy。

〃The　articles　of　Legitimacy　are　four：

〃I。　Our　government　is　legitimate；　and　our　society　is　founded　on　the　one　golden　rule　of　right；　consecrated　by　the　universal　consent　of　mankind；　and　by　the　practice　of　all　ages；　individuals；　and　nations：　　namely；　To　keep　what　we　have；　and　to　catch　what　we　can。

〃II。　　Our　government　being　legitimate；　all　our　proceedings　shall　be　legitimate：　　wherefore　we　declare　war　against　the　whole　world；　and　every　forester　is　by　this　legitimate　declaration　legitimately　invested　with　a　roving　commission；　to　make　lawful　prize　of　every　thing　that　comes　in　his　way。

〃III。　　All　forest　laws　but　our　own　we　declare　to　be　null　and　void。

〃IV。　　All　such　of　the　old　laws　of　England　as　do　not　in　any　way　interfere　with；　or　militate　against；　the　views　of　this　honourable　assembly；　we　will　loyally　adhere　to　and　maintain。　The　rest　we　declare　null　and　void　as　far　as　relates　to　ourselves；　in　all　cases　wherein　a　vigour　beyond　the　law　may　be　conducive　to　our　own　interest　and　preservation。〃

〃The　articles　of　Equity　are　three：

〃I。　The　balance　of　power　among　the　people　being　very　much　deranged；　by　one　having　too　much　and　another　nothing；　we　hereby　resolve　ourselves　into　a　congress　or　court　of　equity；　to　restore　as　far　as　in　us　lies　the　said　natural　balance　of　power；　by　taking　from　all　who　have　too　much　as　much　of　the　said　too　much　as　we　can　lay　our　hands　on；　and　giving　to　those　who　have　nothing　such　a　portion　thereof　as　it　may　seem　to　us　expedient　to　part　with。

〃II。　　In　all　cases　a　quorum　of　foresters　shall　constitute　a　court　of　equity；　and　as　many　as　may　be　strong　enough　to　manage　the　matter　in　hand　shall　constitute　a　quorum。

〃III。　　All　usurers；　monks；　courtiers；　and　other　drones　of　the　great　hive　of　society；　who　shall　be　found　laden　with　any　portion　of　the　honey　whereof　they　have　wrongfully　despoiled　the　industrious　bee；　shall　be　rightfully　despoiled　thereof　in　turn；　and　all　bishops　and　abbots　shall　be　bound　and　beaten；＇5＇　especially　the　abbot　of　Doncaster；　as　shall　also　all　sheriffs；　especially　the　sheriff　of　Nottingham。


＇5＇　〃These　byshoppes　and　these　archbyshoppes　Ye　shall　them　bete　and　bynde；〃

says　Robin　Hood；　in　an　old　ballad。　　Perhaps；　however；　thus　is　to　be　taken　not　in　a　literal；　but　in　a　figurative　sense　from　the　binding　and　beating　of　wheat：　　for　as　all　rich　men　were　Robin's　harvest；　the　bishops　and　archbishops　must　have　been　the　finest　and　fattest　ears　among　them；　from　which　Robin　merely　proposes　to　thresh　the　grain　when　he　directs　them　to　be　bound　and　beaten：　and　as　Pharaoh's　fat　kine　were　typical　of　fat　ears　of　wheat；　so　may　fat　ears　of　wheat；　mutatis　mutandis；　be　typical　of　fat　kine。


〃The　articles　of　Hospitality　are　two：

〃I。　Postmen；　carriers　and　market…folk；　peasants　and　mechanics；　farmers　and　millers；　shall　pass　through　our　forest　dominions　without　let　or　molestation。

〃II。　　All　other　travellers　through　the　forest　shall　be　graciously　invited　to　partake　of　Robin's　hospitality；　and　if　they　come　not　willingly　they　shall　be　compelled；　and　the　rich　man　shall　pay　well　for　his　fare；　and　the　poor　man　shall　feast　scot　free；　and　peradventure　receive　bounty　in　proportion　to　his　desert　and　necessity。

〃The　article　of　Chivalry　is　one：

〃I。　Every　forester　shall；　to　the　extent　of　his　power；　aid　and　protect　maids；　widows；　and　orphans；　and　all　weak　and　distressed　persons　whomsoever：　and　no　woman　shall　be　impeded　or　molested　in　any　way；　nor　shall　any　company　receive　harm　which　any　woman　is　in。

〃The　article　of　Chastity　is　one：

〃I。　Every　forester；　being　Diana's　forester　and　minion　of　the　moon；　shall　commend　himself　to　the　grace　of　the　Virgin；　and　shall　have　the　gift　of　continency　on　pain　of　expulsion：　that　the　article　of　chivalry　may　be　secure　from　infringement；　and　maids；　wives；　and　widows　pass　without　fear　through　the　forest。

〃The　article　of　Courtesy　is　one：

〃I。　No　one　shall　miscall　a　forester。　　He　who　calls　Robin　Robert　of　Huntingdon；　or　salutes　him　by　any　other　title　or　designation　whatsoever　except　plain　Robin　Hood；　or　who　calls　Marian　Matilda　Fitzwater；　or　salutes　her　by　any　other　title　or　designation　whatsoever　except　plain　Maid　Marian；　and　so　of　all　others；　shall　for　every　such　offence　forfeit　a　mark；　to　be　paid　to　the　friar。

〃And　these　articles　we　swear　to　keep　as　we　are　good　men　and　true。　Carried　by　acclamation。　　God　save　King　Richard。　　〃LITTLE　JOHN；　Secretary。〃

〃Excellent　laws；〃　said　the　baron：　　〃excellent；　by　the　holy　rood。　William　of　Normandy；　with　my　great　great　grandfather　Fierabras　at　his　elbow；　could　not　have　made　better。　　And　now；　sweet　Mawd〃

〃A　fine；　a　fine；〃　cried　the　friar；　〃a　fine；　by　the　article　of　courtesy。〃

〃Od's　life；〃　said　the　baron；　〃shall　I　not　call　my　own　daughter　Mawd？　　Methinks　there　should　be　a　special　exception　in　my　favour。〃

〃It　must　not　be；〃　said　Robin　Hood：　　〃our　constitution　admits　no　privilege。〃

〃But　I　will　commute；〃　said　the　friar；　〃for　twenty　marks　a　year　duly　paid　into　my　ghostly　pocket　you　shall　call　your　daughter　Mawd　two　hundred　times　a　day。〃

〃Gramercy；〃　said　the　baron；　〃and　I　agree；　honest　friar；　when　I　can　get　twenty　marks　to　pay：　　for　till　Prince　John　be　beaten　from　Nottingham；　my　rents　are　like　to　prove　but　scanty。〃

〃I　will　trust；〃　said　the　friar；　〃and　thus　let　us　ratify　the　stipulation；　so　shall　our　laws　and　your　infringement　run　together　in　an　amicable　parallel。〃

〃But；〃　said　Little　John；　〃this　is　a　bad　precedent；　master　friar。　It　is　turning　discipline　into　profit；　penalty　into　perquisite；　public　justice　into　private　revenue。　　It　is　rank　corruption；　master　friar。〃

〃Why　are　laws　made？〃　said　the　friar。　　〃For　the　profit　of　somebody。　Of　whom？　　Of　him　who　makes　them　first；　and　of　others　as　it　may　happen。　Was　not　I　legislator　in　the　last　article；　and　shall　I　not　thrive　by　my　own　law？〃

〃Well　then；　sweet　Mawd；〃　said　the　baron；　〃I　must　leave　you；　Mawd：　your　life　is　very　well　for　the　young　and　the　hearty；　but　it　squares　not　with　my　age　or　my　humour。　　I　must　house；　Mawd。　　I　must　find　refuge：　but　where？　　That　is　the　question。〃

〃Where　Sir　Guy　of　Gamwell　has　found　it；〃　said　Robin　Hood；　〃near　the　borders　of　Barnsdale。　　There　you　may　dwell　in　safety　with　him　and　fair　Alice；　till　King　Richard　return；　and　Little　John　shall　give　you　safe　conduct。　You　will　have　need　to　travel　with　caution；　in　disguise　and　without　attendants；　for　Prince　John　commands　all　this　vicinity；　and　will　doubtless　lay　the　country　for　you　and　Marian。　　Now　it　is　first　expedient　to　dismiss　your　retainers。　If　there　be　any　among　them　who　like　our　life；　they　may　stay　with　us　in　the　greenwood；　the　rest　may　return　to　their　homes。〃

Some　of　the　baron's　men　resolved　to　remain　with　Robin　and　Marian；　and　were　furnished　accordingly　with　suits　of　green；　of　which　Robin　always　kept　good　store。

Marian　now　declared　that　as　there　was　danger　in　the　way　to　Barnsdale；　she　would　accompany　Little　John　and　the　baron；　as　she　should　not　be　happy　unless　she　herself　saw　her　father　placed　in　security。　Robin　was　very　unwilling　to　consent　to　this；　and　assured　her　that　there　was　more　danger　for　her　than　the　baron：　but　Marian　was　absolute。

〃If　so；　then；〃　said　Robin；　〃I　shall　be　your　guide　instead　of　Little　John；　and　I　shall　leave　him　and　Scarlet　joint…regents　of　Sherwood　during　my　absence；　and　the　voice　of　Friar　Tuck　shall　be　decisive　between　them　if　they　differ　in　nice　questions　of　state　policy。〃　　Marian　objected　to　this；　that　there　was　more　danger　for　Robin　than　either　herself　or　the　baron：　but　Robin　was　absolute　in　his　turn。

〃Talk　not　of　my　voice；〃　said　the　friar；　〃