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stranger in scarlet, who wore a patch over one eye.
"Now," quoth the Sheriff to a man-at-arms who stood near him,
"seest thou Robin Hood among those ten?"
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"Nay, that do I not, Your Worship," answered the man.
"Six of them I know right well. Of those Yorkshire yeomen,
one is too tall and the other too short for that bold knave.
Robin's beard is as yellow as gold, while yon tattered beggar
in scarlet hath a beard of brown, besides being blind of one eye.
As for the stranger in blue, Robin's shoulders, I ween,
are three inches broader than his."
"Then," quoth the Sheriff, smiting his thigh angrily, "yon knave
is a coward as well as a rogue, and dares not show his face among
good men and true."
Then, after they had rested a short time, those ten stout men stepped
forth to shoot again. Each man shot two arrows, and as they shot,
not a word was spoken, but all the crowd watched with scarce a breath
of sound; but when the last had shot his arrow another great shout arose,
while many cast their caps aloft for joy of such marvelous shooting.
"Now by our gracious Lady fair," quoth old Sir Amyas o'
the Dell, who, bowed with fourscore years and more, sat near
the Sheriff, "ne'er saw I such archery in all my life before,
yet have I seen the best hands at the longbow for threescore
years and more."
And now but three men were left of all those that had shot before.
One was Gill o' the Red Cap, one the tattered stranger in scarlet,
and one Adam o' the Dell of Tamworth Town. Then all the people
called aloud, some crying, "Ho for Gilbert o' the Red Cap!"
and some, "Hey for stout Adam o' Tamworth!" But not a single
man in the crowd called upon the stranger in scarlet.
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"Now, shoot thou well, Gilbert," cried the Sheriff, "and if thine
be the best shaft, fivescore broad silver pennies will I give
to thee beside the prize."
"Truly I will do my best," quoth Gilbert right sturdily.
"A man cannot do aught but his best, but that will I strive
to do this day." So saying, he drew forth a fair smooth arrow
with a broad feather and fitted it deftly to the string,
then drawing his bow with care he sped the shaft.
Straight flew the arrow and lit fairly in the clout,
a finger's-breadth from the center. "A Gilbert, a Gilbert!"
shouted all the crowd; and, "Now, by my faith," cried the Sheriff,
smiting his hands together, "that is a shrewd shot."
Then the tattered stranger stepped forth, and all the people laughed
as they saw a yellow patch that showed beneath his arm when he raised
his elbow to shoot, and also to see him aim with but one eye.
He drew the good yew bow quickly, and quickly loosed a shaft;
so short was the time that no man could draw a breath betwixt
the drawing and the shooting; yet his arrow lodged nearer the center
than the other by twice the length of a barleycorn.
"Now by all the saints in Paradise!" cried the Sheriff,
"that is a lovely shaft in very truth!"
Then Adam o' the Dell shot, carefully and cautiously, and his
arrow lodged close beside the stranger's. Then after a short
space they all three shot again, and once more each arrow lodged
within the clout, but this time Adam o' the Dell's was farthest
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from the center, and again the tattered stranger's shot was
the best. Then, after another time of rest, they all shot for
the third time. This time Gilbert took great heed to his aim,
keenly measuring the distance and shooting with shrewdest care.
Straight flew the arrow, and all shouted till the very flags
that waved in the breeze shook with the sound, and the rooks
and daws flew clamoring about the roofs of the old gray tower,
for the shaft had lodged close beside the spot that marked
the very center.
"Well done, Gilbert!" cried the Sheriff right joyously.
"Fain am I to believe the prize is thine, and right fairly won.
Now, thou ragged knave, let me see thee shoot a better
shaft than that."
Nought spake the stranger but took his place, while all was hushed,
and no one spoke or even seemed to breathe, so great was the silence
for wonder what he would do. Meanwhile, also, quite still stood [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]